The Girl in Purple Heels Part 2

If you missed Part 1 of this story, you can click here and read it before reading this part.

The Girl in Purple Heels Part 2  

I didn't usually approach girls this way. Most of the time when I saw a girl I liked, I normally watched her from a distance for a few weeks. Then I would pray and ask God for direction. If I felt peace then I would approach the girl. But something was different about this girl and I didn't think I could wait several weeks before talking to her.

"Excuse me, hi..." I said flashing what I presumed to be my most charming smile.

"Hi," she replied eyeing me with interest.

"I'm Solomon," I said extending my hand.

"I'm Lylah."

"Nice name. So I haven't seen you around, are you new in church?"

"I've been coming for about three weeks now."

"Oh ok, so I guess you don't know a lot of people around. They're some nice girls in church, I can introduce you to some of them so that you have other sisters to talk to about makeup and handbags and all the other important things you girls talk about."

Lylah smiled. Good, now if only I can get her number. Don’t ask for her number or you'll seem desperate, my brain told me but I ignored it.

"Listen it’s been nice meeting you but I have to go, I'm helping my aunt to host a Christening Ceremony and I'm already late as it is. Thanks for the chat."

"You're welcome, but why don't you give me your number and maybe I can call you sometime and let you know what events are going on in church."

"Thanks but isn't that what the church announcements are for?"

"Well yeahhh but..."

"Sorry like I said I have to rush off. Maybe I'll see you next week."

And with that she was gone....

I stared after her until she was nothing more than a speck in the distance.

I didn't know what to make of our conversation. She had seemed interested yet aloof. Probably trying to play a bit hard to get. Well the hunter in me always liked a good challenge. This was going to be an interesting quest.

As I walked back towards the church, I saw Isaac and a few other guys walking out of the door. Isaac left the group and ambled towards me.

"There you are, I was wondering where you had disappeared to. Who was that chic I saw you chasing after?"

"Oh that’s Lylah, she's new."

"She looks nice."

"Yeah I think she is."

"Man you look like you're whooped; you're grinning like a Cheshire cat."

"Don't be silly. I barely know her."

"Yes but you want to, I can see it in your eyes."

"Whatever man."

"I thought you would go after Molly."

"Molly? She's just a good friend."

"Yes, but everyone knows she's got a thing for you and I think she's a great girl. She loves God, she's pretty, intelligent and gets along with everyone. Besides you guys have been good friends for ages, what more could you want bro?"

"She's alright, but she's like a little sister to me."

"Man, if Molly was into me, I wouldn't waste any time with anyone else."

"Then maybe you should go after her."

"I would but it seems like she's only got eyes for you."

As I drove home that afternoon I thought about what Isaac had said. Molly was a cool chic but I just didn't see her that way. I was sure that Lylah was the one. 

I just had a feeling.

Over the next few weeks, things started happening fast. Firstly Lylah and I bumped into each other the following Sunday and we started chatting again. She told me she was from St Vincent and she worked as a Marketing Executive for a small company in South East London. Being a Marketing Manager for British Gas myself I thought it was great that we were in the same field. She finally gave me her number and I started calling her. As we talked and got to know each other, we found out that we both liked the same music, Tonex and Deitrick Haddon to be precise. To top it off we both loved chicken and we were both Nando’s fans. It was as if it was confirmation that we were meant to be. So you can imagine how delighted I was when I asked her out to lunch and she immediately said yes. I almost did cartwheels in my work place. I almost didn't care what my colleagues thought, I was on the way to getting the heart of my dream girl.

I took her out to a posh Italian restaurant in Canary Wharf. When I got there I hoped I would impress her with my Ralph Lauren shirt, Calvin Klein slacks and my neatly trimmed hair.

"You look great," she said as she gave me a big hug.

"Thanks, and you look stunning," I responded admiring her skinny jeans and green halter neck top.

We sat down and ordered. We both ordered a Pasta and Salmon dish and J20.Orange.

“It’s amazing how we both like so many of the same things.”

“I know. Funny isn’t it?”

“Well just as long as you don’t start wearing the same perfume as me, that’s fine,” she said laughing.

“No way, ladies fragrances are not my thing.”

The afternoon went pretty quick and we had a great time talking about Tennis and movies. She then told me that she had gotten saved about a year ago at a church in Leeds whilst she was visiting relatives. However she hadn’t gone to church for a while after that until she started coming to Majesty. I was glad that she was now taking her Salvation seriously.

By the time I dropped her off at her flat in Lewisham I was beaming. Our date had gone better than I could have expected. That evening when I got home I prayed and thanked God for the lovely time I'd had with Lylah. I also asked Him to lead me and reveal more of Lylah's character to me. I felt quite optimistic about things.

After that Lylah and I began spending a lot of time together. 

One afternoon after church, I bumped into Molly outside church as I was leaving.

 "Hi Solomon, haven't seen you for a while," Molly said. Strangely Isaac and a few of the other guys in church had also said the same thing. Gosh people can be so needy, how do they expect me to have a life and still spend huge amounts of time with them. I smiled apologetically at Molly.

"I know I've been so busy."

"Yes I figured you must be busy, but you always had time to chat every now and then. We haven't seen you at the prayer meetings for a while. How are things? I feel like we haven't talked in ages."

"Sorry Molly, it’s just that with work, family stuff going on and err..."

"Lylah?"

"You know about her?"

"Yeah, everyone in church knows that you two are together."

"Oh I didn't realise. Yes well, I'm also spending a lot of time with her so I hardly have much time for anything else. Anyway I have to go meet her right now but maybe we can catch up sometime," I said just to end the matter.

"Sure," she replied and I could tell she knew that that wasn't going to happen.

As I walked towards the car park, I was glad to get away. Strangely, my conversation with Molly had felt awkward even though Molly and I had always been close. We used to talk about almost anything and everything. I brushed it all aside, after all the bible says "forget the former things..." so I told myself not to dwell on the past.

I got into my car and drove to Lewisham were Lylah lived. The Blackwall Tunnel was a nightmare and I ended up getting there forty five minutes later than we had arranged. I tried to ring Lylah to tell her that I was running late but my phone battery had gone flat. Uggh.

When she opened the door I could tell she wasn't too happy because she opened it and immediately walked away without giving me a hug.

"Hey, I'm really sorry I'm late, I got stuck in traffic and I couldn't call coz my battery was dead."

"Sure," she said with a slight nod looking like she didn't believe me.

"Listen I'll make it up to you. Saturday I'll take you to watch that new Taye Diggs movie that’s just come out."

"Cool," she said fumbling about in a drawer.

"Is something wrong?" I asked.

"Why?"

"You seem a bit distant and you're only giving me one word answers."

"I'm stressed that’s all," she said taking out pens, scissors and other miscellaneous things out of the drawer.

"What about?"

"I don't really want to talk about it at the moment," Lylah said pulling out a pack of Marlboro cigarettes from the drawer. Then to my surprise she lit it and started puffing clouds of smoke in my direction.

"You smoke?"

"Yes, why do you have a problem with that?"

"I didn't expect you to that’s all," I replied trying to hide the fact that I disliked people who smoked. I figured I could deal with the problem later.

After that we were both quiet for a few minutes, each probably wondering what the other was thinking; then I said, "Lylah what’s wrong? You have to talk to me, maybe I can help."

At that point she started sniffing and I saw tears welling in her eyes. Within seconds she was crying uncontrollably.

"Please talk to me."

"I'm sorry but I can't talk about it. Solomon I'm sorry but I need to be alone right now."

"But I don't want to leave you like this."

"Please just go..."

I didn't understand what was happening. The past two months had been amazing; things had been going so well and then without warning things seemed to be taking an unexpected turn.

I reluctantly got up and walked towards the door. I hoped she would call and stop me but she didn't. I walked out of her flat feeling crushed and confused...

As I drove home, I couldn't get Lylah out of my mind. I kept seeing her dark beautiful face and jet black hair shaped into a "bob" which made her look something like Rihanna. I decided I would call her tomorrow.

But when I did she didn't pick up the phone. It wasn't until I'd left three messages that she eventually called me back.

"Sorry I was out of it that’s why I couldn't call you earlier," she said in a hoarse voice like someone who had been crying.

"Lylah you have to tell me what’s going on, we can’t have a relationship if there's no trust or communication."

She sighed and said nothing for a minute or so.

"Are you still there?" I asked impatiently.

"Yes I'm here. I didn't want to talk about it but my grandmother passed away, that’s why I’ve been so upset. Sorry I didn't say anything earlier."

For a moment I didn't say anything I was stunned.

So that was it....she had been upset about her gran....

"I'm sorry to hear that. What happened, was she unwell?"

"Not really, she just died unexpectedly, that was the most shocking part. I actually called my family in St Vincent spoke last week and I spoke to her and she was fine."

"I'm really sorry. Do you want me to come over?"

"No, its fine. I just need to be alone for now."

"Ok but call me if you need anything. If there's anything I can do, don't hesitate to ask ok?"

"Sure I appreciate that."

"...Lylah remember that God will see you through this ok? I'll be praying for you."

"Thanks, I'll give you a call ok, maybe tomorrow or something."

After our conversation I felt relieved that Lylah had told me what was going on because I have to admit I had begun to get suspicions which I didn't like. I still wasn't comfortable with the idea of her smoking but maybe it was a one off. Maybe her Gran's death had been too much and had forced her to give in. I guess I could let it go this time around. I remembered her warm smile and suddenly I felt good again, surely everything was going to work out fine. I prayed and then went to sleep dreaming about my bright future with Lylah.

Lylah didn't call for two days and when I tried to call her I couldn't get through to her. She eventually called on Friday and said she'd been grieving and she wanted to be alone.

"I understand that may want to be alone but I'm your boyfriend. You should let me come over and cheer you up or just be there for you. I don't think it’s good for you to go through this on your own."

But Lylah declined my offer and said we could hang out on Sunday afternoon after church.

When I saw her on Sunday she seemed bright and cheerful and it seemed her grieving plan had worked.

"I liked the sermon today except the part about giving ten percent of your money...what do they call that again?"

"Tithing."

"Yeah that, what’s that all about?"

"Well it’s biblical," I replied and went on to show her scriptures in the book of Malachi that talked about tithing.

"I'm not buying that," she said after reading the scripture, "Do you know how much I earn, I take home about two grand and you expect me to give two hundred away every month just like that? No, not me, mama didn't raise no fool. Don't tell me you do it?"

"As a matter of fact I do tithe because the word of God says I should do so and because I'm grateful for everything God has given me. Everything I have including my job, God gave to me and if He wanted he could take it all away today. To be honest ten percent is little in comparison to what He's given me. And the best part is whatever you give to Him, He gives you back more in return."

"Yeah well if it works for you do it but I'll never be duped like that. That’s about two and a half grand a year. Imagine how many Jimmy Choos I could buy with that kind of money?"

As Lylah was talking I began to get an uneasy feeling. I had never realised that she felt so strongly about this. Maybe I just needed to explain it better and pray for her to get a revelation about it. Yes that’s what I would do. Our cars were parked on opposite sides of the car park so we went our separate ways and agreed to meet in Stratford.

As I walked to my car I saw Molly walking towards me with a guy I didn't know very well. They seemed rather friendly.

"Molly," I said calling out to her, "how are you?"

"I'm fine and you?" she replied as they got closer to me.

The guy she had been talking to gave her a hug and said "I'll see you later," then he walked off. I quickly walked towards her.

"So who's that?"

"That’s Dave,” she replied with a small blush.

"He seems nice," I said, hoping she would shed more light on the situation.

"Yeah he is."

I tried to act casual and engage in some boring small talk but my curiosity wouldn't let me walk away without knowing what was going on.

"So are you guys seeing each other?"

"Well he's told me he likes me and wants to get to know me and I think I'm gonna give it a go."

"Wow that’s good. I'm happy to hear that," I said although I was feeling a twinge which I couldn't quite identify. 

"Thanks, I hope it will work out. How’s Lylah?"

"Fine. Things are going well." I wondered why I was exaggerating. I used to confide in Molly before but somehow I felt embarrassed to tell her the truth about my relationship.

She said she had to go and attend an Usher's meeting and rushed off. As she walked towards the church door I couldn't but help wondering why it felt like I had lost something which I had never had.

Lylah and I went to Pizza Hut for lunch and then she said she needed to go and prepare for work the next day. I walked her to her Rav 4 and watched her as she drove off before I walked to my own car and drove home.

I was fast asleep when the phone startled me.

I picked up my mobile and saw that it was Lylah ringing. I frowned and checked the time.

12:05am.

"Hello, is everything ok?" I asked.

"Yeah but I need you to come over."

"Why, what's up?"

"I miss you and I want to see you."

"But I saw you this afternoon and besides it’s after midnight. I don't think it’s a good idea for me to come over at this hour."

"Why not?"

"Lylah c'mon you're an attractive girl, I'm a human being...I'm tired and my brain isn't thinking straight. I don't want to put myself in a position where I might compromise my values. To be honest I would really love to come and see you but if I come, I'm afraid that I may not be able to resist the temptation."

"Well who said anything about resisting? You don't have to resist....I'm up for anything if you are..."

Warning bells began to ring in my mind. My brain was telling me: This is the part where you run... but every fibre of my being wanted to grab the car keys and rush over to her place. I could just picture her sexy body at that very moment...and my pulse started racing, what was I to do? I just wanted to go and see her.   

To Be Cont....