“Can we please move to the dining room were dinner will be served,” announces the President.

“You accepted the job!” I squeak happily to Blessing.

He laughs. “I sure did…” He looks younger, more relaxed.

“I am so happy for you,” I tell him. “You are going to make a great Director.”

“Thank you. I thought a lot about what you said, and you were right. It’s time I face my life: I want to live, not just exist.”

“I am always right,” I say, scanning the crowd. I spot Grace in a black with silver sparkle two-piece suit. I nod at her. “I have my own announcement to make.” He frowns. “I am leaving town.”

“Leaving town, to where?” he asks, his frown deepening.

“I don’t know where I’m going, and I don’t know when I’m coming back either. I just need some fresh air, you know? To rediscover myself.” I smile lopsidedly.

He nods in understanding but his frown doesn’t lift. “When do you leave?” he asks.

“My flight takes off at eleven, so that’s in three hours.”

“Oh Alex…” he envelops me in his arms. I inhale his scent. “Promise to keep in touch, OK?”

I respond with a nod. I spot Mark looking at us. “Shall we go eat?” I ask.

We join the crowd in the sitting room where dinner is being served. The clinking of forks and knives against dishes echoes in the room, complemented by murmuring and laughter. It’s a beautiful sight to witness. There is light at the end of the tunnel, and this moment feels bittersweet. Sweet because the nightmare is over, and bitter because of the loss of time and my relationship with Mark.

I notice that Blessing is touchy and smiley with a pretty young woman. She looks familiar, but I can’t figure out how I know her. Seeing him like that lightens the guilt in me. I should tell him that I brought his mother here before I go. That way I will be thousands of miles away when he goes atomic mad.

“You have a beautiful house, Mr President,” I tell him as he gives me a tour.

“Thank you dear, my wife redecorates every room every two months,” he says. We chuckle. “So if you go away now, what about school?” he asks.

“Well, I will finish next year. I’ve missed too much this year to be able to catch up. Besides, I’m not sure about environmental studies anymore. I’m hoping to have enough time while I’m away to think about it. I think I’m quite interested in law enforcement now.”

“I think you will make a fine lawyer,” the President tells me. “You care about people and you’re feisty too.”

“Thank you so much, Mr President, for everything. You are very kind.”

Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you? The President insisted that I go to his private island, on him. It’s secluded, warm and close to nature.

“Mr Mark, you look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Blessing stalks towards us, looking ashen. He tries to smile.

“I was looking for you actually,” Mark says, addressing me directly.

“Let me go and find my wife before she sends security to find me,” the President jokes and leaves us alone.

“Anything the matter?” I turn to Mark.

“Blessing just told me that you’re leaving,” he says. Damn, I think. I was going to tell him myself.

“He’s right, I am,” I state.

“Why do I have to hear it from him?” he says through gritted teeth.

“I didn’t ask Blessing to tell you,” I reply petulantly.

Mark narrows his eyes at me. “Were you going to tell me at any point in time?” he growls.

“You mean in between you not answering my phone calls or texts? When was I supposed to tell you exactly Mark?” I snap. “You know, I’m tired of you acting all righteous with me. I admit that I screwed up, but I apologised for it. If you want out of this relationship then that’s fine, but then you need to stay out of my life.”

I am seething now and I continue talking: “You cannot completely ignore me and then interrupt my conversation with the President to interrogate me about my plans. There’s no two ways about it: either you are in or you are out. I’ve been punished enough.”

Mark takes a deep breath and runs his hand over his head.

“I love you, Mark, but I cannot sit at home and fiddle with my thumbs while you pretend I don’t exist. The only reason you marched over here to find is me is because Blessing told you that I was leaving, not because you care, so if you’ll excuse me, I have a plane to catch.”

I turn and walk away to the stairs, breathing rapidly so that I don’t start crying.

***

Tell us what you think: Is Alex’s anger towards Mark justified?