When A Playboy Loves

|| 50.

Utianle

The screen of my laptop came to life, Faith's smiling face appeared and I waved at her. She reciprocated the gesture with her milky teeth out on display, I giggled. I had missed her and her drama. Tilting the laptop on my belly to get a better view of her face caused a faint memory to wash over me and my heart lurched painfully inside my chest. A sad smile flittered to my lips, I sighed and readjusted on the new couch. I missed him.

My fingers ran along the body of the laptop the same way I would have done if it was King's chest and a soft sigh escaped me. I was yet to get over this gift, the prices I saw online made me treasure it even more. One MacBook could have gotten me about six brother industrial straight sewing machines with enough change left to take all of us out and he handed it to me like it was worth the same amount as a cup of beans. My chest rose and fell, I sighed, he was far too kind.

"What is doing you?" Faith's voice pierced through my thoughts and my eyes returned to the laptop. "Utianle, please call that man."

Faith's elbows were propped on her desk, her palms were cupping her cheeks and her mole was now more prominent. A smile replaced the frown on my lips as I stared at her, trying to note any changes since the last time we made a video call. Her face was free of makeup, a few tendrils peeked from the side of the satin scarf she had on and her cheeks were fuller. She had complained about the stress but it seemed she was handling it better now. I was happy for her.

The corner of her lips twitched like she was fighting back a remark, I sighed and offered her a half-smile as sadness enveloped me once again. I called her to feel better not to be reminded of a certain handsome man whose name was always in my babies mouth and she was not helping my cause.

He knew Joseph cheated on me and when he found out Umoh was doing the same he chose to keep quiet, using lame excuses to defend himself. What if I had gone to meet Umoh's parents or we had fixed a wedding date? I wouldn't have been bold enough to call it off. He should have told me then allowed me decide how to handle the issue.

How do I know he wouldn't hide important things from me in the future? I shut my eyes, I shouldn't be so upset since I was also keeping the secret of Amber Lee from him but it didn't make his actions hurt any less.

When my eyes opened, Faith was staring at me with a small smile. "How are you?"

"You better call him," she replied. I shook my head and she scoffed. "Who sent you to be asking questions you didn't want to hear the answers to? Now you are here looking like a woman who has lost everything. You better call him before loneliness and lack of seeing the love of your life will kill you."

A scowl settled on my lips, she was acting like I had not stayed without speaking or seeing King for two weeks. Two weeks that felt more like two years with me constantly checking my phone to read those cheesy messages he had formed a habit of sending. I could go another week or more without talking to him, I had our old chats to reread, pictures to stare at, they would do for now.

"I'm not lonely," I countered.

"But you are miserable," she fired back. I paid no mind to her until she said, "You look miserable. Utianle, you look miserable."

Her words felt like an attack, a kick to my chin and I winced. They hurt because she was right and I shifted into a sitting position to launch a speech about why I didn't agree with her. I was not looking miserable; I was only tired from all the sewing done at the hub. Today was a long day and my countenance has nothing to do with King.

"I heard you the first time and second time, ma," I muttered. "I don't look miserable."

"Okay, Les miserable," Faith murmured and my head bobbed in resignation, if she was here I would have knocked her big head.