She just sat there, cold, numb, feeling that she has just stepped into an alternate reality. It wasn’t rocket science and she had been so careful but then again maybe she got what she deserved.
She felt screwed, the evidence of her infidelity was there, just a few weeks old but bound to develop and grow to the point where she could no longer deny it. It was living proof of what she had done and when he finds out it will crush him. Merissa sat staring at the white stick, with the little square at the tip all pink, all soaked in her urine.
She was devastated, pregnant and not for the love of her life but for one night of soothing her insatiable desire for physical contact. A one night stand with a close friend when her body ached for a man’s touch. Merissa wasn’t a saint but she played by the rules, until two months ago.
It wasn’t planned, working late as usual, then Antoine called inviting her to dinner as usual as they both enjoyed each other’s company. He helped to keep her sane while Keith was away in Europe establishing his new restaurant there. He made sure she got inside her house as always when she stumbled, he caught her, his arms around her and faces closely together, They kissed and it was done.
Keith was her everything, her mirror image in habits, likes, dislikes and mindset. Both determined, grew up with nothing but made it to the top of their profession. Keith was a successful restaurateur owning restaurants all over the Caribbean and now trying to make his mark on the European palate.
He was overseas for almost a year to start up and working to ensure operations were smooth, all the kinks worked out. Merissa being dedicated to her love of being a lawyer could not go as she just made junior partner at her firm. Both understood each other’s burning ambition and would never ask the other to sacrifice or compromise their career for fear of one resenting the other.
They were lovers, best friends and each other’s number one support. Having a child was always in their plans and now she was having one but sadly, regrettably not for Keith.
Cheating hurts
Her mind raced, gears clicking on the situation and what to do. Do an abortion? No she could never do that. Not when she grew up learning that her parents almost did the same to her when they found out that the sixth child was on the way, when they didn’t have food on the table most days for the five children already at home.
Tell him the truth, pray he forgives her and will love the child as his own? No way, infidelity isn’t something he will ever forgive and a living being to remind him of that indiscretion will drive him mad and away from her. Life without Keith! The thought made her gasp for air, her heart stopped then thundered so hard, adrenaline pumped through her. No, never can she live without him. She knew what she had to do.
She walked through the terminal, to the gateway for boarding her flight. She had managed to acquire one week off from work. One week to get to Keith, one week to make love to him constantly. One week in which she will do what she never thought she could. She would give Keith, the love of her life a child, a child that was not his. It was the only way. As she sat in her first class seat, her mind was invaded by lyrics to a song she knew, by one of her favorite artistes. Tanya Stephens’s lyrics flooded her brain, the lyrics to Little White Lie.
