Will Love Ever Come?

Chapter 73

ESCHEWAL ENTERS HIS LIVING room and plops himself in front of the TV after his dull day at work.

It is a Friday evening, and he is about to settle in for a night filled with reality shows and comedies when his phone rings. He jumps up with his heart pounding, wishing it is Manna. He sucks his teeth as Deuce's name flashes up on the screen.

Deuce hopes he has timed things perfectly. He reckons that by now, Eschewal will have got Manna enough out of his system to become a player again.

Deuce received a call from Spiv moments after Eschewal had told Manna what he had done with her cousin. Spiv went on to be the shoulder for Manna to cry on, and later, he became the main man in her life. Spiv finally had his prize. He had not yet decided what play to take on Manna whether to have sex with her for a few months and then get rid of her, or make her the mother of his child.

Eschewal answers the phone and snaps, "Yeah, mate, what's up?"

"Rah, you sound upset, bruv. What's going on?"

"Nah, man, I'm safe," lies Eschewal, "I'm just tired, man."

"Yeah," Deuce pauses. He wants to laugh but controls himself and continues, "So what, you linking wifey tonight?"

Eschewal feels a lump rise in his throat. "Nah, nah, me and her done, bruv."

Deuce holds back another laugh. "What, already? What happened?"

Eschewal says. "Ter, bruv, you're not gonna believe it, you know the girl invited me to her yard, and the moment I step in the door, she shows me a picture of her cousin. Ter, and guess who the cousin was? The same chick we mashed down in my yard."

Deuce pulls the phone away from his ear and bites his lip so he will not crack up laughing. "What, don't lie. So what happened?"

"I told her, innit. I told her about the threesome."

Deuce's mouth drops. "What, are you nuts? You can't tell girls them things. You can't be honest with girls. Listen, girls expect to be lied to; they love being treated bad. It gives them something to complain about, innit. Look at me and my wifey. I don't stop give her bun, and she don't stop call me a bastard and a dirty dog, but she won't leave me because I won't admit nothing. Come on, bruv, that's the game, gee. Lie and cheat and don't get caught, then it's all good."

Eschewal shakes his head. "Nah, I'm a different yute. I can't live my life like that."

Deuce raises his eyebrows and taps his steering wheel. "Bruv, what's happened to you? You never used to be like this back in the day."

Eschewal thinks about whether he should tell Deuce that reading the black book changed him. He decides not to and lets Deuce continue.

"Come on bruv," begins Deuce, "you should forget about that nice guy shit because all girls think that all guys are bastards and dirty dogs." He licks his lips. "Oi, anyway, forget about her. She weren't meant for you. Listen, if you're on it, I've got a link for tomorrow, you know?"

Eschewal pauses in thought... 'Linking back with Deuce is the last thing I want.' However, he decides he will because he has concluded that he lost Manna and his chance of happiness & riches because he forgot about becoming a creator of values. He still feels that finding a wife will make him become a creator of values and guarantee his happiness & riches. Therefore, he is sure if he continues to find a new wife and does not forget about becoming a creator of values, happiness & riches will be his forever.

"Yeah, alright, bruv, I'm on it. I'll link you tomorrow." Eschewal ends the call and grips his phone. He smiles. He is ready to hit the road again, but this time, he will not forget about the ultimate goal – becoming a creator of values.