Chapter theme song: 'Pound Cake/Paris Morgan' by: Drake ft. Jay Z

Harold

Rhonda was beaming, glowing actually. She seemed happiest when she had my American Express card in her hand, sliding it strenuously slow just to mess with me. A sinfully sweet reminder of how much I hurt her. Lately, it seems like all I can do is buy my way to see her smile again. Nothing is the same.

She cut her hair. It's a lot shorter than the waist length curls she often would wear during the summer and early autumn months; she chopping off her raven locks to trade them in for a short, asymmetrical bob with bangs. She looked almost like she did in fourth grade but on a more…sophisticated scale. She looked more mature with her new look, me liking it a lot more than her curls that she had in a high ponytail all the time.

She flashed me another smile, thanking the cashier before grabbing her pink lingerie bag. I found myself wanting to know what was inside, knowing that I wouldn't ever know if I did not ask before she left. Her expensive, foreign heels clacked against the waxed tile of the mall floor; her eyes catching sight of something glittering in her limelight at one of the jewelry stands to her left. The smile I loved came back, her brown eyes widening to the sparkling specs of gold and silver intermingled with the vibrant colors of gemstones. She had her eyes set on a necklace in my favorite color…blue.

"How much?" I asked the Middle-Eastern shop owner. He quoted me the hefty price tag I assumed. I nodded. "Can you wrap it up nicely for her please?"

Rhonda looked at me. "No, it's ok. I was just looking."

"You just don't look, Rhonda. You buy."

She crossed her arms indignantly across her chest. "I was going to send a picture to Thaddeus and have him buy it. I know you have a wedding to pay for."

She knew that would irk me. "I don't have time for your games, Rhonda. Do you want the damn necklace or not?"

"…Yes."

That was that. The shop keeper diverted her gaze back and forth between the two of us before she finally settled the sparkling diamond encrusted necklace in a bed of pink tissue paper. She folded the tissue paper and placed it gently in a gift bag, handing it Rhonda as I handed her a few bills. I was handed my change and receipt and quickly thanked her before walking towards the food court.

I hated when she would toss his name around me when we were together; but yet, I had no right to get even the least bit frustrated. She and I weren't by any means doing anything wrong, but I felt guilty being here with Rhonda, spending money on another woman that was not my future wife, as my real woman lay in bed and got ready for the birth of our sons- my future family.

"You want ice-cream?"

"No, you know I am watching my figure." She replied sharply, enough for me to turn around. "But frozen yogurt will do."

"Why do you think about him when you're with me, Rhonda?"

Silence.

"He is my husband now, Harold." Her voice went down in volume as her heels clacked louder. "I don't know what you want me to do."

Something…anything…

"Then why am I here buying you all this crap when you have a perfectly capable husband that can do this for you?" my voice was a little stonier than I had intended it to be but I always did have a hard time hiding my true emotions. "Why did you call me?"

"I called you to see if you wanted to grab coffee, Harold!" she barked. "Not be towed around the mall and pampered with fine, extravagant gifts out of your guilt and pity!"

The stunned me. I wanted to say something else but she turned around and walked into another boutique to calm her nerves and keep control of her temper. I let out a heavy sigh, finding myself perched against a bench after finding my way to the ice-cream shop; wolfing down a four scoop chocolate sundae. I thought back to when we weren't like this, when she looked at me and genuinely loved me and not someone else.

Rhonda looked so dainty in her satin negligee. She claimed she wasn't an inexperienced virgin but I could tell otherwise. I finally had a one up on Ms. Wellington-Lloyd. It brought a smirk to my face, her blush deepening as she covered herself with her fragile arms.

"Stop staring at me. I know I am hideous."

"You aren't hideous, Rhonda." I whispered, pulling her closer to me. She let out a small squeak as I brought her into a kiss. "You're the most gorgeous woman I have seen in my life."

"Then why are you sneaking around with your ex, Patty, all of a sudden?"

I growled, not wanting to ruin our moment, our night. "I told you, we are just friends. She moved back after being in Texas for a few years and wanted to reconnect. That is all."

"You been spending a lot of time with her lately." She snapped, pushing me off her. "I don't like it and I want it to end, immediately."

I rubbed my temples to ebb my frustration. I found solace in the sea of pillows at the head of her king. "Stop this, Rhonda. Please."

"You know I'm right."

"I know you're wrong." I whispered, closing my eyes. I stayed like that for a moment, listening to the music playlist I had made for tonight. It took me six hours to burn a ten track disc because I had no idea how to work my home computer and got frustrated that I punched the monitor into a stupor. I had to ride the bus downtown to the library to finish it since my car was busted and my dad wouldn't let me drive the car on such late notice. "What are you scared of?"

"Her."

I opened my eyes this time. "Why her and not me?"

"Because the only reason you gave us a shot was because Patty moved to Texas after seventh grade and Curly and I were on a 'break'."

"Still doesn't explain why you feel Patty is a threat."

"You still love her and don't even know it."

I looked at her, watching a usually arrogant, poised, and dominant woman dwindle down into a mere shell of her former self. I never knew how much Rhonda had feelings for me until recently. I was always under the impression that she would only reach out to me when she and Thaddeus would get into a really heated argument and she needed some time away from the creep. His antics were annoying at best, and it was only a matter of time before Rhonda grew irritated and walked past 'go'.

It was when Patty emerged back into the picture when I began to finally realize how deep Rhonda's feelings for me truly were. She grew more protective, a little clingier than usual, called a lot often, visited me almost daily, almost anything to be around me much more than she had previously been. At first I found her jealousy to be kind of cute, especially since Rhonda was still that stuck-up, prissy debutante I've known since forever that still refused to even hold my hand in public. Then, it grew to being downright annoying. She would interrupt my lunch dates with Patty, scan my call logs and text messages to the point where I had to put a lock on my phone, and nag me on my whereabouts all…the…time.

Patty and I were just friend that wanted to relive our glory days, she even having a boyfriend back in Texas whom she seemed to really care about. Rhonda was just a paranoid mess.

"Don't you trust me?"

"As far as I can throw you."

I frowned, finally sitting up to wrap my arms around her waist. I kissed her neck, licking the supple feel of her skin as I inhaled her scent. She smelled of that fancy soap she had bought on sale. "Don't be like that, Rhonda."

"Like what?"

"Like this." I nipped her skin a little harder, doing my best to leave my mark to claim her as mine…forever. She let out a reluctant moan, careful to not succumb to my will. "I love you."

"Don't toss that around like you actually mean it."

"But I do." I stood, lifting her with me as I guided her to the bathroom for a steamy shower in more ways than one. "But I do."

I watched Rhonda emerge from the store with more bags; that smile on her face still wide and shining brightly as it was before the necklace. It made me smile. "What did you buy this time?"

"An outfit for tomorrow's parent-teacher function; I can't be caught dead in the same evening gown twice."

"I still can't believe you are a kindergarten teacher. I never would have guessed you of all people would be in charge of the lives of young children."

"Well since Thaddeus' family wants me to sign a prenup, I have to have my own money for a rainy day right?" she sighed. "Modern men these days; chivalry is truly dead I see."

I laughed, glad she seemed to be herself again. "Did you want frozen yogurt?"

She nodded, leading me towards the frozen yogurt stand and ordering a small berry sundae with plenty of canned nuts. I grabbed two spoons since I know she intended to share with me. I was still hungry. "You seem to be in a better mood than earlier."

She took a large bite of her sundae. "Retail therapy always does it for me."

"I hope my credit card bill won't make me cry like a whiney girl."

She shrugged, giggling. "It won't hurt as much as the black eye Helga gave you back in eighth grade for calling her a lesbian."

I frowned at the memory. God I hated Helga Pataki. "It was an honest mistake! Anyone would have thought the same if they looked at the amount of time she and Phoebe spent together."

Rhonda shook her head. There was a momentary spell of quiet before she spoke. "How is Patty?"

I stopped breathing. "She's fine."

Rhonda nodded slowly, picking her next words carefully. "She is labor yet?"

"Doctors predict any day now."

"I'm sure she will be happy when it's all over." She paused to eat more of her yogurt. "Her wedding dress will look even more terrific on her fabulous shape."

I sighed, putting down my spoon. I knew all too well where this was headed. "Rhonda, look, I know we haven't talked about what happened but I don't know what else to say other than I apologize."

"I already forgave you."

"Then why do you insist on making things incredibly awkward by bringing up my relationship with Patty?"

She immediately grew defensive. "So I can't ask about her now?" I shook my head, telling her that wasn't the case. "What is it then? If I can't ask about Patty because you feel guilty then maybe we should reconsider us being friends."

"Then why do you keep doing this to me? To us?" I responded back, my voice sullen. "You need to let this anger you have go."

"I can't until I rid myself of everything that reminds me of you." She quipped back with sudden anger. "I don't do anything to "us" because there is no "us"; courtesy of you and that…that…bitch!"

My ears perked up slightly at that word. Rhonda knew how much I hated swearing. I also hated calling females that word. My father would throw that around my mother later in their marriage before they decided to split and it always left a foul taste in my mouth. I especially hated it when she called Patty that. She and I got into a heated argument about it before when she said it the very first time. "Don't call my wife a bitch, Rhonda."

"She is one!"

"Rhonda, you're testing my patience."

"And you're pissing me off defending her!"

"She's my wife!" I yelled, standing full height.

She matched me. "Only because she stole you from me!" Rhonda began to quiver. "…She stole you…"

I watched helplessly as Rhonda pushed herself further away from me and demanded I take her home. She fumbled throughout her purse to retrieve a stack of paper receipts from her shopping spree; shoving them towards me and asking me to return everything she had purchased. I couldn't even get a single word out before she turned away from me and began marching towards the south exit. I stared at the plethora of bags for a moment before I made my final decision to keep them all. If she dare ask why, I just tell her because I don't return gifts for anyone…not even her.

I wrapped my scarf around my neck and braced myself for the bitter October air that Patty had cautioned me about earlier this morning before I left for work. I had recently started an internship program in my butcher shop to help the disadvantaged youth of Hillwood. It keeps the kids off the streets and out of my shop trying to steal hundred dollar prime cuts of meat for shits and giggles. I originally started it for the purpose of feeling self-righteous but eventually found myself loving the decision and noticing how much of an impact it made to these kids; many who didn't have much to begin with.

I intended on stopping by the shop just to check on progress since I left my newly promoted manager, Eddy, in charge when I had gotten a call from Rhonda asking me if I was busy. I had told her I was just going in the shop to see how my new manager was working out when she asked if we could grab lunch or coffee. I smiled at her offer, feeling like it was old times again before I had agreed to pick her up in an hour.

I found myself not wanting to leave her or our time behind at our local coffee shop so I decided to take her shopping since its one of her favorite pastimes. It gave me an excuse to spend time with the woman who over the years has grown to despise me. I loved her though…still do.

"Unlock the car, Harold." She ordered, shaking violently against the bitter frost of the early evening air. She huffed loudly. "Why do you still have those bags?"

"They're yours." I replied sharply, throwing both handfuls in the trunk before opening her majesty's door to shield her from the cold. I watched her rub her hands together and nestle deep inside her seat to keep warm. I quickly did the same when I got inside the car, sticking the keys inside the ignition.

Rhonda took it upon herself to start the car and turn on the heat. "Much better."

"Glad your majesty approves."

She didn't care much for how the sarcasm dripped like arsenic. "Take me home, Harold."

"I'm not doing anything until you calm down and tell me why you are so angry all of a sudden."

"I want to be in my bed with my husband and not some two-timing asshole like you, Harold!"

"How am I cheating on Patty, Rhonda!?" my voice rose a few octaves.

Patty was a soft spoken, kind, sweet woman that occasionally got flustered. We barely argued because she kept it all in- even if it was highly toxic for her health- and when we did argue it was always brief and not dramatic. When I argued with Rhonda, it was always heated, angry, and violent. We would never physically hit each other but would get awfully close to either me shaking her or she slapping me with a glass bottle. It got so intense one time, the neighbors called the police in fear of it being a domestic violence case.

"I'm not cheating on my wife, but clearly you are cheating on your husband!"

"I love, Thaddeus!" she roared, getting in my face. Her cute, button eyes flared with that familiar anger that aroused my core. I felt myself stiffen, the flowery scent of her perfume bombarding me against the heat of the car. "I am not cheating on him!"

"You still have feelings for me, Rhonda. You don't love him, you love me."

"Harold!" she tried to hit me but I grabbed her wrists.

"You are angry over something that happened in college, Rhonda! It's time to move on learn to let go."

"Let go of me!"

I brought her struggling form against me, pressing her body against mine to embrace her in an overdue hug I knew she needed. As angry as I was at Rhonda for making this mess and causing a gigantic scene, I knew she was only hurting because of me…

"I swear to God, Harold, I will knock ten pounds off you if you do not release me at once!"

"Rhonda…let it go."

"Harold!"

"Let it go, Rhonda." My voice simmered into a low whisper, a featherlike kiss being placed atop her head as her movements became less erratic. After a short while, she stopped fighting it and let herself grow numb against my touch; allowing me to just hold her, rock her gently to the quiet humming of my car's heater and Marvin Gaye. I don't know how long we lasted like that, but I know she drifted off to sleep at one point. I just quietly watched her, petting her soft, raven hair as I inhaled the scent of her shampoo. It was strawberry.

It was strawberry…