ALISON ✔️

59

Alison

I pulled out my suitcase from the closet and placed it on the bed as I began folding my clothes neatly into it.

David promised to ship the rest of my stuff as soon as I get settled in. I was finally leaving for MIU. Dylan got really excited when I told him, you should have seen him.

"Alley?" Henna stepped into my room.

"Hey." I tried to smile and continued packing my things.

She sat at the edge of the bed watching me curiously, "You don't seem excited. All you've ever talked about was leaving this city."

How do I begin to tell her, how do I tell her everything that's happened, most of them I couldn't trade for a second,

"I grew out of it I guess." I gave her a quick smile.

She smiled back warmly and reached out to rub my hands,

"You're the daughter any mother could have asked for, I'm proud and glad that I was part of raising you into this beautiful woman you've become. Now you are going to college." Henna started crying,

"Oh, Henna." I laughed in tears. I was trying to be strong and hold back the tears, but I failed at it, "I'm really going to miss you, especially your samosas."

She laughed and pulled me into a hug.

"You would do fine baby girl." She said and rubbed my back.

I broke away abruptly, I remembered something really important, it was about David, I didn't how I look,

"Henna, please take care of Mr. Hertz, make sure he eats, sleeps and doesn't work himself too much.. .I know once I'm gone he would go back to his old habits and---"

"Ali--" She cut me short, "don't worry yourself about David, he's a grown man and he can take good care of himself."

"No, promise me!" I insisted, "Promise me, promise me you would take care of him, that's all I ask."

"Okay, I promise." She finally said it,

"Thank you."

She nodded and didn't eye me suspiciously,

"Remember, be good and don't go on doing drugs and all sort of terrible things you young college kids do these days." she warned.

I chuckled,

"I won't." I pulled her into another tight hug. Over her shoulder, I wondered how I was going to stay away for five years.

David had made me promise not to return until I finished my management course and found a goal in life.

"Ladies---" Micheal interrupted,

I broke away from Henna to look at him,

"College, huh?" He came over,

"I'll miss you too, buddy." I pulled him into a hug before he could protest.

"I will be downstairs." Henna excused herself.

"Take care of him, Micheal." I told him.

"I had a feeling this hug came with a price."he teased.

I chuckled and broke away from him, "Thank you for everything, and I'm sorry for all the pain I've caused you."

He nodded,

"Be good, kiddo and don't worry David is in good hands, though I'm quite positive he would through me out in the streets once your out of here, but don't worry I promise not to hate him for it."