5/Plagues Upon His Soul

Dean’s POV

The hurt in her voice hit me like a direct punch to the gut. How did she know about Brooklyn? How did she find out?” My instincts had me almost doubled over in pain, but the fear of missing those last few moments with her held me in place.

Why didn’t I stop her? I should have done everything in my power to keep her from ending our relationship, but instead, I got up off the sofa and stood to walk out. My hands clenched into tight fists, angry that our special night ended so abruptly. Did I feel guilty? I don’t know. Since I had never felt that emotion before, I knew I felt defeated. The hurt she radiated nearly killed me. How could I have broken her so?

I felt I needed to explain and make her understand. But I had too much pride to beg. But before I could utter a word. She dashed any hopes I could ever have when she swung her front door open for me to exit.

I thought I should at least try to make her listen and get her back in my arms. What could I say? I’m ten plus years older than her. And here I am at thirty-four and potentially avoiding true love. But how did she know about Brooklyn? It is what got stuck in my head. But I couldn’t ask her that, then I would have to admit that I had done something wrong.

Deep down inside, I knew Janiya deserved more than I was willing to offer her. And yet I didn’t want to end things here; I owed her that much respect for not coming up with any lies or excuses. So, I got up off the sofa and got dressed. I wasn’t going to deny or confirm any of her accusations about Brooklyn. I pretended to be confused by her actions, which led her to throw me out of her place. So, I left, walking across the hallway to the elevators. She’ll come around once she realizes I’m not acknowledging her accusations, which will make her think she was wrong.

I stood in the elevator, and I saw this look in her eyes as the door began closing. I tried to keep it open, but it was too late. I wondered how much damage I had done.

That night, sleep would not come. I paced my apartment, replaying every word, every glance, every sign I might’ve missed. The city lights flickered through my window, but inside me, the darkness only deepened. Had I truly lost her for good? Or was this just another test of how much either of us could endure?

My phone buzzed once again. I stared at the screen, thumb hovering, heart pounding. Was it Janiya? Or someone who could finally reveal the truth behind that look in her eyes?

I didn’t answer because I didn’t know what to say. Sorry wasn’t an easy word for a man like me. Instead, I watched the city and wondered how many chances a person got to fix a mistake before it became their legacy.

Somewhere out there, Janiya was deciding her own future. And for the first time, I wasn’t sure if I would be part of it.

But I still can’t believe I got rejected by someone like Janiya. Most girls like her would be glad to have a man like me. It caught me entirely off guard. And I still don’t understand how she found out about Brooklyn; that really worried me. I’ve always trusted Franklin to the point where I would put my head on a chopping block, that he didn’t leak my secret. So, how did she find out about her? I must hurry and do damage control. Because if Brooklyn Henson finds out about Janiya. Lord, help me.

*******

Several weeks went by, but this Monday evening, admittedly, I had been hiding in my office; to be honest, for the past few weeks, I’ve been keeping a low profile around this place. My mind had been filled with Janiya’s strange behavior and the knowledge she had obtained, and I still hadn’t figured out how, or what it meant for the two of us. Then a sudden knock came at my office door. I tensed until I heard the voice, and let out a sigh of relief.

“Hey, Dean, are you in there? Man, what’s going on with you?”

“Not now, Franklin.”

The truth was too hard to swallow. Though I would never admit it to a soul, I never deserved Janiya’s love.”

But I didn't want to let her go. Why couldn't I accept what was now so clear? Despite trying to convince myself that my feelings for her were selfish, they poured out of me with every breath, every thought, and every thump of my heart. I wished I could simply say goodbye, but I realized I cared for the girl more than I thought.

Her rejection stung me, and our parting brought on an unusual pain for a man like me. Typically, I was the one doing the rejecting, with women often begging me to stay. Now, the shoe was on the other foot, and it isn't easy to take off. After pacing the floor for hours, I finally sat down at my desk and glanced at the calendar, realizing that two weeks had passed since I had seen or heard anything from Janiya. Surely, she must regret her decision and is considering coming back to me. After all, she’s never had a man like me, who could give her a lucrative lifestyle and treat her like a queen. I know a girl of her status can’t resist a man like me. I want to see her. Could she be avoiding me? Maybe she feels bad about the way she acted that night at her apartment.

I can’t just sit here in my office day after day without seeing her pretty face. In the past, we would make a point of seeing each other at work when we walked down the hallway, met in the break room, or rode the elevator together. Though my relationship was a secret, Janiya had her cute ways of interacting with me, and only she and I knew about our secret winks and hand touches. Sometimes I would give her backside a nice pat and squeeze without anyone noticing. I want those days back, and I want them never to stop. But now she will probably avoid me because she hates me. Please say it isn’t so.

I slumped into my chair. “Women! Why do I waste my time!” But the realization hit me that I had to do something to show how I feel, so I sent her a precious gift. A few minutes later, my phone vibrated, indicating I had a text.

“We need to talk. I know what you did.”

I stared at the message, my mind racing. Was it Brooklyn? Or someone I hadn't yet considered? The silence in my office pressed in, broken only by the faint hum of city traffic below. I typed a reply, then deleted it; my hands were shaking. For the first time, I realized I wasn't in control of this situation, and as midnight approached, I knew the truth lurking in the shadows would change everything.