Sydney Mdlalose's Ever After

Chapter Twenty-One.

I clench my jaw as I feel tears bridge around my eyelids. "Hurt. Like I was forcing what wasn't there. Like you didn't see me how you always see me. It's like when Elizabeth came back into your life you started seeing her again and I just became that girl you were marrying out of pleasing your mother. I feel like you don't love me anymore." I express.

A tear manages to escape and rolls down my cheek.

Andre looks at me. He presses his lips together. "Why didn't you say anything?" He asks. I scoff. "Because it looked like you had already made up your mind and I would be talking to myself if I tried."

Andre sits down. "I'm sorry." I say again. He stands up and walks towards me, pulling me head first into his arms. "No, I'm sorry." I let the tears out as my heart lightens.

"I love you." He whispers before cupping my face with his hands. "I love you too." He kisses me, softly pressing his lips against mine. I hear the doorbell ring downstairs. "Expecting anyone?" Andre asks. "No." I reply. "But I'll go find out who it is." Andre nods as he continues to get dressed. I leave him in the room and answer the front door.

Keith is outside the door with his hands in his pockets. He smiles. "Hey." I suddenly remember when he called last night and told me he'd drop by. "...Hi." He frowns. "Everything okay?" The door gets pulled from my hold as Andre falls into the picture. "Keith. What's up?"

Keith looks between Andre and I. "Uhh, nothing. Just thought I'd see you guys before I leave for Seattle tomorrow afternoon." Andre nods. "Oh, okay. Well, I have to go somewhere real fast. I'll be back in a few minutes." Keith nods. "That's okay, I'll wait."

Andre turns to me and kisses me. "I'll see you." He walks out to his Maserati. "Come in." I say to Keith. He walks in as if he doesn't necessarily want to be here anymore.

He turns and looks at me. "He doesn't look like someone who's about to divorce you." I avoid his eyes. "Yeah, we fixed things just a second ago."

Keith scoffs. "I hate to say this but you're treating this like it's some love story out of a book. Sydney, you're going to keep going in circles with this guy. And just so you know, Elizabeth isn't going anywhere."

"How I treat this should not be your problem." I say as I march to the kitchen. "What? Sydney, I'm your family. Of course it's my problem." I turn. "That's not what you were saying yesterday when you had me pinned to a door."

Keith sighs. "Being your family doesn't change that I'm in love with you and I know that I could treat you better than he does. If you'd just come to Seattle with me again." I look at him and shake my head. "I don't feel the same way Keith. You were closest and available, and I needed a distraction."

Keith looks away. "Okay then. If not me then at least someone else." I roll my eyes and walk back to the living room. I literally have no idea where I'm going. Keith pulls my arm. I hastily turn and hit against his chest. I look up at him.

My heart races as his hot breath hits my face. Keith shifts his gaze to my lips. He slowly closes the gap between his and mine.

Before they touch, I whisper. "Please let me go." Keith hesitantly lets go of my arm. He takes a step away from me. "When you finally come to realisation of what I'm saying, call me."

He walks towards the door. "For family, you sure have such little faith in my marriage." Keith pulls the door open. "Tell Andre that I'll call him." And just like that he was gone.

Andre's P.O.V.
"Where are your bags?" Elizabeth asks me as I exit my car. "I've decided not to leave, anymore." Elizabeth's face falls. "Oh, what changed?" I play with my car keys. "Sydney and I are working on resolving things."

Elizabeth looks anywhere else but at me. "Great. Well, you should probably head back to her then." I close the space between Elizabeth and I and cup her cheeks.

"Hey, I'll still be here. I'm not going anywhere. We still need each other." Elizabeth places her hands above mine and kisses me without notice.

I don't pull away as she wraps her arms around my neck. I move my hands to her waist and pull her closer. I pull away before things get a chance to escalate.

Elizabeth sighs as our foreheads press together. "I have to go." I pull away from her and get back into my car and drive out. From the rearview mirror, I watch her as she holds back tears and rushes to cover her mouth as I disappear.

<><>

"Well it sure is good to see you guys together after last night." My father says at the dinner table. Karen glares at him and looks at Sydney and I. "What I want to know is where my son slept last night?"

I look at my mother. Sydney stiffens in her seat next to me. "I slept at a friend's." I reply. Karen lifts her eyebrows. "You always did have a lot of friends. Good to see that they're still around."

I know she's no longer talking about my friends but rather about my past acquaintances. I look at my father who already looks bored of the conversation. He always never says anything unless the gun is aimed at my mother.

Karen turns to Sydney. "Sydney, what were you and Keith arguing about? It sounded serious." I look at Sydney. She didn't tell me about an argument. "We weren't arguing. It was just Keith being Keith." Karen takes a bite of her food. "How so?"

Sydney sighs. "It doesn't even really matter Karen, okay. I mean for once, mind your own business. You're always in our marriage and don't seem to notice how out of love yours is."

My eyes widen, so do my father's. Karen looks away from Sydney. "You're right Sydney. I should stop looking out for you." Syndey scoffs. "If you want to call what you're doing 'looking out', then okay." Sydney gets up from her chair. "I've lost my appetite. Goodnight."

She walks out the dining room. Jason sighs. "Leave it to Karen to ruin a good thing." With that said, my father leaves the room.