Finding the Holidays

Eight

This is a picture of Lena's resort room.

I burst back into my hotel room and began packing my bags.  Call this cliche, call this childish, whatever you want, but I am buying this resort off of Michael Fisher once and for all!  Fifteen minutes later, my bags were packed and ready to go.  I shrugged on my coat and paced quickly out of the room.  I dialled the taxi number and called up a taxi.  The driver said he'd arrive in fifteem to twenty minutes.  Great, I thought, just marvellous!  I decided that I'd have to wait outside building fifteen for it to pull up.  Not wanting to get spotted, I slipped on a pair of sunglasses.  I pretended to be busy on my phone, but really I was just thinking back to Ben.

It three weeks after the day he died and I made my way up to what was now my very lonely apartment.  I couldn't attend the funeral, because I was to injured physically to go.  But, I didn't want to stop at his grave.  I wouldn't look at his grave, I vowed.  Maybe if I pretend he's not dead, some sort of miracle will happen, I thought, unlocking the apartment door.  Everything will be just fine...

I opened the door to a dull, empty apartment.  

And that's when I realized:

There are no such thing as miracles.

There is no such thing as happiness.

If I hadn't been so stuck up and tried to complete a stupid holiday tradition then this wouldn't have happened.  I screamed, although no one could hear me, and burst into sobs.  Fingers shaking, I pulled off the necklace he gave me.  I looked at its beauty, my last memory of him.  My fist clenched around it and I threw it with all my might.  I landed on the floor ten feet in front of me.  I made no move to grab it.  Collapsing to my knees, I let my tears flow.  Softly, as if it were far away, I could almost hear Benjamin Henderson calling, "Lena, Lena..."

"Lena!"

I whirled around to see Lesedi hurrying towards me.  "What are you doing?" She gasped panting.

"Leaving," I replied, a lump in my throat forming, "and you can't stop me!  I'll buy out this company and there's nothing you or Michael can do to change that!"

"Michael told me what happened when you were nineteen, Lena." Lesedi told me gently, "But doing this won't change what happened.  More money and more power will leave you even more alone.  Is this really what you want?"

"Yes!" I cried, before hesitating.  "No..." I said, "Yes- I don't know, okay?  Just leave me alone!"  I wiped my eyes and saw the taxi pull up.  Without another word to Lesedi, I placed my bags in the trunk of the car, and slid in the backseat, pressing my face against the window that was not facing her.  I watched as we pulled out from the rustic resort.  I saw Elissa outside with some children, including Zoe, building snowmen.  Zoe and Elissa looked up, and their facial expressions turned to confused and sadness as they saw me in the taxi.  I turned away.  "I just want to go home." I muttered, crossing my arms.  

Well, it turns out that I wouldn't be going home for quite a while!  My train got delayed.  I had to stay overnight somewhere, I don't know where.  "You know, I can take you back to the resort, Miss." The taxi driver told me sweetly, helping unload my bags, "No extra charge." 

"It's okay, I'd rather stay at this motel." I told her, handing her a twenty dollar Bill, "Thank you, though."  She took the twenty dollar bill and drove off.  I stared at the motel.  I was a little disappointed in the sight- it was an ugly pink colour with decaying brick walls, obviously built in the 1980's.  But, I didn't want to deal with Spruce Peak Lodge Resort's group of people right about now.  I booked a room for the night and sat down on the motel bed, staring blankly at the room, which was in even worse than the outside of the hotel.  Fingers trembling, I fumbled through my purse and pulled out my phone.  I saw three voicemails from Lesedi.  The first one said:

"Lena, where do you think you're going?  You can't just run off like you did!  That was a stupid, horrible idea!"

I sighed and clicked on the next one.

"Lena, Michael's wondering where you are.  Zoe's getting worried as well.  Elissa too."

Whatever, I thought, and began to listen to the final one.

"Lena, please.  Michael told me what happened when you were nineteen.  I'm really sorry, Lena.  If you told us that, we could've helped, y'know.  Look, I don't think we should buy out the Spruce Peak Lodge Resort.  So, I called Mr. Kingsley, and... We moved the location of our new building.  Your job is over, Lena.  I think that's best for you.  I also got you some days off work, as long as you need, to straighten your life out.  You've got a friend in me, Lena.  Just, please, be happy again."

You got rid of my job, Lesedi?  I thought, swallowing hard.