Chapter 3: Long-time Buddy

Daphne had a shower first after she was done packing her belongings. After a few minutes, she grabbed a shirt and a jean from the bed and put them on. She didn’t have time to fix her hair and have some make-up as she wanted to get out of the house as quickly as possible. By the time she was done, she threw her torn wedding dress in a black garbage bag and went straight to the garbage bin by the side of her room.

As she walked back again into her room, she set her bag and luggage, carrying the arm-sized back in her hand while she made her way downstairs. The minute she was on the first floor, she saw Tatiana again with her hands on her waist, looking livid as ever.

Daphne had just laughed, her expression in her mind, completely ignoring her.

When Tatiana took notice of her carrying her luggage, she couldn’t bear but to make another remark. “You ungrateful bitch! After everything that we have done to you!” She followed Daphne behind her back. “I knew it! I knew from the start when Maverick introduced you to me! You’re a gold digger, just like your mother . . .”

For the longest time, Daphne had never once heard Tatiana complimenting her or be pleasant to her. Maverick’s mother bullied her incessantly, that it had become a usual thing for Daphne to hear her say every time she was near the bitch.

“Don’t talk to my mother like that as if you know her, Tatiana,” I warned her while pulling mg luggage.

Her eyebrow rose. “Because you know that I’m right, Daphne! You’re a slut, just like your mother!” she spat back with every intention of hurting Daphne.

However, Daphne had gotten hung with her insults as though it was just another appalling jingle, she had heard on a radio that was so bad you’ve just disregarded its existence. Moreover, Daphne knew that Tatiana was celebrating like it was New Year’s Eve when her son didn’t appear on their wedding day.

“At least I am not as horrible as you are,” Daphne murmured as she ambled throughout the room, gliding with her suitcase.

She was about to pull the gate open on the sidewalk when, all of a sudden, she noticed a blue car that was parked in the driveway. Daphne stopped in the middle of the path and saw Maverick coming out of it, looking fresh and blissful as if nothing had happened.

‘Well, fuck that asshole!’ Daphne hissed internally.

Maverick, however, had seen Daphne with a suitcase that made his brows furrowed, utterly distraught about it. “What are you doing, baby? Why do you have your bag with you? Are you leaving me?!”

He was about to touch her arms when she hit it quickly, shoving it away from her. How could he act as if nothing had ever happened? God, how did she love this narcissistic and vain man? She was such an idiot to be blinded by all the red flags of Maverick that were already waving in front of her for the past eight years!

“Don’t you dare touch me, Maverick!” Her emotions surged up like a firework that was about to burst out. She couldn’t bear to see his face or even just smell or hear his voice made her want to barf already.

Maverick yanked her wrist and said, “Come on, babe. Let's talk this through, don't just leave me hanging without talking this out to me." He paused for a while, raking his hair with his fingers, and continued, "I ran away because this whole thing scared the shit out of me!" 

Daphne pulled a coy smirk. “Huh, yeah, you did, and you ran away with another girl even before our wedding, Maverick!” She pushed his arms away from her and distanced herself from the man she thought would never lie. “I’m not stupid and I’m definitely not an idiot, you jerk!”

“Daphne . . ." Maverick couldn’t think of another word that would somehow make her believe him again. 

Then, he composed his bubbling anger as he tried to get hold of her by defending himself; however, she waved it away. “That's not it! Everything in the article was a lie!” 

Daphne nodded and skewed the corner of her lips upward. “Yeah, it was all a lie. Just like our relationship and your feelings for me. It is all a lie.” And with no warning, she raised her arms, slapping him directly on his cheeks and making him as shocked as more than ever.

 Maverick just looked at her with wide-open eyes, as he couldn’t believe that a woman like her who couldn’t break a glass could do that. 

When his thoughts had already processed Daphne's gesture, he uttered, livid and furious, “Daphne, shit! Don't you leave me like this! We're not yet done!”

Tatiana came down to walk toward them. “Oh no! You don’t have a right to do that to my son! You bitch!” she shouted, lifting her arm aloft to hit her when Daphne stopped it by clenching it tightly with her grip.

“No, Tatiana. I won’t let you have it your way again, bitch.” She gritted back and before Daphne could hear the last insult word of her sentence, she walked away from them with full determination. 

Maverick tried to run after Daphne, but immediately gave up when he realized talking it out with her would also be completely useless. On his side was his mother who reached out to him, cradling his man-little boy in her chest and soothing her like a five-year-old kid.

Meanwhile, Daphne stepped outside of the house and as she breathed in the fresh-sweet invite of the air, she cloyingly smiled in delight.

“At last self, you’re out. You did well.”

Heaving a sigh, she hailed a cab across the street and as a yellow cab stopped at her side, she quickly went inside, happy and excited about what her future would bring her.

“To sixty-eighth street, Eastwood Avenue sir,” Daphne said to the driver to which he just nodded.

***

When she got to Clara’s place, she was not in her apartment. Her friend was still at work and luckily, she was given a spare key to be able to get inside Clara’s apartment. As she placed her bags and luggage on the porch, she rubbed her palms on her jeans and roamed around her friend’s place.

Clara’s flat was quaint, small, and just perfect for a single woman. Everything inside was so Zen-like that the room looked so peaceful and refreshing. The entire place had every pot of plants hanging around on was on the top of a table. As she went to the lounge area, her lips went up when she saw a hammock by the window. Beside it was a side table and a cactus plant on top of it.

She slumped into the hammock and leaned her back on it as she tried to close her eyes. It was fortunate for her that Clara allowed her to stay temporarily in her place while she tried to find an apartment once she got back to teaching. However, the downside of this was that she might get accustomed to her friend’s flat, and she would have a hard time finding her own place that would be as comfortable as here.

When Daphne felt that her eyes were getting heavier, her phone started to ring. Grumbling, she ducked it out of her pockets and pressed the button. 

“What is it, mom?” She asked begrudgingly because usually her mom only called if she was out of money or if she was in a tight position.

Yeah, her mom wasn’t really like other moms who were responsible and dependable. Truth be told, Linda was more dependable on her daughter than Daphne on her. 

“Do you have an extra cash with you, honey?” Linda asked without any reluctance.

Daphne sighed in contempt. “You lost another game again?”

Linda explained, “Yeah…well, I was about to hit the pot Daphne, but damn, I was short of luck.”

Out of frustration, Daphne stood up from the hammock. “I told you to stop gambling, mom! We can’t afford to pay our debts right away. Eventually, I won’t be able to sustain you with your addiction!” 

“Just this time, sweetheart.” Linda paused for a while and then fumbled as she spoke. “Fuck, I swear I’ll stop gambling. I can promise you that.” 

Daphne rubbed her palms on her forehead. “You have said that a thousand times, mom. I don’t know if I still ever believe that—”

It was true, though. Daphne didn’t know if she would ever believe Linda again. Ever since she was a child, she had never felt her mother’s love. Linda would always be out in the morning and be back in the morning with a sour mood and a drunk condition. She would only take notice of Daphne or would heed her attention when she needed something.

That was also the reason she also couldn’t break her relationship with Maverick. Because at the moment Linda knew about Maverick, Daphne felt that her mother finally regarded her as her daughter and not just some responsibility she had to take care of. And, despite this, Daphne still hoped that her mom had loved even just a sliver part of her heart. 

“Please, honey? Just this time, help your mama.” Linda pleaded on the phone.

 Daphne tried to understand her mom’s situation. Sometimes, it was just too much for her to be patient with her.   

Resigning with her shoulders in a slouch, she huffed. “Alright, I’ll think of something.”

“Great! You’re the best daughter!”

 Linda dropped the phone after that, leaving Daphne to deal with her debt problem. She tilted her head high to breathe deeply, and as she release a heavy sigh, she uttered, “I’m your only daughter, mom.” 

***

Nathan Kelly was buried under his work; even with that, he couldn’t stop thinking about that woman in an awful wedding dress. It was unexpected to meet someone so disturbing, yet so interesting, like her.

More so, the woman was not exactly that bad. Although she looked bad that night with her smear of blank goo on her face, and a botched look, she kind of looked decent if she cleaned up. Besides, he was not interested right now in doing dates or entering into a serious relationship, knowing it would only be a nuisance to his plans and his career.

The man had a lot of things that were more important than that.

When he was about to grab a file from the pile of documents, his phone rang suddenly. He yanked the phone by his side and answered the call.

“Hey, sup man? How is it going?” he said, leaning his back on the swivel chair.

He heard him chuckle. “Hey, man! I’m good!” The man on the phone stopped for a moment, then spoke again, “Anyway, you’re up for a drink later? Same time and same place, just like old times, Nathan.”

Nathan looked at his smartwatch. He didn’t have a meeting later and could probably fit his time into meeting his friend.

“Yeah, of course! Sure, Maverick!” 

The call ended after that, and Nathan went back to his work.

***