DESIRE IN DENIAL – Ima Udott
Episode 7
As soon as Cecilia arrived, she stretched her neck to see her. Melvin welcomed Cecilia, took her hand bag and led her by the waist to the guest room and locked the door.
Mouth agape, Melissa stood up and walked briskly towards the guest room. She didn’t wait to think twice before banging on the door. Melvin opened the door, ajar, folded his arms and waited for her to explain her reason for knocking.
Melissa suddenly became mute. She observed that he had taken off his shirt and trousers, left with his boxers. What exactly was he doing in there? He couldn’t at least wait for a day to go by, before misbehaving.
So, she had been right, after all, he had been cheating on her for heaven knows how long. She suddenly regretted why she didn’t accept the divorce immediately. Not that she was jealous anyway, after all, they were going to get divorced in a month’s time.
“I’m still waiting to know why you knocked on my door,” Melvin brought her back from her thoughts.
“So, she is the one. The shameless daughter of Jezebel who moaned through the phone the other day, yeah? Melvin, couldn’t you wait for at least a day to pass?”
Melvin laughed so hard that Cecilia had to come see what was going on. Melissa’s face became red with anger. She felt like strangling her to death, but Melvin had obstructed her, so she could only wish but couldn’t act.
“Baby, are you alright?” Cecilia asked, caressing Melvin’s back.
“Go back to the room, I’ll join you soon, darling,” Melvin pecked her before she went back inside.
Melissa pushed Melvin out of the way, dragged Cecilia by the hair and gave her the beatings of her life. Only that, she did all of these in her imaginations while in reality, Cecilia was in the room and on the bed, comfortably fiddling with her phone while Melvin was still standing by the door, laughing. It annoyed her so badly.
“How come I’ve been married to you for almost six years but I never knew you were amnesiac? Melissa, do you need me to ring a bell of reminder to your ears that you and I agreed to Barrister Stanley’s terms?
Wait a minute, what exactly is eating you up? The fact that I’ve brought a complete woman who is willing to give me what my own wife denied me, or the fact that I didn’t wait?
What’s the essence of waiting when I had waited all my life for you? Melissa, the last time I checked, I wasn’t a waiter. I think you’d feel better if you dress up and go to work.
I was thinking that now that the barrister has given us the liberty to do whatever pleases us, you’d leave for work by 3:00 AM and return by 12 midnight with some of your clients whom you couldn’t attend to at work. Perhaps, to finish up the work at home.
I was thinking you’d have a working marathon till the end of the month since any other thing aside from your work, especially your husband is a distraction or means of downfall to you. Why then are you killing yourself over things that don’t matter to you?
After all, your job is everything to you and if I’m not mistaking, as soon as we get divorced, you are going to be married to your job. Now, if you will excuse me, I was in the middle of something really really important,” Melvin said as he shut the door behind him.
Melissa couldn’t hide the boiling anger in her. She went back to the sitting room, carried her phone and car key and left the house. Melvin was right, she hadn’t been to the office that day.
Though she had earlier told Priscilla she wouldn’t be at work that day, but at this point, she had to do what she loved doing most, else, she might just explode.
When she got to her office, Priscilla was surprised to see her because she hadn’t expected her that day. And moreover, it was already evening and they were going to close for work soon. So, she wondered what Melissa had come to do. But then, she couldn’t question her since she was the boss.
Melissa sat down for half an hour, but there was no client. She then called Priscilla and asked what was going on. Priscilla explained to her that every appointment for that day was rescheduled for the next day since Melissa was supposed to be absent from work that day.
Melissa sat down and a lot came to her mind. She thought of what Barrister Stanley had earlier told her and imagined it happening to her. Just some hours of staying in the office without a client, she was devastated, then how would she feel, if she got divorced and lost all of her clients?
On the other hand, she couldn’t stand Melvin anymore. She needed to do something before she went off the chain. Her eyes suddenly fell on the portrait of herself and Melvin. She picked the portrait and was about throwing it on the floor when she heard a knock on the door. Priscilla came in while Jared followed behind.
“I tried stopping him from coming, but he wouldn’t listen. He’s so stubborn,” Priscilla explained.
Melissa, still holding onto the portrait told Priscilla to leave and she did. Jared looked even more handsome than before. He once again gave her that charming smile that almost swept her off her feet the other day.
“You seem to be admiring your husband. I guess you’re missing him already,” Jared said when he saw the portrait in her hand. Melissa quickly dropped the portrait back on the table and sat down.
“Mr. Jared, what brought you here?” She couldn’t hide the fact that something was eating her up from the inside.
“Hey, calm down. I haven’t heard you sound this way before. Is everything alright?” Jared asked, looking at her.
“You haven’t answered my question, Mr. Jared,”
“Alright. I went back and did exactly as you instructed with my ex. She was very surprised that I lasted more than I ever did. She was literally begging me to stop. Though after then, we went our separate ways. I only wanted to do it with her and prove to her that I was man enough to handle a woman.
After then, she came back, trying to warm her way into my life, but I rejected her. I realized I didn’t love her anymore, maybe because she had first rejected me. So, I came to thank you for your therapy. You’re the best,” Jared said.
Melissa still didn’t smile, but just had to pretend she was okay. “You’re welcome, Mr. Jared” she replied.
“Hmm..I was thinking, could you spare some minutes for a drink tonight? I promise, I mean no harm. It’s the tiniest way I can show how appreciative I am,”
Melissa thought for a while. She realized she actually needed to drink. She needed to drink her anger away. So, she was going to go out with Jared, not because she actually wanted to, but because she needed that drink badly.
“Where?” She asked.
“My place. I promise not to take much of your time, please” Jared was very convincing.
“Alright,” Melissa replied. She carried her bag and left with Jared.
Anticipate Episode eight, soon!
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