Second chance

“As I explained earlier…” Mrs Donalds started, standing in front of many reporters who were holding cameras, books and pens.

“My elder daughter, Anna, was solely responsible for this. I’d like to sincerely apologize to all of you for causing you concern” she said as her voice broke.

“She was such a good girl. I don’t understand why she did such a thing” she cried further.

“The truth is, I really can’t believe this” Mrs Donalds went on to continue her fake tears.

*

*

“ I was not a good girl” Anna said.

Young Anna could be seen washing and arranging her clothes and the clothes of some other children in the orphanage.

“Ma’am!” She called when the caretaker approached.

“ I swept this whole area. Aren’t you proud of me?” Anna beamed proudly.

“Yes, well done” the lady praised.

“Keep being good so you can meet nice parents. You know that right?” The lady patted er hair softly.

“ I desperately had to be a good girl, no matter what” and voic went on.

“Let’s stand here. Shall we stand straight” the caretaker tried to arrange and compose the children.

Anna walked in don behind and saw Mrs Donalds fanning herself with her palm, looking bored and exhausted.

She smiled, went over to the water dispenser and fetched some water, after which she went up give it to the lady.

“That was the only weapon an abandoned child could use in order to survive”

The art gallery was being cleaned up are most of the artworks had been destroyed.

A young girl dressed in a luxurious black suit and expensive jewelries walked in.

Seeing the family portrait Anna had painted on the floor, she brought out her phone and took a picture, showing only Anna’s face.

“A painting by that fraud” she typed and posted it, before walking away.

Soon, the comments started flooding in.

# It gives me the chills #

# I heard she was adopted. She should be thankful. Why did she do such a thing? #

# Save thieves from the gallows, and they’ll turn your enemy #

“The child was just desperate to have a family. Why did her wish have to be trampled on? Why did I have to become a laughing stock?” Anna cried on her death bed.

***********************

“Did you lie to her and tell her Samuel is quitting because of her?” Sonia asked, as she watched her mother who was folding clothes in the living room.

“This way they’ll find a position for him” her mother answered.

“My sister-in-law is so naive. I bet she doesn’t know Samuel used to like Anita” Sonia shrieked to the astonishment of her mother.

“What? His desk used to be covered with pictures of Anita “ she was blanking when her mother threw a towel at her, shutting her up.

“Watch your mouth in front of your sister-in-law” her mother warned.

“I’m not stupid. I need to get a bag from her” Sonia enthused.

“A bag? What bag?” Mrs Badley lashed, looking interested.

Sonia turned her phone, shaping her.

“Gosh! This is so pretty” her mother exclaimed after getting a look.

“What did I struggle all this time for. How stupid of me!” Anna thought in her dying moment.

“Dear God, now that I’m in this situation, I bitterly regret my life” she said subconsciously, as the doctor tried to use the definition revive her.

They had discovered her late.

“Please, pity this fool and give me one more chance” Anna bagged.

“One, two, three” the doctor yelled and sent the definition her again.

Her chest went up but the beeping of the monitor Diane go down.

The nurses told behind the doctor, panicking.

“I’ll bet my all to avenge them. I promise you that” they tried and tried but it was already too late.

She had given up the ghost.

“So please, give me a chance” she breathed her last.

**************

A heavy ringing woke Anna up from sleep. She opened her eyes and stared at the white ceiling above.

Confused, she hurriedly rose up from the bed, the mask on her face hiding her confusion.

Suddenly, the alarm went off. Someone had turned it off.

She turned to see it was Anita.

“What is this? Did you fall asleep?” Anita teased, giggling.

Anna touched her face and felt the beauty mask on it. She removed it with trembling fingers.

“Anita, come downstairs. What are you doing?” Mrs Donalds yelled from the living room.

Anita picked up her purse and got up.

“I should go with you to take pictures and help you pick out the dress. It’s too bad” Anita sighed, walked to the door and turned again.

“Make sure you send me some pictures, okay?” She beamed and finally left.

Anna sat confused on the bed. She touched herself, her body.

“Was it a dream?” she was confused.

Her phone dinged. She checked to see it was a message from Samuel.

“I’m outside your place. I’ll wait for you” the message said.

Anna checked the date on her phone and was palpitated.

“What? It’s 2025!” She alarmed. The date said 2024.

She hurriedly left the bed and went to check the calendar in her desk, but it was same.

“That was a year ago. What’s going on?” She asked herself, trying to wrap her head around the crazy turn of events.

From outside, a car beeped. Anna looked around her confused and agitated. She felt a twitch on her wrist and when she looked at it, a sated flashed through it.

*

*

They were now at the bridal shop- she and Samuel.

“What’s going on? How can it be a year ago?” She wouldn’t stop asking herself, even while fitting into her wedding dress.

“Does this mean I went back in time?”.

“Ma’am” the wedding dress assistant broke into her thoughts.

“Take a look in the mirror” she told Anna when she was done.

They helped her turn to face the mirror.

“Would you like to try holding a banquet?” The lady stretched out a lively banquet to her, which she collected with an expressionless face.

The wedding down was white and very long, reaching her toes and flowing behind her. It was an off shoulder, fitted gown.

“Gosh! You look so beautiful” another of the lady said.

“You have such a small waist” they complimented.

“This is what the same as what they said to me a year ago” Anna reasoned.

“Ma’am, let’s then around so your groom can see you” one suggested, smiling.

“Let’s turn around” they helped her turn again.

“Yea. I remember turning around that time and getting a cut on my left wrist” just then, she mistakenly brushed her wrist with the bonwuwt and got injured.

An eerie sound rang in her ears. Her heart stopped beating for a moment.

“I got a cut just like this one” she muttered to herself.

“Gosh, are you okay?” The ladies panicked.

Anna turned to look at her, stunned.

“Can you see this?” she asked them.

“Yes. You’re bleeding” they were a bit taken aback.

“It must just a lot”

“Hurry and get some ointment” the one that looked older said and the other ran out.

“Okay”

“I apologize. We should be more careful”

“It’s okay” Anna mumbled.

“I’m fine”.

“You have such beautiful shoulders “ the lady went to her back while the other came in.

“You’d look good in something with a deeper cut” she suggested.

“Right” Anna muttered again, looking lost and acting out of place.

“Your mother asked for something more modest, right?” The older wedding assistant asked, while the younger one attended to her hurt finger.

“Anna. In your next life, don’t be so kind” Anna’s heartbeat accelerated as she remembered those horrendous words and the moment.

Her eyes watered, and her palms clutched formerly around the bouquet, trembled.

“It would be the bwst fo listen to what she says, right?” She muttered under her breath.

“Well, we care a lot about what our parents think in this society. You look beautiful “ the lady responded.

“Sure” Anna smiled sadly.

That’s right- she should obey her mother. She has told her not to be too nice in her next life. It wouldn’t hurt do obey mom.

Right??.

TBC