CHARLENE'S DILEMMA

" He must give me some explanations today! When and how did all of these happen? When? Why am I so unlucky with relationships? First, it was Ramsey; now it's Keller; there's no way I'll let another woman take my man away from me the second time, never! I must stand up for myself this time." Charlene said to herself firmly, walking towards the door.

She was in Keller's house; she opened the door with the spare key and slammed the door aggressively; the sound of it could deafen ears.

" Where's he, where is he?" she asked furiously.

" He must be in his room." She said to herself and hurriedly climbed the stairs, and headed to Keller's room.

" Keller! Keller!! Keller!!!" Charlene called furiously as she stormed into Keller's room.

" Charlene, what's the problem?" Keller asked, jumping off his bed.

" You cheating bastard!" Charlene said aggressively and she slapped him hard.

" What... ... did... ... I... ... do." Keller stuttered, holding his cheek

" Are you seriously asking me that? Keller, how dare you ask what the problem is when you know what you've done? How dare you?" Charlene yelled.

" I don't know what you're talking about, Charlene. What have I done?" He asked, still holding his face.

" You cheating idiot! I trusted with my whole being, I trusted you, Keller! How dare you stoop so low by sleeping with my cousin? My cousin, Keller!." She yelled.

" Fuck! Charlene believed me, it was just a one-night stand; it was a silly night of drunkenness. I never planned it; I was vulnerable and...... and.......and ... ... I can't even wrap my head around what happened that night. I'm so sorry, Charlene, you know I'll never disrespect you; Scarlett and I were drunk that night, and it happened." Keller explained, almost tearing up.

" One silly night of drunkenness? Just so you know that silly night of drunkenness that is about to make a baby." Charlene said, furiously.

" What! What do you mean?" He asked, with his eyes wide open.

" Scarlett is pregnant!" Charlene yelled.

" No, it can't be!" He said, shaking his head in disbelief.

" You had sex with her, didn't you? She's pregnant!" She yelled and tears began to roll down her cheeks.

" No, no, no, this can't be possible; why is everything happening all at once? No, this shouldn't be happening now, not now!" Keller yelled, hitting his hands on the study table, really hard.

" She's pregnant! What are you going to do about it because there's no way I'll marry a man who has a child with my cousin, that's disrespectful to me!" She yelled, sobbed.

" Charlene, please calm down. I know I've you and I take accountability for my actions, but please take it easy on yourself. Please!" He pleaded, trying to hold her but she pushed him away.

" Don't tell me to calm down! You impregnated my cousin and I expect to be calm about it? Are you reasoning at all? Would you be calm if you were in my shoes? Answer me, would you?" She said tearfully.

There was silence in the room for some minutes, Charlene and Keller kept looking into each other's eyes without saying a word. Charlene sat on the bed, she was so angry.

" Charlene, you know I would never hurt you, right? I was vulnerable that night, I didn't know how it happened." He said, kneeling before her.

" Don't tell me that! Don't even dare! You were vulnerable, and the only thing you could do was have sex with your secretary. How am I even sure that you've not always had your eyes on her? You should have come out clean as the player that you are instead of pretending to be a gentleman." Charlene said angrily.

" Charlene, I never liked Scarlett in that kind of way. Yes, she's my secretary and I like her for her diligence, that's all. How can I be hitting on my employees? You know that's unprofessional, I can never do that." Keller said.

" Am I not also your employee? Ain't we dating? So, what are you saying?" Charlene asked as she stood up from the bed.

" You're different Charlene!" He yelled.

" Don't dare yell at him! I'm the one hurt here, not you!" Charlene yelled, sobbing.

" And you think I'm not hurt too? Do you even know what made me vulnerable that led to this problem on the ground? Do you know how I've been trying to fight my demons lately? Do you?" Keller said, almost tearing up.

" I don't care! You didn't deem it fit to share your problems with me, so why should I care?" Charlene asked, looking into his eyes.

" There's more to this issue on the ground than you think; you don't even know what I'm going through. I'm at the darkest moments of my life, I've never been this shattered before in my life. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the issue I have before me, here I am, facing another problem. A problem that the mess on the ground caused, because if I wasn't drunk at night, all of these wouldn't have happened." Keller said sadly.

" What's the problem, Keller? Is there something you're not telling me? Talk to me, Keller. What's going on?" Charlene asked softly.

" It's hard to say, I don't even know where to start from. Charlene, this isn't the right time to say it, you're not in the right frame of mind." Keller said, holding her by the arms.

" Talk to me! I need answers to my questions! I don't want to be in the dark anymore, I want to know everything that's going on. First, you impregnated my cousin; now you're saying that there's more issue on the ground. Keller, tell me what the issue is before I receive the biggest shock of my life again because I can't deal with one more shock after all that's happening." Charlene asked tearfully.

" Charlene, we can't do this now. Not now, please. Scarlett hasn't called me, she hasn't told me about the pregnancy. How did you find out?" Keller asked, looking frustrated.

" Are you seriously asking me that? Should that even be a question? I should tell you how I found out she's pregnant for you. Fine, I found that this morning when I followed her to the hospital to run some tests, because she hasn't been feeling too well lately. The test results diagnosed she was six weeks pregnant. Six f**king weeks and you never for once opened up to me." Charlene said, hitting him in the chest.

" Damn! I'm sorry Charlene, I'm truly... ... ... ... ... ..."

" Keller! Keller!! Where are you?" A feminine voice interrupted Keller from the living room downstairs.

" Who could that be?" They chorused, looking at each other

" Who's that?" Charlene asked firmly.

" That's my mum's voice," Keller answered softly.

" What! Oh no, this isn't the right time, but it's fine, let's go meet her." Charlene said, wiping her tears.

" No, no, no, you can't see her, please not today, it will worsen the situation on the ground. Please stay back here while I go see her." He said holding her hands.

" Take your filthy hands off me! So you don't want me to meet your mum, because someone else is carrying your child?" She asked as tears rolled down her cheeks.

" No, it's not what you think. There's no way I can explain it to you in this state and you won't take it likely. Charlene, please calm down." Keller said calmly in tears.

" Don't tell me... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ..."

" What's going on here? Who's she?" Laura( Keller'mum) asked as she walked into the room, looking confused.

" Mom, she's my... ...my... ... girlfriend, the lady I told you about." Keller stuttered.

" She's what? So this is the peasant you wanted to bring home?" Laura asked, looking at Charlene with contempt.

" Mum!" Keller called angrily.

" Don't call me, so you wanted to bring a low life home?" Laura asked angrily.

" Mum, she's human and she's the one I love," Keller said.

" Love? Did I just hear you say love? Love isn't enough, son; thank Goodness, your father and I already made the right decision for you when you were young. Is this how you would have brought shame to us? Do you want to settle down with a peasant? Young lady, who are your parents?" Laura said, facing Charlene.

" Mum, stop it!" Keller yelled.

" Don't tell me to stop, if you were to bring her home, won't your father and I ask questions?" Laura yelled back.

" Mum, please let's not do this right now. She has already gone through a lot today, please don't add to her stress." Keller said angrily.

" It's fine, I will answer her. My parents are late." Charlene said tearfully to Laura.

" Oh! Sorry about that. So, tell me what company or properties did they leave behind you?" Laura asked, looking at her with contempt.

" Mum!" Keller called.

" Shut up!" Laura yelled at him.

" None ma, I was left with nothing," Charlene said in tears.

" You see! Is this the kind of woman you want for yourself? A woman of no value? A woman who will forever be a liability to you? A woman who... ... ... ... ..."

" Enough! I knew all of that yet I chose her. She's the one I want mum, but I don't know why you and dad keep forcing me to do what Is against my wish." Keller interrupted Laura.

" Does she even know that you're betrothed to someone?" Laura asked firmly.

" What! Keller, you're betrothed?" Charlene asked with her eyes wide open.

" Wow! So, you never told her? Well, I'm sure you've been deceiving all this while because you know there was no way you would end up with another woman apart from Cherry." Laura said.

" Cherry? So, you're betrothed to Cherry and you never told me?" Charlene asked tearfully.

" Charlene, I'm sorry that I hid everything from you. I thought I could dodge my parents' plans for me, but I never knew there was no way out of it other than going with the plans. I'm deeply sorry, Charlene." He apologized.

" You're sorry? Is sorry going to change anything? First, you impregnated my cousin and now I'm just finding out you're betrothed to Cherry. Cherry, of all people, I thought we were friends; why didn't she tell me?" Charlene asked, looking surprised.

She fell on her knees and began to cry profusely, she was so devastated.

" Wait a minute, what did I just hear? Did you impregnate some lady? When, how did it happen?" Laura asked angrily, dropping her handbag on the bed.

" Charlene, please I'm sorry. I'm sorry for hurting you this bad, I'm sorry. Please forgive me." Keller pleaded, ignoring Laura.

" I'm talking to you, Keller!" Laura yelled.

" Mum, leave me alone! You and Dad caused all of these; if you both hadn't pushed me to depression, I wouldn't have been so drunk to the extent of having sex with my secretary; it wouldn't have happened!" Keller yelled.

" What! Did you impregnate Scarlett? How could you, how could you be so shameless? You had sex with an employee, have you forgotten the rules of the company? You broke the rules, Keller, it was unprofessional." Laura said furiously.

" Mum, that isn't the problem right now, Scarlett is pregnant, I have a girlfriend that I love so much, and there's Cherry that I'm betrothed to. What's going to happen now?" Keller asked, looking frustrated.

" Don't involve me in your mess, you dragged yourself into this, so clean the mess. Your father and I never asked you to have sex with your secretary, and we didn't know you've been deceiving a lady all this while when you know vividly that you can never marry her because you're betrothed to someone else." Laura said firmly.

" Mum, I never wished to be betrothed; you and Dad did that when I was young. I love Charlene so much mum, I'm not deceiving her. She's the one my heart wants, and not Scarlett or Cherry." Keller said.

" You love me, yet you had sex with my cousin; you love me, yet you hid important information from me. Never did you for once tell me that you're betrothed to Cherry, and I never knew or suspected anything. I was working as your assistant in the same company as you and Cherry; Cherry is also my friend, yet I was in the dark. Lord, why am I so unlucky? First, it was my baby's father, now it's you. I hate you, Keller!" Charlene yelled.

" What! You're a single mother? Oh Lord, what has this boy gotten himself into? You wanted a date with a low life, but you still went ahead and chose a single mom? What has come over you, Keller?" Laura asked angrily.

" Mum, she's the one I want. Yes, she's a single mom and I'm ok with it. It's none of your business, mum." Keller said, looking away.

" How dare you?" Laura said and slapped him.

" Mum!" Keller called aggressively, holding his cheeks.

" And I'll slap you all over again; it's my business because you're my son, my only child. You don't expect me to sit and fold my hands and watch you go astray. Never, it's not happening!" Laura yelled.

" Mum, it's my life. You can't decide for me. I know what I want and I'll go for it." Keller said firmly.

" Really? Ok then, tell me, what you're going to do in this situation.?You have a pregnant mistress, a lady who you claim to be in love with, and a reputable and classy lady you're betrothed to. Who are you going to choose?" Laura asked, looking into his eyes.

Keller couldn't say anything, he was confused. He sat on the bed and kept looking in a direction absentmindedly.

" I thought as much, you confused me!" Laura said, rolling her eyes.

" Wow! So, you're not going to say anything? You know what? I'm done here. Enjoy your life!" Charlene yelled.

She stood up from the ground, picked up her phone and began to walk towards the door;

" Oh! You thought he was going to choose you? You're dumber than I thought." Laura said, looking away.

" I didn't expect him to choose me in the first place, because it's obvious he never genuinely loved me like he always claimed and... ... ... ... ... ..."

Suddenly, the door pushed open.

A lady in a pink floral dress walked in, majestically. It was Cherry.

" What's going on here?" She said, looking around.

" Nothing, please excuse me," Charlene said nothing as she tried to leave.

" Not so fast, Charlene, what's the problem? Why are your eyes swollen? Did your boss do something wrong to you? Keller, what did you do to her?" Cherry asked, looking worried as she stood in Charlene's way.

" Cherry, so you know they're dating?" Laura asked, looking surprised.

" Dating? No, they're not dating.............or...........what's going on here? Charlene, are you and Keller dating?" Cherry asked, looking astonished.

" Yes! We're dating, we've been dating for six months now." Charlene said at the top of her voice.

" And you never told me?" Cherry asked, looking at both Keller and Charlene.

" Same way you never told me, you were betrothed to Keller," Charlene said angrily.

" And how am I supposed to share such information with you? It's my personal life, and besides, I'm your boss; you don't expect me to share my issues with you; it causes disrespect, and I don't want that." Cherry said firmly.

" I thought we were friends?" Charlene asked as tears rolled down her cheeks.

" Friends? Is that what you say to yourself or assume in your head? No, I can't be friends with my employees. Yes, I know we were close back then in high school, but that was years ago; things have changed, and we're no longer on the same level. You're beneath me, Charlene; how do you expect a high-class lady like me to be friends with a P.A. No, it's not done that way, familiarity brings disrespect, you know? So, I will never be too close to my employee no matter who the person is or was to me, ok?" Cherry explained.

" Wow! So, I've been friends with myself all this while? It's fine, please leave my way, I want to leave." Charlene said.

" You haven't told me why you're crying," Cherry said with a straight face.

" Why don't you ask your man?" Charlene replied firmly.

" I saw him here before I asked you. I want an answer from you!" Cherry yelled.

" Cherry, stop it!" Keller yelled.

" Don't tell me to stop. You're so unbelievable, so you were dating her all this while and I never knew. Did you even tell us that we're betrothed?" Cherry asked, walking towards him.

" And why should I tell her? I never wanted to be with you. I don't like you; you're not the kind of woman I want to spend my forever with; my parents were the ones who made this stupid decision, not me." Keller said furiously.

" Really? News flash, you're stuck with me. So I'm not your type of woman but your P. A is? Can you hear yourself speak? So, you'll choose a nitwit over me?" Cherry asked.

" Yes, I will choose her over and over again. Yes, she's not as classy and rich as you but she's ten times the lady you'll ever be, you... ... ... ... ... ... ..."

" Enough of these, you two. Let's sit and think of a way to solve this problem; arguing can't bring a solution to the problem on the ground." Laura interrupted Keller.

" But the problem has been solved already, Mrs. Luther. She was about to leave in tears when I walked in, I'm sure you must have put her in her place." Cherry said, looking at Charlene.

Charlene burst into laughter and said:

" So you think that was the reason why I was leaving? If only you know that... ... ... ... ... ..."

" Enough! Now leave!" Laura interrupted her.

" Mrs. Luther, let her speak," Cherry said softly.

" No, let her leave. She has no business here anymore." Laura said to her.

" Is there something you're trying to hide from me?" Cherry said, walking towards Laura.

" What could I be hiding from you?" Laura denied it, looking at Charlene.

" And why are you looking at me? Why don't you tell her the truth?" Charlene said, rolling her eyes.

" What's going on?" Cherry yelled.

" Scarlett is pregnant," Charlene said firmly.

" Pregnant? For who? How is that issue on the ground?" Cherry asked, looking confused.

" Wow! I never knew you to be dumb. Well, it might interest you to know, she's pregnant with Keller's child." Charlene replied.

" What! No, that's not possible. Keller, tell me, she's lying." Charlene said, walking towards Keller.

" I wish it wasn't true too, myself," Keller said, smacking his head.

" So you've been having sex with your employees?" Cherry asked furiously.

" No, it was just one silly night of drunkenness. I have never hit on any of my employees." Keller said

" Liar! You've never hit on any of your employees, yet you're dating your P.A.!" Charlene yelled.

" She's different. I've always had a crush on her right from when we were in high school, and you know it." Keller said.

" So? How was I supposed to know that you still have feelings for her after several years? Now, you've impregnated your secretary, who is also her cousin; ain't you got no shame?" Cherry said.

" Don't judge me! I was vulnerable that night." Keller said angrily.

" You were vulnerable and the only thing you could think of was having sex with your secretary?" Cherry asked furiously, jamming her feet on the ground.

" Stop it, Cherry!" Keller yelled.

" Don't tell me to stop it, you cheated on me with your P. A and also impregnated your secretary, and you expect me to take it easy on you?" Cherry asked aggressively.

" Cheat? The only person I cheated on here is Charlene. You and I never dated." Keller said firmly, hitting the wall.

" We're betrothed!" Cherry yelled.

" Our parents betrothed us, I never wished for this," Keller said.

" And was I the one who wished for it? I found myself in this shit, just like you found yourself." Cherry said, almost tearing up.

" Cherry, please calm down," Laura said softly.

" Don't tell me to calm down Mrs. Luther!" Cherry yelled.

" You know what? I'm done here!" Charlene said tearfully and stormed out of the room.

As she was walking down the stairs, she began to have flashbacks of how she got to meet Keller.