Stuck or Not!!!!

She could not believe her eyes. He was rough looking like he had not slept for long. She kept staring at him. She knew the kiss was not just a joke; it must have meant something. Ifeanyi kept staring at her too. He was beginning to think coming here was a mistake till he saw her drunk from the window. She had taken their second home till the end of the divorce hence his entrance. She was in all sorts of emotions. He had lifted her up, which was a wrong move since she threw up all over. He scrubbed her clean and put her in bed not before he heard her not so sober thoughts. Ifeanyi and Bimpe kept staring at each other till she stood up and took an unconfident step towards her husband. Bimpe knelt before him and kissed him. She needed proof; something to show they have or didn’t have a chance.  He responded. She felt so small in his arms so he pulled her closer. Bimpe climbed over and they cuddled and kissed deeper. Ifeanyi was reluctant to go further. He still wasn’t sure and he did not want to put her in a compromising situation. Bimpe wanted it but the truth was she knew she didn’t need it. It had been a while yet she knew this would complicate things. What happened to her no distractions for eight weeks. So she stopped kissing him and stood up. She paced for a while and his stares followed her like a shadow. ‘why are you here?’, Bimpe asked. She wanted to know about the lady in their matrimonial home – she knew better than to use the pronoun ‘their’. Changing titles, pronouns and what not was getting difficult to keep up with. Ifeanyi did not have an answer. He did not know why he was there. After he escorted Dami , he felt the need to make sure Bimpe was okay so he drove to her. Looking at it now, he knew his mere presence was sending mixed signals.  Bimpe knew he had no answer. This guess game was getting too long. ‘You know what, just leave’, Bimpe was tired. She didn’t want any more problems. Ifeanyi knew what she wanted to hear but the will to say the word was nowhere in sight; so he gave up and strolled lazily towards the door. ‘One more thing, drop the keys’, Bimpe said. She knew what it signalled. This was a line she felt could bring out the response she wanted to hear but Ifeanyi was as blind as a bat. So he dropped the keys and left. Bimpe sat on the staircase and wept.
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Ifeanyi drove like a maniac. He just ended it with the cowardly action of dropping the keys. Her eyes and body language begged him to hold on but he dropped the freaking keys. So he took it out on pedestrians, fellow drivers and the Michelin. No work today, it was Sabbath. He was never a church goer even though he was raised a catholic. Even if he was, Jesus and Virgin Mary must have given up on his affliction, pride. He blamed his egotistical nature for this. He should have walked towards her and fallen on his knees but here he was, speeding like a retard and hoping to a higher power that he didn’t make a mistake. Ifeanyi pulled into his driveway and slammed the door. After kicking his tire for ten to twelve seconds, he limped into his house. Not a home anymore. He remembered the Saturdays when Bimpe would be bent over, dusting and vacuuming their home while something delicious was cooking. Then she would serve him and he would serve her in return. Those were the days when she had succeeded in keeping him in a good mood. He still wondered if his anger issues resulted from boredom. Was she too good, too predictable that he began his trip down boring lane? Again his ego, looking for whom to blame for a woman being good to him. He sat on the settee and stared at the television. He was in no mood for anything so he stared long and hard hoping Toshiba would have a solution for his hubris. Sleep crept in instead.
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Susan had not heard from her client and bosom friend since the episode at the law firm till this afternoon. Bimpe sounded distraught and unsettled so she rushed over. After ringing the bell four times or more, Susan had begun to panic. However the door opened slowly and there Bimpe stood, looking dishevelled with swollen eyes that spoke volumes and low shoulders. Susan walked in. She knew this was not the time for lectures , it was a time to listen attentively and make light of the situation while subtly echoing solutions. So she listened. She listened as Bimpe narrated her ordeal; from showing up at their former home to getting drunk up until now. Susan uttered not a single word! Not because she had no opinion, who would believe that anyway after all, she is a lawyer! Susan kept shut because Ifeanyi had broken her friend. Her friend had lost that pride that she knew her for back in the day. The no nonsense and go getter feature was gone. She could never imagine why people sought for happy ever afters when career and financial stability gave the same comfort. She looked at her once shoulder held high friend and saw a recluse. Bimpe read the look. She knew it so well. She felt it too. What stung the most was the ringing truth in it. She had lost herself. It would take strength that she didn’t have to fix herself. Susan cleared her throat. ‘Lets go on a vacation, you and I. You need to sort your life out and I am going to be with you every step of the way!’ Bimpe smiled weakly. There was no harm in trying. Bimpe, rejected any vacation spot outside the country with silly excuses but deep down, she knew she had the tiniest inclination towards the possibility of Ifeanyi coming to his senses and searching for her. She planned to stand her ground if he didn't have anything concrete to offer. She planned!
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"Bimpe stared vehemently at the tiles. She saw the beads of vapour and compared it to those of perspiration on her body. She felt the constant sting of the heat on her buttocks and back. She was hunched over even if She was alone, trying to cover her nakedness even when no one was watching. When did Bimpe become so self conscious? Who made her this way?  He did this to her. She had lost the confidence of a model and put on the cloak of low self esteem. The Tiara had slipped so low, her  finger tips were having a hard time reaching for it. The buzzer signalling the sauna session was over  reminded her that She was a month away from coming to terms with marriage and reality. She weakly wrapped her towel around her breasts and stepped out".
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Susan spoke about the cases she worked on and how her career was slowly strangling any hope of a relationship. This was the routine; Susan will talk and talk about life, it's beauty and complexities, anything other than Bimpe and her shattered marriage while She would listen, mostly inattentively. However, today was not going to be the case. For some weird reason, she woke up more moody than normal, she was in all sorts of mood like when she was pregnant. That one time after the second when they were really hoping he would stay but he didn't because she was stressing over Ifeanyi, his philandering and her health. Bimpe looked at the constant moving lips of her friend and hoped she would get the message that she was not in the mood. The yapping stopped. This was unusual for Susan so Bimpe looked up. Susan had an expressionless face, the kind she gave in the court. Bimpe followed her stare. A certain gentleman named Emeka just walked into the dinning room of the resort. It could be worse so they both sighed. Bimpe must have celebrated too early because Ifeanyi strolled in not long after!

Stuck or not: THE OTHER WOMAN

H

e stood looking at her. He knew he was in trouble but his ego was alive. She shouldn’t have come without calling. Bimpe was still standing there wondering if it was time to take on the uber offer. Had she interrupted something? Then she heard movements; then a face. The stranger was a beauty; soft looked yet there was a glint of mischief in her stance. Bimpe tried not to conclude but ten years of knowing Ifeanyi proved that this lady was not a distant cousin. She awkwardly cleared her throat, ‘I am sorry for showing up like this but I thought we could talk about the event that occurred earlier. I can see you are engaged so I will take my leave’. Bimpe turned around but Ifeanyi could not let her leave that way. Not in this circumstance so he attempted to leave the door frame. Dami knew who Bimpe was and the danger she could cause if she let Ifeanyi go. So she stooped- hoping to destroy this marriage and win him over finally after a year of failing to knock down his wall:  ‘Babe, do not be long!’. Ifeanyi and Bimpe stood in their tracks. Just when the ‘it is not what you think’ was about to be said, Bimpe got into the car and asked to be driven. Ifeanyi knew at that point that his attempt to find out if he deserved Bimpe was of no use. He clearly didn’t.

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B

impe slapped her forehead continuously as she cursed and cried.The Uber driver looked at his weird passenger through the rear view but couldn’t voice an opinion. She went all the way to be given the rude shocker. The problem was that Ifeanyi had always been that way. Yet, she could not help but wonder if their relationship had always been a fluke. The man she fell in love with was a polished Rottweiler; he preyed on her naivety and dumped her like a wand that had lost its magic. Bimpe got out the car and stormed into her apartment. The cold she felt was worse than that of the morning. The day had been long but she knew the night would be worse. She had been a fool for ten years and a day more. The half bottle of chocolate flavored Vodka came to her view. She walked to the freezer and got out ice. Pouring a considerable amount in a glass that looked wider than normal; she sat on the dining table and took a large gulp. It burned yet it did not compare to the hell she would raise if for a stupid reason like her lack of control, she could not get her divorce in the said eight weeks.

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D

ami got tired of waiting for Ifeanyi to come in. He had been sitting on the stairs since his soon to be ex-wife left. She had taken the plates into the kitchen and even done her best to keep the parlor tidy yet, he refused to enter. This was not the night she planned out for. She wanted to hold on to him- even when his attitude and utterances rang impertinence. She knew she had settled for this but what could she do? Dami noticed him move slowly towards the door. She sat up and put on a smile, ready to accept his wounds and lick them. Yes! That is what she had become; a comfort to the broken Ifeanyi. She remembered how a year ago, she had stumbled on the man called Ifeanyi.

She had left Dipo’s house angry. He had cheated for the umpteenth time and No! ‘This was the last time’ was not going to cut it. She walked into a lounge off Ajose Adeogun and sat by the bar. She ordered a very strong Long Island and looked at the mark the one year engagement ring-now long gone, had caused. “Heart break or on a prowl?” a corky voice asked. Dami turned and saw Ifeanyi, clearly married yet so attractive. This was the opportunity to switch places, be the other woman. Dami ignored her conscience and laughed extra hard to his jokes and flirted openly. The night was not going to end without some flair. So she acted drunk, stumbled and talked extra slow. Just when he held her close enough, she planted a soft but sloppy kiss on his lips. He pulled away; looking confused yet she saw his yearn. He was broken, lonely and vulnerable. She held his neck and pulled him closer. Ifeanyi could not resist anymore. This was not his first time cheating on Bimpe and with the loss of their third pregnancy; he was not going back to her sobs and self pity. So he kissed this beautiful stranger, he kissed her deep and long. Then she pulled away. Dami had got his attention and she intended keeping it. She slipped her card into his pocket and walked out of the lounge. It didn’t take forty eight hours before she heard that confidence ridden voice. A few drinks and poor decisions and here they were.

I

feanyi could not believe that Dami had not taken the cue after what she had caused. He heard her cleaning and then silence. No movement. She had not left still. So he stood up and entered the house menacingly hoping to scare her off but she just stared at him. Dami knew him. Dami knew his weaknesses and tolerated his outrages. What he could not stand was that look; the look of pity, like he was broken. He could never compare them both but Bimpe never looked at him that way. For a long time, she thought he was redeemable. Tonight, he knew he put out that light permanently. He picked up Dami’s bag and handed it to her. Dami refused to get up. ‘Dami please! ’ He hardly used those words but he knew he was at his wits ends and he did not want to say or rather, do what could be damaging. Dami could not believe he was throwing he out. Was she the one who broke his heart? She had been there for him physically and almost this close to emotionally yet she got the boot? Not this time! Dami stood her grounds. ‘Ifeanyi, you need to’ Dami did not complete the statement before her bag landed rudely on her laps. Then she was pulled and shoved towards the door. She knew it was no use arguing. He was in his wolverine mode. So she turned back to say something but thought better. She opened the door and slammed it so hard, she felt its hinges shake. She was done with him for now. She was attracted to him because he made her feel she was needed even in silence but maltreating her physically meant her last level of regard was gone. So was she!

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B

impe heard the phone ring continuously but she could not bring herself to pick up. She struggled to go back to sleep but no! The phone would not stop. She opened and closed her eyes so fast because of the rays of sunlight that filtered through the blinds. She did not remember taking a shower or taking a bath which seemed impossible since she was in her pyjamas and looked clean compared to what she envisioned. She sure ate like a pig during her drunk-depressed section yester night. So she walked steeply towards the bathroom, hoping her steps will not wake up the headache that already had its foundation laid. After a thorough shower, she strolled to her living room to a strange form. He was cuddled up on her settee and was fast asleep. So she turned around slowly and pounded the arm rest with the empty bottle of vodka she had picked from the side table. He turned to face her. What she saw knocked her flat to the floor! It was not possible. He could not be here again. How did he get in? ‘Bimpe, are you okay?’ Ifeanyi asked, wondering if he had made the right decision.

Stuck or not: What are we?

Hello Everyone. I am so sorry for the late reply. It has been a while and I must say, I thought this part of my self was over. The truth is life happened. I promise to take this more seriously. Enjoy the update and for new readers, feel free to go through the cobwebbed posts! Take care and I appreciate comments. Mwah!!!

T

he signing as assumed did not occur. In fact, it was adjourned to eight (8)weeks time. Bimpe could hardly stare into her Lawyer turned friend’s eyes let alone Ifeanyi’s. She walked briskly to the elevator but she knew she could not avoid Susan’s questions. ‘What happened? When did you decide that you needed more time because last I checked which was last night, you wanted this over and done with?’ Susan looked sternly at Bimpe , waiting for answers but Bimpe just stared, lost in the confusion that her weakness had orchestrated. She could not lie to her Lawyer. ‘Bimpe! Bimpe!’, Susan called her back from her trance. She turned to her friend and sobbed as she told her the shameful details. Susan stroked her back. This was not the time or the place to discuss this. Since Bimpe did not drive, she hitched a ride with Susan and they drove out for lunch into the Lagos traffic.

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I

feanyi sat in a bar on the Island. It was a bit too early for his poison Hennessy so he stuck to cocktails. He could not believe what had occurred. A part of his heard congratulated and massaged his ego while the other did what only mothers were known for; knocked him back to his senses. He messed up; he hurt a good girl and now it was payback time. The only thing bothering him was the confusion. Why did he feel endeared to her? What did she have over him that made him put a pause on his planned single life to put a ring on her? Why did he, even after so close to a divorce, turn around and opt to hold out for eight weeks? Oh! The things he could have started experiencing as an official single man. His phone started buzzing. Emeka, his long time partner in crime was calling on Facetime . He knew the reason for the call yet he could not bring himself to answer. He let it ring till it went unanswered but this dude was persistent! ‘’Yo, how far na? Everything don set?’’, Emeka asked his friend. Ifeanyi looked straight at the screen and Emeka guessed. ‘’I tell you say you still love that babe, you are just in denial!, Emeka shook his head as he spoke. He knew his friend so well. He always had second thoughts about Ifeanyi  letting Bimpe go because he knew he didn’t deserve her and she was the best thing that Ifeanyi had.  The friends agreed to meet up later in the day and the call ended. The call had just confirmed Ifeanyi’s fears. He was scared to cut all ties with Bimpe but he did not know how much he wanted her. He was confused no doubt and this alcohol was making it much worse. Ifeanyi paid the bill and drove home.

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B

impe played with the rim of her cocktail glass. This must have been the third, better yet, the fourth glass yet she could not fight the urge that needed another long island. It was a tough day she had and her friend kept giving her a look that said she was not a teenager. Susan cleared her throat, ‘’I do not know why I am not screaming at you right now. Maybe it is the fact that I know this is a difficult process. However, you have no right to hurt yourself the way you are about to. The same way Ifeanyi has no right to hurt you. Are you even listening?’’, Susan sounded exasperated. Bimpe continued to draw imaginary circles on the rim of her glass. She knew Susan was right but what could she do? Susan continued her sermon. Bimpe still looked lost. ‘You know what?’, Susan suggested, ‘why don’t you wait this out till he calls, for all you know. It may have been just a kiss’. BImpe sighed. They both looked exhausted but just before it were time to leave,  Bimpe ordered the last cocktail that was obviously a mistake.

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I

feanyi looked himself in the mirror as he dried his body after a long shower. The traffic was terrible and after two hours, he finally got to his estate. He walked lazily to the kitchen and opened the fridge wondering what he could eat. Luckily, he had ordered for different soups since he was now a bachelor. While waiting for the microwave to help warm his dinner, he sat loosely on the couch in his towel. He remembered how Bimpe would nag at him for walking around in his tiny briefs; he now wondered if she was constantly turned on by him or by the fact she was not the only one enjoying the view. At the sound of the microwave beeping, he heard the door bell. He wondered who would come at this time without the estate security calling the intercom. He walked to the door and got the shocker of his existence. He was not ready for this at all. She stood glistening and seductive. She looked exactly the way he had met her a year ago. She smiled and pushed him into the house. It was his friend with benefit Dami. The full figured beauty waltzed her way to the couch. Ifeanyi was in shock still at the door. ‘Keep staring at me and I just may freeze’, Dami said sarcastically. Ifeanyi composed himself and walked to the kitchen. He served dinner for them both and poured them wine. Dami looked around and got comfortable. She took off her shoes and plugged her ipone to power. Ifeanyi sat across from her and could not believe his luck. Dami did not seem like she was leaving any time soon. She stood up and sat on him. She bit her lips and kissed him deeply. He pulled her hair and sniffed her neck. Standing up with her straddling his waist, he walked towards the kitchen counter. He heard the first knock but he ignored. He was not about to stop now not even for Emeka. The knocks became louder so he released himself from her hold and walked to the door while catching his breath. Opening the door with rage, he met the same eyes that held him captive for Ten years. ‘Is this a bad time?’ Bimpe asked?

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B

impe ordered an Uber and called it a night with Susan. She couldn’t decide where her destination was. She delayed for so long; the poor driver had to start charging her. She settled for her house, her lonely house and looked out of the window as she was driven. She wondered what the next day will hold. The traffic had reduced so she was on the mainland in no time. Just when she approached seven up in Ikeja, she asked the uber driver to change route. She knew it was a mistake but she needed answers. What were they? It was too early to ask and she knew but she did not need confusion in her life. She had planned to finally attend New York Fashion School and it was to resume in twelve weeks. She needed to know what she  really didn’t want to know. Was she already putting him in her plans before clarifying what they were? She shook her head. Passing the estate gate was not an issue considering she had lived here for four years. She felt a weird chill as she drove through the gates, a feeling of recognition of her home. She got out and ended her trip. Before walking in, she pleaded with the driver to wait for fifteen minutes. She did not want to be stranded in her old home. After knocking for one minute, she thought of turning back but she knew he was home. Sighing, she knocked more aggressively. She heard struggle and the door swung open. There he was, shirtless in briefs. She didn’t know where to look so she chose his eyes but she was in for a shocker. She saw guilt- which was a foreign emotion to him. ‘Is this a bad time?’ Bimpe could not help but ask.

Continuation of "Stuck or Not"

He hesitated. He didn’t want to look nervous like he felt. He was all shaken inside. He reversed without much concentration. “Watch it you moron”, an old lady screamed as he screeched the tyres. He rolled his eyes and eased his car into the narrow slot he found at the parking lot. He squeezed out of the car after his last check in the review mirror. He walked into the law firm.

Bimpe stared hard at the elevator screen. It had been stuck on the sixth floor for close to fifteen minutes. “Even if it’s a football team”, she said to herself. She didn’t want to have her soon to be ex-husband staring at her as she walked in or causing unnecessary interruptions because she was late. She just wanted to be in and out. Simple! Three then two then one, it finally turned to zero. Bimpe hurried in amidst the shoving by the crowd all impatient to get to their various destinations. “Please hold on”, a voice so familiar, a voice she had heard more than she wanted. It was too late. Ifeanyichukwu was inside the same elevator!

They were alone and nothing could possibly be more awkward. She brought out her phone and he stared at his wristwatch like his eyeballs could freeze the ticking hands of his time piece. They badly wanted to avoid the elephant in the room but then again, it was an elephant! “Erm”, they said at the same time and for two seconds or less, they both giggled and forgot that they were here for the most difficult thing. Something they swore before God that they were never going to come to. It was for better or worse right? They became aware that the elevator had stopped moving. The law firm always had this issue. “Does he miss me?” “She looks good though” “I am sure he has slept with five hundred girls since me!” “For her to look this good, a new man must be in her life”. A long, piercing siren made them aware that they had not pressed the floor they were going to. They stretched their fingers simultaneously and something inexplicable happened to both of them. Bimpe jerked backwards and crashed into his solid chest.

 She knew that she belonged there but not with all this hurting. He lifted her head with her chin and wondered what in God’s name was going on. This wasn’t right, not here or now. She was the one who filed for divorce. He was the one who cheated but came home to cry wolf. He hit her sometimes but he was back to looking into her eyes that used to bear love for him but all he saw was pain. He just wanted to kiss it all away. Bimpe stretched on her tip toes in spite of her mind’s warning. Their lips met. She shuddered as she wrapped her arms around his head and he around her waist. His breath was ragged as she bit his lips the way she knew drove him wild. The four walls couldn’t handle the level of intimacy that exuded from both of them. The beep of the elevator threw them apart. So did the doors. She couldn’t look at him. He knew they just made the process harder. She walked out confused as hell and towards the ladies. He walked towards the conference room while cleaning the lipstick from his lips and wondering if her cologne would ever be forgotten.

Stuck or not?!

Hello people. Sorry for the delay. It was not without reason. Anyways, I am suffering what most writers call 'writers block'. However, I have this idea which I will post after this intro. please comment on what you feel this story can turn out to be. Every opinion matters. thanks and Enjoooyyy!!!


"Who the hell was he to walk into her life and mess things up! She was practically living her fantasy when this despicable hunk of a man walked into her life and trampled on every plan and promise she had made to herself! As Bimpe stretched her hands to the other side of her huge bed, the cold sheet reminded her that it had been a while since she felt his warm cuddle or heard his snores! Divorce was not going to be easy ! Dont get Bimpe wrong, she sure as hell wasn't going to miss the slaps and kicks however, she had slowly come to realize that having a man beside her was a stability that had helped and shaped her life! Sighing without knowledge of why, she climbed out of bed and strolled lazily to her huge bathroom! Today was definitely going to be a long day for her!

Was a rock band practicing close by! Of course a band was practicing right inside his head! The headache was so bad, he squeezed his eyes tighter! Placing his lean left hand over his eyes, he used his right hand to tap the rachet of a lady whose stretch marks he just saw after the love portion 'alcohol' had cleared! With her thighs left ajar, her lower region with the help of the stretch marks looked like Haiti after the earthquake! Cellulites were obviously invented  by suz...erm, Cynthia! Yes " it" was called Cynthia! Tapping a bit more aggressively,  Cynthia woke up and immediately stretched her left hand to him for her money for the night! " Are you for real", Ifeanyi shook his head and stood ! Throwing her clothes at her and screaming out insults , he pushed her towards the door as she struggled into her skimpy clothes! In a split second she was on the other side of the door! Clapping his hands like he was done with a workload,  he strolled to his empty kitchen and poured the last of Cheerios into his slightly clean bowl! At his realization that he had forgot to stop at the store for milk, he realized that Miss what's her name was still screaming for her two thousand for a night of grim adventure. He stormed into his room, picked his wallet and car keys! While driving out, he flung 5k at ms ratchet and drove angrily down the road !


The cold feel of water hitting her back made her relax. She snapped her neck to both sides as the shower drenched her long curly hair to her back. She should have been conscious of her hair but she didn't care. Bimpe was going to be late to the meeting with the lawyers and her ex-husband! Yes, she said it! EX! She towelled herself dry and walked to the sink to brush. She pressed the tube of the toothpaste from the middle! He would always complain being an OCD patient that she should press the tube from the bottom. Like it mattered! She slipped into a black, long-sleeved jumpsuit and black court shoes. She stared closely at herself. Did she look broken? Did she look like she should be pitied? Definitely not! She wanted to look strong, like she could move on even if she knew she trembled inside. She released her moist mass of human hair and picked her car keys! Silence was going to be her companion at the deliberation.


Ifeanyi finally had his lousy bowl of Cheerios after passing through the nosy neighbors and their accusing gazes! As he flipped through the channels without looking away from the tv, he stretched his other hand towards his ringing cell. His lawyer was calling. 'Where the hell are you?!', Barr. Tunde screamed! 'Shiit!, I'll be right there!', Ifeanyi answered as he dashed into the bathroom. From what he heard from the lawyers, she was there. It had been three months he last saw her. She sure was going to be a comic relief while she begged him today. He giggled at the thought. He put on a Thomas Pink shirt, sky blue in color which clinged to his well-trimmed body and slipped into his dark blue chinos. He was going to knock her off the hinges. Tom Ford was the cologne of the day. He stepped out feeling like a million bucks!"

The concluding part of "Other Than My Skin"

My day at work wasn't great! While dashing out of the car, my middle finger got jammed with the door. Excruciating was too mild to explain d pain that shot through my throbbing finger so I guess blushing explained it better. The meetings I had ran longer than I thought and I was put on the spot cos evri1 wanted to know if Annie should be respected or pitied. I showed them. Just when I thought of settling to lunch, a facebook notification popped up. Lo and behold, it was her and him. I couldn't help but zoom in and out of the picture. Lekan made me forget about my insecurities. He made me confident. Our first date was spectacular. He paid compliments like they were his language and engaged me in topics I couldn't imagine. He was smooth, too smooth. He sounded like he did this all day and that's were the warning bells rung fervently but I turned deaf to them. On purpose!We would walk into malls n people would stare rudely but Lekan handled it well. His friends I could tell, wondered what he saw in me. All these I noticed n made sure I made little or no issues. These were the reasons why it was shocking when  Lekan's disappearing acts begun. He would cut d call in d middle of conversations, he started dragging his feet when it came to going to church with me. He claimed I distracted him or rather, I caused an uproar with my condition in Church. I couldn't understand especially as he had popped my cherry or did I feel I was losing him. Was I that inexperienced? My thoughts and questions were answered three weeks later when my friend pinged and asked I check facebook. He never uploaded my picture on social networks. He claimed he didn't want anyone making fun or commenting rudely. I opened his page. There he was, smiling from ear to ear at his new born son. From the pictures I scrolled through while shaking profusely , she had been in London and just got into Nigeria two weeks ago with their 1month old baby. I called my sister twelve times, no response. I paced up and down the sitting room till I became dizzy and passed out...Its been three years since I last saw Lekan and even though he was my world, iv come to realise that love is not for me. U can call me weak, sensitive or the worst, a woman with trust issues but 1 thing is certain, I died emotionally the day I saw the pictures and that death cannot happen twice. I will prefer to b alone and imagine what it would feel to have love than have love then lose it. My Skin made me an object of pity. I never want to feel that way again...The End.

Continuation : Other than my skin!

Lunch at my family house was as usual, suffocating. I knew the conversation would some how tilt to my direction and I would be interrogated on how the new job was turning out for me. Since I was d only single child , I had to make sunday dinner a routine. Not like I had something better to do. " So, how are you settling in? Have you seen any young man that you have your eyes on? Hope u r on your toes at the office? When are you bringing a young handsome man home?" My dad and mum threw these questions expecting answers. I stopped eating and played with the napkin I had neatly placed on my thighs. Looking up feebly, I stared at my father and gave a reassuring smile as I said, "I'm on my toes dad". I ignored my mum and continued eating with little or no interest. She shook her head and heaved a sigh. She knew I wasn't ready to open that page. Not now, not yet, not ever! Scratch that, may be later. She knew Lekan! she had met him twice or thrice. She was impressed and considered him charming but that was the way he was. He could crawl his way into anyone's heart. Lekan bribed my gate man with a thousand naira.  Judas Iscariot sold my number for just one thousand naira. I wouldn't say my tummy didn't bubble at the sound of his voice when he called. He sounded refreshing. He made me want to listen even if all he uttered were in chinese. He introduced himself as Lekan Thomas, he was 32, a well established architect and came from a long line of architects who were behind most of d beautiful buildings on the island. All these brought me back to the question I asked him next, "so why are you calling?" Lekan was quiet for a few seconds. He however answered, "because you are different". Different? What d hell did he mean by different? The fact that I lacked melanin , yeah, lacked melanin instead of that stupid word, gave him no right to..."Annie, are you there?", Lekan sounded worried. "Did I say something wrong?" Lekan asked again. ' Annie, compose yourself!', I said to myself. "No you didn't",I answered finally. The conversation ended seconds later. That was d beginning of something that I thought would last just as long as the first call. Lekan made me conscious! I took the gym more seriously in hopes of finding him there. Lekan never showed up there. Apparently, he was a one timer at the gym. We chatted so often, we even went as far as given each other secret identity names. He called me grey because of my eyes and I called him muscles because of his body that I couldn't get my mind off. Lekan made me open up doors and explore both mentally and emotionally in ways that I knew would scar me for life if whatever we had ever ended. A thought I could never think of without my heart skipping beats. I wondered what got into me but I knew I was like a bird who after so long in a cage, finally tasted freedom.

Grey was the colour I chose to wear the next day to the office. I was in all sorts and couldn't help the feeling of indifference. Akpan pulled out of the compound and I could swear he dived right into traffic purposely. Akpan used the 'no movement' situation to talk flippantly about the world, traffic, life and so many topics that the only way of surviving was to either knock him or zone out of the scenario. Being a calm person, I chose the latter. Work would  be uneventful. After meeting with the expatriate, I would b back to my open wound of an office pretending to be super busy so as to avoid some of my colleagues who have been trying to get my attention. it would b nice if dandelions were placed in my office today. I let my mind wonder from the most irrelevant things to the most important things. I am single again. Although it had been for a while now, I began to ask myself, am I that bad? Was it a sin to be an 'anyali', as the ibo people would call it. The few friends I had got married and left me. The ying yang angels appeared again. The evil one suggested I run away but that's a no no since I just started a dream job. The good one went on with patience. Why did Lekan go all the way if hurting me was going to be the outcome. I adjusted myself, Lekan blew me away. After three months of talking without ceasing, he asked me on a date. He let me pick the restaurant so that I could be comfortable. My sister went nuts in preparation that at a point , I wondered who was going for a date. She made me wear the gown her husband got her on their 3rd anniversary. It was a red,long-sleeved knee length dress that was so tight. I also had to wear shoes so high, I wondered if my sister wanted me to look more of her. After I had almost ruined the eye liner because of my eyes, my sister Joan was done with my make up. She kissed my cheek and I walked shakily to the car Akpan had pulled out. I was to meet him at 8 o'clock at Victoria Island. He was waiting for me and I contemplated turning back especially as the dress gave me little or no room to breathe. Akpan pulled into the restaurant and for a few minutes I sat there looking at the door. "Make I park madam?, Akpan asked. 
I opened the door slowly and walked up the stairs.  The surprised look on the face of Joseph the door man, only made me more nervous. I stopped and squinted, looking for Lekan. He wasn't seated. I called his number severally but no response. Just when I thought of calling Akpan to pull out, I felt a peck on my neckline. I turned slightly to the warmest smile I had ever seen. I blushed, he smiled 
wider. "Annie...", there was a way he pronounced my name. I could swear he made it sound more interesting than the two syllabic word that it was. We walked to the table at d farthest corner and he pulled out a chair for me which I sat in....The burning sensation from the leather of the car seat dragged me from my remembrance. Akpan had put on the car heater by mistake. We were few blocks away from my office by this time. I pushed myself up using my palms as the seat cooled off. Finally at the office, I dashed out of the car. The day was going to be gloomy, I could feel it! To be continued! Cheers


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