EMILY: Episode 3
SETTING( At Obed’s well furnished three bedroom apartment in one of the posh areas of Lagos)
OBED: Why did you turn down my request to meet my family?
EMILY: I think it is still too early to get family involved. I know i sound like the devil’s advocate, but what if things don’t work out between us and we get emotionally attached to family members, it would make moving on very difficult for both of us..
OBED: So tell me one reason why you think things may not work out between us, apart from the fact that i am not as wealthy and handsome as the men you would normally go for?
EMILY: You said that, not me. Nice place by the way
OBED: Thank you. So what would you like?
EMILY: Egusi soup and hot pounded yam made from scratch. Thanks
OBED: And who’s supposed to make you that?
EMILY: So why did you give me an open cheque then?
OBED: I did so believing you would ask for a glass of juice like most girls would..
EMILY: The name is Emily; so very different from most girls…
OBED: hahahaha! i better get my acts together then! So how was your journey down here?
EMILY: It was okay. A bit of traffic here and there but hey! this is Lagos.
OBED: Welcome again. So i have fried rice and chicken. I also made some vegetable soup last night if you would prefer that..
EMILY: To be quite honest with you, i am not hungry at the moment. I had breakfast before coming
OBED: That’s rude. I invited you to my house and you ate before coming. The message there is ‘ you can’t cook what i would eat’ I’m offended.
EMILY: I’m sure i would be hungry soon. I just love my breakfast so much, i never skip it
OBED: That’s actually a healthy habit. So do you want me to show you around?
EMILY: Sure!
OBED: Not on those heels, right?
EMILY: They are quite comfy
OBED: Nah’ i’m gonna get you a pair of slippers
EMILY: Thanks
OBED: let’s do this! …..so, this room right here is my bedroom number one.
Bedroom number two is this one over there
EMILY: Just out of curiosity, why do you have two bedrooms?
OBED: So that when i have a fight with my wife, i can have a place to run to. Hahahaha! I’m joking. It’s just me i guess. I believe everything in life should be two. And of course the bible says that two is better than one.
EMILY: So why is Obed not two then?
OBED: Obed isn’t two yet does not mean he won’t be. As a matter of fact, i am desperate to become two and i will be two very soon. Actually! it will happen sooner than i had planned.
EMILY: Interesting…..
SETTING ( Emily and Obed are seated round the dinning table. A middle-aged woman brings in well prepared and presented fried rice and chicken, fruit juice and some sliced pineapples)
OBED: Thanks, Dorathy, that looks great! So! let’s eat!
EMILY: Wow! is this supposed to be some food feast!
OBED: Maybe. By the way, Dorathy doubles as my housekeeper and chef. I’ve had her since i came back to Nigeria. She is very good
EMILY: I see. She comes in every day?
OBED: No. she lives rent-free in one of the buildings at the back. That’s mine too but i have yet to decide what to do with them.
EMILY: Impressive! you’ve done well for yourself!
OBED: Not well enough but ‘we good!’ so tell me about him. I know it seems like i am always going on about him. But you see, my credo in life is that you cannot move to the future without settling the past.
He is one past that you don’t seem to have gotten over. I want to help you get over him so we can move together into the future. You can’t keep being stuck here. Don’t get me wrong, i am not saying you should forget him, what i am trying to help you do, is to be able to remember him and be happy that he once lived and that during his lifetime, you met him. I also want to help you accept the fact that he is no longer here with us so that you can be able to move on.
EMILY: That’s right,i actually planned on telling you everything about him today. I think i am finally ready to talk about it
OBED: I am ready when you are….
EMILY: Like i said before, he had planned to pay me a surprise visit for my birthday, But he met his end on that journey. I was at home being angry that he hadn’t called to wish me happy birthday, when my phone rang. I reached for it and
it was his friend, Goodluck. He was panicking over the phone and when i asked,
he told me Chima was involved in an accident and is in urgent need of blood….Story from Topster Stories
OBED: Where did the accident happen?
EMILY: Somewhere in Benin…. So i immediately called Jane and informed her.
Her husband released one of his cars and a driver to us to drive us down to Benin. When we got there, and saw the doctors, they told us he needed more blood. I asked them to take as many as they would need since i am a universal donor…..
OBED: Was he conscious when you got there?
EMILY: Not really, but he was able to recognise me when i got there. I called him and he opened his eyes, tried to talk but couldn’t so i just held his hands and reassured him that everything was gonna be okay….Something that never happened anyway..
OBED: Oh dear! Such a pity.
EMILY: Yeah! around midnight, he started struggling as if he was in severe pain… you know, crying and groaning…I called the doctor and he came and gave him an injection, he settled again and went back to sleep.
In the early hours of the morning around 2am, He started struggling again and before the doctors could do anything, Chima was gone and has been gone to this day…
OBED: Were you engaged?
EMILY: Yes, we were….
OBED: Gosh! You know i’m actually trying to be in your shoes right now. I must say you are a very strong girl
EMILY: Not sure about that, but thanks
OBED: Can i be a part of your healing process?
EMILY: Can you?
OBED: I’ll try if you let me and if you work with me. Listen, Emily, the first day i walked into that office and set my eyes on you, I felt something i am still not able to put in words. No disrespect to the dead, i feel we are destined to be and you may actually be the reason why none of my previous relationships ever led anywhere…..
To be continued
#Rossy’n’you