*Alejandro*
I couldn’t wait for Dave anymore, so I left before he could come. But I couldn’t return to the office, so I stayed inside my car in front of the company.
I didn’t know what I was waiting for, but I knew I had to wait. Maybe she’d walk out. I wanted a chance to speak to her.
My heart felt like it was being ripped apart in two as I reminisced about what happened earlier. She has a child with Dave.
I rested my head on the headrest.
She may have her excuse. There must be a reason. I know I ended things with her when I found out about her and Lucas, but that didn’t mean I didn’t want her anymore.
I was still very much in love with her, and I had married Nora just to make Lucas happy. To make up for him for the betrayal that I had caused.
But then, Andrea stuck to me. Not once did I forget about her. She hunted me all through the days of my marriage. However, she, on the other hand, was having her best life. She has a son for another man.
How could she move on so easily? She loved me. I can swear she did.
My phone beeped, and a message from Nora flashed on the screen.
“Please come home for dinner, ” the message read. I hissed; she fueled my anger. I threw my phone at the seat behind me. I watched as people bristled around the company’ senvirons.
Soon, Dave’s car drove into the company and then towards the underground car parking. I know I should step inside. I should go now and get this over with, but I couldn’t step out of my car.
It’s not that I didn’t want to; this deal was important to me, but I just couldn’t when I learned that he was the father of Andrea’s child.
A thread of hate began to boom in my heart already.
It was no wonder he was always with her.
I could begin to wonder if they were secretly married. But she wasn’t wearing a ring.
Sigh.
My phone rang at the back. ‘Who’s that now?” I wondered as I stretched towards the back, reaching for my phone.
It was Jane.
“What??” I asked coldly.
“The meeting..” her voice was calm as her words trailed. I knew my tone must have frightened her.
I cleared my throat and tried to speak calmly.
“I won’t be coming back to the office. Clear my schedule.” I ordered, and I ended the call without waiting for her to speak.
I couldn’t handle any meetings. Not in my current mood.
After that call, I decided to drive around.
I drove around the City with no direction in mind. I didn’t come back to Dave’s company until it was late.
I waited for her to get off work. Later that day, I saw her car drive into the city, and I drove after her. She had absolutely no idea.
I stopped at a distance when she stopped on a bridge. I wondered what was wrong. I may not have been close enough to see her facial expression, but I knew she wasn’t happy. She looked stressed.
A part of me wanted to go to her and make her speak to me. I wanted to comfort her in case she was stressed.
But a part of me wanted her to be sad because of me. I wanted to be the reason why she had stopped. But when I saw her pull out a necklace and attempt to throw it away, I knew it was not me.
I felt a little disappointed, but it was fine.
I followed her home. I saw Dave’s car parked outside.
This made me wonder if he lived with them.
Immediately, she stepped into the house, and I drove off. I couldn’t watch it any longer.
When I got home, Nora was waiting for me by the door.
“I had sent you a text; I guess you were so busy that you didn’t see it.” I hummed at her words and walked past her.
She was the last person I wanted to speak to.
“Are you okay?” She asked me, holding me by my arms.
“Let go,” I pulled away from her hold. “Don’t bother me. I had dinner already.” I said and walked away into my room.
I closed the door behind me.
I had the worst sleep that night.
How could that little boy I had grown to like be Andrea and Dave’s child? Maybe it was because he was her child, and that was why he grew on me.
The next day, I decided it was time to see her. I needed to speak to her, but it seemed she didn’t want to speak to me.
But I had to. I had to listen to her explanation. She should have a reason why she did what she did. I want to hear it.
I went to work first, after which I called Dave and gave him an excuse for not being able to wait for him yesterday.
We agreed to meet by noon.
I arrived right in time, and he was already at the entrance waiting for me. He led me in.
We had already done all the agreements, so it was just to sign the document. It didn’t take us much time to be done.
I didn’t want to leave without talking to Andr, so as we concluded the meeting, I thought of a way to stay.
“Can I walk around? Since we are patterning, it would be good if we got to see each other’s places of work. What do you think? I’ll look around here now, and then you can come to look around mine tomorrow or any day you want.”
He hesitated.
“Fine.” He said, looking straight into my eyes to make sure this was all business.
He led me across the company, showing me one department after another.
When we were done, I noticed that the workers were all on break, and I had yet to see Andrea.
She must be in the cafe with the others having lunch.
“I want to have lunch, I said, and Dave was half on his step.
I walked ahead.
“You should go to a restaurant then,” he said.
“Why should I go to a restaurant when I see a cafeteria here?” I asked. He was by my side again, and he looked at me puzzled.
He isn’t stupid, and I knew he must have already figured out why I wanted to eat here, but he couldn’t outrightly reject me.
“I’m afraid the food here may not meet your standards.” He said.
“Well, there’s only one way to find out,” I said, leaving him with no choice but to take me to the cafeteria.
I stepped in, my eyes scanning the entire place in search of Andrea.
“What would you like to get?” Dave asked me.
“The best dish here,” I said, my eyes finally finding her.
I watched as she gulped down juice from her glass.
When she finally met my eyes, she spilled the juice on the girl in front of her. I felt pity for the girl as the content spread over her face.
I like the fact that I still have a lot of effect on her. Spilling the drink was enough proof of that.
“Let’s go sit over there.” I didn’t point anywhere.
Dave’s P. A and the man I had met yesterday helped us carry the tray; surprisingly, Dave wanted to eat, too.
I walked in front of them.
Andrea was busy cleaning the juice from the girl’s shirt, so she didn’t notice that I was heading for her table.
Dave gritted his teeth when he finally understood my intention, but I couldn’t care less. From the look of things, they kept their relationship a secret at work.
I pulled out a chair and sat. The girl, who by now was her friend, froze.
Noticing it, Andrea turned, and she saw me.
Her eyes widened as she moved it between me and Dave.
Regaining her composure, she shook her head, blinking rapidly before bowing in respect, and so did the girl.
“I see you are done with your food. You can go back to work now,” Dave dismissed them.
Andrea nodded, and together, they left the cafe. I smiled; I would do anything to see her face at the sight of me.
It was proof that I mattered. It was proof that she liked me as much as I liked her.
Immediately she left, I stood, “I think I’ll do what you suggested. I’ll eat outside.”
“You should have listened to me earlier then. Now you wasted so much time.” Dave said, and I nodded in agreement.
“But it doesn’t matter. At least it was worth it.” the time wasn’t a waste. In fact, it was the most useful.
As I drove off, I couldn’t shake the thought that I may still affect her.
I wanted to speak to her and contemplated calling her, but I stopped.
I had called her earlier today, but just like I had done yesterday, I couldn’t speak to her or say a word.
She just sees me as a weirdo now.
I drove back to her office and watched her go home.
This continued for the next three days. Each time I tried to summon the courage to speak to her, I found myself hesitating. What if I was bothering her, and she just wanted to be alone?
I thought about so many things.
.
.
.
That evening, I did the usual: I stopped my car a few distances away from Dave’s company.
It was past 8 pm and she wasn’t coming out. I began to get worried. She should be out by this time. Her car should have passed mine like it usually does.
She didn’t leave the office until 9 p. m., but unlike on other days, she left without her car.
She stood by the road, ready to hail a cab.
I wondered what could have gone wrong. Did her car have problems?
Without much thought, I drove towards her. Stopping in front of her, I lowered my windshield.
“Get in,” I said.
She tried to avoid my gaze, saying, “Thank you, but I’d rather not.” Her voice was firm.
“I think it’s time you stop all this.” I passed a hand over my hair. It was getting tiring.
Why can’t she just drop this act and speak with me?
“Stop what?” She asked.
“Pretending you don’t know. Pretending that we don’t have something to talk about.”
“Mr Costa, we have nothing to talk about. Once again, thank you for your offer.”
She walked away this time and hailed a cab. I watched her drive off.
I drove behind her cab and made sure she got home safely.
When I was satisfied that she was good, I left.
I walked back and forth in my study. I was on the verge of going crazy. I couldn’t do this with her anymore.
I would call her.
If she doesn’t want to speak to me, then I’ll make her.
Taking my phone, I dialed her number and waited till it connected.
This time, I didn’t keep shut as I always did.
When it connected, I called her “Anna,” That way, it was clear it was me.
We’ll have to speak one way or the other.
“Alejandro?” She sounded doubtful.
“We have to talk.”
“I already said no.” “I never said it was a request. It’s either you come to meet me, or I’ll come to your house and have this conversation in front of your son.”
It wasn’t an empty threat. She knew I was capable of keeping my every word.
“You…” I heard her sigh on the other end, “Fine. I’ll come over.”
“Good. A car is waiting for you outside already. See you soon.”