GINA

For over an hour, we worked silently — Dennis in the sitting room arranging my books and other stuff into a large duffel bag while I was in my bed room folding my clothes.

It took great amount of will to see Ken clothes sprawled on every visible space in the closet— he was the messy type and folding clothes was a foreign word to him unless I did it myself— and not burst into tears but I had already expended all my energy in crying and I was feeling numb.

No anger. No pain. Nothing. Just the stark will to continue doing what I must.

I gathered my work stuff into a separate bag before I decided to not withhold the pang of hunger in me any more.

I stepped out of my room and went into the kitchen hoping to hell that the spaghetti of the morning was still in the microwave because there was absolutely no energy to cook anything especially as it was very late in the night.

I opened the microwave and sighed in relief. Ken had not touched it. He had been probably been out all day with his wife and kid enjoying themselves and making fun of —

Shut it about Ken, Gina.

I sighed, knowing that reprimand was going to come every so often as I warmed the meal.

Once done, I dished it into two plates on a tray along with a bottle of wine from the fridge, hoping it would soothe my nerves and as well use it to appreciate Dennis for what he was doing as a friend in my situation.

There was really nobody else to relate with me on this Ken issue like he was doing. Unless my mum of course. Only that my mum's mental health was presently dysfunctional and that was the reason she was in a nursing home.

I sighed again. In times like this, I miss Marie Georgia, my mum so much. She alone knew how much I deserved to be loved truly by a man and how I have failed to get it.

She would have cried and sworn in anger along with me.

Thinking of her and how she is not here to curse Ken to pieces made me want to tear up again.

Dennis turned when he saw me approach the sitting room and smiled.

He was not that kind of drop-dead gorgeous guy Ken was and his black eyes were not as piercing as Ken's. But he was a nice person…someone who wanted a family to care for. There was no way his wife would not have left him if she had not been sexually configured differently. Absolutely no way.

"Thank you so much for this, Dennis."

"Now, you don't need to thank me, you know that. That only hurts me. You have done way more for me when I was at my lowest."

"Alright, let me shut up."

Dennis laughed and closed the book he had been looking at before I had come in.

"I didn't know you read history books as well as horror comics."

"That is not just any fiction, Dennis. That was about the second world war."

"No wonder. It translates to horror to you. You are a case." He said as he kept the book in the bag that was now nearly bursting at the seams to come join me at one of the sofas where I was already eating from my own plate.

As he took the spoon from his tray, he chuckled melancholically.

Surprised, I paused mid way of taking my food into my mouth. "What?"

"Nothing, really. It's just that I am fated to lose me whether you are with a man or not."

More surprised because I didn't understand what he was saying or what had promoted it, I said, "Uh? I don't get it. Lost me, how?"

"I have been liking you as of recently, Gina. Not love at least not yet. But I know we have great vibes together as friends that could be more. But I held back because of your relationship with Ken."

I stared at him, mortification written all over my face. "What?"

"Yeah. I guess Ken senses it that is why he was not tóo friendly to me or liked me hanging out here. Not that I wanted to jeopardize your relationship or anything. I would never have done that. It was so clear how much you loved that guy…how you were willing to do anything for that guy. It is a pity that he turned out to be a bastard. Really it is. But like I said, it was clear you loved him and I was not going to let my budding feelings for you interrupt anything or mess up the friendship we both have. I wanted you to be happy…truly happy with Ken. After all, the feelings might go away. But now—"

"Wow. I had no idea this was happening with you, Dennis. You seemed never ready to have a relationship anytime soon, not with what happened with Lisa, your ex-wife." Wonder was clearly visible in my voice. This was indeed a crazy night full of startling twists and revelations. First, Ken. Now, Dennis. What else? How much can a woman take in a day?

"Yeah, I know. I don't think I am still fully ready for a serious relationship. Lisa did a number on me, you know. But I think you are the only woman that can tempt me to try."

"Dennis —"

"Yeah, I heard what you said outside your apartment an hour ago. I heard it all. That is why I said there was no chance for me to have you…whether with Ken or not."

"I am —"

"Don't say you are sorry. That would piss me off. None of this is your fault. None of it at all"

I tried to think of what to say in this situation but I was still activated in that don't feel, don't think mode so I could not.

"I truly don't know what to say, Dennis."

"Then don't say anything. You are under no obligation to say anything to what I had just said."