Chapter 11

Wheeler / Linka / Kwami

Wheeler kept driving aimlessly, roaming the streets and thinking about what he had said to Linka, that he thought he had blew it, now she would think he is very jealous. How will she say yes to him now if he shows her the diamond ring the day after tomorrow in their anniversary after shouting at her?, How can she trusts him and tell him everything about her days , after what he did?

"Damn it, I'm a loudmouth idiot."He found himself in front Kwami's apartment door, talking to himself.

"Wheeler?" After he knocked on the door, Kwami opened and looked at him surprised.

"Let me in my friend, I hope you don't have company" his face He looks sad and tired.

"What happened my friend?" He closes the door after Wheeler enters

"I think I blew it, I blew it to myself" He threw himself on the couch.

"Blow what? May I have more explanation please?" as he is sat next to Wheeler on the couch.

"We just had a fight". He holds his head in his hands and rests his elbows on his knees.

"Oh my God, we went back in time nine years, its high school all over again"

"It's even worse, man"

"Let me get you a bottle of beer. What did you two fight over? "He goes to the open kitchen

"Who else will be? That bastard, son of a bitch" as he raised his head and clenched his fist in anger

"You mean Greg? What happened man I thought it was over" He opens the refrigerator and takes out two bottles of beer.

"She told me, he took her after the meeting for a factory tour" He takes a beer from Kwami

"So?"

"Then he took her to lunch at some restaurant. And they talked about a lot of things according to her words. By the way, he's not married, and he doesn't have a girlfriend" He sips a big sip of beer

"I know something, this shouldn't be a big deal… but happening with Greg makes it a problem, according at his personality and his past behavior with her"

"Yes. Tell her that" He puts his head back on the sofa and rubs his face with his hands

"And what did you tell her?"

"I …I told her …she is not …allowed to see him again" He says it with remorse

"What… Man are you crazy? I'm amazed how she didn't killed you?"

I know, I know, I lost my temper, and I'm worried now,….. Our anniversary is the day after tomorrow and I blew it up. Oh God, she will never say yes, I should forget about this proposal thing" He put his hand to his face and started wailing.

"Well, not when you have a best friend like me" He taps Wheeler's shoulder and gets up from his seat, heading to the door.

"Where are you going man"

"I'm going to talk to her, you know she respects my opinions" as he is wearing his jacket.

"Really. Ooh …. Thank you man"

"You stay here till I come back, and you better make me your best man" as he closes the door

"Promise"

After a while, Kwambi knocked on the door of Linka's apartment, and she opened the door

"Kwame... come in" Surprised to see Kwami.

"You gotta learn to look through the peephole before opening the door, girl". He hugs her with a quick kiss on the cheek

"Oh you policemen". Grumblingly

"Well, that's what we deal with every day, caution is necessary" He heads to the living room

"Do you want me to bring you anything?" As she heads to the open kitchen.

"Just some water please, I …..I actually came to talk to you"

"Did he send you to talk to me?" Gives him a glass of water

"You are very smart but no, he didn't send me, I volunteered to come to you myself" He takes the glass of water from her hand.

" he's being a jerk " as she sets on the armchair against Kwami

"maybe …but he has a point"

"Kwami, what point are you talking about, I'm not a baby, I don't like someone controlling my life, and telling me what to do or what not to do, who I can meet and who I can't"

""Yes, I'm with you, but Linka, didn't you ask yourself a question? Why Greg in particular? Since we were teenagers in school, you've been surrounded by guys who trying to get your attention. Don't you remember that?"

Linka nodded in agreement

"Of course he was jealous, and sometimes fought with them, ask me about it. He was using me as a human shield" here, Linka smiled as she remembered his battles to get her attention

"Also when we grew up and went to university, but he did not prevent you from being around them, and he was not afraid that one of them would harm you, he completely trusts you, didn't you ask yourself why Greg in particular?" he takes her hand and looks directly into her eyes

"I've asked myself several times and can't find any explanation, maybe now because Greg is rich and has handsome, highly educated, power and influence ,I don't understand why? Also, Greg is very respectful of me from the start? He is so gentle and he has good heart"

"Maybe that's what you see in Greg, or what Greg wants you to see in him. As for Wheeler and I share that point of view with him, based on what we've seen of Greg during the time we trained together in the factory. He's a manipulator a fraud, and there's something he hides in his character, that Wheeler is just trying to protect you from all of that"

"Kwame this is nonsense. Greg is not what you think, then this was a long time ago, about five years ago. It is unreasonable to judge a person by your knowledge of him in the past."

"Let me tell you Lin, that we as policemen can see evil in the eyes of any human being, most of the victims we rescue or help them had trusted the criminal, exactly as you are saying now"

"What? Criminal? You are in Wheeler's side. That's exactly what he told me"

"Linka I'm not taking anyone's side here, I'm here only representing my opinion, and I think that

Wheeler is partly right, this Greg creepy, he just want you to see something else on him, and I think he succeeded, you should be careful, my friend"

Linka was silent and folded her arms over each other and looked around the corner of the room as she was not convinced by Kwami's speech.

"All I want to tell you is that my friend in my house loves you so much, and can't bear to see anyone hurt you, he'd rather die, and you know what I'm saying is true, yes he's jealous, but not in a crazy way that binds you, he just misspelled his love for you came on Lin ,don't you forgive him" He holds her hands as if he is begging her

"Okay . Okay. Tell your stupid friend that he should go home because his stupid girlfriend is waiting for him, but tell him he should apologize I won't let him win the argument this time"

"Has he ever won an argument with you?" joking with her.

When Kwame arrived at his apartment, Wheeler had brought most of the food was in refrigerator to the kitchen table, he had eaten almost all of the food. As emotional eater

Leftover spaghetti, half an old Turkish sandwich, cold pizza, some food he doesn't know the name of, a plastic box with some grilled chicken in it that tastes really bad.

"what are you doing man?" As he hangs his jacket.

"Let me ask you something. Is this a refrigerator or a trash can? He points to Kwame's refrigerator"

"Well, it's a refrigerator, but most of what I ate is trash, my friend, this spaghetti I was going to give to the homeless dogs on the street. And this chicken box is for homeless cats too"

" Ugh" He looks sad as he wipes his hands and mouth with a tissue "So. What happened what did she tell you?"

"Well, she almost forgave you. But, you must apologize to her, my friend, as she told me!" He turns on the TV and puts his feet on the table.

"Ha, my life story with her, I'm always right and always I'm the one who apologizes"

"This is what happens when you want to have sex with any woman" watching the match on TV

"And what did you tell her also? I mean to convince her?" sitting across from Kwami on the sofa

"This was not easy my friend, may God help you. I tried to convince her that you are more afraid from Greg for her, more than you are jealous from Greg."

But that's really what I feel man, …. God. Fuck you Greg I hope you will die "He hits his knee with his fist.

"But I must tell you, my friend. This Greg isn't easy. She believed everything he told her and she was totally defending him. If he's not as good man as she thinks, then we have a big problem."

"Believe me we have "

"Try not to piss her off again, man, you have a diamond ring to give her. Do you remember?"

When Wheeler came back home, Linka had canceled her appointment with Gi to the mall because it's getting late, she was wearing rubber cleaning gloves and cleaning the kitchen counter.

When she sensed that he was advancing towards her, she did not turn and did not look at him, but after she felt his arms around her waist and her back against his strong body.

"I'm so sorry babe, seriously I'm so sorry "whispering in her ear.

"it's the last time you speak to me like that" She knows she forgave him, but only to prove her point, she likes to appear strong, she doesn't like anyone to see her weakness even if it is the love of her life, and he knows it.

"I promise you babe, but I think I need to be punished so I don't make that mistake again, right?" as he gently caresses her breasts.

"What?" she is laughing now.

"Come, I need punishment." Then he carried her to the room.

"ok, just let me take off the gloves first!". She can't believe how he can change her mood in seconds to a happy and luminous mood.

"Oh no, you'll need those too. babe" He made his way to the bedroom, carrying her in his arms, and they didn't come out until the next morning.