LOVE YOU ANOTHER DAY - Episode 4

Chapter 2

The first wind of fate blew rather too soon for Ola. The day had begun like every other Monday. There was nothing out of place about it. He was woken by the inbuilt stress alarm in him as usual, some few minutes before five. It took a look at the bed to remind him that Kemi was not beside him. She had left for an uncle’s house somewhere at Ogba the previous day, after spending two wonderful nights. Ola mumbled some words of thanks to God for making him see another day. He picked his phone and was tempted to dial Kemi’s number but decided against it, and instead began typing a text. When he was through, he read the text half aloud to himself but not loud enough to disturb his immediate younger brother that lay on the bed sleeping beside him, as slowly as he could help it:

It is said that what a man feels
Is greater than what he thinks
But how do I resolve it
Now that what I think and feel are same!
I think, feel and now I know, you’re the one.
I love you, Kemi.
Good morning…

He liked it and all he could do was hope Kemi felt same way. He added a kiss emoticon before pressing the send key. He rushed into the bathroom thereafter and about twenty minutes later, he was all set for work.

He was all happy with himself as he drove to work. His phone rang occasionally but he did not bother to cast a glance at it. Taking calls while driving was always a NO for him. Whatever the call was about had to wait.

Nothing warned him about the fate that lay ahead of him that day. But if only Ola knew how the day would change a lot about the future he dreamt about Kemi and him.  

You May Yet Read The Previous Episode: Love You Another Day Episode 3 (You don't want to miss anything)

                        *       *       *

Bukky Roland was in exhilarated spirits as she stepped into the office building. Monday was always a day she looked forward to ever since she joined the organisation, five months ago. Her excitement was only a quarter borne out of her love for the job. It was more about the opportunity Monday usually brought; another week to be closer to the man with that intense effect on her system. 

Bukky was a young woman in her late twenties. She was a beautiful woman with such delicate looks. She could easily put her age at five years younger than the actual figure, and not too many people would argue that. And no one who did not know her would believe she had a seven year old daughter, a product of a marriage that crashed eighteen months ago. A daughter she loved dearly, the only thing that was not a mistake about her failed marriage. Only one person seemed to be competing with Temilade, her daughter, for a place in her heart. And that one man was Ola Johnson. 

Bukky found herself too weak for her feelings for Ola. It was something she could not explain. There were times she had even scolded herself for feeling that way about a man, after all the inhumane experience she had suffered from Dennis Oboko, her estranged ex husband. But yet she felt helpless anytime the thoughts of Ola seized her. And this happened a whole lot of the time. Ola practically lived in her blood stream. She could hear his voice and laughter, and even smell his cologne even when they were miles apart. No, she was not only crazy about him, she was convinced she was in love with him.

One look at the parking lot told her Ola was around. She did not bring her car, a step in the calculated scheme she had mapped out for the day. She checked on her wristwatch as she mounted the elevator to the fifth floor that housed Yellow Vine Ventures, the time was twelve minutes to eight, the official resumption time. She reckoned the few minutes would be enough to get a word or two out of Ola. Her walk to her desk was punctuated by exchange of pleasantries between her and some colleagues, but she tried to make the greetings as brief as possible. She had ensured her relationship with everyone in the male dominated organisation was near strictly official, except Ola. And this she knew was not lost on anyone at the firm. She dropped her bag at her desk and headed for the only place she was convinced Ola would be. She rapped on the door and it took all the patience in her to wait the few seconds that Ola waited before urging her in. Her heart was racing fast like that of a sixteen-year old on her first date.

"Hey. Good morning," she offered rather excitedly as soon as she opened the door.

"Good morning," Ola returned looking up from the the computer screen. "How was your weekend?"

"I would say good, thanks. And I'm sure yours would have fared much better, right?"

"How do I know that unless I'm told how yours went down!" Ola said amidst a smile. "Maybe you should tell me about it."

"You're sure about that?" 

"Try me" 

"Okay. I owe you an explanation but it's got to be over lunch. Agreed?"

Ola didn't see that question coming. It left him a little fazed. But he knew there was no way he could turn her down. He had unwittingly committed himself. 

"It's alright. I'll come get you." 

"That would be no problem. Got to go now. At least now that I'm sure you're back at work in one piece," Bukky said as she turned to leave.

"Thanks. I do appreciate. And hope the day offers great stuffs." 

"I hope so too. See you..."

And with that Bukky was out of the office, leaving Ola gazing and deep in thought. He was not so naive not to know when a woman wanted him. But he was also aware that his heart belonged elsewhere. He promised himself he would be careful as his eyes and attention once again returned to the computer before him. And it took him less than three minutes to forget about Bukky's visit to his desk. 

But for Bukky, it was a different story. She checked on her watch as she settled into her chair, ready to begin her primary assignment at the firm. It was just three minutes past eight. 1:30 p.m. seemed so far away. But she was excitedly looking forward to it. Everything was working out well so far, according to plan.  


                                                  *      *      *  

Meanwhile, Kemi was just stirring up from sleep. She was in no hurry to get out bed as she reached for her phone. She had no misgivings about what to expect while waiting for the phone to boot. She read the text from Ola with all the attention she could muster. She was not great at composing romantic texts, so she decided against typing one, and so put a call through to Ola's number instead. She could tell it would be a great day after the call. But little did she know the day was a beginning of a new twist in her love life. 




N.B.: How much careful can Ola get in trying to handle Bukky's advances? What ace does Bukky have up her sleeve? Would it play out well?  

Join me again next week Saturday to find out the answers to the above questions in Episode 5 of 'LOVE YOU ANOTHER DAY' series...

Lovely Weekend. 

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LOVE YOU ANOTHER DAY - Episode 3

The morning came a little too early for Kemi. She opened her eyes slowly as the first wave of consciousness hit her. She was very pleased to see Ola staring at her with a smile on his lips.

"Good morning, angel," Ola greeted.

"Good morning." Kemi replied. "What are you staring at?" She added yawningly.

"What am I even staring at? Hmm...you really want to know?"  

Kemi nodded in affirmation as she struggled to shake off the last hold of sleep on her.

"Okay" Ola continued, "I am staring at my queen."

"Your queen?"

"Oh, where's she? And how come I haven't met her?" Kemi returned teasingly.

"Okay, you wait while I reveal her with a kiss," Ola said and lowered his head to take Kemi's lips in his mouth.

They kissed sensuously for a moment. But Kemi had to break free immediately Ola's hand found one of her breasts. There was no way she would allow a repeat of what happened earlier in the night. She dragged herself out of bed and could feel Ola's eyes all over her nude body. 

"You're not looking, are you?" Kemi said as she reached for her phone on the table, turning it on.

Ola made no attempt to chip in a reply. He kept on watching with a satisfying smile at the inviting body. He could sense his member beginning to harden. He looked away momentarily to shut out the image that was building up in his head. 

"Are you always like this?" 

"How?" Ola said turning to look in Kemi's direction once again, unsure of what she was driving at.

"This" Kemi returned, holding out her phone.

"Oh that! Maybe. You like it?" 

Ola had sent the text to Kemi's phone while she was sleeping. He would not even know why he did that. But with the expression on Kemi's face, as she had her eyes rivetted on him, he was thankful he did. 

You May Yet Read The Previous Episode: Love You Another Day Episode 2 (You don't want to miss anything)

Kemi was overwhelmed, not because of the content of the text, but the action itself. She had always woken up to text messages from Ola for as long as she could remember. She could not remember waking up one morning without a text from him in almost a year. It was a ritual she had grown to love. But she never believed Ola would be doing that while she was with him. It was a height of devotion as far as she was concerned. She read the content to herself for the second time, this time more slowly. The content was not anything similar to any text she had ever read from him. How Ola managed to come up with something new every morning was always amazing. It had to be coming from somewhere deep in his heart. She silently wished it would always be like that with him. She had stopped struggling with the obvious fact he had won her heart completely over. She was jolted off her thought wandering by Ola's voice.

"You haven't answered me."

"About what?" 

"I asked if you liked the piece."

Kemi moved away from the table to join Ola in bed. And looking fondly into his eyes with emotions that were louder than words, she made to kiss him. But Ola stopped her.

"No, not until you answer me," he said.

"Look into my eyes and I'm certain you'll find all the answer you need in them."

"Yeah, I can see something but I want to be sure of what I see in there."

"Okay, I don't like it...I love it," Kemi said raising a finger to his lips, before adding, "Now, tell me how you do this every morning without ever forgetting."

"You are my motivation," came the cool well-tailored reply.

Kemi did not say any more words. She raised her head seductively, a gesture which Ola understood perfectly well. His lips met Kemi's half-way. And when his right hand made its way to the well rounded firm breasts, he met with no resistance, this time around.  

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LOVE YOU ANOTHER DAY - Episode 2

Ola lay on the bed. Kemi was lying beside him with her arm across his chest. He could tell she was drifting off to sleep, drained from the passionate round of lovemaking they had had. The sex was not something he had planned. It was the flame of passion in him for her that had got the better of him. Having her beside him in bed had aroused the man in him. He had found her too irresistible. Though, it had taken him much persuasion to get her to agree to her advances but it had been worth it. Kemi had matched him passion for passion. She had proved a sex goddess. He had been left satisfactorily exhausted. He took a thoughtful look at her, just then Kemi turned sleepily revealing a firm breast with the nipple fully out, in the dimly lit room. He had to resist the urge to fondle the breast once again. She deserved some good sleep too, he told himself. As he continued to stare at her, the feeling in him was not that of conquest for having slept with her their first night together. Instead, what he felt was indescribable. He could tell Kemi had completely and deservedly conquered his heart without any reservation. Ola saw something like a smile playing on Kemi’s lips. He reasoned she must be happy with him even in her sleep. He smiled back and his mind went over what it had been before that day.

It was a long journey down memory lane, one which took him to that evening in March 2011, about a year ago. He had been reading through the comments on a Facebook post a friend of his had commented on, when he saw the face. He had felt something he could not explain seize him immediately. And then, he had clicked on the name, Kemi Adeniyi, and sent a friend request before he realised what he was doing. The five days he had waited before the acceptance message popped up was spent fantasising on what would be. Would she be thoughtful enough as to cast as much as a glance at Facebook friend request box? Would she even accept his friend request?

Ola had had no misgivings about what he wanted from her. He had not sent the request just because he wanted to be a mere social media acquaintance. He wanted more. Never in his life had he felt such. Even the thought that she might not be available did little to cross his mind.

So, when five days later the message had popped up, Ola had been disappointed when Kemi's relationship status read “Engaged”. But she had been all over his mind and head so much that he could not back out. He had found it practically impossible to get her out of his thoughts. The more he had tried to push her out of his mind, the more thoughts of her had hung on. It had taken him another two days to convince himself her relationship status might just be a calculated ploy to get guys off her back, after all. The 'hi' he had left in her inbox had gone unnoticed for days. But just when he had been about concluding she would never return his 'hi', fate had smiled on him. They had got chatting from then on and soon the conversation had shifted to phone calls and more.

It had been no easy feat for Ola to break down Kemi's defences, as she was just smarting from a failed relationship back then. And it had taken dedicated patience to get her to give in. Ola's resilience had been rooted in his firm conviction that his future lay with Kemi. There had been no other way to explain falling in love with her the first time he saw her picture. There had to be more to it, he had convinced himself. 

And truly, as soon as she had said yes, Kemi had shown enough to convince Ola she was passionate about the relationship as much as he. What about the seamless effort with which Kemi had bonded with his siblings the few hours she had only stayed that day. He remembered what Kola, his immediate younger brother, had said earlier that evening about seeing a 'housewife material' in Kemi. And as Kemi snuggled up to him in her sleep, Ola could swear their love was made in heaven. 

Ola lowered himself fully into the bed, planted a kiss on Kemi's lips, thanked God again for bringing her his way, pulled her closer and closed his eyes. His sleep that night was characterised by sweet and lovely dreams. 

You May Yet Read The Previous Episode: Love You Another Day Episode 1 (You don't want to miss anything)

                                                    

                                                     *   *   *

Somewhere, a distance of about five kilometres away, Bukky Roland could not sleep. Her mind was occupied by thoughts of Ola Johnson. What else would she do to make him realise she wanted him? She knew her advances were obvious enough for everyone in Yellow Vine Ventures, the auditing firm where they both worked, except Ola himself. Or could he just be feigning ignorance deliberately? The only thing she knew she had not done was confess his feelings to him. There was no shying away from the fact that she had the hots for him. There had to be a way to get him to look her way. 

Bukky began to fantasise about what it would feel like to be in Ola's arms that night. She imagined how his lips would feel on hers. She could feel the erotic fire in her begin to gather momentum as her right hand found its way to her breasts. She fondled and caressed them, and before she could stop herself, her left hand made its way down to her panties. And it did not take too long before she erupted in ecstasy.


                                                 *   *   *



N.B: Keep it a date same time next week for the next episode on 'LOVE YOU ANOTHER DAY.' 

Happy New Month!

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LOVE YOU ANOTHER DAY - Episode 1

EPISODE ONE 

Chapter One


The air of excitement building up in the house was threatening to reach a crescendo. It was going to be an evening like no other in a long time. The house seemed in a prepared state to receive the August visitor who was showing up earlier in May. Looking around the house, it would not take more than the first guess for anyone to figure out that there was a special feel about the apartment. Everywhere in the house, things were placed where they should be. The previous day had been spent ensuring nothing in the house was out of place. Even the volume of the home theatre systems was so adjusted to do some justice to the cool atmosphere as Joe's 'More and more' track played on mellifluously. The house was ready.

But Ola Johnson would not know, if he was ready. Though he shared in the unseen but obvious excitement in the air, yet he was not certain how it would all turn out. He was not supposed to be at home. He was supposed to be at work, so she would not be expecting to meet him here, as earlier arrangement was. But he had had to change his mind on second thought about an hour back, took permission to leave the office and dashed home. His returning home earlier than normal was not borne out of springing a surprise. It was his curiosity to catch the look in her eyes when they would meet for the very first time that had got the better of him. He knew there was no telling if the ubiquitous traffic on Lagos roads might not get him stuck should he had to wait till normal office closing time. For him, that was a risk too much to take. He had not bothered to inform her of the new development before leaving the office and he was not ready to own up to that even at the moment.


As he lay on the couch, a lot of thoughts were messing with his mind. He could not stop wondering at what her reaction might be at the seeming surprise of his being home. Wouldn't she see it as a deliberate act to pull a fast one on her? Was she even as excited as he was about this first meeting? She had to be, he tried to convince himself, after all she was the one who had fast-tracked their meeting date. Ola was jolted from his thoughts wandering, thanks to his phone's ringtone. He reached for his phone where it was on a stool beside the couch and behold he was greeted by the beautiful smiling face with which he had saved her contact picture.

"Hello,"  he said into the cellphone, "...yes, 16, Dennis Adewale Crescent...," and listened again to the sweet voice from the other end of the phone. "Oh, my dear, someone should come out for you soon. Please, just hold on for a couple of minutes."

Ola was a little bit unnerved at the realisation that she was at the gate downstairs already. He rose to his feet, took a look around the sitting room for the umpteenth time and that was when his eyes caught a piece of paper lying somewhere on the floor underneath the glass centre table. He snatched it up, straightened his shirt and headed out of the house to welcome the object of love that had captured his heart. The wait was over. 


 
                      ___________    ___________     ____________     ____________



Kemi Adeniyi was a stunning petite beautiful lady. Her fair skin was naturally cut for her body structure. Though dressed simply in a tee and a pair of denim to appear casual, her beauty was yet appealing. She could not help watching with a smile as a man walking by nearly tripped over in his attempt to go one hundred and eighty degree just to have a second look at her. She was even getting tired of being reminded by people of how stunning she looked. But she rather preferred referring to herself as being beautiful. Yes, she knew she was beautiful. 

She lowered her phone, put it in her hip pocket and turned to face the 'okada man' who had brought her.

"Oga, please no vex, someone should be out in a while," she said apologetically in a flawed attempt at speaking pidgin English. 

"No problem"

All of a sudden and out of the blues, the extent of what Kemi was walking into caught up with her once again. She wondered if she was really standing there at the gate of a stranger, for a visit, all the way from her base in Osun State. Was she doing the right thing? She tried to reassure herself nothing was wrong with her being there. Someone had to make the first move, at least. And besides, she just could not resist the urge to meet the real face behind the voice she had been talking to for almost six months anymore. She loved the feel of his voice. There was an appealing accent about it. Though she knew what he looked like from his pictures, but pictures would not compare to meeting him flesh and blood. But what if he was a maniac? She immediately countered that thought with a mental judgement that his voice was too soothing for that of a maniac. And she tried not to imagine that her assumption of his person merely from the tone of his voice could be wrong. She laughed off the thought to jump back on the 'okada' and inform the rider to take her away, back to the park. No way that was happening having come this close to meeting him. And besides, in not too many hours, she would have the opportunity to draw her final conclusion about his person. And even before that, she had an added advantage of learning a little about him from that younger brother of his who was expected to receive her before his arrival from work.

Only one person knew she was coming here, Tolani, her room mate and friend back in Osun State where she was discharging her NYSC duty and service to her Fatherland. She brought out her phone to inform her she had located his house. But the "number you're trying to reach is..." was the response she got. She cut the line before the automated voice could finish off. She again gestured to the 'okada' rider begging for his patience. Just then from a corner of her eyes, she saw someone coming out of the gate. She immediately concluded he had to be the person Ola just mentioned would be out to receive her. Ola's younger brother, but the uncanny resemblance was just too much. 

"Good evening," he got out.

"Good evening"

"I'm sorry but you should be Kemi, right?" 

"Yes," she returned wondering at the accented voice. It was similar to the one she was used to over the phone, if not the same.

 "Oh great! It's an honour to meet you after all those talk about you.

"It is an honour to meet you too," she said in reply taking his outstretched hand for a handshake. "But hope all you've heard about me aren't so bad." 

"Bad? No way! All I've been told were lovely stuffs. And I've just confirmed that myself now." 

"Hmm... OK o"

"Why don't we go inside, right away?" he said with an attempt to pick up her bag.

"Okay. But please do you have a hundred naira note on you. I need to pay the okada man. He doesn't have change for the one thousand naira note I offered him."

"Oh, no problem," he said as he searched in his pocket and handed the okada rider a hundred naira.

 "Thank you oga. May God bless you," said Kemi to the okada rider as he mounted his bike.

"No wahala, my sister. Thank God," the rider returned before zooming off.

"He is such a nice man. He's very polite and reasonable unlike what one gets from most okada men," Kemi said.

"A reminder that there are still good men in Nigeria, you see," he said meeting her gaze with a warm smile.

Kemi would not know if that remark was an attempt from him at a joke but she smiled at it nonetheless. 

"So, shall we go inside now?" 

 "No problem"

Ola was enjoying himself. He didn't the confusion in Kemi's face. He was certain she was wondering about whose personality he was. He resisted all temptations to state the obvious. He picked up Kemi's bag and would have nothing of her resistance to stop him, as he led the way into the compound.

"I can tell you're very tired now."

"You can say that again. It's surely been a long journey from Osun."  

"Oh sorry, maybe you wouldn't mind a massage after all," he said with the smile still playing on his lips.

"Maybe. But I don't know anyone who can help with that now," said Kemi. "Or d'you know anyone who might help?"

"Wait until you tell him. He should be too willing to help with that." 

"Who?"   

"Oh c'mon, don't pretend you don't know who." he said turning over his shoulder to look at her.

"OK o"

"Yeah, and he should be home with you soon."

"Wait a minute, I've wanted to say this the first time I heard you speak. You look just like him and the voice too!" Kemi said as they climbed the stairs.

"But I learnt you two haven't met, how come you can tell we share so much resemblance" 

"Yes, it's true we haven't met. But I shouldn't miss him in a crowd from what I know of him from his pictures."

"And are you so sure you haven't missed him already?" 

"You can't possibly be him, can you?" Kemi queried with an alarming edge to her voice.

"Maybe I am. Maybe I'm not."

Ola had been blown away immediately he set his eyes on Kemi for the first time outside. What he knew of her looks in photographs was nothing compared to what she was in person. She would rank in his top ten most beautiful women he had ever met. If what he had felt for her before was love, then he had no word to describe what seized him at the sight of the angel that showed up at his gate. It had taken him all the efforts in him to suppress the rapturous feeling that had enveloped him. And that was when he had decided on the game to play he was his own younger brother. The game was working well, even though he could tell Kemi was trying hard to put two and two together. 

"Please, don't tell me you're Ola after all."

"I can't remember saying I am he," Ola replied with a rather sly smile as he opened the door into his apartment.

"Please, don't do this to me, please," Kemi pleaded. 

"You worry too much, angel. Why not come in?" he said holding the door for her and as she stepped inside, he added, "Maybe it's time I confirmed what you've been suspecting already." His smile turned into a grin.

"Oh Ola, you're something. But why do this to me?" Kemi said throwing herself happily into his waiting open arms. 

 "Yes, I'm something. And hope you aren't disappointed with the something I am," Ola replied staring lovingly into her sparkling bright and warm eyes.

"Hmm... Let me see, maybe I... I think I like what I see," Kemi confessed with a grin.

"You think?" Ola teased.

"Oh, I'm sorry, dear. I love what I see about you already."  

 "Really?" 

 " Yeah"

 "Then show me just how much..."

The kiss that ensued as they were locked in that warm embrace was one that Ola immediately knew he would always live to remember. He just could not believe she was there with him, flesh and blood. She was that angel that had rocked his world for more than a year. One he had loved from a distance, until that moment.



N.B:  "LOVE YOU ANOTHER DAY" would be a weekly series. Endeavour to be here next week Saturday for the next episode. But until then, keep visiting LOVEMILLS.COM for more gripping love and relationship topics.

I'll love to always see you around...

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Friend Zone: Watch it! Before You Get in The Dreaded Zone

The feeling that comes with being friend zoned is not as cosy as the name suggests. Friend zone is a position where no one wants to be. It is a situation (condition) where one falls in love and all the other party wants is just friendship. No one likes it there. It is a dreaded zone. 

But the irony of it all is that as dreaded as friend zone is, everyone who has ever been there earned himself the right in the first place, albeit without realising it. No one has ever been friend zoned without his consent! Friend zone is not somewhere anyone can lead you, unless you are readily willing. But what makes it the most worrisome is that anyone can fall a victim...

Hey! Don't get it twisted, your being friend zoned depends on you; it is a consequence of what you do rather than things you fail to do. So, in order to avoid this dreaded zone, there are don'ts you need to constantly keep in your consciousness. Make them your Rules of the Thumb, a guideline in your interaction with the opposite sex you have got the hots for.

• Don't get too familiar

It is okay to be friendly with a girl but it is not all right to get too familiar with a girl you are attracted to sexually. Most girls would prefer dating a guy whom they still have a few things to learn about to one they have known virtually everything about. It is the way they are wired...they are a curious specie. 

• Don't delay your decision

There is no faster alley to friend zone than waiting till you know a girl better before deciding to be romantic. Make your intention to be involved known right from the outset. Let what you feel about her be in her subconsciousness from the word go.

• Don't try too hard

In order to be close to a girl, do not fall prey to doing all you can just because you want her to approve of you. Being at a girl's beck and call before dating is a trick that will succeed in landing you in the friend zone 95 percent of the times.

• Don't be afraid of rejection

Do not let the fear of getting a 'No' for an answer make you settle for being 'just friends' with a girl, with the hope that someday she would see how a great 'boyfriend-material' you are. Women are mostly influenced by what you tell them and not what they perceive of you. An a**hole who speaks his mind to a girl will succeed where a good guy who keeps mute about his feelings fails. And whoever says when a woman gives you a 'No' is definitive!

• Don't play the boyfriend

Try all you can to avoid creating the impression that you can be a girl's 'substitute-boyfriend'. The danger of this is that once a girl realises that she can enjoy all the benefits only her boyfriend should necessarily give from you with no string attached, you have succeeded in landing yourself in the dreaded friend zone. Do not play the boyfriend when you are not one!

• Don't be her Drain-waste-vent (DWV)

Every girl needs that friend with the listening ear and comforting words to pour out the frustrations of her relationship. Do not be that person to her, unless you are willing to be friend zoned!

There is no problem with being friends with the opposite sex, if that is what you want. But unless that is the intention, save yourself the heartache that comes with being friend zoned. The efforts it will take to get out of the friend zone you leisurely walk into is very daunting. And God help you, if getting out is not a moment too late!


I smell a New Year happening soon... Oh, can it come already! And for this, I wish you a Love Mills HAPPY NEW YEAR in advance! See you in 2017!

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Not Safe to Be Loved - Episode 18

Chapter 12

Mike could feel some pain in his head as the first sign of consciousness hit him. He tried to open his eyes but the effort was overwhelming. In his subconscious mind with his eyes closed still, he tried to figure out where he was. He felt weak all over. He must be dead, he reasoned. This must be how it felt with the dead; pain and numbness. He again made efforts to open his eyes, this time as slowly as possible. All he could make out were blurry moving figures around. He could hear a voice that sounded so distant and faint. Someone calling out to the doc… He was supposed to be dead! No, he shouldn’t be alive. He made to scream but passed out again.

Three hours later when Mike came to, for more than ten minutes, he lay quietly still without opening his eyes listening carefully. All he could hear were two very familiar voices. He was at the hospital! Then, it dawned on him he was not dead after all. But how did he get here? He tried to use his mind and gradually but clearly his memory began to fall into place.

He remembered how he had gone over to Ifeoma’s place to take her out on an agreed date. Ifeoma had instead left him a note with the gateman. The content had been unequivocally brief and straight to the point. “I don’t want to be another Harriet. Stay away from me, maniac.” It had read. He had driven home straight away with just one thing on his mind after his efforts to reach her on the phone was fruitless. He had drunk pills of benzodiazepines five times more than it was normal. He had wanted to sleep away the heartbrokenness his past deeds had brought, forever.

A flurry of questions flooded his mind as he lay on what he had come to terms with as a sick bed. How did Ifeoma learn about Harriet? Did Harriet come after him for revenge? Was this how fate worked? Who could have saved him when all he’d wanted was peaceful death? Would it ever be the same without Ifeoma?

The room was by now silent but he could feel a prying eye on him subconsciously. He opened his eyes slowly, and found Tunde staring back.

“Where’s Ifeoma?” Mike muttered barely above a whisper, his first sentence in seven days since he was rushed down to the hospital. When Tunde beckoned to him to remain still, he added, “Please if you ever find her, tell her I love her.”

Until this point, no one had known why Mike had done what he did. He had been saved by his house-help, Etim, who had come to clean his room and met him lying near lifeless on the floor.

“Why Mike? Why did you do this?” Tunde asked with tears welling up in his eyes for relief.

“I love her. Yes I do.” Came the feeble response from Mike as tears flowed from his eyes uncontrollably.

Just then Dr. Ehis, a colleague with whom he shared mutual but professional respect, who had been attending to him walked in. He advised that Mike be allowed some more time to rest but Mike objected saying he would love to be left alone with his bosom friend for some time.

                                 *    *    *

Mike was forced to accept his fate when after five days of regaining his consciousness there was no news about Ifeoma. He had stopped asking about her from Tunde whom he’d charged with the responsibility of locating her.

As he sat at the back of the car and being driven home by Tunde and his wife, after twenty-one days of being on the hospital bed, Mike tried not to think about what the future held for him. It was no use thinking about the future, if Ifeoma would not be there with him. Life had lost its meaning again just when he’d only found another reason to love. Living would be meaningless without Ifeoma, he reasoned. He had not uttered a word since he’d got into the car. He was thankful that Tunde and his wife seemed to understand that he wanted to be alone with his thoughts, as they did not attempt to engage him in any conversation.

Tunde on his part was hoping everything had gone according to plan. He had not bothered to tell Mike about his findings and all he’d been able to achieve in the last the two days. He knew Mike would be happy again and very soon. So, he would rather wait and allow Mike find out about everything himself.

When Tunde drove into the compound, and Mike stepped out of the car, the only thing on his mind was to get into his room and lock himself away. He didn’t even notice the arrangement of flowers that were lined up to welcome him home. He responded to his stewards’ excitement and greetings with a wave of the hand, as he hurried to the entrance door. There was a message boldly pasted on the door. It read: Welcome home. Home Sweet Home. What would be sweet about here? He grunted as he pushed the door open. Mid way into the house, he stopped in his track. His sense of smell picked up something in the air. It was a smell he knew with just one person. He had to be dreaming was all Mike could think as he ran up the stairs. He just could not believe his eyes when he opened the bedroom door and found her sitting on the bed. She looked extremely more beautiful than he had ever known her to be. She was wearing one of his shirts.

“Do you truly love me?”

Mike was in the seventh heaven already, he didn’t even know when his lips formed the words, “Yes, I love you Ifeoma.”

He moved fully into the room, and he and Ifeoma were locked in a passionate embrace crying in each other’s arms.

“I can explain everything…” Mike began to say

“Don’t worry, I know all there’s to know already.” Ifeoma said stopping him as she landed him a kiss.

THE END












N.B: Thanks to everyone who has bothered to read each and every episode of this story. Your love and encouragements had kept me going. For those who may want to know what became of Mike and Ifeoma. Yes, they got married and lived ever happily after. Not forgetting that Mike was able to track down and ask for forgiveness from all the women he'd hurt, except Tade who'd died some few years earlier. And for those who might at one point felt I was writing about myself, I guess it’s time you realised that Mike was just a mere work of fiction, that had emanated from my creative imaginative mind. Lol!


Keep watching this space as the next story would hit you soon. But don't close this page until you let me know what your thoughts are on 'Not Safe To Be Loved...'.


I wish you all a Magnificent 2015!

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Different Shades of Other Halves...

Nobody wants to wind up dating a loser, but it happens. Daters wind up finding themselves with someone who seemed great at first, but little by little, true colors are revealed, and suddenly you find yourself in a bad relationship. The best way to prevent this is to know what to look for. A loser is someone who creates more harm than good. He or she will cause too much strain on the relationship and stress in your life. Unfortunately, these “losers” come in many different forms, which is why you should know the signs of what to look for, allowing you to cut the relationship off before getting hurt.

“Debbie Downer”-This type of person is not only depressed, but will take it out on those close to him/her. Downers are always down and hard to please. They differ from those who are just depressed because downers often enjoy the negativity. This type of person usually has the power to change everything that is causing him or her to be down, however does not try to make an effort or take action because they don’t want to actually change. What to look for: A downer is always down and upset about everything, even if things in his/her life are going well. Downers complain constantly about the little things, and turn small issues into chaotic drama. They are negative people who find the bad in every situation and will point out the wrong to you. Downers will drag you down so that you are closer to their level. Someone who is a downer will make you feel bad about yourself and cause you to lose hope or interest in things. You will find that being around this type of person actually will change your mood for the worse.

“Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde”-This type of person can be very confusing. It may seem that he/she has two different sides or are even two different people in one. These people tend to change their minds rapidly, without any actually cause, and go from hot to cold, nice to mean and back within a matter of minutes. This type goes beyond a typical “hot head” as outbursts are sometimes unprovoked. What to look for: A Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde person will lose his/her temper quickly and act on that anger. However, after a few moments of anger, the person will suddenly snap out of it, and usually be very apologetic afterwards. Unfortunately, the apologies mean absolutely nothing since the behavior reoccurs consistently. People like this have a sweet/cruel cycle that is unpredictable. When you are around these types of people, you never know who you are going to get or what to expect. After a while, you will usually begin to walk around on pins and needles, holding your breath, just waiting for the next time he/she snaps.

“The Pig”-This type of person is cunning and will act with confidence. He or she is not shy and usually enjoys being in the spotlight. Pigs are selfish and only have themselves in mind. A pig will enjoy the chase while first dating and tends to get bored easily. He/she pursues other dates and does not voluntarily ask for exclusivity. Pigs want to have their cake and eat it too by having a relationship with someone while still being able to live the single life. What to look for: A pig will be an excessive flirt, even when you are around. He or she will gawk at others of the opposite sex and make comments about how attractive others are to you. You will likely catch a pig in a lie, more than once. If you are dating, a pig usually will be against any titles for your relationship, such as “boyfriend” or “girlfriend.” He or she will instead introduce you as a “friend”, if at all. Even if a commitment is finally made, pigs will still act single, going out frequently without you. One big red flag is if he or she cheated in the past, whether on you or someone else, or if you are informed of current promiscuous behavior.

“The Financial Burden”- This type of person is awful with money. Not only does he or she have very poor budgeting habits, but money is often times unaccounted for. He or she cannot seem to keep up with the bills, even if a steady income is present. This person is always bumming money from friends and family members, and most likely has burned bridges because of it. These people are looking for fresh meat to help bail them out. What to look for: A financial burden may have huge amounts of debt or extremely low credit for no legitimate reason, such as divorce, death, or unemployment. It is possible that he or she is a gambler, believing that they are “professionals,” however losing money frequently. This causes the person to place more bets or visit the casino often, in hopes of regaining the lost money. Another possible sign is someone who shops crazily, constantly buying things that he or she doesn’t need, or more importantly, cannot afford. A financial burden loser will cause you grief by sucking you in and then hitting you up for extra money, having you help support him/her, or even stealing from you.

“The A**hole”-This type of person is just plain rude. Unfortunately, women often times wind up in a relationship with this type of loser since they are frequently attracted to the “Bad Boy” persona that is portrayed. Someone who is an a**hole doesn’t care about anyone else other than him/herself. They do what is convenient and beneficial for them and them only, no matter what the case, and often will do bad to get a rise out of others. What to look for: This type of person will likely have a poor or estranged relationship with family members, due to their attitude. He or she will treat others, such as waitresses, salespeople, and employees, poorly to appear powerful. These types of people enjoy putting others down and are extremely vain. If you are in a relationship with an a**hole, you are likely to be blamed by him or her for everything, whether or not you did anything wrong, and made to feel unworthy. He/she will call you names and often will become a verbal abuser.

“The Wedding Planner”-This type of person will appear to be a great person and have no issues or baggage upon meeting. The wedding planner will make you feel good and hook you in to the relationship, as you are suddenly overnight his/her top priority. Problems arise because they move too fast and attach quickly, rushing the relationship along at an unusual rate. These people are desperate and have made up their minds to find their life-long partner, whether that person is truly the one for them or not. It can be difficult to recognize the difference between true love and being with a wedding planner who is desperate to settle down. It is a good idea to take your time with everything, after all, if it is real love then it will be forever lasting and wait patiently for you. What to look for: The wedding planner can be a difficult person to identify. What is dangerous about them is that they make you feel wonderful while dating, causing you to be blinded by the fact that the relationship is unhealthy. Wedding planners will often talk of marriage way before the thought even crossed your mind. He or she is very fast to say, “I love you,” and showers you with gifts for no reason. If dating, this person will tend to make plans for you to ensure that he or she is a part of your future. This can be done by booking a vacation, making plans to move-in, or even proposing, all within a short amount of time after first meeting. Also, look for over-eagerness. Wedding planners want you to spend every waking moment with them and wind up smothering you.

“The Control Freak”-This type of person is very controlling of everything in his/her life. When it comes to a relationship, a control freak will expect all aspects of it to go as planned. A control freak believes that he/she is always right and that others are in the wrong. They will get upset if things do not go exactly how they wanted, as they have a “my way or the highway” attitude. What to look for: A control freak is usually very paranoid. He or she will think that you are going to end the relationship or want someone else, and may accuse you of cheating for no reason. This is their “reason” for tightening the strings and controlling you more. A control freak will tell you what you can and cannot do. For instance, he or she will say you’re not allowed to go to certain establishments or hang out with certain people. It may even get to the point that he/she begins to cut you off from family and friends. Control freaks are very hypocritical, as they often believe it is ok for them to do the things that you were told by them not to do. These types of people can become obsessive and even dangerous, following you while you are out with friends, or appearing at your work to make sure your there. You should make sure to inform others about your partner’s actions and get out of the relationship before it escalates further.

Losers never change. No matter what you do or say, they won’t magically turn into better people. That is why you should avoid dating these losers, and if you find that you are already in a relationship with one, it’d be for your best interest to get out quick!

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Not Safe To Be Loved - Episode 17

Chapter 11

Benita tried hard to keep her cool as she refilled her glass as she sat in the garden with her guest and client. Her worst fear had just been realised. She had thought she was prepared for this but hell no as the reality threw her off her balance. She looked at Object B as she sat sipping on her glass of drink. She could tell Object B was handling the situation very well, so she decided to probe further.

“And you didn’t do anything that could have forced such reaction from him?”

“None that I can remember. I remember he had called me up the night before, telling me he had a big surprise for me and specifically told me to be prepared, now I can tell it was actually a warning.”

“Did he show any sign of wanting out of the relationship prior to then?”

“No. He was as smooth and caring as ever. You would never have believed he was capable of hurting a fly. He had always been cool prior to that night. But now I have a feeling he’s got a problem with women.”

“Why did you say so?” Benita queried as she again took her a sip of her drink.

“He would never discuss his past dealings with women. He would always tell me, it was his past he didn’t want to be reminded of. I was blinded to reasoning then, but now it doesn’t add up. Getting over one’s past should start with being able to talk about it, shouldn’t it?”

“Yeah” Benita said amidst a sigh.

“Now I can look back and see that his smooth and near perfect demeanour was too good to be real. Mike’s definitely not safe to be loved. I know better now.”

“How does it feel with him now?”

“Hmm… he now belongs to my distant past in my head and mind. No regrets and funny enough, I feel no hate for him. I’ve only learnt to be more careful with my heart.”

“You’re doing really great. Maybe it time to mingle again.”

“Mingle? Hooking up with a man is the last thing on my mind now. I just want to concentrate on me for a little while. When it’s time, my heart would tell me.” 

“Maybe I should ask you this.”

“What?”

“Hope you’re not afraid to love again because of this experience.”

“Afraid? No. I would just love to be more careful next time. This one sad experience shouldn’t be enough to make me feel there are no men who can be trusted with my heart out there. I know they exist and I will be willing to be taken by one of them but that’s got to wait till I’m ready again.”

“I must confess that you’re doing brilliantly. You’ve handled this with better inner strength than I believed was possible. You’re a strong woman.”

“Hmm… What can I do but be strong for myself.” She said as she raised her glass to drain the remainder of its content. And after she set the glass down, she said, “Now, there’s something I’ll like to know.”

“And what’s that?” Benita asked.

“I have a feeling there’s more to your questions today than an assessment session like you want me to believe.” She paused to see, if Benita would say anything and when she didn’t, she continued. “I didn’t miss the change in your countenance when I mentioned Mike’s name and showed you his picture. There was this look of surprise that flashed across your face. It could have lasted a fraction of a second but I noticed it. Is he someone you know?”

Benita looked on, a little longer than necessary, staring at the vibrant looking woman sitting across the table. She was happy that Harriet was now a distant contrast to the dispirited figure she was the first day she met her. Benita decided against telling her the real truth about their meeting that evening. There was no need confirming her suspicion. She wanted her to believe all her probing had been from a professional angle. So, as calmly as she could help it, she said, “No, I’ve never met any man in his build, except for that one night.”

“Alright, maybe I should get going now. I don’t want to run into traffic jam.”

“Ok. Just remember to always keep your spirit up. You’ll be fine for it in the end.”

“Thanks. I’ll try to always remember that.” Harriet said as she rose to her feet to leave.

Harriet took Benita’s outstretched arms and left afterwards. Benita remembered her choice of words for Mike as she watched her go. “He’s not safe to be loved.” Wasn’t that what she’d said?

She just couldn’t wait a minute longer. She picked up her phone and dialed Ifeoma’s number.

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