“Lara,” I say as I answer the phone. “Has she arrived?”
“Well good day to you too,” Lara says feigning disappointment when I don’t ask how she is. “She has arrived. You won’t believe it.”
“What?” I ask sitting forward and hoping to hear another scrap of information I can use against Viola.
“I offered her our family apartment until she gets her salary and can pay the deposit on her place. The poor girl burst out sobbing in my office. It was heartbreaking to see how much she appreciated the help I gave her. This is truly one of the best things we have ever done, girl.”
I roll my eyes. I was hoping for something to use against Viola. You’ll have to be careful with Lara, I tell myself. She may be your best friend, but she’s gone all goody-two-shoes on you on this one.
“That’s great. I knew she would appreciate it.”
Amber and Dane drop me off at the apartment. They stay a short while, partially out of curiosity to see what the apartment looks like and to check that everything works.Lara must have had someone come by because the sheets are clean and the bed is newly made. The place looks spotless and still smells of detergent here and there from where the floor or cupboards have been cleaned.Groceries have been delivered and unpacked around the kitchen. I guess Lara is trying to tell me where the groceries should go, in her opinion anyway.I just can’t get over her kindness and I send her another message thanking her as tears threaten to spill from my eyes again. Even Amber and Dane remark at how kind she is. I tell them they’re just as kind for all their help.I make us all coffee and after we’re finished they leave.I take a shower and get into bed but I struggle to sleep. I wonder about the apartment and finally, take a seat on the sofa i
I can’t believe it. I never thought I’d see Viola again. She looks as stunning as ever. She’s wearing a white cotton mini dress. It’s not too short nor too tight but the material clings to her every curve as she moves. The lights catch her dress making it almost transparent. Her hair is still long and she’s got it tied back in a ponytail revealing the soft skin of her face. Her white mini dress contrasts against her light brown skin.I watch her as she heads over to her friends. Her dress shifts over her firm ass as she moves. I wonder how I ever let her go not that she was ever mine in the first place.She chats with her friends and motions to me. They nod and wave. Then she returns to me.“Let’s go,” she says grabbing my shirt and pulling me along behind her. I manage to keep my balance and fall into step beside her. We leave the club and the cool, fresh evening air hits us. She flags a cab and it stops.S
She is hungry. So hungry. I can taste the coffee on her breath as she kisses me again and her tongue darts out seeking entry. I don’t give it. I want to but don’t. I’m suddenly waging a war with myself. She kisses me again and again but gets no response. Finally, she stops as she drops her hand to my crotch. She grasps my erect shaft through the material of trousers and rubs it before pressing herself against me again.“What’s wrong?” she asks as she rubs herself against my shaft.“I… I’m… seeing someone,” I say. I know that as soon as I say it, I’ve done the wrong thing in so many ways. But right now I’m feeling so damn guilty. I’m in a relationship.Her movements against my manhood slow and then stop.“What?” she asks in disbelief. “You’re seeing someone?”I nod.She looks at me as disappointment crosses her
I am angry. So angry. Angry with Rick, with myself, and with the whole damn world. Why does life have to be so complicated? I think I’m angriest with Rick. If I hadn’t met him at the club I would still have been there or maybe found some other nice guy and be jumping his bones right now.What a waste.Amber sends me a message. Is everything okay? Did you get lucky?I answer, No. Don’t want to talk about it either.She calls me anyway. I answer because I need to talk to someone anyway. I tell her the whole story and I can tell she’s genuinely sorry for me.“At least he was honest enough to tell you,” Amber says. “Who knows where it would have led if he didn’t tell you and you developed feelings for him?”“You’re right. Besides, it is partly my fault,” I admit.When I end the call I feel better. I’m glad he told me and didn’t lie and le
I think of my parents a lot these days. They were both unfaithful to one another. I don’t know who was unfaithful first but it doesn’t really matter. They divorced and I spent my weekends with one or the other until I graduated and left for university. I watched them with different partners and came to believe that the institution of marriage is nothing but a lie. Why tie yourself to one person legally? I didn’t know what caused more damage, their infidelity or fighting in the divorce. Never mind the fact that they both tried to use me as a bargaining chip in the process.After my experience, I realized how many of my friends were in the same situation. It was then that I decided to become a divorce lawyer.They say if you become a doctor or a teacher, you’ll always have work. People will always get sick and there will always be education, right? Well, you can add being a divorce lawyer to that as well. People will always get married and divorce
“Rick!”I look up and see Lara. I have met her briefly before but she makes enough of an impression that I couldn’t forget her. She’s like a breath of fresh air.“Lara,” I say. I get up and she shows me into her office.“Congratulations!” she says. “At last someone managed to nail down Christine. It’s about time she settled down.”“You would know better than me on that score. You’ve known her a lot longer than me,” I reply as I sit down.“I guess. I’m just so happy for both of you,” Lara says.“Thank you,” I say.Lara leans forward in her chair and pushes stray strands of hair behind her ear. “So do you have anything in mind for a location?”“It has to be romantic. The place itself. I proposed at the Inn of the Seventh Ray so I guess I have to top that.”“Well, that must have bee
“That’s right,” I nod.“Why?”“Because you can’t even tell me sincerely if you want a second chance with me. He’s committed. And I’ll be damned if I’m going to turn him down just because you turned up.”“Well then what’s the point?” Grady asks. I can tell he is beginning to get upset.I reach across the table and grab the front of his shirt. I yank him towards me across the table and look him in the eyes.“Have I got you your attention pretty, big dick boy?”Grady nods.“Good. Then listen. You. Broke. My. Heart. Got it?”He nods.“Now, if you want a second chance, I’ll give you that but you’re well behind the curve so you better make up time and make it up quick. If you think taking a woman to a nice restaurant, telling her nice things, and making her laugh is going to get you laid then you’
I leave Lara’s office and take the subway home. I can’t stop thinking about Rick. How can the world be so small? Where is the justice in this world, I wonder? I meet the most gorgeous man in the world and we almost get it on before he tells me how skewed his views of love, relationships, and marriage are. Then, when I meet him again, he tells me he’s seeing someone. Why not me? Then in a matter of weeks, he goes from seeing someone to getting married?I can’t believe it. I’m angry. It’s as if the universe keeps rubbing him in my face. You like him. You want to see him. You want to be with him. You can’t have him. I’m so distracted in my thoughts I can’t find my keys. I search for them in my bag. My digging and scratching get more and more frustrated as I near my door. I’m so busy looking for my keys I don’t see him.“I think it’s harder for men to f