Chapter 1
Days passed and I realized that your uncertainty was an answer, it was everything I needed to move on but I stayed, stuck and waiting for a reply from you. It was easy to hope on a fictional love, the one you showed me, it was easier to believe in happy ever after with you, it was easier to be delusional and now it hurts a little too much .
"Earth to Martha." Martha, it sounded so foreign everything has been foreign these days. My name used to be Mars and this was our favorite spot.
"Martha!" I felt my spirit jump out of my bodu, startled. I looked around trying to recollect where I was; I was seated on the sand at the beach, I'd come out to get some fresh air because the cabin was pretty annoying, it was filled with love birds and the smell of sex–they weren't having sex but you could smell their arousal and it was sickening I wasn't jealous or trying to act holy, I just felt indifferent and left out; I guess you could call that indifference jealousy.
"Yes, Ralph." My answer was sharp and had no hint of softness in my voice, I didn't hate Ralph but I didn't like him either.
"You were lost in thought, I've been calling your name for sometime now" At this point I nearly screamed at him, I came outside to the beach, to the water to freaking stay in my head I didn't think I needed to be out of my head here.
"I can tell you're cursing at me right now, I'm sorry but I just needed to talk to you." I looked up at him and with the little light from the moon I was able to make out his facial features and for the first time I looked at him and stared at the beauty right before me it couldn't and didn't come close to Yemi's but Ralph was a stunning man and I could barely make out words.
I heard myself saying something along the lines of "let's hear what you have to say." He let out a hearty laugh and shook his head
"Are you tipsy, Martha dearest?" Was I? I doubt I was, I guess my words weren't as coherent as I'd thought they were.
"No, Ralphy love. I'm perfectly sober and ready to listen to your confession" I giggled right after, yup I was tipsy.
"Why do you think it's a confession?" His voice didn't have any hint of humor at this point.
"I was joking, so yeah what do we need to talk about?" I sat straight and tried to look like I didn't have any drop of alcohol in my body system. He sat right beside me and didn't say anything for sometime, I seized the opportunity to study him, he looked tensed and his body stiff. My body moved of their own accord and before seconds I was kneeling behind him, my palm touched his shoulders and he shifted.
"Calm down, you seem tensed. Just let me and you can talk when you're ready." He looked up at me and let himself go.
I can't explain what exactly is happening right now and I want to blame it on the alcohol but it isn't that, I can feel the energy here shifting.
"Martha, we need to talk about you and Yemi." Now I was the tense one, I stopped my movements on his shoulder and I was struck, I couldn't move or say anything. All I had were questions, how did he know Yemi? I swallowed hard, really hard.
"I know you're wondering how I know Yemi, I sent him to you." I could hear the dramatic drum rolls and suspense sounds, I got up and stepped back.
"Before you run, please listen to me. I didn't plan for any of this to happen." He stood up as well and took my palm in his.
"I met him at the bar that summer and I told him about you and the feelings I had towards you, yes Martha I'm in love with you." Before I could give a response he started again.
"He told me to tell you about; my feelings, I told him I couldn't because I was certain you hated me. So he came up with the idea of me writing you a letter, i wrote down everything I felt and loved about you. I gave the letter to him and he came here, to this beach that evening to give it to you. I was back there" he pointed at the shed before continuing, "I watched your body language how it went from surprised to shy and then calm, I'm not sure the letter he gave you but when he met you the next day you were pretty upset and he told me you didn't appreciate my feelings that you didn't love me." I looked at him and his eyes held pain and so much hurt
"And after sometime I saw the both of you hanging out and you, you were avoiding me. Your eyes didn't hold that warmth anymore, you didn't look at me the same so I stepped" I was processing it all, this new information. "Agatha told me about you and Yemi, she said you spoke about him quite often, she also mentioned the letter. You talked about it quite often and you could read it like the letters of the English alphabet, when she made mention of "Mars" I was mad, that was when I realize what had happened."
"I confronted Yemi at the back gate and asked him what happened that night, he lied. He said you told him how much you hated me and didn't really like the fact we had to spend summer together but I knew the truth, he never handed the letter to you. " My eyes brimmed with tears, realizing alot. Yemi lied to me, betrayed me.
"Where's Yemi?" I finally managed to let out, I need to see him, to slap him and let out all of this anger I felt. I loved that man and all he did was lie!
"When I confronted him, he told me the reason he decided to do what he did. Apparently, he thought you were the Martha Carlisle, so yes he was with you for the fame and the money. When he found out that you were actually Martha Amara Carlisle, I think he left." He left, there was no explanation as to why he left.
I sat there, processing everything Ralph had just tolde. My mind was in a frenzy, trying to make sense of all the puzzle pieces that were falling into place. Yemi had lied to me, and I just couldn't believe it. How could he have done that to me? How could he have kept such a big secret from me for so long? Maybe not long but 3months was really a long time.
"Ralph, where's Yemi?" I asked once again, my voice shaking.
"He's gone," Ralph said. "He left a few days ago."
My heart sank. I couldn't believe that Yemi had just up and left without even saying goodbye. I felt angry and hurt, but at the same time, I felt a sense of relief. I was finally starting to see things clearly, and she knew that it was time to move on.
"Thank you for telling me the truth," looking at Ralph. "I appreciate it."
Ralph smiled at her. "I just want you to be happy, Martha. You deserve to be with someone who loves you and respects you."
My heart felt warm. Maybe Ralph was right. Maybe it was time to let go of my fantasies about Yemi and start living in the present. I looked out at the ocean, taking in the vastness of it all. The waves crashed against the shore, and she felt a sense of calm wash over me.
"Let's go back to the cabin," Ralph said, standing up. "I'll make us some tea."
