Pearls of Love (Episode 25)



“What do you want?’ she asked, from the tone of her voice, I knew she was crying.

“You’, I replied.

“For what?’

“You are my wife, are you not?’

“See, Dan. I don’t have that time now; please just leave me alone, I am okay’.

“Please open the door; I have to go to work now’. I told her.

“We’ll see when you come back’, she replied.


“See Ann, I’m sorry’…

“You needn’t be’, she answered before I finished

“Okay, if you say you are well’.

“I am’. She had stopped sobbing now.

“I’ll see you when I come’. I said. There was no reply.

“You heard me?” I asked

“Yes, I heard you’, she replied

Immediately I got to the office, I called her phone but she did not pick. I sent her three text messages telling her how sorry I was about everything.

I had some report to conclude, while working on the draft sent in by my PA, at around ten, Rita’s presence was announced. I suddenly remembered I cancelled an appointment with her without informing her. I didn’t think I owed her any explanations. Perhaps she was the cause of my present predicaments. Since she came into the city it had been from one problem to the other with Ann.

She wore a charming outfit and I must sincerely confess, that woman is mouth-water, but at times like this, I was just indifferent about her presence, in fact I wasn’t excited about her presence like I had been for a while after she resurfaced.

“Dan we were supposed to see last night’.

“I changed my mind’

“Just like that, why?’

“Do I have to explain every of my actions to you too?’

I thought this would throw her off-balance, but instead she busted out in a loud laughter.

“Suspicious wife or something?’ she asked a mock on her face.

“Call it whatever, I don’t care’, I told her.

“You really don’t care?’ she laughed.

I ignored her and continued what I was doing on the computer. She was becoming a bore and a bug for that matter.

“Well, while you are still battling with your emotional troubles, here is the report on what we have done so far at the site. I thought you should see it”. She dropped the file on my desk and started leaving. I stopped her.

“When are we seeing?’ I asked

“I don’t know’, she replied, turned the knob and stopped. “You know where to see me’.

After she had gone, I was there sitting, five minutes turned ten, I couldn’t do anything. I was wondering, what was wrong with me. I couldn’t continue my work and instead I browsed the internet, checked the latest news on yahoo and the entertainment news. There was news on Michael Jackson’s sex Scandal, he hadn’t been without one, in every decade, I thought.

As I opened my yahoo mail, I got a message in my box it was from a bank inviting me for an online test and interview. I was very excited, I didn’t know I was going to be called for the interview; most foreign banks usually don’t employ people from other countries to work for them. The only person I felt like talking to at this time was just Ann and Ann alone; I needed to let her into the good news.

“Sweet heart’, she said as she picked her call.

Did she know already? Perhaps she had checked my mail, you are surprise right? Ann and I shared passwords to mails, ATM cards, and all pass worded things.

“Ann, did you see it?’

“What?’ she asked.

“I mean, are you aware too?’ I asked again.

“Sure, how did you know?’ she asked.

“How, I don’t get you’. I was a bit confused now.

“My sister just called from Florida, I have been offered a job in a University hospital, the biggest there. I will also do my PhD while working.

This came as a shock to me, job! She didn’t tell me she applied for a job, or that her sister in Florida was working anything for her. I wondered at how long this had been going on without my knowledge.

“Congrats’, I found myself saying.

“Are you not pleased?’ she asked.

“Why not, of course I am”, I lied, knowing it wouldn’t make any difference though.

“You wanted to tell me something different’, she said.


“Yes’, I replied, not very sure if I should tell her now.

“It’s good news, is it not?’ she asked

“You remember the bank job; I mean the foreign bank job I applied for?’

“Sure, I do’, she replied.

“I have been called for an online interview”. I told her.

“Oh, Dan I’m so happy for you, congrats”, She said and I think she meant it.

“Thanks’, I told her. ‘We’ll talk more when I get back’.

“Okay, take care of yourself’. She said.

When I had hung up the phone, I sat there for a very long time thinking over everything. So Ann was traveling abroad, she didn’t even discuss it with me before taking all the decisions alone. I wondered how she could plan it all with her sister without first discussing it with me- her husband. What about the kids, and what about me. I felt she was selfish. How can my wife just go to another continent to work? I thought of many things. But I would also be leaving the country if I got the bank job, it would be selfish of me to tell her not to pursue her own career since I was also. Pride took over and I felt all at once that the woman should always remain at home. That would have to be sorted-out.

During the management meeting that day, I was absentminded all through even when almost half of the subjects discussed had to do with my department. Thanks to my habit for preparing for things before the time, I had already got myself accustomed to the figures and facts I was to present and so I only consulted my files just about once or twice. Thanks to my PA who has done a good job, I was saved from a bad day.

At the end of the meeting, I met Ken and asked him to take a drink out with me. We choose a Corner seat at the Chervil hotel; we took beer and roasted meat.

“How is the baby and Kate?’ I asked eating roasted beef. I guess it must have been like the third or fourth time I was asking. I was absent minded.

“They are fine’. Ken replied “The boy was sick last week but he is okay now”.

“Sorry about that”, I told him “What was wrong with him?”

“Usual baby-illness; vomiting and fever”. He said.

I shook my head, I felt pity for him. We didn’t have much problem when Peter and Pat were younger. Peter only had convulsion once while Pat was not sick at all. Perhaps because their mom is a doctor. I smiled as I thought of this.

“Please my regards to Kate’, I told him

“So how is my god-son doing?’ he asked

“I’m sure he is fine. They will be coming home by weekend’.

“And Ann, sorry about her job’, he consoled.

“Thanks, I think she’s got another one” I replied

“Really, oh, I’m so happy for you’.

“Thanks’, I replied in differently.

“You don’t sound happy?”Ken asked.

“I’m not’. I replied ‘that’s why I asked for a drink with you. You know, I need to ease the mind’.

“What’s the problem?”He asked concern shown on his face.

“It’s with the job?’ I answered.

“What about it?’ Ken asked.

“She got it in Florida’.

He was quiet now. I’m sure he was thinking. I was too, I was thinking, thinking about Ann. Thinking of what’s been happening between us.

“You don’t want her to go?’ he asked.

“I don’t know Ken, I don’t know’. I replied.

“Sorry to ask, but are you guys not in good-terms?’ he asked.

“Well, somehow’. I replied.



Categories: Short Stories & Articles

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