Chapter Three and Four of the Search for Solomon

Chapter Three

As Solomon walked into the bar and greeted the regulars.    

“What’s up guys?”

“Hey Solomon.  How’s it going?  How long do you have until the boat back to Africa leaves?”

“You had to reach for that one didn’t you Reggie.  Are you not feeling well tonight,” Solomon said with fake concern.

“Yea.  I had to reach for that one.   It’s not a good night.  Forgive me guys,” Reggie said sheepishly.  Reggie knew no other explanation was needed.  The guys would accept what he said at face value.

“What is on tonight?”  Solomon looked at the commercials playing on the big screen.

As the guys filled Solomon in on what was going on in the game Solomon thought about how his wife was going to give him grief about being out with the guys.  Solomon wished his wife would understand that he just  wanted a little time without the wife and kids. 

“Hey how are you guys doing?”

Chelsea was one of the greatest waitresses in the bar.  She always smiled at the guys.  She was honest with them.  She was also kind to a fault.  She was also quick and efficient.  If Solomon were single he might have tried dating her.

“How’s it going Chelsea?”

Solomon smiled at Chelsea.  His phone began to vibrate.  He did not want to answer as he saw his wife’s name on the caller ID.  He did answer because not answering would be more trouble than answering.

“Hello.  I am at the bar.  I’ll talk to you later.”  Solomon disconnected and put the phone in his pocket.

“You should go home.”

“It will be ok.  Better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission.” 

“What would you like?”

“You choose the beer.  I trust you.”

Chelsea walked to the bar.  As Solomon watched her walk away he thought of the phone call he just got.  He loves his wife but he had doubts about the kind of love he had for her.

He was starting to think it was more of a sisterly and brotherly kind of love.  They did not have the passion it once had.  They were the best of friends.  Lately that was as far as it went. 

They no longer had the same passion for each other.  Solomon thought of his feeling and that missing feeling again.  Solomon wondered if he would ever find the passion he once felt for his wife. 

Solomon would never leave his wife.  They were good friends.  Solomon was known for his loyalty.  He never wanted to hurt her.  He just did not think he was happy.  More importantly she was not happy with him lately. 

“You look lost in thought.  Is there a problem?”

Solomon looked into Chelsea’s sympathetic eyes.  “Nothing is wrong.  I was just thinking about work.”

“What is going on?”

Solomon started talking about work.  It was not something he liked to talk about but he backed himself into a corner with his previous answer.  He also found it easy to talk to her.  Easier than talking to his wife lately.

“Well thanks for listening Chelsea.  I am going to join the guys.  Watch the rest of this game.”

Chapter Four

Solomon tried to come into the house without making a sound.  Solomon did not want to get into it with Samantha.  He hated fighting with Samantha.  It always ended with her crying.  Solomon hated making Samantha cry. 

“Where have you been?”

Solomon let out a heavy sigh.  ‘So much for sneaking in,’  Solomon thought to himself.  As he turned to look at Samantha.  He wondered how he was going to get out of this conversation.  “I told you I might be late hanging out with the guys.”

“I asked you not to go.  I even called you.  I had a hard day too.  I needed you at home.  We created the kids together.”

“I told you I did not want kids.  You wanted kids.”

Samantha rolled her eyes “You just make me crazy!” and with a huff she left the room.  Solomon did not understand what Samantha was upset about. 

Solomon was so upset by her actions that he walked out of the house and got into his car. 

He just sat there with the music on.  He was not going to scream and yell.

It seemed every argument they had ended with one of them yelling and storming out of the room.  Solomon had to stop kidding himself. 

Their ‘discussions’ were arguments.  The ‘discussions’ were becoming more and more frequent.

Solomon could not understand what went wrong in their marriage. 

Samantha became a woman who needed reassurance all the time.  She wanted to be with him every waking moment.  He knew that she was a controlling woman.  But she was never this controlling.

He was attracted to Samantha because of her strength.  Samantha had a good heart too.  She was always there for her friends. 

Maybe that was it.  Perhaps she just needed some friends to hang out with. 

Solomon made a decision while sitting in the car. 

He would invite Chelsea over for dinner and maybe she and Samantha would become friends.  Samantha might get off of his back if she had someone other than the kids to hang out with.

Solomon was proud of his brilliant plan.  Nothing could go wrong.