17
Nina
I slammed the doorbehind me and collapsed into my brown recliner. I pressed the side button to bring up the footrest. I had to rest my feet after more than twelve hours moving from task to task at the bakery. I was still getting accustomed to the pace of working at the bakery after my idyllic sojourn as a private pastry chef, which was so short-lived.
I cut off my thoughts to open our WhatsApp group chat, girls for world domination. I crossed my fingers, praying the twins were up at 10:00 pm.
Nina: I saw him today.
Nicole: Where?
Nellie: Nicole are you going to ask who is it?
Nicole: I don’t have time for silly questions. Only one person fits as an answer to “I saw him today.”
Nina: No need to fight. He came to the bakery today.
Nellie: Did he put out an investigation on you?
Nina: What a thing to say. He is different.
Nicole: He is rich and powerful. Isn’t that their method of operation?
Nellie: You had better stay far away from him and his family
Nicole: I second.
Nina: Who said anything about getting in contact with him?
Nicole: What did he want?
Nina: He showed up, bought a pastry, and walked out.
Nellie: Yeah right. He came all the way from the posh side of the city to buy a pastry. Do you believe that Nicole?
Nicole: Not for a second. He came to feast his eyes on her. (hahaha)
Nina: This conversation is out of control already.
Nellie: Nina these people went into your college student days and carried out an investigation and sent you the photos to keep you away from Adrian. Even after you sent him back to them.
Nicole: Stay far away from him.
Nellie: I bet she gazed into his eyes like a love-starved sixteen-year-old.
Nicole: She’s gone soft. She’s gone soft on Adrian.
Nellie: You’ve seen him, Nicole. I can understand her predicament. But Nina, save your heart and use your head. STAY AWAY FROM ADRIAN.
Nina: No need to shout. I am tired and I am ending this conversation. Good night.
I smiled at the blank screen. Why did I bother to message my overprotective cousins?
After Adrian had left the shop, I walked around shell shocked. I walked around on trembling legs. My body suffused with warmth. I had to wipe my hands repeatedly on my chef’s pants. My head felt like fluffy candyfloss. In a daze, I completed my tasks.
Today had been a bright spark in the world of four months of darkness. Four months in which I’d dragged myself out of bed every morning.
I kept moving because I didn’t want to shrivel up and die. I worked to forget. I did Crossfit workouts to forget. I went to Central Park, since moving back to New York, for long runs lasting three hours. It was too late to enter this year’s marathon but I was training like I was running in November.
If I had known it would be so hard. I would not have denied myself and Adrian the fight for us. Who was I kidding? I knew he wasn’t ready. Where was he when they sent you the pile of pictures to shut you up? Wasn’t he traipsing all over the world? Learning the ropes to take over Watkins and Williams?
He had made his choice and now I needed to make peace with my choice.
When would I stop lying to myself? And when would I stop loving Adrian?