©2015 by Temitope Daniel All rights reserved.
No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise,without prior written permission of Temitope Daniel Abimbola.
DISCLAIMER This story is a work of fiction. All incidents and people in the book are fictional. Any resemblance to any persons or situation is simply coincidental.
Introduction
It’s been a stretch I set my eyes on her. Not even a stretch, what am I saying? It’s been four years now! We lost contact on our way from the city of Lagos, when we got attacked by robbers who took my vehicle away. Unluckily for me, my love was still in the car and wasn’t allowed to come down with me. For those four years, I have searched even holes of crabs if she was there, but all was up to no avail.
She was the love of my life and everything I had, as much as I loved my mother, there was just a little difference between my love for her and that of my mother. I didn’t know her parents and siblings, not even one of her family members when we were together, but, we really loved each other fondly.
I never knew I could exist without her, until she was taken away from me. Honestly, I thought it was my end at the end of the first week that she wasn’t found. I cried my eyes out that even my parents chided me that I would just kill myself if I didn’t take my heart off her. They did not know she was my life.
A week developed into two, and into a month, and gradually into four years. When my parents saw that I was becoming unserious, old enough to marry but without a wife, they brought Nora to me.
Frankly, I never knew there was still someone more beautiful than my Gloria. Gloria had been lost for four years, but her unfading beauty never melted from my heart. Nora was beyond description, just a breviary of beauty. Should I start from her teeth that are whiter than snow? Or her spotless face? Is it her mushy and glamorous skin? Indescribable!
Even though I’ve started liking Nora, I never forgot Gloria. My parents didn’t know Gloria though, but when I explained my issue to them; they knew I lost a gem. One thing of great surprise was that Gloria and Nora had the same redolence.
I never told Nora about Gloria. I love her too, but still hard to flow well with her. I can’t place my hands on the actual reason behind that! I don’t know if I even love her or is this what people call infatuation? Maybe her beauty, redolence and personality made me like her. I really don’t know! But, I never knew what happened to me before we met has happened to her too.
Honestly, I never knew Nora had fallen in love with Alex before. It was one day that both of them were inside the house, chitchatting when some armed robbers came and shot Alex. The news was that Alex had died but no one knew he never died. Not knowing Alex’s parents who were immensely rich had flown him abroad for a better treatment. He wasn’t allowed to leave America for years and so did the two also lost contacts. Can you now see I am in trouble? A real one!
Nora never forgot Alex too. She was just trying to be herself anytime she was with me. You see something? I never forgot Gloria neither did she forget Alex. The saddest thing is that Alex returned back from America last year and had also fallen in love with Gloria. How on earth did they meet? I just can’t place my hands on it! Is this what is called destiny?
Anytime I remember, I’m always shocked as if it’s been a movie I have been seeing in the cinema. Big trouble! The big problem started suddenly when it was a day to my wedding. We haven’t gotten each other well, but we thought we would make it up and forget the ones we loved before. Though, she never knew about Gloria and I. I thought I should act according to my best friend’s advice, by getting her a golden necklace as a gift before wedding.
Daneil decided to take her out, he parked at the front of Esmak Plaza to get the surprise for her that day, he got down from the Toyota Venza and looked at Nora and smiled as he motioned inside the plaza. he had told her to wait for him inside the car; he only wanted to get something. Still unknown to Nora, she patiently waited. She had waited for some minutes and decided to peep outside. She had been busy chatting up her friends and wedding planner. Then, her peep met Alex’s stare. She couldn’t help her ecstasy but to rush to meet Alex.
Both of them hugged each other firmly for seconds until Daniel came outside and met the scene. It seemed Nora had been on cloud nine, she had forgotten that she would be getting married the following day. Daniel didn’t know Alex, but even if that was her brother, the hug shouldn’t have been as sturdy as it was! He thought as the package he was holding lurched down and his mouth was wide open.
By the time Nora knew she was doing the wrong thing, she saw Daniel’s face and froze also. Alex, looking away also saw the face of his wife-to-be and his heart skipped a beat.
Daniel swooshed out a long breath as he managed to hold his tears back. He walked into the car and Nora rushed into the car too. She wouldn’t leave her husband-to-be to leave angrily. Daniel, also pulling out of the Plaza indignantly now saw Gloria and marched on the brake quickly. Was he seeing a ghost? What was really happening? He parked the vehicle and rushed down.
“Gloria?” He shouted as he widened his eyes and moved closer. The name made Gloria look the direction and saw him too.
“Daniel!” She called as the key to her vehicle that she was holding dropped on the floor. Daniel couldn’t hold himself back, both rushed to each other also, not minding the fact that they were engaged.
The bond of love was still there! As I saw her, I wanted to die. I thought I just saw a ghost now, if she was, I was ready to follow her! No! I still loved her so much that I couldn’t hold back myself. Maybe that was how Alex and Nora felt too. But, I still loved her.
I wiped my tears perpetually as I looked into her eyes. She had grown more beautiful and mature. Gloria was my life. Looking back, I saw Nora, already out of the car, looking at me. Alex had also stood akimbo, looking at Gloria and I, then I knew I was done for too. At first, I thought it was tit for tat but I felt uncomfortable. Is this how Nora is feeling presently? I asked myself as I saw Gloria also looking at Alex. Then Alex buzzed towards us and nabbed Gloria’s hand. He pushed her into the vehicle and drove away.
I looked at the Hyundai car as it sped off until I was unable to see the vehicle again. I walked back to my car and looked at Nora who was apparently in shock or… what should I even call this? We both entered into the vehicle and I drove off. The car just remained silent. I wasn’t pleased with what she did and she wasn’t pleased with mine.
** ** ** WEDDING DAY********
It was a beautiful day with friends and family members at the venue to celebrate with Daniel and Nora. At first, Daniel had thought Alex would be at the solemnization ceremony to claim the ownership of Nora or Gloria would come to cause havoc. Since the incident had happened, Daniel never called Nora to speak with her, likewise Nora. Daniel who had carried her in his car to drop her off at home didn’t speak to her at all, even when she got down from the vehicle, none of them could bid a goodbye. Daniel felt jealous that Nora could go back to hug Alex, a day to the wedding and Nora likewise, speculating if the love Daniel had for her was an indubitable one. If it was, why would he go and hug Gloria? Though none of them knew the ex of the other until that day the scene happened.
Nora had felt Daniel was a bad person, why would he even if try to return back to Gloria for a hug, Daniel too never accepted the certitude that his act was fallacious. At least, it was Nora that made the first move; he couldn’t hold himself back when he also sighted Gloria. None of them could castigate the other; both thought the other was wrong.
Thanks to God that the wedding was success, even though it was a backbreaking part when they heard you may kiss your bride. Daniel just let out a short air from his mouth as he moved his mouth closely and kissed the pretty figure before him. He also knew she was extremely beautiful that day. It was just that there was a big BUT. It was a big surprise to the two that they couldn’t interact well, even though it was their wedding day.
Daniel carried Nora when it was time to take photographs, and grinned mischievously as if they were in good terms. One who could study well would know things weren’t nice between the two. None could approach the other; it was the beginning of their trouble. Let the story begins
*********
The aroma coming from the kitchen filled his nostrils. His head went both left and right almost instantaneously as he shook off the aroma. This is fried rice, he cerebrated as he opened his eyes at once. Daniel turned his head to the left side of the bed but Nora was nowhere to be found. He couldn’t remember what really happened the previous night, it seemed he just entered into the room and sprawled on the bed because he was so tired.
It wasn’t easy to be a groom, especially one who was wise to play between his wife and the invited guests and family members.
“Did she sleep inside this room?” Daniel asked himself.
Nothing more came to his memory than he drove into the compound in his own car and Nora was driven by the driver, in her own car. That was the matrimonial room, why wouldn’t she sleep there? He took his stand slowly, walking to the other side of the Queen-Sized mattress to survey if there were shoes on the floor or jewelries on the drawer, but he was wrong. It didn’t look as if Nora slept inside that room.
He walked to the bathroom and washed his face and brushed his mouth. Thereafter, he came out and put off his clothes into casual wears, at least he had to check out the house before getting set for church service. But, it was their wedding thanksgiving, he had thought as he thudded down the bed and jacked his head down.
He began to wonder why Nora never came into that room to sleep with him. Why? He continued asking himself as if there were spirits around that’d respond to him after a while. He was wrong, no spirit replied his questions. He just felt they were rhetorical questions, but, it seemed the rhetorical questions in his mind needed answers.
Was she really livid because of his reactions yesterday at the wedding program? Was it because of Gloria’s issue? He couldn’t just provide explicit answers to the puzzling questions agitating his mind that moment. He swallowed again as he fluttered to his feet and pressed his lips together. He clenched his fingers and walked to the front of the dressing mirror.
Daniel, I won’t eat that food she’s preparing, he thought as he looked at his tall and handsome self. He nodded along with his thought and turned, he had to check the compound, driver and gate keeper out before dressing up for church. He had always heard about people who fast to church but had never fasted. He felt that day would mark the day of his effective change.
He walked into the living room and turned his neck to view what was happening in the kitchen, she was there preparing breakfast. He cleared his throat and cloistered outside, into the compound. Nora turned the gas cooker off. She didn’t know if well or bad she was doing, but she felt she had taken the right decision.
Daniel had been taciturn to her, just doing his things his way, why should she try to go on well with him too? She didn’t like how the two of them kept laughing a kind of laughter that wasn’t down to the heart on the wedding day. She felt Daniel had probably met the lady he had dated before and wouldn’t want her again, so, trying to move away from him might solve the case in a way.
She rested against the solid maple cabinets. It was a big and beautiful kitchen with halogen flash mounts and track light that produced an excellent lighting in the kitchen. She walked to the microwave and stood near it. There was a Kenmore smooth surface range with oversize oven window, also a blender stood beside the microwave and behind her was a dishwasher and a double bowl ceramic sink with disposal. It was a very beautiful kitchen Daniel ensured she had.
She felt Daniel didn’t like her again, even though she hugged Alex, she didn’t expect him to retaliate too. He just tried to pay her back in her own coin, she had thought as she snorted. She had been trying to put her hopes up, thinking the relationship wouldn’t continue that way. She had no courage to speak to him because she felt he was angry,
Daniel on the other hand was disappointed in her, he also felt she would feel the same way to him. So, how would he go before her and make an utterance?
*********
to be continued
