SIERRA'S LEONE

SCHEMING HEARTS

Sierra was curious, she wanted to know how the date went, but neither Jonas and May deemed to say anything else except that they had fun. Sierra caught Jonas texting a couple of times the following days. It stressed her to see him smile in front of his phone screen.

What did May send?

Was it even May the man messaged?

The whole scenario drove Sierra up the wall, but it didn't make her more inclined to listen to the man who desperately sought a moment alone with her.

Of course, Sierra's attitude made Jonas clumsy, and the result was about to play with the doorbell's sound.

"Hi, Jonas."

"Sierra isn't in."

"I know I came to see you."

Though surprised, Jonas stepped aside to let Vincent inside.

"Do you want something to drink? As always, Jonas was polite.

"No, thanks."

"So what owes me this visit?" Jonas said as they advanced in the corridor.

"Sierra," Vincent replied right off the bat.

He had no time to play; he had a message to deliver, and he didn't leave space for misleading interpretations.

"Okay," Jonas prompted Vincent to take a seat.

Both sat, Jonas waited for Vincent to begin, and he did.

"I'm in love with Sierra. Before Leone, you, and this situation, Sierra and I had plans. Sierra is crazy about Leone, and I have a lot of affection for him too. Before I came back, you were going to confide Leone to Sierra. I hope that hasn't changed."

"No, it hasn't," Jonas answered, intrigued by the conversation's destination.

"Good, because it's important for Sierra and me. I'm going to ask Sierra to marry me at my restaurant's opening in two weeks. I hope you will concede to discuss the other decisions concerning Leone at a later date. As you can imagine, if Sierra and wed, we'll have to revise the legal dispositions of his welfare."

Jonas sat silently in what some would consider a reflecting stance, but man's mind was blank.

Since his date with May, the man tried to approach Sierra, but as always, the woman dodged. Sierra refused to deal with his feelings, but above all, she wished to keep control of her pandora's box of emotions.

Sierra even had scheduled exits, dates, beauty appointments, rendezvous with friends; never had the woman been so radiant.

Nails, hair, massages, Sierra could not fake it. She had to have the proof; attesting all was not a scheme to flee Jonas. Running had a cost, and the woman wondered if she could keep up the act for the next two weeks.

Vincent's words put the man out cold, and the next piece would have a boxing referee start the countdown for the finish and declaring Mr. Patel the victor.

"I don't stab people in the back. I've waited all my life for a woman like her. I'm not the type of guy to sit and watch what's mine snatched."

Vincent had everything planned; he even profited from the time he spent in London to tell his parents. Of course, the mixed couple caused mixed feelings for the traditional Indian family who discovered Sierra on the photos Vincent had on his phone; thus, the man found himself held back in the British capital.

 His mother almost fainted when he told her they had been together for a year already. She objected by retorting a year was too little to judge someone worthy to marry. Vincent laughed it off by saying he saw arranged marriages buckled within a week. He didn't need any more time; Sierra was the one. His father had a more nuanced opinion. For Vincent, the woman was worth the hassle, and even if his family was still reluctant, he counted on going forward with his proposal. Jonas could not suspect the threat he represented for the man willing to sacrifice his family ties for Sierra.

May was right, Vincent flared Jonas's intentions, and as expected, the man went ahead of things by taking an offensive position and attacking.

"Whether it's conscious or a coincidence, it doesn't matter. All I know is that the man sitting in this room with me might have feelings for my woman. I prefer using conditional words as I'm aware I could be completely and utterly wrong and making a fool of myself at this instant with my assumptions. If it's the case, I apologize, and I hope you won't hold anything against me."

"What if you're not wrong?" Jonas stared straight at Vincent to support the seriousness of his query.

Vincent fixed Jonas, "then I guess we'll have a minor disagreement which I wish we can resolve. Sierra speaks highly of you. She says you're a man of your word, and you've never let her down."

Jonas cocked an eyebrow, "there's nothing minor when it comes to Sierra and Leone for me. What do you want, Vincent?"

"I want you to leave when the time comes, as you promised."

"What if I don't?"

Vincent shook his head, "I don't think you understand your situation, Jonas. You're a health hazard for Sierra. Your presence reminds her, Cecile. As long as you're here, she can't move on. Both of you are casualties of the same loss. You can't heal one another, and you can't fall in love because if you do, all you'll achieve is destruction."

Jonas observed Vincent. The man sat up straight, and his voice didn't quake. Vincent was so confident of what he said, and he could.

Everything Vincent exposed was accurately what tormented the roommates daily.

"We lived together for six months. It went pretty well," Jonas retorted.

"It's temporary, Jonas. Don't tell me you sincerely believe you can live something other than this with Sierra. Are you thinking about Leone? Can you imagine him growing up knowing his father is with your mother's best friend? Don't you think he has enough trauma to live with?"

The man was direct. Vincent was not messing around. The stakes were high, and none could take the risk of bluffing.

"Are you trying to intimidate me, Vincent?"

"No, we have something in common. Sierra's well-being is primordial on that I agree with you, but-."

"In that case, maybe, she should decide.

Jonas noticed Vincent's eye twitch. It was a first since the conversation started and Jonas's chance to reverse the course of the discussion.

"You see, Vincent, I don't claim people. Sierra is the only person who can decide what Sierra wants. I've still got two weeks to go. I don't know," Jonas shrugged, "anything can happen."

A corner smile appeared on Vincent's face. He didn't expect Jonas to say yes and Amen to his words.

"Okay, if you say so, Jonas."

Vincent got up; he said all he had in mind he had nothing else to add. The man was almost at peace with himself. Unlike what Jonas imagined, Vincent didn't only come to let him know his intentions. No, the man came to verify if his hunch was correct.

The idea nested in his mind from the moment Vincent saw Jonas's stare upon Sierra. He almost lost Sierra once, and he refused to lose her to Jonas.

Vincent made matters urgent by seeing Jonas. He knew his rival would dive in and commit an error. The man forced Jonas to expose himself. Jonas had no time to wait and woo Sierra; all he could do was tell her.

Sierra being who she was, would blatantly refuse. Vincent was a hundred percent sure.

The outcome was evident.