A RAY OF LIFE

25.

"Her mother???....like....like real mother..? I mean, weren't her and Alex orphans...I don't....I don't quite understand" I stuttered with each word and syllable because clearly it wasn't fitting my mind at best.

"They weren't 'orphan' orphan, they were abandoned by their father who later died when they were adults and were already living with the....the Woods. After he died they re-aligned with their mother and so she was going to meet her and also make her meet Nathan. I got together with Alex just a month before that and all this happened. You saw Derek's face today right? It was exactly how it was when he first heard about the accident. I pity you Iris for doing such to him."  And she sobbed.

My mind almost stopped working thinking that it was so unnecessary and useless to hurt Derek like that. It was all for nothing. And now what was I supposed to do, I had just goofed up everything so perfectly that I had no idea how to fix any single one of them. There was no explanation of me insulting Derek and saying all the meanest things to him in front of his family. No escape for it.
It was the moment when I realised that anyhow I had to finish what I started and not expect Derek to come back to me or even understand what I was doing.

"Naomi...now listen to me. I need Cathy and Nathan's important stuffs. Do you think they preserved something as remembrance at the house? I need it. Also, I need to go to Irving and contact their mother for the funeral....I can't just....organise it all by myself where she literally loathes me. There must be someone she loves and I don't have even a slightest of expectation from Derek after what I have done to him.
Can you......can you please help me one last time Naomi please....." I pleaded to her and for god's beautiful creature she is, she listened and believed me patiently.

I looked at her with my gloomy begger eyes and she just nodded wiping her face.

"Oh Naomi.....thank you.....thank you so so much....you don't know how much this means to me seriously.
Just get me things dear to Cathy and Nathan, things that reflect them and  don't tell anybody.....not a single one of them okay, not even Alex, he hates me too and I'm sure he won't like me doing things for his dear sister.  Can you do that for me?" I asked as I knew it was too much to ask for.

She sighed and then nodded positively. I clasped my mouth and tear escaped my eye. It was joy, sheer joy that I was so much thanking God for sending Naomi as my saviour.
We sipped our coffees later on and talked about other stuffs. She told me things, how it used to be when Cathy and Nathan were there and their family history and all. I told her about my whereabouts and upbringing. Talking to her about all this later reminded me of my mother whom I haven't talked to since last seven-eight months, I felt so bad for being so away from my mother.

Half an hour later Naomi looked at her wrist watch and got up to leave. I hugged her lightly thanking her once again for coming at such help. She turned to leave and I looked down at the table when suddenly she turned back to me and said " I hope that my faith this time won't go in vain and disdain, besides, Iris....her name is Mrs.Charlotte Jones. Call me if you won't be able to find her okay. Do not disappoint me again Iris." And I nodded in proper positivity and she turned around and left.
I sat again and  kept sipping my coffee thinking about Derek and only him.

Four hours later

I finally found the contact number of Mrs.Jones in Derek's phonebook. She was there in previous pages only. At first I thought I would just google her adress and go right through but then I thought she won't be able to even see me coz duh, I'm a ghost so it would be better if I'll just make her think about me beforehand.
I dialled her number and waited for her to pick up.  Forty seconds down till the ringer kept buzzing but no one answered. I started loosing hopes but I tried again. This time, three rings down and line was picked by someone.