Oh, Sheila!

Chapter One: My Life is Over! 

And now all this time

Is passing by

But I still can’t seem to tell you why

It hurts me every time I see you

Realize how much I need you

I Hate You, I Love You- Gnash ft Olivia O’Brien

I smile. Love is beautiful, I think to myself. Here I was, standing in the first row, as the love of my life said his vows. He finishes with his vows and looks at me, grinning like a Cheshire cat. I grin back as the love of his life says her vows. Yes, the love of my life was getting married to another woman and there I was, the loser, sucking it up in the first row as a bridesmaid for his bride, smiling at the rejection that was stinking right in front of me. Asking how I got here? Read my story.

—–

The rose pink Samsung S8 chirped quietly on the desk right adjacent to a window. A well-manicured hand with pink nail polish picked up the phone and swiped to answer the call.

“Hi Percy, how are you?” A soft-spoken voice answered the call. Her lips, directly proportional to the sound of her voice, puckered into an O.

“Hey Sheila, I’m good, Great actually. How are you too? I did it.” A deep resounding voice replied on the other side of the line.

“Ermm, actually did what? Oh you mean spoke to your boss about the promotion that passed you by.” Sheila asked, tucking a stray strand of her bob styled wig behind her ear. In retrospect, it did her no justice.

“Oh that, I did that three days ago and I got moved to another department that I head now. Thought I told you” Percy’s voice was laden with excitement

Sheila’s face sunk. Percy was her best friend and she told him everything, well not everything that happened in her life. She was a bit sad Percy hadn’t told her about his promotion.

“I would not have asked you then but anyway, congrats! Then, what did you do?” Sheila pried with caution in her voice. She started fidgeting with her highlighter that was on her desk.

“I proposed to Karen.” He answered in a jittery voice

“What are you talking about? When did you do this?” She shot back, in a quivering voice

“I proposed to Karen about……40 minutes ago. Whoa! I’m so excited!”

“But how?” Sheila’s twiddling with her highlighter increased a notch.

“You remember last week, how we listened to some inspirational message about just ‘swinging it’ and you agreed with what the message said? So, I was driving to meet up with Karen today, I thought ‘I’ve been with the love of my life for 3 years. I needed to make it more meaningful.’ So I stopped by the mall, got a sapphire band with an amethyst stone for 250 cedis, called Gordon, met her for lunch and I went down on one knee.”

Sheila’s heart was racing at 100mph. Her best friend of 16 years proposed to his girlfriend and only decided to tell her after the proposal!

“Wait, you had time to call Gordon but not me? Why?”  Sheila probed. She felt betrayed.

“Shey, honestly I thought about calling you, but it was sudden and I couldn’t bother you with Spintex Road traffic.”

Sheila bit her lip. She was angry and hurt at Percy. He still could have texted me a heads up, she thought.

“Karen accepted?”

“Yep, screaming and all.  I’m the happiest man on earth, Shey.” Percy replied, exhilaration dripping in his voice.

Sheila could feel his happiness from the other side of the telephone but on her side, she could only feel a whole set of emotions: jealousy, anger, sadness.

“But don’t you think it’s too soon? You’ve only been with her for three years.” Sheila shrieked into her phone. A head of afro kinky hair peeked from behind the cubicle directly across hers.

“Known her for 5, been with her for 3 and a half. Sheila, I know you worry about me too much but I know you also like Karen. Least you can do is to be happy for your best friend.” Percy cooed on the line.

Sheila scrunched up her nose and slumped in her seat. “I am happy for you, Percy. Congratulations.”

“Thank you! Pass by Jen’s Garden to celebrate with us. I gotta go. Later.” The line clicked.

“Later.” Sheila felt like throwing her phone out of the 8th floor of the 12-story building she was in.

Hanna Banana

Girl, you okay?

Sheila quickly texted back

My life is over!

Hanna Banana

Bathroom now!

Sheila reluctantly picked herself out of her swivel chair and straightened her cobalt blue jacket. She staggered towards the bathroom and as she was about to enter, Hanna joined her.

“Why is your face this long, Sheila?” Hanna said as she followed Sheila into the bathroom, locking it behind them.

Sheila slammed the stainless steel trashcan shut and sat on it, right under the automatic hand dryer machine, bringing the machine to life. Her hair flew in different directions and she let out a little cry. She lifted herself to shift the trashcan further away from the automatic hand dryer and slumped down on it again.

Hanna watched with a confused look. “Sheila, what the hell is wrong with you?” She crossed her arms.

Sheila buried her face in her hands. “Percy proposed.”

“Finally!” Hanna clapped her hands and pumped her fist into the air. “That dumb boy didn’t know what he wanted all these years. I hope—“

“No, no. He proposed to Karen!”

“So why the hell are you crying?” Hanna said coldly.

“Everything I have done for him is now trash. I’ve been there for him through thick and thin. I’ve been his best friend and confidante for a long, long time and he never, ever even noticed me. Hanna, be on my side for once!” Sheila shrieked.

“Sheila, I’m on your side. I’ve been on your side since the Sagrenti War. You shouldn’t be crying! I’m sorry but he’s been dating her for like, what, three years. He’s 28 and he’s got a great job. It was only a matter of time before he dropped the question to her. I tell you, you should start preparing for the wedding.” Hanna said. Sheila responded with a snuffle. Hanna rolled her eyes and snatched a paper towel from the dispenser.

“Sheila, look at me.”

Sheila raised her head to look at Hanna. Hanna’s dark skin and wild Afro mane gave her such an exotic look. Her 5’ 11’’ frame pushed her into part-time modeling for the fashion house they both worked at. Hanna was a free-spirited and feisty creature yet had a cool aura around her. She held Sheila’s face and dabbed at her eyes and nose with the paper towel.

“Which foundation did you use today?” Hanna asked as she run her fingers through Sheila’s hair to tame the flyovers.

“MAC.”

“You see your life. Ruining good makeup over someone who has never seen you the way you have always seen him. Sheila, for ten years I have watched you pine over Percy. You’re so overprotective and over caring—“

“But that’s what best friends do–” Sheila began to argue.

“That’s what lost puppies in love do. Now let me finish. You ruined your own love life because of him, running to him every time he needed you. Sheila, how many times did I tell you he would hurt you? You’re in love with him! He’s been more than a crush to you. You have created your own little perfect fairy-tale with him in your head. You’re supposed to be happy for him, but look at you, crying in the corner of the stupid workplace bathroom.” Hanna squatted to meet Sheila at eye level.  “This is the time to put some space between you and Percy. Else you’ll ruin everything. Your friendship, his engagement, your life.”

Sheila reeled back. Hanna was right. She had let her blinded love and affection for Percy stunt her own personal growth. Percy was her best friend and confidante. Percy was her world.

“Hanna, so what do I do now?” She let out a little whimper.

“Be happy for your best friend. This is not the time to be there for him. Let him have this moment with Karen, even though I have never liked her. Give him space.”

Sheila wrung her hands. “What if he needs help with the wedding and—“

“He. Doesn’t. Need. You. Sheila. He’s got Karen now! Hell, he proposed without telling you his plans! Sheila, snap out of it.” Hanna barked.

Shelia stood up. “Fine, Hanna. I’m fine.  I mean, I’ll be fine. I just need to get my head right.” She waved her hand dismissively.

“So what did Percy say after he dropped the bombed?” Hanna asked.

“He said to pass by Jen’s Garden to celebrate. I don’t even know whether I should go to the party or go home.”

“Go to Jen’s Garden and congratulate them or do not go and look like a pained idiot.” Hanna crossed her lanky arms. “Your choice. And I’m coming along, whether you like it or yes.”

“Fine, we’re going then.” Sheila straightened her grey silk A-line skirt and took in a deep breath, slowly exhaling. She puckered her lips as she stood in front of the mirror. Hanna snickered and started for the door.

“Coming?” Hanna asked.

“Yeah, just go ahead. I’ll be out in a minute.” Sheila gave a small smile.

Hanna pushed the door open and left the bathroom. Her flower-scented perfume lingered in the air for a few seconds. Shelia placed her hand on the sink and leaned forward with her head hung low. Realization washed over her like a cold wave. She was deep in Percy’s friend zone. She had failed to see their relationship as it was and allowed it to take precedence over the other important aspects of her life. Her common-sense fled away from her every time she was with Percy.

Nana Dwomoh broke up with her because “she was blinded by her ludicrous ardor for Percy.” Nana Dwomoh. She smiled. His quirky nerdy self. She loved him especially for his unconscious use of huge vocabulary.  That was three years ago, and he was right. Now he was clearly moving on and leaving her hanging. Sheila sighed and proceeded to leave the bathroom. She passed by Hanna’s desk and Hanna gave her a thumbs up. She was lost in thought.

“Thank God you didn’t drive to work today. Didn’t really feel like identifying a body at the mortuary tonight.” Hanna folded her lips as she made a right turn onto a road.

“Be quiet, Hanna.” Sheila murmured, biting her lower lip. Her silk skirt on the shiny leather seat of Hanna’s 2012 Toyota Yaris made it impossible for her to sit still with every bump and curve along the way. Her mind was racing with all the possible emotions she could exude at the party. Should she smile and be the happy best friend or act like the friend left in the dark?

“I know there are a lot of things going through your head now, Shey, but you have to remember he only sees you as his closest friend and nothing more and you have to act as such. If you don’t plaster a smile on your face tonight, Karen’s gonna know something is up.” Hanna said.

“I know. I know what to do.” Sheila crossed her arms.