Chapter Nineteen: Truth is truth, independent of error

In the company of the romantic sunset, on the backdrop of the sky's colorful canvas, they held each other. All was right with the world again. "I missed this" Elizabeth whispered. "I missed us too" Jake replied. They bumped their foreheads against each other, eyes closed as they let the moment sweep them off their feet. In each other they had found wings and even the sky could not limit them. "Why do you have to go?" she asked. "I need to close this chapter on my own, clear out everything" he responded. Almost automatically, they began swaying in a form of a light waltz. The breeze that whispered in the air became music which resonated with the drum beat from their simultaneously beating hearts.

"Promise you'll come back to me" she demanded. He looked into her eyes and felt the need to agree with her every request. They were dipping into the reserves and because of their time apart from each other, the tanks were as full as they could ever get. The road ahead was smooth and the skies clear. "I would promise to come back, but I'm not leaving. I'm just going. And I'm taking your heart with me" he whispered in her ear as he compelled her into an embrace. She did not resist. She could not resist. None of them could resist the other in anything as of that present moment. No one, and nothing could separate them. But then again, one can never be too sure. He let go and reluctantly began to walk away, then realized Hazel had gone with his car. He turned back towards her and said, "Will you give me a ride?"

Hazel was fuming all on her own. She couldn't believe her eyes. This was one of those moments when one wishes that reality isn't as real as it is. But reality is reality, truth is independent of error. It is simply truth. And her eyes had probably fed her with a truckload of it. Rewind to the previous night.

"I suggest early in the morning you call in sick at work and advise them you're not coming in. You have plenty of work to do my friend. You have win your woman, afresh" Hazel said as she gestured dramatically. Jake listened attentively as the love guru offered him the panacea to his ailing marriage. "It is hard for men to say I am sorry and to show emotion" she added. "That's true" he said as he nodded firmly in agreement. "Which is why that is exactly what you're going to do". The nodding then stopped. "I thought we were in agreement just then" he pleaded. "No bro, you were in agreement with yourself. I'm not here to tell you what you want to hear. I am here to tell you what you have to hear. And have to do" she said in vocal strands of unwavering pitch and tone. He shifted uneasily in his chair. Truth is truth, it is independent of error. At times uncomfortable too.

They had a plan. He would surprise her, apologize. If successful, he would make her breakfast, lunch whatever. She was against taking Elizabeth out. He had to be handy to show he was willing to do the work to mend their broken union. They also employed a buddy system. She would accompany him and remain in the car, in the event that he was successful, which would show by not coming out of the house for a lengthy period, then she would return to the apartment with the car. The two siblings ordered Hazel's favorite, had drinks after dinner, and then retired to recharge the batteries for the battle that lay ahead. Come the morning, Jake was fresh as the morning dew and raring to go. He had a clear plan which he was confident he could carry out. Fast forward to the morning.

As they held each other in the comfort of their beating hearts, they rediscovered the meaning of home. Jake had more inner peace, Elizabeth's interior had all sorts of imbalance going on. She wanted to come clean. With each passing moment, the burden grew bigger and bigger. It was getting insurmountable by the minute. But if she burst the bubble in which they lay, then where was she going to live? She thought about Jake, how she had missed him and how he had a way with making her inner child dance. But each time he brought her peace, a dark voice would whisper Lenny's name into her ear causing her to indiscernibly twitch. Only she felt it – in her mind and in her most private of parts.

Careful not to make a sound, he shut the door behind him and tiptoed away from it into the yard. Time would tell whether he had escaped disaster or if the opposite was true. So far he had a way out of the woods, but there was still plenty of forest to navigate. While moving away, he was putting on his clothes and he was just about done when he came up front. The curtains weren't opened yet so that was a plus for him. Onto the driveway he came and, almost hunched, he sped towards the front gate. Freedom was within grasp and he was about to get away with deceiving his own brother.

It was his place, but he was knocking. Since he had turned the new leaf over so as to go back to the old one where he felt he belonged, he no longer felt the apartment was home. More than most, it had become a hub of his shame, his lack of manhood. But he had put those days of cowardice behind him. Accompanied by his queen, he had come to collect a few personal items and leave it in the care of his sister until she would herself leave for her home away from the city. Hazel opened the door and did not particularly seem pleased to see the two of them together. Jake did not notice and swooped in to hug the project leader. The mission had been a success. Elizabeth came in copying Jake's gesture albeit at a stoic Hazel. As she let go, Jake was already inside heading for the bedroom. "We are not staying for long sis" he shouted as he disappeared into the bedroom. Elizabeth smiled at Hazel as she attempted to walk past her. Hazel got hold of her arm and pulled her back till they stood side by side but facing opposing directions. Elizabeth's sixth sense lit up like a Christmas tree, something was wrong. "I saw him this morning" Hazel said. Elizabeth was baffled but expectant of the worst. "Lenny" Hazel hissed. And then the walls came tumbling down.