Chapter 15: All a MESS

I just finished bathing Katrina who was crying non-stop during the night and sadly I tried all I could to make her happier but I guess she was missing her mother.

Grace has been travelling a lot lately and all I do in her absence is take care of baby Kat but something just seems off.

"Katrina,let's just get you a nice cloth to wear quickly cause I am almost late for school" I said to Katrina as I carried her in my arms to get clothes from Grace's room.

"Did I forget to close the door last night" I wondered as I saw the door to Grace's room open.

I opened the door fully and placed Kat on the bed to search for her clothes but then I heard the shower running.

I gently walked to the bathroom and peeped only to find Grace in the bathtub instead right under an outpour of water from the outlet right above her head.

"Grace, Grace" I called out but there was no response so I ran to the bathtub only to find a bottle beside her and her lifeless body inside the bathtub with the drenched clothes she wore floating.

I turned off the water outlet and while draining the water from the bathtub I checked the bottle and discovered it was sleeping pills.

"Grace wake up Grace wake up"I yelled while tapping her fiercely.

If she doesn't wake up any minute I would break down.

I continued calling out to her.I don't want another person's death on me.It's all enough.

"I am fine,it's ok"I heard a voice assure me and I was thinking the worst at that moment cause she could be dead and all I was hearing could have been her ghost.

"It's not ok everyone keeps on dying on me. It's called betrayal. Do I.."

"I said I am ok" This time I was assured in between coughs so I raised my head and I saw Grace right in front of me staring right into my eyes once again.

"I only took sleeping pills and since it wasn't working I decided to take a shower and I took another dosage and while bathing I fell asleep" she explained and all I was thinking was how everything was off.

It just doesn't add up.Her frequent travelling,her mood swings,her worried looks and all the paperwork she was doing in the office.

"It doesn't make sense. I could have believed that you were dead cause you were looking so lifeless and then your face wasn't that of Grace" I questioned

"How many pills did you take?"

"I didn't take much. Probably 5 or...." The cries of Katrina cut into our conversation and I lifted her out of the bathtub so she could go see Kat.

She couldn't even stand up by herself. What's wrong Grace?

Surprisingly Kat stopped crying immediately she sighted Grace and she was now smiling.Grace got all she ever wanted but she didn't look too happy.

"We would both excuse you while you get dressed so we all can get dressed"I rushed to Kat's mini wardrobe and picked out something for Kat to wear.

"Kat,don't you think something is off with mom" I asked looking at the poor child who was as confused as I am.

I got Kat dressed and also had my bath and afterwards we both proceeded downstairs where I left her so I could call Grace.

I wanted to knock but a part of me didn't want to cause I didn't want her to be aware of my presence beforehand so I opened the door and all I could at that moment was shuffling of paper.

She was trying to get rid of something but then I don't have a clue what it was.

I entered and took a seat right beside her.

"Grace,I know something is wrong and you're not telling me probably because you're doubting me for some reason but..."

"Grace was my saviour she dived right in through the storm just to save me when I was drowning not caring whether she drowns or not. People betrayed me and left me at that moment in my life when I needed them the most but there was one person who stayed and now she is drowning in the same storm she pulled me out of" I completed and I could feel tears threatening to fall but I still wanted to continue cause I knew Grace was locked somewhere and I needed her back.

Loneliness was the storm she pulled me out of.

"Grace I am sorry. I am sorry for everything I have done that caused my sister to leave me. Sorry for always being the bad person. Sorry because since I came into this world all I ever caused was pain.Sorry because I don't deserve you or your friendship."I took a deep breath amidst the tears that were now falling freely and I stood up.

"You gave me a roof and you showed me love.You were more than just my boss you were everything. I am sorry I can't pay you back for all that but I hope you can give me time to get a job and enough money to pay you back."I turned and started my walk to the door.

I want to do the only thing I know how to do RUN or WALK AWAY whenever a problem arises I have been trained to never face it because it's a mountain and you are the valley.

"I can't give you time. I am sorry"I heard her say and my heart sank. I lost Grace and I wasn't getting her back.

I was about to beg her but then she cut me off.

"I have also lost everything there is no time to give you. It's either you stay with me or I give up like I always do"She said and I turned to see her on her knees.

I couldn't leave her.I loved her even more than I thought.

"I am sorry Grace"I mumbled and ran to hug her.

"I lost everything everything..... everything my mom worked so hard to get and all the memories she left I lost it all"she cried and I sat down to comfort her.

"Grace what's wrong"I asked after she calmed down.

"I lost it all.I gambled before and I also took bank loans after my mom's death and now__"

"and now what"I asked and she kept quiet so I opened the side cabinet.

I guess she really couldn't just hide it well cause I found heaps of paper inside but I picked the ones on top.

It was a letter telling her to evacuate the building housing the coffee shop in two days and that the house was put up for sale.

"How did all this happen?"

"How about the house"I asked after remembering how much she loved this place and the memories that must have been attached to it.

"I don't know.I thought I had time but then the house had also been put up for sale"

I continued looking through the papers and I saw something Powers investment companies

"Does this have anything to do with me?"I asked feeling like my whole world just came crumbling down.

I was the reason for all this. It was all my fault for messing with the wrong person.

"No.....you have nothing to do with all this" she replied and I couldn't help but stare deep into those tear-filled sad eyes.

"You really don't have to cover up cause it says here Alexander Powers bought the shop"

She stared at the paper right in my hands and forced a smile.

"I am not covering up anything" she says but I continued looking through the papers in the side cabinet.

"He is a businessman and all this is business to him and everyone else. I mean he doesn't even know me" she argued and I paused

It all makes sense now. He simply wants me to be homeless by any means cause even the house I rented with my money I still got kicked out.

"Do you not understand the fact that he is after me Grace"

"Stop playing dumb"I yelled at her.

Now the only person who helped me was being punished for helping me.

"All I want is the truth. Can you stop lying to me" I yelled again

"I am telling you the truth"Grace affirmed and then I couldn't help but break down. I was now in tears...I totally broke down

"I only want the truth Grace. Is this all because of me?"I asked referring to everything that has been happening the past weeks

"It isn't"she comforted me and I faced her.

"What did he say"

"Who"she asked

But before I could yell at her again I saw blood streaming down her nostrils.

I grabbed the box of tissues beside her table and placed it in her nostrils.

"It's ok"she assured and smiled.

She stood up and grabbed a bag

"Let's get you to school cause you are running late"

I scoffed and snatched the bag away from her removing her phone.

"Hi Amy"I greeted immediately Amy picked her phone.

"Grace has to go to the hospital so we wouldn't be coming today"

"No.....she is ok"I assured Amy who was sounding worried.

"Thanks bye". I cut the call and called the students secretary who Grace happened to collect her number because of the incident

I told her I wouldn't be coming that day cause I was sick.

How rude."you only have one day off miss Cleve so get yourself together by tomorrow."

"We are all going nowhere so it's better you answer my question and take some rest"I said and after much persuasion she finally started talking.

"It was Alexander Powers"she said and I gave her the 'I definitely know that look'.

"Ok details"she mumbled

"A few weeks ago, a guy called Dave came to see me in my office and he spoke about some kind of business deal. He brought out a file showing the financial statement of the coffee shop and he said he was going to help me pay back my debts and mortgages which I haven't told you about but his help was all with a condition since he was representing Alexander Powers"

She took a deep breath and continued

"The condition was that I should fire you and send you out of my home or else he would buy everything I own. Angrily,I sent him out of the office and then he told me he was expecting my reply soon. Since that day the banks have been calling me to evacuate the house and leave the coffee shop and that is why I have been traveling around.

That was the breaking point. I stood up, took my bag and off I was to school.