It was raining heavily and Kodelly was straining her eyes to read the road posts. She stopped the engine by the roadside to retrieve the map once again, trying to figure out where she was. She still had to drive for at least another ten minutes or so, she realized before putting the map back and starting her engine again.
She finally reached the place where she was going, pulling the car to a halt. She sat in the parking, in the open area waiting for the rains to stop. She noticed after a moment or two, a woman hurrying to her car with an umbrella. She seemed to be one of the workers there.
She tapped on the window.
"Hallow, I brought you an umbrella." She tried to say showing her an umbrella.
She opened the door and came to stand in the already opened umbrella. She led her to the house, which was being used as office premises. She closed the umbrella once they were in the building and gave it to the woman who had fetched her from the car.
"Can I help you?" Asked the woman in the reception area.
"Yes. Yes, I am here to see Laura Mills."
"Oh Laura, she is so fond of this place and she is doing quite fine now, I must say." Interjected another woman who was standing next to the reception area.
"Come, I will take you to see her." She invited. She obliged, following her lead.
"Are you family?" She asked again.
"Yes. I am her cousin."
"Okay, just wait over here." She said, stopping at the entrance to one of the doors. "I will be with you in a moment."
She entered the almost empty room with just a cushioned chair on one side of the wall. She decided to remain standing. She had not seen Laura since the time that she had decided to start her rehabilitation, after ruining an evening that was supposed to unite Kodelly's family. She shuddered at the memory and then, she saw her walk through the door with the elderly woman who had led Kodelly standing behind her.
She wore a plain long dress, with her hair roughly combed, with a good pair of shoes on her feet. She stared at Kodelly emotionlessly.
"I will leave the two of you for some privacy." She said, closing the door behind her.
"How are you Laura?" Kodelly began, after the door was closed.
"What do you want?" She asked emotionlessly.
"I wanted to see you. I wanted to know how you are doing?" She spoke, extending her hand to touch her arm gently. Laura pulled away.
"I am doing fine as you have seen. Now can I go?" She replied, turning her back to her.
She pulled a cigarette from her pocket and lighted it through a shaky movement.
"I thought you are not supposed to take any...any...?"
"Drugs?" Laura filled in for her almost yelling as she talked. "Drugs? Well am not. But you know what, I will for as long as I want." She paused for a moment. "Do you want one?"
" No."
"Oh... you just think you are everything. You think you are so perfect..." She said, raising her hand in the air puffing the smoke from her mouth, "But..." She continued through a laugh, "you are not. You are absolutely nothing..." She charged.
"Why don't you quit what you are doing to yourself and try..."
Before she could finish her sentence, Laura charged at her with all her force, causing her to stagger until she hit herself against the wall. Kodelly quickly pushed her away, but she grabbed her again and swung her around pushing her until she fell onto the floor. Laura quickly got on top of her screaming in the process.
"I hate you. Stay the hell away from me okay. Staaa....y away." Shaking her repeatedly. "Stay away from me Miss perfect. Stay away from me."
The door opened and two women stepped in, grabbing Laura by both arms and pulling her up. The elderly woman who seemed to be in charge of the institution stood in the doorway, watching Kodelly get up with Laura still yelling.
"Let go of me. Let go of me."
They dragged her out of the room, past the elderly woman while Kodelly tried to straighten hers