"Well, your place looks livelier now if I may say"
I watched, arms crossed right in front of my chest as Dylan, Harriett's editor, scanned the whole living room, a new living room. Harriett's renovation was coming into fruition and she had every reason to move back here but she said she wouldn't until she finished renovating her room.
I didn't argue of course, partly because I'll still get to have Harriett living with me for a little while longer. Partly because I'm too afraid of letting her stay by herself in the place where she had made her scars and demons.
Dylan scanned the area until his eyes landed on mine giving me a curt nod before going to the kitchen island where Harriett was right in front of her laptop.
I let out a sigh as I played with Akira who was visibly uncomfortable with their new couch. I stared at Harriett again.
Harriett didn't want me near them when they were talking about her book and when I had asked her why she just shook her head. Said she didn't want me reading her books because it was too embarrassing.
When I thought about it I did know the title of her last book and her pen name but I haven't searched for the title of her two other books. And she had made no effort in making me read them. Maybe I should buy it without her knowing.
With how adamant she was to never hear anything about her drafts only meant there was something written there that she didn't want me knowing just yet. And that only made me more curious.
"I can get this printed out downstairs. Can you wait for me here?"
I snapped back my attention to Dylan and Harriett who were now standing near the door frame.
Dylan's eyes landed on me then he took the flash drive from Harriett's hand before pointing at me.
"Or I could get it printed and I could return it to him. It'll be much less hassle considering that my car is parked in the basement. I don't want you overexerting yourself that much Harriett."
I squinted my eyes at Dylan and it was my gut telling me that he wanted something from me. Or maybe wanted to tell me something that was out of Harriett's earshot.
"But…"
Harriett protested just like how I thought she would but Dylan was quick to add.
"I wouldn't let him sneak a peek at it , trust me."
Harriett's eyes wavered before they landed on me and I just let out a sigh as I stood up and walked towards her. I rubbed her arms as I turned her so that she's facing me.
"I won't take a peek. I'll wait for him outside the printing office and take the flash drive when it's done."
I know it didn't ease Harriett's worry but she nodded nonetheless.
"Alright. I'll see you next month Dy."
"You sure will darling and by that time this book will be in your front door cover to cover"
Dylan said as he bid Harriett goodbye and opened the front door.
"I'll be right back"
I said as I caressed her cheeks.
"I'll wait"
She said with a smile on her face as I walked behind Dylan. It wasn't until we were inside the elevator that he spoke.
"So you're the childhood bestfriend"
I only spared him a glance when I saw him smirking.
"What of it?"
Dylan chuckled before crossing his arms right in front of his chest.
"Harriett spoke a great deal about you that it made both me and her publishers curious to what you actually look like. But now, looking at you I do get the sentiment"
Harriett told her editor and even publisher about me? Sentiment? What the hell was he talking about?
He must have seen the confusion written across my face but before he could even say another word the elevator swung open. We were on the ground floor where the printing office was located.
"I first met Harriett when she had tried to jump off the roof of a hospital, has she told you that?"
I stopped in my tracks and stared at him, eyes wide.
"What?"
His earlier smirk was replaced by a grim line as he walked at a slower pace.
"It was five years ago. It was just fate that I was there at the right place and right time. My mother had been diagnosed with cancer and I wanted to get some fresh air that's why I went to the roof garden. I saw Harriett there standing on the ledge, ready to jump at any moment…"
I felt my palm turn clammy as my heart beat faster. How many times had Harriett tried to end her life? It had been nine years since they had parted ways and within those nine years how many times had she tried to reach for death's hand?
But five years ago?
"You said five years ago…"
I started but saw that Dylan was already talking to someone. We had reached the printing office and he had given them the flashdrive. I let out a sigh as I waited outside, true to the promise I made to Harriett.
But my mind was racing, thoughts rushing in as I tried to imagine Harriett on that hospital rooftop. As I tried to think of all the ways that she could have harmed herself.
Minutes passed which felt like eternity when Dylan came out and handed me the flash drive. Papers neatly tucked in his arms.
"It was a few months after she had broken up with that Josiah."
Dylan confirmed what I wanted to hear but he didn't stop there.
"Although at that time, it wasn't hard to convince her not to end her life"
"Why is that?"
Dylan smiled and opened his bag, taking two books from it and handing it to him. Both books bounded with black leather covers, one with red embossed letters, the other with gold ones.
The gold one, titled Unrequited, was patterned with leaves — no they're bushes, Gardenias.
I flipped the red embossed one titled Redemption was designed with bulbs of Hyacinths, Harriett's favorite flower.
My eyes drifted to Dylan who smiled sadly.
"It wasn't hard because she had a reason to stay a little longer"
A conversation flew across my mind in an instant, the conversation Harriett and I had before she had gone missing.
Three. This one's gonna be my last
She had said and looked at the books in my hand right now, I finally understood it.
"She wanted to finish these three books before she end her life"
He voiced out what he had been too afraid of acknowledging. The reason she had held out for another five years after meeting Dylan was because of the books she wanted to write.
The very same books she didn't want Pierce to read.
"Before she had disappeared weeks prior, she had sent out her last manuscript via email. That's when I knew that something was wrong. I contacted Annika since she was Harriett's emergency contact and she was the one who told me that you had found her. And then a few days ago, Harriett told me that she wanted to scrap off her original manuscript and write a new one which is this one right here."
Dylan gestured to the pile of papers he was now holding and gave a sad smile as he pulled out another set of papers clipped neatly. The title Salvation printed in bold letters as a cover page.
"This was her scrapped one."
I stared at it for a long while before finally asking.
"Why are you giving these to me?"
Dylan stared at the books I am holding before opening his mouth only to shut it close again, then he finally said.
"I just want my friend to finally get her happy ending"
I stared at him but he only clapped at my shoulder before walking past me.
"You'll know when you read them"
He said as he disappeared through the stairs leading to the basement.