The Muse's Secret Affair

By BEN WONDER

 

At the age of 24, Dandelion had already given up on his dream of becoming a professional app developer. The lack of support from his family had crushed his aspirations, leaving him feeling defeated. However, fate had a different plan in store for him. One day, as he was working with his father, he noticed a stunning young woman named Dolly smiling at him. This unexpected gesture caught him off guard, as he had always been told he was unattractive. But there was something about Dolly's smile that captivated him, and he couldn't help but wonder what it meant.

 

Seeking advice, Dandelion turned to his friend and shared his encounter with Dolly. To his dismay, his friend warned him against pursuing her, claiming that she was out of his league and rejection was inevitable. Despite the discouragement, Dandelion's curiosity and newfound excitement pushed him to take a chance. He decided to follow his heart and see where it would lead him.

 

The opportunity to get to know Dolly better arose when Dandelion and his parents received an invitation to her 21st birthday party. Eagerly awaiting the chance to express his feelings, Dandelion attended the event with hope in his heart. As the party came to an end, he stepped out of the house and noticed a figure standing in the darkness. It was Dolly, slowly making her way towards him. Their conversation flowed effortlessly, and Dandelion felt an instant connection. Every moment spent with her felt like a dream come true, and he couldn't help but envision a future together. However, his happiness was soon clouded by the appearance of a wealthy man who seemed to know Dolly intimately, leaving Dandelion questioning the secrets she had kept hidden.

 

 

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: BEN WONDER
• Release date: Feb 12, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224725793

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

Eight years have now passed, but the memories of a young woman who taught me an unforgettable lesson are still present in my mind. My encounter with her showed me that there are two sides to life. And that it depends which side you choose.

It all started when a blue Toyota Corolla came towards us when we were in a processing area where Dad was repairing a blue Ford 6600 tractor.

The car was parked some distance away, and the man at the wheel asked to speak to Dad. He walked over to him to hear what he had to say. While my eyes were still fixed on the car in amazement, my gaze fell on a pretty young woman in the back seat, with whom I made eye contact and who smiled at me, but I averted my eyes because I was shy.

I was twenty-four years old.

She looked very attractive. Her olive skin tone and slightly slanted eyes made her look unique. I tried to avoid her gaze by pretending to concentrate on fixing the tractor that was in the middle of the processing area.

It was the first time in my life that a woman as attractive as her had given me such a smile. Most women didn’t respect me and didn’t even dare to smile at me, especially those who were considered attractive. I realized that the lack of resources diminished my value to people, especially the women who often told me how ugly I was.

And most people, especially young people, made fun of my appearance. This has been going on since I was a teenager. And that became a popular joke that spread throughout Ashville.

I was taller than most of the men who lived in Asheville, the township on the Indian Ocean in South Africa. My skin was tanned because I worked almost every day in a hot environment, helping my father transport the sugar cane from the fields for processing.

I went to the other side of the tractor to avoid the gaze of the young woman, who probably had me in her sights, and then the tractor blocked her view. I stood there listening to my father and the man sitting in the car. Their conversation seemed to go on forever and revolved around working on a farm. The man driving the car seemed to be a new farm owner.

My father called me; I pretended not to hear him. He called me again. It would be rude to ignore him twice. So, I took a few steps forward, still unsure and blushing because of the young woman in the back seat. My eyes glanced at my father’s finger pointing at me as he spoke to the man in the car.

Dad was tall and heavy. He had a tanned complexion and was self-confident.

What’s his name? asked the man in the car. My father answered in a low voice: Dandelion.

What, I didn’t know we had someone called that!

He said it jokingly. This joke annoyed me, but my composer remained calm. Everyone laughed about it. The young woman in the back seat kept looking at me while I stood calmly next to my father. At that moment, I made rare eye contact with her and noticed that she had recognizably beautiful cheekbones.

We were both wearing blue work clothes with my father.

I am Mr. Dunlop. This is my wife, and in the back seat is my daughter Dolly.

He looked at me as he introduced his family. My gaze fell on his gray eyes and short golden hair. He started the engine and drove off.

We continued where we had left off until Dad had finished repairing the tractor. Then he started the engine and the tractor seemed to be fine. He drove slowly through the processing area to test the tractor. He pointed his hand at me and said, Let’s go!

I climbed into the tractor with the toolbox in my hand, sat down on the left fender and put the toolbox next to me. He drove onto the road. It was clear that we were going home. After a few minutes we reached the house. He stopped the tractor next to the house and we got off. My hands reached for the toolbox. I went into a secluded room to put it inside.

Late in the afternoon, after I had bathed and put on my house clothes. I went outside as the sun was setting, stood in the shade of the wall and smoked marijuana. While I was there, Mom appeared in her green dress on her medium-sized body. She was gathering the laundry that was hung on a line. I watched her until she returned to the house. After ten minutes, I went into the kitchen where my mother was preparing dinner while my father sat in a chair.

I sat down in a chair and watched them talk about the contract Mr. Dunlop had promised. He told Mama all about how he would sign the contract and how much they had agreed on. Mom looked pleased with what she had heard from Dad. She was a pleasant woman who was so nice to my father. Dad seemed very pleased with her gentle manner.

She took the food out of the microwave and gave it to us. Then we ate, which was very tasty. After we had finished eating, I got up and went to my room, which was separate from the kitchen and my parents’ bedroom. I lay down in bed with my body facing upwards. Before I fell asleep, I thought about the things that had fascinated me that day. In particular, the visit of Mr. Dunlop and his family in the processing area came to mind, especially the young woman smiling at me in the back seat of the car. I had to smile when I thought of her.

***

On Monday. I woke up, went to the window and looked at the lawn. The grass was wet. The desire to go outside grew stronger, so, I finally went out into the lawn.

Dad followed me.

We should not hurry today, the ground is wet!

I looked at him after he said these words – as he took slow steps and looked down.

We should wait a moment and then, after a few hours, we will start work, said Dad.

I thought about breakfast.

There was brown bread and French fries that my mother had prepared in the kitchen.

I was planning to visit a friend and tell him about this young woman who had caught my interest two days ago, but time seemed to be passing faster than I thought. So, I had no choice but to postpone the visit.

Nothing else was interesting than spending a lot of time in the kitchen that morning, sitting and thinking about the work.

I heard my father’s voice calling me unexpectedly, and I got up and went to him. He handed me a pair of the familiar gloves. I took them and we walked a few steps outside. I followed his steps until we reached the place where the tractor was parked. He climbed onto it. I stood on the grass while he started the tractor’s engine.

He drove it away from me until he stopped it some distance away, turned his big head and looked at me as I approached the tractor from behind until I got in and sat on the fender. Then he drove off to work.

We worked hard that day, the sun was very hot. But we worked until we had finished the job. In the afternoon, he drove home while I sat on the fender next to him.

I was very tired and wanted to rest. So, I thought of taking a bath first before approaching my room. Unfortunately, my father was already in the bathroom. So, I went into the kitchen and sat down with my mother. She gave me a glass of juice, which was cold and sweet. And then she scolded me for doing this work.

I wanted you to be a doctor or a lawyer – not a stupid app developer – life would be much easier for you!

These words killed me brutally when they came out of my mother’s mouth. Sometimes I didn’t like staying at home and thought about moving out, but for some reason that idea was ultimately pointless.

I wish my parents would realize how much their words hurt me, especially because they didn’t support me financially in college to continue my studies in Software Engineering. My father, in particular, had no interest in my chosen degree program.

When my patient had had enough, I got up while she was still talking and went to the bathroom. My instinct told me that Dad had already finished bathing.

I went to the bathroom and opened the faucet and prepared some water in the bathtub, and I took a bath. I did not last long in the tub, after a few minutes I got dressed and went to my room to sleep.

The sound of the rain woke me up in the night – it was difficult to go back to sleep after that.

In the morning I went outside in my blue jeans and saw that the lawn was wet. My intention was to visit a friend. Not far from this apartment. I went to my room, took my black jacket from a hanger and put it on, then went out of the house. It was cool and smelled of damp earth.

As my steps approached the big white house, I caught sight of Sam, my friend, standing in a doorway as if he knew of my coming. He was a handsome man with tanned skin. I was slightly taller than him. He was wearing black jeans and a black jacket. I greeted him. He told me that he wanted to go to the nearby store. Then we went straight to the store.

After he finished shopping, we returned to where we had come from and spent some time at my friend’s house talking about the things we loved until I told him about Dolly.

What? he asked.

When I tried to explain, he stopped me: Did you say Dolly?

I nodded my head.

I advise you not to pursue her as she will reject you and you will be hurt, said Sam.

I realized that most people in Asheville would give the same advice because they probably thought I was not good enough. It was clear to me that my parents would feel the same way.

After spending about three hours at my friend’s house, I decided to return home. Sam accompanied me halfway, then I went on alone. My mother was in the kitchen with my father. She was the first to speak to me; Here’s the food, Son!

My mother was sometimes even sweeter. Her sweet side had a place in my heart.

I decided that I should sit down and eat. While I ate, the ear listened to their conversation. It was pleasant to sit there because some of the things they talked about made me laugh a little.

***

After Dad promoted me to crane operator, I was happy. It was no challenge for me to drive all day until we had completed the job. Just as we were about to leave, a blue Toyota Corolla came from the north some distance away, and it was obvious that it was Mr. Dunlop’s car. Sure enough, the car turned towards us.

We stood in the processing area and waited as if we already knew he was coming to us.

Dunlop! said Dad.

He approached his car, Mr. Dunlop opened the car door and shook Dad’s hand, whereupon they both laughed. Mr. Dunlop’s hand was holding a pink flyer. I watched them from a distance.

After a few minutes, I saw Mr. Dunlop shake Dad’s hand again, turn around and get into his car. He started the engine and drove back. Then I went to the crane and got in; I started the engine and drove back to the garage, which was not far from home. Then I walked home.

My mother was sitting on a chair in the kitchen when I greeted her and walked past her into my room.

When I was in my room, I heard Dad talking to Mom in the kitchen. Dad was talking about the birthday party we were going to in the next few weeks. The party would be at Mr. Dunlop’s house. I was happy because I knew I was going to see Dolly again.

CHAPTER 2

Two weeks passed. It was November 22nd and we were getting ready for the party. My favorite outfit was a gray T-shirt with black jeans.

It was just before 7pm, the sun was already gone and it was getting darker. Dad called me out of the kitchen and said it was time to go. I got up and followed my parents.

My father had a car, a Toyota Cressida – we all got into this car. I sat in the back seat, they sat in the front seats. He started the engine and drove down the gravel road to Mr. Dunlop’s house, which was in the northern part of Asheville.

Dad parked the car between the few cars parked there. We got out of the car and walked to the porch. After Dad knocked on the door, Mrs. Dunlop’s round face with the slanted eyes appeared after the door was opened. She invited us in. Her long black hair and tanned complexion gave her a very special look. The house was warm and there were fewer people than I had expected. The light bulbs shone their light and the room was bright.

Mrs. Dunlop showed us the chairs on which we were to sit. Indeed, we sat down quietly. The people in the house murmured – people I had never seen before. They were mainly Caucasian women and a few men with their young sons and daughters. Mrs. Dunlop came up to me and whispered in my ear, Please, we have a reserved chair for young men from this side. I looked to where she pointed her finger, and sure enough, there were some young men sitting at that table. I got up and went to where she indicated a seat. I pulled up the chair and sat down on it. The people sitting there showed signs of welcome. I actually felt comfortable.

Pastor Smith prayed at a large table. After he had finished his prayer, I looked around till I caught sight of Dolly at a distance, she was with young women by her side, and they seemed to be enjoying the evening. As I sat in silence, the people next to me chatted animatedly. It seemed to me that they had known each other for a long time. I heard the sound of a spoon repeatedly hitting the glass. After that, everyone in the room was silent. I turned my head and looked to see where the sound was coming from. It was Mr. Dunlop, a tall man with a fair complexion, thin lips and long features, he looked like a disciplined man.

In the few times we had met so far, I had never seen him as tall as he was that evening. He looked neat and tidy. He cleared his throat and began a speech.

I’m Daniel Dunlop from Australia, but with roots in England, where my ancestors came from.

Then he looked at his wife, pointed his finger at her.

We met in Indonesia, where I was doing business. I was traveling with my father, a respected businessman who passed away about two decades ago. During this visit with my father, I saw a beautiful woman at a market and was so impressed by her beauty that I approached her and started a conversation. I already knew she was interested in me.

I felt sorry for you because you had no one.

He was interrupted as people laughed out loud at what Mrs. Dunlop said. A few seconds passed, then he continued with his speech.

We both decided to get married about six months after we met. She is of Indonesian descent. Thank you Amina for giving birth to this beautiful daughter.

"She has 100% of my genes," said Mrs. Dunlop.

I turned my eyes away from Mr. Dunlop and looked at Dolly. She seemed different that day from the day I had first seen her. My gaze lingered on her, amused with narrowed eyes and a partial smile on my face. She was watching her father very closely.

I congratulate you, Dolly, on your 21st birthday. Thank you to everyone who came to my daughter’s birthday party – Mr. Cluster and your family, Pastor Smith, Mr. Fake...

He mentioned the names of everyone present, even my father’s last name and pointed to me and said I am his son. Most of the people present turned their heads towards me and I blushed. Then I raised my eyes and saw that people were already looking away from me. My gaze wandered around the house and unexpectedly met Dolly, and my heart beat faster. Our eyes met, then she suddenly averted her gaze and touched her long black hair.

The young women there got up and went into another room, Dolly was among these women. I heard the young men I was sitting at the table with talking about these young women. Some young men were talking specifically about Dolly. I looked at them – complimenting her on her amazing beauty. I pretended not to hear what they were saying.

After a few minutes the young women came out of the kitchen holding up plates of cookies. Mrs.