The Dishearten

Ama sat down as sleep couldn't find its way to her eyes. She had been thinking about everything that lady said to her. She felt her world crashes down. Just the thought of it made her frustrated.

'So, you're the Ama that I've been hearing so much about. You're still a young lady, and you should know that Pierre won't settle less for a child like you. You don't have to be jealous or angry, so you can either give me the message to drop to him immediately he gets out from the shower or call him later,'

"I'll instead call him back later, and don't think Pierre will also settle for you too,' She hangs up angrily, tossing her phone to the side of the bed.

'It's passed an hour now; I have to send him a voicemail this time; maybe he might be with his phone now. What am I evening doing?' she thought; she picked up her phone, then dialed his number and put it on the voicemail message.

-Hello, Pierre, are you there? Are you busy? I've something to tell you. Please call me when you're done showing!-

Ama looks so frustrated, trying her possible best to stay okay. She went straight to her wardrobe to grab a new duvet since the old one was a bit dirty. Immediately she steps forward to climb the bed, her phone rings.

'It Pierre' She smiles at the thought of hearing Pierre's Voice.

"Hello, Pierre, I tried reaching out to you, but a lady kept on—"

"A lady kept on what? Are you his wife? For goodness sake, it is so useless for a mature girl like you to keep on hovering over a guy that is six to eight years older than you. Ama, Pierre, and I have a date to attend to, so do not bother to disturb by calling or even sending him voice messages!" She wiped out sassily at Ama, who was still stunned by hearing her voice again.

Audrey Lavigne hung up on her. Ama was so angry to the extent she threw her phone away, and it crashed into the wall and was lying down in three parts.

A minute later, after Ama had cried her eyes out, all red and swollen, she got up from the bed to pick up the scattered phone; she growls in more pain seeing that the front glass of the had removed itself, the back glass is broken and has cracked beyond repair. She famed up more in anger.

"Why am I always the jinxed one? Why am I always the unfortunate one? She burst out; this time, a very loud whimp escapes her mouth as tears rush out from her eyes, dripping from her eyelid willingly.

Instantly, Pierre's name pops out on the broken screen. "Pierre?" She whispered.

"Hello, Ama?" He said through the line.

"Hello, Pierre, can you hear me? Hello," she repeats.

"Hello, Ama, are you there? Can you hear me? Hello, Hello, Ama!" He hangs up.

'This is so bad. This is so bad; why did he call now that I've used anger to destroy my phone? Now, I have to save up to get a new phone because of my hot head! My hot temper. I have to look for a way to call Pierre,' She thought so drastically.

—

"What's going on? Why can't I hear a thing? She's saying?" Pierre frowned at his phone then looked up at Audrey.

"Audrey Lavigne. What did you tell Ama?" He fumes in anger, staring so aggressively at her.

"What did I do?" She smirked at Pierre.

"I am not joking with you. It shows right here that she called and someone picked. She sent a voice message and someone called her. And clearly, it's only you and I that's present here, so, what did you tell her?"

"Calm your temper, French boy. I told her nothing much. I only stated that she should not disturb us with her calls that you're in the shower getting ready for our date." She rolled her eyes at the angry Pierre.

"Date? What date? Who and who? Whose Date are you talking about?" His temper rises.

"C'mon Saleem, Your birthday, remember? It's your birthday in two days, and I'll be traveling back to Istanbul, Turkey. So, I'm taking you out to celebrate it in progress. Isn't that worth the theme of a Date? Saleem!" She smiles at him.

"C'mon Audrey, why do I feel like you're just formulating more problems for me? You've always been like that! You are constantly setting me up."

"Oh, C'mon Saleem, you know very well that I am helping you!" She paces around Pierre's room.

"Stop calling me Saleem, for goodness sake Audrey; I'm a French man, not one of your Turkish guys." Pierre frowns. "And how are you helping me, if I may ask?"

"Very well, I can't stop calling you Saleem. So you know. You have to get used to the name because you will be hearing it more often." She winks at him. "And also, Just like what you are good at, constantly rejecting ladies right from high school, Saleem. I'm just helping you repudiate her if you can't face it because the Saleem I know disclaims without a second of thinking about anyone's feelings!"

"That's not true, Audrey; you've always been the bitch back then in school to the extent, everyone thinks we were dating all because you told them that we were together. I'm not your type, Audrey, but why do you keep doing this?"

"Whatever you say, Saleem," She walks up to Pierre's locker and opens it. "Saleem. Can I have this Military chain?" She asked, bringing it out from the vault.

"Why did you bring it out? How did you know it was there? Come on, Audrey; you've been asking me for this chain, but you know it's what I've left off my brother!"

"I know, Saleem. So, can I have it?" She added. "It has been long since your kid brother died. It will be best if you allow him to rest now."

"You can have it," Pierre's voice sounds tiring. He wanted her to leave. Audrey had been a bitch in his life but yet, a bitch in a good way, though.

"Thanks." She picks the chain up. "I'll be leaving now." She turns to walk away from the door but halts with a smirk immediately as she twirls around. "Oh, before I forget. It's been so many years, Saleem. What I describe as the relationship between you two is a debatable relationship. This is not your style at all, Saleem. This is not the aloof poker face Saleem that I've known all my life," She winks sassily at Pierre.

"What are you even talking about?" Pierre frowns.

"C'mon Saleem. If you know that deep down, you like her, do the rightful thing by owning her because if you let her go, you know you care for her. I bet you; you will regret your decision till you pass on!"

"Get out of my sight now, Audrey!" He yells slightly at her.

Audrey giggles. "That's the only thing you're good at, chasing away the ones that care for you. Whatever, I don't care. Just tell aunty and uncle that I visited; I can't wait till they come back to greet them personally since I'll be going back to Istanbul tomorrow." She twisted her hourglass shape, walking past the door.

"I've had the maid take out the gift I brought for the both of them, from in Istanbul, make sure it reaches them well." She added with a smirk before disappearing from his presence.

Instantly, Pierre picked up his phone to call Ama, but it was already switched off.

He looks so frustrated at his contact list. "Who am I going to call now to be able to reach her?" He thought so profoundly. "Lou!" He voiced out.

Pierre dials Lou's number shortly.

—

Immediately Lou got back from Germany. He was usually supposed to return today, but since Pierre called him, he entered the next available flight back to Burgundy. He rushed to the house and couldn't find Ama anywhere. It's getting dark. Then, the female gardener told him that he saw Ama strolling down to the lakeside, not far from her apartment.

A few minutes later, Lou saw Ama sitting on one shore chair, looking lost in thought. He slowly brings forth his arm to touch her on the shoulder since he had called out her name twice, and she didn't respond to him

"Ama, what is wrong with you? You can kill somebody with this habit of constantly disappearing from everyone." Lou chastise.

"Lou..." Ama stammered as Lou's name came out as a hiccup whisper, looking at him as if seeing a ghost.

"Why didn't you wear something thick? Why this light clothes and you're close to the water. What if you caught a cold?" He added. "Do you know how dangerous it is out here? Alone? Rape cases are there, piled up and unsolved herein, Dijon, and I don't want you to be a victim of the preying eyes of those male devils."

"How...How did you find me?" She stammered; her voice is cracked from too much crying.

"How did I find you? Are you mad? Did you even know who called me to see if you're okay?" He frowns.

"What do I care, Lou!"

"It's Pierre. Pierre Fitzgerald called me, begging to know why your phone is switched off and can't reach you,"

"Pierre?" She looks stunned at Lou.

"Yes. What happened when I was away?" Lou asked, looking so concerned at her.

"Lou...Pierre is together with a lady called Audrey Lavigne. On a Date, I don't know if it was the lady that Hugo Leroy showed me her picture. I don't know if it's the same lady!"

"C'mon, Ama, don't act like this. You are punishing yourself. You decided to let go of him, remember. It doesn't matter who he's with now. Just build yourself, okay?"

"I know, Lou. The truth is, I purchased him a shoe since his birthday, and I just wanted to let him know about the delivery so he'll get it!"

"But when I called him...She kept on answering his calls. So, I sent him a voice mail. When he called back, my phone was broken, and I couldn't hear what he was saying." She hiccups.

"What if it's a misunderstanding?" Lou asked.