Talk To Me

24. Wasted years

Wale had been surprised to see Cherry and Kind walk in together at her new beachfront hideout. Todo had played her well, bringing her fiancé and Kind at the same time.

"We've been looking for you for almost a week now, my love!" Cherry said after breaking their embrace. 

"I needed some time to think about a lot of stuff, and I missed the beach too," Wale replied, looking at him, to which Cherry smiled, reaching for a kiss.

"You didn't have to worry about me coming back. I was going to leave Swalha's place and return to you eventually," Cherry stated and asked to go inside, complaining the heat was making him dizzy.

As they walked towards the villa, Wale glanced back at Kind, who was busy mesmerized by the surroundings. Kind had always loved the beach from childhood, so of course he'd want to enjoy the sun a little more. Once inside, Cherry was glued to Wale, asking about her well-being and why they'd never come to that place before. "Is this one of your parent's properties?"

Wale hesitated before replying, "I leased it temporarily." Cherry stood up and scanned the place. It was a huge villa for one person to stay in.

"How long are you planning to be here? I can take an emergency leave and stay with you for some time until we return back to the city."

Wale stood up to reach for his hand, then gently pulled him back to sit down. "Kind is still outside, and you can stay here as I go get him."

"No need for that since I actually want us to talk privately. Honestly, I do not understand why you called for him instead of me. Are you, by any chance investigating him to check if he is still in contact with your family?" Cherry asked, still holding onto Wale's hand.

"Why did you bring that up all of a sudden? It's been five years since we last spoke about that."

Cherry panicked a little at Wale's question, blaming Kind for making him talk about it while on their way here. "I thought about a lot of things when you suddenly left, maybe your relatives kidnapped you, or they tortured you or flew you to some unknown location. There was no other reason why you would just leave like that."

Wale smiled as Cherry gently played with her hair. She thought to herself how the past month had been rough on their relationship and how much she'd begged him to return to her. Cherry smiled back, reaching for another kiss, but Wale drew back. "I wasn't expecting you here, so you must understand my shock at seeing you. Though I'm glad you came, meaning, you've forgiven me, and that makes me extremely happy. Even so, since you are here, we can clear up a few things before you leave." Wale stood up, and after walking a few steps away from Cherry, she added, "I think we should break up."

Her back was still turned to Cherry when he came behind her. "What is going on? If there is something bothering you let us talk about it and find a way to resolve it."

"I'll compensate you generously for wasting your time, Cherry. I don't think I can marry you."

"Then look at me and say it again," Cherry demanded, after which Wale did as he had asked. She watched him, surprised to see him calm. It was obvious Cherry was trying to hide her emotions. Anyone would be upset after an abrupt break up. "I don't accept what you have just said. I will leave with Kind. Maybe you need more time to think about our relationship." He walked past Wale, bumping into her shoulder on purpose. He wanted to get away from her as much as possible before breaking down. When he got to the door, he turned back to look at Wale and asked how he could get out of the place.

"The driver who had picked you two will come tomorrow morning."

"How dare you!" Cherry shouted. "Ten years of my life, and you suddenly made a decision in three weeks of being away? So what? Now you want to be with Kind all of a sudden?"

When Wale didn't say a word, he lifted his hands in frustration, turning to look outside. He couldn't face her. "Unbelievable! I was right all along. That was why you asked for Kind wasn't it?"

Before Wale could respond, he stopped her with a hand gesture. "Don't say another word. I don't think I can take it." He turned back to Wale again, looking all guilty. "You feel sorry for me now? Offering me money for the ten years you have wasted my life!"

"Cherry, please calm down. I'm sorry, I really am, but our marriage will be miserable, don't you see? Kind has not influenced my decision as you may believe..." Wale hesitated, "You are the one who made me begin to question my feelings towards him." She quickly closed the gap between the two of them and gently held him by the shoulder. "I always loved you. I never was dishonest with my feelings towards you, neither did I waiver and set my eyes on another man. Then, you made me wonder what it would be like to be with Kind." Letting him go, she concluded, "I was confused, and that's why I left to think."

After a long silence which seemed like an eternity to Wale, Cherry finally spoke. "You will never be happy with him. He can't give you a family as you've always wanted. Are you willing to let that dream go?"

"I gave up on that long ago after the miscarriage. Surrogacy failed too, remember?"

Scoffing, Cherry walked back to take a seat. He felt nauseous and dizzy. Everyone seemed to want Kind. What was so special about him anyway? Kind was just a regular guy who was a pushover and worked a regular job earning a regular salary, but two wealthy women were fighting over him. Over him! What did Kind have that he didn't have himself? Cherry covered his eyes briefly, trying to hide his tears before finally breaking down.

Wale, knowing Cherry's ever emotional side when he couldn't win, quietly walked towards him and sat beside him. She didn't say a word until his muffled cries became less. "I still insist on compensating you."

Cherry shot Wale an icy look. His face read utter despair, but he didn't say a word as he turned to gaze at the floor. He seemed deep in thought, and after a while, he let out a heavy sigh, lifting his head to look at the ceiling. "I guess this is it. This is what ten years of a relationship looks like; utter misery."

 "This is why I wanted Kind to come alone. I was hoping to speak to him first before talking to you."

"So you could cheat on me with him? Is that it?" Wale didn't deny it, and that made him laugh. "You are so shameless. That was a rhetorical question. You could have lied, at least."

Standing up, Cherry asked her for a place to rest, and she walked him to one of the rooms upstairs. She stood by the door for some time after shutting it, her hand on her chest. She hadn't realized she had been holding her breath for a while. She wanted to calm down first before going to see Kind.

Walking to the shared balcony that was next to Cherry's room, she took a sigh of relief when she saw Kind a distance away, his jeans rolled to his knees, standing bare feet as he took pictures of the oncoming waves, then another picture of himself with the scenery. He seemed so carefree and at peace wit himself.

The sound of someone moving behind he startled Wale. It had been Cherry. "Is everything alright in the room?"

Cherry ignored her and walked to the balcony, trying to find out what Wale had been looking at, then scoffed. "I hate him so much. He took you away from me even before I had you. I should have never ignored the signs." Turning his gaze to Wale, he forced a smile, his eyes red and puffy. "I wanted to tell you myself before your friend blurts it out. We are four months pregnant."