Twisted Tangles

Chapter 11, Lights Out

Thursday, 6th of June 2019

As the clock on the wall kept ticking, there was still no sign of Julien ever returning home to his mother, "Where is that boy? I hope he's safe, I heard a loud bang outside." Stephanie said speaking to herself. "I have to leave soon before it gets too late.", Stephanie called Julien but the line kept ringing without any response.

"This boy better not be playing games with his mother especially at a time like this, it's almost midnight for goodness sake." Stephanie said worriedly in the still of the cold night, where could Julien be at such an hour? Stephanie was clueless on what was going on especially without receiving any communication from Julien. What was the worst thing she could find out at any moment that night? She didn't know of course, nonetheless, without Julien's presence she was wide awake waiting for his return.

Friday, 7th of June 2019

The late-night winds swept around the city whistling besides the buildings whooshing through the empty streets creating a song of its own. As for Rosalià, her body had become cold by the thought of losing Julien as she sat there by the reception waiting upon the doctors.

"Miss, it's past midnight, is there anything I can help you with?", the receptionist asked Rosalià across the counter. Rosalià looked up to the receptionist, "A cup of coffee would do, thank you.", she replied before looking back down to her laps. While seated on the chairs at the reception, Rosalià received a text from Natalia.

"Hey cuz, had to rush back home. It was nice taking care of your place. See you soon.", Rosalià looked at the text message she had received from Natalia with no emotion on her face and ignored it right away. At the same time Julien's phone was buzzing in her other pocket.

She reached for his phone to see mumzo appear across the screen, she placed her hand over her mouth in shock tearing up. She placed the phone down besides her looking at it while she cried quietly, once the call ended, she left a message behind. "Hi Julien, please let me know when you'll be coming home. I've been waiting all night for you to say something, you're lucky I have prepared your favourite meal waiting for you.".

Seeing her message was heartbreaking to read especially knowing that when Rosalià felt Julien's pulse the odds didn't seem in his favour. Was she supposed to send her a text that her son was on the verge of life and death? As for Rosalià she felt it was best to not reply to any of Julien's messages and besides he never gave her security access to his phone.

The receptionist came with a cup of coffee for Rosalià, the receptionist noticed that she was crying. "Hey, calm down, what's the matter?" she asked placing the cup of coffee on the table before them. Rosalià's cries were dreadful, full of pain and regret, the receptionist then placed her arms around Rosalià consoling her into a hug stroking her head slowly.

"I don't want him to go, things were about to become perfect for the both of us. Why is it that when I finally decide to open my heart to someone that is the time when God decides to take them away from me? I'm sorry for everything I've done Lord, I just want him back in my arms once again please save him." Rosalià cried out sobbing onto the receptionist's shoulders.

"God will answer your prayers whenever you're in need okay? Don't forget him during your saddest times and during your happiest times because he'll always be there with you.", her words of comfort calmed Rosalià down as her cries softened.

After a few minutes of consolation, "Here take this cup of coffee, you'll feel better.", Rosalià finally rose from her arms and reached out to her cup of coffee placed on the table before them. "Thank you for this, I really appreciate it especially in a time like this.", "It's a pleasure, my name is Vivian, if you need anything feel free to ask. What's your boyfriend's name? I could give you feedback on updates from the doctor whenever they arrive, for now you can go home." Vivian replied.

"Is there any chance I could see him before I leave? It's not just him, my friend Ivy too, they were rushed together by the paramedics. It would mean a lot to me if I could at least find out if they're both still alive." Rosalià replied quickly wrapping her fingers together around the cup of coffee looking at Vivian. "I'll find out from what the doctors say but I can't promise anything okay?" Vivian replied sympathetically.

Vivian stood up from her seat next to Rosalià and walked down the hallway disappearing, Rosalià's faint smile faded away the moment Vivian disappeared around the corners of the hallway. With all that adrenaline rush finally settling down, a sense of fatigue took over her, not even the cup of coffee could help a minute after she finished it. The warm air flowing out of the Air Conditioners didn't help either, eventually, she dozed off into her sleep the moment Vivian returned with a report on both Julien and Ivy.

Rosalià looked restless as she was fast asleep in the eyes of Vivian, she then went behind the receptionist table to fetch a fluffy blanket, she then came back to Rosalià to cover her with the blanket in her hands. She placed the blanket over her legs and shoulders neatly, once she finished, she went back to her table continuing where she left off.

Meanwhile, as Natalia was en route to the coast in a convoy of three cars. Felix was at the wheel in the middle of the convoy where Natalia and Blake's money had been. "Is there anything left to do?" Felix questioned Natalia, "No that will be all, it's sad to say but finally I can quit my job, serving customers was never my thing, ugh." she replied disgustedly.

"The only thing now is to make sure this money is kept safe at the mansion. Julien was becoming too much of a risk for me, it's about time he learned his place, six feet under." Natalia replied looking out at the side of the window, "What about the other one?" Felix asked, "Oh, as for Rafael? You can throw him away out in the desert, he won't serve any use, he was always desperate for money."

Felix chuckled a bit looking down the road, "Alright then, with Blake gone we'll need to find a different approach on how to resume business while we stay low in the meantime." Felix suggested, Natalia laughed aloud at what Felix had said, "Are you serious Felix?" Natalia asked Felix with laughter, he didn't respond as he continued driving.

Once Natalia stopped laughing she replied back, "Okay okay, look, that's not my baby to take care of, you helped me so that I could help you, and what did I help you with? Two hundred thousand dollars into your pockets. The rest of the money is mine because it was my idea, just carry on driving before I get rid of you too." Natalia replied hastily. The ride was silent from then on until they arrived at the Andrews mansion along Langstrand beach.

"Finally, home sweet home, the jacuzzi is calling my name, you can take my luggage and money bags to my room Felix." Natalia said as she entered the house, while Felix and the other men unloaded the vehicles. It was a luxurious life to look forwards to for Natalia with the amount of cash she had stolen from Blake.

Well that was the life Natalia had just begun, stealing from the weak to enrich herself. A life lived by survival of the most powerful, from that moment she could finally be worthy to call herself Natalia Andrews.

Life had become sweeter than sugar for Natalia the moment she woke up in her bed on a Friday morning admiring the light of the sun brightening up her room. Cosied up on her king-sized bed with fluffy white bed sheets surrounded by continental pillows.

Smiles came upon her face as she climbed out of bed inserting her feet into her slippers walking towards her walk-through closet reaching out to one of her silk black robes. Once she finished, she glanced over to the mirror reflecting her daring look, "Oohh mommy you're the true definition of a black panther. Meow.", Natalia said as she proceeded towards the kitchen.

As she arrived downstairs to the kitchen, she was startled by Uncle Ben's presence at the family dining table reading the Namibian newspaper held in his hands, "Oh my, I forgot Dad told me you'd be around today." Natalia said in relief, "Good morning Natalia, I won't be here for long. I have a lot of meetings today with your father's clients.", he replied before sipping on his cup of coffee.

"That's okay, I'm glad to see you though. It's been so long." Natalia said heading over to the kitchen counters preparing a cup of tea. "Yes, it has been a while, I'll need Rosalià to return soon to assist in managing our distributors, its going to be a hectic month since one of our main distributors has passed on." Uncle Ben replied letting out a sigh as he folded his newspaper placing it on the table. "Alright I'm off, enjoy your day." He said standing up before he walked away exiting the mansion.

Natalia finished preparing her cup of tea, then proceeded to the back yard where she sat underneath the shade of the patio with the ocean just one sprint away. She took in a deep breath rested upon the patio chairs resting her knee on top of the other while sipping on her cup of rooibos tea listening to the soothing sounds of the waves sweep along the shore. "Ahh, what a great time to be alive." Natalia said in satisfaction, it was soothingly charming looking out into the Atlantic Ocean glittering with sparks from the sun above. Oh, what a day Natalia had enjoyed.

For that time being, back in Windhoek at the Roman Catholic hospital, Rosalià had slept all night until finally she was woken up by the incoming calls from reception table. She looked over to the reception with no sign of Vivian but a different a lady, she stood up and walked over to the reception.

"Hi, uhm... where is Vivian?" Rosalià asked curiously. "Good morning miss, Vivian's shift ended an hour ago, although she did tell me to inform you that you could go ahead and see your friends. Let me direct to their rooms."

The receptionist stood up and walked away down the corridor followed by Rosalià to the patient rooms, her breath had turned cold as she kept walking behind her. At any given moment she would see either Ivy or Julien, she could feel her lungs expand as she kept breathing causing her legs to move wobbly as each foot moved right in front of the other.

Time went slow as they kept walking, when could it end? "Why can't we just arrive at the room already. This receptionist is definitely testing my patience." Rosalià stressed in her mind lacking patience. At last they finally arrived, "Here are the rooms, please do not try to wake up any of them.

I'll have a look on what happened and let you know once your done here. I'll still be at the reception by lunch." She said pointing out to the doors opposite each other before walking away down the corridor in the same path they took getting here.

She starred at the door handle, hesitating whether to open it or not. She looked up taking in a final deep breath before she opened the door to find a lady seated right besides him. "Who is she?", Rosalià questioned herself, as she entered into the room slowly. The lady looked back at Rosalià noticing her arrival.

"Oh, hi there. Are you one of Julien's friends?", Stephanie asked, Rosalià looked at her cautiously, "I'm his girlfriend and who are you?" she asked walking towards the side of the bed Julien was rested upon. "Well, I am his mother.

I heard the news this morning when I received a phone call from the doctor. I'm so devastated, I almost lost my baby." Stephanie said as she sniffled caressing her hand on his forehead.

Rosalià stood there observing his body rested upon the hospital bed. Just wondering what he was going through. Looking at him replayed the memories of last night, when the sound of gun shot went right through her ears from the parking lot.

"Natalia didn't seem shocked at all the moment the gun went off the second time, I should've listened to her when she fought for my phone, but I was just too enraged with so many emotions running loose. Now Julien is here fighting for his life all because of my stubbornness, why didn't I just listen? I promise you Julien, you and I will be the best thing that ever happened in our lives, together."

Rosalià's inner voice said as she held Julien's hand before shedding a tear. "Don't worry darling, I know my Julien, he's a fighter, he'll definitely come out of this stronger." Stephanie said standing up to hug Rosalià, "Life makes us stronger by throwing crazy situations at us.

It never gets easy but more difficult, our only duty is to stand up whenever we've fallen. And that's when we have a decision to stand up or to stay there and die. Let's be strong for him okay?" Stephanie advised looking at Rosalià while she gazed at Julien.

"Why don't you grab a chair and come seat over here next to me?" Stephanie asked smiling at her, Rosalià grabbed a chair and carried it to Stephanie where she sat next to her. "So, what exactly did the doctor say?" Rosalià asked, "Well, unfortunately he was shot at his left shoulder, luckily it scrapped the bone of his shoulder blade as the bullet went right through him but otherwise they've patched him up and he'll be released soon the moment he wakes up." Stephanie explained.

Rosalià nodded her head looking at his heartbeat on the monitor, "Okay, did you receive any information about Ivy?" Rosalià asked Stephanie but she seemed confused, "I'm afraid I do not know who you're talking about Rosalià." she replied, "Oh, alright I'll just have a look in the other room then.". Rosalià stood up and exited the room leaving Stephanie behind as she closed the door and entered the room opposite Julien's.

As she entered, Ivy rested peacefully with nobody else but her in the room. It was like all the tears had flown out of Rosalià's eyes the moment she saw her, "My friend, you're alive, thank God." Rosalià said covering her mouth in relief. Her walk towards Ivy was like an elephant walking on eggshells as she drew near and near until she stood by her bed.

"I know the Doctors said I shouldn't wake you up but right now would be the best time to see your smile once again. I'm sorry I haven't been a good friend lately; I've always turned down your advice and you had every reason to leave our friendship. I'd like to return the favour by being by your side day and night until you leave this place." Rosalià said while she stroked her hair holding her left hand.

It was quiet, the silence was filled by the constant sound of the monitor beside her bed. A moment Rosalià had cherished right there with her friend, Ivy Robertson.

At that time Rosalià thought of Ajax, "Ajax! He has to be here too.", Rosalià took out her phone and Ivy's placing Ivy's by the counter to proceed in calling Ajax. The phone rang and rang but he didn't pick, the line cut, "Maybe he's busy." Rosalià assumed looking at her phone. She went on to take a chair carrying it to the side of Ivy's bed.

Well since Rosalià had known that both Ivy and Julien were well, she then relaxed and placed her head on the bed right besides Ivy's arms interlocking her left hand with Ivy's. "You'll be alright chommie, please wake up from the nightmare you're in." Rosalià said facing Ivy before closing her eyes to sleep right besides her.