Not more than strangers✔️

09| e r i c

"And if the sky should ever die.
We'd make our own light,
You and I."
~John Mark Green

April 13th, 1972.

The scenery looked the same as always.

Clear skies and the faint glow from the sun indicated the day coming to an end. The air was fresh, even if the smoke had been something he was so accustomed to, but it felt familiar.

Pierce drove to Funmi's university in his black ford granada, his son on his mind the entire time. He seemed dazed despite the fact his eyes stayed glued to the road, nostalgia filled every fibre of his muscle.

He hated secrets, yes but now he only realised he hated when people kept secrets from him. Now he seems to be keeping a lot of those lately, slowly growing accustomed to them as the guilt feels nothing more than a dull pain at the back of his mind.

He hated working so much, he hated staying so late at the office, he hated his boss. But he just couldn't leave, he convinced himself he was doing it for Funmi, for her happiness as he was slowly losing his own.

His skin crawled every time he let her touch him like that. He only craved his wife's ever loving hands and dark skin. If he caved and blew up like a ticking bomb, what would become of his marriage, his wife's education and future?

He let out a sigh, he felt the hot liquid prick his eyes uncomfortably, he hated it so much and he didn't want to do it anymore. "I do the things I do because I love you."

He imagined she was sitting next to him, repeating that statement over again until he can finally settle his churning stomach. He missed her so much and despite the negativity in his aura, he couldn't help the excitement that bubbles inside of him.

     He's finally a father.

He was going to see his son for the first time ever. He missed the boy even when he had never laid eyes on him, he missed his wife too so so much.

Funmi's part time job actually helped quite a lot, after getting used to the school environment and schedule, she worked vigorously on weekends at a local restaurant not far from campus.

Knowing of her pregnancy, she knew she had to rent her own apartment, somewhere not far but also conducive. Occasionally he would drop by over the passing year, giving her some money or supplies she would need. Staying a night or two making sure his wife and baby were okay.

The downside, she barely came back during the holidays, she would work full time in the restaurant, letting Vivian keep her company. Vivian was a sweet soul, always helping out whenever Funmi needed extra hands. She recently turned nineteen and decided to move in with Funmi because she didn't like the dorms the school provided.

Pierce saw the familiar building come into view, his stomach churning nervously on seeing his baby and Funmi. Would she really hate him for being absent when she needed him the most? Or grace his lips with a earth shattering kiss he longed to receive?

He parked his car and hurriedly rushed to the apartment building. The green, flowery walpaper of the lobby walls peeled off the concrete, the atmosphere held a musky odour to complement the building slowly falling apart.