EPISODE 24
I sat there with a lot of things going through my mind. Ryan’s eyes pierced into my soul because it was filled with rage and anger like he believed in me and I destroyed his trust.
“Care to join the party?” Lala broke the weird silence.
“I can’t believe this Aaliyah, I trusted you” Ryan blurted out and his words
destroyed me inside.
“Ryan- I…”
“Oh, are you talking about the vase? You know Aaliyah and I was just celebrating our victory” Lala said with a wide smile.
“That explains the champagne” Tasha pointed out folding her arms excitedly. “Shut up Tasha” Lala ordered. At least that suits her right, she deserves it but I’ve got a very big problem.
“I won’t and Ryan I told you to get rid of this traitor but you wouldn’t listen, now see” Tasha breathed out and I was speechless like a masking tape was on my lips, I couldn’t move my mouth or find words, I was far too shaken for that. “Well, I think we need to go…”
“Shut up Michael, real people are speaking” Lala cuts in as Ryan barged out, I ran after him with the hope of making him understand the situation.
“Ryan- Ryan- Ry…” I called after him and stood at his front so he wouldn’t move further.
“Ryan, I’m sorry” I said slowly with my breath hitched for running after him. “Sorry for what?” He said with rage as I bow my head scared of what he could do. I knew Ryan to be cranky but I’ve never seen him this mad and I didn’t know why I cared if he understood the situation or not.
“It’s not what you think, I only came here to come help you persuade her to give you the original vase” I said still bowing my head in fear. Was it fear of looking in his eyes? Because I’ve noticed I get chills just by looking at him. My heart would skip sometimes and I’d smile like an idiot. What was that? I can’t understand it and now he is mad at me and I’m explaining myself to him. What is all this?
“By drinking champagne with her like you are celebrating something, that’s was your brilliant way of magically getting the vase back?” He barked at me really angry and I manage to raise my head up to see his face and it wasn’t looking friendly at all, this was worst than regular Ryan.
“It’s all a setup, and I’m sure Tasha has something to do with this” I lashed out. “Now you are accusing my girlfriend, way to go Aaliyah” he attempted to leave but I held on to his arms.
“You’ve to believe me, Tasha isn’t who you think she is” I tell him and he gave me a more calmer look and I sighed as his brow was raised.
“Guys I just got the vase from Lala” Michael walked in on us as I shyly let go of Ryan’s arm and Michael gave us a suspicious look. “Where is Tasha?” Ryan asked.
“I don’t know if I should say it in front of Aaliyah” Michael suggested.
“You can! I’m part of this team remember? This is all a setup. Lala is trying to get back at me and Tasha is trying to paint me out of the picture so they are the ones obviously working together” I yelled wondering why this two supposedly smart people are too blind to see what I’m seeing. “Aaliyah…”
“Michael, you got to believe me” I faced him but he just hesitated.
“So much for being a team, what’s a team if you are too blind to see what’s going
on and too insecure to trust? To hell with you guys” I said sadly and walked out on
them.
***
[Ryan]
I watched her walk away, I wanted to pull her back and tell her I believe her because maybe a part of me do believe her but that would be admitting that Tasha is the mole in our team and I’m not ready to accept that or even think of that. “I believe her” Michael words jerked me back to life.
“What?” I asked unsure of what I heard.
“I believe Aaliyah, you know your sister she could be skeptical at times and maybe we need to really look into Tasha and her commitment to the team” Michael said looking into the vase. I sighed not knowing what to say, I don’t want to even think of Tasha as the traitor because she means so much to me, after Nadia moved away to Italy, Tasha is the only lady I’ve ever connected with and I can’t believe she could be working with Lala.
“How did you even get that?” I asked referring to the vase.
“Tasha helped me distract Lala as I stole the vase” Michael replied handing over the vase.
“Where’s Tasha?” I asked wondering where she could be.
“In there pretending to care about Lala’s words” Michael shrugged.
“See she is helping us” I pointed out trying to fade out of the notion of Tasha being the traitor.
“I don’t know man, I don’t know” Michael breathed out and I sighed.
“Hello guys, can we leave already” Tasha walked in with a smile and leaned over giving me a kiss.
“What’s that for?” I asked.
“That’s for trusting me. Thank you” she released a smile and I did too.
“Okay lovebirds, time to bounce” Michael interrupted us and I gave him a cold stare before holding on to Tasha’s hands and leading her to the car. ***
Aaliyah
I wandered across the street feeling obscure and vague, I couldn’t understand why Ryan won’t just see that Tasha was the problem we had, can’t he see that? Doesn’t he understand that I’m too weak and tired to be judged? After minutes of walking and not knowing where to go because obviously I don’t know anyone here in Australia, i stopped at the restaurant feeling very hungry but no money on me, I left my money in the hotel and I just spent my lash cash on the taxi that brought me to Lala’s house so I’m officially stranded and I was famished and tired so I decided to call the one person I knew in Australia apart from those people I thought were my friends. I slipped out my phone from my back pocket so I’d call Gregg, Gregg Baldwin; the guy with the ocean eyes.
I brought out his card from my bag and dialed his number.
“Hello” I heard a voice from the phone.
“Hi, am I on to Gregg Baldwin?” I verified before speaking further.
“No, this is his office in Brooks town, are you a client?” The voice asked and it was then I noticed it was a female voice that was speaking to me.
“No- yes, I mean yes and I’d love to get his number back because I lost my phone and lost my contacts too, I’d love to have his Australian number because I’m in Australia right now and I really need his help” I explained praying she gives me the number.
“What’s your name please?” The lady asked.
“Fiona Dean” I lied.
“Okay Miss Fiona Dean, let me go through the records and find your name…” “No no no, my name is not in the record, I met him here in Australia and we had a session in a café and that was before I lost my phone and my contacts so I remembered he gave me his card, that’s why I’m calling” I lied and was getting impatient.
“Okay, please hold on” the lady said and I breathed a sigh of relief still holding the phone to my ears.
“Are you still there?” I heard her voice after about a minute.
“Yes, I’m here” I alerted.
“Okay, I’ll call the number out now…” She called out the number as I brought out a
pen and scribbled it on the card.
“Thank you” I thanked her.
“You’re welcome and thanks. Hope you have an amazing experience” she ended the call and I sighed. I quickly dialed the number and it went through. “Hello” I heard his masculine voice over the phone.
“Hey, it’s Aaliyah” I introduced myself.
“Aaliyah who?” He inquired.
“Aaliyah, the girl you met at the café and tried to cop a session with her” I rolled my eyes.
“Oh! Yes Aaliyah from Brooks” he realised and I smiled.
“Yes, you got it” I replied.
“Wow, I didn’t expect you’d call this soon, that was why I didn’t give you my Australian number” he sounded excited.
“Yea, me neither but here I am, calling you” I panicked a bit.
“So?”
“So?” I repeated his words.
“Why are you calling? You need a session?” He asked.
“Yes and can it be in a restaurant?” I asked.
“Sure, which one?” He asked and I looked at the sign post at the front of the restaurant I was standing at.
“H&Q” I read the post and he chuckled.
“Fine, meet you there in ten” he hanged up and I walked straight into the restaurant taking a seat close to the counter. I took out my phone and saw a text message from Louise.
“I’ve missed you, when are you coming back?” I read and a smile curved on my lips.
“I’ve missed you too dear, when is the exams starting?” I sent her.
“Next two weeks, probably” she texted back.
“Okay, I’ll try and come back before then, hopefully tomorrow” I replied her text. “Tomorrow? That’s great!” She sent back with a smiley face emoji and I smiled sending her the love emoji.
“So any news about Lala?” She texted.
“Yes, sorta. I saw her today, long story cut short, it was a disaster, I’ll fill you in when I get home” I placed my hands on the table impatient and wondering if Gregg would actually come.
“Can’t wait to hear all your amazing stories” I read her text.
“I wouldn’t say amazing but I’ll try and say it’s awful or even worst” I sent her. “Its not that bad gotta go, need to sleep, I’ve got a presentation by six tomorrow” she texted back.
“It’s five in the evening, you are sleeping early?” I looked around the room searching for someone who looks like Gregg or maybe actually Gregg.
“Yes, need to wake up by three to sort out somethings. Okay good night champ. Love you” she texted back and I smiled sending a yellow heart emoji and a purple heart emoji.
“Love you” I replied and dropped my phone on the table.
“Hello” I heard Gregg voice creep up on me. Thank God he came!
“Hi” I flashed a smile.
“Is this seat taken?” He asked calmly.
“No it’s not” I replied. Obviously it’s not, I need someone to pay for my dinner and hopefully a place to sleep because I can’t spend a night at that creepy hotel filled
with crazy heads like Tasha. All I have to do is grab my bag, passport and enjoy my flight back to Paris. Good thing Ryan already paid for my return ticket. “Waiter” I shouted.
“Oh pump your brakes, you haven’t even talked to me” he pointed out.
“Well it’s bad luck to talk on an empty stomach and you are paying by the way” I tell him and he giggled.
“Okay, how are you sure I’ve got money to pay?” He laughed.
“Well for starters, you are a therapist and you are rocking givenchy and that cost a lot of money so one dinner wouldn’t hurt” I referred to his clothes, he had a givenchy jacket on with a Calvin Klein jeans on white canvas which really was classy and kind of attractive.
“You are an analyst, I see that” he smiled.
“No I’m a fashion designer, I attend Meghan Fashion School in Paris, you know Madame Meghan right? She is very famous” I tell him as the waiter came to collect our orders.
“I’d love to have the heart of the ocean with some fries and cranberry pie for desert” I ordered and Gregg gave me a ‘really’ look. “What?” I faced him.
“Heart of the ocean?” He asked curving his brow.
“It’s on the menu” I showed the menu to him.
“Sir, what are you ordering” the waiter faced Gregg.
“Just wine” he smiled as the waiter walked away.
“Just wine, really?” I gave him an eye roll. Honestly I feel safe with him maybe it’s because I know he is from Brooks town and I know people from Brooks are really nice, he is like a brother to me.
“What? I’m going to have dinner at home with my family” he smirked. “Family? Like you got a wife?” I asked as the waiter walked in and dropped our orders on the table.
“Thank you” I said and dived right in starting from the shrimp.
“No, just my mom and Dada” he smiled sipping his wine.
“Dada?” I curved my brow really masticating my shrimp.
“That’s what I call my dad” he smiled and I nod really digging the food, the heart of the ocean is not that bad. Its just shrimp, prawn, fish, seaweeds and some other things I can’t really I identify.
“So I thought you wanted a session?” He peered into my eyes.
“And I thought you said your parents were in brooks?” I tried changing the subject because it would hurt if I tell him I called him for food and housing.
“Yes but we just came here for a family wedding and we’ve got a house here” he tells me and I nod happily. It wouldn’t be weird sharing a house with his parents, it would be embarrassing but I’ve got no choice. “About the session?” He asked.
“How about we do that in your house?” I tell him shamefully feeling like a whore.
“My house?” He raised his brows.
“Yes” I nod.
“Okay tell me, are you homeless? I fed you and now you want to spend a night in my house” he looked at me and I just drank all my wine without saying a thing. “Fine, we have an extra room” he agreed without me convincing him much and I was scared, I wouldn’t lie, going home with a stranger scared the shit out of me but I’d soon die anyways so.
After I finished eating, I followed him to his car, we didn’t talk much after I asked to go with him to his house but I didn’t care, I can’t sleep on the streets in Australia. “So Aaliyah, we can talk now” he started his car and started driving. “Why are you so interested in knowing about me?” I asked wondering.
“You look burdened and you keep to yourself a lot which is bad because it could cause some psychological problems” he explained in his therapy English. And he is right, I keep to myself a lot.
“Well, let’s say I’m married and still single and I kind of got on the bad side of my husband- you know what scratch that, I need to rest” I faced the other side. “You had an argument with your husband and he kicked you out?” He asked.
“Why do you need to know?” I lashed out.
“Because I’m driving another man’s wife to my house, I need to know what I’m up against so I wouldn’t see a angry man punching the hell out of me, I’m not a fighter” he laughed.
“It’s good you find humor in it but no one is going to show up at your doorstep and
beat you up, trust me” I shook my head.
“Ouch, bad marriage?” He winced.
“Please, I don’t want to talk about it” I shoned him. We remained silent till we got to his house, it was a mini flat with three bedrooms, Mr and Mrs Baldwin shared one and Gregg had one and thankfully the last one is for me or so I thought. “Welcome Gregg” a young girl jumped on him. “Hey sis” he hugged her. They look so adorable.
“Who’s this? Your girlfriend?” She asked.
“No, just a colleague who came in and had no where to stay” he lied.
“Oh! nice to meet you, I’m Maggie” she introduced herself.
“Aaliyah” I smiled.
“Is mom and dad in?” He asked.
“Yes we are about to have dinner” Maggie led us to the dinning room.
“Hey mom, hey dad” Gregg walked into the dinning room.
“Good evening sir, ma’am” I greeted and they welcomed me with a warm smile.
“What a beautiful lady, is she your girlfriend?” His mom asked.
“No, she’s a colleague” he drew out a chair for me.
“Oh too bad, she’d make a gorgeous girlfriend” his mom complimented.
“Thanks” I blushed.
“Stop it mom, she is married” Gregg glanced at me.
“Married?” Mr Baldwin arched his brow.
“Yes” Gregg replied.
“Nice” Maggie said dishing out food.
We had or they had dinner because I wasn’t really eating because I was already full. They had dinner talking about random stuff and this and that, soon the doorbell rang and Gregg went to answer the door.
“Aaliyah” I heard my name and I stood up and walked towards the door.
“Do you know this man?” Gregg asked.
“Yes he is my husband” I replied slowly.
“No one is going to show up at your doorstep and beat you up” Gregg whispered. Dang it! How the hell did Ryan find me and what does he want? .
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TBC
MARRIED AND STILL SINGLE
[Broken vows]
by berlie
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