บท 23: Chapter 22: Broken?

Tina Distracted Herself with the television. Chidi sat by her, occasionally checking up on her like a patient. Tina wondered if Chidi thought she would disappear into the thin air at any moment.

For the umpteenth time, she went through the series of events that took place before now: Clint and Jenny at the mall, running into them at the restaurant, Jenny's Instagram posts, and her utterances at the salon.

The salon. Yes, the saloon. Now, she could really think of it. Clint thought so little of her that his mistress had taken to openly making snide remarks about her in a salon. It was strange how she suddenly patronized the same salon with her. There was no way she could have known all the customers of the salon anyways, but her presence at the salon was really very strange.

As if the drama's were not enough, Jenny resorted to telling her interested gist partners about her metaphysical man at the salon. She reeled on and on, on what she did, was doing and would do with him, occasionally slut-shaming his perceived shameless mistress, who was less a human than her. So much for an insecure lady fighting for public property, Tina hissed. Very petty!

Yes, public property, he had confirmed to be one. She wasn't even the one with him, such a looser. She cut a piece from the tissue paper by the seat and blew into it. Thanks to that cheat and his many concubines, she developed a running nose. She felt stupid. She cut another piece of tissue paper for her cheeks.

"Tina, you really need to stop, please," Chidi pleaded, "you know he isn't worth those tears." Chidi sounded like a mother trying to console her daughter over a lost piece of chocolate. She must have run out of words, having made several attempts to talk her over the incident.

Her phone buzzed. She didn't bother checking it. Chidi did the job anyway. She had been doing it for the time being.

Mum: Darling where are you? Will you be home tonight?

"It's your Mum. She's asking when you will be home."

Tina extended her hands for the gadget; Chidi handed it over.

Tina: I'm at Chidi's.

Love you.

Goodnight.

She discovered new messages from Clint.

Clint: Babe I'm really sorry. Pls, say something.

Clint: I'm going crazy right now. Pls, reply to your texts or pick up your calls. Where are you?

Clint: Babe, where are you? I want to see you.

Clint: Pls Babe, say something, scold me, curse at me, tell me how despicable I am. I will feel better. I'm broken.

Broken? This is coming from a chronic player and habitual liar. She sighed and dropped the phone. Gently, she relaxed on the couch and closed her eyes. Once again, she drifted to the events of that morning. She thought about what he might be doing at the moment. How he would be dealing with his life of lies now. The cycle of thoughts went on until she got a visit from Hypnos.

Tina woke up the next morning weak and sad. She stretched herself, yawning hungrily. She remembered she hadn't taken anything after her breakfast the previous day. Her tummy rumbled and bit her. Her bladder hurt from accumulation of liquids. She got out of bed to ease herself. She brushed, willing to take something this morning.

The aroma of Chidi's sandwich filled the air, as she entered the sitting room. She walked into the kitchen. "Good morning, Tee," Chidi cooed, moving the first set of her sandwiches from the toaster into an earthen ware.

Tina went closer and exchanged a hug with her. She watched her place the next set of sandwiches in the toaster.

"You look much better this morning," Chidi said.

Tina robbed her tummy, nodding to Chidi's compliment.

"Hungry?" She asked, "I know you must be hungry this morning." She passed the plate of sandwich to her, "you can have them. I prepared enough for us."

She picked one sandwich from the plate and signalled a thank you to her.

"I will go for my ward round this morning, I promise to be quick about it. I will take permission and come back before you know it."

Tina smiled at her.

"What would you be doing when I'm gone?"

"I will be at work," she signalled.

"Are you sure about that?"

She nodded in response.

"You know you don't have to," Chidi worried.

"I will be fine," she signalled.

Chidi looked her in the eye for a few seconds before muttering, "fine". She turned to attend to her sandwich, and Tina left her for the bedroom.

"I will come over at the office," Chidi said after her.

At the office, she tried to distract herself with work, but concentration eluded her. The events of yesterday wouldn't stop playing in her head. Pete walked in, a pen in his hands. Out of fun, he pressed the writing device repeatedly, creating a tick-tick rhythm from it. "Sis, what's with you? You left very early yesterday. Good morning," he stopped and observed her, "you don't look too bright."

"It's nothing," Tina gestured, using all her effort to wear a normal face.

Pete didn't push further; he held in his suspicions. He rested his weight on the desk using his hands as support, "have you seen the email? Have you gone through the PDF?"

She shook her head. "Later," she signalled to his worried brother.

"Ok. I will take my leave. Inform me when you are done. Dad sent his greetings." He left the room.

Just in, once again that morning, a message from Clint.

Clint: I'm at the plaza right now. Pls, Tina I want us to talk.

Tina ignored the message once again. She will seat this out. What does he want to say? What excuse does he have to give? She isn't going to do that. Should she forgive him? Should she let Clint play her like Tony? Should she allow desperation cloud her senses once more? Should she cling on him like she did to Tony, even when she saw through his lies and the red flags where blazingly bright? Should she look away from his wrongs and pretend to be happy while she's not. Should she wait till this little dragon grows wings, become bold like Tony, and then burn her face with its thong.

"You should be grateful I'm dating you." The pictures of that evening at Tony's sitting room came rushing vividly. The Gold tinted couches, the low hanging chandelier, the pictures of White men seated around a transparent table discussing football on the TV screen and the heavy condescending look on Tony's face while he talked down on her. Tears tickled down her cheeks. She doesn't understand how someone could be both an unrepentant cheat and conscienceless at the go. She doesn't understand what she did to deserve that treatment. Her only crime was being a victim of nature's error. She left her tears to flow freely.

She turned to her phone. Clint is everywhere apologising, but that was how Tony began. It started with what she thought to be sincere apologies and became what it was. Should she wait for Clint to grow bold enough to tell her how much favour he does her before she moves on? She wondered.

Tina: Meet me after work.

She picked her phone and replied his message impulsively, suddenly determined to deal with her problem once and for all. Whether they separate or continues with the relationship depends on what Clint has to say and the answer to her questions.