Birthday Night

The Previous Evening.

Joan was sitting by the bar at her favorite hangout spot with her friends while she waited for them both to show up. She dialed Victoria's number and waited impatiently for her to take her call, "What is the meaning of this na? If you won't come abeg tell me let me go home abeg." Joan hissed the moment Victoria took the call. They all knew how she hated being kept waiting, and it was even more annoying right now because it was her birthday and she had hurriedly done everything she needed to do at the office just so she arrived early.

"I was just about to call you. I just got home and met Emeka here. He said he wanted to surprise me so he took a flight down from Abuja. I could just come over with him..."

"No abeg! Just stay back at home with him. I'm not in the mood for the two of you to rub your love in my face. I'll just hang out with Steve. Enjoy." Joan said irritably as she hung up and dialed Steve's number.

"You look like you're ready to be smashed." Steve said with a grin making her turn her head to see him standing behind her.

"Why did you take the call if you're here already." She asked with a scowl as she hung up and dropped the phone into her handbag.

"Someone seems to be in foul mood. Why body dey pepper you? (Why are you feeling irritable?)" He asked as he took the seat opposite her.

"Victoria is not coming. Emeka is around." Joan said with a sigh.

"Is that why you're upset?"

"I'm not upset, I'm just telling you about the recent development. Let's just order for something." She suggested as she signaled to her favorite waiter who hurried down to their table. He loved attending to her since she never failed to tip him Everytime he served them.

Just as the waiter arrived with their order, Joan's ex fiance walked in, in the company of his wife. The moment she saw them walk into the bar, her mood changed. Mike had been her one true love, or so she had thought. They had been engaged to be married, until she had caught him in her own bed, with another girl. She had broken up with him and had expected him to be remorseful or even beg her, but he had gone ahead to marry the girl three months later. Ever since then, Joan had never taken any guy seriously. Although it was over two years already, but the memory was still fresh just like it was yesterday, and it hurt even more every time she was unfortunate to run into him. It seemed like Lagos was too small for them, and they had to keep running into each other.

"Would you like us to go somewhere else?" Steve asked her, after thirty minutes of trying to get her to smile, all to no avail.

"Yes please." Joan said as she jumped down from the bar stool, she was sitting on, and walked out of the bar with Steve following behind after settling the bill.

"Where would you like us to go?" He asked, after they both got into his car, since she hadn't come with her own car.

"I don't know, anywhere but here." She said with a shrug as she looked out the window.

It broke Steve's heart to see his best friend like this, all because of that stupid punk. Every time he remembered how Mike had hurt her, he always felt like grabbing him by the shirt, and punching the hell out of him.

He still didn't think the punch he had given him the day he told Joan he was getting married was enough. If only Joan had allowed him, he would have dislocated a few more of the bastard's bones. 

"You know you shouldn't allow him ruin today for you right? It's still your birthday." Steve told her quietly. 

"It is ruined already, please just take me home." Joan said in a weary tone.

"Okay." Steve said as he started the car, and drove out of the bar. 

"That's not the road to my house. Where are you headed?" Joan asked when she noticed he didn't take the route that led to her apartment.

"I know, I'm not taking you to your place."

"Where are taking me? I already told you I'm no longer in the mood to party, I just want to go home so..."

"To do what? Sulk?"

"I never said anything about that." Joan denied even though it was clear that was what she was going to do.

"You didn't have to. I know you well enough, to know that's what you're going to do."

"So where are you taking me?"

"My place of course. I can't leave you to be by yourself. So I figured we could go watch a movie at my place instead." Steve said with a shrug. 

"You don't have any of your flings at home this weekend?" Joan asked with a slightly raised brow.

"Nope. I decided to keep the weekend holy in celebration of my best girl's birthday." Steve said with a grin making her giggle.

"Na so! Okay then, let's go to yours."

"I wasn't actually asking for your permission anyway."

"Bully."

"Friend to a bully." Steve teased, "Let's stop over to get popcorn." Steve said as he pulled over in front of a snacks shop.

Some minutes later they were back on the road and on their way to his apartment, the backseat was partially filled with a popcorn bag, a Domino pizza box and the largest cup of coldstone ice cream.