Three

CHAPTER THREE

Helen

"Jules," I say, picking up the phone. I leave it on the dresser while I do my skin care routine.

"How has it been going with you and your new neighbor?" she asks, laughing. Everything amuses Julie including my present plight. 

"Oh, you know your brother. His only talent is being an annoying bull."

She laughs and I smile into the mirror, rubbing in my face mask.

"That means he's not as bad," she says in a sing-song voice.

"How bad does it have to be?" I ask, staring at my green face in the mirror. "He's living in my guest house. I have to see him everyday."

Her silence gladdens me. It means she finally gets it. "You poor thing," her voice comes from the other end.

"Why is he doing it though? I spent most of my days in tears while he moved on with his life in jail."

Julie laughs. I get the irony in my talk and I laugh too. Nobody moves on to anything in jail. His life must have been more stuck than mine even.

"Promise me you won't let my brother get under your skin."

That is a hard one, but I nod even though she can't see me. "I promise, I won't."

"Then you'll come for his welcome home dinner tonight. We want to do something nice for him. He's an asshole at times, but he deserves this much."

I shut my eyes and nod once again. "I'll be there."

My schedule is cleared for today. I'm resting today. I just submitted my new book to my editor. I deserve to rest. It's been a long period of sleepless nights.

It's a good thing if I stay inside today, I won't have to see David. So far, he has been just neighborly. He does not come over to engage me in talks. He just waves from across the lawn when he sees me and I wave back. It has been peaceful for me in a way.

After shower and breakfast of scrambled eggs, I begin to work on my illustrations. I once did illustrations for kids and sold it, but now I do it majorly for fun. 

I sit infront of the window facing the lawn with my pad. David is trimming the flowers. I move away to the kitchen where I don't have to see him.

When I was pregnant I did lots of illustrations that had to do with babies. They kept me busy as non of my books were doing well, I had no job and no husband. Julie was busy getting ready to be married. My parents were busy being distant because I got married to David because of an ancestral family feud. My sisters were busy ignoring me, living their dreams on an Island because I was the less smart one who got married without dreams to pursue.

Sad and alone.

That was my life before, not now. I have two books that are doing well and another on the way. So I didn't get it right other times, but from here now, things seem to be looking good.

A knock on the door sets me off my feet and padding across the kitchen to the sitting room. Immediately I open the door, Philip rushes in dripping wet. It's confusing because it's not raining, but the sprinkler is on.

Philip angrily dumps his coat on the floor after removing his boots. I pick the coat and help him get off all his clothings. He is still fuming and hasn't said a word. He couldn't be blaming me for the sprinkler, or was he?

I put his clothes in the dryer before going up to look for him. He's putting on his shirt and short from some of the things he keeps at my place.

"Do you want to have something?" I ask.

He glares at me. "You didn't tell me your husband lives here."

"I told you I was somehow responsible for him. It's my number his P.O knows."

Philip shrugs, obviously angry. "That doesn't explain anything."

I say nothing and he continues, "It doesn't explain why you are still married to him in the papers even when you claim you are separated. It doesn't explain why he's living here or why his lunatic self is your gardener."

"David is a lot of things, but you don't call him a lunatic."

He kisses his teeth and nods. "Right. Yet he soaked me in water this morning. Not a lunatic."

I step aside for him while he steps out of the room then I walk to the bed. I don't know what to say to Philip, but I know what to say David. I know things to say to him since he wants to employ childish tactics to embarrass my guests.

I remain on the bed till Philip returns fully clothed. "I'm sorry you got wet." I concentrated more on his small eyes that wanted to be everywhere all at once. He was uneasy.

Patting the space next to me, still looking at him, I say, "Philip, come sit."

"I came to talk about your book. I didn't visit as your boyfriend but as your agent. So give me a call soon. It's important." He turns and begins to walk away.

"Philip, you don't have to be this way," I say, quickly getting to my feet. 

He turns to me and shuts his eyes like he is gathering all of his strength to speak to me. "Tell me how I have to be."

I walk close and hold his face. "This arrangement is just temporary. I want you to understand that."

He bows and pecks my forehead before he walks away.

After he leaves, I change in to a sweatshirt and pants and storm to David's place. He opens the door smiling and I have the immediate urge to slap the stupid grin from his face.

"I'm glad you are here, Dove," he says. "I need your help figuring out what to wear to this party Julie is hosting for me."

I fold my arms midriff. "David, you want to be a child and embrasss yourself over some adolescent jealousy. Is that what you want to do?"

He laughs. "No, I don't plan to look embarrassing. I want to wear suit or something casual, but neat."

"Philip was right. You are insane and I want you to keep it Incheck. Do your job and don't sprinkle water on my guests."

"I work on your lawn for men to stay off this property. Do you want me to tell you how to get mad?" He is so close to me and I'm scared of his rage. I step back and he follows at the same pace. "We might not be together, but I was once married to you. Respect that."

I laugh. David was using rich words that were way above his person. "Respect?" I ask.

He shakes his head. "I don't want much from you, Helen. Keep to your end of the deal. No men visiting you at home."

I hiss and turn away. "You're so used to everything going your way. I'll shove this one down your throat."

**********************************************

It's been a while I saw David's friends especially Martin. I thought Martin would have stayed close like a brother in David's absence, but he disappeared. In a way, I'm glad he did.

Everyone is here tonight. I was not expecting a huge party but that was one thing about the Gage family — always go hard or nothing. They don't like anything small.

David is putting on a dark blue suede suit and has been hanging around the bar all evening. He even refused to give a speech. Julie's husband, Anthony addressed the guests. I could not give a speech either. What was I supposed to say?

That I'm happy to be reunited with my husband?

That I felt lonely and like a widow in his absence? Oh, this part was true, but people would misunderstand this truth.

Or should I lie and say that I'm glad he's back?

David's eyes meet mine and I allow my gaze to linger on him before I look away. The asshole.

"Helen, good to see you," Martin says.

I smile at him. "Good to see you too, Martin."

"Helen, I am so sorry I have not been there for you like I should," he says, lowering his voice and looking pleadingly at me. "You moved and I could not track you. I tried."

Is Martin apologizing to me? I'm so shocked. I smile and give a careless wave of my hand. "It's fine,Martin."

He cheers me with his glass of wine and walks away. We always did the small talks. For someone that was supposed to be David's best friend, he never felt like it. He felt more like one of David's colleagues at work. He was a ladies man. Was once married to a woman fifteen years older than him. He had very striking features, but other than that, there was nothing fascinating about his personality. He seemed to always have his nose in the air.

I gulp down another glass of wine and look around for David again. He's on the dance floor with a strange woman in his arms. I quickly look away. 

Julie joins me in my table with a piece of cake on a saucer. "Have you had the cake?" She asks, bringing a piece to my lips.

I take it in and let it melt on my tongue and then I swipe my lips with my tongue. "Mmm, it tastes good."

"I was saying that to Anthony and he said all he can taste is ginger. I don't know if he's pregnant."

I laugh and take another piece of cake. Anthony had to be pregnant because the cake was heavenly.

"I think David didn't want this party, but he didn't strongly refuse," Julie says with her eyes on the dance floor.

"I think he was just curious. He didn't want it, but he wanted to know how many guests would turn up for an ex-con." I sip from my glass. I could bet all my money my take was his case. I know that man.

"Do you think he feels like an ex convict?" Julie asks, seeming to be in deep thoughts.

"I know so," I say. "You know why of all our properties, I decided to stay in our current place? Because I thought David would never want to stay there. The neighborhood doesn't fit his taste, but look at him crashing in the guest house."

Julie observes me for a while before she speaks. "I can't imagine how jail was for him or what it did to him."

I shrug and sip my wine with my eyes on David. "He'll be fine, I think."

She puts her hand over mine. "I want to apologize again for the things he made you feel."

I overturn our hands and hold her hand. "Let your brother bear his cross."

She laughs and looks away in the direction David is dancing.

"Does he know about Philip?"

"Yeah. They've met. They chose to relate like small boys."

In the same way my entire life seems to amuse Julie, she laughs again.