Love in Relationship (LHR 2 sample)

Chapter seven

"Janet, it has started again" Sasha said into her phone.
"What has?" Janet's voice was heard from the other side.
Sasha could sense the confusion in her voice and she heaved a deep sigh "the flowers. It has started again."
"What? The ninety nine white roses? The mysterious flowers?"
"Yes. Everything you just mentioned is a yes" Sasha paused "I received one last night and it's as beautiful as always" she caressed the petal of a white rose "what I wouldn't give to know the sender, it's as if he knows when my mood is down and always want to make me smile with his flowers and to be honest, it always does. Whenever I see the flowers I can't explain this warm feelings that always flush in me and when I read the notes, it holds the most beautiful words."
"Em... Sasha are you sure you are not in love with the sender?" Janet asked worriedly.
Sasha chuckled softly "I don't know but whenever I think about his flowers, I can't help but smile and be happy. So yes, I might have some feelings for my secret admirer but who wouldn't? Janey he had been sending me flowers for thirteen years, thirteen years Janey" she let out a deep breath "I just want to know him. To know why he has been sending me my favourite flowers without revealing himself."
"If you ask me, I will say he loves you. Duh, what else could it be but that? It must be that he is shy to meet you in person and so he prefers the feeling of his flowers showing you how he feels about you."
Sasha was silent for a while before saying "I wish he will just tell me who he is."
"Careful what you wish for baby girl, wishes do come true."
"Well I will love this one to."
"Need I remind you that you are married? What if your husband comes to get you when your wish come true, what will you do?"
"I don't think I'm still married to Michael. I will be sending him the divorce papers next month."
"What if he comes get you before then?"
"Do you still want me to get back with Michael?" Sasha asked with a frown.
Janet sighed on the other side "Sasha, you are in love with him, I just want you to be happy. I mean you have never been lucky in love. I married my first love and boyfriend. Agatha married her second boyfriend, Marilyn married her first boyfriend and Agnes married her third boyfriend but you? You have dated four guys, four different boys and you marrying Michael made him the fifth but still? Baby you deserve happiness, you need to be loved and in all your boyfriends, none of them have you come clean to tell us you love like you did to Michael. I just want this to work out for you."
Sasha could hear the care and worry in her voice and sighed "but it's not my fault Michael doesn't love me back. I mean I tried to win his heart, I did everything he asked me to. He told me to stop working and I stopped working, I was ready to change for him but he just doesn't want me and no matter what I do, he just won't see me" she paused "I can't live like that and like you said, I want to be loved, I want to feel loved and no one is giving me that but this, this mysterious stranger that sends me these flowers" she sniffed "I can't help but feel in this world he is the only one that truly love me and to make it worse, I don't even know who he is. If only I know him, I don't mind throwing myself at him because if there is one thing I know, is that he loves me, more than anybody else" she wiped away her tears.
Janet could hear her silent sobs "hey, don't feel so sad, everything is going to be alright, I promise. Where are you now?"
Sasha sniffed "I'm at home."
"I'm coming over okay? I will call the girls to see if they are free, we can hang out tonight. Maybe girls night out or day out. We will have lunch outside and then go back home and dress up, then we have dinner outside too. It will liven you up."
"Thanks Janey" Sasha sniffed and smiled through her tears.
"Don't thank me, we are sisters" Janet smiled "I will hang up now, expect me in the next thirty minutes."
"Okay" Sasha nodded before hanging up the call, she stared at the bunch of flowers and a sweet smile played on her lips, she wiped away her tears with the back of her hand and bit her lower lip before leaning closer and kissing a rose.



Michael was wheeled into his training room by Gary, an older man with white hair looked up and smiled when he saw him "Mr. Brown, so nice of you to join us today" he stood up and walked closer to Michael.
"Thank you Doctor Cage, I love my last improvement that's why I came" Michael replied with a faint smile.
"I'm happy you enjoyed your previous stay with us. So, are you ready for today's lesson?" Dr. Cage asked and Michael only nodded "very well. I will take it from here Mr. Wick" he said to Gary before taking his spot in pushing Michael's wheelchair. They went into a room where there were a lot of other patients undergoing exercises, some trying to walk, some trying to stretch their arms and some trying to stand.
Michael stared at everyone who was busy trying to finish their own tasks and with a doctor beside each of them before looking at his doctor who wheeled him to a locker for him to change into more comfortable wears. After changing, Dr. Cage wheeled him to his own portion to undergo some exercises for his legs.
"Mr. Brown, you think you can try taking a step today?" Dr. Cage asked.
Michael took a deep breath and nodded "there is no harm in trying" he replied, he must walk, if he wants to get Sasha back then he must walk.
"Very well. So let's start by you trying to stand up like you did previous times."
Michael took in a deep breath and let it out through the mouth before clutching his fingers on the handrails beside him. A hand in each handrail and him in between, he forced himself out of his wheelchair and stood, his brows creased in pain but he let out not a sound. After stabilizing himself, he let out a hushed breath through the mouth and looked at his doctor who was ready to catch him should he fall.
"That's good. That's good. You are doing absolutely great, now try to raise a leg and take a step. It will be painful but it's inevitable, you up for it?" Dr. Cage looked him in the eyes.
Michael closed his eyes and a blonde with light brown eyes flashed in his mind, he snapped his eyes opened and nodded, he must do it, for her, he has to walk for her. Thinking to that, he heaved a deep sigh and concentrated his mind on his legs, he raised a leg and sucked in harsh breath in pain, his lips quivered and his hands tightened on the handrails that his knuckles turned white but he didn't stop, no amount of pain he felt stopped him from taking that step.
Gary watched from the sideways with sweat drenched back, he could see the pain written all over his boss's face and he had stopped himself from walking over and telling him to stop. He knows his boss really want to walk for his mistress sake but that doesn't mean he has to put himself through such pains, he thought.
"Ah" Michael groaned but he didn't quit, he took the step while biting his lower lip until he felt a taste like copper in his mouth. Dr. Cage marveled at his determination and didn't hesitate to praise him.
"That is very good Mr. Brown. Brilliant, I have never seen such a determined soul. Permit me to ask what might be your thrive?"
Michael sat back on his wheelchair panting and took the towel handed to him by Dr. Cage to dab at his sweats, he looked at his doctor and asked "have you ever been in love?"
Dr. Cage was shocked at the question before smiling "ah, love. I take it Mr. Brown has someone in his heart?"
"My wife" Michael replied plainly.
"Ah, I almost forgot you are married but you wouldn't blame me since your wife has never been here with you" Dr. Cage said, obviously hinting at something. His daughter is madly in love with Michael and just of recent, she had told him that Michael and his wife has divorced and asked him to put in a good word for her in his presence, he just wants to confirm the rumors now.
Having known already what the man wants, Michael put on his cold and unapproachable nature before saying icily "she is busy and I hope Dr. Cage will focus our session mainly on my recovery" he wrapped his towel on his neck before wheeling himself back to his locker to change back into his clothes.
Gary picked him up later and they both left the rehabilitation, leaving the doctor stunned and with a reminder to never overstep his boundary with the cold Mr. Brown.

Sasha opened her door at the sound of the door bell, she was shocked when she saw all her friends standing at her doorstep "whoa, I wasn't expecting all of you."
"What! Not expecting us?" Agatha looked at Janet "but you said..."
"I told you I will call them to know if they are free didn't I?" Janet cut her short and asked Sasha
"Well you did say that but I wasn't expecting them to be free, today is Saturday after all, the day you all get to spend time with your families" Sasha smiled.
"indeed we do spend time with our families but that doesn't mean we can't forgo a day to spend time with our friend who is in need of our company" Marilyn said and the rest nodded in agreement before making their way into the house past Sasha who could do nothing but shut the door after them.
"So where is it? I can't wait to see....oh my God!" Agatha exclaimed when she saw the big bunch of flowers sitting on the dinning table looking so beautiful "why do I feel like this one is more beautiful?"
"I don't think so, it's just that it's been long we saw one" Agnes corrected.
"Whatever, I'm just so happy to see this" Marilyn gasped when she saw the red roses inside another verse "wait, don't tell me it's been too long and he has forgotten your favourite?" She pointed at the red roses and the rest was confused as well.
Sasha chuckled softly "that is not from him. It's from a friend."
The ladies looked at her with a 'oohh' "new fish?" Agatha asked.
"Agatha, for once in your life can you stop imagining?" Janet groaned "but really Sasha, who is it from?" She asked sheepishly making the rest laugh.
Sasha couldn't help but let out a few chuckles too before answering "it's from Craig."
"Who. Is. Craig?" Janet asked one at a time.
"He is a friend" Sasha answered.
"A friend?" The ladies looked at each other before looking at her again "what kind of friend?" They asked simultaneously.
"Just a friend" Sasha shrugged and walked back to the sitting room with them trailing after her.
"Sasha, are you hiding something from us?" Agnes asked.
"Like what?"
"Have you finally divorced Michael?" Marilyn asked.
"Stop letting your thoughts run wild" Sasha rolled her eyes "if I divorce Michael today, you guys will be the first to know" she sat on a sofa "I will be divorcing Michael next month, that's if he doesn't come for me this month. Craig is a friend, I met him at the hotel the day I left Michael's house and we have been chatting since then. Although he is interested in me but" she shrugged "I don't think I want to be tangled with any one yet till I know my stand with Michael. He is still my husband legally after all" she sighed.
The rest found a seat and sat down while looking solemn "no, no, no, that's not what we are here for" Janet said all smiles to liven the spirit "Sasha, go in there, get dressed and let's go paint the city red."
Janet successfully diverted their attention because the rest urged Sasha to go get dressed. After thirty minutes, they all left the house and abandoned their cars, they stopped a taxi and fixed themselves in it before the cab driver drove off to their destination.



Michael went home after leaving the rehabilitation, he took a cold shower and decided to work on some documents while waiting for Gary to return with lunch. The door bell rang and he left his study to see who was at the door, he was shocked when he saw his mother at his doorstep but he could do nothing but leave the door for her to enter, he wheeled himself to the living room while waiting for her to say her piece.
"How are you?" Vanessa asked, if she said she is happy with her son, then call her a liar because she really isn't happy with him. She can't believe that it's already a month and one week but he still hasn't called or brought Sasha back to his home. The two months she and Sasha agreed on is almost coming to end but there is no move from him, she was already regretting and wished she had said three months or maybe four months that day. Call her selfish, she accepts but she just don't want to lose Sasha as her daughter in law.
"I'm good" Michael answered as he picked up a magazine and casually flipped through it's pages to keep his mind from wondering why his mother was in his home.
"I heard from Gary that you are making progress" Vanessa nodded while staring at his legs.
"Yes" Michael replied, he really don't want to talk to her but when counting the women in his life, his mother ranked second so he can't possibly ask her out or treat her coldly, she is still his mother.
Vanessa made herself comfortable in a sofa and stared at her son "when are you planning to work on your marriage?"
Michael groaned "ugh, mom please. Not now okay?"
"What do you mean not now? Your wife have been living separately from you for nearly two months and you are not worried? What effect do you think this will have on our family should the news get out? Michael, let me tell you this, I don't know the mysterious girl you are so in love with but let me have you know, you will never find a girl like Sasha."
Michael looked at his mother shocked "how...how did you know?"
Vanessa heaved a deep sigh "I am your mother, don't think I won't know when my son has been in love with a girl for nearly fourteen years."
Michael looked away from her and sighed "I never knew you knew."
Vanessa let out a soft breath "but if you are not with her since then, why let another suffer?" Michael looked at her sharply "I'm fully aware of how you have treated Sasha this past year, I just don't understand why? When I showed you her picture then, you looked, I don't know, shocked to see her and you agreed to marry her before I could finish my sentence, leading me to believe she might be an old acquaintance or better still, the one you have loved all along but then, you will travel out of the country without telling her, you never took her to a date, you never went out with her apart from coming home or going to her parents place with her, what is wrong Michael? Why are punishing her for the mistake of another? Is it her fault your first love didn't choose you?"
Michael closed his eyes at her words "mom you don't know anything, stop assuming" he snapped.
A flare of anger flashed in Vanessa's eyes "well I don't care if she accepted you or not, if she dumped you for another, if she married another without acknowledging your feelings, I don't care. But I must have you know, I am not going to accept another girl as my daughter in law!" She stood up angrily and made a move to the door.
"I am your son! You should worry about me!"
"And she is my daughter in law" Vanessa turned to look at her son "all your life I have let you have your way but not this time. If any girl you are going to bring home is not Sasha, then don't bring her at all" after saying her piece, she walked out of the house.
Michael wanted to be angry but he ended up laughing bitterly, if only she knows, he thought, if only she knows the woman in his heart is none other than her Sasha.



Sasha walked back home after saying goodbye to her friends, they all went home after their cruising and saying they will pick their cars tomorrow. Sasha was surprised when she saw a man standing in front of her house, after recognizing the figure, a sweet smile curved on her lips "Craig" she called and ran to him.
Craig smiled when he saw her, he caught her in his arms and spun three times, acting like a lover who just reunited with his lost love.
Sasha laughed and punched his shoulder softly when her legs finally touched the ground "you didn't tell me you were coming back today."
"I didn't know I will be but I just missed you and before I know it, I was in the next available flight."
Sasha laughed "it doesn't work like that."
"Yes it does" he nodded seriously.
Sasha smiled "when did you arrive?"
"Not up to an hour ago but I went to the company first to check up on some things. I just got here not up to five minutes ago."
"Wow, how is your daughter? How is she coping after her party?"
"Oh she is okay. Ate a lot of cake yesterday, had a running stomach this morning."
"Aw, how is she now?"
"Okay. I wouldn't be here if she wasn't okay" he smiled.
"That's right" she returned the smile.
"Where are you coming from? You looked really dressed up" his gaze trailed from her hair which was in a ponytail to the short black gown she was putting on and to her white high heels, he raised an eyebrow in admiration "beautiful. Was there a party?"
"Not really" Sasha chuckled softly "my friends came along and we decided to have a little girls day out."
"No wonder, I was wondering about the extra cars at your driveway."
"They will come pick them up tomorrow."
"I hope I will be opportune to meet them?" He raised an eyebrow.
"If you are around" she giggled.
"Okay then, I will make sure I'm here nice and early tomorrow."
"You better."
"Oh that reminds me, which new dude have you charmed recently?"
Sasha furrowed her brows in confusion "I don't understand. Why?"
"There is a bunch of white roses at your doorstep."
Sasha felt her heart palpitate and she couldn't wait to go check it out "really? Well that would be nice, I'm a hot girl aren't I?"
Craig raised an eyebrow "yes you are" he kissed her forehead "I will see you tomorrow. I just hope another one won't join in my rivals" he whispered.
Sasha smiled and wondered what he will do should she tell him that she has known about the mysterious flower sender before him, she shook her head at that "goodnight Craig."
"Good night Sasha" he squeezed her shoulder and walked off while Sasha rushed to her front door to see the flowers. They were heaped like a beautiful snow cloud and a sweet smile graced her lips subconsciously, she bent and searched the flowers for a note and picked it out immediately she saw it, she unfolded it gently and read the short sweet message "I hope these will have the honour of staying in your bedroom. I love the feeling of my flowers watching over my goddess while she sleep" it ended with a heart emoticon and Sasha smiled more pronounced after reading it, she picked the flowers and walked into the house happily.
But what she didn't know was that every action made by her this night was witnessed by a particular man sitting on the back seat of a black Volvo.
Michael thought his heart was going to break into pieces when he saw her ran into Craig's arms, he can't recall ever seeing her run into his arms and watching her do that to another man, he almost died in jealously but seeing how she smiled when she read his note, a pleasurable smile graced his lips and a happy feeling enveloped his heart. He watched her through the curtains, making out with her shadow as she walked around the house carrying his flowers.
His heart palpitated in happiness when he made her out putting the flowers in a verse and carrying it into her bedroom, he felt like he was over the moon or better still, in cloud nine, he can't believe she did what he wrote in his note. For a second, he regretted not putting a camera in the flowers, at least he would have been able to watch her sleep from his home. But that's okay, his flowers will do that for him like he wrote. He sighed and looked at Gary through the barricade in the car "I need a drink."
"But boss..." Gary wanted to protest as usual.
"Just a glass" Michael interrupted.
"That's what you always say" Gary pouted.
"I'm happy tonight, so I won't get drunk. I'm just not feeling sleepy, it will help me sleep tonight, that's all."
Gary sighed and nodded after a while "where to?"
"Just find a nice restaurant."
"Yes boss" he started the car and slowly drove away.


Michael downed his fifth glass sluggishly with Gary looking like a white ghost sitting opposite him and chiding himself, he promised not to get drunk and to only take a glass, now look at him. Next time he is not going to listen to any word he said, he promised himself.
"You know my mom came home today. She threatened me that she will not accept any other woman as her daughter in law if she is not Sasha" he poured himself another glass of the drink and raised it to his lips, finishing it in one go.
Gary wanted to snatch the drink from him but he can't, he is just his worker after all "wow, then madam must really love Miss. Sasha."
Michael nodded drunkenly "I was surprised today. Mom has never chose anyone over me but today, she chose my Sasha. I should be angry but I'm actually really happy because, it's an evidence that I'm not blind by loving her for nearly fourteen years" he chuckled "mom has just spent a few times with her and is already webbed in her charisma and charm" he poured another drink and downed it in a go.
"Miss Sasha is a lovable woman."
"Yes she is. Of course the woman I love is a lovable woman beloved by all, why do you think that Craig guy refuse to leave her alone? When I start walking, I'm going to walk to her in his presence and I'm going to kiss her and if he ask? I will tell him 'excuse me, this is my wife'" he chuckled at his own humor.
"It's easier said than done for you boss" Gary rolled his eyes and Michael happened to see it but he didn't care more.
"No it's not, I will do it, you just wait and see when I start walking" Michael swayed left and right, giving Gary a heart attack for his health "I'm going to climb to the roof top of the tallest tower and I'm going to shout it to the world 'I love you Sasha'" he raised his voice and repeated "I love you Sasha."
The people at the restaurant turned to look at his table and Gary smiled at them "my boss is just a little drunk, please don't mind him and don't take any photos" thankfully, this was one of Michael's hotel so Gary ordered the securities to watch out for anyone who wants to secretly take a photo or make a video.
Michael, unaware of the commotion he almost brought kept muttering to himself "by then, that Craig guy can't do anything but leave us alone."
Gary watched him and for a moment he was tempted to video him himself, it's rare to see Michael so vulnerable but at the end, he didn't but he made a vow to himself that he must get something out of his drunkenness, so he asked him "but boss, do you remember when you and Sasha started having fall out?"
"Of course" Michael murmured and sipped from his drink. Gary took the drink from him, if he want answers then Michael has to be a little sober in order to recall what truly happened.
"When?"
"In highschool."
"Can you recall the story?"
"I remember it like it was yesterday."
"Do you think you can tell me?"
Michael raised his head and looked at him "I have never told it to anyone, except for my grandmother. I wrote it to her in my diary like I always do then."
"What if you tell me now? I will be your first living audience. If I can recall, your grandmother died before you knew Sasha."
Michael was silent for a while "give me a drink and I will tell you."
Gary immediately poured another glass for him "here you go" he offered it to him, he is already drunk so no one will blame him for letting his boss get drunk right?
Michael sipped from the glass and sighed "it all started when there was a new girl in school. Well, she is not really new, I have known her since middle school but I was still preoccupied with the loss of my grandmother, my favorite woman, so I never paid any attention to her" he paused "then I noticed her again in high school, she looked so beautiful and always smile to whoever that spoke to her, be it a boy or a girl. As for me, I was a special teenager or so my grandmother used to tell me. I find it difficult to talk to girls no matter how she appeal to me but there have never been a girl who appeal to me like she does.
I was head swooned that first day I took my time to notice her and ever since that day, I couldn't think of any other thing but her. She occupied ever space in my mind and before I knew it, my heart started palpitating whenever she is near and I miss her when I don't see her. I tried talking to her but a lump always grow in my throat when I see her and then she started a new habit of always greeting me when she sees me" he smiled as if reliving those memories.
"Hello, hi and goodbye, the three greetings she gives to me every single day and before I knew it, I started looking forward to it. Everyday she comes to school at seven thirty, so I started going to school at seven twenty five and then I would stand at the school gate, pretending to be waiting for my friend Sean, he was my best friend and he comes to school at seven forty. Everyday I will wait for her to come so that she will say hello and I will nod.
Although I told myself every single time that I will talk to her this time but whenever I see her, my heart beat increases and a giant lump grows in my throat and so all I could do is nod. I leave my class first every time to stand at the cafeteria door so that I will see her and for her to say hi, to which I will smile to her" he licked his lips and smiled.
"When school is over for the day, I will stand at the school gate again, so that she will say goodbye, to which I will wave. This was how it was for the both of us for one good year. The next year, I will be graduating from high school but I told myself I must win her heart, so I started putting flowers in her locker. The first day I put nine red roses but I happened to hear from her that her preference is white, so since then, it became nine white roses with a note. I never send her ten roses and I never send her one hundred roses, that is because, I believed it will only be an even number with me around and since I know that won't be possible soon, I always send her a note, handwritten by me to stand as me.
So therefore, nine roses with a handwritten note, makes it ten. Ninety nine white roses with a handwritten note, makes it a hundred, the notes stands as me while the flowers as  my love. Everyday when she opens her locker to see the roses, she always smile and that always make me happy. Graduation was fast approaching, so I told myself I won't leave highschool without letting her know of how I feel.
I took a whole night to write a love letter for her, I poured out my feelings in words and I handmade an envelope which I decorated with lots of heart emoticons. I folded the letter neatly and put in the envelope, determined to give it to her in school tomorrow but at the end, I couldn't so I went to my best friend Sean and pleaded with him to help me pass it to her. Sean was aware of my feelings for her, he had seen me a lot of times sneakily putting the flowers in her locker so as  my friend, he agreed.
I followed him to her class but stopped at the door and peeked inside, I watched Sean walked up to her with my letter in his hand, my heart was beating really fast at what her reaction would be. She took the letter from Sean with a smile but rather than read it, she looked at him and asked 'you are my secret admirer, aren't you?' My heart beat stopped and I looked at Sean my friend to deny it and point me as the one but rather than do any of those" Michael paused, his eyes teared up and Gary looked at him to continue with eagerness in his eyes.
"Sean nodded and claimed to be her secret admirer, my heart shattered, Sean was my friend, my best friend, so why would he? Just as my mind was thinking on Sean's betrayal, I heard her 'I knew it, with the way you always look at me, here, since you are here, there is no need being secret anymore because I accept. Sean, I will be your girlfriend' the pain I felt in my heart knew no bound, I watched as my best friend kissed the only girl I was so madly in love with.
Unable to endure the pain, I left her class and walked away, I wanted so badly to kill myself, her and Sean. Why didn't she read the letter? Why did she make assumption? What makes her so sure Sean is the one? My mind kept throwing different questions at me and it all boiled down to why she didn't read the letter. Sean returned my letter back to me saying 'sorry dude, but the girl chose me over you' I wanted so badly to punch him but I couldn't, I'm not known as a violent type in school and also, I didn't want her to see me as a bad boy. I left to meet her, to tell her I am her secret admirer, not Sean but when I saw her again, she was introducing Sean to her friends as her boyfriend, she looked so happy and I know I can't ruin her happiness, maybe the person she really love is Sean and not me.
I left and minded my business throughout the rest of the school days and I left the country three weeks after graduation, I didn't even go to prom because I couldn't take seeing them together. That was why I never had any friends again, friends are not trustworthy. It was also the reason I gave you such a hard time that first year you came along. It was my first heartbreak from her and it really killed me, you witnessed the second, third and fourth" Michael sighed and sipped from his drink, he seemed to have become a little sober after talking about his first heartbreak.
Gary was shocked and speechless, he never knew that was how it all began "but Mistress..."
"She never knew of my true feelings for her, even though she had hurt me uncountable times, she had done do indirectly, which is why I said I was wrong, I shouldn't have been angry with her for something she knows nothing about but I was just angry with her for being quick at assuming, she never cools down and let the guy identify himself, she is quick at accepting. Once the guy is from her highschool, she believes he is the one sending her flowers, that was my anger. She never gives me chance to reveal myself, she is so quick at believing that this is the person" Michael frowned as he talked about the root of his anger.
"But boss, have you ever considered the fact that maybe mistress really wants to know her secret admirer which is why she believes anyone that shows interest in her is the person?"
Michael froze, he never considered that fact "would she really?"
"Boss, no woman wouldn't want to know. I have seen the way she looked around anytime she received the flowers. I believe she really wants to know her secret admirer, which is why she accepts any man that comes her way, believing him to be the person."
Michael stared at Gary with a new realization "she might really want to know."