COURTNEY FELT ALIVE

Entering the room seeing them all sulking, thinking, 'Back home I had a team to work with they all knew what were their responsibilities so it wasn't so tiring.

But this bunch I have here will be stressful as it is, looking at them deciding, this is going to be a crash course, I only hope they are fast learners.

If only I knew this was going to happen I would have never taken it upon myself to go so extravagant with the cake, at lease I would have gotten some extra rest now I am beat.'

Ma looks at Cheryl angrily, just as she carry on the girls are following fast behind her, but recalling the look at the child face when she see how frustrated Rufus were, I could see that she was very concerned.

Although she was tired, she was willing to eased his workload, why is that? As Ma looks at the completion of the cake, thinking, 'She is not a family member neither is she a worker, so why did she go to this extreme?'

Ma closes her eyes going back in her mind wondering if she has missed something between the both of them. 'I know they don't meet each other, neither does Rufus show any interest for her except he like her cooking, but her food really is very tasty.

So what am I missing?'

Saying to Cheryl, "Cheryl, you ought to be blamed for those girls behavior. With proper guidance, today, they could have been seamstress, hairstylist cosmologist, but just look at them always complaining and frustrating everyone.

That child has been on her feet the entire day, now because those fools cannot do anything for themselves, she must attend to them?"

When was half eleven and Courtney didn't come downstairs, seeing grandmother falling asleep on herself Rufus drops her home.

Pappie was sitting in the gallery waiting for them, seeing his concern when he asks grandmother, "Mother, where is the child?"

Hearing grandmother complaining about the girls the entire way to the cottage, now she will start all over again, "Pappie, she is helping the girls organize for tomorrow."

"Son, it is late and she is tired, that child haven't taken a rest the entire day, what is so important that the child cannot get her rest?"

"You are right Pappie, I will tell her to come home when I return, good night and grandmother the cake looks lovely."

"Don't thank me, all the thank must go to that child, she did all that hard work, and Rufus will you see that she get something to eat, I don't think she has eaten anything for the entire day?"

Looking at his face to see if there were any interest but he look so tired and all he said was, "I will ask Oliver to fix her a meal as soon as I return grandmother, so don't worry."

"Thanks, Son."

Walking through the door, Rufus sees his mom sitting on the couch talking about, how beautiful Ma did the cake.

"Mom, did you see if Courtney eat anything during the day?" Hearing his mother saying, "I don't know but why do you asks?"

Ignoring his thoughts when he said, "Grandmother was saying, she was busy the entire day with the cake and she hasn't eaten anything."

"Then, whatever they are doing should stop now until tomorrow, and your grandmother is right, this is all my fault."

Seeing the frown on Rufus face, knowing he must be thinking I never admits my failure, "I should have seen how tired she was, yet she was willing to help the girls. And Rufus did you say Courtney help with the cake?

"Yes mom, that what grandmother said, now will you kindly ask Oliver to fix her something to eat and I am going to get her."

Cheryl admires the cake, seeing how beautiful it is, thinking, 'She must have work round the clock to have it looking this good.'

Walking slowly up the stairs Rufus know it is to early to know if she had conceived, but if she neglect her health whatever chances of her conceiving might be ruin,

Then there will be Risha and Carlos to consider, because the way she is scared of me, I may never get another chance.

'Oh God, please keep her strong, and let her be pregnant with my baby, and let it be a boy please or this Island will be completely ruin.'

Entering the room seeing all their dresses hanging in a row and on a table the accessories to go with it.

Courtney had the girls helping each other, while she painted the nails according to their dresses, their feet were already done, she looks happy doing the nails.

Going back in his mine to that day in the church, recalling she said her saloon. Is she a hairdresser and cosmetologist, but she looked so very tired?

"Courtney, you can stop what you are doing now, and whatever needs to be completed, it will have to be tomorrow. Mom already asks Oliver to fix you something to eat, so it should be ready by now."

"Rufus, please, she still has my nails to complete."

"Beverly, Courtney is tired, tomorrow that could be done, now, all of you try and get some rest tomorrow will be a very busy day."

"Sorry Rufus, you are right, Courtney we are sorry for the way we have behaves," Kimberly said, "Get some rest and we will start tomorrow, and thank you very much for stepping in to assist us."

Hearing her speak her voice sound tired, "In the morning I want you all to wash your hair so when I finish with Carlos, I could do your hair and we will need a bigger basin for his foot.

Get razors, shavers, and all your cosmetics together, and whatever accessories you are using on your hair. I haven't seen anything to match your dresses, and try not to smudge your nails."

When Kimberly hugs her saying, "Thank you so much, you are a lifesaver."

"I will take these with me, while I am fixing Pappie breakfast, I will complete painting it."

Rufus notices when she put the packs of nails in a bag then take the nail polish to polish it.

Standing up, feeling her body misbalancing as she grab the chair for support, she observed Rufus's eyes on her, he was coming to hold her, but she stand upright, taking her footsteps carefully then leave the room.

Holding the rail Courtney walk slowly behind him, 'She didn't realize she was so tired, but then she haven't eaten anything. Thinking, 'I haven't felt so alive in a few days.'

Rufus walk straight into the kitchen thinking she will follow him, but then he heard the van started and she had left. "Sir, I had prepared the meal?"

"Don't bother Oliver, Miss Brown has left, just refrigerate it."

Tired himself, Rufus just wanted to make sure everything is ready for tomorrow.

As Courtney drives praying and covering the van with the blood hearing that beast howling no to far off, fear builds up as she mash the accelerator to reach the cottage.

At the cottage looking up at the sky to see if it was full moon, wondering, 'If it was a werewolf, but that is just a myth.'