About two hours later, a knock sounded on the door. Ugochi jumped up from the couch where she was sprawled watching TV and went to the door.
Dawn had left the apartment to get some groceries from the supermarket and to get some pain relieving drugs for Ugochi, so she was home alone. She opened the door to find Frederick on the other side. His jaw dropped as soon as he saw her battered face.
“What happened to you? Were you in an accident?” he asked, incredulous
Ugochi smiled. “Please come in.” she said and made room for him to get in.
Fredrick walked in but stayed by the door. Ugochi closed the door and saw him watching her curiously.
“What happened to you?” he asked once more
“Come sit down and I’ll tell you everything.” She interjected
He reluctantly followed her to the sofa and sat beside her.
“What can I offer you?” Ugochi asked
“Forget about that for now, will you? Tell me what happened to you? Were you in an accident?” he repeated.
Ugochi knew she couldn’t put it off any longer. “No, I wasn’t.” she said quietly. “It was Ikemefuna.”
Fredrick jumped off the sofa. “What?” he screeched
“Relax, Fredrick. That was why I said we needed to talk. Will you sit down, please? It hurts my neck to look up to you like that.”
“Sorry.” Fredrick quickly sat down. “You mean Ikem did this to you? How could he do that? What sort of man is he?”
“I don’t know why Fredrick. All I know is that he got home yesterday and all hell broke loose. He started calling me names. He didn’t explain anything to me, didn’t allow me defend myself before he lit into me and started punching me. It was all I could do to get away from me before he succeeded in killing me.”
Fredrick watched her pensively. “He didn’t give any explanation at all? Although, nothing could warrant such treatment of a woman.”
“No, he didn’t. I guess he saw us together, or he was told we’ve been hanging out together. In fact, I don’t know what to think. All I know is the only reason he could have acted so unforgivably is if he thought I was cheating on him. He actually called me a liar and a cheat, if I recollect correctly.”
“I still don’t think that’s an excuse for battery. Why do you think he saw us together?”
“He mentioned going to see his co-worker and that the guy told him something unbelievable. I asked him what the guy told me and he said I shouldn’t act dumb, that I knew exactly what he was talking about. That was when he started shouting and calling me names.”
“Amazing. Then he just started hitting you? Just like that?”
“I guess he was angry I acted dumb. That could be what triggered him. The funniest thing is he had never shown any violent tendencies. I’m as amazed as you are at this turnabout.”
“It just gets more curios by the second. I can’t believe he could treat a woman he professes to love like this.”
“Don’t rub it in, please. It hurts too much.”
“I’m sorry. Have you been to the hospital?”
“No and I’m not planning to go.”
“What? Why not?”
“They are just surface wounds Fredrick. They look a lot worse than they feel.”
“Women!” he rolled his eyes, sounding exasperated. “Anyway, I’m sorry my advent into your life made it possible for your guy to treat you this callously. I’m truly sorry.”
“Forget about it. You’re not responsible for his actions.”
“I really feel responsible though. What do you propose we do?”
“I think it’s high time we tell him our news. It won’t do for him to go on thinking the worst about me. Though, I would never go back to him even if he comes crawling, I owe it to him and to myself to come clean about our association.”
“Are you sure he is ready to hear all these?”
Ugochi looked him in the eye. “The question is are you sure you’re ready to tell him about you? Are you ready to be vulnerable with him? Are you ready to tell him you’re his twin?”
Fredrick looked at Ugochi curiously. “The truth is I don’t know.”
To be continued
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