True to Cathy’s thinking, Zach was standing at the window, watching the street and awaiting her return. Recalling what had happened earlier, he advised himself not to ask her any questions. But he was itching for answers! He watched her pay the fare, step out of the taxi, adjust her clothes, and walk nonchalantly into the house.
Cathy’s breath caught in her throat, lost for words. She looked at her husband, who was also looking at her, expecting an answer. When none came, he repeated, “Where is your wedding ring, Cathy?” She should say something, she thought. She just did not know what to say. She fumbled, “I… it… oh Zach, I
Zach immediately carried Cathy off the floor and onto the couch and turned the fan on. “I’ll get the alcohol,” the other man offered. Zach was too worried at that moment to have noted that the man was familiar with the house. When they had revived Cathy with the alcohol, the other man went to
Cathy woke up with a start. She checked the time displayed on her digital bedside clock. It was 4am. She sighed and quietly got out of bed and went to the bathroom. She had to take a quick shower because she was sweating profusely. She had just had a terrible dream in which Dale had come to the house threatening to kill her if she did not return to him.
For some interesting reason, Cathy did not feel the least bit inclined to go anywhere that evening. She just wanted to be at home, watch movies, lie in her own bed, and yes, wake up at any time without any kind of pressure. So Cathy stayed at home and watched her series of movies.
When he raised his head, his eyes were glistening and his heart was thumping a little faster. The events of the past few hours kept replaying in horrible detail. What he should have done when Delilah walked into his house uninvited played out in 3D in his mind and he felt his heart tear a bit. He had to find Bech and tell her his side of the story. He should have done that a long time ago. He recalled one instance when they had been alone in the open-air bar and he had opened up about his childhood. He had seen the compassion in Bech’s eyes. He knew she would have understood him but he had been too timid to let it out.
Jade looked at Delilah, his tormentor. Indeed, not all women are to be messed with. Some of them are more venomous than the fierce snake. He had bitten more than he could chew. Why would she show up just when he had begun to put his life together? How had she even found him? His tracks were well covered. He shook his head. Indeed, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.
Love is tricky, Lily thought. One moment, it’s all breeze and bliss; the next moment brings anguish and agony. Lily didn’t know where to place her friend Bech on the love radar. Why was she crying right now? Surely, she didn’t love Jade, did she?
Bech had chosen to stay away from Jade for a while. She avoided places she knew he would be, like the public library, the open-air bar, or the washing bay near the open-air bar. She did not answer his calls or messages, even though she read each of his messages twice, first for an overview, then for context. Today, she was at home, trying to catch up with her reading. But she just couldn’t keep him out of her mind. It had been a week since their last encounter but every day felt like a loop, replaying until she fell asleep. Once or twice she had had the same dream as the first one, but this time the dream began with Jade confessing his undying affection for her and kissing her passionately.
While Bech and Lily were chit-chatting in Lily’s hall, Jade was alone at their table, contemplating his life. He could not believe his luck, that a woman he wanted did not want him back. It had never occurred in his life. He was the ladies’ man; other men came to him for tips to win a woman, and they had returned with appreciative testimonies. Had he assumed too much?
