Months dragged on and Rafael's mood chilled out. People who didn't know him could think he was a mean person. He never got late for his shift and never extended for a second. He had become a busy man. His parttime jobs were paying. He worked as a mechanic in one of the best automotive garages for almost a year now. He was glad that he could pay his rent on time. Immediately the saved money amounted to his rent, he payed up, at least to get over with it.
Soon, he opened a bakery. He had been buying the needed tools over time. He hustled like no one else, and his days got busier and tighter. He was a lone man with dreams of going back to who he was, and he knew this time it won't be easy. He accounted for every single penny in his life. To him health came first but he couldn't afford a therapist anytime soon. Those niggas are so expensive just for a piece of advice. He knew Ariella owed him, but he chose to let go. He had done that out of fear and desperation. He classified it among the mistakes in his life.
He needed someone to help run it and so he approached one of the few friends who refused to detach themselves from him. Oliver, a playful man who always had a smile on his face and also who was a serious jocker, always exchanged shifts with Rafael. They both had their own lives and different everything, but Oliver had shown that he could be reliable. That morning at 5.30, Oliver came sprinting energetically.
"Oliver,salut? peux-tu rendre un service a` moi? "Oliver, can you do me a favour?
"Oui, Qu'est ce que c'est?"Yes,what is it?"
"D'abord, Tu fais quoi pendant 7hoo et 9hoo a`la nuit? J'aimerais te travailler a` ma boulangerie. Aide-moi s'il te plait."First,what do you do between 7 and 9 pm at night? I would like you to work in my bakery. Help me please.
"Merci, tu es un ange. Nous avons beaucoup de la dispute avec ma femme parce que des besoins croissante. Ma l'ainee` juste a fini ses e`tude de secondaire."Thank you,you are an angel. We have a lot of disputes with my wife because of the increasing needs. My firstborn just finished high school.
"Mais le bulot est tre`s petit maintenant. Il n'y a pas beaucoup de client. Encore, pendant tu la`, si un client viens les argents sont toi. Je le voudrais les gens a` savouir. C'est tout." but now the bussines is small. There are not a lot of customers. Still, when you're there, the money is yours if the customers come. I want it to be known by the people.
"D'accord. Je commencerai en lundi. Il est bonne ,oui?"okay. I will start on Monday. It is alright, right?
"Pas le proble`me. Au re`voir. A` bientot." No problem. Bye. See you soon.
No sooner had Oliver started working than an accident took place. Rafael as the owner had been called at 10 pm from work. Luckily, he was not the only one in the shift. All the night guards, three of them, had come and he quickly left. Oliver was standing outside with a grim face as he looked at ranging fire. The small business was eaten up by the fire and he couldn't stand there just doing nothing. He left before Oliver could even see him. There was no time for blame game. It was over.If there was alesson he had come to learn the hard way is to accept things as they were. No sugarcoating.
Rafael chose to walk home to clear his head when an urchin came and clung to his legs.
"On m'a dit de te faire un ca^lin et donner cette lettre." I've been told to hug you and to give you this letter.The boy said and left running before he could ask him who had sent him. He pocketed it and continued walking to his house. He sprawled himself on the sofa and kicked off his shoes the moment he arrived home. He had no regrets. He had tried. He knew he needed to quit his job and concentrate on his but not anytime soon. He was back to square one.
He lay there contemplating if to call Oliver but thought against it. They would talk the next day. He then remembered the child and the letter. He tore it open and was shocked to see it was an invite to Marks party. Mark was a doctor in the hospital he worked. A workaholic who rarely went home. He stayed in his office at night. Being among the best doctors, rumors had it that he had a lot of privileges and that's why he stayed in the hospital 24/7. People said he had a room joined to his office with a bed, and a bathroom.
They met with Rafael one day when his car had broken down at the hospital and Rafael had volunteered to help him. He had been more than grateful and had stayed as acquaintances since then though they rarely talked. It was only a hi' whenever they met. Rafael wondered if that was a good enough reason to be invited to an academic promotion party. The party was tomorrow night, and he didn't think he would go. He really wanted to rest. Sitting there, he tried to be positive minded, and he thanked his lucky stars. He would use this as an excuse to get some days off. Furthermore, he has never requested for one since he started working.
The next day he helped a little longer in the AG and he was lucky. His boss had been around and paid him extra for the extra time. He was a generous man with a big heart. He left and went home to have a nap. It was long before he really rested his body. At home, he sat in the tub relaxing every inch of his body in the warm soapy water. When sleep finally caught up with him, he carefully walked out and putting on a short, fell on his bed. He loved sleeping shirtless. Thankfully, he had had his lunch already. A combination of a full stomach and a fully relaxed body was the best for an afternoon nap.
He woke up at 7 pm fresh and energized. He went to the kitchen and made a cold coffee and went with it to the living room. He missed playing his PS 5 and he sat down ready. He had never been so ready to play it like he was then. Time flew and when he looked at his watch next, it was 10pm. He wondered what else to do when he remembered the invite to a party. He still didn't get why he had been invited but stopped. How would he know if he didn't go.
Almost running to his room, he read the invite again and the party was to start at 11pm. He had no hurry whatsoever. He was just going to blow up some steam not to see any friends. Thank God he had a suit, and he donned in it. He combed his hair to the side and left. He chose to walk for some kilometers to pass time and bought some cigars. He got to the party at 11.30pm and casually walked in. Ladies still turned heads to him and were utterly disappointed. He didn't give them even a single glance.
He went straight to the bar and ordered a drink. He took it and walked around observing things, people and giving a half smile to the ladies who luckily came to his view. He was about to ascend the stairs to the balcony when he heard his name called out with a familiar feminine voice. He turned to where the voice came from and could see no one clearly and seeing everyone minding his or her own business, he went out into the balcony.
He had just leaned on the rails when someone slapped his buttocks.
"Hey...so you're here?"it was Ariella.
"You're the one who called me right?"he asked just to make sure he was not hallucinating.
"Yeah. You never came to my office to start our sessions." she reminded him.
"Oh yeah. I really got caught up." he said curtly.
"You know I can tell when someone is hiding something right?Anyways...how are you?"
"Sme as before. Super good."
"When people exaggerate their wellness', we presume as therapist they are just not what they said they are. Just so you know you don't look happy one bit."
"I am okay Ariella, but you can take it the way you want. How come you're here too?" he drove the story from himself.
"I came with my sister and her husband's sister who's my best friend. This is a small circle you know. Typically, all men here are Mark's friends, and they all came with their wives and girlfriends and plus ones." she said walking closer to him and closing the gap between them.
"I miss you btw, do you miss me?" she said rubbing his chest with her's. Rafael couldn't resist looking at the full breasts he was feeling on his chest.
"I was not bad right?" she said rising on her toes and biting his ear lobe.
"I think you shouldn't be this close to me. What if one of your friends sees us?" he asked his breath rugged.
"shhh" she said putting a finger on his lips," but you're not moving away, are you? I am irresistible" she teased and cheesily laughed, her hands tracing his masculine chisel shaped face.
"Arie, Arie...I am so ...I'll just leave you two." Lily, Ariella's sister interrupted them. Rafael was thankful and quickly went back inside leaving the two on their own. He immediately controlled his boner before it reached a point of no control. He needed to come down and taking a sip of his wine, went to the men's room and lit a cigar. That was soo close to fucking someone in a balcony he said to himself relieved.
He took large puffs and when his nerves were calm, he threw it into the toilet and left. On his way out, he met with a drunk woman crying her soul out and holding out her phone. Rafael didn't want to create problems for himself by helping some random girls. He had just passed her when Ariella and the other girl came running calling Darling. He stopped, had he heard right?
He looked back to see where they were going and seeing them go and squat around the girl crying outside the women's washroom, he stepped back to overhear.
"No.... I want this one only. He's mine" she cried.
"Arie..you're just drunk. Help me lift her. She has been doing a lot of this lately. She looks at this picture day and out. Her father has also been so angry ..."
"Wait. I know this man. He's the one I was talking to at the balcony..."she said and stood up pulling down her miniskirt, "I'll get him."
"Fuck! You were right behind me? You startled me." she said to Rafael.
"I was just curious..."
"I guess my best friend Darling is obsessed with you. She wants you"
Rafael walked towards her, tears welling in his eyes too and knelt in front of her.Taking her head in his hands, he lifted her face and her eyes lit up like a fireworks. She hugged him and cried on his shoulders.
"Is it really you Raf?If it's a dream pleasedon't go,"she said softly into his ear.
"It is me in flesh bestie."
"If I am your bestie, you better leave now,"she said detaching from him and entered the ladies washroom. Rafael didn't think twice and followed her . She sat on a toilet seat weeping in one of the cubicles.
"You'll never love me like I love you right?"
"No..It's not that.. you don't understand."
"Then make me understand" she said lifting her legs on the seat.
"I know your background. You're rich and spoiled..."
"How's that to do with anything?"
"Your father won't even look at me. Being a man, I have to be able to keep you. Take care of you. Give you all that you need. Can't you see am not perfect for you or anyone. I've made mistakes so bad that I almost hated myself. I am.."
"And who said I want you to be perfect, I am not perfect myself. I don't want you to give me anything. I just want you. The way you are. Rich or poor as long as you're hardworking which I know you're. I'll leave my dad if it's the right thing to do. This is not teenage love anymore. We're adults and this is our life. Our family." she said hitting him on his chest with her small fists, "You know you're a stupid coward huh? I hate you so much right now Raf? How could you give my dad as an excuse? This is all about you."
She slammed on his chest and again cried when they heard voices of girls outside. Quickly, Rafael entered the cubicle Darling had been and unknowingly pushed her against the door in fear of his legs been seen from outside. He dared not talk and kept still when he felt her warm breaths on his neck.He didn't dare look at her until the girls went out again. Like lightning, he moved away from her. He was about to apologize when she started to unbutton her blouse and consequently, he closed his eyes.
"I knew I disgust you and you were just afraid to tell me to my face..."
"No Darling. You don't disgust me... It's just me giving you respect. That's all."
"Everyman can't stop himself from looking at a woman's breast except the woman really disgusts him. I read it and it's true. Am I that ugly?" she asked and cried.
"Why can't you turn and see me then if I am beautiful as you've always told me?"
"Because I'll do to you some dirty stuff that maybe you won't like. The way I love you I won't control himself."
"Who told you I don't want that when you can't even touch me?"
Rafael turned to her and was pleased with what was in front of his eyes. She had removed her blouse. She took his hand and placed it on her breast under the lacy bra. Black suited her and complemented her well. He could feel himself hardening.
"Before we do this, I want you to know that I love you more than I could ever love myself and I realized in those months that I can't live a normal life without you. More so know that You never disgust me, and I'll touch you always and forever darling" With that Rafael took charge and they did all that he had been afraid to do with her.