Lies And Pain

Chapter 16

Lies And Pain.

Lyla Atelo.

I was done buying the foodstuff from the supermarket and I had decided to get some chocolate. I wanted to use them as an apology gift to my best friend. No matter what happened, she was still the woman that was there for me when Michael was gone. She had been my own strength and pillar to keep going, always encouraging me to learn new skills and be better for myself.

I pulled up in front of her mini mansion again, honking for the security to open the gate. I knew there were security cameras and the gateman would be able to recognise my car. My stomach churned in anxiety. How was she going to react to seeing me? We had a lot to catch up on, especially the fact that I had gotten the teaching job and she had bagged herself a boyfriend. Kendra always told me how much she hated men, and now, she called a man her boyfriend.

Way to go, girl! I praised her in my mind as I drove inside after the gate was opened.

"Welcome ma!" Sylvester, the gateman, waved at me. "The missus has guests over and they are at the pool."

I waved back at him, sticking my head out of the car to flash him my brightest smile. "Thank you, Vester. I'll drop something for you when I'm leaving, okay? Just remind me."

He nodded with the widest grin I had ever seen. With that, I drove deeper into the compound, reliving the memories of what had happened the last time I was here. I parked the car in the front of the house as usual, ditching the garage. I wanted to be out of here in a jiffy because I had guests to prepare a variety of meals for.

I grabbed the six boxes of chocolate as I made my way around the house towards the swimming pool. I head giggles and splashes. Kendra was really having the time of her life.

I paused in my steps and put the boxes of chocolate down for a moment. I whipped my phone out to call her. I needed something to find out how she would react if I showed up in front of her bearing gifts..

I could hear her phone ringing from a distance. I could hear when she hushed everyone and rushed to pick up her phone. I could hear the deep sigh... I guess it was by seeing my name flashing on her caller ID. My heart broke a little.

Was she going to pick the call?

"Hello?" I was initially stunned that she did answer. "How can I help you?" Her voice was cold.

"Kendra..." I began, lowering my voice from where I stood. "About that night... I wanted to apologise. I was wrong. I couldn't have assumed such horrible things about you. Can I come over to your place? Let's talk things out..."

She didn't reply for a few seconds before she breathed into the phone and answered. "Fine. You will only have two minutes, after that, I'm throwing you out."

That brought a smile of relief to my face. "One second is all I need."

With that, the call was cut off and I breathed out in relief. Things were going to get better. I tucked my phone away and bent low to carry the boxes once more, moving towards the corner that would burst towards the pool when I heard the conversation that ensued.

"Who was that?" A voice that sounded vaguely familiar reached my ears. I presumed that the person was asking Kendra about me.

"Nobody." Kendra answered immediately without missing a beat. "You remember the so-called wife of Michael Atelo? She's the one."

The way she talked about me made me freeze in my steps. Why would she say that?

"Oh, that girl?" The other woman chuckled. "Did you see her face when her husband was trying to explain things to her? The shock and shame... especially when it was more obvious that she cheated on him that night."

"Yeah... I hate her guts!" Kendra laughed. "If we weren't paid by Michael, gosh, that sum was huge! But if we weren't paid, I swear I might have hit her in the face. She's too pitiful and weak for my liking. A country bumpkin! I wonder what Michael saw in her. He deserves much better than that thing!"

There was a searing pain in my heart. My throat tightened and I could feel the beginning of tears glistening at the corners of my eyes.

"What does she want from you, then?" This time, it was a man that spoke. And I instantly remembered who they were. The people from that night... The people that Michael had brought home to explain his innocence.

"She wants to apologise! Imagine that..." Kendra said with an acrid tone. "Like I said... I wouldn't want to associate myself with that kind of woman, but her husband makes it possible for that to happen."

My heart sank even further as I leaned in closer to listen.

"What do you mean? Are you actually having sex with him?" The other woman seems so invested in the conversation.

Kendra was quick to deny that allegation. "Of course not! Do you want to know how I built this mansion? It's all his money! He has been paying me for the last six years to keep an eye on his wife and build a good relationship with her. At first I thought he was only looking out for her, but he has an agenda. I know he's looking for a way to divorce her anytime soon."

The more I listened, the more broken I got. I felt soulless. Helpless. Empty. So, this was all a lie? All of these? Kendra's friendship? It was all a lie?

I dumped the boxes of chocolate on the ground, not caring if I was going to be heard or not, and turned back towards my car. From the minute my hands touched the ignition till the minute I finished cooking, my eyes were blurred with unshed tears. All I could feel was an unimaginable amount of pain.

The pain I felt when my grandmother and mother were taken from me.