The process was faster than Reyona had thought it would be.
As she drove up the cobblestone driveway that led to the cottage-style house, she already loved what she saw.
Reyona had no intention of going home that day, and she had never been a fan of hotels.
She almost called Charlotte to arrange a place for her, but then she changed her mind and checked online for a place she could rent for a month.
She supposed the whole mess shouldn't take more than that to be cleared up.
She still didn't trust herself not to do something she would regret later if she had to keep seeing her soon-to-be ex-husband's deceit-filled face.
Ex-husband!
That word snagged on her mind, and the unexplainable peace she had felt when she woke with a jolt at the park was reduced.
Reyona did not know what woke her up, but she knew she was feeling better.
She had also been chilled to the bone.
So she quickly put the plan she had in mind into motion.
She checked online for places to rent for a short time.
She picked the number close to the beautiful, cream-coloured, cottage-style house that caught her eye and dialled it.
Within thirty minutes, all arrangements had been made.
The agent was surprised that Reyona didn't want to check out the house first before paying.
Reyona was just glad she had that part done and over with.
After she had made her transfer of the rent and caution fee, the man explained everything she could use in the house to her, excluding the personal belongings of the owners who were out of town.
He offered to meet up with her at the house so they could check it out together and she could tell him her concern.
Reyona didn't want to deal with that, though. So, she asked him to just put the key in a place where she could easily get it.
"It will be under the doormat," he informed her.
Reyona understood the man's reluctance when he realised that she did not want a physical meeting.
So, she was relieved that he still rented the house to her after all.
She knew going straight to the place to crash for the night would only lead to doing what she had promised herself earlier that she wouldn't do.
She wouldn't mope over her failed marriage or think of what she could have done better.
She would not think of her wasted years or her gullibility.
She would not think of the betrayal of her love and time.
She would not think of three kids caught in the crossfire of their parents' doings.
When her mind wanted to dance towards that part, she firmly wrenched it back and faced the next thing she had in mind.
Shopping.
She went food shopping.
She got enough cleaning supplies that she could clean the whole of Buckingham Palace and remain.
Then she turned to food.
She bought seasoning for different varieties of meat.
Lingering on each of the fresh produce and selecting only the best.
Every single thing that caught her fancy and she felt she might need in the next month, she bought.
Then, as an afterthought, she got some clothes as well.
The supermarket she went to was an all-in-one type, and she was even able to get her favourite toast machine.
By the time she was done, about three of the supermarket staff had to help her with her purchase.
Eventually, her car boot and back seat couldn't contain the purchase. So, she had to give them her new address so they could send the remaining goods after she had selected the ones she needed that night.
By the time Reyona was driving towards the house, she was a bit tired, but it was a good kind of tired.
She mentally congratulated herself. She had not thought of anything or anyone in the past four hours.
It had just been about her and the challenging meal she was going to get right this time.
She would be making beef Wellington.
Then she would round it up with a good side of Macarons.
Reyona beamed at the house as she stepped out of her car.
Upon her approach, the porch light came on automatically.
Reyona's smile increased "Well, ain't you convenient?" she said out loud.
She did not have to care about being labelled a mad woman by whoever saw her speaking to a light.
Though there were houses around, they were farther apart from each other.
So far, Reyona has not seen anyone.
For all she cared, she was alone.
And that in itself is bliss!
She lifted her head and breathed in the fresh, earthy scent coming from the pine trees that lined the driveway.
It smelled delicious.
Most importantly, it smelled free of a certain someone she would rather not be reminded of.
She did a quick twirl and looked over her shoulder just to be sure that she had not been seen.
She knew she must be ridiculous if anyone saw her at that moment.
A young girl doing a spin down the driveway will be considered cute.
She doubted the same could be said for a thirty-year-old woman who had her life crumbling around her ears.
Her momentary cheer evaporated, and she strode purposefully towards the black scraper mat on the doorstep.
She bent down to lift the mat.
And she almost toppled over when she suddenly heard a voice behind her.
"What do you think you are doing?"
Reyona tamped the automatic yelp of shock that wanted to escape her mouth.
She looked at the person behind her through her set-apart legs, and she could pick out swollen feet tucked into an open-toed sandal.
Her eyes travelled upward to the Mickey Mouse's pyjamas she had on.
Something that would have been well at home on a kid, but the person behind her was no kid at all.
She was a full-grown woman.
Reyona shook herself out of her reverie and stopped looking at the woman upside down, as she had been.
She stood straight and turned around.
It was a woman, alright.
A woman was currently glaring at Reyona in suspicion.
A heavily pregnant woman.
Before Reyona could say anything, the woman looked from her to her car.
The back seat was filled with purchases from the boutique, and that did not escape the woman's scrutinizing gaze.
She looked back at Reyona. "You are not Sylby's sister. Who the hell are you?!"