THE JOURNEY HOME

CHAPTER 14: GOODBYE

Pearl managed to remain conscious while Mrs. Harry carried her back through the door. On their way back, they were met by Mrs. Rose who had finally figured out that Benjamin was not coming.

'I'll help' she said as she saw Pearl and immediately did. She held Pearl and continued where she had left off in her healing. Back then, given the circumstances and time constraints, she was unable to completely heal Pearl.

Pearl felt the familiar heat of Mrs. Rose's touch and immediately relaxed, she was lifted bridal style from the floor. As she lay in Mrs. Rose's arms, the fatigue set in and she slipped in and out of consciousness. She couldn't help thinking of how grateful she was for Mrs. Rose's ability. An ability she had once hated and associated primarily with pain. Only now could she see how useful it truly was.

The doorknob clicked and turned, blindingly bright light spewed into the dark hall from the library. It was finally over.

Pearl woke up disoriented and confused from a nightmare of Premonition choking her with a wicked snarl on her face. Her partner stood to the side clapping and laughing.

'Very impressive, but what will you do now?' He asked again and again in-between wicked peals of cackling laughter.

Her breathing was ragged and shaky, it took a while for her to realize that it was just a dream. Her eyes focused on Mrs. Rose's face, there was a worried look on it.

'Calm down. Breathe' Rose spoke calmly, her arm was outstretched. Pearl deliberately evened out her breathing and tried to calm down. As she relaxed, she felt herself drop onto the bed with a thud, suddenly realizing that she had been floating about a foot in mid-air.

'It's alright. You're safe now' Mrs. Rose assured Pearl. Pearl nodded and calmly evaluated her surrounding. In a moment, she was sure of where she was, one of the rooms in the library.

'Pearl, now that you are awake, I want to ask, what were you doing in there?' Her first question was met with an unsettling silence. 'Were you planning on going to Legandanl?' Mrs. Rose asked, she paused thoughtfully and continued.

'Have you said goodbye to Ophelia?'

'That's my business' Pearl suddenly snapped. It had been a very long day for Pearl, and Mrs. Rose questioning the morality of her actions was the last thing she needed.

'The rules there are different from the rules here. You may not get the chance again to speak to her again. Don't waste what little time you have and don't make her suffer because of your selfishness' Mrs. Rose pulled no punches, she tried desperately to make Pearl understand.

'You have no idea what I have had to go through these past few months.' Pearl burst out without thinking, she composed herself and continued 'Please, you're not my mother so don't try to act like it.' This time, Pearl checked herself. Her voice was calm and cool, devoid of emotion.

'Think bigger than yourself Pearl. You're better than this.' Mrs. Rose implored.

An inappropriate response swelled in Pearl's chest and was about to spew out her mouth when the soft, clear voice of the old librarian interjected.

'There is a way to see Legandanl without going there' Mrs. Harry spoke up from where she watched their conversation at the door, 'Pearl, would you like me to take you?'.

'What's the difference? I have to go there anyway, whether I like the view or not' Pearl mumbled under her breath, chuckling mirthlessly.

'You're not the only one in a situation that they wish they could change. You should know that' Mrs. Harry spoke sternly.

Pearl's heart softened. Perhaps she was too harsh, she chanced a glance at Mrs. Rose and could see her face was a rock solid wall, separating whatever she felt on the inside from any prying eyes.

'I'm wanted elsewhere' Mrs. Rose abruptly said then walked out, shortly after that Mrs. Harry also exited the room, leaving Pearl alone with her thoughts.

A little while later, when Pearl came to Mrs. Harry's study, she was thinking differently. She had decided she would go see Legandanl. In fact, she felt so different now that she wanted to apologize to Mrs. Rose for her misbehaviour but she wasn't around.

Mrs. Harry didn't need to be told. One look into Pearl's eyes and she knew, Pearl had decided to see the city that she would soon be relocating to. She had come to terms with her situation.

'I don't want to leave yet.' Pearl started, 'I only want to see it.' Mrs. Harry smiled. It seemed Pearl had reached stage five, acceptance.

'Tomorrow' came Mrs. Harry's one-worded reply.

'Tomorrow' Pearl agreed, then closed the door to the study.

Pearl got home and realized there was a lot of preparation to be done. She had been so focused on herself and how she felt, trying to bargain or avoid the inevitable, that she had completely neglected to inform or at least prepare those around her for what would now be her sudden disappearance. How would she tell Ophelia?

Ophelia was asleep on the dining table when Pearl came back, postponing their painful yet unavoidable conversation by a day. Pearl was thankful for it, she was ready for the day to end. She peered down to look at the face of Ophelia, her cousin, friend and sister only to see that it was tear-streaked and there were tear drops on the table.

Ophelia had been crying.

'Why?' she asked no one in particular, she thought it could be her fault. Was it something she had done? Once again, she was brought to bear with her actions and their possible consequences.

'It's unfortunate' she sighed, looking again at her sleeping cousin, there was no time to prepare Ophelia for the coming shock of her relocation. Pearl felt very powerless and small, like people and forces beyond her had stolen her life from her.

She turned to the kitchen to prepare something for herself to eat but ran into her mother. A stand-off ensued between them. Those harsh, unforgiving eyes bored straight into Pearl's soul but she was too stubborn to look away, to give in, to relent. Pearl held her gaze. A very uncomfortable silence settled between them and the air grew tense. Her mother walked out without a word and Pearl scoffed. She prepared something for herself to eat then went to sleep.