chapter 21


    When work was just about finished, I received a call from the foyer downstairs. A package had


    arrived downstairs. Quickly ducking down, I retrieved the box and made my way back up, curious to


    see what the package was. Grabbing a pair of scissors, I opened them and slid the de down the


    sides to tear the tape. Once I had removed the tape sealing the box, I opened it.


    I sat back in my seat, Ipletely forgot about my mother’s remains. I was supposed to get a call


    to pick them up, not have them posted. The hospital was directly across from us. Why didn’t they ring


    me instead of shipping them over? I could feel my bottom lip tremble as I pulled the urn out. I bit down


    on it, trying to stop it from quivering. I looked at the stic urn, this was all that was left of my mother. It


    just didn’t seem real that a woman so strong willed and full of life could be reduced to ash. Trying to


    hold everything together, I ced her back in the box. I just didn’t understand the meaning of life if


    death is how it ends. I remember when I was a child and a close friend of mine died, I asked my


    grandmother at the time that exact question.


    My grandmothers reply was, “It’s the memories in between that of life and death that matter.” I


    didn’t understand what she meant back then. In a way I do now. It’s the memories we leave behind the


    good and the bad, the memories others hold of us that get to live on. Now that’s all I have left of her,


    memories. Memories are what I will now have to hold closest to my heart because now that she is


    gone, they will be the only thing to remember her by. Suddenly realising I will never hear her voice


    again, never feel the warmth of her hugs, all the emotions I have been forcing to the back of my mind


    rushing forward because of a small stic urn, the only thing left of the amazing woman she was.


    Lost in my thoughts, I was staring off nkly into space. Only when Tobias came out of his office


    did my attention go back to the present. “What’s in the box?” he asked, about to open the lid and peer


    inside.


    I closed the box before he could see. “Nothing,” I said, picking it up and following after him. Theo


    walked out of his office and started heading to the elevator seeing that we were ready to leave.


    I stepped in the elevator and moved to the back behind them, the box clutched tightly in my hands.


    I felt like I was autopilot, going through motions but not really experiencing it. Walking to the car, I


    jumped in the back. Ignoring Tobias trying to tell me to get in front. I couldn’t sit near him after today’s


    earlier incident. I suddenly felt guilty that Theo kissed me. Did I lead him on in any way? Tobias hasn’t


    mentioned it. But by the way he refused to talk to me most of the day, I could tell he was pissed off.


    When the back door opened, I was surprised to find Tobias hopping in the back with me. Theo got into


    the driver’s seat, for which I was grateful.


    I stared at Tobias as he slid along the seat sitting next to me, his leg brushing up against my bare


    leg. I sighed and ced my head back and looked out the window. The drive back was slower than


    usual. There must be an ident somewhere, as the traffic seemed to keep stopping and we found


    ourselves stuck on the highway. Moving the box, I ced it on the floor of the car. Tobias nced at me


    out of the corner of his eye. “What are doing this afternoon?” he asked while we were stopped at


    another intersection. Theo pulled out, deciding to go another way and the car started moving again


    weaving in and out of traffic.


    “Nothing as always,” I told him, still staring out the window.


    “Good, means you will be happy to have visitors then.” Turning away from the window, I looked at


    him. I didn’t feel like visitors, I just wanted to go home and snuggle up with the stray and sleep.


    “Who?” I asked.


    “Myself, maybe Theoter.” I was suddenly overwhelmed. I didn’t know how to be around Tobias


    outside the office. He was always so domineering to be around, let alone be stuck alone with him in the


    apartment. Every time I had been around Tobias usually Theo was there, so it wasn’t too awkward.


    “Why?” I asked, suddenly worried he was going to want to talk about me kissing his boyfriend, or is


    it manfriend? I don’t know what to ss their strange rtionship as.


    “To make sure you don’t find the bottom of that bottle that was left on the floor this morning.”


    I rolled my eyes. “You make it seem like I have drinking problem.”


    “Do you?” he asked, making me re at him. The car stopped again this time at the lights down


    the street from the apartment building. Unclicking my seatbelt, I hopped out at the traffic lights. I wasn’t


    going to sit here and be told what I can and can’t do with my body. If I want to drink, that’s none of their


    business. It’s not hurting anyone.


    When I opened the door, Tobias hand came down on my knee grabbing me. “What are you


    doing?”


    “Here I was thinking it was pretty self-exnatory. I’m getting out,” I said, snatching my handbag


    and my mother’s urn before stepping out in the middle of the banked-up traffic. I walked to the curb


    only to hear Tobias had opened his door too. He was now following me down the street. He jogged


    over to catch up to me. I ignored him and walked faster; he fell in line with me keeping pace. Why won’t


    he just leave me alone? “Will you just leave me alone; I am so not in the mood to deal with you right


    now.”


    “I am not done speaking to you. Until I am, you will listen to what I have to say.” I ignored him and


    walked straight up the stairs of the apartment building. Theo was still waiting in line with the build-up of


    cars that lined the street. Tobias however was right on my tail, refusing to let me escape him.


    Walking through the foyer, the young woman at the front desk called out, “Boss, I have some


    letters for you.” She grabbed something from behind the desk and running over to him. Tobias stopped


    and huffed in annoyance.


    Boss? Let me guess, he owns this ce too. Wouldn’t surprise me. Escaping while he was


    distracted, I made my way to my apartment, jamming the key in. I unlocked the door, quickly stepping


    in and closing the door and locking the deadbolt.


    The stray was gone again, but I had no doubt he would be backter tonight. He always seemed


    to go walk about of a day. Going over to the courtyard door, I quickly closed it so Tobias couldn’t get in


    to go on one of his rampages. When I was walking back out to the loungeroom, Tobias was leaning on


    the counter. I jumped and shrieked at him just appearing out of thin air. “How did you get in?”


    “I have a key,” he told me, holding them up and showing me.


    “Please Tobias, can we argue another day? I’m sorry I kissed Theo; I know it was wrong. I get that,


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    but please can we do this Tomorrow?”


    He didn’t say anything, just turned around and started rummaging through the cupboard. Pulling


    bottle after bottle out of the box I had stored mum’s spirits in. Walking over, I grabbed them trying to


    ce them back in. He ignored me and pulled them out again.


    “What are you doing, Tobias?”


    “You have a problem, and I am removing the problem.”


    “I don’t have a problem.”


    “Well, this says otherwise and the fact that you are constantly hungover at work.” I jumped up and


    sat on the bench and watched him.