THE MOMENT I HEARD MICHAEL'S VOICE, I Shrieked in fear but quickly covered my mouth so he doesn't hear me scream.
Miranda was no less shocked than I was and was still frozen.
It was up to me to save us and if Michael found out I read the invitation,am sure he'd flip.
But why did he care so much?
Who was it from?
And whoever the sender was, must've known I was staying with him which was unusual because no one actually knew I was staying with Michael.
Who was it that sent it??
"Miranda???" Michael called again and Miranda only covered her face in her palms. Shaken with laughter, I tried not to laugh and instead , I quickly placed it back I to the envelope and stuck it beneath my seat.
"Oh...why are you awake Michael???" she asked nervousness written all over her face. Being a good actress myself, I was composed as though nothing had happened and only starred at the two lovebirds as they tried not to flirt in front of me.
"I wasn't sleep. I was in my study." he replied and got sight of me. "You too????"
"Am not four Michael....I'll sleep when I want to....besides, Miranda's keeping me company...." I replied with all the guys in me making sure I maintain my composure.
"If that suits you well...."
"It does..." I waved at him and he left taking Miranda along with him. I could see her look back at me through her shoulder, wishing she would stay but of course Michael wouldn't accept it. I waved at her with a wink, promising to talk to her about it the next day.
As soon as they got out of sight, I shoved my hand back beneath my seat and took the envelope out, fetching the card as soon as I could.
I opened it quicker than I did before so I could get the name of the person who invited me. My eyes raided the paper as I read through it quickly.
"Greetings in the name of the king.
We, together with the royal family, would like to invite you Eleanor DeLaRue to the christening of our first born prince. Your presence will be much more appropriated.
With love, Adam and Ria"
The moment I read that, I felt extremely sleepy and to explain how I made it to the other night, I was unsure.
*THE NEXT MORNING*
"Eleanor....you won't eat your breakfast, what's wrong???" Michael asked and I closed my eyes allowing the tears to fall.
"Nothing.... Just leave me alone...." I managed to utter but he didn't seem to be on board with that plan.
"This is the third time I brought your coffee and just like the others, it went cold just by being on the table....please talk to me. What's going on???" he asked passionately and I realised I couldn't do this to him.
Slowly, I turned around to face him and received the cup from his hands. He watched as I gurgled it down and handed it back to him.
"Will that do???" I asked and went back into my sheets.
"No. As a matter of fact, it won't. What exactly is going on here????" he asked and placed the cup down sitting next to my bed on the chair.
"How will I help you if you don't tell me what's wrong??" he went into his doctor mode and I only shut my eyes tight.
"That's exactly the problem...." I turned to face him. "You still think there's room for you to fix me so that I become a hit story for you once I go public right??. The sick Eleanor gains her sanity after being treated by Dr Michael. Isn't that right????"
"Oh My God..." he pinched the bridge above his nose and pushed his glasses into place, walking up the next minute and pacing around the room.
I looked at him and saw how distraught he was and that made me get the confidence I'd lost.
"You always look down on me and don't trust me....why???" I asked after following his pace and he looked at me, his eyes fixed on mine.
"I do trust you Eleanor....am just..."
"Just what?"
"Scared."
It was obvious the word came out unexpectedly and he was still battling to keep it in. He sighed and walked away from me, choosing to stand in the window and admire the beautiful sun outside.
"Scared????" I repeated. He didn't answer.
I followed suit and stayed silent as well.
We maintained the atmosphere for what seemed like forever but suddenly he looked at me.
"You've become family Eleanor. I don't want you going back into the world and losing yourself again...."
"Michael...."
"You said it yourself. People with mental disorders never recover. It all just gets suppressed and they move on as long as the trigger is there. And as a scientist, I want you to understand that even if the trigger will always be there, you can heal from it....."
"Is that why you didn't tell me about Adam's Christening???" I asked and the moment he span around to look at me, the shock was evident in his eyes.
"Come on .....you couldn't hide that forever, could you???" I asked and the sigh he let out showed me he was on my side.
"Actually am quiet relieved that you know..." he laughed nervously and sat on the bed inviting me to sit next to him.
"I know....." I smiled and he smiled back.
Michael has been a father, a brother and a best friend. I don't know what I'd have done without him on my side.
"Thank you for getting me to where I am....." I leaned on his shoulder and grinned knowing I was safe as long as he's be by my side.
"You're planning on going, aren't you???" he asked and I looked at him confusedly. "What?? You just said you feel relieved that I know...."
"I did. But that didn't mean in anyway that am happy with you going. Eleanor....."
"Oh dear....we just talked about this ....Trust remember??"
"I trust you but you don't trust me...." he got up and I followed him.
"I do trust you Michael but you don't...." with that, I left the room and how I found myself in the garden, I had no idea.
I spent the entire morning in the garden and barely left my spot. I was focussed on the roses in the garden and for some reason, a pleasant memory crept into my head.
He was staring at me with his blue eyes and blonde curly hair. I couldn't quiet figure his face completely but I knew for sure he was somewhere out there.
The man that had rescued me from having my purity taken from me.
Suddenly, a rather recent memory crept into my head. I was in a an empty room, more like a prison and locked away with nothing but a single light and facing the wall.
Quiet was the normal routine until one day, I felt the hairs on my skin rise.
It must've been him. He came.
He woke me from my sleep and I remember asking him to visit me again and he said he would.
That day was the first for me to got out of my bedings and I still remember all the nurses in the facility excited for me.
He came!
The thought of it was pleasant and exciting in itself
My mystery lover. He had come. He was real.
In a hasty manner, I pulled up my sleeve exposing my palm so I could see the of the scar was still there and that was enough proof for me to know he was real.
Wasting no minute, I went inside only to bump into Miranda as she was passing by the door.
"Eleanor....Michael agreed to let you go to the christening..am literally parking your bag...." she exclaimed with excitement but that was not what I wanted to hear at that particular time.
"Thanks Miranda. where is he???" I asked eagerly.
"Not the response I was expecting but he's in the living room...." she shrugged her shoulders and walked past.
I hurried to the living room and before even sitting down, I rushed over to his desk.
"He came to visit me right???" I asked and he paused what he was doing, giving me a surprised look that proved to me he wasn't surprised at all.
"Who came???" he asked, giving me all his attention.
"You know who.....he visited me in the hospital. He even got me to wake up and leave my room and walk around for the very first time. Everyone was excited, the nurses and everyone....right???" I asked anxiously, hoping he would tell me that Yes.
Instead, he just looked at me as though I was out of my mind and did not take into consideration my words.
"Eleanor.....this is why I didn't want you to go see Adam...." he began.
"No.not him. Someone else....." I convinced him but it didn't seem to be working.
"Was there someone else other than Adam??" he asked and I paused for a second asking myself the same question Was there someone else other than Adam?
Thinking through it, I realised I might have gotten it wrong. There was never anyone else other than Adam in my life. It was always him and would always be him.
"You're right. There was never someone else other than Adam....." I surrendered because who was I fooling. Michael was my psychiatrist and he would just agree with anything I say thinking am hallucinating because if he objected, things would be crazy as hell. And if there was a man, wouldn't he have come for me by now?
"I didn't say there wasn't. I simply asked you if there was someone else other than Adam. ...." he wore his political look and I marvelled at him. I looked at him knowing exactly that he set a trap for me. If I said Yes, he'd say am hallucinating, if I say no, then that would be the end of the conversation.
"No. There was never....." I answered while looking at the scar in my palm. I looked clearly at it and it seemed so real to me. As my eyes began to water, I shoved my hand in my pocket making sure I didn't think about it again.
"Good. Now...you ready to leave for Britain???" he asked, motioning for me to sit down by his side.
I nodded with a smile on my face as I followed his lead.