I followed Lucy as she cried.

“Baby it’s not true. I didn’t sleep with her,” I said softly.

I tried to hold her but she pushed my hands away. I would never be careless when drunk. She took all her clothes from the wardrobes.

“Please don’t. I need you,” I begged her.

I knelt down while she cried for an hour. It was six and I took a bath and made an omelette for her. She ate sadly and didn’t murmur a word. Memory left with all her bags. I didn’t care where she went. If I knew it was trouble I wouldn’t allow them to stay at my house. I walked with her to work.

Gary stood by the entrance of a shop close to our work place.

“Hi Gary,” I said calmly.

“Don’t make me angry. Walk away,” he spoke rudely.

Gary hated me but I didn’t sleep with his woman. I sat in my office sadly. Philip, who worked as a receptionist came and sat down.

“Why did you backstab your friend?” he asked concerned.

“I have done nothing wrong. I didn’t sleep with his woman,” I answered annoyed.

“They found you naked,” he spoke and I stood up.

“You got Lucy and now you want more,” he continued.

“Get out my office if you want gossip,” I shouted.

He left. I kept thinking back to when we were still at the bar drinking. I’d never slept with a woman drunk, I’d get weak and just sleep. Maybe Memory had something to do with this. I didn’t remember being intimate with her.

We had a meeting and Gary blocked every suggestion I said. Gary will never forgive me, I thought. He knew me since school and still accused me that I wanted his chick. I would have dated her before him if that was the case. I was in a mess because I wanted to watch my favourite celebrity.

I called Lucy but she didn’t reply except on the office phone.

“I am busy Romeo,” she said.

Gary, Memory and Lucy would never trust me. It would break my heart if I would lose Gary and Lucy. When I finished work I went to pick up Lucy from her work. She was gone. I rushed to the taxi. Lucy will leave me, I thought. I found her preparing dinner. Our relationship was falling apart.

Since that incident, she never trusted me. Gary considered me an enemy. Memory moved away from our neighbourhood. At least Lucy was still with me. Everything was like a paper with no writing inside. I tried every rose, necklace, bracelet but Lucy wouldn’t be intimate with me.

“I got a job in another country,” she said one night as we sat eating dinner.

I was puzzled.

“You have a job here. Please don’t leave me,” I said and held her hands.

“I love you Romeo, why can’t we immigrate together,” she asked patiently.

“I love it here,” I answered, kissing her cheek.

“It’s a great opportunity,” she said.

“Baby, I don’t know if I will survive without you. I can’t leave my parents’ home,” I said calmly.

“I am just fed up here. I want new adventures,” she said.

“I will think about it,” I answered.

This was not what we promised each other. We never spoke of immigrating but settling down in my parents’ home. If I left my job it won’t be easy to get another job. I had to persuade her to stay. She was the love of my life.

Lucy had become secretive and silent. We no longer chatted. She stopped me from walking her to work. I only picked her up after work. I had become a failure. Memory’s staying with us had brought this. I blamed myself for the gig. I just wish I didn’t join them. I was still confused about whether I slept with my best friend’s chick. But I knew I hadn’t.

Our love spark was gone. I had to fix everything, to show I really loved Lucy. I brought gifts for her but she never was the same girl who used to laugh and talk.

“Baby, I love you,” I said facing her. “A lot has happened but you’re still the same woman I love,” I continued.

“I love you too,” she said softly and kissed my cheek.

I had to behave like a good boy so she could trust me again.

***

Tell us: Do you think Romeo and Lucy will work out?