The Last Laugh

Chapter 30

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Heather's POV:

The next day was a Saturday. There was no work. I decided to get back to my natural hair color. I'd

recently added a bit of blonde to my hair. My real hair color was similar to that of Sawyer but a little

lighter than hers.

After a visit to the spa with Shirley and some hanging out, we decided to go get our hair done.

"Now you're fully a brunette." Shirley said as we left the saloon.

"Yeah."

"You seem odd to me now. I've always been used to you having that dirty blonde color."

"Well, you'll have to get used to it now." I said entering my car. She joined me in.

"So?" Shirley asked.

"So what?"

"Where are we going?"

"Uh, home?"

"It's only four PM!"

"And? Shirley, we did everything we were supposed to do. Shopping, spa and the saloon."

She pouted like a stubborn kid.

"Then sleep over at my place! Please. This whole month you spent with me made me very fond of you.

And plus, I can't sleep at your place because of that bitch."

I rolled my eyes. I'd told Shirley to stop calling Sawyer a bitch but she wouldn't. Anyway, I understood

her. They didn't like each other.

"I won't be able to, Shirley. I want to pass this following week with my family."

"Why? What's so special about the week??"

I looked at her and smiled.

"I'll be moving into my own apartment Friday night."

Her eyes widened.

"You serious?"

"Yup. And you can come sleep over as much as you want. That's the reason I want to spend this whole

week with them. So that by Friday morning, I'll simply tell them, bye."

"They'll be shocked! Won't your mother be angry?"

"I'm twenty two and I'm a young, independent woman. They'll have to deal with it."

"Right. Gosh, when will you start packing in?"

I smiled at her.

"Honey, it's been months now that I bought that apartment. It's the type that comes with every furniture

needed. I just have to pack in with my clothes, personal stuff and a little other necessary things."

"Oh, Sawyer would go crazy." Shirley laughed.

"I would go crazy if I remain in that house that isn't rightfully ours. I swear, sometimes I feel like uncle

Paul's ghost is roaming around or– or even that of Sheridan."

Shirley gave me a look.

"What? Heather, I thought you believed that Sheridan was still somewhere out there. Alive."

"Honestly," I said in a low voice as I started the car, "...my mother and Sawyer have succeeded in

making me believe his dead."

"And you believe them just like that??" she asked shocked.

It hurt to admit it but I'd finally believed them.

"What do you want me to do? Sheridan disappeared into those woods and apparently never came out.

Trust me, if he were back or alive, he would let me know. He'd promised."

"Heather, anything can still happen."

"Maybe. But until then, I have to accept that he's gone."

Shirley was silent as we drove off. And she remained until I dropped her off at her place.

On my way back home, I thought of all I'd told her. Tears filled my eyes. I had to get over it and close

that horrible chapter of my childhood.

Ace's POV:

I'd noticed that the house uncle Victor had left me with had a very very big garden and backyard. It was

beautiful. It was big enough to go horse riding. I had a sudden feeling of nostalgia. It'd been long I'd not

rode a horse. Something I loved to do. I couldn't buy one here in los Angeles though. I wanted to have

at least one pet. A white dog would be perfect. I'd call it strike, just like the white horse I had when I

was a kid. I was sure Christina had sold him off. That caused a lump in my throat.

I then decided to buy a white dog.

Sunday morning, I adopted one.

That night, I thought and thought of my plan. Was I doing everything the right way? What if Sawyer

insisted on coming to my house? I couldn't bring her there. She would get suspicious of me when she

would discover that a young employee like me lived in a mansion as big as the one they lived in, and

plus, all alone.

And I too didn't really appreciate living all alone. I had an idea. I picked up the phone and called Keith.

"Hello?"

"Hey, hello Keith, watup?"

"I'm chill, man. How's it going?"

"I'm aight for the moment. I wanted to ask you something."

"Go 'head."

"That super chic building of yours, are there any more free apartments as big as yours?"

"Why you wanna rent one??" he asked, excitement in his voice.

"Yeah. Living alone in this big house kinda sucks."

"I hear ya. I'd creep out if I lived there alone. It's the type of place nice to stay in when you got family or

company."

"I know. It might be useful to me when I get married or something. For the moment I need an

apartment. Tell me how apartments are over there."

"Super. They have big living rooms with huge glass windows that show a great view of the city,

especially at night. There are medium sized and modern kitchens that come with everything, nice

bedrooms with Californian king beds, and each apartment has three toilets. They come with TV and

cable."

Wow.

"Woah! All that?"

"Yeah, but you gotta have some money on ya for this."

"Am I poor?" I joked and we both laughed.

"If I can rent this out, you can too. Just come with all your clothes, bedsheets, kitchen utensils and

personal stuff. Done."

"I'm on it. Call the owner and tell him about me. He should reserve an apartment for me."

"Okay. I'll call you later and let you know."

"Okay."

About an hour later, Keith called me.

"Yup?"

"Guess what, fuckboy."

"What?"

"There's a free apartment just close to mine. We're gonna be neighbours dude. Owner said you can

come over tomorrow to see if you like the apartment or not."

"Okay. I'll come with the money at once to pay, so that by the next weekend, I'll be parking in."

"I'll be waiting for ya. Dude, it's gonna be parties all night."

I chuckled.

"You bet, fuckboy."