Thursday At Arthur’s Apartment
Arthur woke up that morning feeling unwanted. When he walked into the bathroom for a wash, he took a fastidious look at himself in the mirror and consoled himself.
‘But I had been like this when she was crushing on me. Why did she lose those feelings?’
When he could not get any answer to his questions, he took his bath and returned to the bedroom to dress up for work. Afterward, he left with his son.
Meanwhile, Nichole woke up too with a slight headache. To avoid brooding much over Arthur and his unsteady love advances, she left for work very early. In the evening, they all converged at her place for dinner.
When Arthur, who had made up his mind to draw her attention to him just like before, and his son arrived, Nichole was taken aback when she cast her eyes on him. Although he was casually dressed, he was charming. He wore a white T-shirt and a pair of white shorts, which revealed his long, hairy legs and arms. He also stylishly brushed his short hair to the side.
Nevertheless, Louis was thrilled by his father’s dressing that evening, but the moment they walked into Nichole’s Apartment, his aura became officious, and he dismissed the thought that his father dressed to please his mom.
“Welcome. Kindly sit down,” Nichole greeted them cheerfully when she found her bearings.
“Thank you, Mom,” Louis said, and took his seat on the couch.
Arthur sat down, too, before he made a perfunctory remark, “Good to see you, Nichole.”
The disenchanted Louis looked at his father to see if something was troubling him, but his face was void of expression. Nichole, who felt the same, called his attention by greeting again.
“Good evening Arthur. How was your day?”
“My day was fine,” he responded without looking at her or caring about her day.
Louis, who felt that it was absurd, called his father’s attention while Nichole was about to walk to the kitchen.
“Dad, Mom is greeting you.”
On hearing that from Louis, Arthur realized that he must have gone overboard and must conceal his improper behavior towards Nichole and apologize.
He looked at her smiling face and pleaded, “Oh! So sorry Nichole. I was carried away. Please pardon my nonchalance.”
Nichole smiled too and accepted his apology, “Never mind, I hope your day went well.”
“Yes. And you?”
“Splendid. Excuse me. I will be back.”
That was what Arthur was trying to avoid. He knew that seeing her face and hearing her voice may give him some erotic sensations. Before now, he could easily do that without any feelings attached, but since their relationship had progressed from brother’s wife and mother to his children to a crush, he knew he would be troubled.
So, he had to excuse himself, “Excuse me,” he said and headed for the convenience to take care of himself.
Nichole came back to the parlor after she instructed the chef on what to do and was surprised to meet only Louis who was watching the television.
Then, she inquired, “Where is your father, Louis?”
“He had gone to the restroom.”
“I see. Let’s wait for him.”
Arthur walked back to the parlor after spending a longer time in the restroom. He became emotionally troubled again when he set his eyes on her. All the sensation he thought he had suppressed at the restroom returned.
“Shall we go to the table?” Nichole announced
Her voice worsened the situation, but it was a good idea for him because he would sit on the chair and the table would conceal his erection.
“It is all right, Mom.”
However, at the dining table, Nichole, who had been wanting to be close to him, sat beside him at the particular spot she sat on when they had dinner after the wedding of Denise and Olivia. Presently, she desired that he should rub her legs just like that day, but Arthur who was afraid of offending her, did not.
They were having their dinner quietly when she broke the silence by calling out, “Louis.”
“Yes, Mom.”
“How do you intend to leave tomorrow, since your car is not here?”
“That won’t be a problem, Mom. I will ask any of the drivers to take me back.”
She looked at Arthur, who was busy with his food and nursing his erotic sensation, before she looked back at him and asked, “Do you mind if your dad and I take you back?”
Now, she needed Arthur’s company desperately, just as he needed hers when he suggested that they should take Julie to the Airport.
“Wow! Mom. That would be good,” Louis responded.
He cast a glance at his father and continued, “Thank you, Father. Thank you, Mom.”
Arthur fought hard to conceal his disapproval of the idea and asked him, “You are welcome. What time would you love to leave?”
“Anytime the two of you are ready, I will be ready.”
“It is all right.”
Now, they ate their food in silence and when they were done, Louis hugged her. However, Arthur attempted to avoid it but Nichole would not go.
“A hug, Arthur,” she requested with a cheerful demeanor.
He stopped and gave her a quick hug and said, “Thank you for the dinner.”
“Think nothing about it,” she answered.
He walked out immediately and joined Louis, who was already on the veranda. Nichole walked after him and watched them drive off.
“Good night, Mom.”
“Good night, Son. Good night, Arthur.”
“Good night, Nichole,” he answered curtly.
Sometimes confusion and vain thoughts overtake us and land us in wrong conclusions. Arthur had no yardsticks to conclude that the love moves from Nichole were not for him.
“Good night, Son. See you tomorrow,” he greeted Louis who was heading to his room.
“Good night, Father,” he responded.
Nevertheless, he walked to his room immediately and thought deeply concerning her proposals, ‘Why does she want to go to Seven Oaks? Could she be seeing another man? What if I rescind the trip?’
Many negative thoughts beclouded his idea about the trip, which may land him into emotional mistakes, but that time, it will affect his son, Louis. All the same, he called her.
Meanwhile, Nichole was not going back on her beautiful idea. She picked up his call immediately and Arthur misinterpreted it too.
‘She must have picked it up to beguile me,’ he thought.
“Hello Arthur,” she greeted him with a tone void of emotions.
Arthur felt unwanted instantly but called out, “Nichole.”
“Yes, Arthur,” she answered at least once.
“I would like to know, why do you want to go to Seven Oaks?”
“Oh! I wish to change environment. Don’t you wish to?”
Her response confused and infuriated him the more and lent credence to his notion that she was no longer interested in him and was seeing another man. Now, he had to stop the budding relationship between her and whoever from the source with the power vested in him as the Head of the Family.
“I see. What if I say we are not going to Seven Oaks?”
“That won’t be fair because you will only ruin the weekend for me and disappoint Louis.”
With her response and the mention of Louis, Arthur had no choice but to give in.
“I see. In that case, what time do you want us to leave?”
Nichole gave him an honest response that was determined by her beautiful plan, “I think 4 PM will be fine. Or what do you think?”