“You have no time for me, Zaila. I’m sick of it.”
Zaila toyed with the single-row, diamond-encrusted, platinum bangle on her left wrist. It was the most expensive thing she had ever bought herself. It had cost her $3,800 at Tiffany’s. She had treated herself after signing a lucrative endorsement deal with a company that made energy drinks and protein bars, two years ago after her spectacular bronze medal win at the Tokyo Olympics. She was only the second Jamaican swimmer to make it to an Olympic final, and the first to make it onto the podium.
It was true. But when he did see her, all he did lately was whine. She was sick of it too. She trained too hard and competed too much to spend the little free time she had arguing about not spending enough time with Mars. She wasn’t sure if she loved him because he was
the only real boyfriend she had ever had, or if she simply loved him. Either way, something
shifted inside her just now. That love, whatever it was predicated on, was not enough to save
this.
“You’re right,” she replied, leaning back with a look of relief, like their five-year relationship had been a burden she had just released. That startled her. She had always thought that she was happy, and that one day she would get married to Mars, and start a family. Yet here she was, ready to just end things because he was complaining about not getting to spend enough time with her. It didn’t make sense, but it felt right. “You deserve better. I need to focus on my career even more now. COVID showed us how quickly things can change.”
Mars couldn’t believe what he was hearing. It was not the first time he had raised the
issue, but it was the first time he had spoken so strongly about it. He truly was sick of not
being able to see her at least a couple of times a week. She needed to learn how to balance her personal and professional life.
“What? My feelings don’t matter? The relationship doesn’t matter? You’re really feeling yourself, Zaila. From you won that medal, you think you’re above everyone an everything.”
“I’m going to lose my mind if I hear you whine one more time. So I’d rather lose you. It’s ok if things have run their course. There doesn’t need to be any animosity or bad blood.”
She refused to address his dig about her feeling herself since she won the medal. She had not changed. It had merely inspired her to go even harder. If she could win a bronze on the world stage, she could also win gold or silver. She simply had to believe and apply herself. She had the talent and she had training. She could be one of the best, ever. She would never forgive herself if she didn’t give her career her all.
Mars leaned back in his chair, a bewildered expression on his face. Who was this woman in front of him? He really thought Zaila loved him and wanted a future with him. But that could never be the case if she was so ready to end things. She wasn’t even emotional about it.
Something was off.
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