Love's Timeline

The Separation

Song for this chapter: Stay by Rihanna

July 14 2013

Larley gave a pearly white smile as she stared back at her reflection. She had never been happier as she combed her hair and managed to put it into a neatly held high puff. She was glowing as she looked more beautiful and felt beautiful. She put on some mascara and lip gloss and did a little dance before stepping out of her bathroom into her room. "Babe, come here", Teddy called out to her from the bed dressed in a tuxedo. She smiled at the voice she had grown to love and made her way to him in a matching set of underwear. "I have to get ready, so don't get any ideas okay? After the party we can do all you want", she said planting a soft kiss on his lips and making her way to her closet.

He got up and followed her into the closet finding her in a burgundy curve-hugging dress. He took in how beautiful she was; feeling a pang in his heart from how much he was going to miss her. After the day they met in the infirmary, the two became inseparable and built the purest of relationships. Their love for each other was so pure and true, it got stronger every day. They went from calling each other during school breaks to spending it together at each other's houses. Their connection was so undeniably beautiful; parents of both parties were in full support when they were made aware of their relationship. Cudjoe Odoom found it difficult to accept at first as he felt he had already lost his only child to another man even before she was eighteen. Nevertheless, after a long period of coaxing by his wife, Salma to be more open to the idea, he finally gave Teddy his blessing.

Larley and Teddy had finally graduated high school. Teddy was set out to go to a prestigious university in the United Kingdom and Larley was finally going to live out her dreams. After a surreal encounter with one of the recruiters for the most popular modelling agency in the world during a romantic getaway with Teddy in Bali, Larley had already started her modelling career with a few shoots in London and Paris for popular magazines and designers. She already had her future set out for her as she was getting more exposure in the world of fashion and beauty. Famous brands in the industry had noticed her and her agency had offered her the opportunity to be a full-time model. Certainly, Larley had accepted as she found herself extremely lucky and blessed to be one of the first Ghanaian women to have such an opportunity.

Even though he was happy for the love of his life, Teddy wanted badly for her to stay and continue to be with him. He wanted to be selfish but he couldn't be, especially after seeing how happy she was. He couldn't imagine life without her by his side. He knew she would make sure to talk to him every day and come and see him whenever she got the chance but it wouldn't be enough. Her face would start to be everywhere he looked and this would only add to his longing for her to be with him. It felt physically painful to him to be that far away from her. As he watched her put on her heels to complete her look for the night, he couldn't help himself anymore. He took long strides over to where she stood and carried her out of the closet. He pushed his body on her and gave her a long hard kiss like it was the last time he was seeing her. She smiled into the kiss and she hugged him feeling the same way he felt. "You know I love you right?" she said as she moved to lie on top of him. He gave a nod unable to talk from how emotional he was feeling. "I'm yours forever, no matter what. Never forget that Teddy. No matter what happens we will come back together and I will be in your arms again. You always come back home don't you?" she continue, planting kisses on his chest.

"You mean more to me than anything in the world. I'm yours forever too Larley. Even though I'd rather have you by my side at Kent, make me proud whiles you're out there." As Teddy spoke his voice was so thick with emotion, a tear started to run down his cheek. The two stayed the way they were holding each other tightly. The idea of letting each other go was so painful for them, the clung onto each other like there was a force pulling them apart. "We should go downstairs, the party is starting", Teddy finally said breaking their silence still holding her tight. "I was going to say that but your grip is really tight", Larley forced out lightly. Teddy gave her a hearty laugh and let go of her giving her another long hard kiss. Larley got off him and headed back to the mirror to fix her ruined puff. "Babe, I need to get it done", she whined as he came and hugged her from behind. "Can't we just stay here all night?" he said into her neck nipping at her skin gently. "No, but let's just go for like an hour or two and come back up", she said turning around to give him a peck on the lips. "Fine, hurry up and get your hair done so we can get this over with", he said impatiently gripping her waist before leaving her to tie her hair.

As he leaned on the wall behind her and watched her, he knew that Larley would always have his heart.