The Lives We Live

Chapter 17

Enjoy! 

Cheryl just stared at Toni, with tears in her eyes, "I'm married," She said softly.

"I know, are you happy with him Cheryl ?" She asked the redhead,

No, She thought, "Yes," She sighed, "I was happy, I was convinced that I was happy,"

"What about now?" Toni asked softly,

"I need to go," The redhead answered nervously,

"Why are you running away?"

"Because there's nothing more I can do,"

"I don't want to push you into this, but I can't keep quiet anymore, imagine the other night, I told myself it was wrong to call you just not to cause you any problems, but I called you because I needed to hear your voice, because I couldn't wait for Monday to see you or talk to you. I know you don't want to hear this, but I can't keep quiet anymore,"

"It's not about that Toni, I'm married!" The IT manager argued,

"I know you are married Cheryl, you don't need to remind me, I am not forgetting that you are married,"

"That's the problem! I don't want to forget that I'm married!"

Toni sighed, "Okay, I respect your decision Cheryl, but your decision won't change the way I feel about you. I'll always have hope that some day you'd change your mind. I'll always be waiting,"

"You might wait for nothing,"

"I don't care. Waiting for you gives me hope, gives me a reason to continue my life."

Cheryl wiped a few tears and looked at Toni, "But that waiting might put me into stress,"

"I'll wait without pressuring you, I'll wait till your ready,"

"Ready for what Toni"

"Ready to be a free person, ready to tell me everything you think and feel,"

"I might never be ready,"

"Trust me, you are ready Cheryl," Toni said with a sad smile, "From the moment you accepted this job, you were ready, from moment you came to my office and told me you need to think about it, you were ready,"

Cheryl looked at her surprised, Toni smiled and continued, "Don't look so surprised, what I'm saying is true, but things need time," She said shrugging, "Time for you to accept the idea,"

The redhead grabbed her back and keys and looked at Toni walking away, she left the office with tears in her eyes, she entered her office and sat in her chair, allowing the rest of the tears to fall.

About an hour later, John entered Toni's office,

"Hey Toni, how is it going?" He asked while taking a seat in front of the brunette.

"Hey John," She said sighing, "Well, I'd expect when Noah had a fight with his mother, you would help him calm down and get him back home, or at least inform Diane that he is with you."

John shrugged, "I tried, he didn't even let me call her."

Toni scoffed, "He didn't let you call? How so? Did he yell at you? Did he hit you? He threatened you?"

"No, it's not that-"

"I just want to know who's the adult here,"

"I didn't want to make the problem worse by calling, I thought that if I called, he'd leave again. In the end, I'm not his friend, I'm his uncle, he'll assume that I'll be standing with you guys."