‘Listen, I don’t know what this…joke is but I don’t want to be a part of it.’ I said, indignant.
‘I thought we had unfinished business.’
‘And now, eighteen months later, is the time to finish it?’
‘Kay-Kay, I need to…we need to move one. We can’t do that without letting it all out.’
‘We? We? You didn’t think about ‘we’ when you were leaving me stranded at the altar, did you?’
‘I made a terrible mistake, Kay-Kay. I know, but please I need you to forgive me.’
‘Even the mosquito after sucking our blood and elongating his life span, asks for forgiveness.’ I shook my head, blinking back the tears I felt were about to escape.
‘But listen, I’m not a mosquito,’ he leaned forward, sliding his hand over mine. ‘We shared so much together, you know we had happy times. Maybe we should just focus on those times.’
I knew I should have taken my hand from his, but I had to admit it felt good, like that was where it rightly belonged.
‘What if I told you that was one of the greatest mistakes of my life?’ he continued, his fingers still toying with mine.
‘I would say you’re still a great liar,’ I responded.
It was at that moment our meal came. And true enough, he’d ordered spaghetti and salad, my favorite.
How did a man manage to be both bitchy and thoughtful at the same time? How could he walk out on me, on us and still remember stuff like my favorite food?
Slowly, I withdrew my hand from his and sat back. Could the situation get any more awkward?
‘So, what have you been up to?’ he changed the subject like we were old friends catching up.
Well, if he was going to play it that way; two could play that game.
‘Oh…I’ve been up to a lot. It was like, many doors opened and I could do lots of things I had put on hold for a while.’ I lied, glibly.
‘Oh? That’s lovely. Stuff like what?’
‘Just…stuff,’ I said evasive. ‘Much of my life stopped being a lot of your business, Austin.’
‘But you know I still care what goes on with you, right? ‘
‘I don’t think so,’ I lifted the fork to my mouth.
We ate in silence for a while and the shrill ringing of my phone broke the silence.
I glanced at the caller ID, it was Abel.
I pressed the ‘silent’ button.
‘Pick it now, I won’t mind.’ Austin urged.
‘I’ll call back later,’
‘Why not pick it now? Or is it your boyfriend calling?’
I knew he was baiting me, digging around for information on my private life and I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction.
‘I said later,’ I snapped.
‘Or is it the white boyfriend? ‘
‘What?’ I dropped my fork and looked up at him. ‘What did you say?’
‘You heard me,’ he wasn’t looking at me again as he spoke. He seemed more interested in the plate of rice before him.
‘What white boyfriend?’ I asked.
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