love happened, a story by rose akpabio

Episode 10




***
‘I Have served your dinner’ Mrs Olaitan’s shrill
voice brought him back to reality. He’d been so
engrossed in the drawing, he’d poured out his
whole heart, his soul, all the shadows that lurked
in his childhood, everything that reminded him of
his dear mother on the canvas. He’d sketched
her beautiful eyes, those laughing eyes, her
strong nose and her beautiful lips.
‘I’m coming’ he paused and touched the drawing,
he realized evening had come as he stared into
the sky.
He’d spent more than two hours in the studio,
people never understood what went on with
artists, once they got inspiration to do
something, time was no longer of the essence,
time was no longer needed, focus and passion
were greater than time.
‘There you are’ he smiled sadly and dropped the
pencil, he felt better after drawing her. He would
show the world the woman he loved most, he
would tell of her mysterious disappearance, he
was sure after he was done with the work, that
his drawing would be considered for the award.
As he climbed down the stairs, he realized that
was the only weekend he’d spent without a
woman by his side.
He smiled briefly and continued walking, he
would stroll out later and get some fresh air.
‘What happened here’? he noticed the house had
been decorated with Christmas lights, red and
green ribbons, the air smelt of Christmas, a big
Christmas tree was placed in the centre of the
living room.
‘Inviting the spirit of Christmas’ the old woman
smiled.
‘Nice’ Lekan paused not knowing what else to
say, the chiming bells and the Christmas songs
that played softly in the background brought
back memories of his mother and the cupcakes
she baked during Christmas. Why couldn’t he get
over her?
‘You’re still thinking about her’ the woman
noticed the faraway look in his eyes.
‘Take them off’ he couldn’t stand it no more.
‘What’? the woman asked gently.
‘Take them all off, all the decorations, the
Christmas tree, everything’ he suddenly lost his
appetite.
‘But Lekan…I only did this to make you happy’
she felt hurt.
‘I don’t care, I want all the decorations off by the
time I get back’ he rushed out of the house as
her laughter filled his ears, his mother had been
his angel, now she was gone, she’d left him
alone.
He exhaled as he stepped out of the house, the
air dried the drop of tears that had fallen on his
face. He’d never cried before, but the memory of
his mother made him cry, why was life so cruel?
He saw the streets and how happy people
looked, their faces were bright with hope, carols
filled the air and he knew he couldn’t escape
from the spirit of the season.
He ventured into the next street, it looked
calmer, he decided to stroll for some minutes
before returning to the house. He knew the old
woman would feel hurt but he couldn’t help it, he
did that for his own sanity.
‘Oga abeg give me small money’ a little boy
rushed and clung to him, the streets weren’t well
illuminated but he could see the boy’s face
faintly.
‘Get away from me’ Lekan screamed in rage, the
little beggar uncurled immediately and scurried
off.
‘Oh poo’ he cursed as he realized what he’d
done, how cruel could he be? He decided after
the boy and hand him some change as he
searched his pockets. Maybe Ade was right,
maybe he needed to see a therapist, that was all
he needed. He would do that first thing on
Monday morning.
‘Hello, wait…’ he called after the beggar boy, the
boy stopped and stared at him from the other
side of the road.
He carefully brought the naira notes out of his
pocket and decided to cross, but he’d failed to
watch for cars as the street was a lonely one.
‘Oga! See dat car’ the boy screamed, but it was
too late.
Lekan found himself on the ground as the
bumper of the Honda jeep rammed into him and
he found himself on the ground.
***
Oscar had left for his office as one of the clients
had requested to see him urgently, so she’d
decided to go home and fetch some clothes so
she could stay over the weekend with him. Oscar
was a very generous, she loved guys who were
romantic and caring and Oscar happened to
make that list.
He’d bought her a golden designers watch,
Giorgio Armani design, she had been caught up in
her admiration for the watch, and that little
moment of carelessness, she’d felt something hit
her car.
‘Oh my God, what have I done’? Barbie stepped
out of her car hurriedly as people began to
gather, the once empty and gloomy street was
suddenly flooded with people.
‘Madam, you beta take him to the hospital o,
before this man die for hia’ one of the motor
cyclists advised her.
‘Please don’t die’ Barbie sobbed as she bent over
the unconscious man, she held his head in her
arms and checked for injuries over his body but
she found none.
With the help of some men Lekan was lifted into
the back of the car and she ignited the engine
and drove off. It was dark and she didn’t know
any hospital around that area, the town’s general
hospital was an hour’s drive from there and if
the man wasn’t well cared for he could die,
though he wasn’t bleeding she felt the need to
take him to the hospital.
She brought the car to a halt and knew she had
to call her sister for help, their late mother had
been a nurse, and during the time she
administered treatment on her patients, Sophia
had always been there, she would care for the
man before they both rushed him to the hospital.
‘Hello Sophia, please I need your help urgently, I
am in trouble’ she looked back at the man who
slept quietly at the back of the car.
‘What trouble? I’ve been waiting all day for you,
where are you Barbie’? Sophia feared for her
sister’s safety.
‘I’m close to home, I just wanted to tell you to
prepare the first aid kit, I really need your help
Soph’ she’d never asked her sister for help
before.
‘Did you have an accident? Talk to me will you?
What happened’? Sophia was already nervous at
the other end.
‘I’ll be home soon, I hit a man’ Barbie ended the
call and slid into the car. Her house wasn’t that
far from where she’d stood to receive the call.
‘Please don’t die, do you hear me’? she
whispered silently as she took one glance at the
handsome man.
***
‘What’s wrong? Why the long face’? Kachi had
decided to spend the night with her friend till she
felt stronger to be alone by herself.
‘It’s Barbie, she’s in trouble’ Sophia hurried into
the room to get the first aid kit.
‘What kind of trouble’? Kachi wondered, she
didn’t like Sophia’s younger sister, but that didn’t
mean, she wished her death. If Barbie got hurt
or dead, Sophia would never get over that. Sadly,
the same couldn’t be said for Barbie.
‘She told me she had an accident, she hit a man,
I don’t know how critical his condition is’ Sophia
resurfaced with the box and other medical
instruments.
‘So why doesn’t she drive him straight to the
hospital? I don’t like the sound of that, what if he
dies here?’ Kachi wasn’t liking the situation.
‘Uhmmm, well let Barbie arrive with the man
first, if his condition is terrible, we’re taking him
straight to the hospital’ Sophia sighed and fell on
the cushion.
‘Don’t worry, everything would be fine’ Kachi
rubbed her head gently.
‘Thanks so much for always being there when
trouble comes’ Sophia breathed with relief.
‘Good, that should be her car’ Kachi peered out
the window.
‘Let’s go help her’ Sophia rushed to the door and
walked towards Barbie’s car.
‘Is he hurt? Is he bleeding’? Sophia asked as she
neared the car.
‘No, but he wouldn’t wake up’ Barbie replied still
scared.
‘I say we take him to the hospital right now,
they’ll be in the proper place to tell us what’s
wrong with this man’ Kachi insisted.
‘Sophia, come and help me here, at least take a
good look at him, he seems fine to me, I
could’ve taken him to the hospital but it’s an
hour from here’ Barbie beckoned to her sister for
help.
‘Fine’ Kachi shrugged and walked to the back of
the car.
‘You don’t say’ Kachi’s mouth widened in
surprised.
‘Engineer Lekan’! Sophia yelled as she touched
his face, why was all these happening to her?
‘What’s that? Do you two know him’? Barbie
wondered.
‘Barbie, you’ve put me in bigger trouble’ Sophia
sighed and pulled out the man. They all walked
back to the house silently.
‘Babe this isn’t good o, what if this man thinks
we deliberately sent someone to knock him
down, what if he sends us to prison this time’?
Kachi eyed the sleeping Lekan who’d been
placed on a couch.
‘God wouldn’t allow him’ Sophia said gently and
began to feel his pulse. She peeled off his shirt
and checked for injuries but they were none.
‘Is he dead’? Barbie asked frightfully.
‘No, he is very fine, he fainted from shock, but
we’ll still have to take him to the hospital to
check for internal bleeding’ Sophia replied.
‘That would be a good idea’ Kachi nodded her
head.
‘I have to pick this, please excuse me’ Barbie
walked away from them, Oscar had called. She
needed to pick, now she felt a bit more relaxed
her sister was handling the situation.
‘She’s going to pin this on you’ Kachi wrinkled
her nose as Barbie walked away.
‘How? I don’t get you’ Sophia asked as she
busied herself mopping Lekan’s face with cold
water.
‘Sophia, I have to go now, there’s this date I
have, and I cannot disappoint this guy, please
take care of him for me’ Barbie bent and pecked
her sister and rushed out of the house.
‘What’? Sophia was bewildered.
‘I told you’ Kachi smiled.
‘You know what I am thinking? Let’s kill this man
and forget all the problems he caused us. If he
is dead, we wouldn’t need to repair his car’
Kachi’s eyes glimmered wickedly.
‘What? That’s murder, I am a Christian ’Sophia
was amazed at her friend.
‘Kidding, girl, brighten up, stop being too serious,
life no get part two’ Kachi laughed loudly.
‘Not funny’ Sophia narrowed her eyes, she
noticed a movement, he’d stretched his legs.
‘Oh please, we should take him to the hospital,
your sister is a bitch’ Kachi dared to say what
plagued her mind.
‘I guess I’ll have to support you this time’ Sophia
remarked silently and continued mopping his
forehead with her towel.
He was such an attractive man, even in his
sleep.
‘I need to use the bathroom, excuse me’ Kachi
walked out of the room.
‘Okay’ Sophia replied absently, she didn’t know
when she’d dropped the towel, but she found
herself caressing this stranger with her palms.
He was so adorable, his chest was hard and well
chiseled, tiny hairs sprouted like new weeds on
his chest.
Her eyes travelled down the length of his body,
sadly she could never have this kind of man for
herself, he would never fall for someone like her.
All the memories of her relationship with Oscar
danced in her head, she couldn’t hold the pain
any longer, tears fell down her cheeks but she
didn’t wipe them, she let it flow.
‘Why are you crying’? a voice that wasn’t hers
nor Kachi’s spoke, it was the voice of the
stranger.
He’d been watching her silently the whole time.
***