Love happened,A story by rose akpabio

Episode 8


Are you really sure she’ll like me here? she
probably hates me right now after I’d broken off
with her’ Benet looked uneasy.
‘Well, I promise this, once she arrives, we’ll go
for our date, so chill’Barbie was getting
impatient with him.
‘Okay, what do we tell her when we both leave?
She may suspect us’?Benet wondered why
Barbie was bent on him meeting with Soph.
‘Wow I forgot that, don’t worry, I’ll cook up a
story, I bumped into you, this and that, just chill
okay, stop acting like a sissy, my sister doesn’t
bite’ Barbie clicked her tongue.
‘Okay, whatever you say’ Benet replied and
relaxed.
‘So did you buy me my shoes? I still remember
that’ Barbie took a seat beside him, she hoped
her plans worked out well, Oscar would be hers
in no time’
‘I haven’t, we could go get them later today, I
could do anything for you Barbs’ Oscar replied
and leaned forward to kiss her.
‘Uh uh, not yet, till I say so’ she moved away
from him. She didn’t want to get down with
Benet, it would only complicate things for her. It
was Oscar she wanted this time, Benet had
served his purpose long time ago, now he would
serve another purpose, with his ‘help’, Oscar
would break up with Sophia.
‘Alright, seems she’s back’ Benet heard a car
roar.
‘Yup, that is my sister’ Barbie rose to welcome
her.
‘Okay then’ Benet breathed deeply.
‘Welcome sis, how was the meeting with Oscar’?
Barbie flung the door opened.
‘Barbie, I don’t know how to say this but….’
Sophia paused as she saw the visitor, what was
he doing here? what was Benet doing in her
house? After hurting her badly?
‘Good day Sophia’ he smiled and rose to his feet.
‘What is he doing here’? Sophia offered him a
smile and whispered to her sister.
‘Well, I bumped into him minutes ago, I went to
get stuff, remember I called you, so, he decided
to come see you, you know’ Barbie stuttered.
‘How nice of you Benet’Sophia tried to be strong.
This man had broken up with her without any
reason and here he was, sitting on her couch
wearing a smile like nothing happened.
She thought of smashing a bottle in his head,
with the type of pain she felt from Oscar’s
betrayal, she could do anything to harm someone
but she held herself. She would play nice with
him, acting all stiff would make him feel
important.
‘It’s been a long time Sophia, you look amazing’
he lied, she was still as robust as ever.
‘Thank you’ Sophia replied quietly and sat beside
him on the couch, she had to stay strong.
‘So what do you do now?’ Benet tried making
conversation, he wasn’t comfortable with this but
Barbie had persuaded him, her reasons, he would
never understand.
‘Uhmmm, I own a restaurant’ Sophia said.
‘Excuse me you two, I should go change up, I
forgot something at the mall’ Barbie lied, this
was the time to take the picture.
‘That’s nice, what’s the name of your
restaurant’? Benet feigned interest, he didn’t like
this.
‘I haven’t named it yet’ Sophia wondered why
she had to stay with him, she was hurting inside.
‘You know what? There’s no need for me to
change anymore, you should go Benet’ Barbie
smiled and resurfaced.
‘That’s rude Barbs’ Sophia was always shocked
at the way her sister spoke to people.
‘No it’s fine, I have to go Sophia, do take care of
yourself, it was nice meeting you’ he rose to his
feet.
‘Yea, same here’ Sophia replied dryly, she would
kill her sister later for Bringing Benet over.
‘Okay Soph, I’ll be back in a jiffy, I forgot to buy
us some toiletries, would join Benet in his car,
take care Sophia’ she pecked her sister lovingly
and they both dashed out.
‘No problem, bye’ Sophia touched the place
where her sister had kissed her, this was unlike
Barbara, Barbara never showed her love. She
was selfish and wrapped up in her own world,
but she still loved her very much. She was the
only sister she had in the whole world.
‘I hope I’ll be fine’ Sophia inhaled deeply as
reality hit her once more, Oscar had broken up
with her.
She felt hurt, deeply hurt, he’d told her he was in
love with her a million times, she’d given her
heart to him, trusted him completely and now
he’d messed her life up.
She fell on the floor and cried, this was too
much for her to bear. Why was she so unlucky
when it came to love? Why couldn’t someone
love her?
She zipped her bag open and brought out a
mirror, maybe there was something wrong with
her.
‘I am not that ugly, why can’t I find a man good
enough for me’? she sobbed as she stared at her
reflection.
‘Why me? Why do I always get hurt’? she
continued.
She was going crazy, Oscar’s words still haunted
her, he’d dismissed her like someone that meant
nothing to him.
‘No, I wouldn’t take this, I wouldn’t take this’ she
pounded her fist on the floor.
Her chest rose and fell as she sobbed louder,
tears poured down in rivers down her cheeks,
Oscar had hurt her badly and it would take long
to get over him.
Her phone buzzed and she picked it up, maybe
he’d called back to take back his words, maybe
he’d called back to say he’d been joking.
‘Hello’ she spoke hurriedly into the phone without
checking the caller identity.
‘Sophia, were you able to get the money from
Oscar’? it was Kachi.
‘Kachi, I think I am going to die’ she spoke
quietly.
‘Are you okay? What’s wrong Sophia’? Kachi was
surprised, she had never heard her friend talk
that way.
‘No I am not, I don’t think I will ever be’ Sophia
swallowed the pain that fought to destroy her.
‘What happened? Is it Barbie? Did she get hurt?
Is Oscar hurt? Please talk to me’ Barbie was
tensed, from the way Sophia spoke, she was far
from alright.
‘No, it isn’t Barbie, Barbie is fine, it’s Oscar’ she
sniffled.
‘Are you crying? Dear lord, where are you? I
should come there soon’ Kachi had to go see her
friend, though she had a lot of work to do, Sophia
still meant the world to her.
‘Oscar broke up with me’ Sophia dropped the
bomb.
‘What? Why? When? Oh God, where are you
Soph? please don’t do anything stupid to
yourself’ Kachi couldn’t believe her ears.
‘I am home Kachi, I don’t know what to do, why
do I always get heartbroken’? She wondered if
Kachi would give her an answer.
‘Sophia, just hold on, I am on my way’.
***
‘Here’s your food young sir, I do hope you enjoy
it’ Mrs Olaitan served him his food.
‘Thanks’ he murmured, he didn’t want the old
lady to engage him in another conversation,
more like, a trip to his past.
He hated remembering all what he’d suffered. He
lived with the pain of not having a mother, the
pain of knowing she was either dead or out there
somewhere wondering on the streets. And his
father had done nothing to save her, he hadn’t
even lifted a finger.
‘Do you like it’? she lingered and watched him
closely.
‘Yes, just the way I wanted it’ he replied and
feasted on the dish.
‘Okay, enjoy yourself’ she turned and walked
away.
‘Good riddance’ Lekan sighed with relief, Ade had
ruined his morning already, he didn’t need
someone else ruining his lunch time.
Minutes later, after he’d eaten to his fill, he
decided to watch television, Tansi had still not
showed up and he was getting impatient.
He suddenly realized how empty and lonely his
life had been. He was rich, had political
connections, everything a young man could ever
ask for, but he felt empty and lonely.
‘Who do we have here’? he chuckled as he
turned on the Television. The show was a reality
talk show or fight show: the Jerry Springer show.
The way the women fought for their men
amused him, he was so engrossed in it that he
felt to notice when his girlfriend Tansi had
walked into the house.
‘Hello there handsome’ the strange fragrance
had alerted him of her presence.
‘Tansi’ he rose to welcome her.
‘My darling Lekan, why did you call me over?
Where are your other girlfriends’? she arched a
brow. It wasn’t no secret Lekan was a flirt.
‘Hey let’s not go there, it’s been long Tansi,
really long’ he loved Tansi for one reason, she
wasn’t jealous or clingy and she was always very
blunt with her opinions.
‘Where is Eleona? I heard from many that you
two were deeply in love and she was going to
give you twin babies’ she scoffed.
‘Forget Eleona, it’s you I want Tansi’ he shifted
close to her. He was right, inviting a girl over
was all the distraction he needed.
‘How funny’ she laughed
‘I don’t understand you, you look different Tansi,
you’re shining’ he put his arms round her
‘Yeaa, you haven’t noticed right’? she rubbed her
belly gently.
‘Notice what’? he wondered, women could be so
complicated at times.
‘I am pregnant silly, I came over here to invite
you for my wedding’she showed him her ring.
‘Wow Tansi, you’re getting married’? he was
stunned.
‘Yes darling Lekan, I should’ve told you sooner, I
didn’t have the time’ she rubbed his arm
affectionately.
‘Wow, I am shocked Tansi, I never expected that,
but you sounded so….’ He stammered.
‘Single? And rough on the phone?’ she chuckled.
‘Yeaa, you should’ve told me right there, instead
of stressing yourself’ he replied.
‘Don’t make me laugh, there’s another reason
why I came’ she brought out a file from her bag.
‘Yes’? he waited for more surprises.
‘Listen Lekan, I know we’ve known each other
for a year now, and we dated on and off, we
always ended it when I found out you had
another woman, but I always forgive you…’ she
pulled a paper from the file.
‘Yea right’ he chipped in, it was true Tansi was
the most accommodating woman he’d ever
dated.
‘But I forgive you and I am over you, you are
capable of being nice Lekan, you can actually
stay faithful to one woman, I guess you haven’t
found her yet’ she said.
‘Where’s all this leading Tansi?’ he wondered.
‘Well, I know you have always had a thing for the
arts, there’s an art exposition happening on the
25th of December at the Gallery of Arts and
Culture Abuja, it’s going to feature various forms
of artworks, the most appealing would be
selected and awarded, after which he or she
would be sent to the Da Vinci school of arts for
training. This is a good one Lekan, I know the
money may not mean anything to you, the prize
award is a million dollars, but I know if you get
chosen you would really appreciate it because I
know how much you love your work’ she handed
him the letter.
‘You already registered me? You didn’t ask for
my consent Tansi’ he scanned the letter.
‘I don’t need your consent Lekan, I’ve been to
your studio a lot, after we make love and you fall
asleep, I usually sneak up there and I look at
your paintings. You have a talent Lekan, please
don’t kill your dreams, you can do this, I believe
in you’ she held him.
‘I feel honored Tansi, I don’t know what to say’
he was broken by her kindness.
‘Say you will win, I really want the world to see
your artworks’ she beamed with a smile.
‘Why are you being so nice Tansi? I cheated on
you several times and I was never sorry’ he was
confused.
Why would she help him?
‘You weren’t the man for me Lekan, I got carried
away by your looks and status, if you were my
man, if you were meant for me, you would’ve
loved me and never made me cry, but I forgive
you, that’s all that matters. I also want you to
change your ways, flirting around isn’t the best
life Lekan.’ She replied.
‘Okay, would work on that’ he replied silently not
knowing what else to say.
‘Good, I want to hear you are getting married
soon.’ She smiled and rose to her feet.
‘Sure, but not to Eleona’ he chuckled as he
remembered their encounter.
‘Why? I thought she was your everything’ Tansi
chuckled.
‘Some stories are better left untold’ he hugged
her and kissed her head.
‘Better, take care Lekan, I believe in you, we’ll
see in Abuja’ she winked and trotted out.
‘Damn’! Lekan threw the letter on the floor, he
suddenly realized how wonderful Tansi was and
how idiotic he’d been.
‘I really need to amend my ways’ he spoke aloud.
‘I believe in you’ her words encouraged him
greatly, so she had secretly admired his works?
It made him smile, if only his father had done
same, maybe he would’ve been happier. Maybe
he wouldn’t have had this anger issue.
All the feelings of emptiness fled suddenly and
he was filled with hope, Someone believed in him
and he wouldn’t let her down.
He walked straight into his studio and slipped on
his apron. Work had begun.
He thought of his mother, how beautiful her
smiles were before she’d lost her mind. He
decided to draw her.