Her Crazy Idea

Vivian’s POV

I stood there, shocked to my bones, and frozen as ice. I literally could not believe what just happened. Well, maybe Manny was wrong for thinking that Belinda was not cold-hearted.

In all honesty, I knew Belinda as a soft-hearted person, which was why when Manny said what he said, I just took the initiative and came here. Manny was wrong, and so was I. A bitter reality that I might have to get accustomed to now is that in my absence, a lot of things might have changed, including the attitude of people I once knew.

My heart was shattered into a million pieces.

Losing Syrus was one thing, but losing my best friend was another thing entirely. Belinda had been the closest female in my life, and just now that I needed her right beside me, I had gone and messed things up between us. I stood there like a log for a few more seconds before deciding to leave. My legs felt too heavy, and my heart bled, but standing there was not going to solve anything.

So I turned around and managed to will my legs to move.

“Are you just going to leave?” 

I heard Belinda’s voice. She had opened the door eventually. Before turning, I smiled in relief.

“You slammed the door in my face,” I said, albeit with a remorseful expression.

“It’s because that is exactly what you deserve and I am not sorry I did it,” Belinda said.

I would have been deeply hurt by her words but I saw that she was struggling to hide a small smile that was playing on her lips.

“Why are you here?” She bossed up and asked me.

Well, the fact that she had opened her door and was speaking to me meant I had a chance. “Can I come in?” I asked.

Without saying a word, Belinda went into her apartment, leaving the door wide open. Taking it as a cue, I walked into her apartment and shut the door.

“Thank you,” I said as I dropped my handbag on her couch. Neither of us bothered to sit down, and Belinda instantly crossed her hands over her chest defiantly.

“You have just five minutes, because I was getting ready to step out before you showed up here,” Belinda said harshly.

She did not look like she was preparing to go out to me, because her hair was still in a messy bun, and she still had her flip-flops on. Knowing Belinda, she would be looking like she actually meant to go out almost thirty minutes before time. But that was not why I had come. Even if she wanted to dismiss me with a lie, at least, she had accorded me the chance to try for a reconciliation.

“I am sorry about how I reacted to it,” I started.

“Are you really sorry or you are just bored?” Belinda fired even before I could finish my first line.

“Both of them,” I shrugged and said. I have never lied to Belinda before, and I wasn’t about to start now simply because I wanted her to forgive me.

Belinda knew this as well.

“I should have communicated how I felt in a more appropriate manner,” I said.

“Or maybe I should have just minded my business and let you do you, as you have always done,” Belinda said hurtfully.

Granted, she was still pissed off about the whole thing, and it was all my fault. 

“I just wanted nothing from Syrus, Bel. You have no idea what I went through being married to him and dealing with his mother and sister. Now that I have gotten my freedom, I just wanted to be far away from him. Sending him a court order for damages only screamed desperation and greed, and I did not want that, because Syrus literally showed up at my doorstep, made me look like a fool and tossed the money at me,” I finally vented.

Tears had already gathered in my eyes, but in all honesty, the confrontation with Syrus made me feel even worse than I could ever possibly put in words. If Belinda had ever informed me or given me a heads up about what she had done, not that I would have been any happier, but it would have prepared me for Syrus’s confrontation, instead of just standing there and acting like an ignorant fool.

“You are still standing up for him, Vivian,” Belinda said and I shook my head in disagreement. “You are still defending him and shielding his bloody emotions!” Belinda’s anger was as full as mine now and we both let it bubble to the surface.

“That is where you are wrong, Bel. I do not care about Syrus’s feelings or his bank account. What I care about is my dignity and sanity. It was not in your place to do what you did, but you could have let me know afterwards instead of making me look like a fool in front of him,” I said as my tears flowed freely.

The words got to Belinda and her anger melted away instantly.

“You are right, Vivian. It was not in my place to begin with, but I wanted to make you feel better, and of course, make him feel the brunt of what his actions did to you,” Belinda explained

“His money would not make me feel any better, Bel. The only thing that would make me feel better is his distance from me,” I said

“Then you shouldn’t have gotten pregnant for the asshole,” Belinda said and we both burst into laughter. 

We laughed so hard that tears gathered in our eyes again.

“I did not think of that when I was doing it,” I said jokingly.

Then Belinda walked up to me and hugged me tightly. “I am so sorry I hurt you and made you look ridiculous. It was never my intention.”

I hugged Belinda right back. “I am just glad that I have my best friend back,” I said and we laughed again.

Then Belinda untangled from me and looked at me, “Please tell me that you have not returned the money,” she said.

“No, why?” I asked, confused.

“Because whether or not he made you look stupid and tossed the money at you, we are going to go shopping with the money. We have to feel better about it regardless.”

“Belinda!” I yelled in amusement.

“You know shopping makes me feel good, and I know the perfect boutique to spend an ex-husband’s money,” Belinda said as she dragged me into her bedroom.