"Two girls are in love with me, Charles," I said without preamble immediately I landed on the leather sofa in my best friend's office. It was a tastefully furnished office, with a 42-inch plasma TV, a tall fridge, and a priceless painting on the wall behind him. His desk was meticulously arranged, a testament to the perfectionist that Charles was. He was sitting on the sofa with me, sipping a glass of wine, and calmly looking at me as if I'd commented on the weather.

"Can you imagine that? Me of all people? With all the flaws I'm sporting like huge tentacles," I continued, his gaze making me uncomfortable. He had that ability to make you say more than you wanted to say, he just had to fix you with his cat eyes and your mouth would become loose. Maybe that was the reason I do not go to him for confessions.

"And which two girls this time, Okey?" he asked in his pastoral tone. In situations like this, I usually found it hard to know which part of him I was talking to: the Catholic priest or the best friend I've known for thirteen years.

"My ex-girlfriend, Nkechi and my current girlfriend, Lucy. Both of them are in love with me," I answered. Again, my mouth offered additional information. "But I'm in love with Lucy, although I care very much about Nkechi too."

"Of course," he commented. "Given the way you and Nkechi broke up, I'm not surprised that you're still in love with her and—"

"I'm no longer in love with Nkechi, Charles! I just care—"

"—and I am not surprised that she still loves you. You both were wonderful together," he concluded as if I did not cut him off.

I glared at him, willing myself to calm down and not say what I wanted to say. It was not that he would be hurt by whatever I said, no it was because I would later regret it. As for Charles, he had gotten to the point where nothing anyone said could get to him. It was an uncanny ability I've always wanted to develop.

"You know I'm saying the truth. What you should be worried about is how you would handle this situation so that you do not hurt anyone," Charles said, crossing his right leg over the left.

"The last time I checked, it was Nkechi who hurt me. She literally threw everything we had and shared to the dust. And now I have to consider her feelings? What about mine?"

"Okey, if you weren't bothered about her feelings, you would not be here talking about them. What do you want to do?"

I stared at the painting behind his desk. It was a painting of the crucifixion. As I fixed my attention on the man who loved so much that he had to die for that same love, I felt a sort of kinship with him; I perfectly understood what loving someone to the point of wanting to die meant. Though in my case I'd wanted to die because my ex girlfriend had broken up with me.

That day we'd spent a wonderful evening together, talking, laughing and making love. After she dressed up, in the chilliest voice I've ever heard, she said, "I'm sorry, Okey, I don't want to do this anymore. I don't think this is what I want."

I was shocked, my mouth was open, becoming a temptation for the adventurous fly. I asked her for a reason, but she kept deflecting the question, saying that the problem was from her and not me. When she wanted to leave, I held her hand, telling her that I loved her, and that I couldn't live without her.

"I thought you said you loved me?" I asked, trying hard not to cry.

"I just found out that I did not. I merely had pity for you because your mother died, and I got it confused with love. I love the idea of falling in love with you, but I don't love you. I'm really sorry."

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https://www.thezenpens.com/2020/03/17/three-hearts-one-valve/