Love's Timeline

The Truth

Song: Folasade by Praiz

2 hours later still November 20th 2018

"I THOUGHT I ASKED YOU TO LEAVE MY HOUSE! DON'T LET ME DO THE UNTHINKABLE!" Cudjoe's voice thundered, calling Larley from her unconscious state as she woke with a jump. As she opened her eyes to the bright room that was white everywhere, flashes of Teddy and her furious father replayed in her mind. "Honey, please relax. He needs to tell her truth himself", Salma said softly. Larley followed the voices she was hearing and made her way into her father's study.

"Why would you try to deceive me into thinking he was gone by hiding him in my study?" Cudjoe said in a softer voice to his wife then turning angrily to Teddy and attacking him harshly again in the words, "You've not only managed to manipulate my daughter but my wife too!" The three didn't see Larley standing in the doorway staring until Teddy called out her name when he felt her presence. "Cudjoe lets's leave them to talk. Please." Salma begged pulling her husband past Larley out the door, leaving the uncertain lovers alone. Larley just stared at him the words of her annoying aunty replayed over and over in her head. Her head was spinning as her eyes traced every corner of his face, wondering if it was the same person she had known since high school.

Teddy just stared back at her. He felt like he had brought his own heartbreak as he looked at the beautiful woman burning holes into his face with her eyes. After what felt like an eternity, Cudjoe's vintage grandfather clock gonged loudly pulling them out of their minds into the room. "Babe, please there's a reasonable explanation for what you heard. I would never do anything to jeopardize what we have", Teddy finally said with a trembling voice like he was about to cry. She just looked at him, her eyes shining with sadness. She looked so disappointed, Teddy wanted pull her close and hug her tight and remind her how much he still loved her. "Babe?" she mocked with a dark chuckle, looking at him like he was biggest fool to ever come into existence since the universe was made.

"Come here", Larley commanded holding her palm out. He looked at her skeptically, fearing for his life. He knew Larley, she had an explosive anger like her father but it came in a different form. It didn't come in loud frightening declarations. It was slow and silent but explosive. He imagined her holding a knife and stabbing him repeatedly, bawling her eyes out with a creepy look on her face. "The fuck?" Teddy's inner voice exclaimed at his imagination. He shook his head clean of the craziness and walked stiffly to where she stood and held her hand. She immediately wrapped her hands around his neck pulling his lips to hers. All sickening thoughts disappeared from Teddy's head as he felt the intensity of her love for him through the kiss. He gave her just as much passion, gripping her waist tightly as he felt her melt into the kiss. As their lips moved rhythmically, Larley pushed him to the ground, decreasing her passion and giving him soft pecks over and over.

His heart beat hard in his chest as the astonishingly perfect woman, placed kisses all over his face. He felt pure pain within him as he felt the crook of his neck being pooled by tears. She was falling apart as she let out ugly cries from the depth of her throat. If one could get dehydrated from crying, Larley would've been in an ICU after ten minutes straight of crying into the left side of Teddy's neck. Five minutes into bawling her eyes out, the love of her life had joined her as he wrapped his hands around her and stroked her head which was gelled into a sleek low bun. The atmosphere in Mr. Odoom's study was so tense, if a third person walked into the room, they'd run out screaming from how uncomfortable they would feel.

"I am so sorry, Larley. I shouldn't be doing this. I am sorry, you don't deserve this", Teddy finally let out of his throat weakly. She sighed softly into his neck and pulled her face out of his neck, straightening her back to sit on top of him. "Why didn't you tell me T? Were you married in August when we went to Ibiza? We made plans to get married a month after everything I came back to do was set. Why didn't you just tell me the truth? It wouldn't have stopped me from being with you. I love you too much to let another woman have you even if you have a child with her", she finally said looking into empty space. "I really wanted to tell you. I swear I did, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. Elom and I had a drunken one night stand and she came back weeks later with a pregnancy test. I swear I really wished it wasn't true but when we finally got a paternity test done, the child was mine. My mother was extremely disappointed in me when she heard the news; you know how much she loves you. My father on the hand was overjoyed and pressured me into marrying her. You know with his status as the speaker of Parliament he can't have such a scandal on his hands. My mother has disowned me since. It was an extremely private affair where we just signed documents. We don't even live together Larley; I don't see her as my wife. A lot of people don't even know we are married, just people in our circle of friends and family. The only person I want is you Larley. I am sorry you found out the way you did but I couldn't stand seeing how hurt you would be when I told you. Please, forgive me", Teddy explained helplessly.

Her mind was racing as every word slowly soaked into the matter of her brain. She didn't know where to start as she looked at his face searching for signs of dishonesty. "How long have you been married?" was all she could bring herself to ask. " Almost two years," he answered lowering his gaze from her face. She couldn't believe all that she had just been told. He had a life with a different woman, one that meant way more than what she and he had. This woman was bonded to Teddy for life even if he divorced her, she would always have to share him because of the child. "I still want to be with you Lala, but I want to do it right. I don't want to make you a mistress or even make you feel like one. I will confront my father and erase all of this. It's about time I stood up to him anyways. Elom will have to-", Teddy's word vomit was cut off by Larley as she placed her finger on his lips shushing him up. "I have been your mistress these past two years. All I have ever asked from you was your honesty Teddy. You know how much it means to me. The fact that you have deceived me for so long, disgusts me. You disgust me Teddy," Larley said in an eerily sweet voice. She got of him from the floor and walked towards the enormous window placing her palms on the glass looking down at the beautiful garden.

"Lala, I know there's nothing I can do to make this right. I know but please forgive me", he begged once again walking towards her. She spun around at the sound of his voice and smiled sadly at him. Larley was still processing what he had told her. She wasn't thinking straight. Her emotions were all over the place like a pregnant woman who had been denied her craving. "Get out, "she shot at him icily.