Episode 15

I closed the door and turned to look at her, 

"Can I...help you with anything?" I tried with a friendly smile.

"Can I...seat down?" She returned my smile and sat down on the bed, I only opened my mouth and clamped it again.

"I'm not sure if I want to talk with you right now if that's what you are..."

"Jennifer, please sit down and let's talk, everyone else doesn't seem to want to talk with me and Chris too is angry right now, I don't even know where he went" she said slowly patting my arm.

"I'm not in the right state, let's talk in the morning, okay?" I said more strictly and went to open the door for her to leave.

"Even when I want to tell you about me and Chris?" She asked, lifting a brow.

"I already know, though not the details but I'm satisfied with the little he told me," I said and tapped my feet on the floor.

"Well, then..." She stood up and went outside before she added "I think Chris really loves you, he has never told me about any girl the way he talks so much about you"

I leaned against the door and watched her, she shrugged and said in a very low voice, "I thought it stupid at first but I know how stupid love can be, love is really blind you know" 

She touched her stomach, smiled and said, "Ed Sheeran is right, we find love in mysterious ways" she made to leave but I observed I might need her company after all.

"Let's talk, Lisa" 

And that was the right thing to do.

We sat down on my bed and she took my hand and squeezed passionately.

"Chris is a good person, he's wonderful and I haven't come across any guy like him, hope you know that?" She started, this new Lisa is not the shy girl that came to see her friend a day ago.

"I guess so," I mumbled.

"You see, I came here yesterday to look for him because he promised to help me out of my predicament, he kept his promise at the expense of his own happiness, isn't he good?" She drawled holding my gaze.

I nodded and she continued, "Chris is my boyfriend's best friend" she swallowed hard and said, "forgive Jen, I don't really know how to start explaining things to you, can you please get me a glass of water?"

"Not a problem" I breathed. I went into the kitchen and came back with a full glass of water for her, she took it and said thanks.

She cupped it with two of her hands and lifted it slowly to her mouth, after taking a mouthful of it, she held it between her laps and smiled at me, "thanks" she said again.

I returned her smile and patted her cheek in a friendly gesture, "Chris seems to be choosing his friends wisely, Lisa, start from somewhere and tell me everything you think I need to know, I'm still confused about what's happening" 

"Okay, I'll...say it all. First, Chris is not the father of my child, he's my friend and he was my boyfriend's classmate, he is only helping me out"

"Then... why didn't he tell me, I..." I kept quiet when I realized I was about to say the obvious, what would I give as an excuse if I just tell her that I love him while she must have known I'm his cousin.

She wasn't surprised though, but I looked away when she kept staring at me. 

"I know how you feel dear, I have walked through that lane before and I know how it hurts to see that the person you love has another woman in his life" she smiled understandingly and that was a relief.

"Where's the father of your child?" I asked her wondering how they (she and Chris) came up with such an idea and how he is going to take responsibility for another's child.

"He is a coward...he left because he's not ready to be a father, do you know what he said to my face..." She laughed cynically before adding, "he said I'm a cheap hole and that I got what I deserved because he's not ready to be tied down by the nonsense I am carrying"

Tears wetted her face immediately and I broke down for her, I held her as she sniffed bitterly, "is it a crime to love, Jenny? It still hurts because my feelings for him hasn't changed at all, I still love that idiot"

"I'm sorry, Lisa, I shouldn't have opened your sealed wounds" I said sadly and fought back my own tears. Right now, the word 'LOVE' really scares me.

"No, it's better to say it and lift the burden off my shoulders, I just feel like this because I have put Chris in trouble and scorn because of my mistake, I should have known better than to open my legs to prove my love to him" she grieves.

"I'm really sorry, Lisa. He doesn't deserve you at all, you will find someone better than him, someone who will know your worth" I advised, meanwhile I'm going crazy myself.

She moved away from me and stood up quickly, "I have already discussed with Chris and I will leave here as soon as he finds a house for me, I only had to use him because I couldn't stand my mother's rattling mouth and my father's threats"

"Thanks for sharing this with me," I said quietly.

"Jennifer, I know you and Chris are related and any relationship between you two is considered forbidden but he truly loves you" she said wiping her face.

"I... I don't know what to do but I... I think it's better I go far away from here to avoid greater pain in the future, it's going to be hard for me and him but it's for good" I said, looking at my legs.

"Yeah, I think so too. You guys should better accept it and avoid the disaster that comes with it later" he agreed.

"Lisa, I'm afraid..." I started as she sat down beside me again, "we...me and Chris, we have...done something extremely... foolish"

"Get over it, not every lady gets pregnant easily" she said wiping tears off my face, she doesn't really understand...not at all.

"Not once, not twice...Lisa, though we used protection at the last one, my fears started from the first day and I have the feeling in my heart that I..."

"That's... crazy and a load of problems. I got pregnant even though he used protection and when I searched through the internet, I found out that condom is just a 95% guarantee and mustn't really be trusted" she said thoughtfully, shaking her head.

"Well, I hope it's not what you are thinking and I feel you should stop breeding such thoughts, okay?" She advised after some while of silence.

"Thanks, Lisa, I didn't know you had such confidence the first time we talked" I confessed smiling at how I had summed her up that day without second guessing.

"That was your first impression of me, we are just about the same, friends?" She extended a hand and I didn't waste time to accept it.

"Yep!" She dragged me up and hugged me."Help me talk to Chris, I just want him to understand and let go" I told her when she released me.

"Okay, when are you leaving?" 

"Mmm... don't know yet, my uncle decides" I shrugged.

"Okay, I will go to my room now" 

"Which of the guest rooms?" I wanted to know because there are many empty rooms in this house.

"Downstairs, by your right..."

"Okay, goodnight" I closed the door when she left and I felt a bit relieved only that I am concerned about Chris, where could he have gone in that state? Lord, help me!

I sat upright and waited impatiently to hear a click on his door or at the gate that may signify his presence but I didn't get any till the next morning.

When the early morning sun rays peered through my window and made me squint my eyes sleepily before it batted open, the first thing I saw was a flower.

I smiled at it before my gaze shifted slowly to see him sitting on a chair beside my bed, his eyes didn't flinch as he stared at me, my smile faded.

"Oh Chris, are you okay?" I asked worriedly standing up from the bed, I don't remember snuggling to bed, he must have been here since last night.

"Why would I be okay while you just stopped smiling?" He tried a joke, his cheeks lifted to force a smile to his face but his eyes said a different thing.

"I'm sorry" my eyes filled with tears again, am I really going to keep on doing this whenever I see him? What happens when I don't see him at all? My chance of survival is zero percent if I continue like this.

"Is that a new method of saying good morning? Anyways, I think you should learn how to lay on a bed to avoid spraining your neck" he twitched his lips in amusement.

His behavior really changes quite too fast. The next moment he's angry and the other, he's cracking a joke. I'm really never going to get used to his regular change of expression and I can't even tell if he's angry with me or not.

"When...did you come back last night? I waited..."

"Shush, stop talking, go take a shower, get dressed and let's go out" he said and stood up to leave.

"Huh? What are you...where are we going?" I asked as he opened the door to go.

"Am not going to kill you, am I? You had better be ready in fifteen minutes!" He chuckled and closed the door behind him.

"What's up with him?" I mumbled and threw the sheets off, "what about my uncle, if he's around, is he going to let us go out?" I talked to myself as I ran into the bathroom.

A lot of questions ran through my mind as I got ready for him! "It will be okay if we have some privacy, I will tell him everything and make him understand" 

No two ways about it, it's obvious our wishes on that white stone at the man-made forest are never going to be granted, only the sweet memories we imprinted in our hearts will linger there forever even if it kills us…

I looked at myself from hair to toe in the standing mirror. I must say, I'm stunning and as elegant as ever.

Now I know why my parents call me Omalicha and other pet names for beautiful girls, and this is the reason why about ten men have come to ask for my hand in marriage and my mother sends them away saying that I am too young.

My parents are so proud of me and I don't want to disappoint them, they mean so much to me and I feel awful thinking about the consequences of my feelings for Chris and everything we have shared together.

I looked at my wrist and admired the expensive diamond he bought for me, who knows what he's up to this time? 

I looked at my profile again and thought that this dress might bring a lot of trouble if I go out with it. All my curves are so visible, my round breasts in full shape, my waist showing off as if it's the only flesh on my body.

I won't boast of a flat tummy but my belly is definitely the best shape and size for a girl with the drool over me features, who even told me to put on makeup? I'm all dressed up as if I am a teenage girl going on her first date with her crush.

I turned sharply to run into the bathroom and wash it off but a knock on the door stopped me in my tracks, he came in almost immediately.

"Wow! Oh my... beautiful!" He exclaimed and worshipped me with his eyes. "Adorable"

Now! I'm nervous. He just told me we are going out, what if he's just taking me to another forest and am busy broadcasting my best clothes. My favorite, I had only worn it once on our new yam festival in the village and I still remember the troubles I went through to get away from boys.

"Blue is perfect for you, Jen. Can I kiss you?" He asked as he walked towards me.

"Chris...we..." I trailed off when his hands went round my waist, I pulled at his chest for a breathing space, "you didn't close the door, what if someone comes in on us"

"No one is around, didn't you notice that there's no noise in the house? It's just...me and you" he said and kissed my forehead lightly.

"Where did everyone go so early in the morning, what's happening?" I asked, looking past him worriedly.

"Nothing! You are stressed out for nothing" he laughed and touched the tip of my nose fondly, "Mom took my new wife to the hospital for check up, dad left for an emergency meeting at Onitsha" 

"My new wife" I mimicked. "Where's... Nancy?" I asked curiously, she's someone we need to beware of.

"She's mummy's handbag, what do you expect!" He grinned.

"You told me we are going somewhere, but you are still not dressed" I moved away from him so I could take a good look at him.

"Yeah, but I changed my mind" his eyes went gloomy.

"What are you trying to say?" A great anger built up in my heart, he was playing pranks with me and I got all dressed up for nothing.

He bursted into laughter "please, don't kill me with that look, we are still going out, I just thought I'd make you breakfast before I get ready, okay?"

Humph! He will never cease to amaze me. "No single sense at all!" I snorted and walked past him, I ran down the stairs with a mixture of anger and amusement.

"I'm supposed to carry you to the dinning and I guess I spoiled everything" he kept laughing behind me, wasn't he the one angry with me yesterday night? 

"Don't talk to me" I feigned anger while butterflies were dancing in my belly. He ran and drew out a chair for me but I sat in another one.

"She's really angry, Chris what have you done?" He mused and went to sit opposite me.