Chapter 2

Kristen’s hand hovered over her phone, her heart pounding with uncertainty; she desperately wanted to confide in her friend, Isla about the condom she had found in Clyde’s pocket, but something held her back. A wave of fear washed over her as she wasn’t too sure of what Isla might think of her. 

It wasn’t the first time she was going to confide in her about what she suspected and noticed with Clyde’s actions. Isla would always say to her, “You’re worth more, Kristen, you have every reason to leave Clyde but I know you won’t listen because of the only God knows love you have for him.” 

She thought to herself if speaking about it to her would make any changes or if it would make the matter more complicated.

She pondered, lost in her thought as she fidgeted on a spot and eventually walked back and forth to the sitting room. She could not stop picturing Clyde with another woman in her mind. She wagged her head with a deep sigh and eventually scrolled through her contact, her fingers trembling, and finally landed on Isla’s name.

With a deep breath, she pressed the call button, her heart racing with anxiety, and after a few rings; Isla’s voice came through the line.

“Hey, Kristen! What’s up?” Isla greeted cheerfully.

Kristen’s voice quivered as she struggled to find the right words. “Isla, I… I need to talk to you about something.” she began

“Sure, what’s going on?” Isla replied, her voice softening with concern.

Taking a shaky breath, Kristen plunged ahead. “I… I found something in Clyde’s pocket today,” she confessed, her voice barely a whisper.

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line before Isla spoke again, her tone grave. “What do you mean? What did you find Kristen?”

Kristen hesitated for a moment, her heart pounding in her chest. “A condom,” she admitted, her voice barely audible.

Isla’s response was swift and unforgiving. “Kristen, I warned you about Clyde but you won’t listen to me.” She said, her voice laced with frustration. “I told you he can’t be trusted.”

Tears welled up in Kristen’s eyes as the weight of Isla’s words settled over her like a heavy blanket. “I know, Isla” she whispered, her voice choked with emotion. “But I… I thought things would be different. I never thought it would turn out this way.”

Isla’s tone softened, filled with empathy. “I know, Kristen. I understand but you deserve better than this,” she said gently. “If Clyde can't be faithful to you, then maybe it’s time to let him go.” 

Kristen’s heart ached with the truth of Isla's words. She knew deep down that Isla was right but the thought of leaving Clyde filled her with a sense of dread. 

“I don’t know if I can do it, Isla.” She said her voice, breaking.

Isla’s voice was firm but compassionate. “You’re stronger than you think, Kristen… it can be difficult but then again, don’t settle for anything less.”

Kristen nodded her head, tears rolled and dropped down her eyes as she slowly retreated her phone from her ear. She shook her head and hurried out of the sitting room in an attempt to confront Clyde.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she approached Clyde, her mind swirling with a mix of fear and uncertainty. She had rehearsed the conversation a few times in her head, hoping to get some explanation.

She opened the door only to see Clyde smiling. She paused, gulped and slowly shut the door behind her. 

Clyde looked up from his phone, a smile playing at the corner of his lips. “Hey, babe,” he greeted casually, his tone light and relaxed.

Kristen’s throat felt dry as she struggled to find her voice. “I… uh… I thought you'd be sleeping already,” she stammered, her words coming out in a rush.

Clyde shrugged, his attention returning to his phone. “Nah, just chatting with a friend,” he replied, his tone nonchalant.

Despite the casualness of his response, Kristen couldn't shake the feeling of unease that gnawed at her insides. She took a few steps forward, closer to the bed in an attempt to steal a glance at Clyde's phone but the screen was turned away from her as Clyde already noticed her intention.

Kristen gulped, pondering about who he was really talking to. Unable to bear the uncertainty any longer, Kristen forced herself to speak up. 

“Clyde, there's something I need to talk to you about,” she began, her voice trembling slightly.

Clyde glanced up at her, his expression obvious that he was less concerned. “Sure, what's on your mind?” He asked, his tone still casual.

Kristen hesitated, the words catching in her throat. She had rehearsed this moment a few times in her mind but now that it was here, she found herself unable to confront him about the matter. Instead, she forced a weak smile and shook her head. 

“It's nothing, forget it,” she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

Clyde set his phone aside, right next to him and tilted his head. His brows furrowed in confusion but he didn't press her for more information. Instead, he sighed deeply and reached out for her hand. 

“Okay, Babe. If you ever want to talk, I'm here,” he said, his voice soft and reassuring.

Kristen wagged her head sideways as she wondered where those words came from. To her, it's been a long time since she heard those words. She folded her lips, still in shock of what had come over Clyde but it was no surprise to her when Clyde let go of her hand abruptly and returned to his phone.

Kristen let out a deep sigh, her mind raced with a thousand questions. She rushed out of the room and cried out her tears.

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

Clyde's phone buzzed persistently in his pocket and immediately brought it out. The screen lightened up with Kristen's name flashing across it. With a sigh, he silenced the device, unwilling to deal with her calls at the moment. 

Yet, as he did, he couldn't shake the feeling of guilt that gnawed at him. He knew he should be home already but waved the feeling and slid his phone on the other seat next to him. As he reclined back to his seat, the dim glow of the streetlight cast long shadows across the empty road, painting the world in shades of deep indigo and charcoal.

The usual hustle and hustle of the city had long since quieted, replaced by an eerie stillness that seemed to settle like a heavy blanket over the night.

Clyde glanced at his watch, the hands pointed to the late hour as he looked out through his car window. Despite the darkness that surrounded him, he felt a sense of peace settle over him, knowing that in this moment, he was exactly where he was meant to be.

He sighed deeply as he waited patiently for Charlotte to step out of her apartment but at that moment, his phone rang again and Kristen's name came flashing on the screen. He hissed and was about to put his phone away when he caught sight of Charlotte approaching his car. His breath caught in his throat as he watched her, his heart skipping a beat at the sight of her radiant beauty.

She was dressed in a sleek purple gown that hugged her curves in all the right places, the hemline teasingly above her waist. With each step she took, Charlotte seemed to move in perfect rhythm, her grace and poise captivating Clyde's attention completely. As she reached the car, he felt a surge of affection wash over him, his worries and doubts momentarily forgotten in her presence. He immediately switched off his phone and slid it inside his pocket.

Without a word, Charlotte slipped into the passenger seat beside Clyde. Clyde couldn't help but notice the frown that encroached on her usually flawless features. 

“Hey, babe, what's wrong?” He asked, softly with concern evident in his voice.

Charlotte sighed, her gaze fixed on her lap as she toyed with the hem of her dress. “It's just… I don't know, but it's taking too long to get things fixed,” she replied, her tone tinged with frustration. 

“I can't keep waiting around forever. If you don't get everything sorted out within a week, I'll have no choice but to take the kids and leave,” She reclined back to the seat.

Clyde's heart clenched at her words, a pang of worry creeping into his chest. “I'm sorry, babe. I promise I'll get everything ready as soon as possible,” he vowed, his tone earnest.

Clyde noticed her expression and took it as unbelief. He reached out and gently cupped her face in his hands, his thumb tracing soothing circles on her cheek. Leaning in, he pressed his lips to hers in a tender kiss, pouring all of his love and reassurance into the gesture.

Charlotte melted into his embrace, her lips curbing into smiles as she returned the kiss with equal intensity. In no time, Clyde pulled away and a sense of peace washed over him, knowing that Charlotte is all his. With a smile, he shifted the car into gear and drove into the night.

It wasn't for a few minutes, he pulled up in front of a club. The pulsating beat of the music coming out of the club filled the air, signaling that the night was still young. Stepping out, Clyde extended his hand to Charlotte as he opened the door for her. With a smile, she accepted his hand, their fingers intertwining as they made their way towards the entrance.

They went straight to the dance floor and started dancing. Unbeknownst to Clyde, Isla spotted him. At first, she was unsure if it was Clyde but came closer to have a better look. She was shocked and Immediately snapped a few pictures with her phone. She couldn't resist capturing the moment as Clyde and Charlotte shared a passionate kiss before going her way.

Excited by her discovery, since she had alway warned Kristen about Clyde but she won't listen. What she found is more than evidence. She wasted no time in dialing Kristen's number, eager to share the juicy gossip. 

“Hey, Kristen, where are you and what are you doing?”

“I just finished preparing Clyde's best food… waiting for his arrival,” Kristen replied from the other end of the call.

“Well, you'll be wasting your time and before you ask any further questions.. you won't believe what I just saw,” she exclaimed, barely able to contain her excitement.

Intrigued, Kristen eagerly asked what Isla had witnessed.

“Well, your dear Clyde is out here in the club but not with you as he is with someone else,” Isla teased.

Confused, Kristen assured Isla that Clyde would probably still be at work and would soon return home. 

“I know you won't believe me… what I'm going to send you is enough to change your mind,” She hung up the call before Kristen could say another word.

In no time, she sent the pictures, hoping Kristen would rethink her decision.