Chapter 45

Chapter 45
Maria Hall laid unconscious on the ground oblivious of the woman now hovering over her and the phone that had been beeping endlessly.

Laura walked round Maria Hall's apartment, taking in every bit of information, leaving no details out. She walked around and peered into the distance at certain points in her “tour”, as though she was looking for something or someone.

She let her hands run through the counter, the chairs, the curtains, and then the kitchen sink.

She noticed they were two chocolate- stained mugs. She immediately recognized it as hot chocolate.

“She had a visitor, truly” she said out loud.

Sighing softly and tossing her head around, Maria Hall sneezed into consciousness.
When she woke up, she turned to her side and then exclaimed. “Oh my, what a weird dream!”

Laura, who had been busy observing the inner sections of the kitchen, heard Maria Hall sneeze but didn't move. She had wished to finish her investigation before going to join her in the parlor.

Maria Hall's head was really throbbing. She decided to go get an icepack from the refrigerator. As she walked in, she saw something bearing the form of a woman. She rubbed her eyes, unable to comprehend what she had just seen. She rubbed her eyes again as she peered from where she stood.

Laura turned to Maria Hall smiling and Maria Hall screamed in shock. She stumbled backwards,almost hitting the spoons behind her. Placing a hand over her head, she made for the only couch in that apartment. She sat down and it felt like the world was spinning again.

Laura was still in the kitchen, working some magic. She hadn't moved out of her position since she started working by the sink and she knew she had to be quick.

Maria Hall still sat there trying her best to get some sleep. She really needed to rest. She wondered if her brain was still processing right, seeing that she had begun to imagine and see things.

Laura quickly rinsed the dishes she used and as soon as she was done, she turned her concoction into a transparent rubber cup and turned off the tap. She headed for where Maria Hall was seated, cuddled up with her knees raised, and dropped the cup on the little stool just in front of Maria Hall.

As soon as Laura dropped the cup, Maria Hall's eyes popped open.

“What the…” she paused, getting up to meet a smiling Laura.

There was something about that smile. It looked so familiar. It looked like…

“It's you… it's you!” Maria Hall said, barely unable to control herself. She hadn't seen Laura in a long time and she had wondered what had become of her friend. Prior to her disappearance, Laura made sure to inform her that she'd be unavailable for a long period of time but she would be around as soon as she needed her and now, was one of those times.

“It sure is,” Laura replied, smiling.

Maria Hall was still in disbelief as well as excitement. She could barely control her emotions. She rushed to Laura and gave her a warm embrace.

“I have missed you”, Maria Hall said, smiling softly at Laura.
Maria Hall had truly missed her friend and her helper.

As soon as they were done with the show of love. They quickly went to take their seats. It was time for them to have a pretty long conversation.

Maria began. “Am I in some sort of trouble?" A worried look spread across her face.

Laura looked at her friend in pity not knowing how to respond to this. She had a lot to.say to Maria Hall but she didn't know how to start without creating fear in Maria Hall. She had been away for so long and so much had happened.

Laura didn't want Maria Hall to be so dependent on her, that was why she had to leave for a specific time.

Returning her attention to Maria Hall, she nodded. “Yes, you are Maria. I warned you against things like this. I told you not to let your desperation for money lead you into accepting what you would ordinarily not accept.”

Laura oftentimes wondered why Maria Hall was always so bent on doing things her own way, even with all her warnings. Maria Hall always did what she wanted and when the results of her actions are messy, Laura would be left to clean up after her. Laura didn't like this. She wondered why the woman had changed so much.

Laura recalled how they had first met each other. After her release from prison, Maria Hall had decided to take a new leave, to be the change she had always wanted. She had decided to take a walk one Sunday afternoon when she bumped into Laura. Maria Hall had been so caught up in her thoughts that she had forgotten she was on the road and had paid no heed to the honking of cars behind her and the many yells for her to move out from the parking space and walk by the pavement.

Maria Hall hadn't heard a thing as she kept thinking of so many things, trying to recreate how her life would have turned out if she had done some things differently.

“Hey!” Laura had called out to her, getting Maria Hall's attention to her.

“Oh! So sorry”, Maria Hall had pleaded, seeing that she had made the woman's purse drop and the contents of her purse was scattered in different directions on the road.

Laura hadn't replied to her apologies. She only thought of how she'd get everything back into her purse without leaving one out. She had equally been in a hurry when she bumped into Maria Hall. She was rushing to go eat as she was starving.

Maria Hall, seeing that she had gotten no response, made for the contents ok the ground and ensured to pick them all, irrespective of the yells she got and the insults hauled on her.

As soon as she got them all into Laura's purse, she took them to Laura.

“Here check, I hope it's all complete” She said looking at Laura concerned.

Laura checked and realized that everything was intact. She was more than grateful for the help. She misjudged Maria Hall, she had thought she was just going to walk past but at least, she had helped her.

In a bid to return the favor, Laura decided to offer her a meal.

“Hey!” she called back as Maria made to leave.

Maria Hall turned to look at a now smiling Laura. “Yes?”

“Would you mind if I take you to a treat? It's just my little way of saying thank you for helping out” her eyes sparkling in delight.

“No, I wouldn't want to be a burden to you. Besides, it's totally my fault everything in that purse was scattered about.” Maria Hall replied, smiling softly.

“Oh please, I insist”, Laura pleaded. She was beginning to like this woman and she sure could use a friend. She really hoped Maria Hall would change her mind.

“Fine, thank you" Maria Hall said resigning. She had been starving but she didn't have a single dime in her bank account for her to get something to eat. Now, Laura was offering and she was more than grateful. A little kindness never hurts, she thought, looking at Laura.

Laura was glad that Maria Hall finally agreed and they walked down the lane to the restaurant “Eat Some More”; now Maria Hall's favorite restaurant.

“My name is Laura and you are?" Laura asked as they were closing in on the restaurant.

"Maria Montgomery" she replied casually. She didn't want to be referred to as a Hall ever again. That chapter of her life was now closed.

And that was the start of their friendship. One Laura would never trade for anything.

Ordinarily? I was definitely going to accept, Maria Hall thought.

Maria Hall looked at her friend Laura and saw the concerned look on the woman's face. She soon realized that she might actually be in for serious trouble.

“So, to what do I owe this visit?” Maria Hall asked, waiting for her verdict.

“We have a lot to talk about and I have a lot to reveal to you” Laura said without looking at her friend's face. She had to inform her friend of the danger ahead, at all cost.