After changing into an adult, Cynthia knew that she would definitely not start a romantic friendship, not after that traumatic experience with John and his friend.
She made up her mind to work a bit harder.

A few days ago, she had received a phone call offering her an everyday‘s job, having to prepare lunch as well. She told them ‘no‘ but now she was reconsidering her decision. Perhaps she could forget better if she would work every morning as well. It was clear to her that she wouldn‘t give up her job at the cemetery.

She might as well look how this everyday‘s job turned out to be. That‘s how she got to know Chester Hemmingway.

Meeting the young man, she saw that he was the lonely, silent type of person. That, at least, was something she liked about him. He still was a young adult, since he was 8 years old he was orphan of mother and his father died some months ago. Now he needed somebody to do his household. He had inherited a considerable amount of money.
She accepted the job.

The very first day was a big success. She prepared his favorite meal without knowing it so the boy was very pleased.

She saw that he was an innocent boy and when he told her that he would like to be a surgeon, she said that it was a good decision.

Chester got very fond of her. While she was cooking, he helped cleaning. She had told him that she was an orphan as well. That obviously had been a lie but in her opinion she was sort ofan orphan.

She told him that she had to work as well during the evening because she had to pay the rent of her house.

Chester didn‘t think it over very much and he invited her to live at his place. As he was an innocent person, he said that he wouldn‘t give her a salary but give her a credit card. If she needed something, she just could use it.

Cynthia was shocked that he trusted her so much and she didn‘t want to disappoint him.

She sold her house and started to live with Chester. At least she didn‘t have to be afraid of running into John so often. However, now and again it happened and then Cynthia would be bad humored.

Then, at home, she shouted her frustration out and Chester paid for her bad humor. In a certain way, Cynthia felt superior as she saw the expression of sadness on his face.

But most of the time, they were all-right together. Chester told her that he had accepted a job representing a pharmaceutical enterprise but that meant that he would be on the road during weeks.

She looked at him and said that he would have to dress up nicely if he wanted to be successful in this job and she told him exactly what he should wear.

He needed a good car for his work. He was very pleased when he drove away for the first time that Cynthia stood there at the door waving good-bye. It reminded him of bygone days that his mother used to wave good-bye when he went to school.

Cynthia stood there and watched how the boy started his first job. Now she had a bit more time to herself and went out more often.

She got to know some other people and one of them asked her if she didn‘t mind that her friend spent such a long time from home.

Cynthia hadn‘t thought about Chester that way and she told the girl that they just had a platonic friendship.

But as a matter of fact, she missed him and was pleased when he came home even if it was only for one week. She started to have some tender feelings for him but thought that those were ‘motherly‘ feelings.

Very soon he had to go away again and the months went by; one week together and 3 weeks alone.
Now she really started to miss him very much and she was always thinking about him. In the afternoon, she went to the cemetery to do her work and then she met a girl, Marcia, with whom she got along very well. They had the same kind of character and they met a few times at the cemetery.

One afternoon, Marcia said to Cynthia that she had that girlfriend at Riverview who worked at a pharmacy. She had known Chester and they were dating. Her friend told her that, most probably very soon; she would be able to announce some good news.

Cynthia was shocked and said: “You cannot be serious! My Chester?“

Marcia: “Well, it seems that he turns out to be someone else‘s! I don‘t know why my friend would lie to me about this.”
Now that she had started to like him, Cynthia felt very bad and went home. There she received a phone-call from Chester, telling her that he had something important to say. He would come home next week.

Cynthia got very nervous and she didn‘t want to get hurt anymore. What can I do? she thought. Then, somebody rang the doorbell. Two young people were standing there.

She asked them what they wanted and they told her that they felt very charmed with this nice house. Especially the woman said that she would love to buy the house. “Please, tell me that you are willing to sell it; even if it‘s overpriced; I don‘t mind.” She observed that the yard next to the house was great for she would love to grow fruit and vegetables.

In the state of mind Cynthia was in, she decided to take this opportunity. She sold the house right away and went to the Valley Bank. Cynthia had never used her credit card but now she withdrew all the money from the account.

She knew that she had to ‘disappear‘ so she unregistered as a housekeeper and bought a small house somewhere near the graveyard, she dyed her hair and from that time on; she took care not to be seen during some years. Although she had lots of money, her dreams were not of the joyful kind.

To be continued.