From time to time Naomi's eyes would rest on the view beyond the window, the hills were beautiful at this time of the day. The serenity that enveloped them always seemed to calm her. The sun had long set and her parents had still not returned from their outing.
She had just finished folding the laundry when a knock on the door caught her attention. As she ascended down the stairs to the door the thought of the visitor being Mr Reagan clawed at her mind. "Who is there?" She asked hesitantly.
"It's me Sasha"
Naomi released a breath she didn't know that she was holding. She pulled the door open, managing to paste a smile on her face. "Hello Sasha"
Naomi's face creased in worry as she laid eyes on sasha, her eyes were red and her face was swollen. "Hey Naomi. Is Mary here"
"My mom? No she's not here, she went out with my dad."
Sasha nodded softly "Do you know when she'll be back?"
"No I-I don't"
"Ok that's fine, can you tell her that I came to see her"
Naomi nodded "Sasha are you ok?"
Sasha's lips curved in a futile attempt of a smile "Yes. I'm alright. Just tell Mary that I was here"
Naomi sighed, she knew she needed to mind her business but Sasha's state perturbed her "Sasha tell me the truth what's going on?"
"Nothing's wrong Naomi"
Naomi walked up to her, she had to crane her neck to look eye to eye, Naomi placed her hand on Sasha's arm "Sasha you know you can confide in me. What's the matter? You look awful"
At her words Sasha broke out in tears, she wrapped her arms around Naomi causing Naomi to stumble backwards at her weight "Naomi he's gone. I don't know what I did to deserve this. It's only days to our wedding and he's gone. I prepared so much, I planned so much for the two of us but it's all gone for waste" Sasha sobbed recklessly in Naomi's arms.
Slowly Naomi retracted from Sasha's arms, she walked her to the dining room and gave her a place to sit. Naomi ran into the kitchen coming out with a glass of water in one hand and a roll of toilet paper in the other, her heart broke as she set sight on Sasha sobbing on the dining table. "Come on Sasha. Drink some water, calm yourself down."
Sasha sat up right and took the glass from Naomi's hand, it's contents vanishing in one gulp. Naomi wiped away her tears with the toilet paper. "What did I do to deserve this Naomi? Am I a bad person? Am I cursed?"
"No Sasha don't talk like that, you aren't cursed. Just tell me what's the matter"
"It's James"
By the mention of his name, Naomi's heart seemed to stop beating "James? What did James do?"
"I can't believe he'll do such a thing to me"
Naomi's mouth went dry. Did Sasha find out about Anastasias pregnancy?
"He's gone Naomi. He left me"
"Gone? Is-is he dead?"
"I don't know Naomi. He could be dead. I don't know"
"James is missing. I haven't seen him all day, yesterday I had gone to his house in the afternoon but he wasn't there. It was the day before that we had spoken to each other but since then I haven't set eyes on him"
"Have you gone to his house?"
"Yes. Obviously that was the first place I went to check but he's not there."
"You shouldn't worry yourself like this Sasha, he's a grown man. I know he can take care of himself"
"That's not the point Naomi. My parents are saying so many things. I don't even know what to believe anymore"
"What did your parents say?"
Sasha sighed, she dropped her gaze to the ground as if ashamed of her next utterance "Naomi, while the preparations for our wedding was going on, James had told me that I shouldn't worry about anything. He said that he'll take care of all the preparations and that I should just give him the money. I trusted him Naomi. I gave him my life savings, every single penny. I even took money from my parents without their permission"
"You stole from your parents!"
"James had talked me into it, he said that he wanted us to have the best wedding ever and that he needed more money to make it happen. I agreed with him and I gave him the money. Now he's gone"
"Sasha stop being negative. There could be a possible reason for his disappearance"
"My parents found out that I stole their money. My mom is mocking me, she says that James ran away with all the money I had given him. I don't want to believe it Naomi. I really don't. But what other possible reason could there be for his disappearance"
" I dont know Sasha. I'm as confused as you are"
Sasha held onto Naomi's hands forcing a smile onto her face "I won't be negative, he's probably out there somewhere. Making me a surprise or something."
"You're right." Naomi nodded trying to cheer Sasha up "You'll probably wake up tomorrow morning and find him by your bedside with a bouquet of flowers and a bunch of chocolates in his hand"
Sasha giggled sheepishly "And I'll force him to kneel for my forgiveness, because he almost gave me heartattack"
The girls laughed together, guilt pushed at her for raising Sasha's hopes high but she ignored it's sting. Sasha's brow furrowed as her smile faded "What's the matter?" Naomi asked
"Is that an engagement ring?" Sashas jaw dropped as her eyes darted over the ring that adorned Naomi's finger
Naomi cleared her throat feeling awkward at the sudden question "Uhm yes"
Sashas eyes widened "You're lying!" Sasha said with a sheepishly smile. "Naomi this looks like real silver. It looks really expensive"
"How do you know it's real silver?"
Sasha raise her head to peer at Naomi "It's shiny" Sasha said simply. Naomi giggled at her response.
"Stop Sasha you're making me shy"
"So tell me who's this man that captured your heart"
Naomi's face scrunched as her eyes narrowed "Nobody captured my heart, my heart is still in my ribcage thank you very much"
"Ohhh Naomi stop with the pretence. I want to know everything"
"Sasha" Naomi sighed "It's not like what you think" Naomi dropped the toilet paper on the table dropping her face in her palms. She shook her head "You won't understand"
Sasha smile faltered as she placed her hand on Naomi's arm "What's the problem Naomi?"
"I don't want to get married Sasha that's the problem - especially not to someone I don't love"
"Then why get married if you don't want to"
"My parents are forcing me, they're the ones that arranged this rubbish alliance"
Sasha seemed speechless as she gazed at Naomi, unaware of how to assist in her predicament "Naomi, they're probably just doing it for your own good. And plus you're not getting any younger I actually support them in their decision"
Naomi's jaw dropped "Sasha, how can you say that, you're supposed to be on my side"
"I am on your side Naomi. But look at it from their perspective, do you know how much ridicule they've been enduring. Where have you seen a twenty three year old woman living in her parents home?"
"Sasha just stop it. You wouldn't understand what I'm going through"
A silence hung over them as both girls dwelled in their own thoughts.
Sasha scooted closer to Naomi and took her hand in hers "So tell me who is the lucky man"
Naomi groaned "Do you really want to know?"
"Of course I do. Tell me. Tell me. Tell me."
"Ok. Ok. It's Mr Reagan"
Sasha's smile dropped as she gazed down at naomi. She snickered awkwardly "What. M-mr Reagan?" Naomi nodded with a pout on her lips "You mean, you're getting married to Mr Kyle Reagan?"
"Yes"
"The notorious business man of Helslip? The one that the source of his wealth is a mystery to all. You're getting married to him?!"
"Sasha, I tried my best to fight it. But all my efforts went in vain. I don't know what to do"
Sasha let go of Naomi's hands as she turned back "Wow, this is unbelievable." Her mouth hung open "Have you heard about his wives"
"All I know is that he has three wives, I don't want to be somebody's fourth wive that's humiliating"
"You mean he had three wives. Didn't you hear?"
"Hear what?"
"His second and third wive are dead. Rumours say that they had gone missing, others say that they had run away and others say that he had killed them and dumped their body in the ocean"
Colour drained fron Naomi's face as the words registered in her head "He-he killed them?"
Sasha shrugged "I don't know if it's true, it's just a rumour."
Naomi groaned as she dropped her face I'm her palms "And that's the man my parents have decided to sell me off to"
"Don't worry Naomi, there's a fifty percent chance that the rumours are false. I'm not trying to scare you or anything. But trust me your parents wouldn't let you get married to someone that will hurt you, they'll do what's best for you. Just trust in their decision"
"Whatever" Naomi muttered softly. She cleared her throat as her voice quivered, the new revelation of Mr Reagan probably being a murder who killed his wives caused her heart to race in her chest, beads of sweat built up on her forehead as an incomprehensible heat overcame her. The possibility of her sealing her life off to a murderer stung like lemon on a wound.
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She blinked rapidly - forcing the tears back to their source - her head rose as she tried in vain to maintain her composure, her eyes instantly connected with those of Sasha who stared back - pity soaring in her orbs.
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