Chapter 34 - Amelia.

The last heartbreak that Amelia Harper Black had was a little over ten months ago. Her ex boyfriend Allen had cheated on her with one of her friends and claimed that it was a mistake. He blamed it on alcohol and Amelia tried to forgive him. While trying to forgive him, he did it again with the same person. And Amelia broke up with him. She had been completely heartbroken, Amelia loved as freely as she was. She fell hard and fast for the ones she was attracted to. And she gave her all in every relationship she was in.

Maybe she had been too blinded to see the warning signs with Xavier, how Daphne had been so confident that Xavier was always going to come back to her. Maybe she should have spared herself the trouble and saved herself heartache when it all started.

He had flipped when he heard that she wanted a divorce, so much so that he outrightly rejected the idea and Amelia had no other choice but to leave the cemetery despite all the protests he made. There was no way things could end so quickly between them, not even if she tried hard enough, she would never be able to forget Xavier.

She went back to New York immediately after the funeral and she had sent for her clothes to be picked up from the house much later. Xavier had tried every possible way to make her stay, but Amelia's mind was made up. She found it hard to believe a word he said when all she could think of was the image of he and Daphne in bed together. Naked. After pestering her so much with his calls and messages, Xavier finally left a long voice message that left Amelia crippled in her thoughts.

"I know you need time. But you have to believe me, I didn't do it. And I am ready to prove it. I will give you all the time you need Amelia. But I will come back for you, it's always you. It's always going to be you. I love you Amelia. And I mean it."

The voicemail had been playing in her mind constantly while Amelia toyed with the wedding band and engagement ring on her finger. She even considered sending the ring back to Xavier, but she was already kind of attached to it and she didn't plan on giving him unless he asked for it. She had called and talked to her friends about it, they had been devastated, but Amelia didn't want them to worry about her. She needed some time alone, so she didn't tell them she was in New York. She didn't want them to worry about her own problems when they had lives of their own. She was going to try as much as possible to clear her head and think of the way forward on her own before involving them.

Everything was dull in New York. Barely four days in New York and Amelia had quickly grown tired of her routine, she barely ate. Eating only boxes of macaroni and cheese for dinner, eggs for breakfast and snacking on chips for lunch.
She didn't even feel like painting and her apartment was a mess. Everyday she woke up only to be reminded of Xavier, she listened to all his voicemail at night and cried herself go sleep, wondering if she could ever trust the words that were coming out of his mouth.
That was her routine and it was slowly killing her.

There was a knock on her door, Amelia ignored it for the next five minutes, but whoever it was was very persistent. She secretly wished that it was Xavier, even though it had only been a few days since she left.
She wished he was the one at her door, knocking and begging her, telling her that Daphne meant nothing to him. She wasn't sure if she would believe him, but she wanted it all the same. Just to have a chance to look at his face again.

She opened the door without even asking who it was, ready to slam the door on the face of whoever it was.
It was Boston.

He was standing in front of her and smiling with a box of what closely resembled Chinese food. The sweet and tangy smell of chicken and pork chow mein wafted through the air and Amelia's mouth watered. It had been a long time she had a real meal.

"Hey Amelia. I know you probably aren't feeling well. I came to say hi and also bring you this."

He said in a deep husky voice as he raised up the Chinese food to Amelia and she smiled weakly. She wasn't going to turn down the food, but she didn't want the company.

Boston was a nice guy, but he needed to leave her alone.

"Thank you Boston."

She said with her outstretched hands accepting the Chinese food. He was looking at her expectantly and Amelia figured out that it would be rude if she didn't invite him in, he did bring her food after all.

"Come in Boston."

She said as she slowly closed the door behind them as Boston eagerly walked into the house.

"Wow! This is quite the lovely set up you have here."

"Thanks. Amelia murmured as she walked into the kitchen to get plates. She came back outside and watched Boston watching her paintings with fascination. She felt a little bit self conscious, she rarely let people see her paintings, only extremely close friends. No one rarely came to her studio apartment because she was always so private about it. The only reason she was private about it was because she had her paintings hung on the wall.

"Your art.... It's so deep. It's beautiful..."

He said as he stood in front of a wall that was completely covered in paintings.

"It's almost as if each stroke of the brush has a meaning... I've never seen anything quite so moving before. I really can't wait for your art exhibit."

Amelia shrugged.

"Well, it's on hold for now. Maybe later in the year I'd hold it but I can't think about an exhibit right now."

"Why?" Boston asked curiously as Amelia brought out her chopsticks and dug into the box of pork chow mein.

"I don't have the time to think about an artshow now. That's why."

Amelia snapped. There was a long pause between the both of them and Amelia continued eating her food.

"Is there something wrong? I've noticed you've been around for the past few days and it seems like you have a problem."

"A problem?"

"I mean, it seems like there's something on your mind."

Amelia shrugged. She didn't really feel like talking to anyone about what was happening, but she also wanted to talk to someone about it.

"I caught my husband cheating on me."

She dropped the bomb and Boston only blinked. It felt strange saying the words. Strange and it felt real, like she had finally accepted the fact that he cheated on her.

"I'm sorry."

Boston whispered and Amelia shrugged again.

"I'm fine. I just really need time alone. That's all."

"Well , I think it's not healthy staying home all day with your feelings bottled up. You have to get if off your mind or do something to stop thinking about it."

"I'm not thinking about it." Amelia said as she defended herself but Boston didn't think she was telling the truth.

"You are. And honestly, I don't know what kind of shitty husband you'd have. Can't believe someone cheated on you!"

Boston said as she laughed incredulously. Amelia shrugged.

"Well, Jay Z cheated on Beyoncé."

She said and Boston smiled and waved away her comment.

"I'm just saying, you're a really beautiful and special woman. No man should have the power to make you feel like this."

She let out a sigh as she played with the hem of her frilly grey sweater top, watching Xavier from beneath her long eyelashes.
He was right but it didn't make things much more easier than it was. If she wasn't falling in love with Xavier, it would have been different, Amelia would have brushed it all away. But how could she ignore it now when she was already in too deep?

"Okay, why don't we go out? You know, to get your mind off things. Where do you wanna go?"

"I don't really feel like going anywhere." Amelia said as she shrugged but Boston was persistent.

"Well, I'm not leaving you couped up here so you better start providing me with other options."

There was a long pause as Boston quietly waited for Amelia's answer.

"A bar?" Amelia asked nervously and Boston shrugged.

"A bar it is!"

She knew it was a bad idea, Amelia and Alcohol weren't best friends. It didn't make her better, it only made her wild. It always brought out a side of her that she didn't want.
If it was going to cure her of thinking of Xavier, Amelia was willing to try it.

"I'll go with you to the bar, on one condition."

"I'm listening."

Boston said as he listened closely.

"Don't try anything with me Boston, I may be vulnerable but I'm not stupid, I just need a drinking partner, that's all."

Boston raised his hands in mock surrender.

"I never planned on doing anything. I only want you to loosen up."

"Then I will loosen up. Just make sure I don't drink too much."

"Okay. Deal."