Crossroads Part 1

I was at the park. It was a beautiful day.  The sun was shining, and the birds were singing. It had the makings of a perfect outing and I was prepared to take full advantage of it.

I had been stressed at work lately and today was my day off. This was some precious me time. I made my way to my favourite spot under a large oak tree at the edge of the park. I had my blanket and a book. The Hobbit. 

I approached my favourite tree and then I saw them, this couple.  A tall dark handsome young man with long dreadlocks tied at the nape of his neck. Probably early 30’s. The woman was shorter, chocolate brown skin that glowed in the sun, with a smile that could brighten the darkest day.  They were laughing and play punching each other. 

I stood there with a silly smile on my face and all I could think was, whatever the lady had, I wanted some of it. She had the young man with her under her spell. He like a devoted puppy adoring its mistress.

It was beautiful to watch. What’s their back story I wandered? Budding love? Maybe they just met and where at that delicious part of a relationship, the getting to know you part, where everything is exciting even a touch of the hand can send sparks flying.

As they walked by me, I made up a future for them. By the time I had settled myself down in my spot they had just bought a house and their third offspring was born.

I love romance in all its forms. And It does not take much for my imagination to take flight. Ha-ha

Head on my pillow (yes, I came prepared) with The Hobbit opened to page 1. I had barely begun to read the first line when I heard voices. On the other side of my large oak tree was a bench.  Perfect for taking a rest under its shade. I raised my head to see my companions, it was my couple!

I did what any other reasonable romance and human-interest writer would do. I placed the opened novel on my chest. Crossed my arms and pretended to be asleep!

I should be ashamed you say? Nay… they came to me. It was fate, it was destiny. I was going to witness a little part of the romance. I felt honoured.

Soon enough they settled in, I was invited into their world. I had given them names already so in my head they were David and Susan. I heard David say to Susan

“Wow! I can’t believe we are here, together.” 

I imagined David with a wide goofy grin on his face.

“It’s still surreal to me too, I couldn’t believe it when you called  and said you were in the country and wanted to see me…”

Aww Susan, not playing hard to get. I could hear the warmth in her voice.

“So, let me know more about what you’ve been up to these days”. David continued… “How is your husband, how many kids do you guys have now?”

Shocked, right? Me too! I almost woke up from my fake slumber. What?? She was married. I did not include adultery in my fairy tale. See why I hate reality?

She went on in her beautiful warm voice talking about her husband, Jacob, their kids, and all sorts of titbits about her life.  I imagined David drinking up every word. Even the fact that she was not available will not have deterred him. I was sure of what I had seen earlier. 

When she had given a summary of her life, she said “So Tunde…”, (oh, not a David then?) “… tell me, how is married life treating you? I am so sorry I could not make the wedding. My daughter was still too young for me to leave her.”

OK by this time I was close to tears. How could I have been so far off base? Both married. Am I losing my touch?

Slowly the images of their house on the hill and their three kids began to fade. Till I had two old friends now both married, catching up. What a disappointment.

Too late to stop my ruse, I decided to use their conversation to lull me into a real sleep.

“Debbie you don’t know how happy seeing you again makes me feel.”

“I know right?”

“Will you tell me the truth if I ask you something?”

“Of course. What is it? Ask me anything.”

“Are you happy? Does your hubby treat you right?”

𝘔𝘺 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘦𝘺𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯. 𝘖𝘣𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯! 

“Oh yes he does. He is perfect. I couldn’t ask for more.

“I’m glad to hear that. I just want to make sure you are happy.”

𝘛𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘴, 𝘣𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘰.

“Well you can stop worrying I am very very happy.

𝘗𝘩𝘦𝘦𝘸! 𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦

“Thank God then. If you had said you were not happy, I would have had to do something drastic. You know how much you mean to me.”

𝘏𝘮𝘮, 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘶𝘺’𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦?

My friend laughed. It was a lovely laugh. it was real. I could see why this Tunde was mesmerized.  I imagined her dimples.

“Tunde this over protectiveness of yours is still there? You always took things too seriously. Even as a child.”

“No Debbie, I took YOU seriously.”

𝘕𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘮𝘰𝘰𝘵𝘩.

“Well, okay. But that was years ago. And I still insist we were kids. Barely 16.”

“Hmm, Well, we may have been kids in age but the feelings I had for you were deeper than anything I have ever experienced in my life.

𝘞𝘩𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦?

Even Debbie caught it.

“You mean had then? At that time…?”

There was a slight pause

“I know exactly what I said”

Both my eyes popped open now. I could not help myself. What game was this guy playing? From my position on the floor, I was looking through the bars of the bench I could make out Tunde. He had his head down slightly and tilted away from the lady. He did not seem to be trying to bulldoze her. It almost appeared as if he was making a confession. He began to speak again, slowly almost dragging the words out.

“Debbie what I felt then was a full-grown man-sized love. I loved you with my whole heart. With my body.”

𝘌𝘳𝘳 𝘰𝘬𝘢𝘺? 𝘈𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥? 𝘐𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘵?

“What do you mean?” Debbie asked

He laughed. It sounded forced “…You were the first female my body ever you know…reacted too.”

𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘵𝘢 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦! 

“I just wanted you so much. I thought I was going to explode. I was so ignorant on these matters I didn’t even know what was going on with me and there was no one to talk to about it. I was afraid to talk to you about it in case you stopped being friends with me.”

“Aww Tunde how can you have thought that?” Now she gave her own awkward laugh. “But it is a good thing you didn’t push, because if you were ignorant on sexual matters I was even more so. That’s how the next thing we would have both gotten into trouble.”

They both laughed.

“I swear the way It was doing me then ehnn …it is belle you would have carried o…”

“Ha! God saved me. I would have been finished. In my house? That would have been my death!

Tunde was silent for a beat then he said… “We would have been ok; my mum would have taken care of us.”

“Really?” Debbie said softly

“Yeah, Mum is amazing.”

“That she is…But Tunde why are you telling me all this?”

“I don’t know… I guess it is because I never really told you how I felt all those years. I have always regretted it. I know nothing can change now but I just wanted you to know. You were my first love Debs. You always will be. At my age, I still can’t be afraid to speak my mind now abii?”

“I guess not.” She whispered. Her voice sounded a bit wobbly.

𝘖𝘩 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘥𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘳𝘺. 𝘐 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘶𝘱 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴. 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘥-𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 ‘𝘊𝘳𝘺 𝘚𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘊𝘭𝘶𝘣’. 𝘐 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘣 𝘶𝘱 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺

“Heey Heey, none of that.” I saw him reach out to wipe the tear I was sure was falling.  “It’s not a sad thing. We are both good. And look no jokes Debs. I am so glad you are happy. I can go home in peace.  Thank you for taking out time to meet me.”

“Sure.” I heard her sniff “…and Tunde thank you for sharing this with me.”

I saw Tunde give a wide grin and shake his head, was the man blushing for real?

“I need to start heading to the airport. Will you walk me to get a taxi?”

“Yeah.”

They both got up. I slowly raised my head to see the two characters in this drama I had just unwittingly shared. I watched them walk away a bit more subdued than I had seen them earlier. I sat up fully. The Hobbit forgotten. I had to see this to the end.

They stood by the edge of the park giving each other furtive glances. Talking was at a minimum. Words did not seem necessary.

All to soon it seemed a black Toyota Corolla pulled up. I saw Tunde say a few words to the driver and then step back to meet Debbie. He opened his arms and she stepped in. He looked so sad.  I was sure if I was nearer, I would have seen tears. The hug was long and tight. He bent his head low and whispered something in her right ear. Then he abruptly released her and jumped into the car and he was gone. Just like that. 

Oh wow.

I saw Debbie watch the car till it disappeared down the tarred road. Still she stood. I could only imagine what was going through her mind.

I must follow this gist to the end. Stay Tuned

 

𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐉𝐞𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐦, 𝐈 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐫 𝐮𝐩 𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞. 

𝐒.𝐎.𝐒 𝟖:𝟒 (𝐂𝐒𝐁)