Thirty Five

Thirty Five


KATHY

I assured myself all I needed to do was find a lasting solution to Joanna’s situation, only then would I fully concentrate on myself, I didn’t stop thinking about how to go about Joanna and Henry’s situation and before I knew it the alarm began to ring, it was five a.m already.

Rolling to the other end of the bed where the alarm was set, my eyes remained shut as I couldn’t believe it was morning already, I snoozed the alarm and rolled to the middle of my bed to continue sleeping, I felt better than I did yesterday as my legs no longer ached.

A few seconds after I snoozed the alarm, I heard a knock on my door “Who is it?” I grumbled, I was too lazy to get up, I got no response and I didn’t bother checking on whoever was knocking.

Just when I thought whoever was knocking had left already, I heard another knock “Who could it be?” I said.

“Damon” Alexa replied.

The moment I heard from Alexa, I hurriedly jumped out of bed wondering why he would possibly knock on my door by that time.

I stood in front of my mirror for five seconds as I needed to be sure I wasn’t looking so rough, I realized my hair was a mess, so I didn’t hesitate to restyle it into a more presentable state.

I was about to reach for the door when I heard another knock on the door “Please hold on” I said.

“Alright,” The person responded in a low tone and instantly I knew it wasn’t Damon.

“You got me there Alexa,” I said as I proceeded to open the door.

I wasn’t too surprised when I found out it was Joanna knocking, I was about to inquire how her night went when she surrounded my mouth using her hands, I was frightened as I couldn’t ask what was going on, she pushed me back into my room and followed thereafter she removed her hand from my mouth.

Panting heavily, I struggled to ask what was going on “Shhh” she said and it didn’t take long for me to understand the implied I lowered my voice, stopped talking, and looked into her eyes as i got really curious.

“Were you at my door yesterday night?” Joanna asked.

“Yes...” I stuttered as I still suffered from shock.

“Can you remember the exact time you were at my door?” She asked.

I was quiet as I tried to recollect “ No I can’t” I voiced out eventually.

Joanna looked me in the eye as I replied to her, she soon started to bite her finger and move from one end of my room to another, I could tell she was impatient.

I could no longer hold my curiosity, to avoid shouting, I moved closer to her to inquire what was going on “Is there a problem?” I whispered to her.

Joanna left me on the spot leaving me baffled, she walked in the direction of my bed and sat afterward.

I was bent on not giving up, I was worried Henry had struck again! I walked to my bed and sat next to her.

“Take a deep breath Joanna,” i said as I could feel how jittery she was.

She did as I instructed and still refused to explain what was going on, I decided not to force her into talking “I would be here whenever you’re ready to talk” I said to her.

Joanna gave no reaction and I kept on thinking of the possible things that could have ensued between her and Henry that left her in such a state.

There was silence, as we both faced our front, out of nowhere, Joanna suddenly held my hands, it happened so quickly that I got frightened.

She looked into my eyeball and I did the same in return “I’ve come up with a solution to my problem” she said.

The minute I heard her mention the word “solution” I felt relieved thinking it was all over.

“What’s the plan?” I asked eagerly.

“There was a knock on my door the previous night, didn’t bother to answer due to fear thinking it was Henry,” Joanna said.

“Okay,” I said as she continued talking.

“The person stopped knocking for a while and resumed after about ten minutes, I refused to answer as I ran my pillow across my head,” Joanna said and paused.

“And?” I said.

She paused for about a minute and soon started talking “After about an hour, I heard another knock, I was eager to open the door as I assumed it was you knocking this time around, as I opened the door I found out it was Henry” Joanna added.

“What?”

“That bastard again?” I yelled.

Joanna pleaded that I lowered my voice, in her words, she said he mustn’t be aware she was talking to me.

As I heard her mention he mustn’t be aware she was talking to me, I wondered if it had gotten to that already, I planned to ask why but I needed to be sure he didn’t hurt her first.

“Why was he in your room again?” I asked sounding as low as I could.

Joanna was silent as she shook her legs aggressively.

“Did he touch you again?!” I asked and I raised my voice a bit this time.

“If you don’t want to get me in trouble you need to lower your voice please,” Joanna said.

“I’m sorry but can you please tell me what he wanted from you again” I replied.

“Did he touch you?” I further asked.

“No, he didn’t, he only came to give me a warning,” Joanna said.

“A warning?” I repeated.

“Yes...” Joanna stuttered.

“Did he mention what the warning was about?” I asked inquisitively.

“Yes, he did and he sounded so serious” Joanna replied.

“About what exactly?” I asked.

“Maybe I shouldn’t even refer to it as a warning, it’s more like a threat,” Joanna said as she raised her hand so stop tears from running down her cheeks.