A tall slightly slim fair skinned beauty walked into his office and shut the door behind her. She smiled and took a seat behind the desk. The blue striped blouse she wore glued to her body like a second skin, making her b—m look ready for consumption.
“Good evening Banky,” she flashed him a set of white teeth.
“Amarachi, to what do I owe this… unannounced visit.”
She laughed, “Doctor, I was in the area. I thought I should say hi.”
“Really?” he cleared his throat and tried to take his eyes off her chest, “All the way from Ikorodu to Lekki?”
“Banky, I don’t stay in Ikorodu anymore.”
“Interesting,” he clasped his hands and placed it on the table.
“Work has brought me closer to town.”
“I see.”
“I stay in Shomolu now.”
“How are your parents?”
“Good.”
“So, what can I offer you?”
“Why don’t we eat out?”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Let’s catch up on old times,” she crossed her legs. The black pencil mini skirt she was wearing exposed a considerable amount of flesh.
He loosened his collar button, “What is really on your mind?”
She grinned, “You never liked beating about the bush.”
He leaned against the grey coloured leather chair.
“I am here because of Didi.”
The sound of her name set his heart racing. He loosened another button and started to cough. His eyes darted around. He found a bottle of water under the table. He reached out for it, opened it and down the content.
“Do you still want her back?”
He threw the empty bottle into a waste basket adjacent to the table and met her hazel eyes. They were dead serious.
“It doesn’t matter what I want. She made it clear two years ago that she didn’t want anything to do with me.”
She opened her turquoise colour pouch and brought out a big red envelope. She threw it on the table. He picked it up and opened it. It was a wedding invitation card. He saw the names of the couple. He frowned and threw the envelope back at her. It fell on her lap.
“We can stop the wedding.”
He eyed her, “How?”
“Terminate the pregnancy. It will halt the wedding plans and give you enough time to win back her heart.”
“Wait a minute. What pregnancy?”
She smiled. The true scenario clarified in his head. His light brown eyes brightened in shock. He began to shake his head.
“This is a golden opportunity to get back the love of your life”
“You don’t understand.”
“Yes, I do.”
He shook his head again.
“The fact that you cheated on her twice shouldn’t stop you. She loved you.”
He hit a fist on the table, “That was two years ago,” his nostrils flared.
“Then convince her that you have turned a new leaf.”
He looked away.
“You have changed, haven’t you?”
“Of course,” he scratched a spot on his head.
“Good. The wedding is in four weeks. We need to act fast.”
He bit at his lower lip, “This is crazy.”
“I know,” she got up and circled the desk.
“I don’t want to hurt her.”
“You won’t. You are a very good doctor.”
“I am still in love with her.”
“Good,” she pulled him up. He was at least two inches shorter than her.
“I never stopped loving her.”
“You are right on track,” she began to kiss one of his ears.
He pulled away and looked up at her, “What are you doing?”
“Giving you what you have always wanted.”
He blinked. She was crazier than he thought.
“While you dated Didi two years ago, you lusted after me.”
He eyed her. She was right. He had always desired her.
“You can have me now, once and for all. This is my way of paying you for what you are going to do.”
He grinned from ear to ear and turned her towards the table. Finally, she was right where he wanted her.
xxxxxx
Uwa unlocked the front door. He strode into the apartment and went straight to the kitchen. He needed a cold drink. He had been busy for most part of the day. As an Information Technology expert, he consulted for several firms and at times, his work consumed his weekends. It was a good thing that he had decided to build his own business rather than remain working for one company. Although it came with its ups and down, it was very rewarding, especially when one was diligent, confident, available and accessible. He had placed his business in God’s hands and things had been running smoothly. He took a can of malt from the refrigerator, opened it and down its content. He threw the empty can in waste basket. He felt refreshed. A cold bath would give him more satisfaction. He would turn in early for the night. He needed to be in church very early the next day. He was supposed to follow a group of Protocol department members to pick up a guest minister at the hotel. The man was preaching in his church that morning. His blackberry phone began to ring. He pulled it out of his trouser pocket and picked the call.
“Hello.”
“Uwa…”
He recognized Mara’s voice, “Yes.”
“It is Didi, she is bleeding.”
His chest tightened, “How? What is going on?”
“Meet us at Heritage hospital in Lekki.”
How did they get to Lekki? Didi had called him that morning that she would be doing some shopping that day. Why Lekki? What happened to the markets on the mainland?
“I can’t handle this on my own.”
“Okay, okay, I am on my way.”
He groaned at the thought of driving all the way to Lekki. It was weekend and he knew the roads would be filled with crazy drivers. He lived in Palm Groove Estate. It would take him hours to get to the Island. Where was Heritage hospital anyway? He returned the phone to his pocket and headed out.
xxxxxx
He parked his white Skoda car in the driveway of the hospital. He killed the engine and got out. He hurried into the brown and white painted building and found Mara in a crowded waiting room.
“Thank God you are here,” she approached him.
“Where is she?” the worry and anxiety in his voice wasn’t lost to her.
“She is still in the theatre.”
“Wow!” he stood akimbo.
What is the meaning of this? God please protect my darling.
She seized him up. He looked cute in the white long sleeve shirt and ash coloured chinos trousers. She noticed a fair skinned man walking towards them.
“That is the doctor.”
He looked in her direction and saw a man about five feet seven inches tall with a plump physique in a white coat.
“Good evening, you must be Didi’s fiancé,” he stretched out his hand.
“Yes, call me Uwa,” he shook his hand.
“I am doctor Bankole Williams.”
“How is she?”
“Please come with me,” he led them down the hall way, into one of the offices. He pulled off his white coat and sat on the leather chair. Uwa and Mara took the seats behind the desk.
“She is fine.”
“Thank God,” he made a sigh of relief.
“I was so scared,” she squeezed him by the shouldered.
Banky cleared his throat. They turned to look at him.
“I am sorry to inform you that she lost the baby.”
His smile faded and was replaced with an angry expression.
“What! Oh my God…” she held him by the hand.
“That is impossible,” he stood up.
He leaned back on the chair, “She had a miscarriage.”
He looked heavenwards.
God why? That was my first baby.
“Uwa, I am so sorry,” she held his hand, “I think it is the wedding plans that stressed her out.”
“What plans?” he glared at her, “What were you both doing in Lekki in the first place?”
She opened her mouth and glanced at the doctor, then back at him.
“What kind of shopping were you both doing?”
“You can see her now if you are ready,” he picked up his coat and got up.
Uwa marched out.
“That is one angry fiancé.”
Mara hissed, “We did both of them a favour.”
“I didn’t know my competition was six footer.”
“That is the least of your problem.”
“I have a feeling that you want him all to yourself.”
She eyed him, “Concentrate on Didi and leave the rest to me.”
He started to laugh.
She shifted the chair backwards and got up.
“I need all her info.”
“I will text or mail them to you.”
“Fantastic. Let us go and see the sleeping beauty.”
She smiled and followed him out of the office.
