LOVE THE EXPATRIATE

31. Overdozees

...Forgive me for not being able to be the moon that lights your way. But I think you've found your hope, so you no longer need this month of ever-diminishing light. Loved you. Perhaps that sense outweighs the affection of someone who has been shifting your world all along....

Mikaila choked like she was running out of oxygen.

His breath hunted after waking from his nightmare. I don't know how many times the dream passed through in his sleep. A dream in which he sees his mother and sister lost in the Siberian wilderness and eventually disappear in a blizzard. Or see his mother who his father beat blindly like a farmer beating a stray dog that disturbed his cattle.

And if he wakes up like that, he won't be able to sleep again until tomorrow morning.

Mikaila quickly grabbed a bottle of champagne on the nightstand and poured it into a glass, then swallowed it to half. After her breathing was regular, immediately Mikaila grabbed her smartphone. He made a call to one of the numbers. The tone sounded active but unresponsive. The woman repeated her call. This time it was busy. He's not desperate. Repeated that call many times. And I don't know how many times, finally the call was connected.

________________________________________

Tower Grand Jakarta Land, Thamrin Hotel.

Edward returned to the meeting room with a tense face. While all the meeting participants who had been waiting for it, were also no less furious looking at the man. There was Adrian, Anjani and his manager, two public relations employees, and two representatives from the event organizer and vendor company in the room.

The sudden meeting was forced to be held tonight because Anjani, as a brand ambassador for Zafora Indonesia, refused to follow the road show that will be held by Zafora to the seven major cities of Indonesia. Though Anjani will be the main star in the event later. So there is no way that road show can be held without the presence of the model itself. And the meeting scheduled for seven o'clock at night was forced to be postponed by two hours because Anjani was having a photo shoot.

Actually, it is also not Anjani who wants to violate the employment contract with Zafora. But this mistake is actually on the part of the company itself as the organizer. In the agenda of the model it has been written clearly that the road show will be held before he followed the filming of the film in Nusa Tenggara. And the woman's agenda has been confirmed to Zafora's management. But because there was a change in the company's marketing, the event that should have been held two months ago, was forced to resign and finally clashed with other Anjani projects.

That's why Edward was so frenetic when Mikaila called and discussed unnecessary things at crucial times like this.

“Sorry Mr Edward, can we finish this meeting soon?” ask Anjani impatiently.

“Yes! Soon we end.” said Edward looking at the woman with a tired face.

“Is something wrong Miss Anjani?” his tanned eyes.

“Ya in my opinion is not professional just linger to pick up the phone from the girlfriend while in a meeting. Didn't you yourself emphasize that work matters should not be mixed with personal affairs?”

Edward laughed at the woman's words. While the others sat quietly in suspense.

“Thank you Miss for reminding. But I think your remark was less ethical delivered in front of the forum. Anyway why are you so sure that the one who called earlier was my girlfriend?”

“Yes who else?” Anjani.

Braakk!

“Can I not argue anymore? We're all tired tonight!” Adrian pounding the table made everyone surprised Edward was no exception. He looked at the two people who were arguing earlier.

“Soon we find a deal!”

“If I stay the same as before, the road show is postponed until the filming schedule is finished.” Anjani said annoyed.

“OK, fine!” exclaim Edward.

“When are you finished filming, Miss?” he asked while looking at the woman.

“Try checking Rick, when I finished filming.” Anjani orders to the manager beside him. The young man, called Erick, also checked his model schedule

“Shooting starts on October 4th for 18 days. So, the fourth week of October Anjani has returned to Jakarta.” he explained while staring at Edward and Adrian alternately.

“OK, early November we have that event. How, deal?” ask Edward.

Everyone nodded with a relieved face. While Anjani smiled with a triumphant face.

“But Miss Anjani, you don't be happy just yet.” said Edward looked sharply at Anjani, making the woman stammer. The others fell silent, while Adrian frowned.

“Back to Jakarta, before the event, you should focus on treatment to recover your skin that will burn later.”

Everyone widened their eyes.

“I can not imagine how your skin will be after a day for twenty days you take a walk in the savannah of Nusa Tenggara hot and dry.”

“OK, Mr. Edward.” said Anjani smiling.

All moved from his seat and came out shortly after the meeting was dissolved. Before leaving the room Anjani walked up to Edward who still seemed to have not moved from the chair at the end of the table. While his manager told him to get out first. The man had not paid any attention to his arrival.

“What else? Didn't you finish the meeting?” asked Edward did not turn to Anjani who had been in front of him. He was just busy removing the top button on his shirt and loosening the tie a little so he could breathe more freely.

“I just want to congratulate you, Mr. Salman Alfarisy who has converted. Hopefully you can be a good priest for your wife and not naughty anymore.” said the woman with a smile.

“But if you want to make a small party to end your single time, I am ready to accompany you, Mr?” whispered with a sighing voice.

"I don't want to joke, Miss. Please come out now or I myself will drag you.” he said while looking sharply at Anjani.

Just look what I'm gonna do to you, proud and proud Edward Anderson, inwardly.

Still in a state of annoyance, Edward grabbed his smartphone that he had just placed in his agenda. Mikaila was asleep, he thought. He wanted to call the woman and apologize for all the rude remarks. Edward felt he wasn't. He was just upset that the woman called him at the wrong time.

Grand Kaharu Residence, Ancol - 1 hour ago.

“Halo, Mikaila. What's up !?” there was the voice of a man across with a rather loud tone.

“I'm meeting this. You should understand, if I don't pick up many times your phone, it means I'm busy!”

“Could not speak softer. Ed's? My hearing is still normal.” said Mikaila lethargic.

No response from across there.

“Ed?” Mikaila called back.

“Yes. What's the matter calling me?”

“Which way do I know that you meet these nights.”

“OK, okay.I'm sorry. What's up?”

“I'm scared, Ed.” he said.

“Fear of what, Mikaila?”

“Sign up Ed. I'm now always a nightmare, restless, also afraid if I'm alone in the apartment.”

“So what should I do for you?”

“Come here, Ed. I'm lonely.”

“Crazy you Mikaila.”

“Ed.”

“You know, I will not comply with your request. You used to say that you didn't want to be tied to me, did you? If I can't, you'll find another man. But why do you depend on me now?”

“So you don't consider me your friend anymore, Ed?”

“Mikaila, the relationship of friends between men and women also has its limits. Not as free as between two men.”

“Ed, please just this once. I need someone to accompany me.”

“Sorry Mikaila, now I have a new life that limits my wildness.”

“Ed, are you unconscious, not your wild self, but your new life has curbed your freedom.”

“Absolutely I don't feel constrained, Mikaila. So now my life is more focused and has a purpose. I suggest you go to a psychiatrist to solve your problem. You're wasting my time on useless business like this."

“Ed.”

"Good night!”

“Ed !”

Tut tut tut tut

Mikaila's words stopped because the call was disconnected. He saw his smarphone screen with teary eyes. How can you say I'm crazy to tell me to go to a psychiatrist, Ed. The woman looked out the window that was not covered in curtains with despair. The woman's feelings were completely uncertain.

Suddenly he remembered something and immediately went to the edge of the bed. Pull out the nightstand next to the bed and take a bottle. In recent months Mikaila often swallowed the contents of the bottle if it is difficult to sleep or wake up because of nightmares. At first he felt calm and soundly asleep after swallowing the sedative. But over time his body seemed to depend on the pills. He had to swallow the medicine to quell his insomania and anxiety. His suffering continues to this evening.

The woman also intends to swallow more pills tonight in order to forget everything. Even though he knows very well what risks he will accept. Mikaila had already unscrewed the bottle cap and poured out the contents. The woman looked at the six pills that had managed to slide down into her left palm.

If tonight I had to lose my life because of this pill maybe it would have been better. Mikaila spoke inwardly with a blank look. The people I love have left me too. My mother, my sister, and now Edward's gone. There is no more happiness to be found in this world.

With trembling hands he put all the pills into his mouth and immediately grabbed a glass of water on the nightstand. The woman almost choked for forcing to swallow the pills at once. With her eyes closed, the pills made it through her throat. Mikaila threw her body onto the bed to calm the feeling for a moment. Suddenly his right waist was painful. He poked both of his palms to his waist to suppress his pain.

But suddenly he remembered something. And without caring about the pain he felt, Mikaila also shuffled to reach for his smartphone that he had put on the nightstand. With fatigue Mikaila also managed to reach the object. And with trembling hands he tried to type something. But the pain in his waist was getting louder, so he let out tears because he endured the pain. The woman saw her room getting darker and darker. And soon after, he remembered nothing else.

The smartphone fell on the floor.