The next morning, she woke up alone on the bed. The sheets beside her were cold. She glanced at the clock, 10am already. She called out, "Babe!!!!!" her voice echoing through the quiet room. No answer. Her eyes fell on the bedside table. A folded letter lay there, waiting. She picked it up and opened it.
'Work called early so I have to run along. Take care of yourself, xoxo.' she dialed his number, the line went through but he didn't pick. She sent a message, 'Call me as soon as you get this message.' she went into the bathroom to brush her teeth. She walked into the kitchen to fix herself breakfast. Reaching into the cupboard, she searched until her fingers found the cereal box. She shook some into a bowl, the dry flakes rustling as they fell. Then she opened the fridge, took out a jug of milk, and poured it slowly over the cereal, watching it soak in. Bowl in hand, she settled down and began to eat, her eyes drifting to her phone as her thumb scrolled absently through the screen. She carried her bowl into the kitchen, washed it with care, and set it neatly on the rack. Reaching for her phone, she dialed the familiar number once more, but the call slipped straight into voicemail. Annoyed with that, she dropped the phone on the couch and went into her room, slamming the door hard. She sat on her bed, fuming over the unanswered calls. Knowing there was nothing more she could do, she slipped out of her clothes and stepped into the bathroom. Lowering herself into the tub filled with strawberry scented water, she let the warmth embrace her. Within minutes, her eyelids grew heavy, and she drifted into a brief, gentle sleep. The sudden thrill of her ringtone woke her up, the water around her had turned cold. Rising quickly, she rinsed herself, then dashed out of the bathroom to pick her phone. The phone had already stopped ringing. She searched her room, but it was nowhere to be found. The phone rang again, she traced the sound to the sitting room. Once she picked it from the couch, she quickly connected the call.
"Hello babe, sorry I didn't pick your call. I was in a meeting." he apologized as soon as the line connected.
"That is okay," she replied softly. "But why didn't you wake me before leaving?"
"I figured you were exhausted after yesterday," he said with a chuckle. "You needed the rest. Besides, you look adorable when you are asleep." His words made her cheeks warm, and she couldn't help but blush at the remark.
"What are you doing?" he asked her.
"I am just preparing to go to the attic and complete my tasks." she replied his question.
"Okay, I have to run. My boss is calling. I will talk to you later, I love you."
"I love you too." she said softly before the line went dead.
She set the phone aside and walked into the room to get dressed. The weather was warm, so she picked out a light camisole and a pair of shorts. Once she was dressed, she closed the door behind her and headed to the attic. She pushed the door open and paused for a moment, taking in the space. The arrangement pleased her, she admired the efforts they both put in the arrangement. She pulled a chair closer to the desk and sat down, her laptop was opened on the desk. The screen glowed faintly in the calm of the room. She scrolled through a few folders until she found the story she had been working on. With the little money she earned from it had helped her pay the debts her parents left behind. Her boyfriend helped too. He never hesitated when she needed support. Still, accepting money from him sometimes made her uneasy. She was so absorbed in the story that the rest of the world seemed to fade away. Her fingers moved steadily across the keyboard, her mind deep inside the scene she was building, unaware that an invisible presence watched her every move from the quiet corner of the attic. Hours slipped by without her noticing. When the stiffness in her back finally became impossible to ignore, she pushed the chair back and stood. She stretched slowly, rolling her shoulders and extending her arms as if trying to wake every tired bone in her body. She walked downstairs and noticed the weather had changed. The air felt cooler, and the fading daylight cast long shadows across the room. She walked into the kitchen and began to prepare her dinner. The quiet clatter of utensils and the faint aroma of food soon filled the room. After a while, she sat down and ate, enjoying the simple meal in the calm of the evening.
When she was done, she stepped outside to get some air. A gentle breeze brushed against her skin as she stood there, letting her body relax after the long day. The soft chirping of birds drifted through the air, blending with the rustling of leaves in the trees. She closed her eyes for a moment, breathing it all in. The evening felt peaceful, almost as if the world had slowed down just for her. Night came quickly as she calls it a day and went inside. She locked all the windows and doors. She went into the bathroom to shower and prepare herself for the night. She changed into her pyjamas and settled on her bed. Minutes later, she was restless. Sleep didn't come, she stood up and decided to go to the sitting room to watch television. The remote was sitting on the table before she snatched and turn on the TV. She tuned in to many channels but none seems interesting. She decided to settle on a channel where animation was shown. She cuddled herself on the couch and wrapped with a thick blanket. She was laughing and enjoying the show when suddenly, the screen went blank. She tried turning it on back as the lights are still on. During her attempts, the television sprang back to life. An invincible hand was holding the remote.