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CHAPTER THREE

I made my way through the trees and see a construction job of a two-story motel in progress and run directly to it in hopes to find my love there, it is not yet dusk so he should still be at work, I am just hoping I found his jobsite. I run up to the first worker I see "is John here", I manage to say through heavy breaths, "Yes ma'am, he is up stair working on the balcony, would you like me to go and get him", replies the worker, curiously, "no time" I say running up to the building I see John on the balcony "John", I yell up to him, he stands up tools in hand and looks down at me, worry crosses his face when he sees me red and panting, "what happened my love, I will be down in one minute" he says, I shake my head still trying to catch my breath and run inside the structure ,  I find the stairs and climb up with haste, when I reach the top I go through the first open door I see and run out o the balcony almost crashing into John, "hey, slow down, what wrong", John asks holding my arms and looking me over, " where did this bruise come from" he asks find the bruise and caressing it with his gentle hand, "my father...he is trying", I say breath breaths, "take a deep breath, I can only help when I know what you're saying", he jokes, worry still in his eyes, I take a deep breath to center myself and catch my breath, "my father is trying to force me to marry Thomas, he hit me and locked me away when I refused, if it was not for Lisa, I would still be locked up in my old room", I choked, trying to hold back the tears threatening to fall, John eyes flashed with anger then worry then a hint of sadness and guilt, "I am so sorry my beautiful Annah, it is my fault this is happen..", I cover his mouth before he can say more, "no, we are fated together, it is not your fault that my father has become a lunatic", I say, hold his hands in mine, suddenly I hear my name being called, "it's my father, he has come to take me away", I say, fear building up in my heart, "lets elope John, say you will be mine forever and run away with me", I say, with hope, John looks at me shocked and uncertain, a tear running down his face, "what about your sister and my family", he asks, "we will figure that out late, please say yes", I pored all my heart into that plea, if he were to decline, I would have no other choice but to leave this world, I refuse to marry anyone but him in this life no matter what. John smiled softly "o.....

I wake to my phone alarm blaring in my ear, my 26 year old husband, Adam, beside me snoring away, I make a disgusted look before I can stop myself before sitting up and rubbing the sleep my eyes, letting out a yawn, "another miserable day on earth" I think to myself as I get up and drag myself to the kitchen to put on the kettle, "thank god its Friday" I say to myself, letting out a defeated sigh. While the kettle heats up, I walk back into the bedroom and dress in my black shirt with the Beans logo on it and long black pants and head back to the kitchen. Riley has the weekend with his dad, I will soon drop him off on my way to work, then I have they entire weekend to clean, maybe I will actually get time to play some video games or catch up on a few more episodes of 'Rising Moons', "thats wishing thinking", I say under my breath rolling my eyes at the same time while I stir my coffee. It is a rare occurence I get anytime time to myself, I feel drained and exhausted, at least coffee and cigarets exist or I would have nothing legal keeping me sane. You would think I would be over coffee after smelling and making them all day everyday but no, its that or drugs, I need to be sober for my son. I sluggishly make my way to the veranda and sit down to enjoy my coffee in the calm early morning silence, it is current 5:10am and I dont have to wake Riley until 6:00am. Breathing out a relaxed sigh, I take my time with my coffee while puffing on a Champion red, thinking about what jobs I could do before I get Riley up, "sweep through, mop then clean Riley's playroom", I think to myself, I know I should have the time for those, I need to have some things done before work or I will become more overwelmed than I already am. I stub out my cigarette and finish up my coffee while looking at the time on my phone, "5:30am, that gives me thirty minutes", I say to myself, heading inside to start on the jobs.

After getting Riley ready and dropping him off at his dads, I arrive at work at 7:15am, I still have fifteen minutes till I clock in and I decide to light up a death stick to take the edge off before I start the day, while I stand out back puffing I think back to the morning I had with Riley, he was so unsettled, I have never seen him this bad before. I had just bathed and dressed him and was standing infront of the mirror brushing back my midlength dull brown hair, into a ponytail, when he suddenly began crying and clinging to my leg, I quickly finished twisting the hair tie in and picked him up. "whats the matter little angel", I asked Riley gently, as he buried his face into my shoulder, I drew circles on his back and stood, staring at myself in the mirror, my eye bag prominent and my freckle dominating my face. I turned myself away so I would not have to continue looking at myself. Riley calmed down some minutes later, it was till drop off time when Riley fully unleashed a storm, he was screaming and crying and refuse to detach from me when I attempted to hand him to his dad. I did not wish to leave him but it is in the court ordered agreement that he spends time with his dad, so I have no choice at present. "maybe he just wanted a bit of extra mummy time", I thought to myself, brushing off the unease, he has the most genuine heart I have ever seen in a child, with his big blue eyes and short blonde hair, he is the pick of the bunch, he has a smile that could melt the heart of a serial killer, I smile at the thought and stub out my cigarette before heading inside to clock in. "Good morning sunshine, you seem bright eyed this morning", greets my manager Rachel with friendly sarcasm, clearly seeing the bags under my eyes and my look of defeat, "mhmm, good morning yourself, Boss", I retort, displeased while walking passed her to the display fridge to see if it needed a top up, I glance back at Rachel, who had turned her head to face me while she warm up milk jugs, she had a look of concern on her face, "you seem a little less good today, is everything okay" she asked in an empathic tone, I look back at the display fridge, "Riley was very unsettled this morning", I reply as I note down some things, "I would be too, if I had to that things house once a fortnight", she remarked, emphasizing the word 'thing', I look back at her to see her shaking her head, her long braided, rose coloured hair swishing about as she does so, I roll my eyes, amused, this isn't the first time she has said things off-handed about my ex-boyfried, she know everything about how he used to treat me and how he dragged me through the courts. Rachel and I are quite good friends, we have known each other for a long time and work well together, I was her first and only hire when she opened her little cafe but we are just like fire and ice, complete opposites, she is a glass half full kind of girl and of I am on the half empty side, they do say opposites attract even in friendship, I guess that's our deal. "BRB", I say, walking towards the back where the big fridge is, I hear her hum a response.

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