Consequences (2)
By Emmeline Bisiikwa, Uganda
She wanted to hurt him the way she had been hurt. The need ate away at her inside and for once she wanted to be on the winning side. She wanted to watch from behind her perfectly constructed life and not be affected.
She wanted him to come crawling back to her to beg for her forgiveness. To beg her to stop. She just wanted one moment that had been orchestrated by her to hold on to. And she was determined to get it. Feeling sad had gotten old real fast and definitely wasn’t the answer. She pushed the sadness into a box she kept locked up labeled things that don’t make you strong. The dwelling and pity party had got her nowhere. Thinking about Diane’s lips and hands all over Peter was getting her nowhere. Grief was for the weak.
Her phone kept pinging. The alerts showed Peter and Diane were texting. She had ignored them since she stormed out of Diane’s house the other night.
She picked up her phone and read Peter’s latest text, “Just hear me out Sue.” She responded, “Meet me at our Café. 3pm.” His reply was instantaneous, “Okay. I promise to make it up to you.” She got ready and promised herself that he would pay. All men after him would pay. She would never shed another tear for a guy and would not leave herself vulnerable to hurt.
As she slid into her car, she sent a text to Diane, “Meet me at Café Bloom at 3.” Diane responded, “See you.” She checked her lip gloss in the mirror and then drove off. She wouldn’t let them see that they had hurt her. Hurt was for victims and she was a victor.
She arrived at the Café close to 3 and sat at a corner table. Soon, Peter arrived. He made as if to hug her but she remained sitting. He took his seat and his eyes flickered around the Café. He couldn’t meet her gaze. Just as he opened his mouth, Diane arrived. She smiled inside, as she kept her face expressionless.
Diane and Peter seemed shocked to see each other. “What’s he doing here?” Diane asked?
“I could ask you the same thing,” Peter said.Before they could get into it she spoke, “Sit.”
Confused, Diane sat and watched Sue. “I called you both here. Just wanted to let you guys know that am okay with you being together.” Sue said.
“But it was a mistake. We’re sorry we hurt you. Please hear us out Sue”
She said, “You have my blessing. Goodbye.”
She stood up and walked out and as she exited the door she was full of excitement. If this was what not caring felt like it felt so darn good. Her mind was ripe with ideas of how to make him pay. How to make all of them pay.
