Love in the dark

To celebrate their graduation, Miss Eunice Campbell invited the Smith family, Michael Jones to a dinner and two other friends of her daughter Mia Campbell.

Roselyn and Mia were sitting next to each other, with Michael sitting next to Mia at the Dinner table.

Eunice was having a conversation with her younger sister Beverlly Smith when a sound of a breaking glass disrupted their conversation.

Everybody looked up to where the sound came from and there stood Roselyn with a cold face. Bervelly stood up to pick up the broken glass but was stopped by Michael who ran off to fetch a maid to clean the mess away.

"Roselyn what is wrong?" Mia stood up to tap her cousin on the shoulder.

She also wore a playfully smirk that only Roselyn saw but quickly ignored.

"Nothing is wrong Mia, mom can we go already?" Roselyn glanced at her, Beverlly and other people in a table while keeping a straight face.

"Yeah now I remember that I have some unfinished business at home. Please excuse us everybody!" Beverlly kept her apologetic smile and leaned down to hug her sister Eunice.

"Okay the party is over anyway and once again congratulations to my cute niece for being the top student at River University!" Eunice smiled to the mother and daughter who were eager to flee the party.

Bervelly and Roselyn were going to their car when Michael ran to stop them.

Bervelly smiled at her daughter's boyfriend and she went to wait in the car patiently.

"Babe I know what you saw but it's not what you think! Mia was looking for her lipstick back there." Michael explained to Roselyn with pleading eyes, holding her left hand in his hands.

"I know that wasn't intentional but I was surprised to see my cousin touching you underneath the table or maybe I'm missing something, am I?" Roselyn whispered to his ears.

"No babe trust me, that never happened. This is just a misunderstanding but trust me to fix it right away." Michael smiled rubbing Roselyn's hand with his hands.

"Okay I believe you, now stop being so cozy in front of my mom." Roselyn giggled, withdrawing her hand from Michael's hands.

"Good girl, let me fetch my keys and escape too." Michael glanced at the Campbell's mansion sighing while waiting for her to reply.

"Go ahead, my mom is waiting so let me not keep you." Roselyn smiled apologetically at her mom who was nodding in the drivers seat ...waiting for her.

"Good bye Love." Michael kissed her right cheek and ran back to fetch the keys.

Roselyn shook her head and went to the car.

"Let us run away from this place mommy!" Roselyn smiled at her mom curiously.

"Exactly my thoughts, now buckle up." Beverlly smiled and drove them away to their quiet house in the surbubs.

The drive took 15 minutes to their house in River town. There were about ten houses in River town surrounded by the beautiful view of the famous River in town. The houses there were not cheap so few people could afford a house there.

The house carried Beverlly's good memories of her happy family before her ex husband David dissapeared for a month and later sent her divorce papers through his lawyer Damon Bridge.

"Do you need a coffee mom?" Roselyn quickly interrupted her mother's sad thoughts.

"Yes honey, I'll wait in the study okay?" Bervelly lowered her head and left Roselyn in the kitchen.

"Well I guess it's coffee then." Roselyn sighed helplessly, boling hot water for the perfect coffee she craved for.

"I know that David disappeared on you guys, but Beverlly, you have to figure something out in order to support both yourself and Roselyn.” A worried voice came through FaceTime on Beverlly’s screen.

“You’re right, Eunice. I guess I should sell the house then, but where can I find the perfect buyer?” Beverlly sighed helplessly, staring at her sister on the small laptop screen.

“Mia has always dreamt of living in those suburbs of Rivertown, so I guess I’ll be your temporary buyer until you get back on your feet,” Eunice suggested.

“I wish there were another way, but I’m happy to hear that, sister. My only problem now is explaining everything to Roselyn and making her understand.”

“My niece is a big girl now, and I’m pretty sure she will understand. You have to lower your standards now, sister. Sometimes a simple life is the solution to an affordable lifestyle.” Eunice smiled playfully, faking sympathy.

“Thank you, big sister. I’ll treat you to lunch after all this,” Beverlly said, smiling genuinely at her sister on the screen.

“Okay, let me bou—”

“Mom, what are you doing?” Roselyn shouted from the doorway, a tray in her hands.

Beverlly quickly closed her laptop and composed herself in front of her daughter.

“Please come in, Rose. Mommy wants to talk to you about something,” Beverlly pleaded, her big brown eyes filled with concern.

Roselyn carried the cups on the tray to the study table and sat on the chair across from her mother, folding her arms.

Beverlly smiled guiltily and took a sip of her hot coffee. Roselyn narrowed her eyes, waiting for her mother to speak.

“I’m sorry, kid, but your father’s disappearance has affected our finances really badly. We have to sacrifice our perfect home to keep us going for a little longer, so trust me on this one,” Beverlly assured her daughter with a forced smile.

“Mom, I’m sure we can find another buyer—just not my aunt, please. You heard what she said but chose to dismiss it. Auntie Eunice is definitely not our solution,” Roselyn pleaded, her voice strained, though her mother remained calm amid all her trauma.

“Okay, but I can only wait for three more days until you find the perfect buyer for this house. If not, your aunt will be our solution.” Beverlly locked eyes with her daughter, who looked impatient.

“That’s a deal, Mom. Well, let me go to sleep. Tomorrow is a big day for me. I’m going to Foster Company to submit my proposals. Maybe I’ll be your hero.”

Roselyn cleared the table and walked out of the study.

Beverlly felt relieved seeing her daughter still smiling, hopeful about securing her dream job at her dream company.

It was 10 p.m. when Roselyn was tossing and turning in her bed. No matter how hard she tried, sleep refused to come.

She suddenly remembered that she had forgotten to call Michael before sleeping. Giving up on sleep, she reached for her phone. It was their daily routine as a couple to call each other before bed—it didn’t matter who called, as long as they kept their spark alive.

“Welcome to voicemail. Leave a message after the call.”

Roselyn clicked her tongue in frustration after six failed attempts to reach Michael.

Accepting her awful reality, she curled up and finally drifted into sleep.