CH 2 – Promise

The moment she got to her car the night before, with her box of belongings, she turned her phone off. She knew he would try to call. She just needed some space.

She slept horribly that night.

She woke the next morning, late. She couldn't remember her last sleep in, but by 9am she was wide awake. Huck was still living with her, but thankfully he didn't ask too many questions.

By noon she had done all her laundry, cleaned the house and re-arranged her book shelf alphabetically by title. She was bored. So she decided to go for a walk.

She couldn't stop thinking about him. She walked past a rose bush and was reminded of the night of only a week ago. She was never one to shout her feelings like that, but it was eating away at her. Ever since inauguration she had been fighting to stay sane. He had enticed her in again after they agreed they would stop. It had been consuming her thoughts. Working in the white house made things much harder. The building was a constant reminder of what he was, the president of the United States of America. She would see Mellie everyday, a reminder of her indiscretion, a reminder that he was still not hers.

The night in the rose garden was eye opening. He had never been coy about how he felt, but she was reserved, and with good reason. Would it help him to know she spend the car ride home after every day crying, that she would drink the best part of a bottle of wine every night to calm herself down, that her heart broke every time Mellie or his children walked into the room. No. But she couldn't lie.

Her whole life was him. She worked long hours at the white house, for him. She went home after work, to watch him in the news for something most nights. She went to bed and all she could think about was him. She was not this person. She was beginning to forget who she was without him, and that was scary. She had always been independent, since her mother had died she had never relied on anyone but herself.

She was walking through the mall, trying to be a normal person. She walked past a jewelry store and something caught her eye. She stopped. She walked over to the window with the hand manequins in the window. A beautiful gold ring with three small diamonds on it sat beautifully on the hand. Mesmerised, she stood there staring at this beautiful ring. She was broken from her trance by a child screaming somewhere nearby, over something trivial. She walked inside the store.

The sales assistant, who's name was Todd asked her "Good afternoon mam, can I help you with anything?"

Olivia said "Ah yes, I am interested in that gold ring on the pointer finger of the mannequin in the window. May I have a closer look?"

"Certainly Mam, I shall go and get it for you".

Olvia "thank you".

Todd fetched the ring and handed it to Olivia " Mam, this is a 10 carrat yellow gold ring with three I2 diamonds. Truly an exquisite piece."

Olivia turned over the price tag $549. "I'll take it".

The purchase was processed and Olivia walked out with her special item. She took her purchase home.

She walked in the door and immediately picked up her notepad and pen. She wrote:

I make a vow to myself:

I promise to be myself.

I promise to work hard at everything I do.

I promise to be the best version of myself.

I promise to never settle for anything less than I deserve.

I promise to love those who love me wholeheartedly.

I promise not to let anyone else dictate my life for me.

I promise to do what is best for me.

I promise that I will stand up for what I believe.

She ripped the page from her notepad, changed into more comfortable shoes and took off for another walk.

She walked to Teddy Roosevelt Island. Her favourite running spot, but today she was not running. She walked to the northern end of the Island. There she read her promise and put the ring on her pointer finger, were it would stay. She then proceeded to put the piece of paper underneath a nearby rock, where it too would stay until it was absorbed by the ground. This was her spot, this was her promise.