My Ex Almost Broke Me

Something is wrong with her

Bukhosi’s POV

It was nice to be out of the house for some time. The only time I leave the house for more than an hour is when I am going to work. Judging from the things Nande told me, she needs to heal and forget about that guy. I really don’t understand why she stayed with him for so long. She supported him throughout the relationship but he still had the nerve to cheat on her. He couldn’t even take her out to a local fish and chips or even cook her favourite meal on her birthday. We headed into the entrance and I offered to drop her at home. I couldn’t let her request a ride home when she told me she was on a tight budget. The least I could do was to be a gentleman. She deserved it. At least one guy to treat her right, even if it’s for one night, so she doesn’t lose hope in the opposite gender because of one stupid and ungrateful guy.

“Let me drop you off.”

She stopped walking and she looked at me in a strange way. Why did I sag or do now? I just offered her a ride home. Was I wrong? Before I can ask what’s wrong, she speaks first.

“You aren’t taking me to your place after paying so much for me?” She asked, looking at me in the eyes this time. “You don’t think I’m beautiful enough?” Now she was upset. It’s going to be a long night?

“What are you talking about? Do you think I took you here to get in your pants?” I asked her. I’m not going to lie, I’m hurt and offended by the first question she asked. Did I give her the loser vibe? Did I act like the guys she was used to? Does a fancy restaurant currently mean taking the girl home? I haven’t been in the dating pool for years. Sibu was the only person I’ve dated in my entire life. I’ve seen this kind of thing happen, but I didn’t think it was what most people expected. I didn’t even know what to say to Nande. I told her she was beautiful earlier. Did she need me to compliment her again? How could she not know that she’s beautiful?

She looked at me, she looked confused. She sounded confused too. “Wasn’t it the plan when we agreed on a date?”

“No, my plan was to take you out, enjoy our meals as we got to know each other. That was my plan. I thought it was what you expected too. I offered you a ride home because you mentioned a tight budget earlier. I was really trying to be nice because you deserve it. So no, I am not taking you back to my place. I didn’t take you out on a date, so I can take you to my place after the date. And you are a beautiful person not only on the outside but inside too.” I wasn’t lying, she was a beautiful girl. That Lucky guy, just like his name, was lucky to have her but he fumbled. He was supposed to do everything in his power to keep a girl like her. It seemed like he messed up her self-esteem. How could she not know that she was beautiful? She didn’t say anything, she looked at me with eyes full of tears and I prayed she didn’t cry. I led her to my van. I opened the passenger door for her before I rounded to the driver’s side. As soon as I opened the door she apologised, all the tears I saw in her eyes earlier gone. I let out a sigh of relief. I told her it was okay, there was no need for her to apologise. And I wasn’t lying, it was really okay. I got in and I started the car. For the first ten minutes we drove in silence, an uncomfortable silence. She kept looking at me like she wanted to say something, but each time she stopped herself and looked out the window. The city really looked breath-taking in the night. And when she looked at me again and quickly looked out the window, when I turned to look at her, I decided to ask her.

“What’s up?” I was going to let it go but she kept looking at me. It’s starting to make me uncomfortable. When the traffic light turns red, I turned to her. “If you want to say or ask something feel free.”

“What happened to your last relationship?” she asked, looking at her hands in her lap.

“I got home one day and my belongings were packed in rubbish bags. There was a new man in the house and she was pregnant with his child.”

“How long have you stayed together?”

“For five years.”

“You stayed together for five years and you didn’t even propose to her? Of course she was bound to cheat,” she said angrily. I got the feeling she was talking about my situation with Sibu anymore. But, she was talking about her situation with Lucky. She wasn’t angry at me. She was angry at Lucky.

“We were married.” She looked up quickly. She was shocked, and I saw another emotion. One of the emotions I hated seeing was sympathy. I didn’t tell her this so she could feel sorry for me. That was what happened. I wasn’t going to lie and say I was okay. I wasn’t, but it doesn’t hurt as much as it used to in the beginning. I remember being sick. Literally sick just thinking about what Sibu did to me. I took endless trips to the bathroom the first few weeks. Even a pregnant woman didn’t vomit that much. And thinking about pregnancy and vomiting women, I don’t remember Sibu being sick in the first trimester of her pregnancy. Was that normal? Did she hide the morning sickness from me? How did she do it? I am taken back to the presence by multiple cars hooting. The traffic light turned green. I quickly drove off. We drove in silence for the rest of the ride to her place.