Fading Shades of Loneliness

Chapter 8

DARLENE

It has been a week since I been awarded woman of the year, and I told my ex-husband to go straight to hell. Since then, Desmond and I have been enjoying our time. It was a Saturday night and decided to stay in to get some extra work done.

Desmond and I sat in the living room. Desmond is at the computer writing a weekly article for my online magazine; while I graded papers from her class. When Desmond was writing an article, he closed his laptop and stood and stretched his limbs as he has been sitting for hours.

"The article is all done and is in your email."

"Thank you, love. I will read it once I am done with these papers," I replied.

"I am getting hungry. I am going to order take out. What do you have a taste for?"

"Just order a pizza, I have a taste for a Hawaiian pizza," I replied.

"Alright, I got you," Desmond replied. Desmond grabbed the phone in the kitchen and called in the order. While he was on the phone, I received a call on my phone.

When I answered, it was Terrance. What did he want? I asked myself. I ignored the call. After neglecting the third call for the third time, the next time he called, I had to tell him to go fuck himself.

"Terrance, stay the hell off my phone. I don't want to talk to you."

"Well, maybe I would listen."

"Hurry the hell up!"

"Have you seen the news? You should!"

"Hold on!"

I turned on the TV and saw Desmond and I being something that nearly took the wind out of my lungs. There was a news story about me being accused of abusing her power by dating Desmond when the time he was a student. The news showed pictures of Desmond, and I had dinner. Moreover, Desmond's image is being tarnished as his criminal record is being released. My eyes widen as I quickly jumped up from her seat, knocking over the papers I was grading.

"What the hell is this!?" I shrieked as my heart raced.

"You see, my love! You should have taken me on my offer. I told you that I am not the man you want to play hardball with," Terrance chuckled underneath his voice.

"You sick son of a bitch! You are so fucking miserable in your life, you have to make sure I can't be happy!"

"You sure have a flare to be melodramatic. Now I will save you. I can easily have everything retracted. You break up with that pathetic loser; we go on television, giving a press conference stating that everything was a misunderstanding. I can easily say that you were offering Desmond legal advice, and you were helping an ex-con getting his life back on track."

"And what if I refuse?"

"Well, I am quite sure I can add more fuel to the fire. I had plenty of pics of you two banging pelvises at a local mall a few months ago. Just think about it, my dear," Terrance chuckled before hanging up.

DESMOND

I was on the phone ordering a couple of pizza for dinner when I heard yelling over the phone. When I finished with the order, I heard Darlene screaming, "SHIT! SHIT! SHIT!" I immediately ran into the living to see what is going on. She was sitting on the couch, balling her eyes.

"What is wrong," I asked. Darlene pointed towards the television. There I saw the news headline. INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR OF A COLLEGE STUDENT. Pictures flashed on the screen of Darlene and me together. I was fucking shocked, but not as appalled as Darlene. She was sobbing about how her career was over. I sat next to her and put my arm around her.