Chapter 2
Eventually small arguments turned into huge as the distances between us kept widening,"
Evelyn stayed silent.
"Are you sure there's nothing you can do to save your marriage?"
"He loves her."
"Who?"
"You know who I'm talking about,"
"Greta" Her sister couldn't conceal the hatred in her voice.
"I don't blame her," Amiyah sighed.
"She only comforted Devin when I wasn't there for him," A gentle breeze tossed strands of golden hair off her shoulders.
Nearby, another parent watched her talk, catching onto few words from her conversation.
It was Julia's father, a widowed man.
His wife had died from leukemia four years ago, leaving their small but bright girl in his hands.
"You're too kind.
You wouldn't see her fault even if it hit you in the face,"
"Evelyn," Amiyah's voice was as gentle as humming bird hovering over a nectar filled flower.
Julia's father's eyes were in a daze as he watched Amiyah's red dress flutter with the wind.How beautiful, how pure she was.
"What?" Snapped Evelyn.
She never understood her older sister's strict morality.
"I've told you this before.
I hate how always theotherwoman is labelled as the home wreaker.
Greta didn't wreak my home.
If the walls had been strong enough, Devin would have resisted her."
"Have you heard of the sayingtoo much goodness isn't good?"
Amiyah laughed.
Julia's father swore that he had an angel sing.
Maybe this was a sign, he thought, maybe it was sign that he should approach her.
Listening to his instinct, he walked over to where she stood and tapped her shoulder.
Coincidentally, Amiyah ended the phone call at the same time as her sister, who was a nurse practitioner, had some patients to see.
This just confirmed Julia's father's suspicion.
Their meeting was meant to be.
"Hi there," He smiled, politely.
"Alfredo mother, aren't you?"
Amiyah returned his smile.
"Yes, I am.
Sorry but I didn't recognize you,"
"Jacob Merritt, Julia's father.
My daughter often talks about Alfredo."
"Well that's nice," She smiled, silently wishing that she knew something about Julia.
Alfredo barely talked about any of his friends.
He would occasionally talk about Cillian and his parents who were deeply in love and needed no excuse to kiss each other.
"I heard you're filing a divorce against your husband,"
Amiyah rose an eyebrow.
"And that is your business how?"
Jacob held up his hands.
"I'm lawyer that's why I was asking," Both Amiyah and Jacob knew that was a clear lie.
She narrowed her eyes at him.
"Were you eavesdropping on my conversation?"
"Well, a poor man can't help what he hears,"
"Kindly, refrain from 'hearing' the next time around,"
"So there will be a next time.
Maybe in coffee shop, south downKirkham lane.
What do you say, beautiful?"
Her eyes widened, as she paled significantly.
"Are you-?" She shook her head.
"Just because I'm getting divorced doesn't give you the right to pursue me."
The lawyer tucked his hands into the pockets of his trousers.
"Why not?
Your husband won't care.
He isn't blind, is he?
Only a fool would leave someone as beautiful as yourself,"
Amiyah's skin became hot and prickly.
She had always been bad at things such as flirting and persistent men.
In her college days, she was often stereotyped for a bookworm.
No-doubt, she was a shy, booklover.
It always amazed her how Devin had broken her walls.
He was the life of the college, loud and friendly.
Majoring in criminology at the time, he was something different.
There was a natural charisma he had, the kind that would make anyone turn around and look at him twice.
They had philosophy together.
He would always contribute to the class discussion even though half the time it was utter nonsense while Amiyah even though she had numerous, brilliant ideas sprouting inside her head, stayed silent.
Amiyah remembers how he had asked for her help on an essay and how thankful he had been afterwards.
Devin wasn't the kind who would forget a favor.
He helped her back and tried boasting her courage to speak up in class.
They started out as acquaintances and slowly, without even realizing it they had become so much more.
"So what do you say?
It's a date." Jacob broke the trance Amiyah had been in.
She was about to respond and burn some sense into Jacob when she felt an arm twist around her waist.
The bright, afternoon sun sharpened the contours of Devin's face as he glared at the lawyer.
"Stay away from her.
Am I clear?
Or Do I have to make myself?"
Jacob Merritt, the lawyer and Julia's father glared back.
"Who are you, sir?
And more importantly, why should I listen to you?"
Devin, in his tight, grey waistcoat and long overcoat, patted his trousers.
Even as a detective for the local police, Devin rarely ever threatened the victims.
Today, he made an exception.
The silver revolver case fastened to his belt sparkled in the sun.
Jacob gulped and backed away.
As soon as Jacob was a safe distance away, Devin removed his arm from Amiyah's waist.
To her great disappointed, Amiyah longed for his arm to stay there.
Even for a few seconds, she had felt safe and sound.
"You didn't have to threaten him.
I could have handled him by myself," Amiyah stood stiffly by his side while Devin's sharp eyes scanned the school's playground.
"Yah, right." Devin scoffed, running a hand through his night dark hair.
"Handle it.
You've been hopeless with men,"
She knew it was true but it did hurt her pride.
"Maybe I've gotten better.
How do you know?
We rarely talk."
Devin eyes lingered to meet her gaze.
He lifted his hand and ran it across her cheek.
Amiyah was tempted to close her eyes.
"Your skin is warm, warmer than usual.
It usually becomes hotter when you're tensed or nervous.
If you had gotten better then you wouldn't be tensed.
Would you?"
He retracted his hand, almost as though she were poison.
"It's best if I learn." She looked in another direction. "You won't be there tomorrow and I won't have a reason to keep them away."
"We haven't gotten divorced yet,"
"Not yet," She whispered.
"You're so determined.
I won't be surprised if that day comes soon."
He didn't reply and she wished she could read his mind.
"What are you doing here?" She asked him.
He never came to pick Alfredo.
"An investigation is going on the school's principal.
We're trying to keep it undercover until anything is proven.
I should get going." Devin briefly looked at Jacob then back at Amiyah.
"Call me if there's trouble."
"Can you come home early?
I need to discuss something important."
"I'm going out for dinner with Greta," Devin bluntly replied.
Amiyah tried very, very hard to not let his words hurt her.
"It's pretty important." She shrugged.
"The choice is yours,"
"Fine," Without another word, he left her.
Once again alone.
Little did he know, fate was going to make him scream with regret for every second he spent without her.
Humans are strange.
If they only knew how to value the present.
❁❁❁❁❁
Alfredo of five years hugged his mother as soon as school was dismissed.
Few feet away from them was Cillian and his parents who were laughing like a happy, little family should.
"How was school?" Amiyah smiled at her little boy.
"Fantastico," He swung their linked arms back and forth and back and forth then he stopped and stared at Cillian's family.
"Where's daddy?"
Amiyah's eyes automatically followed her son's stare.
"He's here,"
Alfredo ear's perked.
"Daddy,"
"Well, he's inside.
He would visit us if he could,"
Instantly, Alfredo's face sobered into sad expression.
"It okay, mommy.
Alfredo understand it.
Daddy work, daddy busy all time.
It okay."
Amiyah could almost grasp the longing in her son's eyes as she watched him stare at Cillian and his happy family.
Cillian's father quickly kissed Cillian's mother while Cillian beamed at his parents.
In that moment, Amiyah knew what she had to do.
She stroked her son's head as the plan began to form in her mind.
Seven in the evening, Devin stood at the door step of their cozy, one story house.
Spring was about to arrive.
Devin noted that he had few weeds to pluck from the front yard.
The sunflower buds were almost ready to bloom.Amiyah loved sunflowers, Devin reminisced,he had sown an entire patch in-front of their house just for her.
He rapped his knuckled against the door.
The sound echoed through the small house.
Amiyah opened the door a minute later, her skin flushed red, her brown hair in wispy curls.
"You came?" The statement sounded more like a question from her lips as she side stepped to let him in.
He hung his coat on the rack and shrugged his shoulders.
"You told me to come.
So here I am,"
She shook her head slightly.
"I didn't expect you to come,"
He turned around and stared at her.
"Why is it such a surprise?"