Tomi
I threw my phone on the sofa, while flickering through the channels on my Plasma TV. There was nothing good on Tv or nothing i wanted to see. I don’t know why Dantata didn’t pick my calls. So much for us being friends! When was the last time that big headed boy checked up on me? I would have gone to see him but i don’t want to run into his sister, Suresh, God forbid! I don’t know how her family copes with her. And that gum she chews! Urgh! the ta_ta sound she makes while chewing it is enough to give one headache.
I needed to talk to someone but what do i do now that my so called friend won’t pick my calls and my relationship with Vicky is at its infancy so i don’t want to dump my problems on her, besides she has enough of her own already. Richie has also been calling my line non_stop and my nerves was wearing thin.I didnt foresee my weekend going like this, i thought i would curl up on my sofa with a book and lose myself in the romance world since i was destined to be a failure in that department. I heard my door creak open, i turned my head towards the door and jumped up in fright. The Diana Palmer novel flew out of my hand, it landed with a loud thud on the floor. How could i have forgotten to lock the door!
I opened my mouth to scream when he walked in but no words came out.
He got down on both knees.
” I know i am an a$$ and i acted like one. please forgive me. I don’t know what came over me, i overreacted when i met that dude here and i mistreated you Tomi……”
” Please leave my house!” I tried to sound brave. I was so shaken and scared, i felt sweat trickle down my spine even though the AC was on.
” Tomi you caused it all but i am not here to trade blames…. i want you back in my life.” he pleaded.
” You gave me no chance to explain myself! i never slept with that guy and i don’t even know him! He only gave me a ride when i left your parents’ s house! on the way i felt sick because i didn’t like whatever it was your mother served me!” i felt tears creap into my eyes, i fluttered my lashes trying to will it back.
His eyes widened. ” You…..you are actually telling the truth? i saw your clothes all over the place! your shoes were in the center of this room and there was a c-m stain on your bed sheet! Hell! what was i supposed to think?!”
” Rich prior to that day, you have never set foot into my apartment. I hung those clothes on the sofa and i forgot to take them inside and my shoes were here because i left them here too!”
” Tomi I’ m so sorry ”
” You attempted to rape me! you bruised my cheek! saying sorry doesn’t cover it!” i shuddered as i remebered his palm landing on my face.
” I was drunk. I don’t even know how i managed to drive down here and i didn’t remember much of what happened the next day. Did…..did i hurt you much?”
He sounded genuine.
” Let’s come down to the part where i caught you burying your balls in ……..in that hoe”
” Believe me. it was just that one time! and she seduced me. I can show you our chats. I met her during a family function and somehow she got my number and she hunted me day and night!” he scratched his head. ” Tomi if i have to spend the rest of my life atonning for my sins to you believe me i will…..please give me another chance”.
” Are you still seeing her?”
” No! I swear to you! Please give me another chance. ”
My head screamed no but my heart screamed yes. I can’t define my feelings for him anymore, i used to be so sure it was love but now i am just confused.
” You didn’t even try to reach me when i left your mother’ s place…… you watched your family ridicule me!”
” Tomi i felt you could hold your own. I’ m truly sorry. I had a huge fight with them when you left and i didn’t call you because i knew you would be angry and i wanted you to stew it out before i call. That was why i came here very early the next morning to check up on you. ” He dipped his hand into his pocket and held out a velvet black box.” This wasn’t how i planned on proposing. Please give us another chance, i want you in my life Tomi. I love you, Please forgive me ” he opened the box. The diamond on the ring glittered. ” Will you marry me?”
This was what i always dreamt of. I could see my mom jumping up with glee in my mind ‘ s eye, my dad would fume a bit and complain about him being from the east but he will quickly get over it and regale him with heroic tales of his late father and the good old days. I took a step closer, staring at the glittering diamond ring. I knew it must have cost him a fortune. I also knew it would look so good on my finger, my co_workers would ooh and ahh over it.
” Say yes” he whispered.
************************************************
Linda
I pulled my duvet over my chest. The darkness of the room comforted me, i hugged my knees to my chest. I was lonely. I was surrounded with people but i felt so alone. I felt tears trickle out of my eyes, it slowly rolled down my cheeks. I missed my mother. I missed her sweet angelic voice, her gentle touch and her comforting words whenever i had bad dreams. The night before she died, she came into my room. I was only eight years old then but it feels just like yesterday.
” Baby girl are you awake?” she asked softly.
” Yes mummy”
” Sit up my love.”
She pulled me into her arms crying.
” Why are you crying mummy?”
” Baby girl….Lindy.” She wiped tears from her cheeks.” Mummy loves you, no matter what happens i want you to know that mummy loves you. Okay?”
I nodded my head. I could feel an unknown fear, something bad was about to happen but i didn’t know what it was.
” I love you too Mummy”
” Go back to sleep now my angel. Everything will be alright by tomorrow. ”
She opened my door gently and walked out of the room. I threw back the covers, waited some seconds before stealing down the stairs. I could hear Mummy crying.
” How could you do that to us? to our family! haven’t i been a good wife to you?” She cried.
” Jenny i ‘ m sorry ” dad said. ” Please keep your voice down, Linda might hear us”.
They lowered their voices and i strained my ears to catch what they were arguing about.
” You betrayed me! You betrayed our love! Joseph i trusted you! i made you who you are today! i willed all my father’s assets to you because of my heart condition! tomorrow I am going to see my lawyer! i am willing everything back to my child!”
” Jenny please…..please hear me out.”
I ran back into my room. I don’t want my parents to get a divorce, Kelvin once told me that when adults start arguing it means they want to get a divorce. I don’t want to stand in a court room while a fat chin Judge force me to choose between my parents. My new baby sister was a premie and she would be coming home tomorrow. I told dad to name her Victoria, after my favorite doll. I want to play with Victoria while Mummy and Auntie Maggie are cooking in the kitchen, dad would probably be reading newspaper then. I want us to be together forever.
I wiped away my tears, said a little prayer and drifted off to sleep. Dad woke me up the next morning.
” Linda” he said solemnly. ” Something bad has happened”.
I sat up in bed. So it was true they were getting a divorce.
” Please don’t get a divorce! i will be a good girl! i will go into the baththub when it is my bath time and i promise not to argue with Auntie Maggie when she asks me to eat my veggies” i cried.
Daddy pulled me into his arms, he cried like a baby.
” You are a good girl Linda. You are such a darling child”.
” Then why are you getting a divorce? ” i asked.
” Where did you get that idea from? i love your mother”
” But…..but you said something bad has happened. ”
He sighed heavily. ” Mummy is gone”
I flew out of the bed and he held me back, pulling me against his chest.
” Mummy has gone to heaven”
He had said. That day something in me had also died with my mother. I knew the truth but for so long i pretended not to know. My mother was born with a heart condition but i knew that wasn’t what took her to her grave. She had threatened to change her will, i heard it myself that night long ago. She had loved him, married him against her parents’ wishes because he was from a poor home. She had made him into what he was today, but how did he repay her for loving him? how did he return her kindness?
” Mummy i am sorry for keeping quiet all these years” i whispered into the darkness.
How could i love a man who had murdered his own wife! i could still remember him crying openly, Kelvin’ s father had taken him into his study to console him. Auntie Maggie had locked herself in her room crying. Nobody remembered that i lost a mother and a friend too. Nobody comforted me . Kelvin’ s mother took baby Victoria home with her and when Auntie Maggie finally emerged from her room she had given all her time and love to the baby.
” We must take good care of the baby” Auntie had told me while we were in the nursery.
” She is so tiny Auntie”
” Yes she is, Angel. That is why we must take good care of her so she won’t miss her mummy”
I nodded my head. I missed my mummy too but nobody asked if i missed her or cared about how i was coping. Auntie Maggie played with the baby all day, she sang for her too, read her bed time stories and took her for evening walks. Auntie Maggie used to tell me i was her favorite girl and i was special but since the baby came she barely spared me a glance.
As Victoria grew older, dad and Auntie gave her special care because she was so fragile. They were afraid she had a heart condition like mom and they flew her oversea while i was left with Adediwura family. They didn’t ask if i wanted to come along, they said i couldn’t because school was still in section. They had thrown an elaborate thanksgiving party when they came back because their darling Victoria was Pronounced hale and healthy.
When i was twelve years old i overhead my dad and chief Adediwura talking in our living room.
” Have you ever considered a union between one of your daughters and my heir?” Chief Johnson Adediwura asked, while sipping from his wine glass.
I heard my father laugh heartily before replying.
” You know Chief, I think that will be a good idea. Imagine us being grandparents by the time we hit sixty! In fact i think it is a good idea.”
Chief laughed. ” It is a good idea. That way we both won’t have to worry about our children falling into the hands of those gold diggers out there. Your Victoria will be a good match for my Kelvin ”
” No! Linda.” My father answered Vehemently.
” Why? anyway they are both beautiful girls. So Linda it is!” Chief agreed.
My dad had jokingly called Kelvin my husband on some occasions but i never knew he was serious about it. I felt like a faithful dog that was being led to the butcher’ s house by his master. Why me? did he hate me so much that he wanted me out of his life? why not Victoria?
I pulled the duvet closer. Tears and emotions makes you weak but i am human and i couldn’t help crying sometimes, under the cover of darkness. Richmond wasn’t picking my calls, i don’t know what it was about him that i couldn’t let go off. I wish i could go knock on Auntie’ s door and talk to her. She has been so good to me, she sacrificed her life for us. I could never repay her back for her kindness but i was afraid to let down my guard. I was afraid of getting hurt and betrayed. My mother had loved with all of her heart, she had trusted blindly and today she is no longer alive.
Maybe i should go knock on Vicky’ s door. The poor girl must have been so frightened when she was held hostage but i had my reasons for doing what i did. It was for our own good. I will make her understand when it comes to light and i know she will forgive me. I slowly succumbed to sleep.
.to be continued .
