Our Reflection

13• Vulnerable

Marjorie Blossom Point Of View

"Ms. Blossom?"

From a distance I heard a voice resonate in my head, but I was so distracted looking at a fixed spot on the conference table, that I only noticed that someone was calling me when Alfred nudged me.

"Marjorie?"

"Yes, of course, what is it?"

"We want to know your opinion about removing the sponsorship of Château Topaz, after all, Blossom Enterprise took him down yesterday afternoon."

"Knocked down, huh?"

"Where are you, Marjorie?"

Alfred looked at me with some concern and I shook my head in denial, getting up from the chair.

"Gentlemen, I need to go to my office, later we will continue this meeting. They are excused for the time being."

I left the room without looking at the face of any of the shareholders.

I was feeling completely suffocated and I started to sweat cold.

I needed to isolate myself a little, maybe drink a little water or just sit in the dark, rearranging all the events of the past two months.

Calling Tyler now would be crazy, he would probably ask me to take it easy and that's the last thing I would be able to do.

My office looked strangely small, despite being the largest in the building.

I left the lights off, closed the door and blinds, creating a comfortable artificial night.

I threw myself in the chair and massaged my temples, I hadn't slept a whole night and the reason was more than obvious; the unexpected act of Toni.

It didn't even cross my mind that she was capable of such a thing.

Worse than that, I was trying to sleep with the guilt of having responded.

What if she hadn't moved away? What would have happened in that car?

'Six.'

I narrowed my eyes and shook my head trying to ward off unpleasant thoughts.

When I opened them again, I held my breath for a few seconds.

The image of a young, smiling Cheryl was sitting on the couch a few feet from me.

I felt a horrible chill run down my spine when she opened her mouth and a dry laugh echoed through the office.

I got up from the chair and walked towards her, who didn't take her eyes off me.

How was it possible? I pointed in the direction of the figure and shook my finger frantically.

"You are not real."

"Of course I am."

"No you're not. My sister is alive, that is, it is impossible for you to be a ghost."

She laughed again and took a red dice out of her pocket.

"What's the fun?!"

Who told you that my name is Cheryl?

I swallowed and she smiled, waving the dice in her hand.

"How about a game?"

"You can't be me."

"Are you sure?! I think I look a lot like you. His most hateful past, the result of an unpleasant experience. A memory that you chose to forget. Experts call it trauma, I prefer to call it cowardice."