Chapter 51

"Do what?" She was puzzled.

"The sex thing, Susan. You used what you knew about me against me." He accused.

"Did I now? Last time I checked, you wanted it as much as I did too." She said huskily.

"No, you are wrong, Susan. I really didn't want to have sex with you, I just couldn't help it."

Susan scoffed. "Do you know the volume of semen that you pumped into me last night on the two rounds we had? Jeez, it's indeed true that you find no other pussy more appealing than mine after all." She bragged.

"Don't fool yourself, Susan. Don't be conceited. I still had no intention of having sex with you last night." He resolutely said.

"So, who would you rather have had sex with? The stripper?"

Stephen glared at Susan now as he rose to his feet. "How come your mouth is so sharp all of a sudden?! Thought you told me that you were scared for your life when you came to me last night? What's with the attitude now? Not scared anymore?"

"What does it matter? I have you now and all I want is for us to work things out, Stephen." She replied.

"There's nothing to work out Susan. We are done, you made that clear to me months ago!" Stephen rose to his feet now. "You ditched me on our wedding day!"

"Which was not really my own doing..." She softened her voice now as she approached him and stared into his eyes. "Can't you see that I want you back, Stephen? You are the only man that I've ever loved and you know it. I already told you that I was under a spell all this time. I didn't know what I was doing. If I could take back the hand of time, I'd do it but I can't. I want us to wipe the slate clean and start all over again."

"I don't think so, Susan. I just need to clear my head." He took her hand away from his chest, walked past her towards the door. 

She turned to look at him and said, "Can we make love again?"

He paused. "No, I need to get prepared for work and please be gone before I return. I've too much on my plate already." He stated and disappeared into his bedroom while Susan threw herself on the couch and got comfortable.

                                                                             ★★★

Jerry's car crawled to a stop in front of the club now and he turned his head to ask Violet. "Are you sure that you wanna do this?"

"I've nowhere else to go, Jerry." She answered. "I'm just going to have to stay here for a while until I'm ready to move house once again. Thank you for letting me spend the night at your place and for giving me a ride down here too. I owe you one."

"Don't mention." Jerry said with a smile but when she started to get down the car, he stopped her and said, "I'm sorry for what happened, but I just want you to know that Stephen isn't that bad, just that, that girl has really got a strong hold over him and he acts irrationally around her."

"Well, it doesn't matter anymore. Stephen was never mine in the first place, so there's no need crying over spilled milk." She opened the door, got down the car, went to the boot, took her bags and returned to stand close to the window, then she bent down and said to Jerry. "Thanks for all your help once again, and I'm sorry for all the inconveniences I might have caused."

"It's nothing, Violet. I'd do the same a thousand times...just be safe." Jerry smiled. 

Violet gave a small smile in return, straightened up, turned and walked through the small gate of the club after acknowledging the security guard who grinned and cheerily welcomed her back. When Jerry was sure that she was safely in, he started his car and drove off to work.

                                                                                  ★★★

Later that evening, when Jerry arrived at their popular Mami spot he met Stephen and Rufus, already seated, waiting for him. He shook hands with them and sat down, and both men didn't fail to notice that he didn't look as cheerful as usual.

"Bad day?" Rufus asked in concern.

Jerry relaxed into his seat. "Bad day." He affirmed.

Stephen who couldn't contain his anxiety any longer asked, "Have you heard from Violet?"

"No, why?" Jerry asked.

"I've been trying to reach her since morning but she has not been taking my calls." Stephen answered.

"Well, I won't blame her." Jerry said coolly.

"You too? You are still mad at me?" Stephen asked in dismay. "Man, you saw what happened!"

"I don't know what to say to you right now, so let's just drop it!" Jerry's tone remained low but harsh.

"You of all people are supposed to understand my plight, Jerry!" Stephen persisted. He was desperate and hadn't been able to get Violet off his mind since morning.

"How?" Jerry asked. "I'm supposed to understand that you hurt an innocent girl by quickly jumping into bed with your deceitful ex?"

"You know that I still love Susan very much." Stephen said helplessly.

"Yeah? And it will be the death of you." Jerry mumbled.

"Um...is there something I should know?" Rufus who had been listening to them in confounded silence, finally asked as he inquisitively glanced from one friend to the other. "Did something happen between Susan and Violet that I don't know about?" 

"Ask him." Jerry gestured at Stephen.

"Stephen?" Rufus called inquiringly.

"You don't need the details." Stephen quickly said elusively.

"Are you for real? I can't believe that we have been sitting here for over an hour and you left me in the dark about the latest gist." Rufus shot him a displeased look. "Guy, you no try o."

"It doesn't matter." Stephen stated, still frowning as he dialed Violet's number yet again. He had probably given her over seventy missed calls.

"Guy, you must tell me o!" Rufus insisted.

When Stephen still said nothing, Jerry leaned forward now and said, "Fine, since he won't say anything, I'll tell you, Rufus... I was already asleep when Violet showed up at my doorstep in the middle of the night and in tears." Jerry lividly explained.

"What! What happened?" Rufus asked in surprise. "Why was she at your place?"

"Stephen kicked her out!" Jerry answered.

"I didn't kick her out!" Stephen quickly defended. "She left!"

"Doesn't matter if she did. Why I'm so pissed at you right now is why would she leave and you didn't even bother going after her?" Rufus asked.

"That's because he needed some privacy to screw Susan." Said Jerry.

"That's not true!" Refuted Stephen.

Rufus gaped at Stephen, eyes wide. "Chimo (My God)! You gbansh Susan? (You had sex with Susan)"

"Well..." Stephen shrugged a shoulder as he hesitated. "...It's more like she gbanshed me... That girl rode me and I couldn't stop her."

"That's rape." Rufus chuckled.

"That's not rape. Honestly, I kinda enjoyed it. I wouldn't have slept with her if she didn't still know all my right buttons." Stephen said.

"Meaning that his brain has shifted to his dick." Jerry mocked.

"My brain is not in my dick!" Stephen shot his friend a mean look.

"But I thought you and Violet were already hitting it off last night, how come you screwed it up just like that?" Rufus asked.

"Susan showed up all bruised and an emotional wreck." Stephen replied.

"She looked fine to me this morning." Jerry pointed.

"You didn't really take a close look at her, Jerry. She had a black eye and had bruises all over her body." Said Stephen.

"Why? Did she walk smack into a wall or got tangled in a barbed wire?" Rufus teased.

"Not funny, Rufus." Stephen scolded him. "This is no time for jokes! I'm in a fix here, bro, and I need a way out. I wish I could get rid of the feelings I've for Susan but it's like telling me to gouge an eye out." He griped.

"But what the hell really happened? Where's Violet now?" Rufus asked, glancing from Jerry to Stephen.

"Well, after passing the night in my place..." Jerry began to explain. "I drove her back to Stephen's place and guess what, she found them naked in bed!"

"Chai! Guy, why did you let things get this bad na?" Rufus blamed Stephen, shaking his head. "You don fuck up too much."

"I had no control over everything. It was all Susan!" Stephen defended.

"I can't believe that you didn't go after Violet. What if something had happened to her? What if soldiers had found her wandering and taken her into custody?"

"Man, I thought that I'd just dismiss Susan and go after Violet, but that girl came prepared and I was completely caught off guard." Stephen said in regret.

"So, are you saying that you are just going to take Susan back after all she has done?!" Rufus asked.

"Looks like it!" Jerry said, fixing a glare on Stephen. "Just know that you'll have to look for another best man if you intend to marry that girl again!"

"Guys, I know that Susan fucked up big time and you two are mad at her. I won't exactly say that I wanna date her again, but c'mon, that girl is in distress and she needs my help. I won't just send her off without trying to help her." Stephen answered.

"And why are you the one she came to for help? What happened to the Major?" Jerry flatly asked now.

"Well, that's the problem because she claimed that the Major has been abusing her." Stephen replied.

"Bullshit!" Jerry said.

"She's always been a liar!" Rufus added. "I don't trust her one bit."

"I wonder why my girlfriend is still friends with her. Sometimes, I fear that she might end up influencing Anne someday." Jerry said.

"Nahhh...not Anne. She is a big girl and one can hardly change her mind when she's determined, so I don't think that she can be influenced by Susan." Rufus assured Jerry then returned his attention to Stephen. "Are you sure that that Susan girl is not only trying to ensnare you again because she knows that you still have feelings for her?"

"You guys didn't see how messed-up she was last night. I wish I can tell if all that she told me was true but I honestly just don't know what to believe right now." Stephen said, perplexed.

"That girl is just a snake. Stephen, she's only staging a comeback. Maybe things have gone sour with the Major and she's only trying to make you a rebound." Stated Jerry. "Don't be fooled, man. Her intentions are never genuine. Don't forget the disgrace and embarrassment she caused you and your family when she didn't show up for the wedding."

"I remember all that too well, and the pain is still fresh, but honestly, she's the only one woman I've ever really loved and shared my life with. In as much as I know that it's irrational, I can't deny that I still have feelings for Susan." Stephen said.

"And that's why she can easily waltz into your life at any time and get away with anything because she knows your weakness." Rufus said. "You are just a pawn in her chess, Stephen. Believe it or not, that girl is not worth it, man. So, nothing but a gold digger."

"So, what do I do?" Stephen asked. "I can't really go into another relationship when I haven't really gotten over the first."

"So, are you going to put your life on a standstill because of Susan?" Jerry asked.

"No." Stephen answered.

"Then be a man and make a decision for once! It's overdue!" Jerry said sternly.

"It's easy for you to say." Stephen groaned.

"Violet is the right girl for you, man. There's no debate about that." Rufus chipped in.

"Well, I'm not too sure about Violet either. We are just not compatible." Stephen answered. "I don't think we can really work out, especially with the way we started off."

"And you're compatible with Susan?" Jerry asked, lifting a brow.

"I know her better, man." Stephen said confidently. "...and do not forget that the devil you know is better than the angel you don't!"

"What a moron!" Jerry said quietly, shaking his head in despair.

"Yeah, that nonsense you said is not applicable in this Susan's case." Supported Rufus. "Can't you see that that girl is nothing but bad news? That girl used you and now she's back to pick up where she left off as if nothing really happened. Don't be a fool, man. Once you let her in, that's the end!"

"That's the end of what?" Stephen asked.

"Your life." Answered Rufus.

"Hold on..." Jerry cleared his throat now. "Let's do this...can you list everything you like about Violet?"

"Yeah, easy..." Stephen answered. "She's sweet, she's a great company, she's smart, she's intelligent, she's appealing, she's hardworking, she's resolute and she's a goal-getter, not to mention that I like her spirit."

"Hold up, you forgot where she's a good cook." Jerry pointed out.

"Yeah, that too." Stephen concurred.

So, what don't you like about Violet?" Rufus asked.

"She can be very mean if she wants to. She's stubborn and is a big pain in the ass not to mention that she's got a bad temper too." Stephen answered.

"Only when you piss her off." Rufus pointed out.

"Now, over to Susan. Let's begin with what you dislike about her." Jerry said.

"Susan can be very demanding, manipulative and always want things done her way." Stephen said.

"She's awful too and we pretty much hate each other." Jerry murmured.

"And what you like about her?" Rufus asked.

"Um... she's great in bed and she's very beautiful...more than Violet... Let's admit it, Violet has an obvious forehead." Stephen said, seeking support for his claim.

"And what's wrong with having a Rihanna-forehead?" Jerry asked with a hint of humor in his voice. "It's way better than having a Bilikisu's forehead. If you ask me, I think that forehead makes Violet more unique. Besides, having such a great body, she has got the whitest eyes and teeth that I've ever seen, and as for the goshi (forehead), I like it that way." Jerry stated.

Rufus laughed.

Stephen sighed. 

"So, after the sex with Susan, what happens next? Because all that beauty will definitely fade." Jerry asked again.

Stephen hesitated as he groped for an answer. Soon, he heaved a sigh, giving up when he could come up with none.

"You see what I mean?" Jerry said. 

"Yes, but I still love Susan more than I feel anything for Violet. I mean, Susan and I have dated for so long and she understands me more. She knows my likes and dislikes. My family already knows her and most importantly, unlike Violet, she's not a stripper. I can't take a stripper home to my parents; what do you think they'll say to me?!"

"Do you have to let your parents know that part of her?" Rufus asked. "I mean, I'm also dating a stripper who has a shitty past but I'm not going to let that get to me, most importantly, it's nobody's business!"