Best Friend. Episode 12

Best friend

Episode 12

A young man opened the gate, “Evening, can I help you?”
“Yes, is Edidiong home? I am Uwa.”
“Uwa? Bro. Onuwawagbe?” his expression changed to an excited one.
“Yes,” he smiled back.
“I am Imabong, Didi’s immediate younger brother.”
“Ah! The banker, we spoke on phone a couple of times.”
“Yes. Bros how now?”
“We dey jare my brother.”
“Please come in.”
He followed him into the large compound.
“How is Zenith bank treating you?”
“Bros the banking industry has totally changed. I might start my own business just like you.”
He laughed.

“I am serious.”
“No wahala, just commit your plans into God’s hands. He will direct you.”
“Okay.”
“Where is your younger brother, Boma?”
“He is watching a soccer match with dad.”
“Has he been posted?”
“Yes. Na Abuja o.”
“The capital city,” he saw a woman seated under the orange tree, “Is that your mum?”
“Yes.”
“Let me go and greet her. I will join you inside later.”
“Okay,” he went into the house.
Uwa approached the elderly woman, “Good evening ma.”
“Onuwagbe, is this your face?”
“Yes ma.”
“Your mum has been disturbing me about the new introduction date.”
He scratched a spot on his head, “I have been avoiding her.”
“Uwa!”
“Ma.”
“You better arrange yourself.”
He sat on the bench beside her, “I am trying ma.”
“Didi is not even sure if there will be a wedding.”
He sighed heavily, “That is why I am here.”
“Marriage is not a child’s play. If you are not ready, it is better to wait.”
He nodded, “I am ready ma.”
“Are you sure?” she eyed him.
“Yes, ma.”
“What about Mara?”
He swallowed hard, “Mara is a non-issue.”
She raised an eyebrow.
“I let my guard down. It will never ever happen again. I know better now.”
“Love cannot survive without trust.”

He nodded.
“Temptations will always come. You have to be able to put your flesh under and use the wisdom God has given you. Flee whenever it is necessary.”
“Yes, ma,” he was more than ready to fight his battles and do things God’s way.
“She is in her room.”
“Thank you ma,” he rose and headed into the bungalow. He found her dad and brothers watching a soccer game. He exchanged pleasantries
with them and was directed to her room. He took a long breath and knocked. He opened the door and walked in. He saw her seated on a high stool, busy with her phone, probably browsing and looking out of the window occasionally. The room was neat and tidy. A large bed was against the wall. A big brown wooden wardrobe was adjacent to it. A dressing mirror was nailed to the wall and a sitting area was opposite it.
He picked up another stool and joined her by the large window.
“Didi…”
She concentrated on her phone and ignored him. She had not seen him for the past two weeks. She was better off without him.
“I am incomplete without you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I promise to be faithful. I don’t care if you put me on a probation period. I will wait for as long as it takes. You are the one I love, the one I want, the one I can’t do without.”

She raised her head and looked into his w€t dark pleading eyes. She was still hurting. Her heart ached. She wasn’t sure she would be able to trust him ever again.
“Please give me another chance. Give us another chance. I am a wreck without you. You can learn to trust me again. I will wait.”
“I don’t know,” her voice was low and laced with sadness.
“I am so sorry. I will never ever hurt you again.”
She looked heavenwards.
Oh God. I love this man, but, I am in deep pains. Heal my heart. Save my relationship.
He reached out for her hand.
“I will wait for as long as it takes.”
She pressed her lips together and looked back at him.
“I love you.”
“I love you too…” she whispered.
He sighed with relief. There was hope for them after all.
xxxxxx
The phone kept on ringing. She hurried out of the kitchen. Where was her phone? She looked around the sitting room. The last time she used it, she was seated on the cushion. She dipped her hand into the chairs, one after the other. She found it and picked the call.
“Hello.”
“Where are you?”
She recognized his voice, “Home.”
“I am coming over.”
“Okay,” she returned to the kitchen.
“Get ready.”
“For what?”
“You are coming with me.”
“To where?”
“Uwa and Didi are having their introduction today.”
“What?!” she froze.
“We need to get to Ikorodu asap.”
“Okay, okay,” she switched off the cooker and dashed out of the kitchen. She ran into her room and threw the phone on the bed. What was
she going to wear?

xxxxxx
Mara and Bankole arrived at Didi’s parents’ place. The party was in full swing. They sat among the friends and families present. While the food and drinks were being served, Mara sneaked into her friend’s bedroom.
“I am glad that you made it,” she looked at her through the dressing mirror.
“Liar.”
She chuckled, “Being here opens your eyes to the fact that Uwa and I belong together. Nothing can separate us.”
She folded her arms across her b—m, “Your traditional wedding is in two weeks. That is more than enough time for me to convince him that I
am the one for him.”
“Dream on.”
“Did he tell you that we did it again?”
She eyed her, “It didn’t happen.”
She chuckled, “It did. He was right inside me.”
“I have guest to attend to,” she dropped her hair brush and headed for the door.
“He cannot resist my body. It is only a matter of time before his heart becomes mine.”
She glanced back at her, “Shalewa has replaced you as the maid of honour,” she walked out.
Mara looked around, pick up a shoe and hurled it at the door. She felt like strangling her. She searched the wardrobe and found a plastic

bottle of multivitamins. She emptied it in the trash can and refilled it with some tablets she bought at the local market. She grinned and replaced the bottle in the wardrobe.
“Didi love…” Uwa walked in and frowned when he found her in his fiancée’s room. She was clad in a white v-neck fitted mini lace dress. Her
fair supple cleavage harassed his eyes and made his mind travel to places he didn’t want to imagine.
“You are making a big mistake.”
“I am not. I am getting married to the love of my life.”
She shook her head.
“I believe that your prince charming is out there.”
“No! He is standing in here.”
He pitied her. She must really like him.
“I love Didi. My heart belongs to her.”
“But, you made love to me,” she approached him.
“We just had s-x. It was a mistake.”
“No!”
“S-x and love are two different things. You women are always confusing both.”
“I love you.”
“But I don’t love you. I might have slept with you…”
“Thrice!”
“No, no… the first time, I lost control. The second time, you forced yourself on me in the bathroom…”
“And you stopped fighting me off and responded.”
He eyed her, “The third time, I stopped before I went too far.”
“But you were right inside me.”
“Regardless, I don’t love you.”
She blinked back the tears that gathered in her eyes.

“S-x is not love. You are attractive; you have a mind blowing physique. Any man who sees you will want to eat you up, but, I feel nothing else for you.”
“No…” his words felt like hot coals on her wounded heart.
“Yes. I love Didi. She is the one I want to spend the rest of my life with.”
Grief overwhelmed her. He sighed and walked out. He found his fiancée outside the house, talking to her ex-boyfriend. He leaned against the
wall and waited for her.
Bankole felt like crying. She was slipping out of his life again. “I never stopped loving you. You are the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with.”
She sighed heavily, “I am so sorry Banky. I have fallen in love with someone else. My heart belongs to Uwa.”
Her words pierced his heart. “Don’t say that.”
“I am sorry.”
“DIdi…”
“I am going to block your numbers from my phone. Let me go.”
“I can’t.”
“Yes, you can. I am not the only woman in the world.”

“You are the only woman for me.”
“Open your eyes. Your wife is out there. Goodbye Banky,” she walked away. She saw her fiancé and smiled. They walked back into the house,
holding hands.
Bankole watched them. He had lost her forever.