Will Love Ever Come?

Chapter 69

IT IS THE FOLLOWING day, and Manna kisses Eschewal on the lips, without tongue, and jumps out of the car. She almost skips to her front door. She turns and waves goodbye. Eschewal notices her smile, the type of smile that beams not only from the mouth but from the eyes. That would be the last time he would ever see it again, that great big smile.

She closes the front door, rests her back on it for a while, and feels like screaming with joy. She gets herself together and blows out air, then goes to the bathroom. She pulls out her non-personal phone and turns it on. The phone beeps and then flashes up a message. She listens to it before setting the bath. It is Spiv, and he sounds urgent. She plans to call him back after taking a bath, but before she can get undressed and stick the phone on the charger, the phone rings.

"Hey, what's up, girl?" asks Spiv.

"Hold on," says Manna as she sticks the charger on the phone. "Yeah, nothing much. I'm just about to step in the bath."

"Okay," responds Spiv, "did you get my message?"

"Yeah, what's up?" says Manna as she sits down on her bed and unclips her bra.

"Nah, I just want to ask you something. I was talking with one of my friends, yeah... listen, you know that guy you were telling me about, is he also called Eros?"

She pauses for a second. "Um, why?"

"Ter, listen, I found out something yesterday that I think you should know."

"What?"

"I don't know if I should tell you the horror."

"Just tell me, man, go on," she pleads.

"Well, listen, if he's also called Eros, then I heard he ran a battery on your cousin, Salacious."

Horror, distress, and confusion explode within Manna. Her heart seems to sink to her big toe. She does not want to believe it, but deep down, she thinks it might be true.

"Oi, Manna, are you there?"

She regains her voice. "Yeah, yeah, I've got to go. I'll talk to you later."

She has a plan. Her hand trembles as she pushes the send button. Eschewal's name flashes up on her screen.