“What have you decided, pretty?”
“Your offer Is interesting but I’ll pass.”
Wow…. She said
“What?”
“I mean for a woman like you, you sure make innocent decisions. ”
“It’s really hard to find self-disciplined women like yourself,” she added and took another shot to her mouth.
“I own this bar and never have I seen any lady reject my offer.”
“How do you think I got so many to work for me?”
“Think about that. ” She chuckled with a smile. I reciprocate the same energy she gave off.
We had only spoken about a few things but she somehow was able to lift my mood with her funny rhetorical remarks.
“I’m Dire need of an income but I don’t think I’d ever be able to do such jobs.”
“I have two children and I once had a well-paying job.”
“A seven to nine?”
“Yes, seven to nine but it was worth it.”
‘Why did you leave ?”
“I… hmm…. I ”
I signaled the bartender again, totally ignoring her curiosity. She noticed my reluctance.
“You have two kids ?”
“Huhum”
“Twins. A girl and a boy ”
“I wish to have kids one day too.”
“Maybe just one day .”
“Or probably never. ”
My head was sore and my head was aching so badly. I gently massage my neck with my palms, moving my neck every which way.
“Hey… that mark.”
She tucked a few strands of my hair behind my ears.
I had a mark. A birthmark behind my ear. It was a star-shaped mark. As a kid, I enjoyed listening to friends calling my birthmark a tattoo.
“What mark? ”
“This. Star-shaped.”
“Oh, that.”
“I have had it since I was a kid.”
“It reminds me of someone.” She added
“Or maybe it’s just my Alcohol acting up. ”
We both laughed.
She again took our last shot together. I was tipsy but still tried to maintain my balance.
“I’m Mneso by the way.”
Is….. I was about to introduce myself when we both heard the chatter of anger just behind the strip center.
One of Mneso’s girls raised her hand to a man for taking off her mask.
“Tough one, I have to run.”
She stood up and turned to leave.
“Isabelle…” I said to her,
Mneso nodded her head and left me while I focused all my attention on the rising tension in the room.
“It was safe she said” I muttered with a scoff.
“How dare you touch my mask?”
“You fucking prick.” One of her entertainers again landed the young man with a slap across the face.
Mneso interfered before it got out of hand.
“Get out.” She ordered her.
The young lady reluctantly left for the inner room and when Mneso saw that she wasn’t in sight anymore, she pulled the man and asked the bouncers at the private club to throw him out. She didn’t care about who he was or what happened. He broke her rules and he was getting what he deserved.
I picked a liking for her. It wasn’t just her courage alone, it was her friendly approach that I couldn’t really pinpoint.
Soon the drama died down, The man was thrown out of the bar, the entertainer began to do their jobs again, and Mneso? well, she was nowhere to be found anymore.
I already had enough for that day, anymore and I was sure to go home staggering and drunk. The last thing I wanted was for Aiden and Amelia to see me so helpless and depressed.
I picked up my phone, settled my bills, and left. That night, I didn’t get a job nor did I get my life back together. I only shared my loneliness with my companion. The shot of cocktails I took.
When I got home, the nanny had already put them to sleep. I walked to my room tired and drained. I took a seat in front of my mirror. Time Froze, drowning in my loneliness I sat with quivering lips and watering eyes.
How did time move so fast?
How did my life crash before my eyes? How did you become so unlucky?
How? When? Why? I questioned my own existence.
I was a shadow of my former self. I couldn’t lie, the emptiness I felt inside was second to none.
There were no tears left to cry. My heartbeat was nothing but heartache now. So much to live for yet nothing to live for.
I had my shoulder to cry on and my own hands to wipe my tears. What really was it?
Did I really want to be alone or was I just too scared to lose my one true love?
I picked up my phone from the table and stared at my lock screen that had the picture of Aiden, Amelia on it.
I unlocked it and decided to text Justin. I was done living under the pretense of being okay. I just wanted my shoulders back.
I tapped on his number eagerly to call. I needed to hear him speak to Me. I needed to hear him call my name again. My ears yawned for his voice and my face craved his touch. I wanted him. His heartbroken face flashed through my eyes. His face when I Said those words “We need a break ” and those words Kept on ringing in My head.
I gradually dropped my phone and allowed myself to drown again.
Arh the pain of regret.
I felt that.
*******
“Hey… Isabelle ”
“We meet again.”
Fate or coincidence? Mneso walked up to me at the cafe where I was seated having a coffee.
“Hii….” I said with a weak smile.
“I’m sorry, I left you hanging yesterday. ” She took her seat in front of me.
“You look horrible.”
“Are you okay? ”
“Hangover or what ”
I did look horrible with my swollen face and eyes. I didn’t get enough sleep the previous night and it was telling on me.
“I’m fine.”
“You don’t look at it.”
“This face better not be for your husband.”
“Men don’t deserve our tears.”
“I’m okay .”
“I just need a little bit of rest .”
“I’m just exhausted. Nothing more ”
“You don’t need rest. ”
“You need a fun time out.”
“I take you somewhere fun. ”
“You can count on me,” Mneso suggests.
We had barely known each other for 24 hours and she was already so free with me. She made it easier for me to flow with the energy. Mneso wasn’t just friendly, she was kind and concerned.
“Don’t think too much about it.”
“I got you.”
“Okay …?”
“Uhm… I don’t know..”
“okay? Great.”
“Let’s go.” She stood up and pulled me up from behind the table.
I didn’t have the time to decide for myself. She made it for Me.
She pulled me out of the cafe and out to her truck.
“First, I have to get home. ”
“I need to pick up something important ”
“So shall we ?”
“I don’t have a choice ”
“You are the right Girlfriend. ”
“You don’t have a choice with me.”
“Off we go.”
We both got into her truck and headed for her apartment which was just a few blocks away. For a woman like Mneso, I didn’t expect such hospitality from her.
She pulled up in front of a bungalow in a shabby area just down the road. The neighborhood was a middle class with Many tree-lined streets. I
It was densely populated and all around were young men and women smoking and chatting. A not so friendly environment at night I could tell.
As we Alighted, some of the men hailed her, calling out her name.
“Don’t bother about them.”
“I’m used to it ”
She told me and we both went in.
“Mother ”
“Mother…..”
Mneso called out.
A middle-aged woman between the age range of 55-60 called out of the kitchen. She had Grey hair and was clothed in a long nightgown.
Frail and ill she looked as she walked out of the kitchen with a hand towel in her hand.
“I told you you need to rest.”
” What have you been doing?”
“I needed to do the dishes. ”
“What dishes?”
“‘I already did everything before Leaving this morning. ”
“You don’t listen to me and I hate it, Mom. ” Mneso snapped.
I stood by the couch watching everything quietly. Her mother seemed to be ill.
“Who is she?” She pointed at me.
“My friend. ”
“Now will you drop that and take your medicine?”
Her mother walked in my direction carefully and cautiously.
“My child ”
“My child…”
“Christen…”
She brushed her hands against my face, neck, and arms carefully. Like I was someone she had been longing to see for years with the name Christien on her lips over and over again.
“My child …where have you been? ”
“‘Why did you leave us ?”
“I missed you.”
“Mom…. she isn’t Christen.”
“Shut up.”
“She is my Christen. ” her grip became tighter and I started to feel uncomfortable.
“You can’t keep calling everybody you see Christen.”
“Ma’am. I’m not christen. ”
“Shut up.”
She gave me a slap across the face.