October Prompt--Do You Test or Strengthen The Love You Receive?

According to Google: What is special about October born?

October-born babies are bold, hard workers and they stay focused on their goals. No matter how difficult and hard the job is, they are ready to go to any extreme to finish such a task in the best manner. Naturally, they are born with problem-solving capabilities, which help them to succeed and stay out of the crowd.

October is the tenth month and the symbol is a star. Some of us start planning for the new year because it’s a time of change.

“This isn’t your card,” Octavia said to Rhonda, as she attempted to make a purchase on her cell phone while they sat on the sofa in her living room watching the Home Shopping Network.

“It’s Dale’s card,” Rhoda informs her.

“I am not using his card,” Octavia said returning it to her.

“Why not?” she demands.

“Does he know you are using his credit card to make a purchase?”

“We are sleeping together,” Rhonda said, snatching the remote from beside her and pressing mute on the TV.

“So what? Did you ask him if you could use his card?”

“We share a bed and many other things,” she went on, putting the remote to her left on the sofa.

“I don’t care if you share drawers! I am not using his credit card!” Octavia demands handing it back to her.

“You and Paul have been together for nine years; you don’t use his card to buy anything?” Rhonda asks.

“I have my own card. And if I am going to use his card, I ask him first,” Octavia said rolling her eyes at her.

“I don’t understand how your relationship lasts so long if you have to keep asking for everything,” Rhonda said reaching for her bag on the loveseat nearby.

“Really?” Octavia said, throwing her cell phone to her right. “Your last four relationships that didn’t last, using these guys’ credit cards without their permission is one of the reasons why it ended.”

“I was just testing our love,” she defends her dishonesty. “And to also to see how forgiving they are.”

“What you think this is, high school?”

“I aced all my tests in high school. You were the one who kept failing,” she recalls.

“So that’s why you keep giving all of your relationships tests?”

“And you don’t?”

“No,” Octavia said staring at her in shock. “Were they forgiving?”

“No, can you believe it?”

“Because they realized that you were taking their ability to forgive you for granted,” Rhonda explained.

“How did I do that?” she asked.

“By doing the same wrong things over and over again.”

“And you don’t?”

“Girl, what is wrong with you? Not all of us are good at tests and relationships take a lot of effort,” Octavia explained.

“I don’t understand,” Rhonda complains. “You don’t put your relationship through tests, and it lasts. I do and mine don’t. What are you doing wrong?”.

Shock agape Octavia’s mouth and she took a deep breath after swallowing, then shared, “I made the big mistake of strengthening my love for Paul.”

“How did you do that?” she asked, easing closer.

“Kindness, consideration, respect, understanding, patience, honesty, good communication, you know, all of the good things that make a guy happy and want to stick around,” Octavia shares.

Silence tells her that Rhonda was thinking.

Octavia reveled in it, staring at her, as she furled and unfurled her brows battling her emotions as the colors drained from her face.

Octavia soothes, “Relationships are not easy. We can test them positively or negatively.”

“And that’s what I did?” she asks.

“I don’t know,” Octavia said. “All I know is that for mine to work, I must strengthen my love for the guy who loves me. And I found out that the kinder I am to him, the more thoughtful he is to me.”

“So, he gives back what he gets,” slipped out of Rhonda’s thoughts.

“That’s how love is supposed to be. I think.”

“It’s the only test I have failed in my life,” she complained, her eyes on Octavia. “And the only test you haven’t.”

“My relationship isn’t a test, Rhonda. You don’t test love. You nurture and grow it so it can blossom, bloom, and bear fruits that you and your partner enjoy,” Octavia educates.

“I don’t like failure,” she remarks.

“Then strengthen your love for Dale, don’t test it,” Octavia encouraged.

“Can you show me how?”

“Hell yes!” Octavia said hugging her. “By the time I am finished showing you, you will become his star!”

Thank you for reading this piece. I hope you enjoyed it.

This is the October Prompt.

Do you test or strengthen your love?

Love means different things for different people and some of us nurture and grow our love. Others test theirs.

What about you? What do you do?

Write a poem or a story about how you tested or strengthened your love. Be honest. It doesn’t have to be in a relationship. It can be a friendship with anyone.