Jordyn debated whether or not to go and see Conrad. She hadn’t seen him in weeks and she wanted to know why. Was it because of Trey? Did he still have a hang up about seeing his nephew’s ex-girlfriend? How long was he going to felt guilty about it? Trey and she had broken up a long time ago and now he was dating another girl from Yale. That meant, she, Jordyn was free to date whomever she pleased. And she wanted to date his uncle, Conrad whom she met for the first time at one of Trey’s family barbecues. She was instantly attracted to the older man but she tried to keep it under wraps because of Trey.
Conrad and she hadn’t planned to see each other while she was still dating Trey but they bumped into each other a couple of times. They saw no harm in going for lunch or to dinner or to the movies or for a walk in the park or for daytrips outside of Connecticut. Then, he started taking her to his apartment in Middletown. One thing led to another and soon they were sleeping together. It wasn’t long before she realized that she was in love with him and wanted to be with him, but first, she had to break up with Trey.
One Friday afternoon as Trey and she were walking to New Haven State Street Amtrak Station after leaving Yale campus, she said to him, “Trey, you’re a great guy and we’ve had some great times together but…I think we would be better off as friends than as a couple.”
“It’s funny that you should say that because for the longest time I’ve been feeling the same way too.”
“So, you agree that we should be just friends and that it’s okay for us to date other people?”
“Yes.”
They hugged each other and it seemed as if a heavy weight had been lifted off both of them. After they parted company, she went straight to Conrad’s apartment and told him that Trey and she had broken up. “We decided that we’re better off as friends. Now, we’re free to date other people. I’m free to date you.”
“Did you tell him about us?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“I wanted to but I wasn’t sure that it would have been a good idea at the time. Besides, I didn’t want to tell him about us before speaking to you first.”
Conrad had agreed that it wouldn’t have been a good idea to tell Trey about them but he never seemed to think that any time was a good time to tell him. And when she talked about going to family get togethers as a couple, he told her that it would be better if they went separately. So, they continued to see each other in the sly. It bothered her that they acted like they were acquaintances in front of Trey, his family and friends when in secret, they were lovers. Then, she started seeing him less frequently until it had been weeks now since the last time they saw each other and she wanted to know why.
Resolutely, she took a taxi because she wanted to get there as fast as possible. She arrived twenty minutes later outside of his apartment building. After paying the fare, she paused for a moment, her heart pounding before she walked towards the entrance. She rode the elevator up to the seventh floor. Taking a deep breath, she rang the doorbell and waited.
The door opened and she was staring up into Conrad’s face. How she wanted badly to throw her arms around his waist and hug him tightly. “Hello, Conrad,” she said in a low voice.
“Hello, Jordyn.”
“I had to see you. May I come in?”
“Yes.” He opened the door wider and moved aside so that she could go in. After closing it, he faced her. “You said you had to see me?”
“Yes. I want to know why we haven’t spoken or seen each other for weeks.”
“I’ve been very busy.”
“You’ve never been too busy for me before. What has changed? Are you seeing another woman?”
“No, I’m not.”
“Have you lost interest in me?”
“No.”
“Then, why have you been avoiding me?”
“Is it really over between Trey and you?”
“Yes! It was over between him and me the moment I first met you, Conrad. We both agreed that we’re better off as friends. He’s dating another girl at Yale.”
“I’m not sure how he’s going to react when he finds out that you and I’ve been seeing each other, even while you and he were dating.”
“He doesn’t have to know that we were seeing each other behind his back. We could tell him that we became involved after he and I broke up.”
“No. I don’t want to lie to him. I would rather he knew the truth and possibly hate me for it than to lie to him.”
“I guess you’re right. He will probably not want to be friends with me anymore.”
“Do you want me to tell him or do you want to tell him?”
“Why don’t we tell him together?”
“All right.”
“And after we tell him about us, what then?”
“Do you still want to be with me?”
Jordyn rushed up to him and threw her arms around his waist, pressing against him. “Of course, I still want to be with you!”
Conrad reached up and grabbing a fistful of her braids, he tugged her head back so that she was staring wide-eyed up at him. “Good, because I still want to be with you,” he muttered before he kissed her.
They exchanged passionate kisses until she broke off to declare, “I love you, Conrad.”
“And I love you, Jordyn,” he groaned before he swept her off her feet and carried her to his bedroom.
Notes to Women 