Chapter 25

Days after the whole revealing of Jude's plan, Leah stayed home, just to get herself together. She had just found out the man who she had loved once upon a time and even called fiancée was only in her life for her money, and to kill her too. And the other man who she was quickly falling for sold her out to her fiancée who wanted her dead, though unknown to him, she hoped. But still, that was lot to take in, she just needed some time alone. This was the time when thinking usually proved useful.

Leah, Simi and Esther are in Leah's room chatting. There was something her friends did not understand, it was leaving her alone, especially when she wanted to be alone. She was not even sure if her alone time and thinking would be able to give her some clear perspective on the issue, but she would never get to find out as her friends didn't give her the chance to.

"come on laugh jor. See as me and your friend are trying to make you laugh and look at how you are frowning face. Do you know the kind of effort we are putting in? Esther tell how now" Simi said jokingly. Esther laughed and Leah chuckled. "ehn. See you, I said support me, you are laughing" Simi said.

"is it not the support that I'm supporting" Esther said and they laughed. As they are laughing, they hear a knock on the door. Leah answers come in and then her parents come in.

"hey guys" Mark greeted.

"good morning ma, good morning sir" Esther and Simi greeted back.

"morning" Victoria said to them. Esther and Simi motion to Leah that they will be outside as they step out. Victoria and Mark look at Leah. Leah scoffs because of the look her mother was giving her.

"mom, stop making that face" Leah said.

"what face?" Victoria asked in pretence.

"the baby face" Mark and Leah answered in unison. Victoria scoffs then laughs.

"Leah dear, we want to apologize. We had didn't know what was going on and we just looked at the whole story one-sidedly and kept forcing your relationship with Jude when you got back" Victoria said.

"mom it's okay. You couldn't have known" Leah said.

"that's the thing, we should have known" Victoria said.

"we are your parents dear, it's our job to look out for you and when you came back, we neglected that. We were looking out for the Leah we used to know, and not the Leah that returned. And you don't need to feel bad about the whole Jude situation, he fooled us all" Mark said.

"thanks dad. And I'm not bothered about the Jude thing" Leah said.

"you are bothered about him" Victoria said. Leah looks at them as they come to sit next to her, one by each side of her. "why didn't you just tell us that you loved someone else?"

"because… I was engaged mom. No matter what I said I was going to come out as the bad guy, the one who fell in love with another man while she was engaged. And also because I felt bad because I told him I was never going to leave but I did anyways" Leah said.

"but you didn't have a choice" Mark said.

"or maybe I did" Leah said.

"but he was the one who told Jude where you were" Mark said.

"because he knew I would leave if I was faced with reality. Reality that I had a life somewhere else. Maybe things were not meant to be" Leah said.

"ooh honey. It's going to be fine" Victoria said. Mark and Victoria embrace Leah in a tight hug, causing her to laugh. "Simi and Esther, stop eavesdropping and come in and join this hug" Victoria said, knowing that they were listening. Esther and Simi rush into the room smiling and join in the hug and they laugh.

"you what, let's go out, and get all this depressing air out of here" Mark suggested.

"I agree" Victoria said.

"yes! Let's go get fu…" Simi was saying but she stopped mid-sentence as she felt Victoria looking at her. She clears her throat and looks back at Victoria, quickly flashing her a tight fake smile, while scratching the back of her neck nervously.

"let's go" Simi says, ending it at that. They laugh at her and keep talking.

* * * *

Leah and her parents and her friends are at the mall, having fun. In the bid to re-live old memories, Leah took them to the mall she used to come to when she was on the yacht with King. As they go to pay, they see those two ladies Leah talked too and they greet Leah very respectfully. Leah's parents and friends look at her, asking her with their eyes, what that was all about, she just shakes her head and indicates for them to forget about it.

"ah, madam, welcome oh" the same cashier as of the other time, whose name is Anna greeted her.

"thank you. Guys, I'll be in the car" Leah said. As she turns around to leave she sees T. T? she thought. "T! T!" she called. T turns around and sees her then comes closer to her.

"Leah, how far na?" T asked.

"I dey" Leah answered.

"shew, when this one start na?" T said, making Leah to laugh.

"please, don't start" Leah said and T raises his hands up in surrender.

"okay. So how have you been na?" T asked.

"I'm okay. You?" Leah asked.

"as you see me so, na in I dey. But all correct, nothing spoil" T said as he caught Leah looking around him stylishly. "he no dey, he don comot" T said, already knowing what she was looking for, more like who.

"I wasn't…" Leah was saying but T cut her short,

"e don do" T said then pauses. "you good though, it's good to see you. And yes, I will tell him you said hi" T said and Leah chuckled "bye" T added.

"bye" Leah said. T walks away and then her parents and her parents and friends are looking at her. "no, he is not the one and continue what you are doing" she said to them then chuckled. "I'll be in the car" she added.

Leah leaves them. As she is going, she brings out her phone and checks something. As she puts the phone back in her purse, someone stops in front of her, but not very close. She then raises her head up as she is walking and sees him, which causes her to stop. Both of them stare at each other for a while.

"um, hi" Leah said.

"hi" King said. Leah paused for a second.

"I just saw T, he told me you had left" Leah said.

"yeah, I was in the car, then I needed to get something and I was calling him, he wasn't picking so I had to come" King said and they paused when they realized what just happened. They smile and scoff. "well played T" King added. They stay quiet for a while.

"so, how you dey?" Leah asked and King looked at her in amusement.

"I dey alright. You've been picking I see" King said and Leah smiled.

"yeah" Leah said. They remain silent once again and Leah spoke up, deciding to end the whole silence thing. "why did you do it?" she asked and King looked at her.

"you were the one on the phone the other day. I knew it" King said as Leah's question confirmed his suspicion.

"yes, I was the one. So why did you do it? Because just like you knew I was the one, you knew that I would leave".

"you were going to leave".

"maybe, but I certainly did because you made me".

"that place was not for you".

"and who are you to decide that for me?"

"you had a life Leah and it was not with me".

"but I wanted it to be. Don't I get to choose where I want to be and who I want to be with? Just because others left, does not mean you get to make everyone leave too". She said then paused.

"and I know, I had my part too, I didn't tell you the truth about what really happened, I would be pissed too. But this is me telling you the truth, I would have stayed if you would have let me".

"Leah…".

"King, I have feelings for you. Deep, crazy feelings".

"I do to, but…".

"then let's make this work. Forget about where we come from and let's make this work. Let me in" Leah said and King stared at her for a while.

"are you sure you want to do this?" he asked.

"yes".

"guns and violence?".

"yes".

"my job has no name?" King said and she chuckled.

"yes!".

"I might…" King was saying but Leah stretched and kissed him.

"yes" she said then he kisses her and when they stop, they rest their foreheads on each other's heads and smile. Her parents clear their throats, causing them to turn around and see her parents and friends standing behind them.

"so you must be the one?" Mark said and King looked at him with a confused look. He was a bit taken aback. The one?

"sir?" King asked.

"the one who saved my daughter" Mark said, clearly knowing what he was doing.

"oh, if we are putting it that way, then, yeah sure" King said and they laughed.

"he's funny, I like him" Mark said.

"thank you for helping our daughter" Victoria said.

"it was nothing ma" King said.

"I'm sure it wasn't. Wait, what did happen eventually?" Leah asked.

"I just explained to Baba Sege and Joe who is boss" King said all so calmly.

"oshey, baddest! Babe introduce us now" Simi said and Leah laughs.

"this is Simi" Leah said.

"figures. Babe wey sabi. She been no won't make I see you before. But las, las, you don show. Hope say you dey alright?" King asks and with so much excitement, Simi replies,

"I sit down, full ground. Oh…! He is verified. I don stamp am".

"ah, bros, na here you dey?" T says. On hearing his voice, they turn and look at him and smile as he approaches them.

"you sneaky bastard" Leah said.

"na me. Weldon o, everybody. Sir, ma" T greets. Leah's parents nod. Simi makes eyes contact with Leah to introduce her.

"guys this is T. T these are my parents and friends. That's Simi" Leah said. Simi stretched her hand towards him.

"you can call me S, for sexy, slay, Simi" Simi said. She winks at him and Leah rolls her eyes. Her friend never left the drama at home.

"where was I? Yes. This is my friend Esther and my parents, Mark and Victoria Onoja. Everyone, meet King". They smile and then shake hands as they continue talking.

THE END