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  One More Moment Alone

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  This e-book published by Ava Marie

  © Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved.

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  Table of Contents

  One More Moment Alone

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  One More Moment Alone

  Today, her steps were carefully measured because she was still suffering from the bruises she acquired the other day when she accidentally bumped against the stairs’ railings and she fell several steps, with her bottom ending up with a resounding thump on the tiled floor.

  Annie Lemon, a girl of twenty years old, walked slowly, but with the grace that she could still muster even with the shooting pain in her limbs. No one has to notice, she told herself.

  The rhythmic tapping of her cane announced her presence to the guard of her condominium and he looked up, concern etched in his placid gray eyes.

  “Good morning, Annie,” he said. Usually, Dan doesn’t have to include the names when he greets the condo owners, but with Annie it was different. If he had not said her name, she would just pass him by unaware that a person had offered her a social interaction.

  A smile crossed Annie’s round face and she nodded timidly, her neck twisted a little too much to the left barely missing Dan’s exact location.

  “Good morning too,” she said before passing right in front of him. Her cane extended a few paces ahead.

  Dan watched as the cane landed to the floor once more followed by the low alternate raising of Annie’s legs. Today, she would wander outside the building. Again. He wondered if it would be such a terrible life to marry a blind woman. Then guiltily, he shook his head ashamed of his thoughts. A disability should never hinder a man from declaring his love to his muse. If only it were that simple.

  The wide glass double-doors opened and a gentle breeze cut through. Annie’s back was to the door, her shoulders squared as though convincing the people who saw her that there was never a trickle of fear in her blood.

  Dan followed her with sad eyes. He had only started working as a security guard of the condo on a part-time basis, to make a few bucks while he save up to continue with his college degree.

  ***

  Annie’s phone rang and she jerked, still unaccustomed to having the vibrate mode on. When she still had her eyesight, the blinking light from her phone’s screen was usually enough to catch her attention. But now, the ringing tone was set to its loudest and the vibration was turned on so that she wouldn’t miss a call.

  She put her hand inside her purse and fished for the familiar silicon guarding her phone. It was still pulsating when she answered it.

  “Hello?”

  “Dear, how are you?”

  A soft smile touched her lips as she listened to her mother’s voice. Every day, she would call her to tell her stories about the family. How his brother had proposed to his long-time girlfriend, and how her father complains about missing the movie he had hoped to catch in the big screen. Today was no different except that the story was about someone she never heard about.

  “There’s someone I’d like you to meet,” her mother said.

  Annie paused, uncertain if she’d want to add a few more names to her acquaintances. Now that she can’t see the faces, she is forced to paint an image inside her head of what the person whose name is Mark would look like. Or how tall a lady named Bella was. In her new world, she could make up her own images and it surprised her that the faces she usually associated with the names are good-looking. She hadn’t known that she was so optimistic.

  “A guy or a girl?”

  “A guy. He’s very sweet and I thought you might like him,” her mother said.

  “What is he like?”

  “He’s kind.”

  Annie laughed upon hearing that. Her mother knows that right now, she couldn’t care about appearances.

  “Kind is good. But I still remember the colors, mom. I can conjure an image in my head if you would tell me that he has a sharp nose, deep-set eyes... Or go for the generic, tell me he’s handsome!” Annie said.

  “He is!” Her mother sounded happy.

  Annie grew serious. “But... you know I’m not ready to meet people. I’m not so used to being blind that I don’t think I have time to familiarize myself about other matters. Or other people for that matter—”

  There was silence from the other line.

  After a few seconds, the pleading tone of her mother rushed in, “Come home to us. We’ll take care of you here.”

  Annie bit her lower lip, fighting herself from saying yes. How many more bruises does she have to endure to get accustomed to her new status? She wanted to be alone even if it meant that her body would be riddled with ugly scars. Who cares about how she looks now? She definitely doesn’t because her reflection in a mirror would no longer remind her of her growing waistline or of the unruly hair that needs to be fashioned or of the small traces of acne when she’s approaching her monthly period. There will be no more of that stuff, and for that she would relish herself in seclusion. For how long, she didn’t know. At least until she could feel confident again about herself. Right now, all that she ever succeeded in was learning how to smile. She does that a lot now.

  “Not yet,” Annie whispered. “But thanks for letting me stay in the condo. I owe you a lot…”

  “Don’t talk to me about money. That was never a problem with us,” her mother blurted out. And Annie knew her mother was telling her the truth. They have a lot. Her father successfully opened a BPO company and from what her mother tells her, its operations are doing very well.

  Annie nodded, “I have to go now, mom.”

  Silence followed. Annie didn’t wait for her mother’s response. She would understand that she needed to be familiar with herself first, to get settled in her new world. When she’s ready, she would go back to their house and live with them. Perhaps enrol in classes, maybe music to study more advanced piano pieces. And when life begins to sing around her again, maybe she’d be interested in meeting the guy her mother told her about.

  But not yet.Not just yet.

  ***

  When Dan’s shift was over, he hurled his backpack and climbed to 10th floor using the stairs for the fire exit. He didn’t want to take the elevator so he could get a feel of the usual route Annie takes. After all, his knees are not causing him a problem, he’s strong and he used to get a lot of exercise when he was still playing football in school.

  He stopped in front of room 1008. The peephole stared back at him, as though tempting him to peer through it. But he decided not to. He couldn’t invade on her privacy. Instead, he took out from his bag a musical card and a red rose. Then he taped it to the doorknob.

  He was startled when he heard soft taps against the carpeted corridor. He put the adhesive tape inside his bag and backed a few steps away.

  Annie was walking slowly, but he noticed that this time, there was a trace of determination etched in her soft features. Her thin lips were set on a straight line, her chin jutting a little higher than it should. The white cane she’s holding touched the door and she stopped.

  Carefully, she moved her right hand forward. Her hand came into contact with the doorknob in a perfect straight line. Her hand did not shake this time. Then, she felt the gritty envelope taped to the knob, and her hand moved a little upward as though she was expecting something more. As her fingers closed upon the stem
of the red rose, she smiled.

  Dan stood watching, his heart twisting as he marvelled at her courage. If only he would be given a chance, he would take care of her.

  Chapter 2

  Then the doorknob turned, the door opened, and Dan was left behind in the corridor drowning in the scent of her floral perfume.

  He walked slowly away, this time heading for the elevators. He pushed the button and waited patiently for the chime.

  ***

  “Are you drunk?” Bruce asked Dan.

  “What?” Dan shouted over the loud stereo speakers playing a Katy Perry song.

  “I said are you drunk?”

  Dan laughed. “No. Never.”

  But you’ve been laughing too hard at even the silliest jokes. I’ve never seen you like this before,” Bruce said.

  “Oh, come on. That’s not true,” Dan protested before falling into another wave of laughing fit.

  Bruce stood up and grabbed Dan’s hand. “Let’s go. And I’m driving.”

  Dan waved exaggeratedly at the girls he passed by, his arm muscles rippling. A few girls giggled and waved back.

  “See? I’m not drunk! I bet I could deliver a great pickup line to entice one of those leggy beauties to spend the night with me.”

  “The keys, Casanova,” Bruce said, his hand thrust out, palms turned up, as he waited for Dan to give him the car keys.

  Dan shook his head and mouthed, “No.” Then he laughed crazily again.

  Bruce waited for Dan to climb in the driver’s seat before he went to the other side. Shaking his head, he pulled at the seatbelt.

  “Whoa! Don’t drive without this,” Bruce told his friend as he leaned over to his side and strapped him safely. Dan was still laughing.

  “You’re such a girl,” Dan teased.

  “Shut up, scumbag. I’m trying to save your life,” Bruce hissed.

  Dan shook his head as he backed from the driveway and started driving.

  “Shit man, your headlights, turn it on!” Bruce said.

  Dan’s hand moved toward the wheel, looking for the headlight switch.

  “You’re being careless. Pull over. Let me drive…”

  “You’re asking me too nicely. I can manage this,” Dan argued. He switched the lights on and turned the wheel to the right. As the car headed for the curve, its headlights framed a girl walking her dog. The girl stared at them waiting for the car to get back on the road.

  Instead, the car careened toward her. In shock, she stood motionless. Her hands dropped to her sides as she let go of the dog’s leash.

  Dan’s eyes widened as he tried to hit the brakes, but his foot pressed harder on the gas pedal instead.

  “Oh shit! We’re going to hit her!” Bruce yelled. He lunged toward his friend to try and take the wheel from him. But it was happening too fast. He only managed to stir it a bit to the left sending its trunk skidding forward. A loud sound followed before the car’s engine stopped.

  Flushed, Dan sat in silence.

  “You asshole! I told you to let me drive!”

  Dan swallowed, trying to regain his composure. He had never been in an emergency situation before and he didn’t know what to do. He was brought back to reality when the passenger door slammed shut and he saw Bruce running toward the girl they hit.

  He released the seatbelt holding him to safety and stood up, his surroundings swirling in his eyesight. His mind was exploding from confusion and his heart started to thud loudly inside his chest. All of a sudden, it seemed as though the alcohol had been drained from his body. He was all lucid again.

  He ran toward Bruce, who was now standing up, holding a girl up. There was blood dripping in her forehead. Her hands were also bloodied but it didn’t seem like she had broken anything.

  “I’m sorry!” Dan shouted.

  Dan cursed as he watched the girl glance at him quickly, her eyes in pain. Then her eyes rolled upward and her body spasmed and she hung limply to Bruce’s side.

  “Help me, you moron!” Bruce shouted.

  Dan leapt at them and took the girl’s other hand. His footsteps quickened as he tried to pull more of her weight against him.

  Then the sirens deafened him. The police had arrived, and the girl was carted away in an ambulance.

  The sirens grew louder and louder until he could no longer hear any other sound. He stumbled as he walked toward his car. The policeman’s eyes haunted him. Bruce looked at him with such distaste that he had no option but to leave them. He ran toward the driver’s seat, crying. Then, the sirens grew louder again.

  The policeman and Bruce were both shouting at him. The sounds shot directly to his heart. He raised his arms to cover his ears but the sounds couldn’t be drowned. He cried in anguish until everything turned black.

  Dan woke up with a start, panting. His heart was beating fast and his palms were clammy. Sweat dripped down his back and he was soaking in his shirt.

  He raised both arms to his face as though in prayer, but the balls of his fists kept thumping against his face as though in regret. Then he cried again. He despised the dream. The nightmare that every so often disturbs him in his sleep, reminding him of his errant action that caused a girl to lose her eyesight.

  When the first rays of the sun seeped through the windows of the room he’s renting, he finally got the courage to stand up. He took a shower and dressed up.

  A few minutes later, he was already walking outside. He stopped by the lawn of a neighbour and bent down at the rose bushes and picked one. Then he quickly put it inside his backpack.

  He kept thinking about Annie and how he could ever make up for the future that he made her lose.

  ***

  “Good morning, Annie,” Dan said. Today, he would try to engage her in a conversation. “What’s up?”

  Annie’s lips twitched a little. “I suppose you should be the one telling me what’s up. The sky, I suppose?” she said jokingly.

  Dan’s face flushed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—you know, make you uncomfortable,” he said.

  Annie smiled again. “You didn’t.” Then she started walking toward the main door of the condo and was outside in a few seconds.

  Dan looked around the condo lobby. It was a not so busy day. There were hardly any visitors and the tenants, most of them have left already for work or for school. If he slips out the door and follow Annie, maybe his absence wouldn’t be felt.

  He studied the lobby once again before finally deciding to go after her.

  “Hey,” he said.

  Annie was already sitting in one of the benches. He couldn’t see her eyes because her large sunglasses cover them.

  “I never appreciated the benches in front of the condo before. It didn’t cross my mind that anybody would actually sit here and pass the time,” she said.

  Dan smiled affectionately at her even though he knew she wouldn’t see it.

  “You’re talking to me right? Because if you’re not then I would totally freak out,” she said.

  “Yes!” Dan said in a hurry. “I was. I mean, I am.” He watched her as she raised her arms to tuck a few locks of curly hair behind her ears.

  “Mind if I sit beside you?” Dan asked.

  “Sure. The rent is cheap,” she joked.

  Dan smiled and moved beside her. He didn’t know what to stay actually because he never had the chance to talk to her before. But looking at her, immersing himself in her presence felt very familiar that he fought the urge to extend his right hand and put it on her shoulders and pull her close to him.

  “Has the sky changed? Or is it still the blue I remember?” she asked.

  Dan looked upward. “Today, the cloud is as blue as the dress you’re wearing.”

  “Oh. I could picture that. This is my favorite dress, and I had picked it out because of its shade.”

  “There are wisps of clouds overhead. It’s quite sunny right now, so the sunglasses you’re wearing are suitable.”

  Annie’s face froze when she heard sun
glasses. It had always been difficult for her to wear them every day because she knew the implication. If the weather is gloomy, it would be like a beacon declaring her disability.

  “I’m sorry if I said anything that offended you,” Dan said slowly.

  Annie shook her head. “No, it’s all right.” She smiled quickly, then she added, “You say that a lot.”

  Dan looked at her. “What?”

  “I’m sorry-you say that a lot,” she said with a smile. “You don’t have to apologize for everything.”

  Dan choked. “Oh, but I do,” he said softly.

  He sat silently beside her. He glanced back at the condo and saw some visitors milling in the lobby.

  Chapter 3

  “I have to get back inside or I may get fired,” he said.

  Annie nodded as he walked away.

  “Thank you,” she said in a loud enough voice.

  Dan stopped, his head bowed down. He nodded and gutturally, he said, “Anytime.”

  ***

  Inside the condo lobby, Dan picked up his phone. “Mom?”

  “Yes dear?” Mrs. Dalloway answered.

  “I’m going back home. I don’t want to work here anymore.”

  There was silence from the other line. “Are you sure?”

  Tears coursed down Dan’s face as he nodded. He knew his mother wouldn’t see him nodding but he didn’t have the strength to say the words. He ended the call and wiped his tears. Then he walked over to the elevator, waited for it to come and once he was riding it, he pressed the tenth floor. This time, he wouldn’t risk his knees climbing up because he knew they would fail him.

  Upon reaching room 1008, he took out the rose and taped it to the door just above the doorknob. This time, he didn’t leave a card.

  ***

  Mrs. Dalloway was sipping coffee in the veranda, thinking over her conversation with her son when the doorbell rang. She saw as the help moved toward the gate and open it.

  She waited heart in her throat. Then she saw his dark hair. He looked at her and she almost melted. Her son—Dan—had come home.