SHORT STORY - TURN OVER

Maureen’s hope of getting married and having children with Raymond was dashed the night that Raymond announced that he was going to spend the night and several other nights with his wife. The information did not register immediately, and she made jests of waiting for him till he got back. Then the reality of the matter hit her: he was not going to come back to her; he was married, and she could no longer have him all to herself, not even part of him. Oh no! What was she going to do?

Maureen and Raymond had been in a serious relationship for the past three years. She moved in with him eighteen months ago and had had the best of a sexual affair. Surely she could not have known that he was married, could she? He did not wear any ring, neither did he go anywhere apart from work. He spent all his time with her. How could she have known?!

Raymond did not bat any of his lustrous eyelashes when he told Maureen. He showed no remorse at all. What did he have to lose? He had a very good time with Maureen while his wife was away, and now that she was back he had no use for Maureen anymore. She could go and visit all the saints in heaven and come back as a prophet of the apocalypse and he would not care. He had regrets: his wife was not as skillful as Maureen in bed; he had to provide for his wife now – Maureen was doing everything when she was with him. Ouch. He must have hurt her badly, looking at her miserable face… but there was nothing he could do about it now.

“I am sorry, Reen dear”, he finally said, not looking at her. “If I had told you earlier that I was married, you would not have given in to me, and I really needed you then…”

“But now you are just dumping me. After everything that we have shared?! You…”

Raymond grabbed her wrist before her fist landed on his face. He pulled her to him and hugged her tightly. He allowed her to cry her heart out, soothing her like a baby. He had left their love nest for her, he was saying, and he might come and visit her some time. That jolted Maureen. She disengaged herself from Raymond and wiped her tears. With a brave smile, she took her purse and keys and left the hall.

As she walked, she whipped herself mentally for being so blind and foolish that she did not notice that Raymond was married. How could she have noticed when he was always with her and made her feel she was on top of the world? But the harm had already been done and life had to go on. She stopped a taxi and headed for Ridge. Surely Anthony was still pining for her. She would beg him and they would pick up from where they left off. Surely he would forgive her for leaving him so suddenly. Three years was enough time to forget, wasn’t it?

As she approached the residence, she heard the sound of merrymaking. She hurried to the house and joined the party of merrymakers. While there, she searched for Anthony. Her eyes found him holding a sweet baby of about a year old. Apparently, the party was for the boy who had just turned one. Perhaps, he’s a nephew or a friend’s baby – she would have heard if Anthony had married.

When their eyes met, she smiled and waved. He appeared taken aback for a while and then smiled suddenly. He then gave the boy to a woman who was now standing between her and Anthony. With a sinking heart, she realized the smile was not for her. She nearly dropped her meal of tuo zaafi and ayoyo soup when she heard Anthony’s “What are you doing here?” behind her. She turned and gave him her brightest smile. She stopped eating and went to wash her hand. Then she went with Anthony.

“You are doing well”, she started.

“What did you expect, Maureen?” Anthony shot back.

“Certainly not this pomp,” she replied lightly.

“Why are you here?”

“Anthony, I came to apologize for all that happened three years ago…”

“After all these years?”

“Yes, do you forgive me?”

“I forgave you a long time ago. I waited for you to return to me, you know. But you never came back.”

He waited for her! That was satisfying. She beamed a smile, but before she could respond, the woman he had given the baby boy to came to him and whispered audibly, “It’s time.”

He smiled at her, and told Maureen, “Meet my wife, Rakiya. Love, meet Maureen, my love that never was.” All the woman said was “Oh” and they left arm in arm.

Maureen could not bear it. Jilted twice in a day? What was her life coming to? She had no one to go to now, no man to call her own. All was because of the dangerous game she chose to play with the men who fell in love with her. She had received payment for breaking their hearts. As she left the party, she decided that she would turn over a new leaf. Maybe Karma would be kinder.

True to her decision, she changed for the better. She started a small eatery which became a chain of restaurants in Akyaakrom. Being a naturally humble person, she won the hearts of all her customers and her business boomed. One day, she ran into the most widely-known bachelor in the town who befriended her. Because of her bitter past, she remained friends with Gershon until he went to see her parents without her knowledge and proposed to her later. They got married in a traditional but extravagant and unforgettable ceremony. Maureen was happy at last.