#EMOTIONALLY_DETACHED
_16_
I let go of Stella when I noticed how Raquel was looking at her, probably because she couldn’t recognize her. And even though I would have loved to see how she would have reacted without knowing that Stella is my sister I decided to be mature about it.
‘I haven’t had the chance to introduce the two of you.’ I said warmly
‘Meet Stella my sister, the only woman that can put me under her tail.’ I said with a smirk on my face, causing Stella to laugh lightly as she lightly hit my back
‘Stella, my wife Raquel. I am pretty sure you remember her from the wedding.’ I added
‘Oh.’ Raquel said almost embarrassed and I saw how Stella wanted to laugh ‘I am sorry, you know Stephen is not one to trust around women.’ Raquel said causing Stella to laugh
‘I like you sister in law.’ Stella said still laughing ‘I might just like being your friend.’ Raquel added
‘Hold on, are the two of you ganging up against me?’ I asked when the two ladies sat down in my office
I just closed the door as I noticed that Stella wasn’t going anywhere anymore. ‘Wait, did I ruin the fun? Did you bring lunch for your husband?’ she asked emphasizing on the husband
‘Well, I wasn’t home and I passed through steers. God I love their burgers but I am not one for eating alone, so I thought why not get him one as well.’
‘Lord I love the burgers from steers as well, I might just grab the one you got for him since I have already fed him and I hate wasting food.’ Stella said opening the plastic and grabbing one burger
‘Well you two, I better be going. My kid is knocking off soon and I better be home to see that he doesn’t mess the house.’ She said getting up
‘And by that she means her husband.’ I said when Raquel showed a puzzled face The two ladies said there good byes and I was left alone with Raquel in the office. ‘So did you get your car?’ I asked now on my feet as Raquel was also leaning against my table saying how she was tired of driving.
‘I did though that was an issue with dad.’ She responded making inverted comas in the air
‘Well it is good to see you.’ I told her as I moved closer to where she stood ‘Stephen don’t act like we are the best of friends.’ She said and I could tell that she wanted me as much as I wanted her but was just playing hard to get
So I moved a little closer and put my arms around her waist. ‘Do you really want me to stop?’ I asked whispering in her ears ‘No I don’t, but I know I will regret this tomorrow.’ ‘Why?’
‘Because the last time we had s£x a lot of people were hurt in the process and so many lives were changed. So even if my body wants you, I better listen to my sixth sense.’ She said
I was drawn back, my emotions all over the place. I couldn’t remember the last time I was with a woman and being this close to Raquel had awoken emotions that I was trying so hard to avoid.
‘I am sorry for coming at you like that.’
‘It’s fine.’ She smiled
She said her goodbyes and added that I would find her home, I had no idea what was happening to me but it looked like I was slowly being drawn to her and whatever she did had an effect on me.
I straight away went back to work and in no time I was engulfed in my work, the Ministry of Education had contracted my company to build a new university in Muchinga and that is the plan that I was tirelessly trying to execute it.
By the time I was getting home I was drained, my back was hurting obviously from sitting the whole day and I could feel my feet getting sore.
Raquel was sleeping on the couch when I got in. I covered her with the thrower that had fallen off and went ahead to take a shower.
By the time I was done, she was already up and warming food in the kitchen. ‘Hey.’ I said
‘Hey, how was work?’ she asked
‘Tiresome and I am hungry.’
‘Let me warm the food so that we eat, I am hungry as well.’ She said before yawning
I noticed she was wearing leggings and one of my t shirts which had obviously remained in my room.
‘That shirt looks better on you.’ I complimented
‘Boy please, I make it look good.’ She said sending me in a wave of laughter
*
STELLA
I had spent some time thinking of everything that had happened between I and my brother, yes he had made mistakes but those mistakes didn’t directly affect me and so it wasn’t right for me to try and crucify him.
On the contrary what he needed was I by his side because I was certain his marriage wasn’t bliss.
So I went an extra mile by preparing him his favorite food, I dressed up and went to visit him at his work place.
The smile he had on his face when he saw me was priceless and that was evidence enough that I had made the right choice by going to visit him.
We talked like old times and I made sure not to ask him about what was going on his life or his marriage, I wouldn’t meddle and I would just wait for him to open up.
So when his wife came in I knew that it wasn’t that bad, it’s like they had found a way of living with each other because he wasn’t as miserable as he looked when he had come to visit me.
So after talking to her, I too decided I would try as much as possible to get along with her for the peace and sanity of the family; after all it wasn’t in my place to hate her.