A Lifetime of Resentment

Narrator's POV

There was a wave of anger spreading through the hallways. As if someone was spreading it while they were walking, like people spread the fragrance of their cologne. No one however was visible on the site, but the loud footsteps were audible throughout the entire building. It was getting spookier by the minute.

The mundane people ignored it, like they ignore most of the things they cannot explain. For the ones who were dead saw an angry woman marching through the hallways, utterly frustrated with everything that surrounded her.

"Hey, what brings you here?" Antoinette, who spotted her, asked.

"Nothing" Margret huffs. 

"You realise that I can tell you are lying. The strong resentment you carry can be felt by everyone around here, be it ghosts or the humans." Antoinette sighed. "Now I know it well enough, that one should never bother you and they should mind their own business, and while I am happy to comply given the immense amount of responsibilities that falls upon my shoulder, whatever is bothering you is also bothering my guests."

"I am sorry, I will leave the building for now." Margaret avoided her gaze.

"Not so fast" Antoinette's words made her stop. "You are under my roof, so I command you to share whatever is bothering you." She said sternly.

"About that, don't worry I will leave soon enough." Margaret shrugged. "I can't promise for the others though, but they were never my responsibly to begin with."

"I see, so you had fallout with one of them." She received a glare from Margaret "Now given your relationship with everyone, if I must, I will guess its dear Chloe?"

She did not receive any response to that, neither by verbal nor by any physical cues. But Antoinette knew her friend well enough to decipher what that silence meant. That was all the affirmation Antoinette needed.

"I have known you as long as I have been dead, you yourself told everyone that you consider me your friend. So my dear friend, try sharing it with me." Antoinette smiled.

"I was trying to help Chloe, as I have already told you, but it turns out she has no appreciation for any of my efforts, whatsoever." Margaret shrugged.

"Now why would you say that?" Antoinette expressed her interest. 

"I asked her where she was yesterday, and guess what she did not tell?" Margaret, now that she heard it out loud, realised how childish it sounded. "I know you think its childish."

"I never said that" Antoinette smiled. "But I think, now, you might be feeling that."

"You know how I feel about liars." Margaret boiled with anger.

"Now hold on, did she actually lie to you? Or did she just withheld information?" Margaret thought about it. No matter how much she recalled she does not remember Chloe lying per say. With no more words to say, she just simply shook her head.

"My dear friend, you must know how uncomfortable it can be to share sometimes. A while ago you were yourself 'lying' about your own feelings." Hearing that Margaret's expression softened bit

"Why would she want to hide where she went? It was just a amusement park." She said softly and shrugged.

"Why do you think?"Antoinette smirked.

"Because she is scared of me?" Margaret raised her eyebrows.

Antoinette gave her empathic smile before she continued. "I know my friend that life was cruel on you. Ever since I have known you, you have always been a distant person. I know you are scared to open up to people, but is it fair to expect them to open up to you instead?"

"I get what you are saying, but I died with lot of resentment. No matter what I do, I will always have that. It's a major part of my existence now." Margaret said sadly.

"True, but it's not all of it." She smiled. "I see the way you treat the kid. You adore him a lot, which makes me believe you are capable of more than just a lifetime of resentment. So don't be too harsh on yourself, and on others." She smiled.

"I guess so." Margaret shrugged. "The more I get to know about Chloe, the more I feel bad for her. I guess I could cut her some slack, she has a lot to deal with."

Antoinette smiled at her. There were few new ghosts coming to the hotel that day, so she had to cut short their chat for the day. Margaret went back to her room, feeling much better, and perhaps a little guilty too.

'I should not over reacted this much' she thought. 'I probably scared her too much.'

After few hours when it was getting late she decided to take a stroll around the quarters. Back at her own house she kept herself busy with all those meaningless chores. It would be lying if she said she hated everything that was a part of her life, because there was a time she loved taking care of other people. Maybe that's why she was trying to help Chloe, It's not like she did not want to, but she just did not want to get sucked into something she will come to regret later on. She spent most of her day thinking reflecting on all her past experiences.

After clearing her head she decided to return to her room but she stopped when she saw Oliver approaching her.

"Wait, why are you alone?" Margaret asked him.

"There has been a slight change of plans, they will not be returning home tonight."He shrugged, while Margaret simply nodded at the piece of information. "Chloe wanted me to tell you."  Oliver managed to say awkwardly.

She simply gave him a smile and returned to her room, while Oliver stood there confused, wondering what happened to Margaret. He clearly remembered that Chloe told him Margaret was upset, so getting such response was odd. Seeing how things were taken care of, he contemplated whether or not he should return. He decided to against it, as they already had made their plans and he thought it would be best to simply adhere to it.

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