Not A Love At First Sight...

Chapter 7

Immediately they got into the car, Andrea grabbed the phone which was on the floor of the front seat. It must have dropped when Kelly was rushing earlier to get off. Kelly on the other hand, seemed to be looking for something as she searched frantically inside her purse. She looked lost when she didn't find it there. She then gave the car a quick scan. She heaved a sigh of relief when she dipped her hand inside the fancy bag at the back seat and there it was.

Andrea looked like someone with a thousand questions when she saw the look of satisfaction on Kelly's face which was as a result of a folded piece of paper. She wondered what could be so important about it.

"Here," Kelly said while stretching out the piece of paper to Andrea who immediately took it and unfolded it.

"What's this?" Andrea asked before even going through the contents. Kelly didn't say a word, instead, she signaled Andrea to read it through.

"That was the souvenir William left behind for me. He packed everything and left behind just a piece of paper for me. Apparently, that is what I deserve after six years of relationship." Kelly ranted on while Andrea was just halfway through the note. She took a brief pause from the note to listen to her friend's outburst but couldn't continue after.

"You know, men are so unpredictable. I would have fought until my last breathe if someone had told me William was capable of such cruelty." Andrea also aired her displeasure. At that moment, Kelly could no longer take it, she bent her head over the steering wheel and then burst into tears again. She was even surprised her eyes could still give out tears, judging from the huge quantity that was disbursed throughout the night. She cried so much that at a point, she was scared her eyes would give out and bulge out of their sockets. That was how much intense it was.

"Stop crying please, he is not worth your tears. Not anymore, you've given him enough already." Andrea comforted her while gently patting her on the back.

Just then, someone tapped on the window which made Kelly quickly wiped off her face with her hands before checking who it was. Andrea's thinking was fast too, she quickly reached into Kelly's purse and handed her the clean white face towel that was in it. Kelly took it and then dabbed gently on her face.

She then managed to put on a cute broad smile as she rolled down the window. It was one of their colleagues, Rose. None of the other chefs like her because of her fondness for poking her nose in other people's business and dishing out unsolicited advice. She has no close buddy for these same reasons but somehow, she was able to get on the good side of Kelly, which naturally made Andrea open to her also.

"Kelly!!" Rose exclaimed with a broad smile too while waving simultaneously at Andrea, who also waved back.

"What happened? You came l..." She slowed down when she got a good look at Kelly's face. It was now swollen in addition to the already blood shot state. The fact that Rose showed signs of being taken aback surprised Andrea. That was the first time she would see her like that. Rose is always talking and minding other people's business for them.

"Ohh my, Kelly, what's the matter? Why are you crying?" Rose asked in a very gentle and solemn tone. She seemed really concerned and it almost made Kelly emotional again. Andrea saw this and quickly stepped in while holding Kelly's hand as a reassurance that it's going to be okay.

"Uhmmmmm... She's just a bit under the weather this morning, that was why she couldn't come early..." Andrea hadn't finished with the explanation when Rose interrupted her.

"I'm so sorry about that, you could have just called. Do you need anything? I could..." Andrea wasn't going to give her the satisfaction as well so she quickly cut her short.

"Thanks, she already explained to Xavier and he gave her the day off. As you can see, she was on her way home before you stopped her." Andrea let out. For the first time again, Rose read the writing on the wall and got the hint. She however, didn't leave without giving her signature advice on what and whatnot to do to get better.

"You know it amazes me how you could tolerate her lousiness." Andrea said as she watched Rose catwalking back into the restaurant.

"She's not that bad, though. People just get her wrong. I think she's very lively, nice and welcoming. Always watching out for everyone, even Xavier." Kelly let out in Rose's defense while Andrea watched in astonishment. Maybe Rose is good person after all, just in a space of few minutes, she altered Kelly's brooding mood to a lighter one.

"But what do I know? I don't think I'm a good judge of character. I mean, I was with William for good six years, living in the same house, eating together, sleeping and waking in his arms each and every night. I thought we were working towards a future together and all the while, he was busy plotting away. I never suspected a thing so for all I now, I might have every other thing figured out wrongly as well." Kelly went further which made Andrea wonder how she went from defending someone just now to turning it around and faulting herself.

"You know, for a minute there, you had me convinced about about Rose and in a split of a second, you ruined everything." Andrea said with an accompanied light chuckle, while hoping it would cheer her up. It didn't so she had to opt for other means.

"What happened is not on you. You are a such a sweet, beautiful and hardworking person who is full of so much love, if William chose to ignore all that and leave, then its on him. His loss!!!" Andrea let out with so much simplicity, yet immense enthusiasm.

"How did I not see it coming? I see him everyday, he never even slept out and still calls me everyday despite living in the same house." Kelly countered her.

"How could you? No one else did." Andrea insisted.

"I'm his girlfriend. I'm the one who lives with him. I should have seen the signs." Kelly insisted too but Andrea wasn't going to allow her keep beating herself up.

"Not if there weren't any." Andrea pressed further. Kelly took a minute and meditated on what Andrea just said before finally giving a response.

"No, I think I have been too afraid to look." She slowly replied.