Wed. Dec 25th, 2024

#EMOTIONALLY_DETACHED

 

_22_

 

The days that followed were not just tough but draining as well, living under the same roof with two ladies can be quite stressful. Both women were staying in their own lane but the fact that I didn’t know what was running through their minds is what bothered me. Not once had I seen them having a conversation, it was either they were greeting each other or asking where something was.

 

I was happy that Camy was back in my life again but I started to feel that bringing her home was not such a good idea because we had been fighting over petty things. She had changed I must say, she wasn’t the sweet person that I knew if I didn’t know any better I would have thought that someone was either sending her or using her.

 

Raquel on the other hand proved to be more mature than I thought, she stayed clear of my business and only talked to me when she needed something for the child which was also rare. Now this should have made me happy but I somehow missed her and I was slowly losing my mind

 

So I sat there spinning the empty bottle of miller that I had in my hand, it was a Friday and I had knocked off early. I didn’t want to go home yet so I decided I was going to have a bottle or two. I had just asked the bar lady to bring me my third bottle when a familiar voice called me.

 

I turned around and there she was, wearing a black bum short with a loose t shirt and flip flops. One would have thought that she lived just across the street because she looked pretty comfortable in her clothes.

 

‘Hey you.’ I said as I stood up to embrace her

 

 

‘If it isn’t the man that has trended all over social media.’ She said when I let her go

 

I smiled knowing exactly what she was talking about

 

‘Can I join you?’ she asked when I didn’t say anything to her remark ‘Please do, I could use the distraction.’

 

She laughed as she settled just opposite me, making sure to open her legs as she sat.

 

I swallowed hard.

 

She ordered a bottle of spin and started to drink.

 

‘So I hear you took in both your girlfriend and wife.’ She began

 

I laughed, more of a dry laugh because I didn’t expect the news to spread so quickly; but hey who was I kidding because with the way people were misusing social media, it was possible for word to travel like wild fire.

 

‘Well I would rather not get into that.’ I said honestly

 

‘Come on Steph, I am your friend. And it is not like I will go out there and start telling people what you told me.’ She said convincingly I noticed that she wasn’t wearing her ring any more.

 

‘And what happened to you?’ I asked pointing at her ring finger

 

‘Oh, that boat sailed a long time ago.’ She responded taking a huge gulp from her drink

 

‘Oh, I am sorry to hear that.’

 

‘Don’t be, some relationships are not meant to work anyway.’ I looked at her with shock

 

‘Don’t get me wrong Steph, I had a good thing with Marvin but I we are both good people who are not meant to be with each other.’ She responded as tears glistered in her eyes

 

‘I am sorry to hear that.’ I said holding her hand and rubbing it softly She shook her head as if trying to push back the tears.

 

‘It’s rare to meet someone who doesn’t talk ill about their ex.’

 

‘Well just because it didn’t work out with me doesn’t mean that he is a bad

 

person.’ She responded

 

‘You are right.’

 

‘Let us talk about something else, away from broken homes and broken hearts.’ She said getting up

 

‘And where are you going?’ I asked

 

‘You can’t let a good song go to waste.’ She said when a popular song buzzed through the speakers.

 

 

I stood there watching her as she danced, her waist was swift and I could see how different men were eying her. When it was done she came and stood just behind me putting her hand around my neck.

 

‘Boy that felt good.’ She said smiling from ear to ear as she tried to catch her breath

 

‘You must really love the song neh?’

 

‘I love to dance, I could dance the whole night for as long as good music is playing.’ She responded

 

She got her phone from the pocket and looked at the time.

 

‘This is my cue, I need to leave.’ She said

 

I looked at my watch as well and noticed it was just after 7pm.

 

‘I should be leaving too.’ I said getting my jacket which I had placed on the other chair

 

We walked to the car park together and we stood just beside her car.

 

‘That was really nice, we should do this more often.’ She said drinking from the bottle she had carried

 

‘Yah it was quite refreshing, I liked having you around.’ ‘How about tomorrow, what plans do you have?’ she asked

 

‘Well Chelsea is playing and I can’t miss the game for anything in the world.’

 

‘No way, you are a Chelsea fan too?’ she asked showing me a tattoo of the Chelsea logo which she had on the back of her neck I just smiled.

 

‘Let us watch the game together, you can come over to my place. Camy is a Chelsea fan too, I don’t think she would mind. Plus you guys have met not so?’ I asked her

 

‘Are you sure that is okay seeing that your wife is also a part of your life?’ she asked

 

‘Don’t mind Raquel, she wouldn’t do anything. Besides it is my home and whoever is not comfortable with my ways can find their way out.’ I said ‘Tomorrow it is.’ She said with a smile

 

I watched her as she drove off and started my own car. By the time I was getting home it was after 8:30pm

 

‘Good evening.’ I greeted Raquel who was in the living room watching a movie

 

‘Hey how was your day?’ she asked

 

‘It was good thank you.’ I told her

 

I was about to walk away but stopped half way

 

‘I will be having a guest tomorrow, we will be watching the game together.’ I said

 

 

‘Oh okay, I will make sure to wake up early so that I can leave everything in order before I go out tomorrow.’

 

‘You don’t have to, Camilla is here to tend to my needs.’

 

‘I am your wife Stephen, I can’t just stop doing what I have to.’ I smiled

 

‘Sorry who is our guest by the way?’ she asked her eyes back at the screen ‘Your cousin’s ex, Nthombi.’

 

We both turned to the kitchen door when we heard the sound of breaking glass. ‘Are you okay?’ I quickly asked Camy who was now kneeling down ‘I am sorry.’ She responded

 

‘Let me get that.’

 

I went to the kitchen and picked the dust pan and a broom then cleaned up the broken glass.

 

‘Are you okay?’ Raquel asked her

 

‘Yes I am, just being clumsy.’ She responded with a smile

 

We walked to the bedroom together and I straight away went to take a shower. I came out with only a towel wrapped around my waist.

 

‘How was your day?’ I said looking at Camy who was busy on her phone ‘Where did you meet Nthombi?’ she asked ignoring my question ‘Is that why you are being grumpy?’

 

‘Stephen Nthombi is not our friend, why then would you invite her into our home?’ ‘Babe come on, you know Nthombi is my friend and I don’t see the reason why I can’t invite her to watch the game with us; plus you too will be home.’

 

‘Steph I am not a child and I don’t like this idea of having her over.’ She said

 

getting up

 

*

 

Camilla walked to the kitchen where she knew that she was alone, she couldn’t understand what game Nthombi was playing at but she told herself she would get to the bottom of it. She called her line once and a jovial Nthombi picked up. ‘Hey love.’

 

‘Nthombi stop playing these games with me, what is going on?’ Camilla asked ‘Whoa, what is with the change in attitude?’

 

‘I don’t know what you want or what you think you will achieve but I want you to know that Stephen is mine.’ She said

 

‘Oh really, this is coming from someone who is a girlfriend right?’ Nthombi teased before cutting the line

 

‘Damn it!’ Camilla yelled

 

 

‘Are you okay?’ Raquel asked startling her ‘Lord you scared me.’ She said

 

‘Sorry, I heard you screaming so I wanted to see if you are okay.’ ‘I am fine.’ She said with a straight face

 

Raquel knew that she was not welcome so she walked back to the living room ‘So your husband is having a female guest tomorrow.’ Camilla said walking into the living room

 

‘Yep.’

 

‘Yep? That is all you will say?’

 

‘Well I have been living with you in peace, what could another mistress do?’ she asked standing up

 

Camilla stood there with anger not knowing what to do as Raquel walked away

 

..

 

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