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There she was again being selfish. Only she didn’t know how much it would mean to me to be with Roderick again. I agreed to think about it. I then tried to prepare myself for their visit.
When our eyes met, it was obvious that he knew. Roderick realized that I was the one who had been unselfish; the one who had cooked his meals and had cleaned his apartment. He just didn’t know why I had done such a thing.
“I’m going to take a nap,” Joy announced as she dropped her handbag on my white sofa and disappeared into the guest room.
“It was you. I knew something was different,” Roderick finally said. “Why?”
“Roderick, I…”
“Please, don’t lie to me,” he said, his voice full of sadness.
I couldn’t lie to him. I sold my sister out. I told him about her trip to the Bahamas with Hiram. I even told him about her plans to spend Christmas with
Hiram and have me spend Christmas with him.
“Are you okay?” I asked when he covered his handsome face with his large hands.
“I’m in love with you, Faith.” Before I could respond, I was in his arms. “I’ve been in love with you since the first night we made love.”
“What is going on?” Joy startled us both. Neither of us had been aware of her entrance.
“Let me explain,” I offered right before she slapped me hard across the face.
Roderick stood between the two of us. “Joy, we didn’t plan this. You basically pushed us together when you used Faith while you were busy cheating with my boss!”
His boss? I didn’t know Hiram was his boss. I had doubted that the two even knew each other.
“You slept with my sister! And, Faith, how could you do this?” Joy didn’t wait for my explanation. She grabbed her handbag and stormed out of the house.
I knew where to find her. There was only one place she could be. She would be at the cemetery with our deceased loved ones. I had to go to her. But first I had to let Roderick go. I cared for him but I couldn’t lose my relationship with Joy. She was all I had in this world.
“Don’t say it,” he said when he read my expression.
“She’s all I’ve got.” On that note I left him behind as I searched for my sister.
It took some time but Joy and I worked things out. She spent Christmas in Aspen with Hiram and I stayed in Atlanta. Having nothing to do, I decided to visit an art show at a nearby museum.
“You like that painting?”
Without turning around, I knew the voice belonged to Roderick. He had painted the portrait of the beautiful women. They were twins. One had happy eyes and the other wore sadness in her brown eyes.
“I guess I’m the one with the sad eyes?” I asked with my back still to him.
“Actually, you’re the one with the happy eyes.”
I faced him with a question in my eyes. I had always thought that Joy was the happy one. She had never seemed to have a care in the world. I, on the other hand, had always been the one to worry about every single thing. I had always been so focused on doing the right thing while Joy did the right now thing.
“I don’t understand.”
He explained his observations. “Joy is lost. She lacks direction. She doesn’t know how to love anyone above herself.”
True, so far. I nodded in agreement.
“You seem to have yourself together. You love unselfishly. You simply need to allow yourself to be loved in return. I want the chance to love you the way you deserve to be loved.”
I gave him the chance he asked for. I gave myself the chance that I deserved. Joy wasn’t happy at first but eventually we worked things out. In the end, I remained close to my sister and in love with Roderick. Few people understand, but sometimes there simply is no explanation when the love jones comes down.
Curiosity Stirred My Cat
