Michael..
".... was our relationship some kind of sick game to you?" I asked my voice laced in fury.
"Of course not." she replied, tears streaming down her beautiful face.
"...did you even really loved me?"
She looked up at me with a pained expression. "How could you even say that? You know I love you and I don't need to fake it. How dare you doubt my love for you?"
I let out a sarcastic laugh.
"Excuse me but I doubt that greatly. You can't be leaving and say you love me but the pressure and decision on you is too difficult."
"Michael I explained this to you already. I have no choice. It's an obligation I can't escape from." She replied. I know she calls me Michael when she's angry but trying to reign it in.
"Fucking obligation my ass. You know what? I'm done with this conversation. If you want out of this just tell me. And you can fucking do what ever you want. I'm out of here." I replied storming off.
"JD please..." she tried reasoning out with me.
"This is fucking bullshit." I said.
And I left her in tears with a curiously watching audience in my wake. Leaving her to deal with everything alone.... on that faithful day I lost the most important woman in my life... And I may never see her again.…. Never see her smile, never hear her voice... the end of me. I think my heart died that very moment....
"Where is she? I want to speak to her." I asked
Kim exhaled raising her hand to her temple like to sooth a sudden headache.
"She's not here anymore." she replied seeming tired
"What? What do you mean she's not here anymore?" I asked her as though she spoke in a foreign language
She sighed exasperatedly
"She's gone Michael that's what I mean." She replied "she left 2 days ago. She said she had nothing keeping her here any longer so she decided to push her flight earlier."
"No no no." I replied looking around frantically as though expecting her to jump out and say it was all a joke." She can't leave just like that..."
"What did you expect Michael?" She asked her voice laced with venom "you can't treat her like shit and come back after 2 weeks of silence that you want her back y'know. That's absolute horse feathers. After all what you said to her. You think she had come around that easily." She laughed sarcastically. "She's not that easy. She doesn't let go of some things that easily and if I were you, I had pray she does because she's capable of holding a grudge against you till the grave."...
No... I think that was the icing on the cake to make me weak. The death blow. Yeah that's when my entire system and sanity broke.
I'm just... a void. Empty
"Here's your coffee handsome." the waitress said bringing me out of my train of thought
"Thank you." I replied curtly
"Anything else to please you."she said flirtatiously as she batted her long lashes at me.
This was getting annoying. Her shirt had some popped buttons to show a generous amount of cleavage, and she had a tight skirt which had ridden mid thigh. This was really degrading...
"No thanks, I'm good. But if you could take your balloons off my view and along with you I won't mind." I replied. She gasped and stormed off. She'll get over it. Not all men want something to do with your body. Tsk... The women of this days.
I moved the cup in a circular motion lost in it's creamy texture.
"....she's capable of holding a grudge against you till the grave."...
Is she that unforgiving?
"....Would you wear this ring as an eternal promise from me to you? As a symbol of my love for you? ..."
"...yes.." she replied with a smile.
That angelic smile of hers.
"Why had you pick a sapphire gem?" She asked admiring the ring on her delicate fingers.
"I think it compliments your legendary beauty." I replied. …
Yeah those are moments I had give anything I have to go back to.
What the hell have you done Michael? You fucking drove away the woman you could swear your life on.
Yeah I'm a fucked up idiot. A fringing fool. An egoistic and selfish demon. Yeah that's what I am. .... A loser... The demon that shattered her perfect heavenly life....
Aisha.
It's been over three years since I step foot in the US at all. This job opportunity was a great chance I couldn't miss. Thank God my parents agreed to letting me fulfill my dream career. But I'm very convinced it was the fact I was coming over with Christian that let them agree to it. The climate change was nothing new. I had become accustomed to the chilly winds of autumn. I still had a lot to do before I start work on Monday. I miss my college days and my friends - they were the coolest thing that happened in my boring monotone life. I had completed my college studies and did my graduate program in Ghana. I had gained admission upon leaving the US gratefully. I really needed to change of air and busy myself.
'OMG girl!!! You back."
"Yep. I'm back to stay this time."I replied
"Oh my that's great. Unfortunately I'm on a trip in the UK...God!!! We need to catch up." Kim replied
"I know right. I'm on my way out. I had to meet up with Chris" I said
"Where are you now?" She asked.
"I'm on my way to Time cafe organic food." I replied
"You're in NY?" she said. I don't know why I had a bad feeling about this question.
"yeah." I said furtively.
"You know you could bump into him right?" she asked
"I'm very much aware of that."
There was a long pause before she spoke again.
"How do you feel? ... I mean are you ok? Will you be fine." she asked warily.
I opened the door of the cafe and walked in .
"I'll be fine Kim. I came to work not see him. And besides, I hope I don't have to. I need space from all the froth my mind went through these pass years..
Michael
I grimaced as the hot liquid went down my throat. I think I might have a sour throat later. I don't know why I got so careless these last years. I miss her so much... I heard a lady chuckle at something. It's crazy how much I miss her. I almost mistook that voice for hers.
"I'll be fine. Chris got work here and I had to be here." She spoke into the phone. "Of course the place's great and I go about without having an ugly reminder of him."
At this point I had to look. I couldn't just be hallucinating. I had to see her, gaze at the familiar face which plagued my dreams and every thought. And sure enough, it was her, in all her glory- radiant, beautiful, smiling as she gave her command to the male employee over the counter. They seem to exchange pleasantries and she giggled. God, how I had relished the euphoric sound when it slipped of her lips. She nodded and moved to a table at the corner. I turned back to his cup, now nervous. I wanted to approach her, to speak to her so bad I couldn't think of anything else. I just wanted to bask in her presence for some time even if it had be to receive her rejection. She was glowing : positively so. And I wondered, if I had ever been part of her thoughts all these years. Had she missed me as much as I craved her? Had she moved on with another man who appretiated her better? No. No man can love her like I did. But could she love him more than she did me? My feets had already carried me to her table before I realized my actions. She was still on the phone smiling at what the speaker had said till she looked up acknowledging my presence and her eyes widened and her phone slide out of her hand unto the table. I guess she was shocked - probably was hoping not to ever set eyes on me again before her expression morphed into one of anger and disdain. Her eyes where so cold, I practically felt a chill run down my spine. But I was already here, and couldn't turn back.
She picked up her phone from the table and replied to the caller. "I'll call you back. " she said dropping the call.
"Hey." was all I managed to say. I had no idea she had look more beautiful with the age but this woman still managed to pull that. I recall her telling me once, how she hated short hair but the bob she had on made her all the more resplendent and I was speechless before her beauty.
"What are you doing here?" Her smooth voice came, but her icy tone was clear. She didn't want me here.
"I.." I stuttered, still not believing my luck. I guess God was on my side. I blinked several times before taking the seat opposite hers. "You look even more beautiful than I reminder. "I uttered but she scoffed still not looking away. Then the waitress brought her command- coffee with extra cream and 2 croissants. Here usual. "I thought I had never see you again. "
"I wish I never did see you again." She spat looking straight into my eyes.
I breathe in sharply and released a nervous chuckle. "I deserved that." I replied fiddling with my fingers.
She never replied just sipped on her coffee and ate like I wasn't there. She was great at giving the cold shoulder long before our breakup. I noticed the ring I had given her in Paris on her right ring finger.
Perhaps, she's not given up on me yet.
"I'm glad you still have it on. The ring I mean."she gave no reply, just continued with her eating. "I thought you mite have disposed of it when you left. I guess you still holding on to a bridge be..."
"I'll stop you right there. Having it on doesn't mean I'm holding unto anything related to you. I burned that page in my life and got a fresh leave. I ain't going back to that shit." She replied with finality.
I went mute, watching her left hand as it lifted her cup to her lips and noticed a rose-gold band with diamonds embedded round it then a moonlight gem at the center on her middle finger. My heart dropped momentarily.
This Is what I feared the most. Her moving on.
"I see you moved on quickly."I said indicating to the ring. "Are you happy? With him? "
She dropped her cup and croissant all together. "You have absolutely no right to ask me that." She said angrily.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't. "
"Yea you shouldn't." Her phone interrupted our altercation. "Yes." She replied smoothly. "Oh yea. I'm sorry. I'm right around the corner. Just stopped by to grab something to eat but I'm done now. " she said the last part glancing at me. "I miss you too." She replied with a smile. " See you shortly then. Bye." She dropped the call and glared at me. " What did you think? That you're the only man that can love me?"she lashed out. " And yes I'm not just happy - I'm fulfilled because he's nothing like you. And unlike you, he was ready to work hard for us through the years" she declared wiping her hands on the napkin and dumping it harshly on the table. She pulled out a fifty and twenty dropping them on the table before standing up. "Something you weren't ready to try." She said "I hope I never get to see you again." She spat, storming out and leaving me stunned.
I watched her walk a couple of steps before she ran into a brown skinned man's awaiting arms. Her fiancé I suppose. The way she smiled at him made my stomach churn with feral intent. I already hated him but this was all my fault: I pushed her away into his arms.