59. Walter's request

Walter's text made me jump out of bed and I accidentally went into the chat. Even if I wanted to ignore it, it was already late because it had already registered as read. I sighed deeply, thinking of ways to respond, but before I could even formulate my response, a second text came through

"I know you are awake because your light is on and you read my text, 15 minutes, I promise"

Although I knew the moral thing to do would be to turn down his request to meet, after all, he was a married man, but my curiosity got the better of me. At this point, it had become a habit to lose all my senses when it came to him.

"5 minutes". I replied to his text.

"That's more than enough." He texted back.

I got off the bed to put on my robe but before stepping out, I slightly peeped through the window, and indeed, there he was, right at my gate, leaning on his black sports car with a lit cigarette in his hand while the other hand was busy scrolling his phone. I closed the door to take a deep breath, 'he wants to talk, so we are going to listen', I said to myself. I then stepped out, as soon as he saw me, he slipped his phone in his pocket and switched off the cigarette.

"I see the smoking thing is a full-blown habit now, is no longer occasional"., I calmly commented

"Been dealing with a lot of stress lately". He replied 

"Huh!", I exclaimed then quickly cut the small talk, "Your 5 minutes start now", I said as I tightened my robe,

He opened the passenger door, "Please get in the car, is a lot chilly outside and I don't want you to catch a cold", 

Although I didn't want to get in his car, he had a point, there was no difference between Autumn and Winter in Amber City.

"Fine.. But make it quick. I don't want to find myself being labeled as a homewrecker. I already have one strike with Team Walter...".

He chuckled, "Noted",

In the car, he offered me a can of apple cider alcohol, "Have you been drinking? These things come in 6 and there's already two left..."

"Uhm, to be honest, I bought 12 and there's two left-", he said nonchalantly,

"Have you been drinking and driving??!", I asked shock-stricken

With the same demeanor he replied, "Well, it's honestly not the first time, I pass by your place more often than usual, just that today I decided to stop and talk to you."

I got goosebumps, and trying to mask my blushing face, I remarked, "That's really irresponsible of you, I am not impressed." making him laugh, finally.

He opened the can for me, "Just this one, and when it's finished you can go back and I promise to never bother you again," he said. Walter had changed a lot, from the goofy guy I met and knew. He had become gloomy and didn't even speak much, I began to feel like he was explaining himself a lot lately, I took the cider and had a sip, "So.. Let's talk". As much as I had accepted that we could never be together and I cried a lot because of him, seeing him with that sad look made my heart sink. 

I watched him as he took a sip from his can, then suddenly spoke, "I miss you Thandie and it's driving me nuts"

"Three words: You are married.", I replied

He leaned back on his seat, "And if I tell you that we didn't marry out of love but for business, what would you say? ".

I took a sip, "It doesn't matter Walter, the whole world bore witness to your wedding. I will still be destroying a family in their eyes.", as much as that was my response, in reality, I didn't know what to say or do, but unbeknownst to me at that time, the real test would soon be upon me.

He sighed heavily, and without me asking, he began talking about his wife, because it felt like it was something he had been meaning to talk about, I just let him, "Me and Angela go a long way back to college. She recently came back to town to promote a product for one of her overseas clients. After the whole scandal with Khalinda, my company sort of took a big hit and suffered a huge loss. We needed a huge investment and Angela needed a husband for one year to get her parents off her back who were now becoming a threat to her influential career. See, her father is very connected, one word from him, and her empire and brand will crumble. I don't know why they needed her to get married so badly, that is information she never disclosed. Anyway, that's why I married her."

Suddenly his question became too real, 'Okay, what now?', I sat quietly thinking of how that might change things because I was somehow moved by what he told me, but thank God logic quickly kicked in because one key thing still mattered, the world witnessed his WEDDING, I needed to protect my brand," Okay. I hear you, but that does not change anything between us, the fact of the matter is, you are married."

"I know. And I am not asking you to do anything, I just felt like explaining everything to you and apologize for not disclosing it before we went that far back in Silverton. I do miss you... every day and I know it would be selfish of me if I ask you to wait a whole year for me."

I took multiple sips of my drink in frustration, I didn't understand why my relationship with him had to be complicated every time. All the scars I thought were healing reaped wide open. It felt like just the other day when I last saw him in Silverton, I took another sip while still deep in my thoughts and the car was in deep silence. It was evident that we both cared deeply for each other, despite the sexual attraction that oozed every time we met, there was something precious between us, something that kept pulling us towards each other. It was like an invisible magnet that kept us within arm's reach, yet, we could never stick, it felt like this was some sick joke fate was playing on me.

Walter's final sigh was accompanied by something unexpected, "Can we be friends? Just friends, nothing more or less".