Helen woke up the next morning still fully clothed in yesterday’s clothes. She had copsed on the bed crying immediately when she got home the day before from Tommy’s ce. She cried herself to sleep and still stayed in bed when she opened her eyes hourster.


    Helen didn’t get out of bed until the night fell and she fell asleep again, except the times she had to use the toilet. She was just so happy that she was alone in the house. Jane traveled home for the weekend.


    She sat up in bed and leaned her back against the headboard and started torturing herself all over again by reying everything that happened the day before in Tommy’s house in her head.


    “Why did I go to his house in the first ce? Did I really allow him to make out with me and actually made mee?”


    She felt embarrassed all over again, thinking about it. To start with, she wasn’t sex-starved, only she’s been having sex with someone she didn’t love.


    The ringing of her phone brought her out of her deep thoughts. She looked over at the screen to see who was calling. It was her husband.


    Her mind raced with guilt, he had called her severally yesterday but she refused to take any of his calls. Knowing he would be worried stiff by now, she reached out and picked up her phone.


    “Hey,” she mumbled into the phone. “Thank God,” he said with relief. “I have been trying to reach you since yesterday. Is everything okay?”


    I… I’m okay,” a lump lodged in her throat. She put the phone on her left hand and rubbed her eyes. “I was in the library all day yesterday.” She lied with the first thought that came to her mind. “I had to finish up a term paper against submission tomorrow.”


    “I see,” he said.


    “Yeah…yeah.”


    “I hope you are good?”


    “Yes, I am,” she replied.


    “I’m on my way out to the mass,” he said gently. “I will call you when I get back.”


    “Okay, thanks,” Helen said and ended the call.


    Helen moved to the edge of the bed and fingerbed her hair, which had matted with sweat. Her phone rang again, checking the screen. It was Tommy. He, too, had been calling her. She ignored it again and stood up. She felt so tired.


    After a quick shower, she dressed in a pair of navy wool cks and a blouse, feeling much better.


    Feeling starved now, Helen went to the kitchen to fry some eggs to go with the bread she found in the cab. She was finishing her brunch when her phone beeped for a message. She checked her phone. It was Tommy’s message. She didn’t bother to read it.


    She walked to the phone in the corner of the sitting room and picked it up to ce a call to the security men at the gate.


    On Wednesday evening, Helen and Jane walked out of their favorite grocery store with shopping bags in their hands. They had gone for some quick shopping on their way home from the gym.


    Tommy was leaning against her car when they got to the car park. Her heart galloped; she quickly dashed a look at her friend.


    “What does he want?” Jane asked.


    “I don’t know,” she looked at Tommy and their eyes met. She nced back at her friend. “What should I do?”


    Tommy walked up to them before Jane could answer.


    “Let me help you with that.” he held out his hands and collected the five shopping bags Helen was carrying.N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    They all walked to the car. Helen opened the car trunk, and they put all the shopping bags in there.


    “I came to get a haircut,” he started, exining his unexpected appearance. “And saw your car and waited here for you. I have been trying to reach you.”


    Yes, she had blocked his number on her phone on Sunday and also left instructions at the gate that he should not be allowed toe into thepound anymore.


    “What do you want from me, Tommy?”


    He said nothing. He only nced at Jane.


    “It’s okay,” Jane said. “I will leave you guys to talk and take the bus home.” But let me get my potato chips.” She opened the car trunk and retrieved a small shopping bag from one of the bigger ones. “Don’t keep her too long,” she said to Tommy and left them.


    Helen opened the car doors, and they got inside the car.


    “Hottie,” he whispered and took her hand.


    She took her hand away from his grip. “I think it’s time to stop seeing each other.”


    “How can I live with that?” He asked angrily. “I have not been myself since the day you got married. I’m losing my mind, I’m losing it, Helen.” He said bitterly.


    “That’s the only way out,” she insisted. “I’m trying hard to deal with this. Please stay away from me. I’m sure it will help.”


    “Are you the one talking, Helen?” He retorted. “How on earth is it possible for me to stay away from you? This is ridiculous!” He ran his hands through his hair.


    “Please, Tommy, please,” she begged him. “I belong to another man now. What happened on Saturday shouldn’t have happened.”


    “You are not making sense at all,” he wailed. “I can’t leave you. I can’t get you out of my head. Don’t you get it? He shouted in frustration.


    She just looked at him, deciding not to say anything; she knew he was hurting, but there was no easy way out.


    The air hung heavy in the car. Neither of them said anything for several seconds.


    “I think you should leave,” Helen looked into his face. She watched his face fluctuate through several variations of emotions and settled on anger. His face pulsed red with anger. She had never seen him like this before.


    “That’s the only way out, Tommy,” Helen rubbed her face and sighed, exasperated. “Please.”