Flower on the ash

I finished my breakfast and said goodbye to Nanny. I took a cab to where my mom's grave was. On the way to the graveyard I bought a bouquet of white daffodils. I had heard from my Nanny that my mom liked white daffodils the most. She even planted lots of daffodils in our house garden but after her death those plants were changed into other flowering plants by the new mistress of the house, my step-mother.

I paid the cab driver after he stopped the car in front of the gate of graveyard. I opened the iron gate which made a creaking sound as it was rusted. Iwalked inside and saw many graves there in a line. I walked further until I saw my mother's grave. It has been quiet a while since I came to visit mom. I kneeled down on the ground, in front of the grave.

" See mom. I bought flowers for you. Hope you like it." I said and put the bouquet on the grave with a smile on my lips and tears in my eyes.

" Mom, I am going to tell you a very important thing. I'm pregnant. Sorry to tell you the news this late. Please forgive me. I'm working in Star Corporation so I see Alex daily now, who is the father of this child but now I think that I should maintain a distance between us. After all maybe he can become my future b-brother-in-law. I don't want to come in the middle of them. I can't let Alex decline the proposal of marriage with Sophia just because he is responsible for me. I don't know what to do mom. I really miss you." I said to her, tears rolling down my eyes. I stayed there few more minutes to stabilize myself. Nanny sure gave me a nice proposal to visit here today. After I was done, I wiped my tears and got up from the ground.

" I'll come to see you later mom. Ta-ta." I bid farewell and walked out of the graveyard. I walked few metres on my own and then called a cab. The car came soon and I sat on it. It's good that Alex won't be coming to company today. I can make up my mind to face him and only be professional with him.

I reached the company and paid the driver. I was still half an hour early. I took the elevator and walked straight to my cabin. I started to do my work erasing all the unnecessary thoughts from my mind.

The lunch time came fast. As Alex wasn't here today I headed towards the office canteen. It was my first time to go to the office canteen. The canteen was full of hustle and bustle. I walked towards counter to order my food.

" What will you have lady?" a middle aged woman sitting on the counter asked me.

" A bowl of hot pot please." I said to her.

" Here's your token. Sit at the table the food will be served to you." she said handling me a token on which number '36' was written. I took the token and sat on one of the empty table.

" Hii Anna. You here?" came the voice of Penelope from behind. I turned back to see she was standing there.

" Hello Penelope. Sit." I said shifting on the bench where to give her space to sit. She quickly sat beside me.

" Why aren't you eating with Alex today?" Penelope asked me.

" He has gone out so I thought I should try Canteen's food today" I said and she nodded. A server came and put pancakes on our table.

" Here's your order madam." the server said and left. Soon after another server came and put a bowl of hot pot in front of me.

" Hello." he said through the phone.

" Hello." I said to him.

" What are you doing?" he asked me.

" I just came after having lunch with Penelope. How about you? What were you doing?" I asked him and leaned back on my chair.

" Nothing. I was just missing you so I called you." he said.

" Alex. I have some important work to do. I'll call you back later. Bye." I said to him and quickly ended the call before he could utter something. The way he was saying he is missing me, I was sure he would say some more such lines which would melt my heart for him that I don't want to happen. I have to maintain a distance with him until he decides what he wants to do. If he rejects the marriage proposal on his own without my interference then only I'll accept him.