Love At Last

CONGRATULATIONS

“‘My life to live’? Where’s that coming from?” he asked me but I really didn’t have an answer to that question, so I ignored him and continued with what I was doing – packing up. “Lily, you really are acting weird, you know that?” This guy was completely clueless.

“Maybe it’s because I’m stressed. I mean no harm,” I replied basically.

“I know you well enough to know that you’re lying right now.”

“Suit yourself, mister.”

“You really don’t intend on telling me what the problem is, huh?” he asked with all sincerity I could sense from his tone.

“There’s no problem, so what exactly do you want to hear from me?” I gave quick and sudden replies. I wanted him off my back as soon as possible.

“Sure?”

“You bet.”

“Fine then, as you wish,” he yielded. I expected him to drag on. “Congratulations by the way. I came to tell you that. I’m sincerely happy for you, Lily,” he congratulated warmly.

“Thanks,” I replied coldly, my voice lacking warmth. I could sense he noticed the way I replied seeing how he went silent for a while before speaking up again.

“A small scale celebration won’t be a bad idea. What do you say? Would you like to go out with me tomorrow to celebrate this great feat you just achieved?” he asked cheerfully irrespective of the fact that I was being a complete downer. “A drink or two wouldn’t be completely out of the question,” he suggested.

“No, thank you,” I rejected his offer blatantly.

“Why though? Isn’t it a happy occasion?” he insisted.

“It is indeed a happy one! That’s why I want to spend it with the one who makes me the most happy.”

“Jacek?” Bingo! He guessed correctly.

“Yes, Jacek. You guessed correctly.” I confirmed. “I haven’t been able to spend quality time with my baby this period. So, I’m going to be his company for the whole of tomorrow,” I explained grudgingly.

“That’s even better. Let me come along then, I miss the little man so much,” he pleaded. This guy was never going to take ‘no’ for an answer.

“We’d be long gone before you wake up from your slumber,” with every bit of sarcasm in my tone, I voiced. I didn’t intend on budging this time, it had to be him.

“You really are hell bent on pushing me away, right?” he was trying to use ‘that tone’ on me again but I was miles away from falling from his antics this time around.

“Whatever you say. I and Jacek are going to enjoy a wonderful ‘mummy-and-son’ alone time tomorrow without intrusions from anyone.”

“Am I just ‘anyone’?” He sounded a bit hurt by the way I said what I did.

“You can take it however you wish to.”

“C’mon Lily. For the sake of the little one, just let me tag along, would ya?” he kept insisting.

“What part of ‘a wonderful mummy-and-son alone time’ do you not understand?” I stressed. “It’s going to be just mummy and son, don’t you get?” I scolded.

“So you really aren’t going to budge , huh?”

“Never,” I retorted.

“But you…,” “Cayden!” a voice called out. Our conversation was interrupted when the weird lady I saw at his house walked in on us.

“So you’ve been here all along, and I was searching everywhere for you,” she said, completely ignoring the fact that I only stood few inches away from Cayden.

“How did the survey go?” Cayden asked her. ‘Survey?’Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

“Pretty well, yunno? But the gate keeper was a really feisty one,” she said hysterically and had then both laughing.

For a moment, I turned invisible even to Cayden who was on my neck minutes ago, asking me to let him tag along. The duo seemed very free and friendly with each other that it incited a little bit of jealousy in me. Who was this other lady who could make Cayden all smiley and giggly and wasn’t me? Seeing Cayden walk up to me earlier annoyed me, but seeing two of them all friendly with each other now? My infuriation was spiked to a whole new level – I was completely provoked.

“So where’s the next site? Shall we go?” she asked Cayden. I cleared my throat to remind them I was still standing there and for a few seconds, they both went silent as they turned to stare at me. “You’ve been here this whole time?!” she asked when she finally noticed me. She didn’t see me the whole time she talked with Cayden? Was I that small?

“Ummm…I’d like to take my leave now,” I requested.

“Oh okay, take care,” Cayden replied.

‘Oh okay, take care’? I recited in my head as I walked out immediately. Is that all he had to say? Cayden didn’t even notice how angry I stormed off. Deeply engrossed with his new lady, he didn’t even try to talk to me or bid me a proper farewell – which was very unusual. I thought hard as to who the lady was. She felt too surreal. There were only a handful of people I knew Cayden hung out with. And that ‘handful of people’ was me! I felt replaced and really jealous to see someone else make him smile and laugh so happily the way he did back there. The little time I spent with Cayden must have bred a sense of attachment in me to make me feel that way. I hated being replaced more than anything in this world and would do anything to maintain my position, no matter how small. I guess that explained why felt the way I did.

Walking out, I occasionally turned back to look at the duo to see if Cayden was staring at me but he wasn’t! They were still caught up in their chit-chat looking all lovey-dovey. I stood at a far corner and watched them until they exited out the scene and headed for car parked at the other side. I got caught up with the view and only came to a realization when he drove out of eyeshot.