Thursday, March 28, 2013

Valentines


I was back at work by the second week of January. Just as I expected, it was boring! All the employees were back to their usual work stations but it seemed their minds were elsewhere. Mrs. Wright did not report to work that week. I kept on looking at the calendar each and every day hoping January would come to an end quickly.
As days dragged on and on, end of the month finally arrived. The accounts department started preparing salaries for guys early and by 30th, most of us were paid. Our department didn’t handle a lot of work since most of our work we did before we closed last year. By this time, Mrs. Wright had already returned back to work and taken control of the operations.
Fred and I still had our issues, a month later. Trust seemed like a foreign word to me in our relationship these days. I couldn’t hold on to anything he said to me. We lived like two roommates. We had only had sex once since we came back. I seemed to repel towards him whenever he moved his body next to mine in bed. No one thought of bringing up the subject. We talked about the normal stuff but avoided talking on how or relationship was bordering a silent war.
The month of February came and as quickly as the days came, Valentines knocked on the door. That valentine’s morning, I woke up as usual and prepared breakfast for us. I went to the bathroom and had a shower. Fred was still struggling to wake up as I came back to our room to dress up. He slowly dragged his body and got ready. We had breakfast together before driving to work.
As we stepped in the office, I noticed that the receptionist in a good mood. On her table, there was a big bouquet of flowers.  She greeted us joyfully then handed me a rose.
“Thank you dear.” I said.
“You welcome…happy valentines.” She shouted.
Fred suddenly banged his hands on the table then clicked. He walked away and went to his office. I was stunned so I followed him to find out what was wrong.
“Fred, what was all that about?” I asked referring to him banging the table.
“Nothing really!” he replied taking a seat.
“Fred!”
“It’s just that i forgot today was valentines!” he mumbled.
“Huh? Is that all?” I asked.
“Yes.” He replied.
I walked back to my office. I was angry he forgot about today but the events happening in our lives might have caused it. I decided not to make a big fuss about it and concentrate on work. After about thirty minutes later, I got a text from Fred.  The text was asking me if I could spare time to have lunch with him. I replied yes. It doesn’t hurt to try.
 We went for lunch at a restaurant near the office. It was a lavish hotel. After we had placed our order, Fred started off the conversation. He apologized for the mistakes he had done. He mentioned the calls he had been receiving during the holidays were from a bad decision he had made and promised to change.
“We can’t go on living like this Kate. I need you. I need you back to my life.” Fred said holding my hands.
I was silent.
“Please! I am sorry for making you suffer from my bad actions but please forgive me so that we can move forward.”
“It’s okay.” I replied. “But promise me you won’t repeat that.”
“I would be stupid to repeat that.”
“I hope you will remember that the next time.” I replied.
The food was served and we started eating.

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Shopping


On the second day after we returned from my parents, I did some cleaning at the apartment. The house had gathered some dust since we left and some clothes needed to be washed. Fred had already left the house to go and meet his pal from work in town. I was so happy when he left. I needed some time to myself too. After I was done with the chores, I prepared some salad and ate it.
I looked over at the clock hanging on the wall. It was 2pm. I was bored. I didn’t have any new movies in the house so I just relaxed on the couch while listening to music. I picked up my phone and went through my twitter account. After I was done, I decided to call Ann and see what she was doing. Maybe we could spend some time with each other.
“Hey Ann.”  I said over the phone.
“Hey dear, how are you?” Ann responded.
“I’m doing okay.” I replied.                        
“What are you doing?” She asked.
“I am so bored. Fred left the house to go see a colleague from work and I don’t have anything else to do.”
“I also have nothing to do. Mind if we go shopping?”
“Yes, that would be a great idea.” I replied.
“Cool! Then get ready and meet me at my apartment.”
I quickly had a shower then wore a funky top with some skinny jeans. As I was leaving the house, I noticed the keys to the new car. Fred had not left with it. I picked them up and drove to Ann’s house with the new car. How else could I enjoy the present if I don’t do a drive in it? I texted her and she came down the stairs towards where I was standing.
“Wow, nice car!” She shouted.
“Yea, it was the gift that I was telling you about.”
“It is a beautiful car.” She added. “Are we going shopping with it?”
“Yea, get it.”
We drove to town and got a place where we could park the car. We alighted and started walking towards the business district. Ann was in a purple dress top with some black tights. She had on some ballet shoes. Her belly was really huge. It seemed that she always looked different every time I saw her.
“So give me the whole story.” Ann said.
“What story?” I asked.
“What happened between you and Fred?” she asked.
“Oh that. A lot happened.” I replied.
“Details please?”
As I recounted the story to her on what went on, I felt the pain again. Ann was also making weird expressions with her now fat face of disapproval. I had put on a strong face trying to pretend nothing happened but talking about it now made it seem it had happened.
“I’m so sorry Kate.” Ann said patting me on my back.
“Thanks.”
“Sometimes men act silly at times. We just have to be strong to take it all.”
We entered the first shop and started looking at the clothes hang up. Most of the clothes here were for expectant mothers so Ann got a little overjoyed on seeing this. She tried a few dresses. I suggested she takes the black and white dress. It fitted her better and could accommodate her growing belly. She agreed and paid for the dress.
We did several rounds at the shops and I also managed to get a black pencil skirt. After about three hours, we went to have a snack at one of the several eateries. The day was really beautiful. The sun was just disappearing on the horizon. It was the cue for us. We needed to get home.

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Back to the City


It was time for us to go back home. I have come to hate the month of January! It seems to be always there to remind us of the life we had before the holidays. I had so much fun and drama that it would take time for me to adjust well to work. Fred and I were to report to work the following week.  It was good for us to leave now, as it would give us enough time to rest.
We left our home the next day at around ten o’clock in the morning. My brother and his family had already left at around seven o’clock since he was to report back to work the following day. We loaded our stuff in the car and started driving away. I looked back and saw my mum waving us away. I couldn’t help but feel sad. Her face told a sad story. She was smiling so hard but you could tell she was just forcing it. She was going to be all alone again. With dad not around to keep her company, she really needed us around but we were married away. I made a point to talk to her more often.
Our drive back was so weird. Fred and I spoke so little during our drive back home. I didn’t have much to say to him. He kept on glancing at me through the rear view mirror. It was as if he wanted to say something but he shut it down. I ignored him. As we stopped at a stopover along the way, I went and bought sodas for both of us as he fueled the car. I gave him his soda.
“Thanks.” He said as he received the soda.                                                    
I didn’t respond.  The drive took another two hours before we arrived back at our apartment. As Fred unloaded the bags from the trunk, I went up the stairs and opened the door for him. The house was a mess! Some of my stuff was still on the couch as I had left them when we were leaving to our parents. I went directly to the bedroom and placed my handbag on the bed. As I returned to the other room, I found bags placed on the floor. Fred had dumped them near the door and returned to get the last one. I moved them to the bedroom and started unpacking the clothes. We hadn’t done any laundry since we travelled. I separated the clothes and soaked some of them to be washed a bit later.
By this time, Fred had already come back to the apartment with the other bag. He carried it to the bedroom then came and stood next to me.
“The new car is already here.” Fred said showing me the car key.
“Oh, that’s nice. I thought it was going to be brought next week or something.” I replied. We were talking about the car that we got as a Christmas present.
“I had told my parents on when we were returning to the city so I guess they sent it over today.” He replied.
“Cool. Now we don’t have to keep on hiring a car when we go somewhere.”
“Yes. Anyway, let me shower.” He said walking into the bathroom.
 I decided to start preparing lunch since I was already hungry. I checked the fridge. There were some meatballs and minced meat on the freezer section and some packets of juice on the lower section. I decided to cook pasta and meatballs. I was too tired to cook something that would take longer.  

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

The Past


That was the longest shower I ever had. I stayed under the shower for almost an hour and a half. The warm water seemed to erase away the pain. For the time I was there, I cried a lot. How could something like this happen to me? Was Fred already having an affair just few months since we got married? I found it hard to believe but the evidence of his calls and texts could not be ignored. How do you bring something like this out and accuse him? You would have to also admit that you snooped on his phone.
From the showers, I changed then went and joined the family outside the house. They were having a barbeque. My brother was handling the cooking so I poured myself a glass of juice and sat down on one of the plastic chairs.
 “Glad you finally joined us Kate.” My sister in law shouted.
I smiled.                                                                       
“Where is Fred?” She asked.                              
“He is still in bed.” I replied and took a gulp of juice.
“Too bad he is missing all of this.”                     
We continue chatting up while having the meat. I was so hungry. Fred later joined us and had his share. I think he noticed something was up by the way I was looking at him. He came and asked if I was alright and I replied yes. I didn’t want to mess things here. My family was having so much fun and our argument would upset them all.
My phone vibrated from my pocket in my shorts. It was a text from Sam. My heart skipped a beat! If you can remember, he was my college boyfriend but he had been hanging around for a while. I opened it up and read it.
                               “Happy New Year Catherine! Wishing you the best as we start over 2013.
                                  May your wishes and dreams come true. Cheers!

At least it wasn’t awkward as I thought it would be. I wonder what he was upto. I texted Ann and told her that I had received a text from Sam. She quickly replied.
                             “lol, and the past keeps haunting you.”
I checked my messages and discovered that I had received some texts yesterday night. Most of them were from my collegues from work, Mike, some friends from college and extended family. They were all wishing me a happy new year. I quickly responded to all of them and wished them the best in the New Year. I took a quick glance on my twitter page then returned my attention to what was being discussed at the barbeque. As usual, the topic was politics. My brother always seemed to find a way to bring this up. He was putting across on how the economy was not doing well at the moment and was blaming some officials. Fred on the other side was criticizing his view. I just watched as the two grown men argued. It seemed so stupid and yet entertaining to the rest of us. My mum was laughing her heart out.