Friday afternoon, another day of suffering that I finally got through.
Tired, I went to the back of my house.
There, I saw her, playing with the cats, with her hair in a braid, wearing a yellow floral dress, paired by flat sandals and a hat in her head.
Automatically, I smiled.
My cute little bunny in the form of a human.
“Cecile!” I called her, in an instant she turned her head, without fail she smiled back at me.
I started to walk towards her and as she also quickly removes the soil and cat furs that was all over her, she was playing with the cats while sitting on the ground after all.
Just a few more steps away from her, she’s already running towards me with her arms wide open, signaling for a hug.
Without hesitation, I stopped walking, and I too opened my arms wide enough for her to fit.
Like a little kid, her body collided with mine as we put each other into a hug. I gently pat her head, her hat already flew away because of the wind while she was running.
I could feel all of my worries and the fatigue of working all day dissipate at once.
We stayed like that for more than ten minutes before I hear our doorbell rang.
“I’ll go and answer it, stay here, Cecile.” I said as I look into her eyes.
She smiled, “Okay!”
I gave her a kiss in the forehead before heading to the front door.
Opening the front door, there, I saw my friend, Lianne. She have this worried look on her face, making my eyebrow raised.
“Lianne? What brings you here? And what’s with your face?” I asked, I’m also getting worried with why she looks like that.
She raises her head and our eyes met, I could see the redness in her eyes. She seems like she just got back from crying.
“Were you crying, Lianne?”
“Dev...” her voice is hoarse, makes me more worried.
“Are you alright? Would you like to come in first?” I said, opening the door wide for her to get in.
And yet, she was not moving, not even an inch.
“Get inside Lianne, and I’ll call Cecile for the meantime–”
“Dev, stop.”
“Huh?”
I could feel my forehead furrows with the words she uttered, stop?
“What do you mean stop, Lianne? Get inside first, I’ll get Cecile, so we can all talk together–”
“DEV!” before I could even take a step, Lianne yelled my name.
Because of frustration and shock, I faced her and said, “Lianne, can you please calm down?!”
“No, Dev. Please, wake up!” She says as she put her hands on both of my shoulders, shaking me at the same time.
“What do you ever mean, Lianne? I’m freaking awake, what more do you want me to do?!” I said, and hold both of her wrist removing her hands from my shoulders.
“And can you please, tone down your voice? Cecile will be worried if she hears you!” I added.
“Dev, PLEASE. CECILE IS NOT REAL!” She yells at me again, and narrow my eyes.
“W...what? haha... what bullshit are you on about now, Lianne? What do you mean Cecile’s not real?” unexpectedly, my voice’s starting to tremble.
“Stop lying to yourself, Dev. Cecile is not real, she never was, never will.”
“Stop it, Lianne. It’s not funny anymore.” I said, and turn my back.
“Dev, for goodness sake, I AM NOT LYING!” she yells again, this time I’m also starting to get mad, what the heck is she even talking about?
I faced her again, “If you are not, then what are you doing? How can you talk like that about her?”
“Why won’t you believe me, Dev?” She asks, almost pulling her hair. “Let’s say she’s real, then can you take her HERE in front of me?!” she added while pointing her finger on the floor.
”Huh?! Sure, I’ll take her here!”
Angrily, I quickly walk back to the back of my house.
“Cecile, come here!” I yelled, calling her.
Minutes passed and there was no response.
“Cecile?”
My heart is starting to beat fast.
Where is she?
“Now, Dev. Where is she?” I stopped moving when I heard Lianne.
I turn my head towards her, and a tear fell from my right eye.
“No...”
My surroundings starting to blur, I could no longer see and feel the sunny and warm environment I was in just earlier. It was an empty, messy backyard filled with dried leaves, and spider webs everywhere.
“Wake up, Dev.” I raised my head to see Lianne, she was also looking at me.
She sighed before continuing, “Cecile is not real, you made her up. When Alice left you, you isolated yourself from us for five months. You came back all well, and we thought you really was. But, no. For the five months you were alone, you created Cecile, to fill the loneliness and void that Alice left on you. We tried to take you to a psychiatrist, but you never showed up on any of the meetings. So, we decided that we will just come to you, I’m sorry, Dev, but we can’t watch you talking to the air. It’s time for you to wake up. It’s time for you to accept it. She was not real, and she never will.”
“Lianne... I, but... she was... here..”
“She isn’t here, she never was.”
