Pamela
Sweat coated my palms even though the AC blew a chilling 61 degrees. I had reduced the temperature countless times; yet the stubborn sweat wouldn't go.
"Oh my god, finally," I whispered, pacing around the living room. Something wonderful would unfold in the coming hours and I couldn't believe it.
Today was my boyfriend's birthday. Apart from our relationship that had only gotten stronger as time passed, the realisation that we could be together forever brought me joy. I'd found a silver ring in his drawer yesterday which meant one thing.
He would propose to me!
I was sure my father would approve of him.
Excited, I rushed to the dining room where his presents were. Cupcakes, a designer watch and his favourite casserole dish. Satisfied with what I saw, I settled on a seat and waited for him to come in.
He never did. All his calls went straight to voicemail. Alarm bells blared in my head as numerous horrible possibilities came to mind. I couldn't think of anything that could be holding him because it was Sunday.
I grabbed my car keys and headed out in search of him.
Few minutes later, I arrived at his apartment complex. I unlocked the door with my spare key. At first, everything appeared normal. And then it hit me.
A low, quiet sound. It grew louder as I followed it, mixing with the squeaking of the bed.
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I quietly opened the door.
There was my boyfriend humping on top of a lady. The fire tattoo across his back was unmistakable.
Holding back tears, I staggered away to the living room. I didn't know how long I stood staring into space. But then, someone gasped from behind, causing me to turn around.
"What the..." Frank rushed towards me, whispering. "What the hell are you doing here?"
I let my tears fall. "Happy birthday, love. You wouldn't show up, so I decided to come see you."
"You should've called me. You shouldn't be here."
"Why not?"
He avoided my gaze, scratching his head. "I've got something important I'm doing. I'll call you…"
"Oh really?" I let my gaze trail over his half-clothed body, not making an attempt to hide my sarcasm. "Something more important than spending time with your girlfriend? What could be more important, Frank?"
"Who's that, babe?" A feminine voice surfaced. In no time, a lady appeared, clad in a bathrobe. The same one I had gotten Frank on Valentine's day.
My heart squeezed.
"I think you should leave," he said to me, his eyes filled with of urgency.
"Why would I do that," I said. "What do you take me for?"
"Come on, Pam. Don't make a big deal out of nothing. We just met a while ago and—"
"Six months. We met six months ago and never once did you give me the impression we were anything but lovers. The kisses, the gifts, the plans. What were they for?"
He stayed quiet. I couldn't believe this was happening. Didn't want to believe history was repeating itself.
"Frank?"
His lady friend stepped in front of him and folded her arms in a confrontational manner. "What more do you want from him, bitch."
I gasped. "What did you call me?"
She caressed Frank's bare chest, smirking. "Go on, honey. Tell her she's nothing but a cheap whore."
I charged towards her but Frank pulled me away.
"Okay, that's enough! It's over between us, Pamela. We shouldn't have been a thing in the first place."
"What? You're saying this because of her? You're choosing another woman over me?"
"Yes," he blurted out, "because she's my wife."
I staggered back, stunned. Blinked once, then again and broke out in a loud laughter like a hyena. This was by far the dumbest trick Frank had played on me.
But then, they both looked at me like I was crazy. No atom of humour in their eyes. As if reading my mind, the lady flashed her finger. What I saw destroyed me.
A shiny silver ring. Exactly the same I'd seen in Frank's drawer. Everything happened in a flash. One minute I was in Frank's apartment and the next, I bawled my eyes out in my car. I couldn't help it. This was my third relationship and the third time I was getting my heart broken.
First, it'd been a toxic guy, who always put me down at the slightest chance. Then, a leech who was only interested in my money. And now, this? A married man. I felt like complete fool.
The clouds were beginning to gather when I drove towards the city park. For the next fifteen minutes or so, I stayed in my car, watching the rainy breeze sway trees around.
A car drove past, coming to a stop several feet away from me. The hindlights stayed on which got me wondering if the driver didn't realise his gas was running.
As though reading my mind, the door opened, ushering out a man. He was dressed in a brown coat with a shawl around his neck. But that wasn't what shocked me.
A gun did.
He gripped it tightly while loitering under the rain.
I didn't think twice before diving out of my car, after him.
Suddenly, he stopped and pointed the gun to his head.
"Stop!"
He froze in place before slowly turning to face me. All the air in my lungs escaped when I spotted his dark eyes.
"Eric?"
What in goodness' name was my sister's fiance doing alone in a park with a gun?