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I turned my face slightly and the kiss landed on my cheek. I drew
out of his embrace and he went back to his seat. We both knew what he was about
to do and what it could have led to.
"You shouldn't have done that," I stated.
"What?" he asked looking at me.
"You know what you were trying to do. You wanted to kiss me.
Don't try that again," I warned him.
"I'm sorry. It's just that you look so beautiful when you
cry! I guess I got carried away," he said.
"Ernest!" I said glaring at him.
"Alright, alright! I'll behave from now on," he said
with a wry smile.
He kept to his words but for a short while. After that, it was
back to his old ways of constant flirting with me and cracking jokes. He made
me laugh and forget my troubles, especially the situation with Barri.
We had spoken a couple of times since he told me he was not coming
home to visit anymore. He had been full of apologies, promising to come another
time once 'he was less busy'.
"If you like, come or don't come. Do whatever you like. I
don't bloody care!" I had shouted at him during our last conversation.
"Ah! Bella! Don't say that," he had said, before
assuring me again of his undying love and devotion to me...
Anyway, I decided not to let Bari's continued absence bother me
too much. I focused on my job and when I was off duty, I spent time with my
family and friends.
May was one of such friends that I spent a lot of my free time
with. One weekend, I accompanied her to a large shopping mall at Ikeja to help
pick out a gift for her fiancé Jerry's birthday. After we made the purchase, we
took a lunch break from window shopping and admiring some of the expensive
items on display at the stores at the mall.
"Bella, I'm traveling next week. Jerry and I are going to
South Africa for the holidays," she announced as we ate at an eatery in
the mall.
"Wow! Girl, that's cool. Lucky you!" I said enviously.
"Yeah. His company gave him some tickets as a bonus for all
his hard work the past year. So, he's taking me along," she stated.
"Well, I have nowhere to go. I'm stuck in this boring place
for the holidays. Worse still, Barri is no longer coming," I said.
"Don't be too sad," she said on seeing how downcast I
looked. "He could still change his mind and come after all," she
stated.
"I don't think so. He would have told me if that was his
plan," I noted.
"Poor you. So, what will you do during the period? Don't tell
me you don't have anything lined up like places to go to unwind, catch some
fun," she asked.
"Well, nothing much. I will just spend the day chilling at
home with my people. Though someone has invited me to a weekend get together at
the Golden resorts."
"Golden Resorts? That's great! Wonderful place! Jerry and I
were there some months back and we had a swell time. So, who's this person
taking you there?" she queried.
When I told her it was Ernest, my colleague, she looked at me
sharply.
"Ernest? Why will he invite you for such an outing? Shouldn't
he be taking his girlfriend or partner there? Why you?" she inquired.
"Hey, May, easy with the grilling. It's a professional club
he belongs to that is organising it for their members. He broke up with his
girlfriend over six months ago and he asked me to be his date for the
event," I stated.
"Well, just be careful sha . You told me the guy likes you.
Being together in such a beautiful setting as the Resort, a good looking young
man and a pretty young lady, anything can happen," said May.
"Like what? Girl, you have a dirty mind! We will have separate
rooms. Besides, I'm a big girl, a married one at that and I can take care of
myself. And I have not even accepted to go with him," I stated.
That was not totally true. I had told Ernest I would think about
it but in my heart, I knew I would go. Truth was that, I needed a break from
all the hassles of work and other commitments I had faced all these past
months. Three days at a nice resort with all kinds of delicious food to
eat, a spa for some massages and other pampering sessions sounded very
enticing.
I trusted Ernest and I knew he would not do anything funny I did
not want. So, what was there not to like about the trip, I wondered. It was
just what I needed at that time, a get-away to relax and forget all my troubles
with Barri.
The following Monday, I told him I would go with him to the
resort.
"That's great, Bella. I'm sure you won't regret coming. You
have been looking really stressed up for some time and this break will do you
good. You will a have great time with my friends and I . I promise you," he
reassured me.
Later, on getting home from work, I thought about how good Ernest
had been to me and how he was always looking out for me. He had filled a vacuum
in my life, created by my husband's long absence. He was playing some of the
roles, Barri, my husband should have been playing in my life.
'Instead, he is so comfortable abroad that to come home to
see me has become a problem for him,' I said to myself with a hiss.
What kind of husband will leave his wife alone for five years
without bothering to come home? All he did was give excuses which were sounding
more lame by the day. I had been understanding and patient with him all along
but I believed he was beginning to take me for granted. In a way, my accepting
Ernest's invitation to the resort was my way of showing him that I too , can go
out and have my fun, that I was not going to continue living like a nun just
because of an absentee spouse.
Though I liked him and was somehow attracted to him, I had no
intention of dating Ernest, though I knew that was what he desired and wanted
so much. But who knows, anything could happen on this trip and I could change
my mind...
The home coming
"So, what's your Christmas wish? Is there anything you desire
so much that you want Santa to do for you this season?" said Ernest over a
take away lunch in the office one day. It was some days before Christmas and we
were winding up work for the year.
"Santa? At my age? Guy, I'm not eight years old! That's kids'
stuff! I'm too old for that kind of bullshit," I told him.
"One is never too old to make a wish. So, what do you want?
Who knows, your desire might come true," he said.
"Well, there's just one thing I want for Christmas. But I'm
not telling you. Sorry, my secret," I said with a smile.
"Ah! Open up, B! What is it? A new car? That expensive Gucci
bag I saw you drooling over on that shopping website the other day? Tell me,
na !" he persisted.
I just smiled at him and shook my head. Barri , my husband was all
I wanted for the holidays but since it was impossible for him to be with me
then, there was no need voicing such a desire out.
Ernest was speaking.
“As for me, I got what I wanted," he said.
"What is it?" I asked with some curiosity.
He shook his head.
"Not telling. I can keep secrets too, you know," he said
grinning.
"Bad guy," I said teasingly .
On the day, we were to leave for the resort, I woke up early and
packed a few clothes and some toiletries in a small traveling bag. The resort
was about two hours drive from the city. I did not want Ernest to pick me up at
home so as not to arouse my Mum's suspicions as I had told her I was going to
spend some days at Juliet, another friend of mine's place. I was to meet Ernest
at his place before driving down.
I had taken my bath and was getting dressed when Estel, my cousin
ran into my room, full of excitement.
"Sister, come quickly! Uncle Barri has come!" she cried.
"Who?" I asked, turning from the dressing mirror.
"Uncle Barri! Your husband! He's here in the house, in the
sitting room!" she said quickly.
"What are you talking about? This girl, are you sure you are
alright? Or have you been stealing Daddy's brandy again?" I queried.
"I'm serious, Sister. Just come and see," she said.
"It had better be real or you will be in serious trouble
today," I threatened as I followed her out of my room to the parlour . I
knew it could not be Barri as I had spoken to him two days before and he had
given no hint that he was coming.
But standing right in the middle of the living room was my dear,
long gone husband, a broad smile on his face and his arms opened wide...
***
"But Sweetheart, you should have told me you were coming. We
would have come to pick you up at the airport," I said some time later
after some of the excitement at his unexpected arrival had died down.
He laughed and pinched my nose playfully.
"I wanted to surprise you and by God, I succeeded. You looked
as if you had seen a ghost when you saw me earlier. Ha ha ha!" he
laughed.
"You sure did. You were the last person I was expecting to
see," I said cuddling up close to him on the couch.
"Truth is I missed you so much, Babe. So, I rescheduled some
of the appointments I had and here I am," he said, kissing me on the
forehead.
"Thank God you did. I missed you too. It's been so lonely
without you," I stated.
"I know. I'm here now. This time, I 'm taking you with me so
we will never be separated again," he promised.
I smiled at his words and held him tightly to me.
"Uncle Bari, what about my Christmas gift? I hope you didn't
forget to bring something for me," said Estel.
"Of course not. I have lots of goodies for you and every one
else including my Baby here," he said turning to me and drawing me close.
I smiled again. The only gift I wanted Bari, had arrived so
unexpectedly making me deliriously happy. I didn't need anything else. Perhaps,
it was Santa's gift to me, to make up for all the years of separation and
loneliness. Now I know that sometimes, dreams and wishes do come true, even for
sceptics like me who don't believe in fairytales like Santa Claus...
The End!
Postscript: These incidents happened a year ago and Bella and Bari
now live happily together in the U.S and they are expecting their first child
together. Often, a little bit of patience is all that is needed to turn a
difficult situation around for good.
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