A Long Walk To Nothing episode 9 – 10

A LONG WALK TO NOTHING

Episode 9-10

Cecilia drives her car to the packing lot of Donald’s company, she is dressed in a golden short gown with a blue stiletto and wearing a purple l¡pstick too, as she exits the car, everyone around turns her direction and she can’t help but flash her beautiful wide smile…..Richærd watches with disappointment written all over his face but he can do nothing….. The other staff murmur among themselves as she makes her way to his office…..she doesn’t need to knock but rather pushes open the door, carefully and slowly

“Heeeeey” she says and Donald looks up

“Auuuuu! You looking gorgeously smart today…..glamorous”

“I guess I deserve a warm hug”

“Much more than that” he gets up and gives her a hug and a brief k-ss

“I missed you” she says

“We need to be careful”

“How are we going to leave here if you talk like that” she complains

“Sit” he says and she does

“I thought….we”

“You thought wrong…..I already ordered for our lunch and this is more like a business lunch we don’t want people talking” her mood changes

“Noooo don’t be like this, I Promise I’ll make it up to you”

“What are we Donald, I don’t get it”

“Don’t you think it’s top early to define….let’s just enjoy what we are currently and the future plus the definition will work it’s way out”

“I hope so but I can’t pretend for a long time, especially now that your wife and I are working out together”

“What’s that supposed to mean”

“She’s trying to shed a few pounds funny right”

“Hahahaha….so that’s what she and her son have been at lately”

“You’re Right, Eddy happens to work with the founder and owner of the fitness Center, some where in town”

“And she had to drag you along with her”

“Nooo it was actually Isabel who suggested the place for me and it’s a nice one”

“I have no problem with that but I do have a big one with your friendsh¡p with her” she leaves her seat and goes to sit on his lap as she plays with his beards

“You know I can’t just end our friendsh¡p like that”

“There has never been a friendsh¡p between you two….you were only clearing a way for yourself”

“I won’t say that’s a lie but let me also tell you, for her it’s a pure friendsh¡p…. She’s not that bad actually, I do enjoy her company when I’m with her”

“I don’t like that”

“Well if you want me to stop, you know what to do, till that happens, I won’t just stop my friendsh¡p but just know, I can’t wait to start my life with you by my side” they hear a knock on the door

“Our food must have been delivered already”

“Let me grab it” she gets up and k-sses him, adjusts her gown before walking to the door
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“What would you like to have madam” the Joly and lively waiter asks Alexia who is sitting at a table with Liam

“Anything but vegetables…. I don’t want meat” Liam can’t help but laugh at her order

“Why don’t you look at the menu first and then order” he says and Alexia whose muscle tightens closes her eyes and breaths

“Relax” he says still laughing

“I’m a voucher when it comes to meat and I’m afraid”

“OK…let’s not make the waited wait…..please serve her enough veggie and a piece of meat too”

“Liam!!!”

“What!…. Hahaha serve her and the same thing for me too…two bottles of water, plus two glasses”

“OK Sir right away” he turns and walks away

“You’re so impossible Liam”

“You’ll have to get used to me but don’t worry, I have your best interest at heart and we will walk this journey together” their lunch arrives and they start eating right away…..Alexia seems to be enjoying her food more than she thought and at some point, Liam could not eat but just look at her and watch her eat

“Wooow this food tastes Nice” she says

“We can come here everyday”

“And I get used to it, no Sir” they continue to eat and soon they are done, Alexia checks her watch and it’s coming to 2pm

“Don’t you have any appointment at this time” she asks

“The only upcoming one I have is at three but it has nothing to do with training but I’m not in hurry”

“OK….that’s fine busy man”

“My days are not really that busy. It’s up to me if I really want to make it busy”

“I see”

“And before I forget, Glory wants to do dinner with you and Celine, I think we can add Eddy too”

“When did this happen, did you tell her I’m now taking classes with you”

“Nooo the day you helped fill up for me at school…we came home and she made the request but remember we had ended on a bad note”

“I get it now…..”

“So what do you say, I’m not asking you to make it possible tonight because I have an upcoming coffee appointment later today but we would like to host you at our home, it would be an honor”

“We will think about it……but Liam”

“Yes”

“I don’t know how to put this but don’t be mad”

“Hmmmm! This sounds serious”

“That day at school I asked Glow about her Mum and she didn’t say anything reasonable…”Liam keeps quiet and closes his eyes as he puts his glass of water down

“Look, you don’t have to talk about it, I’m sorry for asking once again…..I’m sorry” Liam takes a deep breath and forces himself to smile

“It’s OK we are friends aren’t we?…. It’s good to know ourselves to detail”

“Sure…but it doesn’t necessarily mean that you should tell me especially when you’re not comfortable enough to….I can understand”

“Hey hey! It’s fine….I’m glad you asked…..but her mother is no more, she’s late”

“Oh my God! I’m so sorry to hear that” she sincerely says and his tear falls as he struggles to smile

“I really don’t talk about it, It still feels like yesterday…..”

“Easy”

“Mirabel was my childhood friend, she became my best friend in high school, we started dating in the last and final year at the university, we didn’t need much time to get to know each other because we had spent our entire life knowing each other….. Soon we completed and we got engaged, she helped me set up that fitness center and helped co manage it we were happy and cool after one year of settling down, she conceived, I was the happiest man even though we cohabiting but I had plans of making it official, she gave birth to Glory and I was more than happy, I was proud…… Six moths after she gave birth, she was involved in a fatal accident and couldn’t survive it…it was so painful and still is ” she takes his hand and rubs it

“Did she die on s₱0t?”

“Yeah! But as she was rushed to the hospital, she somehow came back, I guess she didn’t want to leave me and Glow all by ourselves but she went into come immediately, she stayed like a vegetable for two more days and when she couldn’t fight it anymore, she gave up the ghost”

“It must have been terrible”

“I’m telling you, it was so terrible, I wanted to go with her but my mum reminded me about the little girl I had to look after, for the first two months after her untimely death, I couldn’t get close to the baby, everything reminded me about Mirabel and I just didn’t want the baby, it took everything humanly possible for me to get attached to the baby and here I am, I can’t leave without her”

“It’s OK….. I feel your pain, it’s Alright all will be fine”

“Thank you but don’t worry, I’m perfectly fine, I still cry and cry and smile at the end of the day because I have someone I have to live for that’s Glory, I can’t kill myself because she has no one else, no one can love her or give her love the way I do”

“I understand…. But how about your parents”

“Dad died five years ago, Mum is there but she has family Business to run I don’t need to stress her with my responsibility”

“You’re a good Father….. I now understand why you were offended by my reckless words the other day at school”

“It’s OK, you meant no harm, perhaps I over reacted but I understand”

“And have you tried rebuilding your life after her death”

“Yes but it depends on how exactly your question is directed, if it’s in a case where another woman is concerned well I would say I tried getting to know another woman not long ago, just two years ago, Glow was eight and I thought she was old enough to understand these things”

“I guess it never worked out”

“She was good, independent, and good character, I believe she loved me too”

“But what happened”

“She just didn’t have enough room to accommodate my daughter, I had to make a choice and in the end, I couldn’t trade my blood for love”

“That was so inconsiderate of her”

“Well you can’t blame her too…..it wasn’t her daughter, it’s not was easy to accommodate some one else’s child and you feel nothing wrong, she was comfortable enough to admit it to me that was how she felt and I actually don’t hate her for it”

“I feel your point but thank you very much for trusting me enough to let it out, and tell me”

“I don’t know why but I felt comfortable enough to let it out to you…..you should count yourself lucky” he checks his watch and it’s already past 2pm”

“I need to get going….” He gets up and she gets up too

“Thanks for the delicious food….I’ve never been this Happy in a long time”

“I should be thanking you… Hope to do this soon again”

“Don’t make me get used to this Chao” they hug and he walks out, Alexia stands there and shakes her head, she just feels his pain…..to be continued

A ~LONG WALK TO NOTHING~

Episode 10

“Welcome home Honey” Alexia welcomes her husband cheerfully today despite the fact that they no longer talk….. She walks towards him all smiles trying to collect his bag but he steps back

“How was your day in the office?”

“Fine” he dryly replies looking all confused about her behavior today

“Let me drop your bag up and prepare a warm relaxing bath for you Honey”

“Wait! He stops her from collecting his bag…..

“Alexia, I wasn’t joking when I said I’m no longer comfortable in this, I can take care of this so excuse me” he pushes past her

“Donald” she calls feeling mad all of a sudden but he doesn’t stop as he continues

“Dad” Celine calls and Donald stops and smiles at his daughter

“Sweetheart… How are you” he scoops her in his arms and k-sses her forehead

“I’m fine Dad…. And Mum too, I now have a new friend from school”

“Really! Tell me about this new Friend….my ears are itching”

“Princess” Alexia who feels ignored all of a sudden walks up and calls her daughter removing her from his arms

“You’ll tell Dad all about it but first, Daddy needs to freshen up so why don’t you go watch cartoon….”

“Yes Mummy…bye Daddy” she runs away and Donald just shakes his head at his wife’s outburst, he takes off heading to his room but Alexia is not done, she follows behind

“I’m not done with you yet Donald” she scre-ms as she slams the door behind her

“You’ll not walk away from me and ignore me when I’m still not done with you” he gets mad and comes to Her

“What’s your problem huh? What’s itching you this evening because I can assure you I’m not in my best moods”

“Oh! I’m not afraid of you Donald…. You’ve had your way for far way too Long…. We are talking”

“Is it by force?”

“Take it however you want but that’s it….we are talking” she’s fuming

“OK” he says as he poses, he then sits down

“It had better be quick… I don’t have all day”

“Thank God it’s evening because you’re back home and going no where”

“What’s that supposed to mean”

“OK, let’s not drag along with this Donald…. You have changed, you’re not the same man I happily agreed to spend the rest of my life time with”

“Thank God you know that……when I told you what I said, I wasn’t joking”

“Donald! What is my crime, what have I done to you that you just can’t find it in your heart to forgive me?”

“You have done nothing wrong”

“Then why?….. Why have you changed so much?”

“I just realised Alexia….. I have not been honest with you from day one, it’s been from one dishonesty to the next”

“What are you talking about Donald”

“You wanted us to talk didn’t you?”

“Yes I’m telling you this with every bit of honesty I could possibly master in me”

“Oh my God!”

“Let me talk….i met you at a time when I was going through a lot, I had been heartbroken by some one who meant the world to me that time…….I was so down, then along came you, I could swear to God”

“That’s enough Donald” she covers her ears as she sits down next to him

“Unbelievable….. So unbelievable Donald, what has it been for you all this while? A game? Consolation? What Donald answer me”

“Hey hey calm down…..relax” they keep quiet and Alexia tries so much to calm her nerves but she’s not finding it easy to

“So……you have never really loved me is that it?” She asks calmly this time around

“I won’t lie to you Alexia… I respect you a lot…. Much more than you could ever imagine”

“I’m asking you Donald…..has it all been a lie all these twenty years?” She asks with tears clouding her eyes

“I don’t want to continue with this discussion Alexia”

“Is there another woman…”

“You asked me the same thing the other time”

“And you said you were still sorting out your feelings”

“Yes and I never said my feelings about another woman…. I meant us, my feelings about us Alexia” he poses to look at her and then takes a deep breath

“Let me freshen up” he says and gets up walking away from her and this time, she doesn’t object, she doesn’t protest but watches in silent painful tears
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“Why are you this quiet, something is not right with you since you got back from home for weekend…. Do you wish to share it?” Isabel who happens to be in Eddy’s small but spacious apartment asks him, she’s been observing his mood ever since he got back and can tell he’s not fine

“What is it?” She asks again as she gets closer to where he’s seated

“Is everything OK? You know you can share with me”

“Thank you Isa but this Time you can’t be of help”

“How would you know if you don’t tell me what it is”

“I’m not sure if I want to talk about it much less with you” he gets up and walks to his bedroom and she follows

“Why can’t you share it with me? I thought we were friends” she still insists and he sits down and holds her hands

“I need to look deeper into this before I tell you, besides I’m not even sure if it’s what I’m thinking but there is something else I want us to talk about” he smiles as he says this….he fixes the strands of hair tucking it behind her ears

“What is it?” She asks as they stare into each other’s eyes

“You know you’re my only good and trusted friend right?” He asks and she nods

“And you also know that I care about you a great deal and like you a wh0le lot” she still nods

“Isabel…. I don’t want to hold this on anymore, I’ve been thinking about it and I think it’s time I let you know exactly how I feel about it”

“You’re making me confused Eddy”

“Don’t be” he says smiling the more

“Relaaaax I don’t bite” she smiles too and he bends a little

“I love you” he says and her eyes pop out of their sockets

“What?” She asks and he bends to k-ss her but she pushes him away

“What’s that?…..what’s wrong with you Edmond…. What do you take me for”

“I like you” he says innocently yet defensively

“Well I don’t like you….”

“Huh…”

“I…..I do but Not like that” she stammers as she says this

“I’m sorry” he’s hurt but manages to say this

“Forgive me please Edmond but I….”

“You don’t have to say more than you already have Isabel…. But I would like to be left alone” she looks at him in confusion

“please don’t you want to hear my reason for saying no at lease” she tries to reason with him

“It doesn’t matter…. Maybe I was too forward, maybe I misunderstood your closeness to me but like I said, I want to be left alone” she nods and collects herself out of his room
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“I’m so happy to have had time finally to sit down with you today and catch up, it’s been long since we last did” Liam and Richærd talk as they sit down for their coffee in a small but beautiful coffee shop in town

“You can say that again Liam… Those days before you became this busy”

“You know that’s not true”

“Oh! It is”

“You’re equally busy but you can’t put all this on me alone….. I have so many things to do that’s true but most especially my daughter, I can’t stay out late even if I wanted to”

“Talking about Glory…. How is she doing by the way”

“She’s good and was so delighted when I passed her your greetings”

“Oooh….I need to visit home one of these days”

“You should, we would be delighted to host you and Linda…. Talking of which, I haven’t even asked about her…how is she”

“She’s equally doing fine…..” They pose and continue to sip their coffee in silence for close to a minute then Richærd breaks the silence

“Bro have you heard from Crissy of late”

“Where is that question coming from?”

“I don’t know, I just feel it’s right we talk about her”

“Crissy is fine, I last saw her two months ago, we were working together on some project she was spare heading”

“I see you guys are still…. Hmmmm”

“Don’t give me that look, there is nothing going on Richie”

“No no no….there is no need to get all defensive Bro…. I just think it would be nice to sit down and you two sort this thing out”

“There is nothing to sort out….if I need a woman in my Life, I Will look for one…..one that can accommodate the thought that her man has a ten year old daughter if not Glow and I are perfect just the way we are”

“You’re taking this too far, I think Crissy was too young and just afraid of the fact that you had a daughter and any girlfriend in her shoes would definitely feel insecure and threatened just seeing how much you two love each other”

“You might be right but women should also understand that no one will ever take my daughter’s place in my life….she will just have to create her own space and squeeze in it if not….she can forget”

“Then stop burying your head in your work and appointments all the time but rather go look for that woman”

And where could she be?”

“Out there… Go find her, I’m still waiting for your wedding…. And I won’t stop waiting, I’m hopeful it’s gonna be sooner than we all thought”

“Enough with your crazy talk and nonsense idea…tell me how is work, you haven’t said anything about it hope all is well”

“Well…..it’s not always easy when someone else is your boss”

“I know but you haven’t hanged yourself yet, that’s the most important thing”

“Hahahaha that’s just the insult I needed but that’s OK, you’re right about one thing….. My boss isn’t so unbearable but of late, he’s doing something that’s making me doubt his integrity as a boss, if he continues I don’t think we’ll continue working together”

“That’s serious, what’s his name again?”

“Donald Stevenson”

“Are you serious” Liam can’t believe his ears

“Yes why?… You have an issue with him?”

“Nooo but this is just unbelievable….the husband of Alexia Peters? I can’t believe it”

“Wait….you know Alexia”

“She’s my friend…. I mean I had encountered her more than once before she joined the fitness center for a fitness training, her daughter and Glow are in the same school”

“You mean Alexia is taking up some ‘stay fit’ lessons with you”

“Yeah! She actually started today”

“Could it be she already knows and…”

“Knows what Richie”

“Nothing” he answers real quick but Liam shakes his head

“You’re not going to convince me….what is going on….I Know you pretty well ”

“I can’t trust you Liam, you are friends with her”

“Is this some kind of a joke? You are not going to talk me out of this so you better talk”

“Only because I trust you will keep your mouth shut” Liam doesn’t sy anything as Richærd lowers his voice and leans closer

“Her husband is cheating on her”

“You don’t say it” Liam’s jaw drops….

“I know it’s not confirmed yet but I’m so sure about this

“What a shame! That man is a bastard, but do you know who the woman in question is”

“No….that’s what I don’t know”

“Or you just don’t want to tell me” Richie remembers seeing the woman in question at Liam’s place, he knows better to sh¡p up or come with some excuse because this is not looking good

“No i don’t” he replies confidently but Liam is not fooled……

to be contiued