HER LAST WISH Chapter 53

(Moremi)

Zeemah Writes 📝

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Layla paced the living room, panicking.
Different thoughts running through her mind as she kept dialling Phil’s number.
It would ring for a while and then direct her to voicemail.
She was goddamn worried and close to tears.

It’s not possible Phil went for vacation all of a sudden, Phil would have informed her beforehand and it’s not like her to drop notes, she prefers calling or texting or whatever.
If at all Phil went for an unplanned vacation, she would have called her to inform her. Well…Perhaps, she didn’t want to distract her in school.
But why the hell is she not picking up, what’s going on.
She didn’t stop dialling Phil’s number, she pulled off her socks as her feet were starting to get uncomfortable.

She walked to Phil’s room and tried to open her wardrobe but it was surprisingly locked.
Since she started living with Phil, she never knew her to lock her wardrobe..for what reason?
Well…it’s hers and she can do whatever she wants with it but she has never noticed Phil lock her wardrobe.

Phil never locks her wardrobe!
Did she do it because she’s off on vacation?
No, even at that…

Now something is really wrong.
Her stomach churned and she had to sit on Phil’s bed.
She was scared now. Has Phil been kidnapped? Did the kidnapper lock the wardrobe so she wouldn’t find out if Phil packed for a vacation or not, did the kidnapper dropped that note in the living room to make her think Phil’s on a vacation but she actually recognized the handwriting as Phil’s, did the kidnapper made Phil write the note?

Could she be overreacting?
Is Phil really on a vacation?

She got to her feet, tears starting to build in her eyes. She headed to Phil’s bathroom.
Her skincare products are still there although that can’t even confirm If Phil’s on vacation or not.
Most people don’t go on vacation, carrying their whole skincare products along, they buy empty small sized containers and transfer some of the products into them… so this is not even helping.

She walked back to Phil’s room and tried dialling her number again.
The only thing that can calm her disarray mind right now is if Phil picks up but she’s not! Which is making her get more worried.
Phil’s always with her phone and there’s no how she would ignore her calls except something’s really wrong.
Could she be busy settling in a hotel or could she be in the restroom? could she be on the beach in the vacation location and decided to drop her phone in her hotel room? Could she….

She picked up!

“Phil!” Layla almost screamed into the phone.
“Where the hell are you? Why didn’t you pick my calls? Are you okay?” She asked worriedly, her chest rising and falling.
“I’m fine” Phil said in a not-so-fine voice.
“What’s wrong?” Layla asked.
“Nothing, I’m good” Phil said.
“You’re not sounding good Phil! Where are you? Are you ill?” Layla asked, the worry that Phil might have been kidnapped is now being replaced with another worry that Phil’s not fine wherever she is, her voice and the way she’s speaking so slowly indicates something is wrong.
Phil’s never someone to speak that way, she speaks so loud and clear.

“I’m fine, why did you call?” Phil asked and it’s no brainer that Phil wants to get off the call, confirming Layla’s suspicion that something is indeed wrong. She’s starting to suspect that Phil had intentionally ignored her calls.
“I was worried when I saw your note, are you really on vacation? Are you fine?”
“I’m fine, I said that multiple times already”
“But why are you sounding this way? You’re not fine Phil. Tell me what’s wrong, besides where exactly is your location?”
“I’m okay!” Phil yelled and then groaned in pain afterwards “I’m really fine” She added slowly.
“Oh my God, You’re not fine! You are in pain! I heard that just now, where the hell are you Phil? Please!” She said, growing more worried. Phil’s in pain somewhere out there and is keeping it from her. Her eyes started building up tears again.

“I’m on vacation, how many times do I have to repeat that!” Phil said.
“Okay, I know you’re on vacation, but where exactly is the location? You should at least be able to tell me that” Layla sniffed, her tears dropping.
“Are you crying? I said I’m fine! Why the hell are you crying! You should really stop the act of crying all over the place like a toddler. I’m fine!” Phil said.
“But you just groaned in pain!” Layla yelled back. She’s so frustrated right now.
It’s so obvious Phil’s keeping something from her and not knowing how serious whatever it might be, is just making her sick with more worry.
“I didn’t. You only heard that wrongly” Phil said.
“You did! I know what I heard and you lying is even confirming that something is wrong. Your voice even sounds down”
“That’s because I’m tired, from the trip. I need to relax now”
“Aren’t you going to tell me the location?” Layla asked.

“I’m not disclosing the location because there’s no need for you to know, since when did you start probing me! You’re starting to make me think it was a bad idea to have given you that much chance and audacity. I only picked your call because I know you’d be worried about me, I’ll be back soon and don’t even call me except I do. Bye”

Layla wiped her tears as she sat on Phil’s bed.

She knows for sure that something is wrong with Phil, but what is she going to do when Phil refused to tell her anything, how’s she going to help when Phil’s not even giving her the chance to come in.

She’s going to pray for her, pray really hard. That’s the only thing she can possibly do.
Her gaze fell on the wall clock and she realised how long she’s spent at home since she arrived from school.
God…she needs to go get ready for the Cafe, she knows Aria won’t complain but it’s unfair to make her work extra hours.

She hurried to her room and started getting ready for the Cafe…

~
“Hi Layla” Aria responded to Layla’s greetings, quickly untying her apron. She looked to be in a hurry.
“Layla, I have to go pick up Jane, her teacher called some minutes ago and I would have asked Dave to go pick her up but he’s on a business trip. I’m sorry I have to leave now”
“Oh, please go quickly and I’m so sorry to have kept you waiting” Layla said, feeling bad.
“C’mon, see ya” Aria kissed her cheeks before hurrying off.
“Bye” Layla shouted after her.

She washed her hands, put on her apron and hair cover before resuming duty.

***

“What’s wrong Layla?” Dan asked, as they settled in class.
Layla’s mood has been off and he even sensed it in their chat the night before.
“Dan, I think Phil is ill” Layla sigh worriedly.
“Really? Have you made her go to the hospital?” He asked.
“That’s the problem, she’s away on vacation”
“Really?…Vacation? Oh..she called to tell you she’s sick?” Dan asked, looking a bit confused.
“Okay, I need to just tell you everything from the beginning” Layla said.

~
“Oh my God, she’s ill Layla. With what you just told me, something is wrong with her” Dan said after Layla was done with her narration.
“Right. She’s in pain… you know yelling while in pain is so painful, her voice also gave her out. There’s no way Phil would be fine and sound like that and what’s even with the sudden vacation, don’t you plan vacation beforehand?” Layla wondered aloud.
“Exactly! you plan for a vacation and then inform your loved ones about it. You don’t just drop a note that you’re away vacation and what’s weird is..she didn’t mention the location, that shouldn’t be hard if she’s truly away on a vacay. I think something is wrong and she probably doesn’t wanna bother you with it” Dan said.

“What am I going to do? What if whatever is happening to her is so serious?” Layla asked.
“To be honest, it’d be easier to know what to do if Phil gave away some information, but we don’t know where she is, what has happened to her….” Dan sigh, trying to think about what they can possibly do when he noticed Layla is already in tears.

“Layla C’mon, you can’t do that here. Look, we’ll figure out something. You need to stop crying” He said, his face fledged with worry as he comforted her.

She nodded and wiped her tears.

“I’ve called and texted her this morning and got no reply, she should at least reply my text so I won’t be so worried”
“Just keep calm, I believe Phil will be fine, she probably just doesn’t want you to see her in her down moment, she probably just doesn’t want to bother you…”
“If anything, I’m more worried now by being kept in the dark. I want to care for her, I want to help her find solution to whatever is wrong, I want to be helpful and she’s not giving me the chance”

Dan sigh. “I know right, why don’t we just see if she’s going to be back today and then we’ll really figure out what to do”
“You think so?”
Dan nodded.
” I know how worried you are right now but just know everything will be fine, we’ll figure it out okay?” He assured.
“Okay Dan”

***

Layla knew Phil was back when she didn’t meet the door locked. It was Friday and she has been dead worried about Phil since she last heard from her. She has been praying and expecting Phil since Monday which is the last time they both spoke on the phone.
She had planned to go make a report with Dan in the police station just after she’s done freshening up.
She was starting to go crazy with the fear of the unknown. Different thoughts had ran across her mind timeless times and she couldn’t even count the number of times she has imagined terrible things happening to Phil and not hearing from Phil made it all worse.

She had been so worried since they last spoke and it even reflected in her mood, a couple of people had even asked what was wrong with her.
She lost focus in her classes severally and she didn’t even find herself enjoy Mrs Lisa’s history class like she normally do.

The cause of her apprehensiveness is back and safe, she couldn’t feel more relieved.

“Phil” Layla called and when Phil turned to face her, it felt like…she was seeing an entirely different person.
She looked so sick and pale, her face devoid of colours. Her collarbones shooting out. Phil looked like she’s just recovering from a disease.
Layla was shocked. She has never seen Phil look this way. She looked obviously sick and starved, her skin looked malnourished like she hadn’t had anything good to eat in days…
Phil looked terrible that it brought tears to her eyes.

“Layla, how are you?” Phil asked, her voice sounded okay but it still lacked some vibrance.
“Phil, what happened?” Layla finally asked after recovering from the shock.
“Nothing happened, I’m back” Phil said even though she knows clearly what Layla meant.
“Phil, why..wh..why are you looking this way? You are ill! Why did you keep such from me! Why Phil!?” Layla asked, dead worried as she moved closer to Phil.
Phil looked even worse on a closer inspection.

“I wasn’t sick and would you please leave me the hell alone!!” Phil yelled.
“I’m not leaving you alone! You need to tell me what’s wrong with you? The last time I saw you, you were perfectly okay, how come you turned this way just in few days!” Layla yelled back at her in tears.
“There’s nothing wrong with me! I went on vacation and I’m back to my house, why won’t you leave me alone!”

“No! There’s something wrong with you, there’s no how you’ll come back from a vacation looking like this” Layla tearfully said.
Phil swallowed hard as she ignored Layla and continued watching the TV.
“Phil, please tell me what’s wrong. I’m dead worried. You’re looking so…s..o different” Layla sniffed, wiping her tears.

She continued even when Phil didn’t reply.

“Phil… You don’t expect me to believe that, do you? You don’t expect me to believe you’re fine when you’re looking this way right?” Layla asked slowly.

Phil continued ignoring her.

Layla sigh “Why are you ignoring me, you shouldn’t have come home looking like this if you didn’t want to answer questions! Do you think I will see you looking this way and just walk past you? A joke! ”
Phil looked so focused on the TV, like she didn’t give a damn about what Layla’s saying.
“Phil” Layla continued in a more gentle tone. “What’s wrong with you? You need to tell me, I need to know. I’ve been worried sick for days, Dan and I were about to go to the police station to make a report, I was so scared that I was starting to give in to series of terrible thoughts, your sudden absence took a huge toll on me, and now you’re ignoring me. How can you even do this to me after making me go through that”

Phil felt touched but didn’t make it obvious.

“Phil….” Layla was saying.

“Okay! I. went. for. an. abortion! I went to remove my baby!! in some unauthorized place! And everything got so complicated that I ended up in the ICU! Are you fine now!!!” Phil screamed.
“I guess so” She added, before stomping off.

Layla stared at her as she left, her brain yet to digest it and when it finally did, her legs felt wobbly and she quickly gripped the armchair to stop herself from falling.

……………………..

ZEEMAH