Chapter 10

"Oh, please. You don't expect me to spend the night at my place after being away from town for days," she states, and I tense.

"Where else will you spend the night if it isn't at your place?" I ask, puzzled.

"Where else but your place?" I grimace at her suggestion. Surely, she can’t be serious.

"You know the rules, mrs Wilson ," I remind her before stepping away.

"Come on Nathan don’t you think it's time to reconsider those rules?" she pleads. I sigh as I round my desk to take a seat. I stare at her, unsure of how to handle the situation. To be honest, Mrs Wilson has been patient and cooperative when it comes to my boundaries. These rules have guided me for years, helping me protect my heart from the kind of devastation I experienced with Natalia.

"Mrs Wilson ,you agreed. My place is off-limits. What’s wrong with your place anyways?" I ask, furrowing my brow. The last woman who was ever at my place was Natalia , and even then, it was the cottage at her father's estate, not where I currently reside.

Mrs Wilson pouts and moves over to sits on my lap at my desk.

"Come on, I'm your girlfriend. I should be an exception to the rule," she protests.

"Mrs Wilson , let’s not dwell on this," I gently express. Another thought crosses my mind. Perhaps she is tired of our arrangement. Her suggestions could signify a desire for something more. Why is it that women often yearn for more? All I want is simple, a successful life. I understand the need for companionship, but I must establish boundaries to protect my heart from involvement.

"Do you want to go out?" I inquire. She gasps and shifts to face me.

"What! Are you breaking up with me?" My head starts throbbing as she raises her voice.

"No, I never said that. I asked because it seems like you want more, and I want you to know that I’d fully understand your feelings. I'll willingly let you go if you find a better man who’s ready to take things further with you," I honestly convey.

"Why would such a thought even cross your mind?" She asks, puzzled.

"Maybe because I know how women are. You desire a full-fledged love story, which I’ve made it clear I’m not suited for right from the beginning. So, I'll respect your decisions if you find someone else," I explain.

There is a stretch of silence before she says, "I'm going to pretend like I didn’t hear that,” trying to brush off my comment.

“I haven't found anyone else, and you're the one I want to be with. I'm sorry for pushing the boundaries, but that doesn’t mean I want out. I enjoy being with you, so I'll wait for as long as it takes for you to change your mind," she declares.

Her words echo those of Natalia . I recall how Natalia promised me forever only to disappear just a day after that unforgettable night. I can’t decide which hurt more - her disappearance or discovering she’d left with another man. How could she profess so much love and then simply leave me? She didn't even have the decency to tell me in person; instead, she chose the coward’s way out.I'm over that now.

I shake my head and focus on Mrs Wilson . She’s a sweet person. Maybe if things were different, and I wasn't a so scarred, I might consider taking our relationship further. Previous women before her have tried the same, only to meet a similar end.

The only problem is, I haven’t felt that spark with any other woman. I still remember how Natalia 's presence alone made me feel alive.But what did I gain from that?With Mrs Wilson it's just plain attraction much like with the previous women, which is even better because it means there’s no chance of my heart ever getting involved. I figured this out a while ago.

"Come on, let me tell you about my trip," Mrs Wilson insists, and I force a smile. She spends the next few minutes talking about her trip to Gara Islands, and while some aspects intrigue me, I have to feign attention. Doubts starts creeping in about whether continuing this relationship is the right choice. Mrs Wilson may say she doesn't want more, but her actions say otherwise. I’ve lost count of the times she’s subtly raised this issue. I'll see what the next few weeks hold.

3

Natalia

"Damn it," I mutter, cursing under my breath as I stare at another email from the electricity company. The pile of bills keeps growing by the day. I jump when my phone rings. My heart fills with anticipation and hope, praying it's a job offer from one of the companies I’ve applied to. But it’s Bekah .

"Hello," I answer with a sigh.

"Girl, you won’t believe who I just saw. It's Nathan . Remember him?" She says. I have no idea who she’s talking about, so I admit it.

"No,"

"Oh, come on! He was the guy hitting on you the other day at the Cafe," she exclaims. Her words bring back memories from that day. It was the day I lost my job, and I was pouring my heart out to Bekah about my never-ending problems. It feels like I'm destined for bed-luck. Every time things start falling into place, something comes along to ruin it. The only good luck I’ve had was getting Jason, my late ex-husband, out of my life. Just when I was finally getting my life back on track, the company had to let me go due to the damn inflation affecting the country. I gave ten years of my life for R&R only for them to treat me like trash.

"He asked for your number again and I gave it to him," she says, snapping me out of my reverie.

"What!" I yell.

"Why would you do that?"