Chapter 12
There is a freedom that comes with being at home. A release of air you didn't know you were holding, a sigh of relief. Joy felt that as she stepped into the living room of her apartment. She felt herself breath out as if she had been suffocating. The first thing she thought of was to call her father, but she had to organise her thoughts. She had to talk to him with a clear mind, so she put it off for later. Something in the back of her mind seemed to bother her, screaming at her not to breath freely.
Feeling overwhelmed, she tried to ignore it, stepping into her bathtub. The hot water soothed her bare skin, massaging her bones. Her entire being ached.
She closed her eyes and they snapped open almost immediately, coming across familiar blue-green ones. Her heart skipping a beat.
"No, don't you dare," she said to no one in particular. "I am not thinking about you. I will not think about you. I refuse. I won't do it. I'm back in my nice, real bathtub. With actual soap and no interruptions." A light sparked in her eyes and she gasped. "And food. Food I can trust. Meat I can trust." She leaned back into the tub, exhaling as she closed her eyes, only to meet Khaya's little green orbs.
"No man," she hissed, sitting up straight and splashing bubbly water onto her face. She let out a frustrated huff and kicked her legs, splashing water onto the floor.
"Okay," she sighed and got out of the tub. "I think I'm just hungry." She wore her bathrobe and made for the kitchen barefoot. Her fridge was stocked with food, a few items on the brink of expiration. She pulled out some sausages and sauces.
"I missed you, old friend," she sniffed, preparing the sausages and placing them on the stove.
She plopped herself on the coach and grabbed the landline that was on the table next to it, dialling her father's number. The phone didn't even ring, it just beeped three times and went quiet. She tried again, her shaky fingers punching the keypad a little too hard. It beeped again, and she slammed her fist onto the table, something cracking in the process.
"It's me!" She screamed into the phone, tears stinging the corners of her eyes and dripping down her face. "It's your princess," she sniffed the nickname he hadn't used since she was seven. "It's me. Why is your phone off?"
She went through her phonebook and tried the number of her father's assistant. He too was unavailable. Her eyes lingered on Tanya's phone number, then moved to her ex-fiancé, Mandla's. She exhaled and tried Melania's number, but she too was unreachable.
"I'm alive," she muttered. "I'm still here."
'And you think they care,' Rieka scoffed.
"Shut up, you don't know anything."
'I know that you wasted your time coming here when you could be with Jude. When you could be helping the pack. People who care about you more than this so-called family.'
"Well Jude's the one who let me go. He said I was right. He didn't even ask me to stay and help or figure something out, clearly, they don't need me. Besides, Jemima hates me and none of the other pack members even spoke to me."
'Right, all they did was get hurt trying to protect you. No big deal.'
"Oh, I forgot about that," she uttered under her breath.
'You're the one who kept whining about wanting to go back home. Well here you are, home sweet home.'
Rieka went quiet, as if she had switched off and Joy just ignored it, strolling to her computer.
"This man," Joy scoffed, perusing the first article that popped up. The headline read: DAVID MACHEKA UNITES WITH M.S ELECTRONICS.
"The actual nerve. To ask my dad for help after what he did? Rieka are you seeing this?"
Silence responded.
"Oh, I see," Joy rolled her eyes. "Fine ignore me."
A whiff of something burning was captured by her nostrils and she shot up.
"The sausages!" She shrieked. "Rieka why didn't you say anything? You're the wolf. With the strong sense of smell and what not." She slid the pot off the stove with her bare hands, feeling only a small sting and switched the stove off. The sausages were burnt, but not charred, so she dumped the contents into a bowl and grabbed a fork, taking them with her to the computer.
After stuffing her mouth with the meat, she felt herself relax into the chair. Her eyes drooping as they tried to reread the same article.
*'Joy! Joy help me!' Jude's voice screamed into her ears and she shot up, running towards the voice. She looked around her apartment and saw his silhouette make a turn down her hall and to her room. She followed him and found him being thrown to the floor. A clocked figure hovering over him. She tried to run for him, but her legs wouldn't move. The figure glanced at her, and only its eyes showed. They flashed a ruby red and the figure began to approach her. She stood her ground, and when the figure was close enough she yanked the hood off, revealing herself. She jumped back as her clone threw a punch in her direction...*
Joy fell off her chair and immediately shot up, banging her arm against the table. She hissed and clutched her arm as her eyes scanned the room. Beads of sweat mixed with tears rolled down her face.
'It was only a dream,' Rieka sounded, causing Joy to whip around, her heart pounding.
"Oh, it's just you," she panted. "It's you. It's you." She felt her eyeballs sting and more tears rolled down her cheeks. She sank to the floor, hugging her knees to her chest. "Did you see it?" She croaked.
'Yes.'
"What does it mean?" She trembled.
'I don't know.'
"I'd never want to hurt him," she whispered.
'I know that.' Rieka sighed. 'Do you want to swap? You'll sleep a lot easier in wolf form.'
"What about you?"
'I'll be fine. I've been inside for too long. I don't mind stepping out.'
"Thank you Rieka."
2 MONTHS EARLIER
Joy stepped into her favourite jeweller's shop, glancing at the new exotic pieces. She admired his work, impressed by how much he paid attention to detail.
"Joy, my angel," Mr Jackson greeted her. He moved behind the counter, holding out his arms for her. They hugged, and he kissed her cheek.
"What brings you by?"
"I just wanted to get myself something for my birthday."
"Are you displeased with the bracelet Mandla got you?" He snorted. "I told him not to get you a bracelet."
"He got me a bracelet?" Her eyebrows furrowed.
"Yes. A piece from a limited collection. Did I spoil the surprise?" He tapped his mouth. "But he had said that he was going to give it to you the night he got it. Maybe he took my advice."
"Maybe," Joy mumbled. "May I see what it looks like?"
Mr Jackson pulled out his phone and swiped through the gallery. He landed on a picture of a flower themed, bejeweled bracelet.
"I see," she smiled. "He probably changed his mind. Thank you Mr Jackson. Just send your new pieces over and I'll look at them from home."