With Him I'm Okay

-4- The Betrayal

Mercedes had become regular in the house. She would come three times in a week or sometimes the whole week. She would help me in cooking, laundry and any other thing I needed. She knew I was getting close to my time of parturition thus, I would need assistance.

"What would I do without you Mercedes" I would say when she did the cleaning in the house.

Nate had even grown to like her, surprisingly. He would say,

"She is like a sister to me" and then give one of those extraordinary smiles he did when at his best.

Their friendship was typical from the beginning but as it grew, I became a little resentful.
He was constantly asking of her when she didn't come by and was always seen talking to her over the phone. Maybe I was just envious that was why I frowned at these things but I know Mercedes, she would never hurt me. Would she?

Friday morning, 7am, I was in the kitchen when Nate's phone rang.

"Babe, your phone is ringing" I called.

There was no answer. I wiped my hands and headed for the living room.

"Babe"I called again, "your phone is..."

Then I paused when I read the contact name "Mercedes"
Why was she calling him? I answered the phone.

"Hello?" I begun.

Then in a split second,she hunger up. That was strange. Why would Mercedes just hung up upon hearing my voice? Something wasn't right.
I was just on the verge of calling back when I heard,

"Christine!"

The tone in which my name was mentioned made me quiver.

"How dare you touch my phone?huh? What rubbish!" Nate snatched the phone from my hand.

"It rang"

"So? Can't you come call me?" He scowled

"I did but you answered not" I replied

"That doesn't give you the reason to touch my phone. Don't ever repeat this insensate thing" he walked out on me after saying this.

What was wrong with touching his phone? It's not as though I was doing anything bad, was I? I needed to get to the bottom of this.
Later in the afternoon, I called Mercedes and asked her if she phoned Nate earlier. She denied it and said it might be another person with the same name.

"Are you sure?" I asked

"Oh ho! Why would I call Nate so early? What exactly do I have to tell him?" She laughed.

I eschewed the issue, although I was feeling this uncertainty.
At 9pm, I saw as Nate sneaked out of the house, through the window. Prior to that event, I overhead him from the washroom,

"By 9pm she'll be asleep, so don't worry babe, I'll come to you then"

That is when I came to a conclusion, I wasn't sleeping early that day. Initially, I pretended to be asleep, but as soon as I heard the front door close, I got up and watched him from the window, as a year run down my cheek.

" What is he hiding?" I asked myself.

Well, I was going to stalk him. After he left with the taxi, I boarded a taxi as well and asked the driver to follow the taxi in front.
I alighted a few distance away from where Nate alighted and watched as he secretly entered the apartment he was going to.
After he entered, I followed suite. I got to the door of the room he entered and open turning the door knob, I realised it wasn't closed.
When I saw the scatter of dresses, my heart ached. I heard moans and banging. I moved further and that was when I saw a picture on the way. It was Mercedes' picture. Then I knew it was her apartment. I started to weep. I pushed the door to the bedroom and there they were, naked in bed. Nate having Mercedes' left breast in his mouth.

"Jesus!" I shouted and I felt my baby coming. I was in labor. I started having contractions and when they saw this, they quickly put on their dresses and rushed to me.

"Get your hands off me, you moron!" I shouted at Mercedes.

"Christine, this is not the time for your madness!" Nate yelled and helped me outside then we went to the hospital that night.

           _____________________
It was a girl. A lovely baby girl. Fortunately, she took after me. Lucky her. She evaded the misfortune of looking like that bastard Nate, that cheat.
Nate had left me after he saw the doctors rush me to the labor ward. He probably went to Mercedes. I hated him now.
I came home alone in tears and what I soon got use to was happening. Nate was making love in the couch with Roselyn.
Who was I to say a word? What change can I possibly make? I just ignored as though I saw nothing and headed for the bedroom, where I wept as I sang lullabies to Gifty, my only happiness now.
"When you're older, don't trust any man okay?" I said to her and watched her blink as though she responding to my words.
The days that followed was no different. Now Nate wouldn't meet Mercedes secretly but bring her to the house and make love right in front of me. I knew Mercedes was ashamed at times when she saw me pass by but why was she still in the act?

"Christine" she called me when she entered the kitchen where I was preparing Gifty's porridge.

I turned to her and wondered what she wanted.

"Christine, I'm sorry" she held my hand

"Sorry?" I laughed," you know what? You are shameless"

"No"

"Yes! We were best friends. No, sisters! But you hurt me! You know I love Nate, and damn! You know I still do love him. Why don't you just leave him for me" I cried

" Christine..."

"Please Mercedes," I went on my knees, "leave Nate for me. I love him, I want him back. Please stop this"

"I love him too" she said calmly.

Then I slowly got on my feet. Then without thinking twice, I slapped Mercedes right in the face.

"You are a devil!" I scrowled.

She gaped.

"So you have no remorse for the nonsense you are doing? Seriously you've stooped low"

"Stooping low?" She begun, "Christine, the only one who has stooped low here is you! I'm not the one at age 23 with a child and no husband"

"You moron!" I slapped her for the second time, "You'll pay for this"

"You'll pay for this too" she said and exited, calling Nate as she went.

END OF PART 4

BY: Aboagyewaa Priscilla

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