The Descendent Protectors

Chapter Forty-One

I tugged at one end of the plain white bedsheet as Ariel grunted while struggling with the other end, bending at an odd angle with one foot on top of the mattress and the other flat on the floor.

"Ariel!" I sighed, exasperated and out of breath. "Wait for me to tuck in my end before going in with yours! It's not that difficult." I rolled my eyes.

"You keep saying!" She exclaimed, before abruptly releasing her end of the sheet and lifting her hands in the air. "I'm done, I need a break." She mumbled as she turned away from the bed.

I groaned. "Ariel!" I called out after her as she left through the bedroom door, but she just shook her head. "It's really not that complicated." Yet she always struggled with making her bed, incapable of lifting the heavy mattress and tucking the sheet underneath it. Even back at our old apartment I had been helping her with her bed for as long as I could remember.

But this time we had gone for a size bigger in bed. Instead of singles we had promoted ourselves to small doubles - however, now we had to deal with the consequences. It can't all be rainbows and butterflies and what-not, am I right?

With great effort and a heavy dose of patience, I managed to tuck the bedsheet in after another five minutes. Just as I had sighed contentedly and tumbled on top of the soft mattress, covered by freshly washed and floral scented sheets, my phone began to ring from down the hall.

I groaned in annoyance, rolling over the bed until I reached the end and hopped onto the floor. I walked out of my new bedroom, down the small hallway, and towards our open living room space. Ariel sat on our white couch with her eyes fixed on the TV, as my phone rang beside it.

On my way to unplug my phone from the charger beside the TV, I blocked her sight from whatever was playing on the screen and she mumbled a couple incoherent words as she shoo-ed me away. I rolled my eyes, glaring at her childish behavior, then grabbed my phone and returned to my bedroom.

Once I shut my bedroom door behind me, I glanced down at the caller ID which read the name Mom. A grin spread across my cheeks as I accepted the call and brought the phone to my ear.

"Hey, Mama."

I flumped down onto my bed, my gaze fixing on the pale white ceiling and the simple silver chandelier hanging in the center of it.

"Nora! Oh, my darling. I have missed your voice." Her familiar voice sang, and it instantly warmed my heart.

"I've missed you, too. How are you guys?"

"We're doing well, darling, but never mind us now. I just read your text, what is this about moving away? When did this happen?" She questioned, concern evident in her voice.

I had decided to send my parents a text informing them of my latest decision only a couple days ago. I knew I had to settle down first before letting them know or else they might freak out about my big and sudden decision, and tempt me to cancel on the idea all together.

"Ariel and I were talking about it for a while, actually. We were in need of a fresh start; and we only got today, haven't we?" I spoke the words she repeated to me when I was young, encouraging me to leap at the first available opportunity to follow my dreams.

"Well, yes - but what about your jobs? Your apartment?"

"Ariel was able to transfer to the company branch in this city. And as for me, I will finally have the opportunity to work as a freelance graphic designer, and I've saved up enough to get me through a few months until I get a grip on. Oh, and we found a better apartment here, it's bigger and has a better view." I smiled contentedly, getting up from my seat on the bed and stopping at my wide window. It has a great view of a small park below, where children played and families gathered.