My ex-boyfriend
Aiden literally got exhausted while they waited at the airport heading to Arizona. Mike was continuously cussing knowing the actual time he was supposed to meet with his client was slowly passing.
However, they boarded the plane after two hours of waiting. The two men slipped into the plane alongside others.
Taking their seats, Mike ground out, the undercurrent of his voice showed how much angry he was. “This is the first time I’ve waited for a flight that long. I guess this airline isn’t competent.”
Aiden barely chuckled while strapping his seat belt, “Don’t know what to say, dude.” He supplied.
Mike took the seat by the edge, while others kept getting into the plane.
“Ouch…” A feminine voice burst out behind them and they heard people offer some sympathetic words to the lady.
“Babe, I’m sorry. Be careful.” The young man walking her into the plane offered, slipping the lady’s hand into the loop of his arm. “Are you thirsty? You should take some water.”
The couple trailed the aisle towards the front side where Aiden and Mike sat.
The lady who was acting like it was her first pregnancy, nodded and grabbed the bottle of water her husband offered. She fluttered open the lid and consumed some contents while her husband herded her to their seat.
Standing beside her seat with one hand nestled on her slightly bloated stomach while the other held the can water against her lips, her husband arranged the seatbelts. Then.
“C'mon babe, have a seat. Careful.” He held her hand, trying to pull her into the seat.
Just then, Aiden who was focused on his phone as Mike raised his head and his eyes clashed with that of the pregnant lady.
His world stilled that very moment. His heart stopped pumping, all blood in his system curdled.
For five whole minutes Aiden was too shocked to budge his limbs. Too shocked to bat his eyes. To shocked to speak.
No…his eyes must be fooling him, dragging him back to a past he wanted not. No, it can’t be happening.
The past that tortured him, changed him from who he was…the past that left him and his brother broken was staring in total shock at him.
Recovering from the bouts of shock, Aiden’s lips moved a little, then. “Ches…ka? Omigod.” He called out.
It was only then that Mike raised his head and stared. Mike got shocked, fear blossomed on his chest. It’s her. It was indeed her.
Cheska Adams.
Cheska can’t believe her eyes. Fate must be playing such a cruel joke at her now.
She can’t possibly be staring at her past she struggled to forget. Like a bitter pill, Cheska swallowed the past and decided to move on. But here, now, that past is calling out to her.
“Cheska…” Aiden called out again and instinctively stood and clamped Cheska in a bear hug. “Jesus…is this real? Cheska, so…you…were alive all these years?”
Aiden pulled back, assessing her, examining her. And her small bloated belly. All Cheska could do was cry as that dark past clawed at her chest.
For months she was in a dark chasm, her cries the night she was soiled brutally assailed her mind. The night which was supposed to be her birthday became the worst night of her life. Cheska has never since celebrated her birthday after what happened.
For months , she was imprisoned in a dark past until she met him, her husband of five years now. Until she met Jackson did Cheska feel a beacon of light in her again.
“What’s going on here?” Jakeson’s voice boomed. He reached over and held Cheska's hand.
“Caroline, who is he?” Jakeson called out, holding onto Cheska as she wailed bitterly.
However, Aiden noticed something. The man who seemed to be Cheska's husband didn’t call her Cheska.
He called her Caroline which means that….Cheska changed her name. Typically the reason they weren’t able to find her after the bouts of relentless searching.
Why would Cheska do that? Aiden thought as he stared at the girl he used to love.
“My ex. Aiden.” Cheska let out, answering Jackson’s question.
With a constricting heart, Aiden watched Cheska. The wedding band on her finger a glaring proof that the man holding was her husband.
Amidst the fuss, Mike watched, knowing the truth about the whole thing was about to unravel. He knew Aiden was already wondering why Cheska broke into an ocean of tears the moment her eyes clashed with Aiden. Mike was worried about his part in the whole thing.
Not relenting, Aiden said. “I'd like to know what happened, Cheska. If only you could give me that opportunity.”
Cheska stole a glance at Jackson who gawked at Aiden with nothing short of hatred. Knowing what Jackson must be thinking, Cheska uttered. “it wasn’t him, baby.”
Like magic, Cheska’s words worked on her husband. Aiden’s eyes narrowed to slits.
What effing happened? Aiden howled in his mind as he gazed at Cheska.
“I don’t think this is the right place to discuss, Aiden…” Cheska started but her husband interrupted her.
“Invite him over to our house." To Aiden, he asked. “You’re heading to Arizona, right?”
At Aiden’s court nod, Jackson slipped out a paper and scribbled their address on it and then handed it to Aiden who clutched the paper as balls of fury rotated through him.
When the flight’s departure was announced through the intercom, they all settled down and strapped their belts.
Mike muted, wondering what will be the outcome. He wondered what Aiden would do if he figures out he blackmailed Alex and hid the truth from Aiden.
Things are going to get shitty from here, Mike thought with a huge sigh.
*
*
*
His heart had been heavy ever since they left the airport. In fact, Aiden couldn’t accompany Mike to meet his client as promised rather he went to quiet bar to clear his thoughts.
Wanting to stay sober before meeting Cheska at the appointed time, Aiden only took seltzer water.
His mind got wallowed in thoughts as he tried to piece the reason Cheska did not only vanish from their lives but also changed her identity.
However, no matter what, Aiden couldn’t make meaning out of it. He couldn’t connect the dots.
The moment it inched closer to the time, he stood up and left the bar.
It’s high time he knew the truth about Cheska.
