Fractured Heart, Shattered Lives

Simon called me at work to ask about Mother and I could tell he was concerned about how low key I was in response. I told him she was fine and often her turns were false alarms but I didn’t want to take a chance of leaving her alone. I found myself thinking about how much I was lying lately and thought that maybe I should be changing my life if I had to spend my days telling lies to everyone I cared about.

He suggested we go to an Italian place for dinner but I wanted to go back to the nice African place as it was a place I had been happy and I wanted to recapture those moments. I told him I thought it was a great idea and felt that he and I needed some time alone so I could sort out my feelings as I didn’t want to continue with Simon if I could not be what he wanted.

Jojo and I did not have a relationship and it did not look like we were ever going to so perhaps I just needed to reassure myself that Simon was the one for me. I called Simon later on in the afternoon and told him I was looking forward to dinner which made him cheerful and it was nice to hear him being happy.

I didn’t really achieve much at work today as my mind strayed to Jojo constantly and I wished I had someone I could talk to. Zizi was in the middle of her battle between Osmosis and Jago, Tiah was having tantrums over Jago acknowledging Zizi, Jazz was convinced Jojo and I belonged together without taking into account the facts so there was only Coco left and I was uncertain if she could be coherent during a proper conversation. I decided to give it a shot and invited her out to lunch and Coco was more animated than I had seen her in a while which left me wondering how she was dealing with Royce and Elyce. I told her I thought she was doing really well, she blushed which told me everything I needed to know she had to be seeing Royce. I asked her this and she denied it, so I told her she was the worst liar in the universe and when she could not stop blushing. I knew the truth. I also told her she was courting disaster because if he couldn’t stand up to Taryn and Elyce he was never going to be free to be with her. She folded her napkin over and over and said they weren’t out of options yet and I didn’t know how she managed to do it, lead this double life then I realised I was pretty much doing the same myself.

I steered the topic around to Jojo and asked her if she had seen much of him and she confided that Jojo was the go between for her and Royce. I asked her how Jojo’s girlfriend was going and she said that they were not really together anymore as Jojo did not believe she was pregnant, it was just a ruse to keep him and she refused to go to the doctor that Chantal had provided. So that is why he was at home asking me his questions, well if he thought I was going to dump Simon just because he fancied himself free he was greatly mistaken. Coco asked if I was going to get back with Jojo and I told her it was not likely as he and I were not on the same page anymore. She scowled and told me I was being unfair to Simon as everyone knew that Jojo and I were made for each other. I was not going to argue this again with another person because my life was not the simple thing she thought it was. She didn’t know how he left me sobbing and I wasn’t about to forgive him for that cruelty if he was not about to forgive me for my stupidity.

I left Coco to her clandestine meetings with Royce and spent the afternoon at work doing nothing again leaving me feeling guilty that my personal life was causing me to be so inefficient but Peter seemed to be impressed no matter how little I accomplished. Simon picked me up later and I had such relief at seeing his sane face I threw myself into his arms causing him to pause in shock for a second then he wrapped me in his warm embrace and kissed me for ages. He finally stepped back when some of the salesmen who were leaving called out “Get a room” Simon grinned and hustled me into the car to go to dinner. The African café was decorated with primitive art and had a menu full of things I had never eaten before so I looked forward to a new experience each time we came. There was a live trio playing some low key music and the place was fizzingly nice as I enjoyed the casual but colourful décor.

Simon was all smiles and cuddles and again I was grateful and happy he was in my life, surely this was the sign I needed, to show me he was the one. Of course the sign the universe sent me was totally different to what I was seeking for as soon as I had decided Simon was future, in walked my evil nemesis, Gervais with Tim and the strange guy who had dinner with Caspar the other night. Simon stopped speaking and I turned to see what had send him silent causing his face to set in a grim expression.

The three men ambled casually up to our table as if they had been late arriving guests and I could feel Simon’s body beside mine tense while the air between them hummed with unspoken knowledge. Gervais oozed up, his eyes alive with evil expectation, and said hello in his most oily way while Tim smirked like the vile monkey he is. The surprise was when the third guy came up to Simon and with an old familiarity kissed him on the cheek. Simon pulled away violently and in mock surprise the stranger said “What’s wrong honey, you used to like that in college.” Gervais, his evil deed done, oozed off with his two minions leaving us devastated in his wake.

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