As expected, the rumors and gossips about Benita started spreading wide like fire. It started from Benita’s team, it got to my team and it extended to other teams. The friendship between Benita and I started growing as the days went by, we began to confide in each other and we discussed a lot of things together, it got to a time that Benita started to bring flask of food to work and we would eat together during breaks. Sometimes, we would go out together for lunch during breaks. Everybody at work started to assumed that I was dating Benita, whenever people wanted to ask of her from me, they would say “onihaxy, where is your wife?”. The rumors continued to spread wider and more people were saying we got closer because of my car. Some said Benita wouldn’t have been so closer to me if I wasn’t driving a car. We got closer to the extent that sometimes when I stopped at Benita’s street, I sometimes follow her to her house, hanged around for like five to ten minutes before returning back my car to go home thereafter. That was how I got to know that she was staying with her sister in a single room apartment.
I was like “so upon all the forming and sophisticated appearances, na single room packaging?”.
We were on our way home one Friday evening when we started a conversation.
ME: Benita.
BENITA: yes dear?
ME: Are you in any relationship?
BENITA: *** surprised**** why do you ask?
ME: nothing, I just noticed that I hardly see any special guy around you.
BENITA: any special guy as how?, I don’t understand.
ME: a special guy that people would see and realized that he is definitely your hubby. I even checked your facebook page and couldn’t see any special upload or dedication of a particular guy.
BENITA: ***laughed** funny you.
ME: I’m serious.
BENITA: anyways, I’m in a relationship, my fiancé lives and work in porthacourt, and we get to see once in every three or four months.
ME: ***felt bad*** hmmmmmmmmm.
BENITA: I just didn’t loud it on social media due to a bad experience I had in my previous relationship
ME: what happened in the previous relationship?, tell me.
BENITA: I publicly engaged my Ex on my facebook, I used his picture as my display picture and at the end of the day, he left me with no genuine reason.
ME: eeyah, so sorry about that.
BENITA: so what about you?, tell me about your girlfriend.
ME: hmmmmmm. I’m not in any relationship.
BENITA: hmmmm. Greatest lie of the century
ME: I’m serious. I used to date a girl back then; she travelled out of the country and broke all contacts with me 4 months after she left this country. The last time I heard from her was 6 months ago.
BENITA: eeyah, maybe she changed phone or ran into problem, why didn’t you send her a mail.
ME: I said she broke all contacts including mails, I sent several mails and she didn’t reply. Like three months ago, I met one of her friends here in Nigeria and she told me that my girl got married to someone overseas.
BENITA: eeyah, sorry about that. You will definitely find another girl. You are a cute and fine boy.
ME: well, I already found one, she is pretty, caring and loving.
BENITA: waoooh. I’m happy for you dear. Who is this lucky girl?
ME: hmmmm, unfortunately, I’m yet to make my intentions known to her.
BENITA: haba!!!, what is delaying you?, or did you observed something bad about her?
ME: not at all, I’m just waiting for the perfect time.
BENITA: hmmmmmm, lovely. So who is this lady trying to take you away from me?
ME: ***got to her street and parked***
Well, her name is Benita and she is sitting right here beside me.
BENITA: ** surprised *** onihaxy stop it, tell me you are joking.
ME: Benita, I’m not joking, I have started loving you and having feelings for you right from the first day I met you when we resumed at the bank, I tried giving you attention several times and it failed. Benita, please believe me, I love you so much and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.
BENITA: onihaxy, I’m so sorry, it won’t be possible.
ME: ***felt sad*** Benita, but why?,
BENITA: I told you few minutes back, I’m already in a relationship and we are already planning to do introduction this year. Secondly, I can never date anybody where I work, and lastly, we are already good friends. We are even more than friends. We have been so close that we do exchange visits, people see us together as if we are dating, so I think I’m ok with that. I’m sorry onihaxy.
ME: ***fell back on the seat and was silent*** Benita please.
BENITA: I’m sorry onihaxy, it won’t be possible.
ME: ****still silent and almost crying****
BENITA: ok onihaxy, you know what?, just go home now, we will continue our discussions on phone.
ME: ***moody**** ok.
BENITA: please onihaxy. Please concentrate while you drive, I can kill myself if anything bad happens to you. I care so much about you and I don’t want to loose you please.
ME: ok, I heard you ***switching on the engine**
BENITA: *** wiped my eyes*** oya smile now.
ME: ****smiled****
BENITA: that’s my baby *** dropped from the car***
I drove home and began to laugh and smile at the drama I just acted, “chaiiii onihaxy, may God forgive you for denying Betty”.
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