***
He was in a meeting with two staff members when she entered his office. He looked up, saw her and smiled. He beckoned on her to sit on the couch at a corner of the office.
When he was through, he came over to sit by her, giving her a quick hug and peck.
"I planned calling you at the end of the meeting and now you're here! How are you today, my baby?" asked Eric.
"Cool. Have you eaten? I thought we could do lunch. There's this new place Lola and Grace have been raving about," said Oluchi.
He glanced at his watch, then at her.
"I've to see my Director in the next one hour, so can't make it. How about we go there tomorrow. Ok?"
"Alright," she said. She gazed at him for a moment, then raised her hand to caress the smooth planes of his cheek.
"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked.
He looked at her askiance .
"What?"
"About the sack letters. I just found out about it today," she said. It was Tokunbo in HR she had got the information from.
She had gone there earlier that morning in respect of her leave letter when the lady had said:
"Do you know you're very lucky? Your name and those of some of your colleagues in your department had been pencilled down for retrenchment. But one of the new managers from Rockwell intervened so..."
Despite her prodding, she refused to disclose the name of the manager. But Oluchi did not need to think long before knowing who it was.
Eric now shrugged.
"It was nothing. I had to do what was necessary. Did you think I would sit back and watch my woman thrown out of work?"
Oluchi frowned. "Your woman? But we were not together then! In fact, I was barely speaking to you!" she said vehemently.
He smiled. "That was the idea. To have you close by so I could work my charm on you and win you back!"
"Eric. You're so devious!"
He laughed.
"Yeah! But it worked. Now you're mine and no one can take you away from me."
"Thanks, anyway. I appreciate," she said.
"Is that all I get? Aren't you forgetting something?" he asked.
"What?" She looked at him curiously.
He smiled crookedly and tapped his lips with his finger.
Leaning forward, she kissed him lightly on the mouth.
"Aww! That's too short," he protested. "Something longer, deeper will do."
"Eric! This is the office!"
"So, this is my office and we're alone here..."
She stood up and giving him a coy look said: "I'll save that for later when we get home. For now, duty calls."
She walked to the door, turned and blowing him a kiss, left the room.
***
A month later
It had been cloudy all morning with a hint of rain in the air. But by mid morning, the clouds had cleared and the sun shone bright, casting dazzling shadows on the trees and plants.
Oluchi stood at her spot on the balcony in deep thought. Decision time had come and she could not avoid it anymore. She had been postponing making a choice but for how long? It was now or...
Her phone rang.
"How's my sweet Baby today?" said Eric.
She smiled on hearing his voice. "Ok. I came to clear my head a bit outside on the balcony."
"I'm coming over. Wait for me," he said.
"No! I need a little space right now."
"Is there a problem? Are you having second thoughts about us?" he asked quickly.
She assured him it had nothing to do with that and they went on to speak about the outing they had planned for the weekend.
She had not been truthful to him for she still worried if she had done the right thing accepting him back.
A few of her friends she had discussed the issue with had warned her of the consequences.
'Once a player, always a player,' Alero had said a few days before.
Lola had been the only encouraging voice.
"He said he has changed, Oluchi. So, give him a chance."
Could she? Could she trust her heart with him again?
She shook her head.
One heart break was bad enough. She had a fragile heart and did not think she could survive a second.
There was something she needed to do, to find out before taking a final decision. She dialed Bernard's number and waited for him to pick...
"What did you just say, Oluchi?" she asked in an incredulous tone.
"You heard me! I want you to..." and she repeated her request.
"I don't know what kind of game you're playing but count me out! I can't be a part of this!"
Oluchi grabbed her by the shoulder and sat her down on the couch.
"I know it's an unusual request. But do this favour for me, Alero. Please!"
"There are other ways to go about this. This is not right..."
"I know. But I have to know if I've made the right decision or the biggest mistake of my life. It's my future happiness at stake here, Alero. Please help a friend out!" she said earnestly.
"Alright," she conceded grudgingly.
"Oh, thanks so much! You don't know what this means to me," Oluchi said happily, hugging her friend tight.
"Hey, not so fast!" said Alero. "It's on one condition."
Oluchi looked at her flatmate anxiously. "What's it?"
"Whoever you choose, I want to be your bridesmaid."
"Is that all? No problem! You can be anything you want on that day. As long as you do what I want. This is the plan..." she said, drawing close and speaking earnestly...
***
Two days later, a Saturday, Eric came to pick Oluchi up for a date. He rang the doorbell and shortly after, Alero opened the door.
His eyebrows went up at the sight of her. Not surprising considering the way she was dressed. To say provocative was putting it mildly. She wore a skimpy spaghetti top that left half of her full breasts spilling out and a tiny bum shorts that barely covered her well rounded bum. In her outfit , she looked like the whores at Allen Avenue, Ikeja on a Saturday night.
Her heavily made up eyes perked up on seeing him.
"Hey Eric! Come in!" She stepped aside to let him in.
He sat down on the couch, his eyes wandering round the spacious living room as if searching for something.
"Oluchi has gone out. Something came up and she had to leave for her sister's place at Yaba," she said.
"When will she be back?"
"Soon. She said you should wait for her," she added.
She left the room and soon returned with a bottle of brandy and some glasses on a tray.
She poured the drink and offered him a glass.
"Thanks," he said, taking a sip of the liquor.
She sat next to him, took her glass and crossed her slim legs, making the shorts ride up further up her thighs. Stuck in her waist was her mobile phone.
Gazing at him for a while, she said:
"Do you know you're a very handsome guy, Eric?"
He smiled a little. "Thanks for the compliment."
"Oluchi doesn't know how lucky she is to have you. If I had someone like you, I would cherish you. But she doesn't appreciate you. All she does is 'bad mouth you' all the time, saying what a flirt you are and that you can't be trusted with other ladies..."
He turned questioningly eyes on her.
"She said that?"
"Yes."
"Well, I deserve whatever name she calls me. I've treated her very badly in the past," he said, taking another swig of his drink.
"But I won't do that to you, Eric. I won't disrespect you that way." Then drawing closer to him, she added in a softer tone: "Look Eric, truth is I think I'm in love with you. I think about you all the time, fantasise about you and I together, making sweet love to each other..."
As she spoke, she placed her hand on his shoulder, trying to embrace him, but he moved away from her.
"Alero , what are you talking about? You in love with me?" he said, a shocked look on his face.
"It's the truth, Eric. I love you and want you. You and I, we could have something great together. What do you think?"
"Like what?" he asked.
She stood up and struck a seductive pose in front of him, her succulent looking breasts almost popping out of her top. He gazed up at her, from her chest to her exposed waist and looked away.
"I'm offering all these to you, Eric. Just agree to be mine and I'll do anything you want."
He downed his drink, stood up and said:
"Alero , I'm surprised at you. Oluchi is your friend! She trusts you and this is what you do to her? Throwing yourself at me? Trying to seduce me? Anyway, whatever it is you are offering, I'm not interested," he said, heading for the door.
But she quickly stepped in front of him and embraced him tightly, trying to kiss him. He pushed her angrily away, a furious look on his face.
"Get hold of yourself, Alero! What has come over you? Look, I love Oluchi very much. She's dear to my heart. I can't betray her again, least of all with a friend. Hm ! Some friend you are! With friends like you, she needs to watch her back. What do you think she'll say or do if she finds out what you're trying to do? Jeez, you disgust me!"
"Please, Eric, don't turn me down! I love you! Stay with me, honey! I'm crazy about you..."
But he marched out the front door, banging it behind him with such force that the parlour windows shook.
***
That evening, the two conspirators sat at the dinning table, listening to the recording of the encounter in their apartment on Alero's smartphone .
But it was all for the best for she had her answer now.
"Thanks, Alero for a good job."
Her flatmate gave her a sour look and stated in a grumpy tone:
"Whatever you do, Oluchi, never, ever ask me to do such a thing again! I felt bad fooling him in such a manner. I wonder what he'll say if he finds out the truth."
"It doesn't matter. Besides who's going to tell him? He doesn't need to know. I've got what I want. And it's all thanks to you," she said gratefully.
"Now, I can make my choice," she said softly to herself, a dreamy, faraway look on her face...
***
Ten months later
I pushed back the covers on the large double bed and slipped in, sighing as I felt its softness and coolness on my skin.
It had been a long, eventful day- first the wedding, then the reception, the speeches, dancing, laughter...
I thought about my new husband, who had looked at me with so much love at the ceremony, my heart had danced with joy.
He was taking a shower and I waited for him with anticipation. Soon, he emerged from the bathroom, a small towel tied round his trim waist.
He disposed of it and slipped into bed with me.
"How's my lovely 'iyawo'* doing?" he asked as he snuggled up to me.
I placed my head on his chest, inhaling deeply the heady scent of his warm body.
"Ok. Just a bit tired from all the excitement of the day."
"I wonder why it took so long for us. To end up like this as a married couple. Maybe it's fate. We lost each other and found ourselves again. What do you think?" he said, placing a kiss on my cheek.
He was right. It could be fate . Perhaps, that's what informed my choice.
Eric.
And made me break off my engagement with Bernard. After Eric passed the test Alero and I set for him, I knew I had to give him a chance.
The old Eric would have fallen for the temptation especially with someone like Alero, who had the kind of sexy body even a monk would find irresistible. But he had resisted and walked away, making me trust him more and choosing him over Bernard. I had felt bad about Bernard and he had been devastated, even pleading with me to reconsider.
But there was nothing I could do about it. I had to follow my heart. I don't know where it will lead me to or what tomorrow holds.
But as Eric held me tightly in his arms and began to kiss me ravenously, on this first night of our honeymoon, all I knew was that I felt secure, loved and desired.
And blissfully happy as well!
The End!
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Note: *Iyawo in Yoruba language means 'wife'
***
So, there you have it! She finally chose Eric and says she's happy with her choice so who are we to judge her?
Anyway, thanks to all readers who participated in the quiz contest. And congrats to those who got the answer correctly. Surprisingly, more readers chose Bernard over Eric, maybe because Eric seemed to be such an unfaithful fellow, a player. But she followed her heart so we wish her the best.
Names of winners will be posted tomorrow with instructions on how to get the prize which is a free copy of my ebook 'Tomorrow Never Ends'.
Everyone who participated in the quiz will get a copy as well so everyone is a winner! Thanks
everybody and stay blessed!
Patience (Blog Author)
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