Two years later
CIARA
"Ms. Ciara."
I was getting my hair straightened in my room, when the nurse called my name. I spurned to see her standing behind me with her hands folded.
It was nurse Mary, the one who became my friend after I was declared sane by the doctors in the facility, I had been caged in for more than two years.
She did mention that Ryan and Herzl usual paid me visits all the while I was mentally derailed, but she doesn't like using the words, mentally derailed, she prefers using the word, sick, to describe my condition then.
But what's the difference between someone who is sick, not in the body, but in the head, and a mentally derailed patient?
There is no difference there, but she prefers being fair, maybe to avoid getting me provoked.
"Mary." I said with a smile.
Others calls her nurse, but I call her Mary, because the first question I asked her the day I woke up and sensed I was being held in a rehab center was what was her name, before I demanded to know what I was doing here.
She told me her name that good day, before going to get the doctors.
How I got in here was what I can't really remember, but I must confess that all my memories are back. I can remember that I came back to the city to avenge my parents who were killed by my uncles, and I did succeed with that.
I could remember everything.
"Ready to sign out." She took up a smile, too.
Smiling was our ways of making each other feel really comfortable.
"About to, but why was my aunt banned from this facility? Did she beat a staff?" I posed.
She was the one who told me not to ask my aunt to come here to pick me up, because she was banned from here two years ago.
Two years ago, was exactly in the peak of my mental derailment issues. Why then was she banned from visiting the facility or even seeing me in the hospital?
"The doctors said she pressed charges to have you tossed back to her place. That wasn't a good idea, so, the best thing was to ban herfrom coming here, after we won the case."
Wait, they went to court over me?
But why would aunt Elsie want me back home when she knew I was at the peak of madness. Does she really mean good for me?
I shook my head and turned to the mirror. I could see her standing behind me through the mirror. My hair had been tangled for quite a long time, but I prefer getting it straightened than cutting it, though I was advised to cut it and ease myselfthe stress of painful straightening.
"She went as far as pressing charges. That's ridiculous." I said, busy with the little work I had got myself into.
"Let me help you." She said and came close to me.
The last time I checked, she was a nurse, not a hair stylist who would take really good care of my hairs, but every woman is good with hairs.
I let her take overthe duty, and in a few minutes, she was done getting my hair fixed, by getting the tangles off.
"Good to go, Ciara." She said, smiling behind me.
I could see herfrom the mirror which we both were facing.
"Thank you so much, Mary. I would always come by to see you, and bring you gifts."
That's my little way of showing some appreciation, but that was just a promise, not the sort of appreciation needed in the modern world we found ourselves trapped in.
"I would appreciate your visit if you do that. You know, nurses here are as good as the patients. We spend day and night with them."
Her smile had gone weak, maybe because she doesn't wish to have me leave her in the lonely facility.
I only got to know how lonely and boring the facility is after I was declared sane by the doctors, and was placed on a one-month medical attention I knew nothing about.
But throughout the one month, I was kept in the room where I was now, and was being washed closely by the doctors.
That was how I met Mary. She was one of the nurses who was assigned by the doctors to keep close eyes on me by keeping me company.
She told me she was assigned to monitor me, but she only wanted to be friends with me, because she believed I was no longersick.
So polite.
"Indeed, I would, and I would bring you goodies each time I visit." I said, turned to her and hugged her.
"Ms. Ciara, someone is here to pick you up." A voice announced from outside the room.
We broke the hug and I took my hand bag.
I had earlier booked an Uber online, that was I did myself the good of renting myself an apartment online.
The Uberwould ride me straight to my new apartment. I did that because I don't wish to ride straight to my old house, neither do I wish to join Ryan now.
"Okay, I'm coming."
I hugged Mary once more, and scuttled out of the room. Uber drivers don't like it when you delay the ride a good deal, and I wouldn't like to make that sort of a mistake.
Mary followed me downstairs. The lift here was always busy, so we didn't go for it. We tookthe stairs.
Coming downstairs, I saw the Uber waiting. It was a black car with tinted glasses.
Did I book such?
Well, maybe the Uber decided to use a different car for me.
"Do have a nice day, Ciara." Mary said and kissed me good bye.
I smiled at her, and I off I went with the Uber.