I woke up the next day in an unfamiliar room. Sunlight from the window with light blue curtains indicates that it's around 8 o 9 in the morning. I feel so tired even I just woke up. I can feel pain all over my body. I touched my tummy just to check that I already gave birth. It's not a dream. But where is Athena?
I tried to get up despite being in pain. I'm already wearing hospital gown and a tiny tube is still in my wrist. I pushed myself to get up, but I failed.
"Hello! Is anyone there?" I shouted as loudly as possible. This is one of the moments I feel fear creeping in my body. What if they are all working for Geoff and he has Athena now?
"Hello!"
I heard footsteps coming to where I am. After a few seconds, familiar faces came from the door.
"Joan! You're awake." Dorothy said. She is now carrying a baby in her arms. "We were outside. We were just showing Athena how beautiful our place is."
"Can I see her?" I asked.
"Of course. She
Two years later..Today is a special day. Two years ago from this day, I gave birth to an angel. For the past two years, I was able to forget the miserable situation I was in. I was able to start a new life, a life without fear and a life filled with motivation. Three months after I gave birth, Susan, the owner of the convenience store gave me a part time job. Danny also did some part time work in the clothing store. I and Danny were hesitant to accept the job offer at first since we were worried of who would be taking care of Athena, but many women from the village volunteered to take care of her. I had to pump breast milk for her every time I had to leave for work.Athena grew up around many of her grandmothers. She remembers each of their names, something that took me months before doing (I am really bad with people's names.) She started talking when she was 1 year and 8 months old and at the age of two, she can now make short sentences and use even difficult words for her age. I gu
The next day, I woke up early to go to work. My working time in the motel is earlier that Danny's schedule so I woke up earlier than her. I prepared toast and fried egg for breakfast. Athena came out from the room before I was done preparing breakfast."Good morning my princess." I kissed her cheek and hugged her as part of our morning routine."Good moning mommy. I'm hungly." That is also always the first thing she says when she wakes up, so I make sure to wake up early every day to prepare breakfast. She still cannot pronounce the sound of 'r' properly and I found her so amusing every time. I carried her and put her on her chair to eat breakfast."Should I wake Aunt Danny up? She is also hungly." She asked"We can wake her up later, sweety. Aunt Danny was tired yesterday because of your birthday. She will eat breakfast later." I gave her a cup of hot chocolate and put toast on her plate."Will you go to wok today? Will I stay with glanny Dolothy?
I went back to the reception area immediately. I know he wanted to have the linen changed and requested for two towels, but I need to calm myself down first before going back to that room."How arrogant! Does he thing he's the only guest this place has?! Am I a robot who can do all his requests in a flash?! Even a robot can't do that! If he is rich, why don't he just buy a place where he can stay and hire some helpers!" His attitude makes me furious and I had to let it out. I'm not the type of person who gets mad easily. I was able to endure being cheated on for a long time. I didn't even felt anger towards Lance before, but this guy is different. He's getting into my nerves!I tried to divert my attention to other things and decided to call Dorothy."Hello. Hi, Dorothy. Can I talk to Athena?""Hi Joan. She is playing with John outside. Wait, I will call her. Athena, your mom is on the phone!" I could hear her shouting away from the phone. "She's coming.
The next day is a normal day for me. I got up early as usual to prepare breakfast, give bath to Athena and send her to Dorothy's place before going to work. I was a bit nervous to be at work today because of the guest in room 201 but I don't have a choice but to go to work and face him. I just hope he isn't as grumpy today as yesterday.I arrived in the motel without Sarah in the reception desk which is uncommon. She normally stays here and reminds me of the things that need to be done during the day. She normally comes to the motel very early in the morning whenever we have a guest and when we don’t have one, she just gives me a call if something needs to be done. Marshville is very safe and residents can leave their houses, even their businesses open the whole night without having the fear of burglary.I wonder where she went.I looked for her in the kitchen then to the linen room, but she isn't there. Did she go home last night?I started checkin
Tonight is the first time I will not be able to sleep beside Athena. I never thought I would be able to love someone like this in my whole life. I guess being a mother is indeed the best profession ever. Normally, having a guess in the motel doesn't stop me nor Sarah from going home. We could just leave our phone numbers to the guests and tell them to give us a ring when they need something. We were never worried something in the hotel might go missing. Marshville is a very small town, and you cannot go anywhere without anyone noticing. All people know who the residents here are and we treat each other like a family so no one would dare to do something bad to anyone on us, let alone steal from any property.I bought a sandwich from the convenience store for my dinner. I can cook something in the motel kitchen, but I feel lazy to do so and I also don't want to get anything in there without paying. I was immersed in the book I was reading when the sole guest showed up."
After escaping from Geoff, I became very paranoid in everything. Whenever I see a new face in Marshville, I can't help but be scared thinking that that person is working with Geoff. I can't imagine a life without my daughter. I am willing to do anything just to make her safe."Why are you so quiet? Are you really scared of me? I don't know your husband, I swear!" His cheeks are now red, a signal that he is already drunk."What happened to you and your wife?" I asked. They said a drunk person is one of the most honest people in the world. Since he already knows everything about me, I guess it is just fair for me to know about him as well. He got his phone and typed something again like the last time I asked about him. He then gave me his phone with a picture of a pretty woman on the screen."She is my wife, ah no, ex-wife. Probably, our divorce papers are now approved. She is a very simple woman, you know. That's why I fell in love with her. She doesn't like the
I woke the next day in the bedroom assigned for me and Sarah. Whoever works here at night can sleep in this area comfortably. I looked for my phone immediately to look for the time. Luckily, my phone is on top of the bedside table. I don't really know how I managed to come here after last night. I remember drinking a lot, but I can't remember every detail of what happened. It's already half past 10 in the morning. I got up immediately and found Sarah in the reception area."Why didn't you wake me up? Sorry, I should have helped you clean the area. Were there a lot of empty cans and wrapper in here?" I asked Sarah."I didn't wake you up because I can guess that the man upstairs disturbed you the whole night like what he did to me the other night. And what empty cans are you talking about? I didn't see any cans in here.""Really? Did I put them away before sleeping? I should throw the trash!""I already did. Don't worry about it. The bin was almost empty. T
"I don't want a grand wedding. Simple one is okay, something private. I want Athena to be there, my mom, Annie, Danny and the people in Marshville since they are also like my family.""I want to give you a bigger wedding than the last one you've had.""We got a civil wedding, nothing grand, no wedding dress, no guest. I prefer that one, except with the no guest part.""He's rich. How could he have that kind of wedding?""He never loved me. He only married me so he could make that bitch jealous and also to have a baby.""Do you want me to crush them?""I just don't want to see any of them anymore and that they won't bother me and Athena again. I don't care what happens to them.""Will you really let them go that easily? After all that they did to you? Your husband and that woman, I bet they are still so happy now and the mother.""Regina also helped me, not that much but I don't have any grudge against her. She never wanted me t