Epic 8

So, meeting Micheal seemed so much like a new life. He became a replacement for Leo who left a long time, he is a dedicated Christian, and he helped me to build my Christian life back, I told him a little of my story, he was at the peak of helping me find Lisa, he promised to pay the people that adopted her their fee back and more just to make sure I gained back my happiness.

I was so in love with him, that I knew he did like me as well. I have always wanted him to make his moves on me, but he seemed to be the shy type, or could he be afraid of me? He left me with so much thought,  just like every good Christian Brother every good Christian sister would want to have, Michael seemed to be that perfect guy, every lady wanted to have him all to themselves.

Just the other night, while we were both walking down the subway station a lady ran up to him and gave him a rose flower. I was a bit jealous, but he smiled and gave the rose to me, perhaps he noticed my reaction.

Days, weeks, and months went by, yet Micheal hasn't made any intentions yet. Will he be another Leo? Is he waiting for me to accept another man's proposal before he can make his wish known?

I told Dinma about it, and she gave me a suggestion which I followed.

While Michael and I were coming back from church, a few sisters were with us but had to go in different directions at some point.

“Ow! Thank goodness!” I exclaimed immediately as they left.

“Ow! Thank goodness!", I exclaimed.

"For?". Micheal asked.

"I wanted to tell you something but couldn't because of them". I said.

"Smiles". Michael said in a low tone.

" So, what is it you wanted to tell me? He further said".

”Well, there's this guy, I have been chatting with lately, he seemed to be nice and easy-going, I have seen him once, and he said he likes me and would want to make me his wife", I said.

"Wow! That's good news, so do you like him as well?". He asked excitedly.

I was totally confused, why isn't he reacting over it in a bad way, instead he is smiling and saying that's good news.

"Yeah! I think so". I muttered slowly while getting almost choked up.

"Well, I give you my go-ahead order, I am so happy for you, you are very lucky to find such a person, did you tell him you were married before?". Micheal further asked which made my heart ache.

Could this be a nightmare or what? Why is Michael acting so strange? Is there something he isn't telling me?

"Why are you this excited? And yes I told him about Lucy and he accepted me", I said annoyed.

"Am I not supposed to be happy for a friend that just saw a date? Why are you acting strange?" he asked, a bit concerned.

" Yeah, It is!!!". I shouted in anger.

"How?" He said, confused.

"I thought you loved me, why then are you acting like Mr right, why...?" I was still talking when he interrupted me.

" Hold on a sec! What did you just say? You thought I what? Hell no! I didn't, like, I don't mean that I don't love you, I only saw you as a friend, you were more like a sister to me, I am so sorry if I made you have that in mind", he apologized while grabbing my hands, I was so cooled I didn't know what to believe anymore.

"Why can't you love me then?". I said out with tears.

" That's because I am married, I already have two kids, I only came here because of a contract I am handling and I will be going back in two weeks", He said, at that point, I had to run away with tears, he called after me but I didn't answer him.

With the rate at which I banged into the house, mama suspected something but she didn't come in immediately to ask me anything.

I don't want to stay at home anymore, I just want to go to a far place. I wish I never met Micheal. I started packing my clothes not knowing the particular place to go. I just don't want to stay at home.

Just immediately, Dinma came in, I suspected something. Just immediately she asked me "What happened?".

I knew immediately mama had called her, I just hugged Dinma and started crying again.

"Why are you crying? What is going on?". Dinma asked, a bit scared.

"Is it because of Micheal? What did he say? Doesn't he love you?", Dinma asked.

I looked up to her, I didn't know the exact thing to say, I was very scared and heartbroken, I couldn't believe I have been loving the wrong person all this while. I don't know where to start to tell Dinma about him, is it for the fact that he is married with two kids or that he took me as a sister!

“Yeah! He is married with kids”. I told Dinma who suddenly changed her mood, she couldn't believe that as well.

“Why didn't he tell you, I thought you guys were close friends?”.  Dinma asked in shock.

“Yeah!  I thought as much, I thought Michael was my friend, I opened up everything to him, yet he hid such a thing from me to the extent of not telling me that he was here for a contract”. I said crying, just immediately my phone started vibrating, he was the one, I didn't pick up. I just don't want to hear anything from him, what reasonable thing will he say?

After he noticed I wasn't picking up the call, he began to send messages. I just threw my phone away from me, luckily Dinma caught it.

«»«»

Just like kidding stuff, Micheal became my rival. We no longer talk to each other both in church and at home, though he has made several attempts to do so, and I never gave him a chance.

Most times, we do nothing but stare at each other in church, yet we were still enemies.

Dinma had pleaded with me so many times, just to put away the past, and forgive Micheal but that was to no avail. Instead, I warned her never to call Michael's name in any of our discussions, which she didn't fail to adhere to. With time, I was left guilty, Michael didn't do anything bad. I felt I overreacted, and that shouldn't be so. 

Now, I was so scared and didn't know how to approach him.

****

It was on a Sunday evening after the evening fellowship, I was going home when Micheal ran up to me. 

"Hello!", he had said as he ran up to me.

"Hi!", I managed to mutter.

"Umm! I…".

"Shhh! That's enough, it wasn't your fault, I forgive you and myself". I said while cutting him in, in whatever it was he wanted to say. 

I didn't resist as he gave me a warm hug.

I saw my flaws and the happiness I have been missing. Micheal and I became closer than before. 

***

Just after the night of papa's birthday, I saw that same face that I saw on my wedding day. I wondered what prompted the visit until I saw her talking with mama. Oww! I forgot she knew mama before now. I quickly removed my stare from her and went to greet Micheal whom I Invited.

"What's up dude?", I said immediately as I approached him which made him let out a little smile.

" How are you doing?", he asked.

"Very fine! Oow! I see you have some birthday gift for papa huh?", I said while tickling him a little.

" Yeah! I thought that was the right thing to do, so where is he? I want to give him the gift myself", he said while using his eyes to search around for papa.

"He must have gone inside, but, what are you going to say? He doesn't even know you very well", I questioned him.

" Well, I suppose that is my business and that of papa", he said smiling at me.

"Okay ooh! If you say so", I said while holding his hands as we went in search of papa.

We met papa at the dining with some of his old-time special friends.

" Good day papa", Micheal greeted with a bow.

"Good day my son, how are you doing?", papa asked him.

"Very well papa, my name is Micheal. I am a friend to your daughter here. She has invited me to your party. Hope you don't mind accepting my little token. Happy birthday sir". Micheal said with a little bow as he gave papa the present before we both left together.

While we walked through the lonely path as I accompanied Micheal home, he broke the silence with a question.

"So, any progress?" he asked, winking.

I was a bit confused about the question.

"Any progress on what?", I asked, smiling.

"Don't act like you don't know, any progress on our future hubby?", he asked while letting out a weary smile.

"Oh please! Cut it off already, I think I am no longer interested in love", just immediately a car passed splashing dirty water on us.

"Hey!!!", I screamed after the car, it did look familiar but I can't remember the exact owner.

"It's okay! That is how some drivers act recklessly". Michael said while dusting off the dirt on his body.

I saw Micheal off and quickly headed back home. While I was walking with my ear pods on, I saw that same car, obstructing the pathway. I wondered what must have prompted such a useless act, the guy probably wants to show off his car. Just immediately after I got closer to the car, Benjamin came out. My heart skipped for a bit. I was terrified.

"Hello, beautiful wife! I see you now move around with married men huh? Is that your new chick? Is he better than me?", he questioned while coming closer to touch me before I shuffled off his hands.

" I don't owe you an explanation for that". I said while trying to walk away before he dragged me back.

"You dare not work out on me, I remain your husband and nothing changes that, now answer me, who is he?", he asked again in a terrifying voice.

I was scared this time around, I could perceive the scent of alcohol, I am certain he is high and any further argument will lead to him beating me. 

" He...Isn't", I stammered.

"Who is he then? Or could I be right? You still love me don't you?", he questioned.

Over my life will I ever have feelings for such a pig? What is even in him for me to admire? Eww!

" Don't make me a fool, now answer me!!!?", he screamed while hitting his hands on his car.

"He is just a friend and I already have a fiance, I am sorry to say this but, I do not have feelings for you anymore", I said while bending my head slightly.

" hahaha!!!", he kept echoing a loud laugh. I was confused about the laugh, what must have gotten into him?

"I need to go now, mama and papa must be waiting for me", I said while trying to run out again.

" Not so fast my darling, don't you miss hubby huh? This could be our last conversation, so always try to leave a beautiful memory behind. Why don't you come and give me a hug darling?". He said while rolling his eyes which are not arguably very weak.

"I don't have time for that", I said while snapping out his hands and running off. I reached home that very cool evening with my fears faced at me. My heart kept panting, Mama had questioned me earlier about it, but I shuffled it off with a smile. I locked myself up in my room with so many thoughts. I remembered my baby, hoping she is fine wherever she is, I cried bitterly for no particular reason. I was ashamed of myself, my evils were hunting me. Wish I had listened to Dinma when she told me not to marry Benjamin. I wish Leo was here now, I want to talk to him, and I wish I had realized my mistakes earlier. 

Just immediately my phone started beeping. 

Of course, I wasn't surprised, who calls me at the worst moment if not my so-called mother?

“Hello!", I said.

"Good evening damsel, it's been a long time, you didn't invite me to the party, well, I am not angry with you. I forgive you for that". She said,

I was dumbfounded, who told her about papa's birthday party? Why is she on the verge of making my life miserable? 

“I don't remember you being a relative to papa or mama, so how did you come to know about the birthday?", I asked confused.

" You don't need to know. instead of you trying to find out how I got to know about it, why don't you focus more on finding out one of the presents given to your foster father". She said after letting out an evil laugh and quickly ended the phone call. 

I was shocked because I don't remember anyone like her or her workers attending the party. So, how come the present?

I quickly ran to papa's room where the presents were kept, I started searching for what I didn't know in particular. Papa was surprised, he questioned me to know my reasons for the madness I was displaying.

But I didn't mind any of his questions. All I wanted was to find the package sent by my mother. 

I wasn't fast at finding out the exact present.

"Papa, have you opened all your presents? Were you able to find any strange package?", I questioned papa, while still scattering all the presents. I couldn't see anything suspicious after much searching, they were birthday presents with normal birthday invitation wishes.

"Papa, did you remove any other birthday present from here?"I asked curiously. Papa was already confused about my initial state. He just shook his head in disagreement.

"No, I didn't". He said afterward.

What is she then saying? Is she trying to make a fool of me? I kept wondering till my eye met an unwrapped birthday box. My heart skipped immediately on seeing it. Of course, I knew it was it, it was the last and only package. I quickly grabbed the presence and tore it open. What I saw was what my eyes couldn't believe.

" How come?", this was what I kept asking myself, till I got into the room. I can't recall everyone that gave papa presents, I only know of Micheal. I am certain Micheal can't do stuff like that, or can he? Could he be the secret informant?

Mama heard the sound of my cry, as I couldn't cope with hiding the pain, and quickly rushed in.

"What is the problem, Angel?", she asked while sitting beside me.

I couldn't speak up, I was speechless. All I did was sob as cold heat ran down my body. I couldn't control my tears, at every spot I tried, I hiccuped. I was really in pain. Insecure of whom to trust. 

"What a wicked world mama! Everyone's the same, they are all evil!", I said and mama quickly hushed me.

“Don't talk like that, it is a thing of shame, that the people we trust are the ones that do us bad. That was why the bible let us know that we shouldn't have hope on man, all hope should be on God, the creator of the heavens and the earth". Mama muttered.

Mama literally can't understand, we are humans, and what makes us one is our feelings, how can I ever think of loving when everyone that I come across is a big betrayal? I don't mind going to hell just to make sure I see to my revenge. I couldn't hear what mama was saying anymore, I could only feel the sound of my heartbeat and my sweaty hands. I was devastated. A lot of evil thoughts filled my head with the magic word " I wish". I wished for so many things, but they were all mere wishes.

I kept looking at a blank space without having a clue when mama left my room.

«»«»«»«»

With my swollen face, I woke up with new desires, the new terror that I foresee lost and won battles, wishes that are terrifying, and dreams that can kill rather than cure. I continued with my numerous thoughts from yesterday, mama had come in earlier to enquire about my well-being but I didn't give her attention. She felt really bad leaving without getting a response from me. Just as I sat upright, thinking about my past and present, a call came in. I already knew who it was, I wasn't surprised either that I got it right.

"I suppose you have gotten what you wanted right?". I questioned on picking up the phone.

"I always get what I want, I would have called yesterday, but then, I realized you should be in a sober mood, that was why I called to check up on you by morning because I suppose you saw the package right?". She replied laughing.

" It wasn't supposed for me not to see it except you sent it to the wrong house, and of course, I saw it and I must say they are nice presents and I do hope you know what you have signed up for?". I said and quickly ended the call.