Chapter 1: Chapter 1

“Mama…, Mama… Mama…,” Lora called, running after her mum Camilla who is leaving the mansion with her suit case.

“Mama please don’t leave me.” Lora pleaded tearfully, still running after her mum Camilla who was walking so fast ahead of her. “Take me with you, Mama…” she kept on calling and crying at the same time still running after her.

“I will come back for you my darling.” Camilla told Lora as she paused and turned her head briefly to look at her, tears rolling down her cheeks, she turned and continued to move again, not being able to behold her daughter’s tears. “I’ll come back baby, I promise…” she said still moving in a hurry to get away from the mansion.

Suddenly, Lora found herself alone in the mansion with a masked man appearing from nowhere and chasing her, holding a gun in his hand too. Lora became so frightened and started running towards the front door of the mansion in order to get away from the masked man, screaming for her mum’s help as she did.

“Mama…, please help me…” Lora kept screaming on top of her voice even though she could not see her mum Camilla any more. She got to the front door and tried to turn the doorknob with her trembling hands in order to get the door open but couldn’t, she suddenly start banging her hands frantically at the door with hot streams of tear flowing from her eyes, her face filled with sweat too.

“Mama… help, please help me Mama….” She continued screaming, then, unconsciously she turned to face the masked man who was now a few steps away from her and pointing his gun to her. Lora shook her head and hand frightfully, feeling very afraid of the worst but then, before the man could shoot her, she opened her eyes, her heart racing from fear.

She quickly sat up on the bed and could feel sweat all over her body like one who had run a marathon, her body was also trembling from the fear of the dream she has just had, she folded her knees and curled herself in a sitting position on the bed in order to try and get her trembling body together.

She looked around the dimly lit bedroom but couldn’t see clearly, so she hurriedly leaned forward and switched on the lamp that was sitting on the table beside her bed to illuminate the room, her both hands still trembling from fear.

“This dream again?” She thought, clapping her trembling hands together to try and steady it. This dream has always hunted her since her mum left her. She was only seven when her mum left and promised to come back for her, years have passed and she is still waiting for her.

Sometimes she wonders if it will ever happen, if her mum will ever keep the promise she has made to her and come back, how much longer does she have to wait, she thought, and hissed a little from the thought of it, she should have gotten used to staying by herself without a mum, she thought and wondered why she still allowed it to affect her besides she was no longer a little girl, Lora said inwardly. She sat still for a while pondering about the dream and why suddenly a masked man came to be in the picture, she remembered the incident very well, it was like it was in her dream, her mum had left and promised to come back for her but there was no masked man who had come to her house as at that time as it had continuously occurred in her dreams. In fact it was one of their house keepers that had held her back and kept her from going after her mum on that faithful day.

And this one thing was what she can’t explain up until today, the masked man who suddenly chased her with a gun in her dream. “Well it’s just a dream.” She thought after a while and shook her head.

“I wonder why Mama left, Papa seem to miss her a lot.” Lora thought again as her mind drifted from the dream back to the time when her mum left.

That day her dad had gone to work, even Grandma Rosa wasn’t at home. Her mum came into the mansion in a hurry, went into her room; the next thing, she saw her mum come out of her room with a suit case in her hands and hurriedly left the mansion, ignoring her plea to take her along; she only promised she would come back for her but never did till date, even her dad locked himself up in his study refusing to see anyone for weeks after she left. She shook her head again, and then robbed her hands over her face.

Her mind drifted again to what had happened on her sixteenth birthday, her mum had promised to come for her that day when they spoke on the phone but still did not keep to her promise again as well. “Why did she not meet me on my sixteenth birthday as promised, she was only a few steps away, then she stopped suddenly, turned around and left without a word.” Lora thought and robbed her eyes again with her palms.

Her mum stopped calling her after that day too, she has been the one calling her and whenever she manages to answer, she tells her she’s been busy that’s why she haven’t been able to call and she always finds a reason to drop the call almost immediately. “I hope she calls me today.” Lora said out loud this time.

She looked at the clock sitting on her bed side table, it’s past 6am. “I won’t let these thoughts ruin my day today.” She said as she shook her head, got out of bed and went into her bathroom.

***

Catalina stood at the bus stop waiting impatiently for Lora to come and meet her at the bus stop where they had both agreed to meet, she watched as so many cars drove past her, different people who seemed busy to her went on their way, some also stood at the bus stop probably waiting for a bus. “I hope she is not backing out now.” She said to herself as she glanced at her wrist watch wondering when Lora was going to get here.

Catalina was Lora’s best friend in school and was the only friend Lora could boast of, she pressed her lips together as she thought that maybe she should not have agreed to meet at the bus stop but should have gone to Lora’s house instead to make sure she does not back down from today’s party like she was used to.

Lora had always backed out on attending any part at the last minute every time she invited her for a party, whether it’s a school party or not she would always find a reason not to attend at the very last minute, but today Catalina hopes that she doesn’t back out on this one because this is going to be their last school party as they were already graduating from high school today.

“We are going to be late.” She mumbled to herself, she wouldn’t want to miss out on anything on today’s party and had wondered why she had agreed to meet Lora today anyway, when they would have gone separately, just that she sometime she felt pity for Lora because she was always by herself and had no one in school or back home and she really wanted her to be in this year school party since it was their graduation party.

Catalina decided she should give her a call so she brought out her phone from her school bag and dialed Lora’s phone number again for the fourth time, she had called her up before to remind her of the party and yet she was still running late.

“Hello Lora, where are you? Hurry up or we are going to miss the bus and we are also going to be late for the party.” Catalina said immediately Lora picked up, making a fuss over the phone, she did not even let her speak first.

“Calm down party girl, and look behind you.” Lora said over the phone almost Immediately Catalina fished speaking, smiling too herself because she could feel the anxiousness in Catalina’s tone to get to the school party already.

Catalina turned around immediately after Lora told her to look behind her, as she hoped she was not making it up. “There you are, hurry up.” She said still on the phone raising her hands up and waving at Lora urging her to walk faster.

Lora increased her pace towards Catalina, they reached out and hugged each other. “Wow! You are looking fabulous Catalina, all this for just a school party?” Lora said looking at Catalina’s outfit in admiration. Catalina had been the only friend she has in school and at home, she loves parties and is always excited when she has to attend one. Lora thinks her friend was so beautiful and was excited to have her as her friend.

“Yes.” Catalina replied as she jiggled, feeling very excited that Lora praised her, this was one of the reasons she liked being with Lora, she would not hesitate to say something nice about her, even when she knew that she was a beautiful girl she still liked to hear someone tell her that. “And it’s not just a school party, it’s our graduation party you know, so I have to look my best.” She added still jiggling, ignoring the people who were standing in the bus stop too, even though it was obvious that some of them spared a few glance.

“Well if you are all dolled up like this just for a school graduation party, I wonder how you would look at your own wedding.” Lora said teasingly, as she thought that she was over dressed for the occasion.

“I would look brighter than the stars.” Catalina whispered into her ears excitedly and they both chuckled with laughter for a while and then suddenly, Catalina paused abruptly and stopped smiling, her eyes scrutinizing Lora. “What are you wearing?” Catalina asked as she looked at her from head to toe, shaking her head and making a face of disapproval.

“Don’t give me that look Catalina? It’s just a school party.” Lora said. “Besides I’m not like you, and I feel very comfortable in these clothes.” She added in self-defense.

“No, it’s our graduation party and many handsome guys are going to be there, how do you intend to get their attention dressed like this? Lora you should have dolled yourself up this once…” Catalina asked and said, waving her hands at Lora. “Unbelievable girl, your parents are rich and your mum is a fashion star for Christ’s sake Lora, you are also a very beautiful girl but you are so unfair to this beauty of yours.” She added still shaking her head in disapproval, recalling Lora’s beautiful mum she had seen in the magazines and television, if she did not find out about it herself she would not have believed that the famous fashion star Camilla was Lora’s mum, even though Lora took after her mum’s beauty, she was very lacking in her choice of outfit and it was not because she doesn’t have the money.

“Stop it Catalina, my parents are rich so what! And I’m not my mum you know, am not going there to seek the attention of anybody, besides I have Alfredo.” Lora snapped, feeling angry that Catalina would bring her mum up, her voice a little high that some people who weren’t paying attention to them stopped to look at her for a brief moment before turning away again to minding their businesses, even some passerby at the bus stop gave her a quick stare. She shook her head and bit her lower lip, feeling a little embarrassed.

“Wake up girl, you still believe you will have a happy ending with Alfredo?” Catalina asked ignoring what just happened or how embarrassed Lora might feel which was evident on her face as she hated the fact that Lora haboured the thought of having a happy ending with Alfredo, the cutest guy in school, one who was every girls dream in their school including herself. “Snap out of it Lora for your hearts sake, Alfredo is way out of your league, you know it, especially with your life style.” She added, shaking her head slightly sideways in disapproval, staring at Lora’s outfit too, feeling a little relieved now too as she stared at Lora, reminding herself that she would not be noticed by Alfredo in this outfit she has on.

“Oh the bus is here!” Lora said, pointing at the bus, ignoring her statement as she knows it won’t change a thing arguing with her, she’s already embarrassed as it is and she wonders if Catalina feels nothing at all on other people’s opinion about her.

***

“Lora baby, princess, come to Mama…” Camilla said to a little girl of about seven years old who was sitting on a chair across the room with her eyes wide open, peering at her.

“Princess, come to Mama…” She said again to the motionless girl sitting across the room staring at her. Suddenly the girls face turned into a dark beard man who started laughing hysterically. “No, no, no…” she shouted, covering her ears with her hands…

Miguel jumped out of his sleep, awakened by the sound of Camilla’s voice. “What is it my love?” he said as he shook Camilla who is trembling beside him mumbling something in her sleep, he shook her body again waking her up from her sleep.

“What is it my love?” he asked again, this time taking her into his arms. It looked like she had a terrible dream; her whole body is trembling in fear.

“It’s the dream again, the god damn dream again.” Camilla said as she covered her face with her palms still in Miguel’s arms. “My baby Miguel, how do I face my baby?” Camilla asked shaking vehemently at the thought of the dream she just had, she was not frightened because of the dark beard man who started laughing hysterically at her but was frightened because of the look on her daughter’s face when she called out for her in her dream.

“Hush now my love, hush now.” Miguel said, patting her back slowly. Miguel Ramos is her boyfriend and also her lawyer who she spends some nights with either at his place or her place or probably anywhere else.

She met him few months after divorcing her husband Lucio Affonso, Lora’s dad. Miguel was the handsome son of Late Alejandro Ramos, her family’s trusted lawyer who had found her in the orphanage where she was raised when she had returned there after her divorce with her husband Lucio, and brought her to her parent’s house which changed and made her life what it is today.

A year after bringing her to her father’s house Miguel’s dad, Alejandro Ramos died. Camilla and Miguel has been each other’s companion since they are both orphans and Camilla look up to him as family, her only remaining wish is to be reunited with her daughter Lora.

“She hates me Miguel, my daughter hates me, Miguel, am a terrible mum.” She said as she burst into tears.

“No, no my love, you’re not a terrible mum, hush now, it’s only a dream and everything will be all right.” Miguel said still holding Camilla in his arms.

“When will that be Miguel?” Camilla asked even though she was not expecting Miguel to reply, wondering when that day when she will be reunited with her daughter will come, when she has tried so many times to try and get her daughter to herself but had failed.