Page 6 of Owen's Heart

OWEN

The next morning, I gulp down a cup of black coffee as I stand on the balcony taking in the clear blue sky and inhaling the smell of the ranch. Curing hay, mixed with the rich turned soil, and the manure from the cattle and horses and the longleaf pine's scent in plentiful supply, permeate my nostrils. This is undoubtedly heaven on God's green earth. There is only one thing missing.

The image of Rania enters my mind. She is more beautiful than she was years ago, and that's saying a lot since she is the most beautiful woman that I've ever had the pleasure of loving. I wanted to feast on her presence yesterday when I saw her, but I could tell Rania wanted nothing to do with me. Rania is just as feisty as ever, but I promise myself I won't let her run away from me like she did all those years ago because of a blatant misunderstanding and a bald-faced lie.

Damn Chantel and her conniving ways. Her lie caused me the only woman I ever loved. The only woman I could ever love. Other women have paled in comparison to Rania over the years.

“Hey, little bro.” Lance walks out onto the balcony with a cup of coffee in hand. “You look like you’re in deep thought there. What’s up?”

“Rania is back in town. I saw her yesterday at her aunt’s café. She’s working there now to help Mildred out.”

“Whew!” My brother lets loose a long breath as he walks up to the railing and leans his hip against it. “How did you feel about seeing her after so long a time?”

“I’m not gonna lie, bro. It felt damn good. My heart threatened to slam out of my chest at the sight of her. When I talked to Mildred, she didn’t even let on that Rania was back in town. I wanted to grab her and bring her back to the ranch. I wanted to haul her up to my bedroom and never let her go.”

My brother chuckles. “Hold your horse’s bro. If I know anything about women and you do too, it’s not going to be that easy to get Rania into your bed. Patience wins the race, bro.”

“Yeah, I know, but I used all my patience years ago getting her into my bed. I had her in my arms one damn time, Lance, and then all of it went up in smoke. All because Rania didn’t trust my love for her. How could she think I would ever make love to someone else. She was it for me.”

“Owen, you two were young back then, and Rania was even younger. What was she when you two broke up, nineteen or twenty? Girls that age don’t have their emotions under control and usually make rash decisions.”

I shrug my shoulder at the thought of Rania back then. “Rania wasn’t like other girls her age when we were in university. She was smart, independent, and mature. When the rest of us wanted to party, Rania was busy with her head in a book or working at the bookstore. I admired how focused she was. When she broke up with me right before my graduation, I was shocked to learn how insecure she had been in our relationship.”

“But didn’t you tell me how Chantel was always flirting with you? Plus the countless of other girls around campus? Sooner or later, you had to know that would get to any woman. Did you at least set boundaries when it came to Chantel?” my brother asked.

“Chantel or any other girl didn’t mean anything to me. I only saw Rania, and it didn’t matter what any other of them tried; my loyalty was to Rania. Man, she broke my fucking heart when she left me!”

“Alright, I get what you’re saying, Owen. Calm down. I’m on your side. I’ll always be on your side.”

I nod at Lance and take in a deep calming breath, but my mind can’t help but go back to the day Rania made my life explode to shit.

“Hey babe, I have less than two hours before graduation. I’m coming by early to pick you up because I want my girl front and center,” I say to Rania over my cell phone.

“I’m not coming to your graduation. Owen, how could you do something like that to me?”

I frown, tilting my head to the side as worry lines furrow the space between my brows. “What are you talking about? What’s wrong, sweetheart?”

“Don’t you sweetheart me! Don’t ever call me sweetheart again. You got that Owen Levi Clemonte!”

“Hey, calm down. I’m coming—”

“I know you had Chantel in your dorm room last night. I saw the two of you making out. Her friend Jasmine sent me the pictures. How the hell could you do that to us, Owen? Chantel of all the girls on campus. You knew how much I detested her. I will never forgive you for this. Do you hear me?” Rania shouts so loud I had to pull the phone away from my ear.

Fuck! I didn’t even know that someone took a picture of Chantel when she caught me off guard and kissed me. It’s true that I shouldn’t have had her in my dorm room in the first place, but it was nothing more than us sitting around drinking and having a good time before graduation. I had invited Rania to hang with us, but she wanted to cram for an accounting certification exam coming up in less than a week. I understood and didn’t push her to come… Now I wished I did.

“Rania, I’m coming over to explain. I promise you it’s not what it looks like. I swear to you.”

“Go to hell, Owen. I don’t believe anything you say. I won’t trust anything you say again!”

“Fuck! Listen to me.” I rush out of my dorm, all the while trying to convince her that nothing happened. “Baby, I’ll explain everything to you when I arrive at your dorm. I need to talk to you face to face. Okay, sweetheart?”

“I said, don’t call me that. Besides, I’m not in my dorm room because I knew you would rush over here to try to get out of your lies. I always knew you wanted that girl. Why else would you allow her to hang all over you? I hate you, Owen, and I hate Chantel even more!”

“Baby, please don’t do this to us.” I run across campus, trying to get to Rania as fast as I can. We aren’t going out like this. I am not about to lose the best thing that ever happened to me over such a misunderstanding. I swear, as God is my witness, I would never cheat on Rania. I can’t even get hard for any girl besides her. She just has to believe me.

“Let me in, Rania!” My fist raps incessantly against the wooden door. I knock so hard I can feel the door rattle against its frame.

The door swings open.

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