Busted!

Tosin spotted me first. She was obviously shocked. She grabbed Chigozie’s arm and tried to pull him towards the exit but Chigozie was obviously confused and remained firmly planted on the spot. Tosin kept glancing nervously in my direction and then Chigozie eventually caught on and looked my way. Our eyes met and as much as I wanted to look away, I just couldn’t.

“Is there something you would like to tell me”? Kola asked after he noticed the source of my obvious distraction.
That was what I needed to snap out of my trance.

“That’s Chigozie”. I informed him.
“Would you like to speak with him? If you are not ready to confront your feelings for him, you don’t have to acknowledge his presence”. Kola advised calmly.
“I don’t have an issue with confronting my feelings for him, I have an issue with my best friend showing up here with him when he is supposed to be in Port Harcourt and she is supposed to be at work”. I explained.

Kola cleared his throat. I looked at him with a confused expression and then I realised that he was warning me of Chigozie’s journey to our table. Within a few seconds, his familiar fragrance enveloped me and I knew he was now standing behind me. He exchanged greetings with Kola and then placed a hand on my shoulder.

“Adesewa can we talk”? He asked.
I didn’t know what to do. Kola was looking at me obviously trying to read my expression and psychoanalyze what was going on in my head. Tosin was still standing in the doorway which I found very odd.

I was going to respond to him but I didn’t know if my voice would be shaky, or if I’d stutter or if I would run into his arms…I picked up my handbag and rose to my feet. Chigozie was standing in my way, I looked him squarely in the eyes and he stepped aside. As I approached the exit, Tosin also stepped out of my way and I walked out of the ice cream parlour.

I knew Chigozie was following me, I could feel him following me. I didn’t want us to cause a scene in the mall so I walked to my car as quickly as I could. As I opened the car door, Chigozie blocked my path and slammed it shut.

“What is your problem”? He asked in what I could only describe as frustration.
“Leave me alone”. I replied.

“Can’t we just talk”? He asked reaching out for my arm. I took several steps back and held out my hand. An indication that I didn’t want him coming any closer.
“So, you have moved on and my best friend is your next victim right”? I asked fighting back tears.

“Come on Adesewa! Tosin and I agreed to meet here because she wanted us to talk about you. She has been worried about you and she has some crazy theory that you and I are meant to be together”. He explained.

“I thought you had moved to Port Harcourt”.
“I did for a week but I eventually declined the job offer and came back”. He said.

“So you’ve been here this whole time”? I asked.
He nodded.

“You didn’t reach out and I didn’t reach out, doesn’t that tell you something”? I asked. I needed him to validate me, I was waiting for a grand gesture.
“It’s not as easy as that Adesewa. Your father…..” He stopped talking and took a deep breath.

“You better talk”. I warned him.
And so he talked….