Sleeping Love by Austin Mitchell - HTML preview

Chapter Three

Arlene was there when Konya reached home from Mandela Park.

“Have you spoken to Denver?”

“About what?”

“About him, keeping so many women with you.”

“I’m not seeing him.”

“You know I don’t believe you. I’ll be around to say that I warned you about him.”

She retreated to her room and left Arlene to finish cooking their dinner. An hour after she finished eating, Jovita called her.

“How can I help you, Jovita?”

“Why did you tell Denver that it was I who told you about Chantelle?”

“He couldn’t have told you so. I told him no such thing.”

“Are you calling the man we both love, a liar?”

“Speak for yourself, girl. Please don’t get me mixed up in you and Denver’s drama.”

She was aware of the girl’s cheap attempt to trap her.

“Hey, girl, he is just using you. I’m the one he really wants. Has he ever taken you anywhere?”

 She knew that the girl was trying to trick her into admitting that she and Denver were in a relationship.

“For the last time, Jovita, how many times must I tell you that I’m not seeing him?”

“Listen girl, if I ever find out that you’re seeing him, I must do you something.”

“Don’t threaten me, Jovita. I’d like to know what you’d do if you find out that I was seeing him?”

“He is my man he doesn’t care about Vinette or Chantelle. It’s me he cares about.”

“So, he has left his two baby mothers for you. So where is he now?”

“I know where he is. That’s no concern of yours since as you say you’re not seeing him.”

“You know, I don’t believe you when you said that he doesn’t care about Vinette or Chantelle.”

 “He told me so, and if you don’t believe me, you can ask him,” she said and ended the call.

***

She was in their living room half an hour later when Bally called.

“Can we go out tonight, Konya, baby?”

“Why are you talking to me so sweetly? You sounded so angry the last time we spoke.”

“I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings.”

“Where is your girlfriend? Don’t tell me that you’ve broken up because you know I won’t believe you.”

“That’s exactly what happened. She said I was still in love with you. I talk about you all the time.”

She had to laugh.

“Really, that’s very funny. You know I don’t believe you. You and your girl probably had a bust up and you’re just looking somebody to go out with.”

“As I’ve told you before I’m in a senior position at my company. They’ll soon be doing a lot of advertising. I’ll be heavily involved in those advertisements, so can you believe how popular I’ll become?”

“I’ll be glad for you, Bally. Anyway, I have to go,” she said and ended the call.

***

Friday evening when she went home after school a car was parked at her gate. It was Pablo!

“Pablo, what are you doing here? And how do you know where I live now?”

They shared a short hug.

“I saw Arlene in town today and she gave me directions.”

“So why didn’t you tell me that you were coming to look for me?”

“I wanted to surprise you.”

“Well, you’ve certainly done that.”

“I want to inform you that Tania, told me that the baby she claimed she had  for me actually belongs to another guy.”

She looked at him. He was a tall, thin, dark skin guy. He was just a few months older than her. She didn’t know whether to believe him or not.

“So why was she going around saying that the baby was yours? You must have slept with her.”

“Yeah, I have to admit that I was along with her, but I always used a condom.”

When she didn’t reply, he continued.

“I’m living in Greater Portmore. I rented a room down there. I’m working for Bogles Enterprises, a drinks manufacturing company. I’m one of their salesmen.”

“You’re a salesman now, Pablo. I wish you the best.”

“So now that you know that Tania didn’t have a baby for me, can we resume our relationship? By the way are you and this guy, Denver in a relationship?”

She had to raise her eyebrows.

“Who told you that I was in a relationship with him?”

“I have my sources I believe that person wouldn’t lie to me.”

“That person, whoever he or she is, got it wrong this time. I’m not seeing that guy. We’re work colleagues, that’s all.”

“Ok, so you’re not seeing him and only one girl has a baby for me.”

“I’m not seeing any other girl, so can we resume our friendship?”

“I will have to verify your story, but I’m not promising you anything.”

“I’ll call you tomorrow for an answer.”

“Just remember what I told you.”

They shared another short hug before he went to his car and drove away. Just before she left for work she called Dorine, her mother, but she can’t confirm his story.

***

That Monday, she was having lunch with Denver in the cafeteria when Jovita saw them and cut her eyes at her.

“Pablo, my ex-boyfriend visited me last night. He said that a girl was trying to give him a jacket.”

“Did you believe him?”

“I called my mother, but she wasn’t able to confirm anything.”

“I’ll be thrown out into the cold for Pablo.”

“I didn’t say that and you’re too wild for me. You have two baby mothers plus a girlfriend, Jovita and who else I don’t know.”

“So, all of a sudden, this guy comes around and you want to take up back with him.”

“Of course not, but I’m tired of fighting Jovita for you. I wonder if you didn’t see her cutting her eves at me.”

“I’ll tell her to leave you alone,” he said as they finished eating.

He started drinking his fruit punch. Konya also started drinking her fruit juice.

“After school, can we meet up at Noel’s place?”

“I can’t, let’s take a break. I feel for it.”

She knew that he was taken a back. Noel ‘Dick’ Jones, his friend had this twenty-room hotel in the hills off Old Stony Hill Road. It was called Dick’s hotel. Yes, that was where they went to make love. It all started about two weeks after she started working at Standard Management Services. It was the quickest she had ever found herself in bed with a man.

“Okay, madam, I hear you,” he said as they finished their drinks and returned to their work stations.

***

Tuesday evening, just as she reached home, Pablo drove up. He was driving a different car this time.

“What’s going on, Konya?”

She came out and greeted him. They found seats on the veranda.

“Did you ask Miss Dorine about Tania?”

“She can’t confirm what you told me.”

 “She only has to ask around to confirm it. Give her a few days.”

 “Yeah, I suppose so.”

  “Say, what’s up with you and this guy, Bally?”

 “What about him?”

“Was he your boyfriend? I mean are you and him still together?”

“You seem well informed, first it was about Denver and now it’s Bally. If you must know, I was along with Bally, but we’re no longer together.”

“So here you are accusing me of having other women while you’re doing the same thing.”

“I wasn’t hearing from you and then I heard that a girl had a baby for you. What did you expect me to do? Just wait around for you to show me some attention?”

“You used to come to the country and we’d get together. I bet it’s since you met Bally why you stopped coming down.”

“I think you’d better go, Pablo.”

“Yeah, I’m going, but you know I don’t believe you. I think you are either seeing Denver or Bally, or maybe, both of them.”

She shrugged her shoulders. It would make no sense, to tell him that he was mistaken.

“You can give me an answer after you talk to Miss Dorine.”

“You know what the answer will be already.”

“I think you’ll change your mind.”

“We’ll see,” she said as he got into his car and drove away.

Taken from the Novel- Sleeping Love by Austin Mitchell