The Wall Between Us

Chapter 11 - One last time

"Waiting is painful. Forgetting is painful. But not knowing which to do is the worst kind of suffering."
― Paulo Coelho

ENITAN

I curled up on the bed as I dabbed my wet eyes for what seemed to be the 100th time since last night, I threw the tissue on the small heap of used ones on the ground. My head replayed our last conversation over and over again.

I want Annabelle, you're only here for my child.

I loved you once.

Though I'd known the situation of things for a while, my heart wasn't ready when he finally accepted the truth- to my face.

Clutching my chest from the pain that squeezed my heart, I tapped it at intervals to comfort myself.

I had to be strong for me.

Stifling the next round of cry, I glanced at my phone and sighed; three A.M. The night felt excruciatingly long. The thoughts of being in his house for three or more hours, unbearable. I tried to distract myself with the explore page of my Instagram and replying pending WhatsApp messages but, none of them worked.

Maybe a warm bath would help me catch three hours of sleep before he drops me off. I thought out loud before sliding out of the soft bed.

I dragged myself to the bathroom and ran a bath, while I waited for the tub to fill up, I gripped the sky-blue ceramic wash basin and stared hard at my reflection in the mirror. Dark circles and puffed lids now surrounded my sunken eyes, I had to do something about them or I'd end up looking like a character from a horror movie by morning.

I lazily stripped and stepped into the tub, sitting comfortably on the anti-slip mat and wedging myself with some towels. The feel of warm scented water swallowing up my body felt like haven. I laid my head on the head pad and hoped the water would wash away my fatigue and pain.

***
My eyes fluttered open to hands roughly tugging at my shoulders.

"Jesus, Enitan! You scared the hell out of me."

I tried to sit up but my movement was slowed by water around me. It was then I realized, I'd fallen asleep in the tub. I rubbed my eyes and looked at the figure crouching before me.

Nathan!

"Oh my God!" I scrambled for the towel on the ring above my head. "What are you doing in here?" I asked, my intended scream coming off as weak.

"You weren't answering the door, so I Iet myself in. I freaked out when I saw the bathroom door open and you laying still."

"I'm ok. I just slept off while having a bath," I replied, not hiding the anger in my voice.

He rubbed his temple and grimaced. "Why do you always put yourself in dangerous situations?"

"Stop yelling! I didn't mean to sleep off. What do you want?"

His eyes lingered over my body and he gulped. I lowered my gaze, hoping he'd stand up from crouching so close to me.

"Well It's eight already and I'm hungry." My skin burned under his gaze and I stupidly deepened the towel into the water to cover myself. "We're having breakfast at 'Mees cafe'."

"We? I'm not hungry. I just want to go home."

"So you can starve my kid? Get dressed, you're going to eat. I'll be waiting outside." He stood straight, then walked out of the bathroom without looking back.

***
I walked downstairs wearing a knee-length peach gown with a pair of Birkenstock slippers. I looked around the living room and dinning area, silently saying my last goodbye to the apartment. Shielding my eyes from the bright rays of sunlight that hit my face when I opened the front door, I found him in the driveway propped against the front bumper of his car.