He came to me in the middle of the night. I’d just finished swallowing two moulds of Fufu and I was preparing to wash it down with water when I heard the rapid knock on the door. I knew he was the one without being told. I rushed to the bathroom and washed my mouth to be sure there was no residue from my late night snack.
“Coming.” I said as I smoothened my rough natural hair. Why didn’t he tell me he was coming. Then I would have dressed in something other than my torn blue shirt and wrapper.
“Good evening-” I didn’t even get a chance to finish. He just pushed past me and buried his head in his arms as his weight sank into the only chair in my self contained house.
“Jide, what’s wrong?” I asked. He stared at me with a blank stare in his bloodshot eyes. I walked to him and the smell of alcohol slammed into my face like insecticide to a mosquito.
“We fought again.” he said. That was all I needed to hear before I sat beside him. His Armani shirt had two buttons undone and I could see his chest peeking at me. Focus… Idara. Now is not the time. He is here for her.
Of course he would be here for her. He was always there for her. He would only come to me whenever he had problems with her. Considering all the times he’s been here and there for her, I ought to be awarded a counselor’s certificate. I have five years of experience afterall.
“What happened?” I placed my hand across his shoulder and he stared at me with large eyes. This is the closest I’ve ever been to him even though we’ve been much closer in my dreams. He held my hand away from his shoulders and finally brought it to rest on his legs. My heart jerked in pain but I wore the caring smile I always had for him.
“She wanted me to visit her family and I said no.” He replied. I cupped his face in my hands but this time he remained still.
“Why don’t you want to go and see her parents?” I asked him. “You’ve seen them before.”
“It’s different.” He said.
“How?”
“I..I…. I proposed to her.” I felt my stomach suck itself as though someone had rammed a truck into my stomach. Time didn’t stand still but I didn’t move. I was unable to. It felt like seven eternities passed before either of us spoke.
“Are you crying?” He asked, alarmed.
I wiped the tears off my face with the back of my palm. Tears I hadn’t been aware of until he mentioned them. Tears that wouldn’t stop falling.
“no.. yes.. tears of joy. it’s so sweet. How? When?”
I let my hands slip from his face and I turned away to face the radio on the floor. The silence between us was killing me. I wished the radio could protect me from the words my mind screamed to me.
“Yesterday. At the beach.” he answered. My heart twisted within my rib cage. I had told him to surprise her at the beach because it was what I would have wanted. “She said yes.”
“So.” my voice cracked and I had to clear my throat. No, idara. you knew this day would come. This is not the time to be weak. “So what happened next?”
“She was happy. She said yes. She wants me to meet her parents. She wants a big wedding. I don’t want that.” He said.
“Your mother would want that.” I reminded him. His forlorn face flashed anger at me.
“Screw her.” he swore.
“Sarah wants this. The wedding day is her day. She has probably been planning it from her mother’s stomach. It’s her day to shine and wow her guests.” I said.
“Is she marrying the guests or is she marrying me?” he snapped.
“Why don’t you just go and talk to her? Tell her how you feel. You guys can strike a balance. Small white wedding… big reception or the other way around.” I said.
“Okay. That could work.” He replied. He got on his feet and smiled at me. “You know you give the best advice. I have to go now.”
“It’s fine. Drive with sense oh. I want to eat wedding cake.” I teased. it was the only way I could keep myself from falling apart while he was there. He smiled at me again and I knew I was doing the right thing. His happiness is worth it. He could never be that happy with me. Things had to stay this way to save my friendship with him and Sarah.
“I love you.” He said as he was leaving.
“Bye.” I shut the door after he left then I whispered the words I was too afraid to speak to him.
“I love you more. I love you so much that it hurts. I love you with every fibre in my being and every cell of my being. I love you with my soul but it will never be enough for you.”
I slid down the door and buried myself in my tears.
He came to me at midnight.
He shattered my heart at midnight.
TAREAL'S INK 