𝘈𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘮- 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗲𝘀 (Book Two)

64

🌸ڿڰۣ-P̠O̠V̠ P̠a̠t̠r̠i̠c̠e̠

I was trying to put the best myself forward, I think I was doing a reasonable job of it too. I was chatting with the girls at a corner of the church's wide front verandah as other attendees of Simone's funeral kept filing into the church.

I watched briefly as people found various benches on their own while Ushers guided others to places where they could be seated.

My eyes traveled to the reserve benches where we would be joining her family and other close friends and I felt my equanimity slip. I turn my attention away and look out into the busy churchyard in hope of getting some semblance of composure but as I did so my eyes came to rest on Maleek walking into the churchyard.

I felt my knees tremble in both fear and longing and my heart began to beat with such a thrill it took quite a few silent warnings to myself to remain put and not rush to him.

My eyes feasted on him.

My body leaped with awareness.

My need for him pooled into my center with such force I gasped.

My love wrapped itself around me like a bittersweet love song.

"Aunty Nikki!"

I heard rather than saw the figure that ran up to the group of us and clung to Nikki. I made out the words of the softly spoken voice as it ask Nikki to take her to a restroom.

I had eyes only for the man walking up to us.

He seemed to have eyes only for me too.

I felt my feet make a step then another but somehow I was still on the veranda and an arm was now on my lower back and a familiar voice was speaking into my ear.

I turn to Odean irritation evident in my eyes but he was oblivious to it as he was now speaking to the others. As he spoke he took my hand and I turned which caused me to press closer to him creating an intimate stance.

I made to move away; before I could pull away the small figure by Nicole called out.

"Daddy Aunty Nikki is taking me."

Medz was now at the bottom of the steps I look to see that his eyes were no longer on me. His attention was on the little girl who he smiled lovingly at as he nodded. My eyes trailed to her and Nikki as they left the group for the restroom at the back of the church.

I swallowed visibly as I automatically leaned into Odean as he spoke further. I heard nothing he said it was as if the words were clouds drifting around my face.

"Hey Medz," Kronazz said as he moved up the steps to us, and with a mind of its own my body press closer to OD's.

"Waah gwaan," he smiled and there was something about that smile that wrenched my heart further.

It was not the smile that I knew. It was a mere version of the bright and compelling grin that made you want to smile in return.

Wah yuh tink, afta the way yuh lef e man yuh believe him a guh kin out e teet wen e see yuh agen?

I backed away and mumbled I was going inside. I was not ready to face the facts and my conscience was more than ready to rub my face in the bits and pieces as to why I was in this current dismal dilemma.

Yes track star, run galang!

I hiss my teeth I was by no means up for the back-and-forth tussle with my conscience. I was barely able to keep my feelings in check after seeing Medz again much less to have this inward battle with my inner self.