𝘈𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘮- 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗲𝘀 (Book Two)

57

🌸ڿڰۣ-P̠O̠V̠ P̠a̠t̠r̠i̠c̠e̠

"So this is how it's going to be Patrice?"

The question was quietly spoken but I did not miss the barely suppress self-control in which Maleek stood watching me pack my bags. He had been that way for the past twenty minutes since I came out of the bathroom.

I took a deep breath and let it out as I stop what I was doing and face him. He was now dressed in a pair of light blue distressed jeans, a floral shirt, and a pair of Nike in his hand he held a dark green peek cap which he twirl absentmindedly.

I swallowed as I reach for my make-up bag and zip it. I was not sure how to answer him but I knew I had to say something.

"Am not pregnant so there is no use sti---"

"Patrice mi tell yuh a because yuh pregnant why mi av yuh ere wid mi?" he asked cutting me off. "What really a happen cause mi cudda sure seh this morning wi clear up where mi stand with yuh an what mi want."

Yes but mi cyaah manage the baggage of your marriage's premature end cause fra wat mi ere yuh tell Kronazz yuh still have feelings fi yuh wife.

All this played in my mind but stayed lodged in my throat. I could not bare to have him feel he owed me any obligations because he cared for me.

"Yuh seriously love ramp wid mi nuh tru?"

The question caused me to look at him and I so wanted to lessen the space between us and nestled against him and wrap myself in the security of all he offered but I could not let myself be carried away by my feelings.

"Maleek the last thing mi waah fi duh a play wid yuh feelings," I told him zipping the bag that now held all my belongings. "It's just that Petrona is here and her coming is going to open up a door that has long been closed to me."

He frowned at me and then ask. "Who is Petrona?"

"My mother," I whispered.

"What does your mother have to do with us being together, to do with you coming back to our hotel room an emotional mess?"

"She holds the answer as to why Ms. Murl was so adamant on OD and I not being together."

"A see," he said with a nod and a bitter laugh, "the million-dollar revelation. The one thing you want more than us, more than me."

He moved from where he stood placing the cap he had in his hand on his head. I tried not to take notice that his cornrows were partially undone as numerous times I had pulled on the ends in throes of my passion causing the elastics that held the ends to slip off.

I look away from him as my heart bled with despair when earlier it had pumped with love and happiness.

"Do what you have to Patrice mi naah stand in the way of what you truly want," he said and I had to bite my lips to keep from crying out my despair.

What mi really want is you. I screamed silently. The revelation is just for closure. I want you there with me, I want to leave with the knowledge of why almost nine years Deenie had to live without her father, as well with you as the man by my side. But yuh can't be my man when yuh still love Zindi.

"I don't know how yuh plan to get back to Manchester as obviously yuh lef mi in the dark bou events I think I should be aware of," he said his voice hoarse. "I have no clue as to what we have going on. I thought you have come valued me as much as I do you."

I knew he was implying Odean would be taking me home. I open my mouth to speak, to inform him I had planned to tell him everything when I came back only to hear him speaking of losing out on his love for Zindi, but then I would have to tell him I knew he still love her and I could not have that eventually brew into a storm between us if we continue our affair.