CHARI’S POV
I still had a headache when I woke up. The belly is rumbling and is also a bit sore from being hungry. They took me to the office. When I woke up, Gemma was the one I saw when I instantly opened my eyes. She was supposed to be watching over me while I was asleep. I remember feeling dizzy all of a sudden as I handed the coffee to my customer. Fortunately, I was able to reach out first before finally fainting. I’ve been like this for two weeks now, a bit in lazy mode and always sleepy. Sometimes I’m not really in the mood to work, but I don’t want to stay home, especially when Clint is there.
I’ll admit it. I’m avoiding him already. Ever since they left Japan with Trina, I have already started. I thought that even then I had nothing to do against Trina. I also thought that maybe it would be better for me to move away slowly because we can’t hide from everyone forever. It hurts, but I’ll try… for the good of us both. Trina was there for him, and I could see that she loved him dearly. Maybe I’m the one who should adjust again. I thought it would be better to just let go rather than to always be hurt.
I would go into the coffee shop to avoid him, but when I got home, he was there waiting for me. My heart breaks into pieces whenever I reject him. Those pretty eyes that used to be lively and warm before are lifeless now. And whenever he’s with Trina, I just walk away from them. Though he wants to run after me, he can’t, because his friends will see us.
But I need to be professional! I don’t show that I’m jealous or hurt when they’re together. I just closed my eyes as if I didn’t care what he was doing to take care of Trina either. It’s so hard. It hurts, but you have to be numb. It’s for the better if they know nothing yet. It’s easy to stop it right away.
Some nights, I cry because I miss Clint so much. His sweetness, those times we ate together, his hugs and kisses, his tenderness, but—but I don’t think that we can continue that. Maybe it’s better to just cut everything. Sometimes I blame myself for why I agreed to put our relationship on another level, because I didn’t see in the first place that this would happen, that the few years we had been together would be ruined. Some happy years with no malice at all, when we were just really happy with each other.
A moment later, my cell phone rang.
“Ah, Gemma? Ah, okay, Maggie? Is Trina with her? Take her upstairs; we’ll talk upstairs.”
I’ll fix myself first. Maggie came to call me earlier because we had something important to talk about with Clint and Trina. I fixed myself. I wiped my face. When I looked in the mirror on the wall of my office, I saw the unusual Chari. I saw a different version of myself. A sad and lonely one.
“What’s wrong with you, Chari?” I asked myself, nearly crying. I saw that my eyebags were big and dark. I saw that my narrow eyes were even dimmer. I see that my face is very different now.
Is this the face of the one who loves too much? You will find yourself crying out of sadness? And you’re almost mentally insane because you have nothing to blame at all? And no one to talk to?
Is this what happens when you fall madly in love with someone you have barely known for your whole life?
And again. I found myself weeping in silence.
***
AFTER fixing myself, I came out right away. I saw Maggie sitting in the corner. There was the coffee and a slice of purple cake that she always ate when there. I was just moving toward her when I saw that her forehead was furrowed, and.
“Are you okay, Chari? You look sick!” she said, looking at me.
I just smiled, then sat down.
“Are you still sleeping, Chari? Sudden change ah! ” She said again.
“Ah! I’ve only been awake for a few days. I’m having a hard time sleeping.” I replied.
She just nodded.
I don’t know what she’s saying about the good news earlier, but I seem to be getting it. My chest kept throbbing because I seemed to know, with the look on Maggie’s happy face, it was sure to be good news. Until..
“Okay! It won’t be long, Cha! It’s Clint’s birthday today, isn’t it, so I’m sure it’ll be fun! ” She said cheerfully.
I’m also smiling somehow, but deep down, I’m nervous.
“So, what’s that, Mags? What’s that good news you’re saying about the two? Are they like that? ” I said.
“Chari! We all know that they are official and I allowed Clint even though he’s six years older than Trina. ”
“So?” I said briefly.
“Trina is pregnant! Two months! ” She exclaimed.
“Huh? P –pregnant? ” I stuttered. “But she’s only twenty!”
“Well, that’s life! Is there anything else we can do?” She said, still smiling.
“What? That’s life? As easy as that? Ugh! What the f**k —” I said, somewhat irritated.
“I already called her parents and told them about it!”
“What did they say?”
“They are so happy!”
“Happy? As in? Trina is only twenty years old, still too young to have a baby! Is it that easy? ” I almost lost myself.
“Wait, Cha! Easy! I know you care for Clint and you don’t want to let go, but admit it! Your boy is grown up now! He can have a family of his own at twenty-five! And besides, Trina is no different, right? That’s also one of the reasons why I proposed to her. I wanted Trina to meet a nice person to fall in love with! ” Maggie explained at length.
“Nice person? Why did you choose Clint? Yes, Mags! Clint is a nice person, but-” I didn’t continue, because at the tip of my tongue was the word I would not have said and that sure would hurt Maggie’s feelings.
Maggie didn’t say a word.
“You mean you know that something has been happening to them even before?”
“They even shared the same room in Japan for two weeks. What do you expect? Just stare at each other? Your man is a bit older than mine. And they are at the heat peak! ” She said, followed by an eyeball roll.
“Why didn’t you tell me right away, Maggie? To be stopped at least! ” I replied calmly.
“Is there a problem with that, Chari? They are not minors anymore. They are free to f**k whenever they want! They love each other. Besides, they are both financially stable. No problem at all! ”
“That’s not it, Maggie!”
She cuts me.”Easy! You can’t keep Clint; he’s the father of that child Trina is having right now! He couldn’t run. That’s a very bad idea, Chari! ”
I couldn’t say a word anymore. I’m speechless. I felt at that time that I was a parent who was surprised by the news I received. Trina is said to be two months pregnant and Clint is said to be the father. I don’t know what else to say. I just let her eat first.
That was the good news that she said was bad news for me.
“Later, we’ll come to you. Come home early, okay! Because later, Trina will tell Clint. A birthday present for him!” Maggie expressed her delight.
I was so upset that I suddenly trembled in pain again. And still a moment later,
“Ah! Clint!” Maggie suddenly cried out.
I was unexpectedly distracted. And there was Clint, still in his house clothes, standing on the top step of the stairs.
“Oh my. It’s a good thing we’re done talking to, Chari. Trina will be mad at me! ” Maggie whispered to me.
I still did not react. But when I looked at Clint, I suddenly felt a blockage in my throat, followed by the watering of my narrowed eyes. I also saw Clint’s blank face that seemed to be readable and knew that-there was something wrong. Maggie noticed that I was already in tears.
“That’s okay, Chari! That’s how I reacted to my eldest when his girlfriend got pregnant. At twenty! Hahaha! ” She said, laughing.
I simply wiped my eyes so Clint wouldn’t notice. I looked away from him and hunched for a moment.
At that time, my chest tightened again. Once again, I feel dizzy and nauseous because I still haven’t even eaten lunch. Adding up more of the bad news I received. And more and more, I feel dizzy. My mouth is drooling already. I can’t help it anymore. I feel something in my stomach crawling up my throat and ready to puke out.
“Waaark! ”
I quickly ran to the office. I locked the door before going straight to the comfort room.
“Aah! Haaah! My God! What should I do? Trina is pregnant.. Wha – what if I am too?”
June_Thirteen