WHAT IF

57

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In less than an hour, Valerie was already uptown in the places she was very familiar with. She got at Amanda's house parking her car next to Amanda's cars. She got out of the car walking till her door. Valerie rang the door bell, just shortly and the door was opened.
"Your welcome Mrs Smith." The house helper said.
"Thank you." Valerie said entering.
"She is outside at pool area." The house helper said.
Valerie immediately walked towards the back. Amanda was seated outside on the pool side, she was drinking wine with her feet dipped in water.
"Val......" Amanda shouted raising her hands up in the air. Valerie giggled as she approached her.
"Whats the occasion?" Valerie asked Amanda sitting down next to her.
"Am here waiting for you, the weather is so nice and warm for a night pool party." Amanda said with a smile.
Valerie smiled widely embracing Amanda from the side.
"I am really sorry." Valerie sadly said.
"I should be angry but am choosing to be understanding." Amanda said.
"Don't be understanding, you the right to be angry." Valerie said. Amanda smiled widely.
"Forgive me for being selfish and keeping you in the dark." Valerie said.
"I know you have reasons, and I choose to be by your side despite everything." Amanda said.
"Some things might be so painful to talk about so you don't have to relive that pain, me I will bring in the love and joy to help you heal, to replace the pain with love because that's what best friends do." Amanda said.
Valerie was very touched, she tightly held Amanda, it's very funny how she always distanced herself from Amanda. Yet Amanda has always been there for her.
"How are you by the way." Amanda asked.
"I am fine, feeling fine actually." Valerie said.
"I was so worried when you were bedridden, you were on casts" Amanda said
"I have a brain tumor." Valerie said.
"WHAT!!!!!!!!!!" Amanda loudly shouted in shock.
"It's just temporary, I am on medication and in no time it will fine." Valerie said.
"Are you sure?" Amanda asked.
"I swear." Valerie said.
There was worry on Amanda's face and it was hard to believe that in just no time she will be fine.
"Are you sure no surgery but medication?" Amanda asked again.
"Believe me." Valerie said.
"What was the course of this tumor?" Amanda asked. Valerie kept quiet for a while looking at Amanda, how exactly could she tell her that Andrew has something to do with it.
"The reason why Andrew and I are the way we are is because our marriage was forced to start with." Valerie calmly said, today she has decided to be open to Amanda, to be a true best friend like she is supposed to be.
"When was that?" Amanda asked.
"I was 16 by then." Valerie said.
"At first, I thought it would be a relief but marriage to a stranger is hard, our differences were many, my responsibilities and things expected from me were too many as well, my family, Andrew's family, our careers and the public." Valerie said making a heavy sigh.
Amanda looked at her best friend, only imagining how hard that was.
"It began to suffocate me, I had to mature before I was even ready, I had to wear a personality mask to fit." Valerie added.
"I thought being behind closed doors at home would be a breathing place but Andrew didn't like being out of order, I didn't know how to deal with it which came with consequences." Valerie said.
Much as she didn't want to lay out for Amanda, there was no way she was open if she was hiding this as she tells her.
"Abuse.." Valerie breathed out, this even made her feel kind of light. Not with a single person has ever shared that with.
Amanda immediately held Valerie tight as tears rolled out of her eyes.
"Not once, not just physically but mentally as well, like that i got this tumor, I had to wear my fake persona in and out that I lost who i was." Valerie found the courage to tell.
"I began....."
"It's okay." Amanda cried.
"I don't have to know all your painful story word to word for me to love you or be by your side." Amanda sobbed.
"I want you to know the real me." Valerie said softly.
"I know you, I see, I hear you even when your silent, I have been here when you were in the dark and am still going to be here even when your in the light." Amanda sobbed.
Valerie was touched bringing tears in her eyes.
"By the time you're telling me this, meaning you're removing the mask to embrace the real you and no matter what, I am here." Amanda added.
"Amanda...." Valerie called tearing.
"I don't want you to relive that pain telling it over and over again , that's tackling pain to bring more pain so let's turn a new leaf together, instead of bringing more pain , let me help you heal the wounds, bring love where there is hate." Amanda said.
Valerie smiled holding her friend tight. Amanda gently pulled herself behind looking eye to eye with Valerie.
"My mother told me, being able to tell your painful story doesn't make you who you are, it's just courageous. But embracing the pain, healing, walking past the trauma and showing the real you at the end of your struggle makes you a courageous, strong and a smart woman." Amanda said with a smile.
"I want to be the second one." Valerie giggled.
They both laughed, Valerie could never be happy, she didn't have that courage to tell everything, to remember all the pain , Amanda made so easy for her,
You don't have to know someone's painful past to love them right or be besides them as they heal and embrace the new true them.
That was saved in Valerie's head to always remember and to learn from it. Much as Amanda may not know but Valerie will forever be thankful for ever meeting Amanda and being friends with her, just two years after her marriage she meant Amanda at one of the fashion magazine shoots and their friendship began from there, back then Valerie was reserved and guarded but Amanda insisted to being close to her and keeping her close till Valerie opened up to her.
"Thank you for being a great friend." Valerie smiled at her.
"That's what friends are for." Amanda smiled, it's beautiful how Amanda always lightens up the mood, things can't remain sad for ever when she is around. It may come out to others as her not being serious about staff but things don't always have to be uptight.
"Ahhhhhh, Valerie.." Amanda joyfully shouted, their was a sparkle in her eyes.
"What?......." Valerie smiled in wonder.
"The hair." she shouted with excitement.
Valerie giggled hard.
"Bitch, am in love, it's so pretty and you look so beautiful." Amanda loudly said. The other thing about Amanda is that she can't hide how she truly feels, you can tell just now.
"Thank you." Valerie happily said.
"can I touch it." Amanda asked.
Valerie bowed down her head putting all her hair for Valerie to feel and touch.
"I like how you're finally embracing your black beauty." Amanda said.
Valerie laughed along with Amanda.
"Thank you." Valerie laughed.
"It's one of the reasons why I love you more." Amanda said then pushed Valerie into the water
"Amanda..." Valerie shouted on raising back to the top.
"My being black makes you love me more?" Valerie asked.
"Yes, like it's beautiful, it shines and makes you even more cool." Amanda laughed
Valerie laughed splashing water to Amanda.
"Valerie." Amanda shouted running away from the pool.
The door bell rang.
"It must be Stephanie." Valerie said swimming out of the pool.
"Whoo?" Amanda asked so surprised, like it's the first time she is hearing that name.
Valerie got out of the water all her clothes dripping.
"A new friend of mine and I want you to meet with her and be friends with her as well." Valerie said unbuttoning her long coat, Amanda looked at her smiling.
"She must be so great for you to introduce her to me." Amanda said smiling.
Valerie walked close to Amanda with a smile nodding her head saying yes. Before Amanda knew it, Valerie pushed her into the water. Valerie laughed hard, feeling good about her revenge. Stephanie was escorted by the house helper and she walked towards them, she was already laughing at how drenched Valerie was.
" Val... I had just done this hair." Amanda stood complaining.
"Had you thought of my hair." Valerie laughed, Stephanie and Amanda laughed along.
"You're full of surprises, new look, I like it." Stephanie said smiling at Valerie,
"Thank you." Valerie smiled.
"Wow, So beautiful." Stephanie added.
"It's what I have been saying?" Amanda added to Stephanie.
Stephanie turned looking at Amanda and they both laughed.
"Oh, you!" The both said laughing. Valerie was shocked at the fact that they might have met.
"At the designer store." They said again laughing.
"Have you met?" Valerie asked finally removing her dress putting it aside.
"Yes, we were at the designer store and we picked the same cloth at the same time." Amanda said.
"And the cloth was already chosen by somebody else." Stephanie added
"So the designer offered to take our measurements and make each of us the cloth." Amanda added laughing.
"So as he took the measurements, her and I started to talk a bit." Stephanie happily said.
Valerie smiled at how small the world was, out of all the places these two rich women could get their clothes, some of which would be customised they still met at some rare designer store. But this was impressive to hear.
"Nice to meet you again, I'm Stephanie." she smiled.
"The both of you with formalities," Amanda said shaking her head.
Valerie and Stephanie laughed hard, it's very hard not to be formal when they spend most of their time with wealthy, business people where formalities and politeness is required.
"What, are we in the 80s?" Amanda added.
"I'm Stephanie." she imitated her while laughing.
"Nice try, maybe it's my duty to teach the both of you how to act your era and age." Amanda added.
"Amanda" She added.
Valerie and Stephanie laughed, Amanda smiled as she removed her clothes throwing them out of the water to the pool side. Valerie walked towards Stephanie pushing her in as well.
"Valerie..." Stephanie shouted as she fell in.
The both of them laughed at her hard, Valerie as well jumped in hard, splashing water at them.
"Valerie." Amanda and Stephanie shouted but she just kept on laughing.
"Miss Nancy." Amanda loudly called.
Her house helper immediately came by,
"Bring us some bottles of wine please." Amanda said happily.
"Yes." miss Nancy said immediately walking away.
"How did you meet?" Amanda asked.
"I'm a best friend to Andrew." Stephanie said.
Amanda giggled in disbelief,
"He has friends too." Amanda shouted out, well no one blames her for thinking like that, even Stephanie and Valerie know what she means, they both died of laughter.
"Yes he does, many of them." Valerie stepped in immediately.
"Wait, you're defending him?" Amanda said in surprise. Stephanie and Amanda looked at each other then back to Valerie who didn't know what to say now.
"When did you become so close with him?" Amanda asked again.
"They weren't that close?" Stephanie said in surprise.
"According to how Andrew talks about you, it seemed like you guys are having the perfect relationship." Stephanie said.
"He even talks about her with you?" Amanda was more shocked.
She was not offended or hurt, not even seeming like she didn't like the idea of them being close. Amanda was surprised and curious to know how all this happened. Miss Nancy brought the bottles of wine, Valerie swam to where she was grabbing a bottle and drinking a bit, not even waiting for a glass. Stephanie and Amanda watched with fishy smiles then laughed when she drank two more sips again.
"There must be something we are missing here." Amanda said.
"Why do you seem like you two are teaming up against me." Valerie asked.
"We are the two friends who want to be filled in on what we are missing." Amanda said.
Valerie laughed at the fact that Amanda was already considering Stephanie part of them, which was extremely nice. Stephanie as well smiled widely, she felt more at home knowing that Amanda has accepted her immediately.
"I like that." Stephanie smiled beautifully looking at Amanda.
" Like what?" Amanda asked.
"How you have let me in already." Stephanie said.
"Girl, I liked you already from the store and I know something is so good when Valerie opens to it." Amanda smiled, Stephanie smiled back as well.
In no time they turned looking at Valerie with demanding faces.
"Okay, you know we..."
Before she said much, her phone began ringing. It was ringing from her bag that was inside the house. They all heard it but Valerie was not in the mood to answer any calls.
"Me and him have had our ups and downs, some of which ....." She was interrupted by the phone ringing again.
Miss Nancy came out with her bag, Valerie swam towards her then got the phone out of her bag
'Andrew' the name read. Surprised she turned looking at them, the both of them shouted loudly in joy.
"Mr husband is worried about the wife" Stephanie in a baby voice said, making all of them laugh hard.
" He can't function without you." Amanda added as well.
Valerie laughed with them, at the same time embarrassed.
"Shhh" Valerie shouted.
They giggled silently then Valerie answered the phone.
"Yes." she said .
"Yes am okay." Valerie added.
Stephanie and Amanda laughed but without sound. They began to splash water at her in excitement. Valerie smiled widely.
"Am at Amanda's actually." Valerie said with a smile.
"Okay, see you." Valerie concluded. Stephanie and Amanda held their mouths waiting for her to hang up the phone.
"Ahhhhhhh...." They shouted, so hyped immediately when she hanged up.
Valerie laughed with them.
"This is nothing, him and I have nothing going on." Valerie said.
"You can't deny the sparks though." Amanda said.
" I know, I can feel it but wait, was there no love from the start?" Stephanie asked.
"Andrew didn't tell you?" Valerie asked.
"He said it was an arranged marriage and I thought you loved each other before the marriage if not, for the time you been together, love must have come your way." Stephanie said.
"Basing on how angry you were the other time when you thought he was having an affair with me...." She added.
"Stephhhh." Valerie shouted not wanting her to say that before Amanda.
"You were jealous." Amanda shouted in excitement.
"You guys are getting it all wrong." Valerie said, never once has she ever been in such a situation, to not know how to defend herself yet feeling great to be shipped with Andrew, to have someone get hyped about the both of them.
"Have you slept with him?" Amanda asked.
Valerie didn't know how to answer that,
"Practically yes and no." Valerie honestly said.
"Which is which?" they both asked.
"I have had his dick inside me but that wasn't making love or anything, we were forced to have sex by our parents, that crap of wanting to expand the family." Valerie said then sipped her wine as well,
Amanda swam to where the wine was, getting one bottle for her and another for Stephanie.
It seemed like they were going to drink from the bottles, Valerie started it all.
"I was still a virgin by then, we were standing, no emotion or what, just the pain and fear." Valerie said, they all listened.
"Am sorry." they both said at once, imagining how horrible that was.
"How long has that been since then?" Amanda asked.
"5 years ago." Valerie said.
Their jaws dropped in disbelief.
"You first and last had sex with Andrew five years ago!" Stephanie shouted.
" No, you're lying." Amanda added.
"Yes." Valerie said.
"Have you slept with any one else?" Stephanie asked.
"No." Valerie honestly said.
Much as she knew a lot of things, in the sex department she was new and innocent.
"So literally you have never had sex." Stephanie said.
"I have..." She tried to argue herself out.
"That time doesn't count, I can't believe we have been friends this long and I didn't know your life was lacking something." Amanda said.
"I am fine." Valerie shouted then sipped wine, that's honestly a lie, she hasn't been fine lately, since Andrew properly laid his hands on her sexually, she has been craving and yearning for more.
"Val, no one can be fine without having sex, the body needs it, you don't know what you're missing." Stephanie said.
"Tell her." Amanda added.
"But come to think about it, you were always fine with whatever Andrew does and it used not to affect you?" Amanda added.
"Yeah." Valerie said.
"But if you got jealous and mad, that means there is something." Amanda said.
"Do you feel anything for him?" Stephanie asked.
"I don't know." Valerie said in frustration then sipped her wine again. Amanda and Stephanie looked at each other noticing something.
"Or maybe because Andrew has touched you." Amanda said.
"Has he sexually touched you, caressed you, or kissed you?" Amanda asked to confirm.
Valerie drank again and they both laughed, they immediately knew that was a yes.
"Now we see where the confusion comes from." Stephanie said.
"Look at the both of you trying to advise me, Stephanie can't even talk to Marco." Valerie said.
"Who is Marco?" Amanda asked.
"A friend of their's that she is madly in love with." Valerie said.
"I just lose it when he is around." Stephanie said in her defence.
"And you Amanda, you never commit to anyone, now you on crush Leon." Valerie said.
"Well the guys I have been with were just for fun, Leon is different, have you seen the guy?" Amanda said.
"But Valerie, your sex issue is even bigger." Stephanie said.
They all laughed .
"All our problems are big." Valerie said.
"But you're right, my body now craves, it yearns for sex." she admitted.
"And that's what friends are for, to talk about it and find solutions." Amanda said.
"To conquering our problems." Valerie said putting her bottle forward to make a toast
"To conquering." they all said toasting then drinking.
"To living a better life together." Amanda said.
"Yes," they shouted then made a toast and drank.
"To this beautiful friendship." Stephanie said.
"Yes." They shouted, toasted and drank again.
Their conversations continued as they laughed, this was really a great time. Later that night, Stephanie and Valerie had to leave. Stephanie hugged Amanda then entered the car. Valerie and Amanda looked at each other with smiles.
"I thought you didn't like Andrew?" Valerie said.
Amanda laughed,
"I didn't like him true but never hated him." Amanda said.
"I also don't like the fact that he used to abuse you, but Valerie, you seem happy, you're opening up, you're coming out of the shell, and am sure it has something to do with him." Amanda said.
"And you're there with him, there must be a reason why you're still with him besides your family forcing you to stay with him, you know your are embracing you right now but it seems like you're not leaving him." Amanda said.
Valerie smiled, that's true, Amanda is right, maybe somehow she does not blame it all on Andrew, he has his owns demons as well.
"And if you're giving him a chance to make up for the pain he caused then I will as well, but if he..."
"Don't worry," Valerie hurriedly said as Amanda started to threaten.
"I won't allow that to happen again, I will fuck him up myself." Valerie said.
Amanda embraced her tightly really happy for Valerie for the person she was becoming.