Chapter 3
PRESENT DAY
Nineteen years old Lucy squealed into the living in excitement with a sheet of paper in her hand.
"Mom!" She screamed into the hands of her curious mother and handed her the piece of paper.
"Dear Applicant," Jayda starts to read.
"The faculty of Film and Television business wish to congratulate you on your successful enrollment and admission into TISCH of the arts at our great academy. The entire board of the New York University welcome you into this new chapter...and a splendid academic experience"
"Congratulations sweetie, I am so proud of you my darling" Jayda gave her a tight squeeze.
"I miss you already"
"Minnesota to New York is just two and a half hours Mom you can always catch a flight if you miss me too much," Lucy said still in the spirit of excitement.
"What about Keisha, did she get in to?" Jayda asked.
"I don't know, I've not called her" Lucy ran up the stairs into her room to call her friend.
Jayda is more than elated but the only perk is the reality of being alone. She'd had Lucy all by her side since she was a baby and now that her daughter is about to take a different path, it would be selfish of Jayda not to support Lucy's decision to change environment.
She and Donnie had split nine years ago and Brian ran away from home shortly after. Jayda will always blame herself for what happened with Brian. She'd tried to get in touch with him but all her efforts yielded zero fruits. It's like finding someone who doesn't want to be found.
Nine years have gone by and Jayda still couldn't erase what happened that night with Brian. The sinful feel of Brian's lips on hers as they kissed passionately in her room after a night of alcohol from her end. Whenever she had time to think, thoughts of that night consumed her mind.
"Mom?!" Lucy shouted, jolting her mum out of the unending trance she's in.
"Keisha got in to" She announced and hurried to hug her mom again.
"I am so happy for you both"
"What were you thinking about? I caught you smiling and caressing your lips. Is there a man I don't know?" Lucy asked after the excitement cooled a bit.
"There is no man" Jayda lied.
"Is there a woman?" Lucy continued.
Jayda bursts into laughter. "I'm pretty straight Lucy"
"I know, was just pulling your legs" Lucy shrugged. "So there is a man" Lucy could tell but she knew when to stop pushing Jayda to talk.
"You deserve to be happy too, mum. People like us with a broken heart deserve to be happy" Lucy said.
Jayda stared at her daughter curiously. She has no idea her daughter was ever in love with someone.
"With who?" She asked.
"I never told you because I was still a child then and didn't want to create a fuss but now as an adult, you should know. I had a crush on Brian before he took off" she confessed.
Jayda's mouth went wide open instantly.
"What?" She gave a bewildered scoff.
"Did anything happen between you two?" She couldn't help but ask. She couldn't bear to imagine the thought of her two children engaging in a sinful act-maybe not so sinful since they're not blood-related but she wouldn't be able to live the same if Brian somehow took advantage of her little daughter and also her that night.
"No mum, he wasn't even aware I liked him. He probably thought it was a sister to brother love but to me, it was more than that. But not to worry, the instant he ran off spoiled any chance I had. I have moved on and ready to begin anew with someone else in New York"
Jayda unconsciously made a sigh of relief. It was like a huge pang of guilt subsided but there is another guilt.
She didn't quite tell the whole truth about what happened that night to Lucy and it got to a point where she also believed the lie that Brian chose to run away whereas it was her who threw him out hoping it would get rid of his infatuated thoughts that had long existed before the abominable act they'd engaged in. She was so shameful and couldn't bear to see his face for a while.
She'd hope he'd come back but he didn't and that was the last time she saw him.
Jayda has not been at peace, she'd sometimes questioned if he's alive? in trouble? if he's sick and does has someone to look after him? If he's eaten? what he's doing on his birthday amongst other thoughts. She would spend most of her nights thinking and crying over him. She couldn't also forget the fact that she let her best friend down.
"Mum!" Lucy again interfered with her thoughts.
"I'm so sorry hun, what were you saying?"
"Once I get into New York next week.."
"You are leaving next week?" Jayda asked.
"Yes mum, I want to settle in before resumption"
"I'll come with you then"
"No, mum. I am an adult now. You don't need to babysit me"
"As a matter of fact, I will. It'll be my first time in New York and what better motive than to know where my daughter is going to be living for the next four years that way I can swing in for surprise visits"
"Well said, mother," Lucy said with a big grin.
"So where should we celebrate this big win?" Jayda asked.
"I thought you wouldn't ask" Lucy squealed at her mother. "Shopping"
"What?" Jayda exclaimed.
"Just a few wears here and there Mum, I don't want to wear my old clothes in school"
"On another note, I am glad you're going far away. My money would be saved for a better cause aside fulfilling Lucy's material needs" Jayda joked.
"We both know you don't mean that. You love fulfilling Lucy's needs"
"And that's because she leaves me no choice."
"I love you too mum!" Lucy said which finally ended their never-ending banter.
Chapter 4Jayda looked out the window lost in her thoughts. She unconsciously wiped the steam that fogged the window. She's thinking about Brian for the umpteenth time today. All she wants to know is if he's doing well or alive and the thought of not knowing anything kills her.She's also aware that if Brian wanted to be found he would have come back to the house. He knows where to find her unlike she who doesn't know where he is.Her mind also wandered to Lucy who is leaving for New York in a matter of days. Jayda had contemplated moving to New York but the obvious truth is that she can't afford to live in the luxurious city. It's bad enough she's spending so much on Lucy's tuition thanks to her life savings for saving the day, the best she can do is to lodge in a cheap hotel when visiting her daughter.On another note, Lucy leaving meant she'll have time for herself and who knows, maybe she can finall
Chapter 5Khloé hurried into Brian's office."I am so sorry Brian, I didn't know how it happened" I don't care how it happened, it's the level of your incompetence I have a problem with," Brian said as he scanned through the screen of the laptop in front of him."It won't happen again, I swear. Please don't take Lucy away from me" She begged"It's too late to apologize""This is the first and last occurrence""You don't get it, do you?" He suddenly stood up from his chair."Something bad could have happened to Isabelle if she didn't meet the person who brought her back." Brian feared the worst might have happened the moment he received Khloé's call earlier."You can do anything to get back at me but please don't take the custody of our child away from me"She walked c
Chapter 6"OMG Mom!" Lucy said over the phone as Jayda walked into her living from outside. She'd been talking to the sheriff over last night's encounter with the other neighbours and the police department have assured the residents that there will be two patrol vehicle stationed in the area for the time being."It's been taken care of so I don't think they'll be coming back," Jayda said as she made for the couch."But still, you need to move out of that house" Lucy suggested."You know I can't""Why? Because it's grandma's house?""That and the fact that your schooling needs all the finance I can get""Well mom you don't need to overthink your pretty head about that because Keira and I got a part-time job to model for some app and the pay is a mouthful""No no mo" Jayda immediately opposed the idea. "
Chapter 7Jayda giggled like a toddler at ice cream when she and Shawn made their exit out of the cinema. They just finished watching the latest horror film titled 'forgotten and instead of coming out with a rather intense expression, the duo laughed their way to the parking lot."So where are we going next?" Jayda asked as Shawn put the car in motion unto the express."I was thinking of dinner" he said."I'm quite full from the popcorn and Soda""How about a walk in Glover?" He suggested.Jayda had heard of the new park in town but has not had the opportunity to visit the place even though she'd heard a lot of awesome reviews from the people in Ely."That'd be great," She said.They arrived in the park in half an hour and since there wasn't much to do because most of the vendors have closed for the day, Sha
Chapter 8"Where's the new commercial clip?" Brian said while flipping through the pages of the folder in his hand."We are yet to shortlist the candidates.." The fidgeting thirty-something years old creative director managed to say even amid stammer.People working under Brian always find talking to him intimidating and somewhat scary. It's hard to share the same space with his arrogant and rude attitude."You're fired," He said without flinching."Sir?" She questioned in disbelief."Are you deaf? I said you're fired! I can't have incompetent people working in my company" he didn't look at the poor lady, not even as little as a wink.Just as soon as she walked out of his office, Khloé walks in majestically while strutting her curves in the perfect motion."Hey baby" she greeted before taking her seat.
Chapter 9A few weeks later.Lucy walked into ChaseApp headquarters alongside Keisha for their callback interview with the brand. The duo had applied a week ago to model in a commercial much to the fact that one appearance costs so much more than the regular coffee shop attendant job they'd been doing secretly to help lift the burden a bit off their parents.Both girls gawked at the enormous elegance of wealth and class that littered the ground floor. There was so much professionalism in how the ladies who worked there walked and talked. They weren't dressed corporately. Some even wore shorts that went as far as the curve of their butts but their carriage is classy as hell."Wow. Pinch me Keisha" Lucy said trying to get out of what she thinks could be a dream.They'd researched the company ahead of their interview but the pictures didn't do the building justice. I
Chapter 10Both girls screamed out of the ChaseApp building after being among the five models picked for the commercial that was later said would continue during the final casting."Do you think if the President was seated, we would have been given the spot? I mean, considering what happened in the morning""We didn't do anything wrong! What makes you think we did? We were just talking. He seriously can't be that bad""Have you heard of this man!"They both walked down the walkway to catch the bus heading their way.********"There's something I need to tell you," Shawn said, as he arrived with Jayda under her porch."Some time ago before I met you, I had plans of transferring to NYPD for the sake of my daughter so that I can be close to her instead of having her travel down here once a while" He paused a bit before con
Chapter 11BeforeJayda 22Brian 12"Jayda!" Brian hurried outside to where Donnie and Jayda are seated, smoking."Putt off the cigarette" She whispered. She stomped on both stick with her feet before Brian's arrival.Donnie rolls his eyes in disbelief at her."It's Lucy. We were playing and then she tripped and bruised her leg. I already applied first aid but she keeps crying and won't let me put a band-aid on it."The trio hurried to the backyard to find little Lucy on the grass, crying."Hey, sweetie" Jayda bent down to inspect the scratch. "Pass me the bandaid" she collects the strip from Brian's hand and places it on Lucy's wound carefully."Check the lower kitchen cabinet by the fridge, bring the pack of candy in it," Jayda told Brian and he returned a few seconds later with the