TO HAVE AND TO HATE

CHAPTER 10

I walk into the restaurant and spot Patra in a booth in the far corner. Patra asked if we could meet up for lunch today and catch up, she is off work for a couple of weeks and I only had one class today so here I am. Patra spots me as I walk towards her and she stands up, I reach the table and smile back at her.

‘Hey baby girl,’ she says, giving me a quick hug.

‘Hey, how are you? You look beautiful.’

She is wearing a knee-length polka dot fit and flare dress and sandals.

‘I do?’

‘Yes. I love the dress.’

‘It has pockets,’ she says, stuffing her hands into her pockets and causing me to burst into laughter.

‘I ordered a bottle of champagne. Feel free to pour yourself a glass,’ she says when we take our seats.

‘Thank you,’ I pour myself a glass of champagne and take a long swig of it.

She gestures for the waiter to come to our table and we order our food. I am so hungry. I didn’t eat breakfast this morning. I was so irritated with Darius' behavior, I lost my appetite when he refused to eat the food I cooked this morning.

‘You are glowing bitch. You looj all sexed up. I assume he satisfied you to the core, right?’

I smile, ‘Girl, he ate and left no crumbs.’

‘Tell me about it. I want all the details.’

‘I don’t kiss and tell.’

She rolls her eyes, ‘You told your husband we were together and I had to cover up for you. What time did you even go home?’

‘Girl thanks for having my back. I got home at 3 in the morning.’

‘How? You were having sex the entire time?’

‘No Pat, that young man is a beast, he wore me out and I dozed off after the act and only woke up at 2 am. Darius was angry when I got home and you know my husband rarely gets angry, he even refused to eat the food I made this morning.’

‘You injured that sweet man girlfriend.’

‘I am heading back home early today. I intend on preparing his favorite meal, I will pamper him a little and apologize further so that he forgives me. You know D can’t stay angry with me for a long time.’

‘Yeah. You hit a jackpot when you married that man girl. Aside from his little disability in the bedroom, he is a perfect man.’

‘Yeah. I wish everything was perfect between us, you know? In the bedroom too then I wouldn’t have to deal with sleeping with another man to get a little satisfaction. It bugs me that I slept with someone else, I defied my vows.’

‘I understand you but what’s the plan with this guy? Are you going to use him as a booty call?’

‘I just wanted this to be a once off thing. He quenched my thirst and now I can go on with my life.’

‘You are sure of that?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Has he tried to get in touch with you?’

The waiter walks up to our table with the food before I am able to respond. I wait for him to set up before I say, ‘he sent a text that I haven’t responded to yet. This guy is young babes, I don’t think I want to continue seeing him.’

‘Okay. I hope you made that clear with him.’

‘We didn’t get to talk about that. He laid a claim on me and said I was his for life.’

She laughs, ‘that sounds like a possessive young man.’

‘I will talk to him.’

‘But you know you don’t have to end things with him? You can keep him around as a booty call, meet up with him when you have the urge, let him fuck the life out of you and life continues. You said he is a young man, you can even be giving him money once in a while and sponsor his lifestyle.’

I stare at her, thinking about everything she has said.

‘What?’

‘I love D. I love what we have, the kind of friendship marriage we’ve had over the years is admirable by many. I wouldn’t want to lose him.’

‘Who says anything about D finding out? You love D and you love your marriage, that’s why you are obviously finding ways to help your marriage stay strong. Remember my motto?’

‘Happy wife, happy marriage?’

‘Yes.’

We talk some more as we eat our food. We talk some more and drink our champagne after eating and by the time we are leaving the restaurant it’s almost 3 pm. It takes me two hours to get home because of the heavy and slow traffic. I get to the house to find Tessa in the kitchen trying to find what to cook for dinner. She rarely cooks but when she does, both her father and I enjoy the meals.

‘Hey baby!’

‘Hey ma, I thought I should get dinner ready tonight.’

‘You need help with anything?’

‘Nah I am okay. And before I forget, someone sent you flowers.’

My heart beats hard against my chest, ‘Flowers? Did it say who?’

‘No. The note doesn’t have a name and the delivery guy refused to give me a name. They are in the vase on the dining table, the note is on the table too. Maybe when you read it, you will know who sent them.’

‘Okay. How was school?’

‘It was okay.'

'I thought Gabby would stay over for dinner after dropping you off?’

‘Gabby? She didn’t drop me off, neither did she pick me up.’

‘Why? How did you go to school?’

‘I got a cab. I couldn’t reach her on the phone earlier, she called when I was already at school and said she overslept and wouldn’t be coming in.’

‘That’s sad baby girl, you should have called me.’

She shrugs, ‘I am an adult I can sort out my issues.’

‘If you say so.’

I leave her and head to the dining room, I am more than certain that silly boy sent those flowers to me. The flowers are beautiful and they are actually my favorite; white and blue violets, I always love how they smell.

The note beside them reads, ‘To the most beautiful woman on earth. Mrs. K, I can’t wait to see you again.’

His message melts my heart and for a moment there, I smile as I sniff the flowers. My phone rings at that same exact moment, I pick without checking the caller ID.

‘Hello!’

‘The beautiful Mrs. K, did you receive my flowers?’

‘Why would you send me flowers at my house? What if my husband received them? And how do you know where I stay?’

‘I have my ways.’

‘Stop playing these silly games. You can’t be sending me flowers. I am a married woman and stop texting me.’

‘You’ve been ignoring my messages Mrs. K.’

‘I have been busy. What do you want?’

‘I miss you. Can I see you.’

‘No, I just got home and I need to start cooking.’

‘I am somewhere around your place. I just need to see you for a few minutes.’

‘Not now Nico.’

‘Please.’

‘No.’

‘I will text you when I get to a spot that is close to your home,’ he says, dropping the call before I respond. My God, this boy will be the end of me.

*

EllaB

The August Girl

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