After what felt like eternity, Sonia carefully wiped her eyes.
She stood up and made her way to one of the doors in the room.
Kelvin would surely return in an hour.
With a soft push, the door opened.
Sure enough, it was a bathroom.
Not lacking in any way.
Her gaze trailed across the row of female essentials neatly stacked and the unsealed brush placed beside a peach coloured cup.
Her thoughts did a quick flip.
“Does he have a girlfriend or a sister?”
But the next moment, her eyes narrowed as she caught sight of the product name and it was the same product she had always used.
She shook her head lightly dismissing her own suspicion.
“People have the same taste… don’t read too much into it.”
She picked up the brush, tore open the packaging, and quickly brushed before stepping into the bath.
As the warm water slid down her skin, Sonia drew in a deep breath.
For a fleeting second, she wanted to stay there… to let the warmth wash everything away.
But no.
She didn’t have that luxury.
She still had to be ready in an hour.
Who let her cry for forty-five minutes?
Sonia let out a quiet scoff at herself before grabbing a towel from the railing.
Drying her body, she wrapped it securely around herself.
She took a moment to stare at her reflection in the mirror, a helpless sigh escaped her lips.
She can’t believe she was this reflection but with no other one in the room… she is definitely the one.
Sonia stepped out of the bathroom, shutting the door, she froze.
Nothing prepared her for the sight that greeted her.
She glanced around the room but there was no one in sight.
She walked to the bed in careful steps, her heart pounded hard against her chest as the reality of what she is to become stared back at her.
With trembling fingers, Sonia lifted up the skin-like item she saw on the bed, carefully stretched it out.
Her gaze and her finger trailed through the lines and cuts, the edges, the texture and smoothness that were too good to be true.
A hyper-latex mask.
The implication was clear…Kelvin wanted her to hide behind this mask, to be a guest in her supposed funeral and yet go unnoticed.
Nothing had prepared her for the surprise.
And she couldn’t help but wonder aloud.
“How long has he been planning for this?”
Her question was met with the silence of the room besides…the culprit only dropped them and left, leaving her to figure it out herself.
Sonia wasn’t naive and if she was before, this time she chooses to change her naivety to smartness.
She had never used a disguise before, she could tell from the texture it was customized and definitely made for her.
She swallowed as she dropped the mask back and picked up the next item on the bed.
A black dress.
Her mind clicked on one word.
“A funeral dress…respect to the dead. The dead Sonia Walker.”
She glanced at the door, her lips curled up coldly.
She had been afraid to face this storm but it seems he had a lot prepared and in store and maybe it wouldn’t be bad to take this walk.
Sonia felt her confidence snap back in place as though a flight attendant had just announced the take off.
She took the mask and dress and returned to the dressing table.
Carefully she slid into the mask.
It clung to her skin seamlessly, blending so perfectly it was as though it had always belonged there.
Her breath caught.
Her eyes lit up.
Her reflection…was no longer hers.
A small smile curved her lips as she adjusted her hair, letting it fall strategically over the edges though the transition was already nearly impossible to detect.
Then she slipped into the black dress, the fabric hugging her form elegantly.
She sat down and applied light makeup, her movements steady despite the storm beneath her calm exterior.
Sonia prepared her mind to apologize to whoever owned them whenever they met.
That’s if they ever met.
Besides, she was already invading her space and using her items without asking if she should.
Just as she set down the eye liner, a soft knock came from the door.
Kelvin
Sonia felt her heart leave her chest in fright.
Her hands trembled.
She was nervous.
She glanced at the mirror again.
Her thoughts raced.
What would he think?
Am I okay this way?
Would he still be angry?
The knock came again twice as though reminding her he was still waiting for her approval.
Sonia swallowed.
“Yes … yes…com..come in.” She stuttered, almost slapping herself at the blunder.
The door knob turned gently and it was pushed open.
Sonia shut her eyes tight.
She can’t look.
She doesn’t want to see his judgemental stare.
Or that look that always wants to pull her into his eyes.
Kelvin stepped into the room, his breath caught.
Her long silky black hair cascaded down her back, the gown hugged her curves perfectly though she was seated.
And her fair skin contrasted the look.
Kelvin glanced at the bed and the mask was gone.
Expectations rose in his chest.
He couldn’t wait to see how she looked in them.
And probably ask what she thought about it.
“Are you ready?” He asked as she sat unmoving on the dressing stool.
His brow furrowed.
Seems she is uncomfortable with the masks.
“Is the…” the both spoke at once and froze.
Sonia gulped and slowly opened her eyes.
Her gaze locked on the reflection in the mirror.
“You go first.”
“Are you comfortable with it…I mean with the mask?” Kelvin asked, his heart thumped hard unsure if he wanted her answer or to see the look of the mask.
Sonia nodded.
“I will definitely get used to it.” She muttered, partly to herself and to Kelvin.
Kelvin nodded.
“Alright,” he glanced at his wrist.
“Let’s go.”
Sonia slowly stood to her full height and then turned around to face him.
Relief rushed through Kelvin’s chest as he noted how perfect the mask had been on her.
He closed the distance, his fingers traced the lines of the mask as though searching for a reason why it wasn’t right.
And finally he dropped his hand satisfied, he turned around and on his heels and headed for the door.
“How is it?” Sonia blurted suddenly.
Her voice trembled despite her effort to steady it.
She couldn’t let him leave without knowing what he thought.
Kelvin’s footsteps halted briefly.
“Beautiful.” He replied curtly, his lips curled up subtly.
The word was simple.
But it carried weight.
A faint smile tugged at his lips as he continued walking.
Sonia exhaled slowly, relief washing over her.
She slid her foot into her footwear and followed him while she braced herself for whatever followed.
*******
Kelvin stepped out of the elevator with Sonia in tow as they both headed towards the SUV already waiting at the pull over.
Sonia thought the interior of the house was too flashy but nothing prepared her for the outer view.
Kelvin pressed the car remote, a beep sound and its headlight came on.
He opened the door for Sonia as she slid into the passenger seat, he walked around the car and boarded the driver seat.
At this time he is just Kelvin Thorne, Alex Hort’s friend.
He bent over towards Sonia and she froze.
Her gaze locked on his side profile, the mint fragrance of his cologne making a mess of her head.
Her lips parted a few times to speak but she couldn’t until the soft click of the seat belt locked in place snapped her out of daze.
He stared at Sonia for one last time.
“Are you sure you want to do this…there is no going back once it activates.” His voice filtered through the car gently and firm like it wasn’t a warning.
Sonia nodded.
“Right from the moment I was declared dead…” her voice was soft but steady, “…there’s no going back for me.”
She inhaled slowly.
“And besides… I’ve thought about it.” A faint, almost bitter smile touched her lips.
“This should be the best ending.”
Ending.
The word lingered in the air between them.
Heavy and Final.
Sonia didn’t hope for much.
Hope wasn’t something she allowed herself to hold onto.
Maybe…this was fate.
A strange, cruel kind of mercy, cutting her away from the torture she had endured for years.
An escape from Alex Hort’s unrequited love.
A chance to disappear.
To breathe.
To start again… even if only for a short while.
A reprieve.
That was all she could call it.
To recover all she had already lost.
But Sonia had only one regret.
Just one.
She was only going to live for one month.
Kelvin reached forward and opened the compartment.
He retrieved an envelope and held it out to her.
Sonia frowned slightly, glancing from the envelope to his face.
“What is this?” she asked, her tone cautious and curious.
“You’ll know when you open it.”
The reply was simple and direct.
Like everything else about him.
Sonia hesitated for a brief second before taking it.
Her fingers slid under the flap pulling out its contents slowly.
It was a new, officially prepared identification document.
Her eyes scanned the details absently until they stopped.
Her breath caught.
Her fingers tightened around the card.
Her eyes widened in disbelief.
She glanced at Kelvin then back to the card.
She stared at the documents again as though she was expecting the name to change.
But it remained written boldly.
“Sonia… Young.”