4 chapter: departure

She spent the rest of the day pacing the house, checking her phone every few minutes in case he had called. The sunset, and she still hadn't heard from him. As she lay awake in bed, she could hear the silent sound of her insects through the walls and nothing else, It was a familiar scene, because this was how she used to be with her father when he was alive. it only served to remind her of the fragility of her situation.

The next day, she called Sainey's number again, but it still went straight to voicemail. She tried to distract herself with work, but every time the phone rang, her heart would skip a beat, hoping it was him. As the hours turned into days, she began to fear the worst. She considered contacting the authorities, but she knew that would put both of them in the worst situation.

One evening, as she was about to go to bed, her phone rang. It was an unfamiliar number. Her heart raced as she answered it, her voice shaking. "Hello?"

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line before Sainey's voice came through, raspy and weak. "Sally..." he croaked. "It's me. I'm... I'm sorry I couldn't call sooner. I've been... I've been in trouble."

Sally's heart leaped into her throat. "What happened? Are you okay?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

"I'm... I'm not sure how much I can tell you over the phone," Sainey said, his voice sounding troubled."

"Just tell me the details, she pleads not wanting to be put in the dark."

"My grandfather married his friend's granddaughter to me without my knowledge, he bellowed.

"What?" Sally asked, completely confused.

"My grandfather... he's an influential figure in the capital city. He arranged for me to marry his friend's granddaughter without my knowledge. It was a business arrangement he had been forcing on me for a long while now, but things didn't go as he planned. When we met, I refused to marry her and has been delayed with every excuse I can get." But my grandfather collided with her and drug me making me sleep with her. Sainey paused, his voice shaking. "She's now been forced on me, Sally. Her family believes that she has been tainted by our relationship and they invested and my grandfather got us married when I was away on a business trip. She has been bugging me ever since."

Sally was horrified by the story. "Oh, Sainey, that's terrible. I'm so sorry. Is there anything I can do to help?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.

"No, there's nothing you can do. I'm stuck here, and I have to play along until I can find a way out. I'm sorry for not telling you sooner. I didn't want to get you involved in this mess," Sainey said, his voice sounding defeated.

Sally listened intently, her heart aching for him. "You know you can always tell me anything, Sainey. I'm here for you, no matter what. Just focus on getting through this. You'll find a way out eventually."

There was a long silence on the other end of the line before Sainey spoke again. "Thank you, Sally. Your friendship means more to me than you know. I just... I need some time to figure things out. This is all so new, and I'm not sure how to handle it."

Sally listened, her heart breaking for him. "Take all the time you need, Sainey. I'll be here when you're ready to talk. In the meantime, please be careful. If there's anything I can do to help from my end, just let me know."

There was another long silence, and then Sainey let out a shaky breath. "Thank you, Sally. I'll... I'll keep that in mind. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Sainey," Sally whispered, her voice cracking slightly. She hung up the phone, feeling a mixture of emotions: anger at Sainey's grandfather, sadness for Sainey's situation, and fear for what the future held.

As the days went by, Sally tried to focus on staying home reading and cooking to pass the time, but Sainey was never far from her thoughts. She checked her phone obsessively, hoping for another call or message from him. One evening, as she was done cooking a delicious meal of fish fillet, she arranged the table and sat down to eat as that was the only thing she could do. Her stomach churned, and she had a great urge to vomit she ran to the toilet.

When she was done, she sat on the floor, her back against the toilet bowl, feeling drained and empty. She didn't know how long she stayed there, lost in her thoughts before she heard a soft knock on her bedroom door. Startled, she called out, "Come in."

It was Sainey, looking pale and tired. "I'm sorry for calling you so late last night. I didn't mean to worry you," he said, taking a tentative step into the room.

"It's okay," Sally replied, her voice strained. "I just... I'm worried about you, you know?" She gestured for him to sit on the floor beside her. He obliged, resting his back against the wall opposite the toilet.

There was a long silence as they sat together, each lost in their thoughts. Sally could feel the warmth of Sainey's body through their clothes, and the scent of his aftershave filled her nostrils. It was a comforting reminder that he was still here, still real.

Finally, she mustered the courage to speak. "I've been thinking about what you said before, about your grandfather and everything. It's not fair to you, and I wish there was something I could do to help."

Sainey looked at her, his eyes filled with gratitude. "You already are helping me, Sally. Just by being here, by listening, and by being my friend. It means more to me than you can imagine." He paused, swallowing hard. "But I can't keep putting you through this. You have your own life to live, and I don't want to mess that up."

Sally reached out and took his hand, squeezing it gently. "I'm not going anywhere, Sainey. I choose to be here because I want to be. And I want to help you, in whatever way I can." She leaned in closer, her voice low and reassuring. "We'll figure this out together, okay? We're a team." Before he could say anything, she hurried to the sink to vomit once again.

After she was done, she sat back down next to Sainey, wiping her mouth with a wet napkin. "I'm sorry," she said, her voice hoarse. "I don't know what's wrong with me. I just can't seem to keep anything down."

Sainey placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, Sally. You don't have to apologize. We'll figure out what's going on and find a way to make it better, together." There was a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips, and it was a heartwarming sight to see.

The next few days were difficult for both of them. Sally continued to struggle with her illness, while Sainey dealt with the constant stress of his grandfather's disapproval. They spent most of their time together, finding solace in each other's company. They would talk, laugh, cry, and even dance around the living room when they felt like they needed to release some of the tension.

One evening, as they sat on the floor in front of the fireplace, Sainey took a deep breath and mustered the courage to bring up the topic that had been weighing on them both. "I don't know how much longer I can handle this, Sally. My grandfather is becoming more and more unpredictable, and I'm afraid of what might happen if I don't find a way to make him understand."

Sally nodded, her expression sympathetic. "I understand. It's not fair to you, and I wish there was something I could do to help." She paused, considering her words carefully. "Have you ever thought about talking to him about it? Maybe there's a way to explain your feelings and why you feel the way you do?"

Sainey shook his head. "I've tried, but he's... he's not the kind of person who likes to listen. He's always been set in his ways, and he doesn't believe that anyone has a right to choose their path in life. He thinks that as long as you're part of the family, you should follow the rules and do what's expected of you." He sighed heavily. "I don't know what to do, Sally. I love him, but sometimes I feel like I'm suffocating under all of his expectations."