"Will you be fine here all alone?" Erin asked me for the nth time today.
"I will be," I said. "Don't worry about me; I can handle myself," I said.
Today is her flight back to the city. She said that she can't stay here longer because people back home such as Wade and my parents might wonder where she is and could think that we were together.
"I'll see if I can come back and visit you soon." She said.
"It's fine; I know you're busy with work and of course some businesses," I said and smiled at her.
"If you need anything, just call me okay?" She said. "Do not turn on your phone, okay? I'll have our caretaker buy you a new phone and give it to you later, okay?"
"Alright, thanks," I said as I hugged her. "Have a safe trip, okay? Drive carefully."
"Yeah, yeah," She said.
Erin let go of me and together we walked to her car. I am going to miss her but I can't keep her here with me; she has her life too.
"I am going to miss you here," I said. "It's going to be so lonely without you."
"Oh, I am going to miss you too," She said as she hugged me once again. "Be strong, okay?"
"I will," I said and hugged her too.
She let go of me and unlocked her car. She opened the door and hopped in. She closed it but she rolled down her window. "Bye!"
"Bye," I said as I waved at her. The house's caretaker opened the gate for her and I continued waving until I could no longer see her car. I put down my hand and sighed.
"Excuse me, ma'am," The woman said. "Are you going to be fine here alone?"
"Yes, why?" I said.
"I am about to go to the grocery now and if you need something, you can tell me before I leave." She said. "By the way, my name is Vera."
Vera, beautiful name for a beautiful woman, she is probably in her late forties but one can never deny that she has a beautiful face even at her age.
"Oh, it's nice to meet you," I said. "My name's Cami."
"It's nice to meet you too. So, do you need something?" She said. "Miss Erin specifically told me to take very good care of you and give you whatever you need."
"Oh, thanks, Vera but I am good here," I said. "I don't need anything."
"By the way ma'am, I don't know if Miss Erin told you but in the meantime, I will also be staying here so you won't be all alone." She said. "But that is, if it's fine with you, as Miss Erin said."
"Of course," I said and smiled at her. "I wouldn't want to be alone in a house as huge as this."
She smiled and nodded. "Yeah, this is a huge house and you might get lost so I will take care of you here."
"Thank you," I said.
"So? Are you sure you don't want anything? What about dinner? I'll cook. Do you want something in particular?" She said.
"No, no," I said. "Anything is fine with me."
"Alright," She said. "I'll go ahead then,"
I nodded. She turned her back on me and went in the direction of the gate. I went inside the house and straight into my room.
I sat on my bed and thought of a lot of things. Now what? I thought being away would give me peace and a clear mind but it didn't. Not until I know what really happened between Dad and Riley's mom. I felt like I cannot move on from what happened if I didn't know the cause of this all. I thought of calling my parents but I realized that my dad could just lie to me over the phone. If I am going to ask him, I am doing that in person so he won't have a chance of lying to me. I never thought I slept on that thought. I only woke up when I heard some knocks on my door. I saw at the window that it was already dark outside. I rubbed my eyes before I opened them. The knocks were continuous so I decided to get up and get the door and saw Vera standing outside.
"Oh, were you sleeping?" She said sounding guilty. "I'm sorry that I woke you up."
"Uhmm, yeah, but it's fine," I said. "Why?"
"I just want to inform you that dinner is ready. I waited for you to come down but it's already eight in the evening and there was no sign of you so I decided to come up here." She explained. "I just thought that you might be hungry already."
"Alright, don't worry about it and you're right; I am starving," I said to lessen the guilt she was feeling at that moment.
"Great!" She said. "Come on; I'll prepare the table for you."
"Thanks," I said. "Do you mind if you go ahead? I'll be there in a few. I just need to use the restroom."
"Sure," She said and walked to the door.
I watched her leave. I went to the restroom right after she closed my bedroom door.
I was already getting out of my room a few minutes after using the restroom and I immediately followed Vera into the kitchen. I saw her preparing the table for me which is kind of unnecessary since I can do it myself.
"What can I do to help?" I said as I walked near here.
"Nothing Miss Cami, I can do this. Just sit down and your food will be ready in a few." She said.
"Okay," I said and sat down.
She put the food in front of me and I was amazed. It smelled and really looked good.
"Come on; try it." She said.
"Aren't you joining me for dinner?" I said confused. She was just standing there by my side.
"I already ate, Miss Cami." She said. "I can accompany you here while you eat if you want me to."
"That's a great idea," I said. "It would be lonely eating here alone."
"Then I'll stay," She said and sat across me. She even motioned first if it would be okay for her to sit down to which I nodded.
"So, tell me," I said as I started eating. It tasted great. I liked the food she cooked. "Tell me, are you married? Do you already have kids?"
"Yes Miss," She said and smiled. "We have two kids and we live just a few blocks from here."
"Well, that's good. I bet you are enjoying a happy life now. Plus, that's convenient that you just live around the corner." I said.
"Yeah, it makes my job here easier." She said. "That's why even if I don't have to come and clean here every day, I still do even just for a quick visit."
"Erin's family are so lucky to have you to keep this place intact," I said.
"No, we are the ones who are lucky to work for them." She said. "They really help us a lot especially in our financial needs."
"Then you both are lucky to have known each other," I said.
"Well, you could say that," She said.
"I'm really glad that you are here Vera, I don't have to be here all alone," I said.
"It's my pleasure Miss," She said and smiled.
I smiled at her too. I didn't know how long I will be here but I was glad to have met someone like Vera.