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writeamarachi · 6 years

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THREE IN TWO YEARS

VICTORIA

Victoria’s mind wandered as she sipped on her glass of red wine, craving for intimacy and a body to devour. Not just anybody but his body. Her heart pummeled an undiscovered pulse that rendered in places soft and wet. She breathed in deeply trying to grasp ever breath she held inside, then exhaling in an erotic moan. She wanted to play, but hadn’t a teammate. What could she do with her time of need, but stay laying on her pillowy bed fantasizing her lust for him. She wanted him; she longed for his words and hungered for everything he hid within, everything he was afraid of. She wanted to know more than his name, but his name was all she had. She called out in a whispering moan, “Brad!” How she wished he were here, but he was on the other side of the world. Not a land far away, but one that seemed too far to go to at that moment. What could he give her, but a fantasy. She didn’t trust his readiness, or his longing for her. She asked herself, “What do you truly want from me, Brad?” But he wasn’t there to answer. He usually wasn’t there. She turned to her side, folded and rested her head on her forearms as her eyes dripped tears of lament. She wept for her lover, her love. She wept for him, but knew she could not have him, not yet.

BRAD

Brad’s mind raced a marathon. He wasn’t sure of anything. One side drew him to a conclusion, but the other showed vengeance. He was stuck in the middle. He had his new girl waiting, waiting for him to grab her and tell her she’s all his and he is all hers. But there was something preventing him from that act, something stronger than he recognized. He paced back and forth inside his dimly lit apartment in a confusing spree of thought. A woman he loves, no, a woman he once loved who suddenly ended things, is still a hanging picture on his wall. He stopped in his steps and stared at her photo, almost gazing through it as if to summon her alive. His will wasn’t strong enough to remove her from his wall. He told Victoria, his new girl, that he was over that chapter of his life, of his ex-lover, “But why is her picture still hanging there?” he asked himself, aloud. He seemed unable to settle into his emotions.He could not even decide where to go to clear his mind because being in his home, pacing, and staring at the photo was not helping with answers. What drove him wasn’t driving him any longer, and the music he wanted to play wasn’t forming clearly. He stared solemnly at the guitar that rested at the feet of his bed, it was neglected. The confusion was driving him into a dark place, a place he didn’t want to revisit. He finally decided to walk out of his apartment to freshen his perspective.

MANDI

Mandi sat on her stool overlooking her kitchen counter and the entire of the kitchen. She drowned her troubles in a pint of ice cream; it was his favorite ice cream as well. She drifted into a time when they both were in unity, at the top of the world. A time when she was secure in knowing that he was always there for her, but this time things were different. She had to let him go, because her heart was not in it anymore. Brad would probably be there for someone else, he’d be alright. She thpught. After all, she gave him the right to make her his second choice or rather, not even a choice at all, when she told him it was over. As she sat there, twirling the ice cream in its pint, and wished that she hasn’t uttered those words. But what will taking them back do now? Nothing! She thought. She was alone in her house with no one to hold as the minutes grew quiet. Even though she shared the space with her lovely flat mates, they were all asleep. Before they went off to dreamland, they tried cheering her up with stories, laughters, her favorite comedy films and the pint of ice cream she was eating; it helped. But now, sitting alone, he colonized her heart. Every pulse in her body wanted to call him, but she thought it wasn’t going to accomplish much. After all, he answer in that nonchalant tone of his he uses when trying to hide his true emotions. She wished his words would embrace her as they had in the past. Would they? She thought to herself as she looked towards the counter at her phone. She grabbed her phone, held it in her hand in contemplation while twiling her, no, their favorite ice cream.

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

BRAD

Brad walked back into familiar territories, a place he’d sworn off when he was with Mandi. It was the same place his family beleaguered him about in the past. He found himself back there, standing at the main entrance, weighing if he should walk in. It use to be home to him for years, a home with the happiest and worst memories. But before he could make a decision, his best pal, Christophe, tapped him on his shoulders and walked him into Lucky’s Tavern. Maybe Christophe’s vent of all his womanizing would heal Brad’s wounds or even draw him to a decision about Victoria and Mandi. “Brad!” Christophe shouted, as they stood at the bar in Lucky’s Tavern. “Where have you been all my life, man?,“ Brad said jokingly. “Long time now see. What were you doing standing outside like that?” Brad didn’t answer, just yet, as he stared at Christophe’ ordering a beer. He thought of ordering one, but knew it would be the start of a path he did not want to revist. He watched, still on mute, as Christophe ordered his beer and led him to a seat for both of them.purchased a beer for himself. As they sat on the tattered cheers of Lucky’s Tavern, Brad whispered to himself, “Why am I here? Should I get a drink? No. I’ll just wait.“ He had given up drinking for two years since being with Mandi, although their relationship lasted a total of two and a half years. His drinking had led to an all time low, it controlled every decision he made and almost landed him in prison twice. Reaching his low, he’d given up that lifestyle. But, right now, as he sat in Lucky’s Tavern, he knew temptation was at his feet. He knew one drink wouldn’t let him Christophe placed his beer in between Brad and him. Brad stared blankly at the drink in front of him, which left a worried look on Christophe’s face. At that moment, Christophe shifted the drink away from Brad to the side of the table. Brad stared at Christophe’s hands while he did so. “What’s up Brad? You don’t look too well, man.” Christophe asked. “Ah…” Brad said guardedly. “Ah… I’m all right. Just a bit stressed is all.” "My man, you look worse than stressed. What’s eating you?” Brad thought for a moment if divulging his mental and emotional state to Christophe was a good idea. He knew Christophe was his best mate, but laying down all his turmoil onto one man, who might not be in the correct humor to hear anything melancholy, wouldn’t be fair. He held his breath tightly and released a long sigh, which only made Christophe worriedly curious. I shouldn’t have done that. He thought, after noticing Christophe’s inquired glare. “Okay, now I know something is eating you. Man, let me know! I’m sure whatever it is can be easily dealt with.” Christophe said, with sudden enthusiasm to help. Brad, decidedly said, “It’s about a lady…” Before he could finish Christophe sporadically responded, “Oh is it that Victoria lady I’ve seen you with a couple of times before? She’s a fine!” He finished with an oblong smile filled of ardor in his eyes. Brad didn’t know whether to protect the Victoria who had slowly overtaken his heart or to let Christophe enjoy his momentary fantasy of her. He let Christophe enjoy it, but couldn’t decipher what exactly Christophe was thinking of by the look of drooling excitement in his eyes. I just hope he isn’t imagining her naked or worse, goodness! Brad thought. Continuing, Brad said, “Yes, it’s about Vicki.” He paused, then said, “And Mandi.” “Mandi?” Christophe yelped in surprise. “Bro, what else do you want with Mandi? Didn’t she leave you? Forget her, man.” Christophe said, with slight frustration. Brad looked down at the table somewhat embarrassed but didn’t want to hold back his feeling to Christophe. He answered, “She did, but we are sort of trying to be friends now, all according to her. She called me around 1am the other night. I didn’t pick up, but I wanted to call her back. She ended things, and I’m not sure what to do with her and of Vicki. Vicki’s a beautiful lady inside and out, I’m beginning to like her. I’m just confused, man, just confused.” Brad concluded, shaking his head. With eyebrows raised, Christophe spoke, “If I were you I’d leave Mandi alone and go with Vicki. You’ve known of Vicki for a while now. What is it, like two years now? And you both are closer now than before. Having Mandi, there, especially with some kind of weird, ‘I love you, want to fuck you, but we are friends,’ kind of atmosphere between you two, will only complicate things for you, Mandi, and might turn Vicki off. And honestly, I don’t think Vicki’s the kind of girl who’d wait for you, man. She’s probably moving on as we speak.” The words that came out of Christophe’s lips only burnt holes in Brad’s heart. It rang true that Victoria was the best for Brad. Something new, something tasteful and delightful, something risky; he’s always been a risk taker, but what kept him from taking this plunge? He hadn’t an idea. He sat there while Christophe spilled a verbal list of pros and cons but he listens fixedly. He could not escape his best man’s honest words.

VICTORIA

The phone rang, Victoria sluggishly removed her body from the bed to answer its call. Her mind wasn’t letting her eyes make out what was in front of her or where the phone was for that matter. She began to scavenge over her mountains of notes and letters, hoping to find the rings’ location. No luck, until she stared at the side table and located a red blinking light. “There it goes!” she said to herself while running over to answer it. She picked up the call on what seemed to be the last ring and luckily caught the person on the other end. “Hello?” she said as she caught her breath. “Hello, Vicki? It’s your mother.” Not enthralled at hearing her mother’s voice on the other end of the line, Victoria reluctantly said in a monotone voice, “Hello mother. How are you? What’s going on?” Victoria’s mother, Charlotte, did not often call her, but only for emergencies. Victoria only hoped all was well, especially with her father. She didn’t want to hear any bad news adding to her mood. “Vicki dear, don’t be so rude to your mother. I’m only calling because I was concerned about you. Georgia mentioned to me that you weren’t yourself. Are you pregnant, Vicki?” In Victoria’s world, being pregnant would be the last of her worries, but to Charlotte, her mother, it seemed to be the end of the world if any of her daughters became pregnant out of wedlock. Victoria’s instincts were to slam the phone down, leaving her mother at the end of the other line in distress but that seemed a wrong idea. She simply took a deep breath in and exhaled softly out as they taught in her Yoga classed; something to do with calming nerves and relaxing muscles. She figured it’d work for anger as well. “No mother, I am not pregnant. I’m just not feeling too enthusiastic at the moment. It’ll pass. Don’t worry yourself too much.” Victoria exclaimed. “Well, all right Vicki, I don’t want my head bitten off. I will leave you be. But please learn to call me as Georgia does. It’ll be nice to hear how you are from you, not your sister. Also, your father dearly misses you, so call and check on him too. He’d love that.” Relieved that the conversation with her mother was coming to an end, Victoria smiled, saying, “I will, mother. You have yourself a nice evening and tell Papa I miss him so much too. I will talk to you both over the weekend.” Charlotte agreed and both women hung up their phones in accordance. A few minutes later the phone rang again. Victoria could not believe it. Victoria grunted in displeasure as she walked towards the phone. “Hello? Who’s speaking please?” Victoria said in exasperation, hoping it wasn’t her mother again. The person on the other end cleared their throat and immediately Victoria noticed it was a male calling, but didn’t know who he might be. “Hello, Vicki, it’s me Brad.” Victoria placed her hand on her chest as though her heart was trying to escape its cave. His mind spun as fast as light years and her breath was caught in her voice box; she could not speak a word. “Hello, Vicki? You there?” Brad slightly yelled, hoping she did not hang up on him. “Um…” Victoria finally spoke. “Um, yeah, I’m here. Um, Yeah… how are you Brad?” Brad chuckled a bit, and answered, “I’m fine. I was just calling to see how you were. How are you?” “I’m doing great!” Victoria lied. “Just tidying up around here, as usual.” They both giggled, followed by a long awkward pause. Both having nothing but sorrows and aches in their hearts for one another and the situation they were in, they both sat in silence, hearing the other’s breath and background commotion within the phone. Victoria wanted only to tell her love how much she cherished him, but she held herself back waiting to see what he wanted to tell her. What his reasons for calling were. Brad cleared his throat and said, “So… Um, I was wondering if you were up to anything tomorrow, maybe we could both get some dinner, say around 7pm? What do you think?” Victoria’s heart fluttered like butterflies in springtime chasing their next flower. She could not believe she’d have the chance to see her love, again. She did not want to screech like a schoolgirl so she simply muttered, “Yes, tomorrow at 7pm works.” And they both easily hung up after Brad told her he’d give her a call when he gets out of work.

MANDI

“Goodness, it’s cold out here!” Mandi murmured under her breath. She was on her way to see Kathleen and John, mutual friends of hers and Brad’s and the happiest couple she knew. They met the couple at one of Brad’s performances. She wasn’t too excited to meet them because she knew they were aware of her and Brad’s sudden end. She did not want to be appointed the role of announcing their end or even analyzing why they came to an end with two inseparable lovers. It was just not a subject she thought would be wonderful to speak on at the moment. She wanted all but to be reminded of Brad. Her want for him has, in a span of two days, turn into a secret loath of his existence. Not that her love for him did not exist, but her want for him was vanishing. Her heart still sang the songs of ache because it wasn’t so simple to erase a memory of two and a half years, no matter how easy it was to say it. Mandi caught a glimpse of Kathleen and John within the windows of Perdu, one of the couple’s favorite restaurants. It was known that Perdu was the same restaurant the couple met, and it’s the same restaurant they planned on having cater their, unsure but expected, wedding. Thinking of weddings forced Mandi to regurgitate her lunch and skipping a beat in her step, almost falling on her knees. A strange man near her assisted her asking her whether she was alright. She was fine and thanked him, continuing in the direction of Perdu. As she settled in the doors of Perdu, closing her eyes to the warmth that came from as she stood in the doorway, Kathleen and John summited her to their table, which was set for four. She wondered who the other seat was for. She walked towards them with a bit of distaste in her mouth. “Hey!” Mandi said, smiling from cheek to cheek, a false smile she quickly drew on her face from the pits of her stomach. Kathleen and John got up from their seats to embrace her in an exclaim greeting mirroring hers. She sat across Kathleen with a look of curiosity on her cheek. She wondered if Kathleen was trying to set her up with another one of her menacing male friends. The last man Kathleen set her up with was nothing less than arrogant and narcissistic. She did not want a repeat of that night. Kathleen recognized the look on her face and immediately consoled her. “Babe, don’t worry, there’s no one coming. I heard about yours and Peter’s outing and I extremely apologize! I don’t know what I was thinking setting you up with that fool. He seemed enthusiastic, so I…” Before she finished Mandi interjected saying, “It’s all right Kathleen. No need to apologize. The night is behind us. Now how are you lovelies doing?” John felt the need to answer seeing as Kathleen almost wasted her breath, trying to apologize for the faults of Peter. “We’re doing very well, but we haven’t seen you in a while, Mandi. How you are you doing after, you know, the Brad thing? How is that fucker doing, anyhow?” Kathleen looked at John annoyed and said, “Babe, how is she suppose to know how Brad is doing, when they aren’t together anymore.” She turns to Mandi in a shocked look asking, “Unless you have spoken to him recently. Have you?” “No, I haven’t. I swear you two seem more involved in my love life than in your own.” Mandi said irritatingly at the fact that they brought up Brad so quickly. “I don’t care to talk about him if you both don’t mind.” Kathleen and John both in harmony said, “We don’t mind at all. Sorry!” The table was silent for a moment and all Mandi could do was drift off in memory of herself and Brad. From the time they first met to their ending. A bittersweet feeling rested on her tongue. She decided to take a sip of the warm Vanilla Bean, Cappuccino that sat in front of her; Kathleen remembered it was her favorite drink at Perdu, so she ordered it before Mandi arrived. Letting the gulp of the Cappuccino settle in her belly, she knew it was what she needed. She was in need of the perfect mixture of warm and sweet, which wrestled the bittersweet thoughts of Brad. She did wonder what he was up to but hadn’t an idea, but she didn’t want to think anymore of it, because it angered her. It angered her that he couldn’t pick up her phone call, or hadn’t returned it in a couple of days now. She ended things, but didn’t think it would have taken this toll, where they couldn’t talk to one another as friends. She missed talking to him. The remainder of the evening was spent jabbering about both John’s and Kathleen’s future plans together while Mandi, sadly, spoke about her work and school endeavors. She felt all right not having a man by her side or rather Brad there with her, although she wanted to share ideas with him. She felt her own, and was ready to let him go and enjoy her life. Her possibilities seemed limitless. VICTORIA AND BRAD

Waking up from a light slumber Victoria noticed the time recited 5:35 PM. She did not expect to sleep that long after returning from her office. She only expected to nap for an hour or so, but it wasn’t a time she needed to spend analyzing why she slept in. She needed to start getting ready for her evening with Brad, an evening she was looking forward to, to either receive welcoming news or news that will end her chapter with Brad before it even began. She didn’t know what to expect of the evening, but thought to wear her best because no matter the outcome, her memory of how good she looked will stand out the more. She rushed into the bathroom, rinsed herself lightly of the toxins she might have carried with her from her day at work, so she can feel refreshed for the evening to come. After lotion, makeup, and seductive smelling perfume, she slipped her satin red dress over her medium curled locks. She was ready to take on the evening by the groins, dreaming of Brad grabbing her with his masculine build, holding her tightly to a sexual moan. “Oh Brad, you don’t know how much I hunger for your touch, for your voice.” She said as she slipped on her high heeled sandals. She put on her jewelry and grabbed her purse and a light sweater, then walked swiftly on cloud 9 outside her front door. But while she walked down the first couple of steps she remembered that Brad hadn’t called her yet. She smiled at her mishap and walked back into her apartment. She threw the sweater, her keys, and bag onto the couch and sat in front of the television in a trance. She soon rose and walked to the kitchen to grab a wine glass out of the cabinet, a bottle of Shiraz off the countertop and poured.

A moment later her cell phone rang. The caller ID blinked “Brad Mullard.“ She slowly picked up after four rings, refusing to show her excitement as though he could see it through the phone. “Hello?” “Hi Vicki, sorry I took longer to reach you, I was held up with some last minute paperwork. Are you still up for meeting tonight?” “Yes, of course I am. Where am I going?” “You can take a taxi, I’ll pay your way to… Wait, do you have a pen and pad?” “Hold on, I’m getting one now.” Victoria ran to her writing desk and grabbed a pen and pad. “Okay, got it. To where?” Brad gave her the address to Zaranda, a restaurant he’d grown to love, the same as it seemed of Victoria as well. It has been a special restaurant to him when he needed a Five Star-cooked meal without the hassle and pretense but one that held baroque. Brad waited a while for Victoria to arrive at the taxi. He told her to call as soon as she saw Zaranda’s awning; it was impassable. A few minutes went by and a ring came to his cell that blinked “Vicki Vick.” His heart fluttered and stomach filled with butterflies. He hasn’t seen her yet and his body was shaking because of her. This feeling coming upon him, told him what he was doing was exactly what he is supposed to do. He walked outside Zaranda, without a blink, he noticed Victoria standing aside a yellow taxi, his eyes widen. He nearly tripped on his toes, and smiled at her beauty. Victoria giggled at his clumsiness as she waited glowingly by the taxi. As Brad neared her, his fingers grazed her soft flesh, sending shock waves down his spine and hers as well. Before he paid the taxi driver, Brad reached in, and embraced Victoria by her waist, which made her knees feeble. The cab driver yelled out the window for his payment, but when he noticed the two entwined in a kiss, he smiled and cheered for them. Others walked pass Victoria and Brad, also smiling in cheers for the two. Catching a breath from their tight lock both Victoria and Brad beamed at one another, staring deeply into each other’s eyes. They both knew now, that’s where they were, was exactly where they were suppose to be.

[Amarachi Esowe: 12.2013]

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