Wilfred Part 8
I've been so depressed today. Ever since the surprises yesterday, I feel like I've been staked in the heart. Maybe I should leave but I don't want to rush my landlord. I looked at my phone, pondering on what to do. I took a deep breath and dialed him as I walked through a hallway.
"Hello, Roger here." my landlord answered.
"Hey it's me, Marika Yoshihara! I was wondering about my apartment." I said.
"Oh it's you." He said, seeming not thrilled to hear from me. I can understand why. I used to rush out of the building while I was carrying the kids and jump over the stairs like a maniac. Also Naruki would talk back to him a lot so I can see how he is not excited. "I thought you disappeared. My dreams are crushed."
"Its nice to hear from you too Roger!" I tried to sound happy, trying to keep my anger down. "So how are the repairs!"
"I guessed that you didn't get the email?"
"What email?"
"I've sold the place." I almost dropped the phone when he said that.
"What do you mean that you sold the place!?"
"I didn't even have enough renters in the apartment anyway. Out of 20 rooms, I only had like nine people. Some old guy offered to rebuild it but I turned him down saying that it's not worth it. Sorry but you are gonna have to find somewhere else to live. Later!" he said and hanged up.
"Are you-really!" I said to myself as I closed my phone angrily and threw it across the room. I sat in a chair and buried my head in my hands. What am I going to do? Where am I supposed to go? What about the kids? Oh the kids!?
"Hey is everything okay?" I heard a cheery voice. I peeked through my hands and see Cecile standing next to me with a worried expression on her face. "You seem upset, did something happen?"
"I'm fine." I said. I really didn't want to see her or anyone for that matter. She stood there quietly for a moment and then she grabbed my hand.
"Come with me for a second!" she said, dragging me to her room. She forced me to sit on the couch, next to her. Then she pulls out a box filled with string and beads. "When I feel bored or super down, I make jewelry! Here I'll teach you!" she said happily and takes out one string and beads and shows me how to make a bracelet.
"Wow you are great at making bracelets!" she praise me.
"I don't think so. I think you are more of a pro than I am!" I retorted.
"You don't have to say that! You're very good for a beginner. Who is it for? It's too pretty just to be made for yourself."
"My niece Haruka." I looked at the bracelet. It was a little bracelet with purple and pink beads with little hearts in between.
"The little girl from yesterday? She's your niece!? She is so adorable! She's going to love it!" Cecile cheered.
"What about yours? Is it for someone as well?" I asked as I looked at her dark blue and green bracelet.
"Its for-" she stopped in the middle of her sentence. "No one." she said with a casual smile.
"It is for Stephen?" I asked. I have a feeling it is. She didn't say anything and held the bracelet tightly. I guess that I was right. "You love him don't you."
"What!?"
"I saw you guys last night. I'm sorry that I watched but I couldn't help it really. I wished I could help you guys…"
"Thank you but there really isn't anything that anyone can do. We...can never be together." she said about to cry. I wrapped my arm around her and rubbed her back as she cried. I thought I was not going to like her since she's Wilfred's fiancee but she's really cool. She helped me today and I really do appreciate it. After a while she perked up suddenly and gave me a look like she had an idea.
"There's a ball tonight! Come with me! The only people I know are Stephen and Wilfred. It would be nice to have a friend who is a girl with me!" she said. "Your kids can come too! It will be fun!" she smiled.
"Um….okay." I said without giving it any thoughts. I wanted to be with Wilfred for one last time and the kids would be thrilled to attend an actual ball. She cheered and laughed like a little girl as she jumped around.
…..
"Wow you look great! And your kids are so cute!" Cecile said as I came down the stair case with the kids. I wore a sky blue ball gown that she left me with my hair up in curls. Haruka wore a pink dress with flower patterns and her hair pulled back. Naruki wore a tuxedo with a red tie and Kai wore a gray suit with shorts and a green tie.
I walked down the stairs and caught sight of Wilfred with his eyes widened with amazement. I did the same when I saw him in his royal attire.
"You look beautiful." he said blushing and looking away. I smiled and laughed a little. He's still the same as always.
"Why do we have to come?" Naru asked.
"Because it would be nice for you kids to get out of the castle and it would be good for you to see how cool these people are." I said, ruffling his hair.
"Naruki please don't be like that! I'll be with you to keep you company okay? So will Kai! Let's have fun okay!" Haruka grabbed his hand. Naruki turned his face away and nodded his head. Kai grabbed his other hand and smiled him. I see Naru squeezing their hands. He really loves his sister and brother. We all got into the car and headed towards the castle where it all began.
The Castle of Nobel Michael.
We entered the large ballroom and see am the rich people in such fancy clothing and the food was still wonderful as always.
"Wow this is huge!" Haruka said in amazement.
"You can say that again." Naruki said in amazement too. Kai his behind the twins and peeked over.
"It's okay Kai. These people are really nice and I'm here as well so don't be too scared alright?" Wilfred said to him in a calming voice. Kai nodded his head and clinged onto Wilfred's pants.
"Wow other kids!" a high pitch voice said in excitement. A little boy around Kai's age came over with a girl who seemed to be a bit older than the twins.
"Hello what are your names?" the girl asked politely.
"I'm Haruka and this is my brother Naruki and Kai." Haruka said shyly.
"Hi I'm Alan and this is Cathy!" the little boy said excitedly.
"Shall we play together?" Cathy asked so politely. The kids looked up at me with the same puppy eyes they use for homework.
"Behave okay." I said giving in. "Naru if I hear that you are being snarky to then or anyone, we are going to have a talk alright." I warned him.
"Why is it always me?" Naru said with an irritated look on his face.
"Haru is sweet as candy and Kai is even sweeter so do or say something rude I will find you." I said crossing my arms. Naru huffs and looks away. "Stay safe okay?"
"Yes." the kids responds in different tones. Haru said it sweetly, Naru said monotonously, and Kai just nodded. The kids followed the other kids into the crowd of rich people.
"Come on let's have some fun!" Cecile said, grabbing Stephen's hand and drags him to the dance floor.
"I guess it's just us now." Wilfred said looking away from me. It was quiet between us as we stood in the back, against a wall. "Um about last night…" he began to say. "I'm sorry I forced that on you. I just...for some reason...I couldn't control myself. When I see you alone with another man, I feel so conflicted and I just want to pull you away." he said with so much emotion. He seemed so frustrated.
"Oh Wilfred you don't have to apologize. I actually-" I started to say but a large shout interrupted me.
"Hey it's you!" Roberto's voice called out behind me. "I wasn't expecting you tonight." he said walking up to us.
"What the commoner is here again?" Keith asked coming next to Roberto with Joshua and Glenn.
"The rose is back!" Edward came next with his charming smile.
"Hello it's been awhile." I said with a smile.
"You look beautiful as ever." said Edward.
"I agree." said Roberto.
"She looks decent." Joshua said with his usual cold voice. "She doesn't look like a commoner at least."
"Um thanks?" I said not really knowing how to respond to that. Then suddenly the music changed into a waltz and I see many people go to the dance floor.
"Oh a dance is starting!" Roberto says happily.
"Let's dance shall we." Wilfred cuts in and drags me to the dance floor. He pulls me closer to him as he wraps his arm around my was it and helps my hand with his other arm. "Remember how to do this, right?" he asked, whispering into my ear. I nodded as I blushed. We twirled and were in step most of the time.
"You're better than last time." he smiles.
"Well I guess it is just hard to forget something like this." I giggled a bit. I looked up at him and see him looking at me with such a serious gaze that I couldn't look away. I lost track of time as I looked at him until the applause brought me out of my trance. We bowed but our eyes were still looking at each other until a bunch of girls dragged him away. I watched him dragged away with a heavy heart.
'Oh Wilfred I love you but...I can't stay. We don't belong together. I can't be part of your world and you can't be part of mine.' I finally got a decision. I looked all around me. I looked at my dress. I looked at everyone. This is not where I belong. I should, no, I need to leave. I can't do this. I love you Wilfred but we can't be together. You're a prince with the weight of a kingdom on your shoulders and a fiancee and I'm a commoner with kids. We can't work. My eyes landed on Claude and instantly I was walking towards him.
"Claude," I said, gaining his attention. "Can you get someone to pack up my things?"
"Are you leaving?" he said, looking a little sad.
"I have too. I stayed too long so can you get someone to pack up the kids and my things?"
"Are you going back to that apartment?" he asked.
"It doesn't exist anymore. My landlord sold the land so now me and my kids are homeless." I said trying to keep my tears back.
"Where will you guys go?" he asked in disbelief.
"I'll think of something so please." I begged quietly to him. He didn't say anything for a few minutes.
"Alright. When do you plan on leaving?" he asked as he pulled out his cellphone.
"When we get back while everyone one is asleep." I answered. "Thank you." I smiled and bowed little to him. He gives me a quick smile and leaves the ballroom.
….
"It seems that the kids had a lot of fun!" Cecile whispered as she looked at the kids sleeping face when we were going back to the palace.
"Yeah I guess so." I smiled. Those other kids were really nice. They had such a fun time. I patted Kai's head that was leaning against my arm. Looked over at the twins and see them leaning against each other.
"It must be nice to have kids." Stephen chuckled.
"Sometimes. The other times they drive you crazy like this one time when Naruki was five, he wanted to wash his teddy bear because it fell in the mud so he decided to wash it in the toilet because it was the only thing he could reach. So he shoves in the there and breaks it. I was so angry." I said, trying to not to burst out laughing.
"Oh my god, that's hilarious." Cecile was dying of laughter. "Is there more?"
"Oh there are lots when you have three kids to take care of." I said casually. She squealed and she urged me to tell her more.
"Who would've thought Naruki would do something like that." Wilfred was holding his sides.
"There a lot more stories when he was around that age." I said. Before I told more, the car pulled over in front of the palace.
"Awe we're already here. I wanted to hear more!" Cecile pouted.
"Maybe in the morning." Stephen suggested. "We are all tired."
"Yeah, I guess it can wait." Cecile shrugged as she got out of the car. My heart felt heavy when I heard that. There won't be another time for these stories. Never again.
"I'll get Kai." Wilfred offered. He unbuckle the little boy and picked him up in his arms.
"Hey you two, wake up." I shook the twins. The twins woke up and sleepily got out of the car. I held their hands as we went up the stairs.
Wilfred sets Kai on the bed gently and the twins prepare themselves for bed. Naruki gently forced Haruka into the bathroom to take a shower and then he sat on the couch to wait for his turn.
"He's secretly a gentleman huh." Wilfred smiled as he looks at Naruki's sleeping face.
"He has always done that with Haruka. He always let her go first for anything. It's really sweet." He reminds me of my brother sometimes. He used to let me go first when it comes to things too. Eat food, the bathroom, entering a building, and all those minor things. My brother raised him well.
"I better leave now and let them get some rest. Are you going to be okay?" he asked.
"Yeah I'll be fine." I gave a small smile.
"Goodnight." he said and kissed me on my cheek. It was burning where he kissed. My heart thumped hard in my chest. Then he left and closed the door behind him. I felt my eyes tear up and my heart squeeze. I really do love him.
I'm sorry Wilfred. I have to leave. Suddenly I heard a knock on my door. Claude opens the door with a serious expression.
"Your stuff is out back. I packed a few clothes for you and your children. Are you ready?" he asked sounding a bit sad.
"Let's us get changed first. Can you just wait outside please?" I asked. He nods his head and closed the door. Then Haruka comes out of the bathroom, wiping her sleepy eyes.
"Naruki, take Kai to the bathroom with you. We are leaving in 20 okay." I told him.
"Where are we going?" he asked as he takes the sleepy Kai.
"I don't know just get ready hurry." I said rushing them into the bathroom.
"Aunty?" Haruka spoke up.
"Get dressed now." I hurried her. I looked around the room and see that everything is gone. The stuffed rabbit, the flag, everything that we own.
"Where's Frizzy?" Haruka asked after she was dressed in casual clothes.
"He's waiting for you outside." I said getting some clothes together.
"We're done." Naruki said coming out with Kai.
"Come on get dressed now." I said rushing them.
…
We all followed Claude towards the back of the palace. I was holding both the twins hands and carrying Kai on my back as we walked. Suddenly a rush of footsteps were heard behind us. I looked over my shoulder and see Wilfred running towards us. Claude shouted some order and two men blocked him.
"Don't go!" he shouted.
"Wilfred! How did you find out?" I asked him in shock.
"I saw that your room didn't have your things. Everything you own is gone so I figured you were leaving! You can't leave, I need you!" he cried. I saw tears as he shouted at me.
"I'm sorry but I have too." I spoke hoarsely and quickly dragged the kids outside as I heard his shouts. I almost threw the kids into the black car.
"Hurry!" Claude shouted. I quickly got into the car and slammed the door behind me. We all got buckled and the driver slammed on the accelerator. I looked behind the car and I saw Wilfred running out and chasing the car. The car was faster and eventually he slumped to his knees.
"Aunty did something happen?" Haru asked. I shook my head and quickly brought out my phone. Who could I call? I don't have any family left. I don't have friends that can help me. They all have their own lives so I can't drag my problems into theirs. I browsed through my phone and found that one old man's number. He's the only one who can help me. I quickly dialed his number and waited for him to answer.
"Hello?" his voice asked.
"Hey, it's me Marika. I have another favor to ask you if that's alright." I asked trying to keep myself from breaking down. After that I was able to arrange a stay at his place. He quickly agreed and gave me an address. When I told the driver, he gave me an exasperated look but he obeyed the order and we all went on our way to the old man's place.
