Debbie unlocked the front door of their 4-bed duplex, thankful that she had the house to herself for just a few more minutes.
โWhat a day!โ She sighed as she sunk down deep into the couch in her living room. She needed a moment or two to fully process the events of today.
No sooner had she settled down; she heard a loud bang on the door. Then a crash as Titi her best friend of over 30 years barged into her home.
Debbie sighed โThatโs what I get for having you as my neighbourโ
โAnd giving me a set of your keys for emergencies.โ Titi laughed heartily.
Titi, had long since dropped all forms of propriety when it came to her best friendโs home especially when she was sure Jacob wasnโt around.
She jumped on the couch alongside Debbie, packing up her long-braided hair as she continued to speak,
ย โLeave all those regrets for later. Now for the important stuff โฆ How did your catch up with dreamy Tunde go? Kaaiii I still remember him well. Even then, I could see all sorts of fyne boy potential. Remember then I told you I was going to have his kids one day? โฆ aaahhhh good times!โย
She stopped when she noticed Debbieโs silence.ย
โWait, what is wrong? Does he have a pot belly and wear a nose ring? Or God forbid an earring? Oh God please nooo!โ
And Titi dramatically raised both arms in the air in supplication. Debbie had to laugh. This was Titi, you couldnโt stay serious with her for long.
โStop it sillyโ Debbie giggled. โNo, he doesnโt have a pot belly nor does he wear an ear or a nose ringโฆ quite the opposite. He turned out really nice Titi, even more handsome…โ
โHmm I knew itโ Titi sighed and closed her eyes โDreamy Tunde didnโt disappoint.โ
โโฆย and obviously a gym rat. His chest is rock solidโฆโ Debbie continued
โWait what?โ Titiโs face fell โWhatโs with knowing the structure of his chest?? Girl, when you left this house it was to catch up with an old friend briefly. What happened? tell me!โ
โHe said he loved meโ
Titi jumped to her feet her hands on her chest then immediately sat back down again.
โOkayโฆ let me not jump to conclusions. Love you like a sister? As per childhood friend?โ
โNo, he loves me. loves meโ
Titi was on her feet again
โThe idiot! That imbecile? What game is he playing at? I thought you said he was married. Is he divorced? Is he looking for whose life to destroy?โ
โWhy would you say that?โ Debbie looked up at her friend her eyes wide. โHe didnโt mean any harm, he just wanted to tell me how he felt all those years ago.โ
โOh ok, but if these feelings are in the past why bring them up now? Like going down love memory lane or what?โย she sat on the chair opposite Debbie and drew herself closer to her friend.
โWell the feelings are not quite in the past!โ Debbie said looking away.
โWhat?โ Titi slammed her palms into the seat.ย โSo, what exactly does he want?โ
โHe doesnโt want anything! Titi please calm down. He just wanted to get it off his chest. He said he regretted not telling me all those years ago. He knows we are both married and noting is going to happen.โ
โNo! no! no! I donโt like this at all. This is not good! That is an extremely dangerous game he is playing. What if you were not happily married? This could have caused something else.ย Just sown bad seeds where there was no need. I hope you made it clear to him that you are fine and happy.โ
โTiti, relax I did. I told him that. I knew what I was supposed to sayโ
โSupposed to say? Girl. itโs the truth.ย … isnโt it?ย
Titi sat abruptly. A frown etched on her forehead.ย โIs there something you are not telling me about you and Jacob?โ
โLike what?โ
โI donโt know! You are the one making shady comments. Has Jacob changed or what?โ
โJacob? He hasnโt changed, he is still the same, yesterday, today and forever.โ
โWhy do you say it like itโs a bad thing?โ
โBecause I AM TIRED OF IT! There is no excitement with him, no surprise, no thrill. We have been married 8 years and I already feel like an old married woman.
โHaaaa! Debbie what are you saying?โ Titi stood, her hands on her hips. โShame to bad people oooo. Come Debbie. Is it because of the poison that Tunde spewed today?โ
โIt wasnโt poison. He was just telling me how he felt.โ
โYou are defending him?โ Titi gasped
โYes, I will! You make him out to be a monster.โ
โOnly Monster? That guy is an agent of darkness. Itโs all these overly handsome people that the devil uses to destroy homes.โ
โOh, Titi shut up! If that was the case will I have let you into my own home?โ
They looked at each other in silence for a few seconds and burst into laughter.
โYou are a stupid girl.ย Titi said as she sat down beside Debbie on the couch. โHow can you be abusing me and complimenting me in the same sentence?โ
โBut itโs true now. Using your logic, my unmarried beauty Queen best friend and neighbour. Does it make sense for me to be close to you? But I trust you with my life. I trust you with everything I hold dear. So why assume Tunde is out to destroy me.โ
โOkay okay. I will try not to judge him too harshly. Back to you and Jacob though, you guys are happy, you are good together, where did this come from?โ
โI agree we work well together, but where Is the spark? We go through the same thing everyday nothing new ever happens. We never go anywhere. Even our sex life is boring.โ
โAhhh babe easy oโฆ you are nit-picking, have you spoken to Jacob about any of this?โ
โNo, but why do I have too? Isnโt he in this relationship with me? canโt he see?โ
โHow will he see if you do not tell him. Maybe he is actually content with the way things are and doesnโt think anything is wrong.โ
โWell isnโt that a problem in itself?โ
โNo, it isnโt. it just a communication thing. Share this with Jacob. He loves you so much. he will do anything for you, and you know this?
Look at how he is with the kids, my heart melts just looking at them together?ย ย
As kids growing up, when we hear daddy is around, we dive behind chairs and under tables? When your kids hear daddy is around, they trip over themselves to get to him, doesnโt that count for something? Look at the way he works hard to provide for you guys? You and I know you have everything you want. My friend. You donโt have a husband; you have an angel. You know this. Tell me, why do I need to remind you?โ
Debbie stared at her folded hands on her lap. She was massaging each finger and finally settled on her wedding finger and began to roll her band around and around.
โI just feel so soooโฆ I havenโt felt tingles like I got when I spent time with Tunde today. When we hugged when he whisperedโฆโ
โLook I am really trying not to be upset with Tunde right now for this stuff he has done. Its messing with your brain.โ
โItโs not just today.โ
โWhat do you mean?โ
โTunde and I were always close remember?โ
โOf course, I remember, I was so jealous then. Whenever we show up at a hangout, he always made a bee line for you. We all thought you guys were going to eventually start dating.ย What with the way he will always stand by your side? Your very own James Bond. Ha-ha. Titi laughed hard as she reminisced. โThe ungrateful fellow. After I offered to have his kids.โ
โHahaha! I remember that day. His mouth almost fell on the floor. You are such a rascal Titi and it didnโt start today. I think you made him even more afraid of you.โ
โOh well itโs his loss. Our kids could have been dynamite.โ
โโฆanyways, we would spend hours on the phone just talking and talking. I almost took it for granted that as we grew older something would happen. I had imagined our wedding day. Our first kiss. Debbie sighed deeply; her eyes took on a faraway look. โHis family relocation was so unexpected. When he left, I felt such a deep sense of loss. Then after a few months I got a letter from him.โ
โYou did?ย you never told me.โ
โIโm sorry, it was just so special I wanted to keep it to myself.โ
โOk, I can understand that. What did the letter say?โ
โIt was beautiful letter, telling me about his settling in woes. His struggles trying to fully fit in a new country. He said he missed the gang so much. He was still trying to find a church family like he had here. Etc โฆโ
โThat sound sweet. But what is so special about this letter.โ
โIt wasnโt the letter. There was a small note attached to it…
๐ท๐๐๐๐๐, ๐ผ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก ๐ค๐๐๐ก๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ก ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ก ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ โ๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐ฆ ๐ผ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐ฆ๐ ๐กโ๐๐ ๐๐๐. ๐ต๐ข๐ก ๐ผ ๐๐๐๐ โ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ฆ ๐บ๐๐ ๐๐๐ก ๐ก๐ ๐ ๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ก ๐กโ๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐. ๐ผ โ๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฆ ๐ ๐๐๐.ย
๐๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ค๐๐ฆ๐ ๐๐ข๐๐๐.”
โHmm now I am worried that you are quoting this note almost two decades afterโ
โI read it repeatedly for years. Years Titi. Deep down. If in that letter he had said ‘Debbie wait for me’. I will still be waiting untill today. You know technology wasnโt what it is now. It was phone calls and letters. My father cut our land line because of all the international calls I made. Communication eventually died down. He couldnโt make calls; I couldnโt make calls.
Last year we connected via Facebook. Just before he got married. Then Monday as you know I got the call that he was in the country and would love to catch up. I now find out that he still has feelings for me. It makes me wonder if I had waited a little longer. โฆ what if??
โWhat if what?? look honestly Debbie this all sounds overly sweet and romantic. But WAKE UP!!ย Get this maybe, shouda, coulda, woulda gaze out of your eyes!ย You have a good thing right in front of you! You have a lovely family. A stable home. Fine there are no sparks as you say, sister listen to me, firewood is not self-starting. Get the stuff required to start a flame together and light this thing up!โ
โOk I hear you Titi.โ Debbie turned away from her friend. โI really need to be alone now.โ
Titi got up slowly, placed a hand on Debbieโs Shoulder
โI will leave you now but please remember this; you are not just a friend to me; you are my sister. And I love you. Be careful this path you are considering. It will only end in pain.ย ย
๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฏ ๐๐: ๐๐
๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ก๐ข๐๐ก ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ก ๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐จ ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ง, ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ๐๐จ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐๐ญ๐ก
ยฉOgugua Ajayi
