Isabella
“What!” Amelia finally managed to say staring at me with shock.
“When did this happen? Who is he?” Aba rushed
“How’s that even possible?” Amelia added and I laughed at their words.
“Well ladies take it easy,” I smiled at them.
“So all this whole time you left, you got married,” Ava said.
“What! No way. You know that doesn’t sound like me,” I told her and she nodded her head, staring at me as she waited for me to spill more tea.
“Everything Amelia said was true. I achieved all that, and my life is completely as she describe. But the marriage happened just a month ago,” I told them and sipped my drink, as a sigh escaped my lips.
“That sigh! Aren’t you happy?” Ava asked looking concerned.
“Yeah? You could talk to us,” Amelia added, with a look of worry on her face.
“What? I’m super happy, never been happier,” I lied and smiled brightly at them.
“Let’s talk about something else,” I said in a haste to change the topic which worked as everyone else spilled a lot of stuff happening in her life. Amelia told us how she had struggled with depression after the child’s birth, and how she had gone through a lot. We talked deep into the night before finally saying our goodbyes.
I arrived home and went to my room delighted about the meeting. I was glad I went to the reunion. And reuniting with my girls might just be the highlight of my week, I thought and took off my clothes before falling to my bed tiredly.
*The next morning*
I woke up quite late with a slight headache. I got out of bed, and Rose was nice enough to organize my room while I got myself ready.
“Why didn’t you wake me up,” I asked her, as I cremed my body.
“Sir Tristan asked us not to, plus you came in late last night,” She stated with a smile while dressing up my bed. I smiled at the mention of Tristan and continued the get ready.
I got to the office a little later and walked to his office with a smile.
“Thank you for the extra sleep,” I told him and dropped his cup of coffee on the table.
“Sure thing. Did you have fun last night?” He asked and I nodded my head in response.
“That’s good,” he said and continued tapping on his laptop while I took that as my cue to leave as we had nothing else to say to each other.
“Damn it, I thought this would be over by now,” I said to myself and sighed. I went back to work and my phone beeped.
“Hey Isabella, it’s Ava. We are going to have lunch at this amazing restaurant tomorrow, and I’d like for you to come. Here’s the address,” I read and smiled at it. We had shared contact last night and hanging out with them wasn’t such a bad idea. It was better than what me and Tristan had going.
*The lunch with friends*
I arrived at the restaurant and I saw them sitting at the window side. When they saw me, they waved at me and smiled while I rushed in to meet them. I was dressed in my work clothes and looking too formal to be eating here.
“Hey girl,” Amelia said with a smile.
“You both look amazing,” I said truthfully and they smiled brightly saying there was a thank you.
“You look amazing too,” Ava said and Amelia nods.
“Thank you, but too formal for this fine establishment,” I said and we all laughed agreeing to that, while they served us our food.
“So, you are even considering going out with this guy?,” I stare at Ava. She was telling us about this work colleague who had asked her out, but she didn’t as much like him.
“Be like me, stay off men,” Amelia added and I laughed hard.
“Or maybe like Isabella who is married, that I prefer,” Ava snickered at Amelia who looked at her and feigned hurt by her words.
“So Isabella, is marriage as blissful as they say?” Ava asked and sequenced.
“Who says that?” Amelia shook her head.
“Every married person I know,” Ava gave her an eye roll and I laughed so hard.
“Whatever,” Amelia said and had a glass of water.
“Tell her Isabella, so she could hear how blissful it is,” She said and I sighed. I stared at them unsure of telling them. I know they were my best friends but that was years ago, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to open up myself to people I just meant like two days ago.
“There’s that sigh again,” Ava pointed at and I looked at her and bit my lips nervously, while my finger played with my pants.
“You always bite your lips when you’re nervous? Is something going on? Did he do something to you? What’s going on?” Amelia threw more questions at me and I didn’t know what else to do.
I looked at them silently while they furrowed their brows at me. I needed help and I didn’t know if they were the right person to talk to, but I found myself calm down when I could see the sincere look of concern on their face.
“It’s quite long, are you sure you guys want to hear this?” I asked them worried and scared.
“We are here for you, and we are not going anywhere until you say it all,” Amelia said and Ava nodded.
“Okay so a month ago I found out I was sick,” I breathed out, holding the tears away as I spilled everything to them, about the fights, the prank, Emily, the confession, and now this awkward.
“Baby girl? Have you been holding this all this time alone?” Amelia rushed to where I sat and hugged him.
“We just met you, and now you’re telling me you are dying?” Ava was wailing, as she pulled me into a hug.
“Does Gerald know?” She asked about my brother and I shook my head negatively.
“You guys are the first person to know, well aside from my doctor,” I try to laugh through the sadness, but they close their eyes trying to stop the tears from flowing.
“Guys please, don’t make this beautiful day sad,” I told them, and raised my head to stop the tears from dropping as I sniffed.
“Plus I didn’t say all that so you could cry, I really need help with this. I want to be his woman for as long as I’m alive, but that can’t happen with this awkwardness,” I told them, and then deeded their head in agreement with me, and quickly collected a handkerchief from their purses to dry their eyes.
“Okay, just a moment,” Amelia sniffed and looked at me with a sad smile.
“From what you said I don’t know much, but I don’t think it’s that serious,” Amelia said, while Ava was struggling to stop tearing up.
“What do you suggest I do?”
“You need to find out which Isabella you are to him now, not the Isabella that hated him and wanted to destroy and make his life a living hell,” She started sad sniffed in.
“What do you mean by that, I’m supposed to be a different person? ” I was a little confused so I asked.
“No girl, still you but you’ve built your personality around hating him, that you don’t know what it’s like to like him,” Ava added and Amelia bids in support.
“So what do I do?” I asked realizing that they were right, I didn’t know anything other than hate him and resent him. I felt hurt about getting sick and I blamed it on Tristan.
“So how do I explore an Isabella with Tristan?” I asked.
“You’ve got to let go of the hate. Forgive him maybe, and as much as I hate to say this maybe don’t blame him for it as much as you do,” Amelia added and I sniffed in.
“I know, I know,” I breathed out and they rushed towards me and engulfed me in a hug.
“Also you guys have not dated. You jumped that and just got married. Maybe try to date each other,” Amelia added I laughed.
“Yeah, you both should go out, have fun, try new things, do everything, a honeymoon perhaps, and get to know each other,” Ava added and I laughed so hard. They both were right, I’ve hated him, disliked him and this whole emotion felt new. I was grateful I reunited with them, I was happy they were here with me right now.
“Thank you so much, my girls, I appreciate it,” I told them sincerely
“We are always here for you Isabella,” They said and smiled at me.
“But we still need to talk about how you landed yourself with a billionaire,” Amelia added.
“Damn, but is he like really hot?” Ava asked and I gasped while they all laughed.
Tristan
Things went from sweet to sour. It didn’t even get to the good part of being sweet, everything just suddenly changed. Isabella left the office early, she said she wanted to hang out with her friends which made me happy for her. She had something going on, but this distance between the two of us, was driving me crazy and I knew something had to be done and it needed to be done fast.
So I grabbed my phone and texted my buddies that we should meet at our usual spot. It was a private club, I needed to talk to someone.
I left the office at 6 pm earlier than I have ever. I went straight to the club and waited for them. I ordered some drinks, while I waited for their arrival.
“Hey man,” I stood on my feet and gave Jared a brotherly hug as he arrived a few minutes later.
“Damn! You look good,” I laughed and gave him a glass while I poured a drink for him.
“You know I have to stay fresh for the ladies,” He responded while I laughed.
“What about Jake and Dylan?” He asked
“Still yet to come,” In response
“I wonder how those two meet up with running a company,” He said and we both laughed.
“We know you were talking about us,” Dylan said and I shook my head.
“We’re you listening the whole time, Dylan?” I roll my eyes at him.
“Not me, I just got here,” Jake raised his hands and then sat down getting comfortable on the sofa.
“It’s nice to know you still think about us, married man,” Dylan said and furrowed his eyes still me.
“I got married for the company dumbass,” I said and faked throwing the glass on his head.
“I’ll believe that if it was Lily, but it was that sexy assistant of yours,” He laughed and I glared at him.
“Dylan got a point, you were in love with her, so? How is it? Being married to the woman you wanted,” Jake said and Jared and Dylan started smiling pitching for me to say something.
“I don’t know,” I sigh
“What do you mean by that?” Jared stared at me confused.
“I mean it’s fine, I guess,” I added and poured myself another drink.
“What the heck is happening?” Jake said looking at me.
“It’s a long story,” I sighed. “That’s actually why I called you guys here,” I added.
“Well, we are here so spill, man,” Dylan said as they all stared at me…
“Well, after the marriage…,” I started off narrating everything up to the point of awkwardness.
“Damn, I thought Tristan was a softie but you did that to her?” Dylan looked at me proudly, he was talking about the restaurant incidents and I sighed and nodded my head.
“Damn, I’m proud of you man,” I stifled a laugh at him, while he tap my shoulder.
“Seriously Dylan,” Jake said and gave him, a ate you crazy look.
“Can you guys help me,” I said frustrated.
“Of course, we got you,” Jake said and patted my back.
“I feel like you’re getting in your way. Cause you’ve talked about this girl, and then kicked against it because you don’t miss business with pleasure. But somehow and crazily, she ended up being your wife. The impossible happened, and then she went ahead to take the first move, saying she likes you, bro. Be fr?” Jared looked at me disappointed.
“Like you should have got the courage and told her first, that was a big no on my side,” Dylan added and I sighed.
“You guys, ease off him and stop stating his sins instead of helping him,” Jake said, he was the youngest amongst the four of us.
“Tristan, right now I feel you should just concentrate on treating her right, do everything you’ve imagined doing with her, spoil her, and show her with your actions that you like her, plus you’ve got to be present in her life,” Jake stated and I listened closely.
“Talk about your feelings, don’t shy away. Open up yourself to her, and change her mind towards you, do not push her away even if it’s hard,” Jared said to me, but he looked lost like he was talking about himself.
“You could compliment her, ask about the random thing, be present in her life, and get to know her,” Dylan stated.
“And maybe you guys would probably start to sleep in the same bedroom,” He winked at me while I glared at him.
“Whoo! Don’t listen to that,” Jared said and glared at him too.
“What? I’m sure he has thought of it too,” Dylan shrugged his shoulder and I just stayed there staring at him, because he was right. I have thought about it.
“That’s a lot of steps okay,” Jake said
“You’ve got time to date her first, like in a normal new relationship. You both have to talk and have your first hug, kiss, happy moment, and sad moment. This moment builds up a relationship. You and Isabella didn’t do all of this and just got married,” Jake said
“So what are you saying?” I asked him
“You’ve got time to date her properly, date her like the way you should take her first dates, shopping, and court her right,” He answered and I nodded.
“Be there, physically, spiritually, and emotionally too, be present” Jared added.
“That includes financial too. You’re a fucking billionaire, spoil her with gifts, trips, and clothes. Give her everything she wants,” Dylan said and smiled.
They were right, Isabella and I didn’t do the dating stuff, we were married And if we weren’t and I had the opportunity to ask her out, I’d do it probably with dates, gifts, and getting to know her, I thought to myself and we continue to chat about other stuff.