Andre’s POVI could not rest easy. I turned from one corner of the bed to the other and went down to swim in the hotel’s gigantic swimming pool—this thing could actually be used for the Olympics—yet I couldn’t seem to pin my thoughts on one particular thing. One of the reasons I came to this town was to see a lawyer—a very good divorce lawyer—who was going to rid Kathy of my life forever. And it was one of the things that bugged me. How had I thought that Kathy was ever better than Lana? Once Lana left and I married Kathy, I knew that I had made the biggest mistake of my life. Kathy was nothing like I imagined her to be. In fact, she was the complete opposite of my imagination, and I felt sorry that I had tried to make Lana fill the shoes of a woman who did not exist. Kathy was an obnoxious and extravagant woman. Lazy and needy. How could I not have seen all that? How could I have let the memories I had of her from seven years ago tear my beautiful marriage apart? We fell out of lo
I sipped from the glass and skimmed my eyes over the dimly lit bar. There were not many people in it at this time of the day, but I presumed that by the end of the hour, it would be crawling with men and women. Chickens and dudes, hot and cold, gold diggers, and those who would gladly be digged.Since my arrival in this city, I have spent many nights here and could tell what days the bar was frequented the most. This night promised to be one of those nights. As usual, the bar employed the services of dancers and strippers, and most of them were already on the poles, which were scattered about in different corners of the bar. They glided their bodies around it sensually to attract one of the few men that had arrived. I took another sip of the drink and watched the strippers. Usually, I found girls like these entertaining and remembered many nights in which I had paid for an exclusive just to watch one of such girls perform. That was a long time ago, and Ihad been married then. I had h
His movements were swift and full of grace and virility. Cameron opened the car door and held out his hand. He was close enough for me to catch the wisp of his cologne, his aftershave, and the sweet smell of the shampoo he had used earlier. I reached out impulsively and clutched at his extended arm. “You look beautiful.” He whispered as I stood beside him. My face flushed red at the compliment, and I bit the inside of my cheeks to control the smile my face was breaking into. I was dressed in a semi-evening dress with a low back, and I had put some effort into arranging my hair more elaborately than usual. I laughed nervously. “I don’t know. I feel like I’m overdressed.” Cameron leaned in to me, and I became extremely aware of his arm around my waist. “You are perfect, Lana.” He held the door open for us and gave us—and me—a small, encouraging push into the luxurious Italian restaurant. This was definitely a place I could not afford. Warm, golden light illuminated the entrance, an
I had a lot of things to say. First of all, I wanted to say that I felt the same way as him. I had been feeling this for a long time too, right? That I wanted him? I wanted someone, and it was definitely not Andre. I loved working with him—in his tower—and I also liked this new life that I had. But we could not do this. Not yet. I had children. Would he accept them the same way he accepted me? I had a complicated life, and I could not just be that complacent housewife anymore. Being with Andre had taught me a lot about just being a ‘housewife’ and I could not take that chance again. I saw the anticipation on his face. The deed then raised the question, which was rising on his lips, and the smile. Was that a smile? Oh my, he was sure I was going to burst his bubbles. And I was about to burst that bubble, and I opened my mouth to tell him that when my phone rang. I threw him an uncertain glance, and he winced. “Its alright.” Cameron said. “You can take it.” I smiled apologetically a
Hurt flashed in his eyes, but only for a second. The mask was on faster than my eyes could follow. I tilted my chin up. “I’m sorry, Cameron, but this is what I have to do.” “I know why you're doing this, Lana. You’re pushing me away because of what happened in your past, but I’m not; I won't.” He ran his fingers through his neatly combed hair, which, despite all the troubles that accompanied the night, still managed to stay slick. Except for that unruly strand, which I wanted so much to tuck behind his ears. I clenched my hands by my side. “I’ll never hurt you, Lana.” He completed. “I love you.“I turned my eyes away, wanting to hear those words, lest all my resolve melt. “- you. I love you, Lana.”It took everything in me to stop myself from crushing my body into his and kissing him right there. I closed my eyes and let the tears fall, then wiped them away. “I have to go, Cam, sir.” I shook my head, as though that would help stabilise my thoughts. “I’ll like a week off. I have a
We sat in the bustling hospital lobby, and my head was swirling with different thoughts against the murmur of conversations around me. I was engulfed in a mix of emotions, and I could not stop thinking of the day my parents died. I had been sitting in the hospital like this, waiting, apprehensive, anxious, and praying that they came out alive. The memories were just there, at the back of my head, and they brought tears to my eyes.I was thankful then that Cameron had insisted on coming here with me. It had surprised me at first, but I guess he was an adult and he could do whatever he liked. And I was happy he came. Whether he knew it or not, he was a pillar of support for me, and that should mean something. I cradled Zoe in my arms while Cameron gently rocked Leo while still trying to keep an eye on me. Perhaps she was too afraid that I would break down, as I had done in that restaurant. I had ruined our perfect dinner and still went ahead to break his heart all in one night, still
The more days I spent here, the more I was reminded of the life I had lived here. I was reminded of my parents before their deaths, the events that led to their deaths, and my marriage to André. Everything kept coming back to me. Mrs. Sanders had been able to recover our family house, which Andre had sold—I had no idea how—but I was thankful to her. It was here that Cameron and I crashed. And I assumed that this was one of the things that made those memories of the past keep coming back to me. I had made a lot of memories in this house. Each room held a piece of me. Although Andre had sold the house, it was yet to be used by the new owners. Everything was still how we left it, except for the photos and most of our personal belongings, which I had removed from the house following my marriage to André. I thought of Cameron. He had provided me and the children with great support since our arrival here, and I noticed that he tried really hard not to bring up his feelings; instead, he w
“I really don't know what to do.” I told her. “I don't want to make the same mistake I made five years ago. See where it led me? I have nothing now; if not for your mother, I don’t even know where I’d be.” Sally gathered me into her arms and held me there. “I would not tell you what to do, of course.” She said it softly. “You are your own woman. But I’d ask that you open your eyes and try to see things clearly, so you don’t miss out on life again.” “Uhhhh… What’s going on?” We both turned as we heard Cameron’s voice. He was carrying the two children in his arms and stood unsure at the foot of the stairs. I wiped my eyes immediately and went to get one of the children from him. “Here, let me.” I said that and balanced the baby on my waist. “Sally. Lana? I come down to see what’s kept you so long, and... Sally, is your mother alright?” Sally smiled. “Definitely not dead yet. Uhh… Lana was just giving me emotional support.” Cameron nodded his head, but the look on his face said h