Chapter 2.
It was a rainy evening in Singapore. Ashley and Emily were entering their favorite eatery where they sometimes came to relax. Ashley was wearing a long floral maxi dress of white and pink color. She was twenty-five years old. Her face was the same as her mother's, having medium skin tone and hazel eyes with thin eyebrow hairs. Her hairs were long and wavy and she always loved that part of her. Apart from that, she had taken tall height from her father.
"There we go". Emily headed to the table with two chairs. Ashley followed her.
" So what are you going to drink today?" Emily asked while flipping the menu towards her.
"You know that, every time." Ashley smiled with a visible dimple on her right cheek.
" Yeah, I know. But I think you should change this time. Just like I am ordering a peach mocktail instead of Pina colada". She jerked her shoulders.
"No. I am fine with that." Ashley loved to drink mint lemonade every time she came here as it instantly cool down her digestive system and satisfied her thirst.
"Ok. Waiter". Emily lifted her hand and called the waiter to give their order.
"So what were we talking about?" She rubbed her hands while looking at Ashley. She was wearing a black skirt with a white blouse. Her eyes were small and her brows were thick. She was a fair color girl with bob-cut hair.
"Yes...,
"Excuse me mam, Ashley Robert?" The waiter came and asked while interrupting their conversation. They both frequently came to this restaurant so he knew them.
"Yes," Ashley responded with wonder due to this sudden intervention.
"Here is a parcel for you. " He handed over to her the little box that was completely packed. Its color was purple.
Ashley's heart skipped a beat while holding the box " Not again." she whispered to herself while Emily was quietly observing everything.
"What is that, Ashley? When will all this going to stop?" She asked immediately as the waiter left.
"I don't know," Ashley said tiredly lifting her shoulders. " I am tired of all these."
"You should find out who is behind all of this".
"I have tried tracing many times but wasn't able to find out who is behind all of this. " she declared helplessly.
"Ok. We will try again but let's open that." Emily tried to comfort her.
Ashley unwrapped the purple box with shaking hands. She was afraid of all these uncertain things that were happening in her life. As she opened it, there was a small sheet of paper inside. It was also purple. Its texture was silky and smooth. When she held it in her hands it felt cold.
" Look there is something written on the backside," Emily said as the back of the sheet was towards her.
Ashley immediately turned it.
It was written with golden ink and as Ashley stroked her hands upon the written words, it felt wet.
"It feels like that it's just written now. The ink hasn't dried. It's wet." She sensed the wetness by stroking her fingers upon it.
"Show me, what's written." Emily took the sheet from her hands.
"Our world is waiting for you, Ashley." Emily read the written words. She put down the sheet on the table and looked at Ashley. " It's beautifully written. The combination of purple and golden, everything is so perfect." She said with awe.
"Ashley, do you remember the key that you told me about? " Emily asked her as she recall something about what Ashley told her before.
"Yeah. I remember."
You know I feel like there is some connection." Emily tried to make sense of all this.
" What do you mean by that? I don't understand." Ashley was looking confused.
"Your mother gave you a key and what did she tell you when she handed it over to you?" Emily gazed deeply into her eyes in search of something.
Ashley's memory took her back to the time when she was ten years old. One night her mother came to her room while she was trying to sleep.
"Mama, " Ashley said glancing at her mama in her room.
"Ashley, " her mother sat near her pillow and caressed her hair. " I want to give you something. You have to listen to me properly."
She stopped for a while looking in the dark while Ashley was looking at her. She was pregnant with her second baby.
"Are you listening to me, Ashley?"
Ashley nodded.
"Give me your hand". Ashley lifted her hands towards her. Her mother put something in her hands. It felt heavy on her palm. Then she folded Ashley's hands immediately.
" This is the key that you have to take care of more than your own life. This will be your Savior when you feel like giving up ever in life. It will help you. You will know at the
right time how you have to use it. You have to protect it because from now I will not be able to safeguard it." She whispered trying to make her little mind understand what she wanted to explain.
Ashley was perplexed as to what her mother was saying.
"Ashley, I know you are too young to understand these things but my sweetheart I will not be able to support you in your future." She said while tears rolled down her cheeks. Ashley felt the salty water of her mother's tears on her cheek.
"Why are you crying mama? " her little heart pounded looking at her mother crying. " I have understood what you said. I will protect it." She sat on the bed and held the key tightly.
"Don't cry, mama" she wiped her tears and her mother hugged her. After one month, her mother died giving birth to her son.
Ashley came into the present when she felt the water of her tears rolling down her cheeks. Her memory of that day was as vivid as it happened now.
"Ashley, are you alright?" Emily said looking at her tears.
"She told me on that day Emily that I have to protect this key more than my life and It will also help me. At the right time, I will also know how to use it." She said with watery eyes. Every time she remembered her mother she got emotional. It felt like there is a big hole in her life that was never going to be filled after her death.
"And the time has come, my darling friend," Emily told her while holding her hands.
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