Severed

       I was unpleasantly awakened by the vibration from my phone, I sluggishly sat on my bed, I looked at the screen of my phone to see who was calling, it was my mum then I looked at the time, and it was 8am my room is completely dark all the time because I didn’t like the sun getting into my room, so I never really knew what was going on outside, I picked up the call

“Good morning mum, is everything alright?” I said sleepily

“Yes, Belle it is, I just wanted to tell you the dress code had changed to white. I thought I told you before, but I wasn’t so sure”.

“Dress code?” I said in a confused tone while yawning.

“Yes, for your grandmother's surprise party tomorrow”

“That is tomorrow?”

“Don’t tell me you forgot Belle”

“No mum I didn’t” I said in the most convincing voice I could, but I knew she could tell i was lying.

“Oh Belle, I know it hasn’t been easy for you after” she hesitates but continues anyway.

“What happened was horrible, but you can’t let it take over your life you have been distant, and I have been so worried about you” I cut her off.

“Mum it’s not, I just forgot that’s all, I’m human I can forget things and besides work has been a bit stressful.

“It’s just, Belle you never forget birthdays.” She was right I was like the family calendar I always remembered everyone’s birthday.

“Well, there is a first time for everything mum”. She doesn’t reply immediately so there is a short silence before she changes the subject and starts to talk about the plans for tomorrow and tells me about some of the disagreements, she and her siblings had then she tells me not to forget to get grandma a present and that was when I remembered that a week ago I had dropped my grandma’s college graduation picture to be made into a framed portrait at the mall, I had found it in the garage of my parents’ house and I remembered how much she talked about her graduation and the events that followed, it was also the day that my grandfather proposed to her, she thought she had misplaced the picture so I knew she would appreciate this present. When I found the picture thought it was quite unclear, old, dusty and greasy I was happy when the shop attendant told me the condition of the picture wouldn’t be a problem.  

 I opened my window to see what the weather was like it was sunny outside I gave a huge sigh and mentally thanked God it was a Saturday so I could stay in the whole day after buying grandma’s present, there was a time when I used to be so happy to get up in the morning excited for the new day, excited to go on my Saturday jug, excited for Friday night outings with my colleagues but ever since my boyfriend Adrian had broken up with me three weeks ago out of the blue without any explanation, I haven’t been doing so well because I was still nursing my broken heart. I thought he was the one I mean we had been dating for a year and a half so the abrupt break up took me by surprise.

     I dragged myself to the shower after lying back on the bed for another two hours, wore my favorite track suit with sneakers and made my way to the mall, I knew I should have picked up the present since I mean the shop had sent me several emails saying it was ready, but I kept postponing it. I picked it up and it was so amazing I could imagine my grandma crying tears of joy and for the first time in weeks I had a genuine but half smile on my face, I went to put the present in the car and I decided to do some grocery shopping and see if I could buy an outfit for the party tomorrow even though I had something I could wear, besides shopping might be a little therapeutic for me, after going into several shops I finally found a dress that I really liked it was a white turtleneck midi lace dress so I decided to buy it I was on my way to the counter when I saw a familiar face Krystal, Adrian’s elder sister she was with two of her friends as soon as I saw her I decided to turn back and head towards the dressing room again to stay there long enough for her to leave but unfortunately I wasn’t fast enough

“Belle?” I heard her call after me, and I had no choice I wasn’t far enough to pretend I didn’t hear her, I turned slowly to her like I didn’t know who called my name.

“Hey, Krystal, how are you? it has been a while” and then I think ‘Obviously, you and her brother broke up while would she contact you again’ and I mentally roll my eyes at what I said.

“I am fine thanks; how have you been doing” she gave me a sincere look that made me feel like she was genuinely concerned about my wellbeing.

“I am doing okay as well”. She stares at me for a second like she is studying me to determine if I am okay, then she looks at her friends

“Can you guys give us a moment, i'll come meet you in a second”. I was a bit confused, what could she possibly have to say to me. When her friends left us, she gives me a serious look

“Of all my brothers’ girlfriends I have liked you the best, so I want to hear your side of the story because I am sure there is more to it”. I gave her a confused look.

“Krystal, I have no idea what you are talking about, your brother never told me why he broke up with me”.

“Really?”. She gave me a confused look as well.

“Yes, I called and texted for an explanation I never got one”. I could feel tears building up in my eyes and I was using all the strength I had to hold them back. I think she could see it too, so she gave me a hug.

“Please don’t cry”.

“Let’s go somewhere to talk properly”. I just nodded still in her arms feeling like an ant since Krystal is 6ft and I am 5ft 6. She texted her friends, I paid for my dress and we went to the food court to talk.

      When we sat down, she told me what Adrian had told her and I could not believe it, it turns out one of my cousins Alice had told Adrian that I was still Joe seeing the guy I was dating before him. Alice is my mum’s twin sister’s second daughter, and we are the same age we were born a month apart, and we were quite close that was why it was shocking.

“Are you sure?”  

“Didn’t you go to his mum’s funeral?”

“How did you know?”.

"Adrian showed me a picture of you hugging Joe at the funeral". I lowered my eyes and stared at the table.

“It's not what you think, Joe told me his mum died he said he knew how much his mum liked me and how disappointed she was when we broke up and said he is sure she would have loved for me to come; she was really good to me even after I broke up with Joe, she still sent me birthday messages, presents and Christmas texts and all. I even went to see her in the hospital when she was sick, and she was doing okay, I felt so guilty that I didn’t check up on her. I was going to tell Adrian about it, but we had an argument that week and were in such a bad place I didn’t even bother I just knew that it would add gasoline to the fire”.

“You went with Alice?”

“No, but I told her about it and my decision, and she even supported and encouraged it”.

“So how did she get the picture?”

“I have no idea, but I will find out, I can’t believe she would do something like that I mean she came over to my apartment to console me when we broke up, I just can’t explain why she would do this”.

“Adrian doesn’t know any of this he just made the decision based on the picture and the fact that you guys weren’t in a good place at the time I think he made an abrupt decision; he hasn’t been himself since he broke up with you”.

“he could have asked me for an explanation he didn’t have to end it like that, if that is the reason why he broke up with me then I think we are better off apart than together”.

“Don’t say that Isabelle, I know you both care about each other you both just need to talk, and all this can be resolved”.

“I tried to, but he didn’t reply and eventually he blocked me, he told his office and apartment building not to let me in, so I just gave up”.

“I will tell him what you told me; I knew there was an explanation, but I suggest you be careful with your cousin she definitely doesn’t have the best intentions for you”.

“I will definitely confront her about this, thank you so much Krystal I really appreciate this”. She gave me a warm smile and nodded. She left to go and meet her friends after they called her, I decided to order some food and go home but all the while I was processing what Krystal had just told me I was furious at Alice but even more furious at myself for not taking the advice my friends had given me about her, they always told me they felt like her intentions towards me weren’t good but she was family I always felt family deserved the benefit of the doubt I thought they were overreacting even when she did somethings like burning my sweet sixteen dress or the time she told a girl in school that didn’t like me a secret that I had told her or when she snitched to my mum about a party I had gone for she always seemed remorseful and apologized so I always forgave her but this time she had crossed the line suddenly all the fowl things she had done to me in the past started replaying in my brain and I was really pissed off, Alice had better have a good explanation for this situation and then there is Adrian you would think that after dating for that long he would talk to me about what Alice had told him.

           The day really flew by me because it was already evening and the sun was setting, I spent most of it on the phone with my friends talking to them about what Krystal had told me and they gave me an earful about how they had warned me about Alice which I expected and quite frankly deserved, and they advised me on how to handle the situation it was a two-hour call and after the call I felt a bit better. I was watching a movie when I got a text from Adrian asking if he could come over and talk but I decided not to reply because while a part of me wanted to see him I didn’t also want to say anything to him while I was this angry. The next day I woke up early so I could clean the house before I went to over to my grandma’s house to help with the decoration while she was still at church. When I got there my mum and her siblings and some of my cousins were already decorating the backyard so it was full, the little children however were playing in the children’s parlor a place grandma had made for the grandchildren it was a place all of us played in while we were growing up, I however noticed I couldn’t see Alice when I asked about her, her mum said she went to church with my grandma, the plan was to confront her before the party had started but now it seemed I would do it during the party but I had do it privately and away from everyone else because I knew whenever I was involved in any confrontation I tend to be loud and I get angrier as I talked and eventually my anger led to tears I didn’t want all that dramatics to ruin my grandma’s birthday. When we were done with all the decorations and it looked so beautiful some of her friends had arrived the others would come over from church, Alice’s mum got a text which I assumed was from Alice then she motioned all of us to hide that they were on their way, we all went to various places to hide we had the children quietly hide with us as well so they didn’t spoil the surprise, we could hear her voice come closer and eventually when we heard her open the backyard door, we all popped up and screamed “Surprise”.  

           She was really startled thankfully she didn’t have a heart attack because that was how scared she was, then she started to cry and thank all of us, we all took turns hugging her then party was in full swing and I proceeded to approach Alice who was the one that brought grandma to the backyard.

“Hey Belle”. She smiled at me.

“We need to talk”. I said with a straight face ignoring any pleasantries.

“okay” she replied me with that stupid smile still on her face. We went upstairs to one of the guest rooms and I closed the door so we wouldn’t be disturbed. She sat on the bed while I sat on the chair just opposite the bed.

“What’s up Belle, how have you been doing since the breakup?”

“I’m getting by you know me” I said with a pretentious smile on my face.

“So, what do you want to talk about?”

“You know everyone of my friends warned me about you, but I wouldn’t listen I always gave you the benefit of the doubt, always forgave you for the things you did to me, but I can’t believe it took me this long to see how evil you really are”. Suddenly her smile faded off and her facial expression changed to confusion.

“Belle what are you talking about?”. She asked in her confused tone which irritated me.

“I spoke to Krystal yesterday Alice she told me about everything I am not even going to ask who you had send you that picture, but my question is why? Why would you do something so despicable”.

“I don’t know what you are talking about”. Her voice became a little lower and cracked that usually happened when she was lying, I was very familiar with it. I got up from the sit visibly irritated and walked towards her.

“I’m going to ask you this last time, why did you tell Adrian I was cheating on him with Joe?”

“I don’t know what…” before she could finish my hand had found its way across her face, lying to Adrian was one thing but trying to lie to my face after getting caught was just too insulting to accept. There was silence in the room despite the noise coming from outside Alice still her hand on her face and a surprised look while I stood in front of her staring daggers at her almost daring her to lie to me again.

“What was the reason?” I yelled this time. She was still quiet as if trying to figure out what to say and then she looked me dead in the eye her surprised expression had turned to a blank one.

“I could see that the two of you were getting serious and I was sure a proposal was around the corner I couldn’t let you walk down the aisle before me”. Suddenly my anger had turned to utter confusion.

“What?’

“Perfect Belle, everyone loves and likes you, you have always had everything easy in school, in sports, with men while me I always had to walk in your shadow. You got in college before me, got a job before me, completed your masters before me, moved out of your parents’ house before me, surely you didn’t think I was going to let you have this one, did you?”

“I am not in a competition with you Alice”.

“Well, I am”. It takes a moment but I just nod my anger had now turned to pity and disgust. Finally, I understood that Alice was jealous of me which meant I couldn’t trust her, family or not.

“I always gave you the benefit of the doubt because you are family but now you have shown me your true colors, I see you for what you are, and I want nothing to do with you anymore”. With that I left the room I had cut a lot of people in my life who had wronged me, and I could never trust but I never knew that one day I would have to cut ties with my own cousin someone I considered my friend and sister despite how many chances I gave her. I was angry and hurt but I knew I wanted nothing to do with her anymore.