Chapter 16— THE SURPRISE!

I woke up suddenly with a spinning head and pain on my elbow. I found myself on nice small bed, I was still in my black party dress— which didn't seem to matter anymore. I was alive! But how? I got up feeling scared and cautious of where I was; I had seen the place before.

It was the little, brown house David and I stayed in when he came for me in 2003. It looked more better now, beautiful and simple.

"Hello! Anyone there?" No one answered.

I heard noises at the back of the house. I took a peep to see what made such noises.

"Hi! Did you sleep well?" I was startled by the voice. In a rush, I turned around.

"You? I-I remember you at the party" I stammered.

"Yes me, Gabriel. You went crazy last night Susan", He replied shaking his head slowly in disagreement.

"What do you mean?"

"You jumped! I don't know how, but I managed to grab on to you the moment you let go, I pulled you back forcefully, which caused your blackout, you fell backwards with a thump! I left with you to my house later that night", he explained.

Everything that happened that night began to play back in my head vividly. I ran back to the room and cried some more.

"I'm sorry, I never meant to harm myself, I am so stupid" I weakly said.

"It's alright now, you're okay" He strengthened me. "Go. Take your bath then come eat".

"You said you're a friend of Daniel?" I asked, mindful of the stranger in front of me.

He nodded in agreement.

"Where's he?!"

"It's okay Susan. I won't hurt you. Daniel will be here soon". He'd had noticed the fear of him in my eyes or maybe my eyes too.

He left to the seating room, I could hear him make a call, but I didn't hear the words he spoke.

Oh well, though I was still not satisfied with the stranger, I had to have faith in Daniel but I still locked the door of the bathroom while I took my bath.

I found a pair of blue jeans and a big white T-shirt with a bold 'Australia' written on it. I quickly put it on, rolled my blonde hair upwards and ate breakfast. I helped wash the dishes and tidied up the place.

Then I went for a run on one of the horses, I felt refreshed. Today was a blessing! By the time I returned, I could see someone standing outside the house, smiling. I climbed down the horse, Alas! It was David, he was right there on the corridor waiting for me. He ran to me and held my hands. Immediately, I threw myself on him and he lifted me up with so much joy. We just laughed and hugged again.

Gabriel came to us, David hugged him too.

"Thanks man!"

"That's okay, your girl's pretty bro", he teased.

"Yes she is!", David turned to me and slowly whispered.

"Thank you so much Gabriel, really", I finally said to him.

"Ok, I'm going back to work now, I'll leave you two". Gabriel drove off in his blue car, we waved him a 'see you later' and ran back to the house.

Everything was perfect! I was with David.

"What happened? I never heard from you again".

"My love, I tried calling you, I searched for a way to meet with you but never succeeded".

"Frank forbade me from leaving the house, he cut the lines, I couldn't contact you too".

"Susan why did you lose the hope I gave you? You didn't think of what would happen to me if you died, you only thought about your misery, about yourself. Don't ever do that again, you know I love you!"

David was mad at the choice I made the night before, who wouldn't be?

"I'm taking you away from Frank this time, I've arranged with a lawyer and the authorities to sue him for violence, assault and rape. We would win the case and you'd be legally divorced in court, you'd never have to be with him again!"