The Gift Of Love [A Compilation Of Short Romance Stories]||18+||

LEAH

SYNOPSIS.

Leah's once well built perfect life is thrown into chaos, when her supposed groom leaves her at the altar and an admirer comes creeping into her life, even worse, into her heart.

Being left at the altar in the presence of a thousand guests wasn't just what had Leah's life in breakable pieces. She was tired of being trolled online and pictures of the new girl always up on her face. It had Leah quitting social media for a week and counting.

Another rumpled tissue paper was flinged to the floor. That was supposedly the 9th and had another up on her nose, ready to be used. the blowing sound of her nose went in rhythm with the screeching sound of her door, Leah looked up.

It was Tina, her sister and only friend. She had a pitying face on her and hands folded, Leah looked away. She hated those eyes of hers and the look it came with. They always reminded her of the deaf ears she paid when she was there, showing her the red flags.

"you aren't done sulking yet?"

The question trembled her whole being. Leah was sure she could still hear it's echoes ring in her ear"You sit in here the whole day, doing what?... crying!. I warned you okay? and you didn't listen. Now you have to pay the price and at the same time, get your ass working because you aren't dead at least not yet"

"I wish I was"

Leah mumbled as she shifted awkwardly on the bed.

"No, you're not babygirl. wash up yourself right now and come down for dinner, tomorrow, you will be resuming work and going about your normal business. Now, it's either that or you're hearing from mother"

Tina had her fierce eyes on her for the next second and was out the door the next. Leah listened to the distant sound of her slippers, clicking underneath the tiles until it was no more. She sighed. Who will want to hear it from a Sabbath church going woman anyway...

The first day at work had been as bad as she expected it. The stares and the whispering never stopped even after days of being in front of them. She had concluded after her first week of resumption, that this was her punishment for talking about him alot to them. And, she was yet to resume social media.

When she had requested for yet another leave from her boss on the second week, Leah must have prayed the most fervent prayer she has ever in years. Starting from scratch and even now she had everything she dreamt of as a senior journalist up until Max, that was his name. She never had a reason for a quick leave.

But here she was asking for two quick leaves in a month. As she walked out the door out of the Director's office with her leave granted, it was just a name up in her head, one whom she was going to make a jest of his life when she was ready and readiness was what she was out to sought for.

When she had waved the Murabian tickets to Tina's face, she was expecting a happy her jumping up and down, that she was finally going to where she has always dreamed of spending a holiday, Tina had done more than just jumping and being thankful. She was screaming to her ears of her happiness and had made endless calls of how she couldn't wait to be in the airport the next day. Although, Leah wasn't back on social media, Tina had showed her the comments and indeed people were thankful she was getting back on her feet and making other people happy. That was therapy 102 to Leah's life.

And to the beaches, down to the coconut juice they drank everyday and being in the water until late evenings. The intimate talks they had about life and their sisterhood in general and being a nice person to everyone. It was all they ever wanted.

On the fifth day of camping at the Murabian beach, Leah had received a random bouquet of red roses. That she had found quite astonishing. She and Tina had read the content of the card aloud, staring at each other afterwards. They had considered Max, coming back to mend his ways with flowers.

"flowers isn't his thing Tina, I'm sure"

Leah had told her sister so they had thrashed it anyway. Whoever it came from was none of their business was the thought on their mind as they did..but then it had come again and again. On the third day, Tina had the bouquet on one hand and the champagne on the other. The card in Leah's hand as she read it aloud.

"I love you so much Leah. Standing up for yourself and trying to get your life back makes me see you as my very own. Be my life when I feel so dead baby." Tina was giving an exhausted sigh

"Your secret admirer" Leah said aloud the last part.

"You sure you don't know this guy?"

Leah shook her head decisively. For some seconds, Tina stared at her sister, the "really" question came tumbling out

"what?"

Leah asked and laughed, the almost quiet musing one.

"You're laughing and smiling right there"

"was I?"

a brow up at Tina was Leah asking again and biting back a laughter but then Tina had chuckled and again until it erupted into a laughter, it was surrender to the free dose of good life.

"I like it"

Leah said after

Tina looked down on the two items in her hand "The champagne, the bouquet or the card or the admirer himself?"

Leah shifted into the bed and crossed her legs. "Everything"

It was a whisper but Tina had heard it anyway.

She narrowed her eyes in a tease at her "I didn't know you to be one to fall so easily Leah" Leah didn't know either, maybe spending 8years with a man and never got this part of the so called love package could lead to this but she was sure of one thing, each time she read his words, she felt something.

Leah made up her mind to reach out to him, the fifth time the package came. Taking her time, she wrote the question

"what's your name?"

at the back of the card the bouquet came with. She and Tina had agreed to leave it outside their tent. Leah prayed though unadmittbly that he replies and the next morning, she was the first outside. The first feeling of disappoinment had washed over her on seeing the card still where they had left it. She stared for a while.

Sighing loudly, she turned back in only to meet Tina who was standing behind her the whole time with a smirk.

grumbling a good morning past her, she went back in bed.

"Leah dear"

she heard Tina call out.

"I don't want to hear it" she said through the duvet she had over her face. Tina clicked her tongue in impatience.

"The admirer?...he replied!"

Tina was louder than usual and when she looked over to the bed again, the duvet was off Leah's face.

"stop playing Tina"

"I'm not"

In a split second, the card was off Tina's hold and indeed there it was right under the question she had written down for an answer.

"Anthony" she said so delicately and sacred, Tina had felt a tear roll down.

See y'all in the next story. Lol
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