Episode 3
“Oleng! You married Oleng?” he turned to stare at his friend with accusing eyes.
At that precise moment, Oleng entered the living room. Great was her shock when her past turned to stare at her, standing in her living room beside her husband. Drop dead gorgeous was an understatement to describe him. He was taller and more handsome. His black hair still had waves in it even though closely cropped. His skin shone and the expensive looking designer shirt, trousers, wristwatch and Italian shoes he had on told of his immense wealth. They stood there transfixed, staring at each other. Their past flashed before their eyes.
Eric couldn’t believe he was seeing the woman who had haunted his dreams all these years. He had known she would grow up to be a beauty but not this beautiful. God! She was captivating. Her curves were awesome not to talk of her skin. She had an hour glass figure and of course she was still cutely petite. The casual top and skirt she had on didn’t hide her great figure. Desire for her licked through his veins but he had to remind himself that she had married one of his closest friends.
They continued to stand there and stare at each other until Dave cleared his throat and said, “Yes Eric, Oleng is my wife. Do you have a problem with that?” he asked defiantly.
Eric had to forcefully drag his eyes from the gorgeous view of his childhood girlfriend to look at his friend.
“Do I have a problem with that?” he asked his friend in surprise and Oleng noted his strong accent also.
“Of course I don’t have a problem with that. She is the reason you didn’t inform me of your wedding and you cut me off, right? Because of her.” he spared his ex- girlfriend a glance. “I’m disappointed in you for allowing her come between us.” He sounded bitter and replaced his aviator glasses on his eyes. “See you around.” he said and walked briskly out of the house, not even stopping where Oleng was standing transfixed.
She caught a whiff of his exotic perfume as he brushed past. She had to stop herself from reaching out to touch him. When he had gone, she stared at her husband. They stared at each other for some minutes before she asked, “What was he doing here?”
“For old times’ sake.” he replied, looking drained.
“Are you alright?” she questioned with concern when she saw his pale face.
“I’m fine.” he said but collapsed on the floor and she screamed.
Meanwhile, outside in his car, Eric was thumping his fist on the steering wheel. He felt like ripping it out. His face was flushed with anger. He picked up his iPhone on the passenger’s seat and dialed Eddy’s number.
“When are you coming to Port Harcourt?” he asked between clenched teeth when his friend answered his call. Eddy told him in a few days.
“Good ‘cause your gonna find yourself in a hospital when I’m through with you.” He spoke with vehemence.
There was a pause at the other end of the line. “I take it you went to see Dave. Dude, I told you not to go, didn’t I?”
“How could I not have gone to see my long-lost friend?”
“Long-lost friend indeed! Now you know why he decided to be your long-lost friend. As for being a friend, I hope you now realize what he is.”
Eric clenched his fist. “Why didn’t you tell me? How could you and Zinny have kept such a thing from me? You’re my closest friends in the world.”
“Eric, when you left Nigeria the last time you visited, you made up your mind to marry Yolanda. So we decided to let sleeping dogs lie.”
“Surely not where she’s concerned. You know…lets have this conversation later. I’m still in front of the house, I don’t want them to meet me here.”
“Okay. Take it easy though.”
“You’re still going to get a black eye from me.” He promised before ending the call on Eddy’s chuckle.
He glanced at the house again. He still couldn’t believe what he’d seen. Dave married Oleng. Dave, his close friend, married Oleng, his ex. He felt like going back in there to beat Dave to a pulp. He was seething with rage.
There was just one word for Dave- traitor.
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Marvy’s wedding was a huge success. There were lots to eat and drink and a lot of entertainment. She had Oleng and Zinny to thank for it because they selflessly made sure everything was running smoothly. Dave couldn’t attend the traditional wedding but he made it to the white wedding. Oleng was grateful that she had so much to do that she didn’t have time to dwell on Eric’s presence at both parties. She knew his gaze was always hovering around her but refused to meet it. She was so tensed that she had to rely on Dave’s presence for stamina which was not much comfort because Dave was also tensed. It was quite painful for her to note that both Eddy and Eric ostracized him. They didn’t speak to him much. They only greeted him and went their separate ways. She knew she was the cause of the feud and was even more hurt when she saw how distressed Dave was at their alienation.
“Why don’t we just go home?” she told him when she saw the way he looked at his childhood friends chatting and obviously enjoying themselves without him.
“No, Marvy won’t be happy with us.” He smiled a little.
“I already told her about your illness. She’ll understand if we decide to leave now.”
“I’m fine. I know I gave you quite a scare when I fainted last week but what did the doctor tell you?”
She reluctantly said, “There’s nothing to worry about. You were just stressed out and need a lot of rest.”
“So you see, I’m okay. Don’t worry about me, angel.” he said smiling and touched her pointed nose playfully on her oval face.
Oleng looked up just then and saw Eric watching them tight lipped on the dance floor. She was surprised at the anger she saw on his face. He said something to Eddy and walked away.
She didn’t have time to wonder about it because her attention was needed somewhere. She excused herself and left. When she was through and was coming back to join her husband, she saw Eric talking to him. At first she was glad but when she saw Dave’s face tighten all of a sudden, she was alarmed. She hastened her steps to get to them but by the time she got there, Eric had already moved away.
“What did he tell you?” she questioned immediately she got to her husband.
“Nothing, we were just discussing old times.” he shrugged nonchalantly.
“Really? Then why were you so tense all of a sudden?”
He looked at her in surprise. “Do I look pale?”
“Yes. Why are you lying to me? What are you hiding from me?” She sounded hurt.
“All right, angel. He came to offer his condolences on my dad’s death. He brought back painful memories. Maybe that’s why I became tense. I didn’t even notice.” he offered but she didn’t say anything. “I think you are right. It’s getting late so we should get going.”
“Okay. Let me inform Marvy and Zinny.” she said and walked away knowing Dave had lied to her. She felt murderous anger towards Eric for hurting Dave.
She informed Zinny and Marvy that she was leaving due to Dave’s ill health but she would be back to help clean up and put things in order. She and Dave went home but she later returned to help Zinny out. Marvy and Kelly had gone to say thanks to the couple who helped to sponsor the wedding before retiring for the night.
“Where’s Emeka?” Oleng asked as she put away some breakable plates.
“With his dad, let him trouble him also.” Zinny replied and they laughed.
“I’m so happy for Marvy. I forgot to tell her, ‘welcome to the club.’”
“Me too. We still have a chance of doing that. I hope we won’t forget again.”
“Let me save it in my phone as a reminder.” Olng said as she paused in her arranging to pick up her phone.
“Zinny,” she called a while later.
“Yes,” Zinny was alerted at her serious tone of her voice.
“Where’s Eric staying?”
“What?” Zinny was surprised.
“Is he staying in his family house?”
“Yes. Why do you ask?”
“I need to pay him a visit.”
“What for? For old times’ sake.” she teased and laughed but cut it when she saw Oleng’s solemn face.
“I need to warn him to stay away from my husband and I.” Oleng firmly said, shocking her friend.
“Why?”
“Everyone has ostracized Dave for no just cause. Just because he married me. I’m equally disappointed in you too for following their footsteps. I know you all wish Eric and I were married but it didn’t work out so why can’t you all just accept it?” Oleng’s anger ignited Zinny’s.
She held up a hand. “Before you throw accusations around, why don’t you ask that your so-called angel of a husband why everyone has been ignoring him?”
“Dave is sick and I don’t intend to worsen his situation by asking him foolish questions about the past.”
“If you refuse to question him then how will you know why we’ve decided according to you to ostracize him?”
“I don’t care why you have done that. All I want you to know is that, it’s not fair. We have all been friends since childhood, so no matter what he did, he doesn’t deserve such a treatment from you all.”
“Okay then. If you want us to forgive his past, why don’t you forgive Eric also even though he’s innocent?”
Oleng was scandalized. “I can’t believe you just said that. You of all people know what Eric did to me yet you stand there talking as if all he did was slap me in the face. What has blinded you I wonder?”
“Oleng, listen to me. Things are more than what meets the eye.”
“Definitely not in this case! You know what; I’m sick and tired of arguing with you concerning this matter. You all can forget about us, I don’t care! Dave and I can live without you all.” with that, she threw the plate she was holding in the sink and rushed out of the kitchen.
“Oleng! Oleng!” Zinny called and called after her but she drove off in her car.
To be continued
