Blood Diamonds

Chapter 11

Leila

The morning after my conversation with Henry and our subsequent plans to meet for a new business proposal proved to be a confusing one. I awoke later than usual with my head dazedly heavy, as though it had been stuffed with a fluffy ball of wool. The sensation was a strange one—not entirely dizzying, but more like a soft cloud of suppression pressed lightly on my brain to leave a slight drowsy effect. So, I remained between my satin sheets until late morning, only getting up to occasionally use the adjoining en suite bathroom.

As I lay I couldn't help but feel as though I missed something; a vital piece of information that I had forgotten. What it could be I did not know. There was not much happening in my life at that point; nothing important to follow up on; no planned activities that I had to attend to; even Rodney's business associates were scarce that week. A flicker of thought passed through my mind when I remembered that I still had a husband whom I had still not seen since the previous afternoon. But that was it, just a tiny, passing flicker of acknowledgement. My life was uneventful bliss. Still, something pulled at my attention in the back of my mind, I just hadn't figured out what it was yet.

"Miss?" I heard someone calling while knocking lightly on the room door. It was one of our many house-keepers. I recognised the high-pitched voice that spoke in a foreign, Irish accent, shrill and melodic, like she was constantly (or about to) burst into song. "Miss are you awake?" she asked again.

"Come in, Althea," I yelled weakly. It was just passed 10:00AM, and probably a good time to go down for some breakfast, which would maybe have helped me feel human again.

Althea meekly walked in carrying a load of clean, folded towels in her beefy arm. "Sorry to disturb, miss, but I brought some fresh towels."

"No problem at all," I responded with a feeble smile. I felt slightly embarrassed that I was still in bed at that time.

"Are you okay, miss?" she asked concernedly, furrowing her brows. She truly was a sweet and caring person.

"I'm fine, just feeling a bit under the weather," I replied.

"Should I call the doctor or Mr. Smith, miss? You are looking a wee bit pale this morning."

"Thanks, Althea, but no need. I'll be fine," I insisted meekly. I should probably have taken her up on that offer, after all I wasn't feeling my general, spirited, but a life of self-dependency and independence caused me to habitually avoid doctors, or seek out any medical attention, unless the situation was dire. I was feeling a little weak, and from what I glimpsed of myself in the cabinet mirror I looked it too, although I wasn't entirely ill. I believed I just needed a bit of rest; a simple headache and slight fatigue would surely dissipate soon and not cause me to physically break down.

"Perhaps a spot of nourishment will get you in top form again, hey," Althea said with a beam in her rosy, bally cheeks. "I'll get some breakfast prepared and sent up fer yer."

"You really don't have to, I'll be down in a second. I just need to gather my thoughts and some energy."

"Oh no, it's not a problem at all. You just sit tight there, miss, I'll sort out the rest," she insisted in her sing-song voice before going to the bathroom to pack the towels away.

"Oh, Althea, thank you so much!" I answered, grateful for her assistance, and most of all grateful for her concern. My life had become a fairy tale and I felt like the princess. It had been a while since I had a decent conversation with an actual human being, and by 'actual human being', I mean someone who not only knew of the struggles that plagued society beyond the suburban bliss, but also experienced it. I had no doubt that Althea experienced these things and talking to her was a refreshing experience. No one that kind and caring could not have experienced hardships and still walk away with so much compassion for another. I decided to ask her if she had maybe seen Rodney around. I wasn't in love with my husband, but he was my husband after all, and it was very strange to not have him come to bed at the end of an arduous day. "Althea?" I started.

"Yes, miss?" she chirped while spinning around just as she was about to exit the room.

"Have you seen Mr Smith by any chance?" I enquired. "I'm just a little concerned because he didn't make it home last night."

Her face scrunched into a slight frown, the beaming smile wiped from it completely, and she looked at me puzzled. "I'm pretty sure I saw him here last night, miss. In fact, if I remember right, he came bouncing down for breakfast wee hours of the morn, 'fore sunup," she replied. "Maybe it was just me losing me marbles, and this happened yesterday. When you're my age who knows," she continued with a chirpy laugh.

"Yes, maybe... don't worry about it, Althea. And thank you so much for your help, you have been so kind to me."

"No problem, miss." She exited the room and closed the door behind her.

I was wildly baffled myself. If Rodney had in fact come home last night, why could I not remember it? I could not have been so deep in slumber that I didn't notice another body sliding next to me in bed. Something did not add up. A pivotal piece of the puzzle still remained a mystery; if I could only clear my swarming head and think.

Althea had graciously opened my curtains, muttering that a bit of natural light would do well to lift my spirits. It was a beautiful, sunny autumn day and I could feel the warm light streaming through the large, rectangular windows. I longed to soak it in, revitalise my body and enjoy the fresh air with a relaxed picnic. I made a resolution to do just that once my strength returned, so I relaxed and sank into my soft sheets again while I waited for my food to arrive. I tried reassuring myself that there was nothing abnormal about the situation, that I just had a minor bout of illness, and it would sort itself out before the day was up. As for Rodney, he could have been home earlier just in time for breakfast if I took the word of an aged housekeeper; or she could have imagined the whole, strange scenario altogether. Just as I told myself this, while leaning back and closing my eyes to forget the odd happenings of my new lifestyle, the loud and sudden crash of my bedroom door being violently swung open jerked me to a state of startled awareness.

"Leila, darling, up, up, up!" a women's voice commanded excitedly. Rodney's younger sister stood in the doorway in her grand splendour; long, raven-black curls contrasting the bright red lipstick plastering her lips that curled into an exuberant smile and the twinkle in her sparkling green eyes. "No time to dilly dally, my dear, we have lots to do today!"