…Continued from last week.
Tola was my closest friend and I really hated the distance between us especially now things were going well with doctor Obi. I had a lot of mixed emotions and I wasn’t sure if I was concerned for Tola’s wellbeing or this was just plain jealousy. The reappearance of Lekan had put a strain on our relationship and I had to figure out a way to win her back, so I called Lekan, armed with a brilliant plan.
“Hello Ebbie, I’ve been expecting your call. I knew you’d come around.”
“Can we meet up, it’s really urgent,” I said
“Name the place and time and I’ll be there,” he replied enthusiastically.
“Four points restaurant. 8 pm. Tonight.”
“Looking forward to it,” he said as he hung up the phone.
I walked in and immediately spotted him at the bar, we exchanged compliments and I took a seat next to him. I noticed he had gone halfway through a bottle of scotch already.
“What do you care for? Champagne?” he asked sparking another stick of cigarette.
“Can I have water? I didn’t come here to drink, I came to talk.”
“Seeing you again is worth celebrating Ebbie.” His face lit up with excitement.
“I came here to discuss your relationship with Tola not celebrate,” I said more sternly this time.
“Don’t be too serious with life Ebbie, none of us will get out of it alive. So enjoy yourself; live a little.”
I was going to skip the small talk and get down to business but here I was carrying on a different conversation. Repeatedly hearing him call me ‘Ebbie’ defeated my resolve. For some reason, I missed being called that. Not long into our exchange of words, I was already filling my system up with champagne. Lekan had a way about him that was subtle and dangerous at the same time and our mixture was always going to be a sure recipe for bad decisions.
“So tell me,” he continued, “what’s up with you? What have you been up to all this time?
“I’ve been doing okay not that it’s any of your business.”
“I know I was immature and foolish in the past but I am truly different now. I have missed you.”
“I can’t say I feel the same way, unfortunately.”
“It may take some time for you to forgive me but I am here for the long haul and I’ll be patient.”
We reminisced about our crazy days in school and how wild we were. These brought back emotions and for a brief moment, it felt like we were back there again.
Lekan reached out and took me by the hand and apologized profusely; nothing turned me on more than a man sincerely apologizing for his errors, he had not lost his persuasiveness and in one swoop all the feelings came rushing back. I was still in love with him.
The alcohol was beginning to take effect and I had abandoned all the reason. This wasn’t playing out the way it did in my head, sigh. Who was I kidding; I’ll always have a soft spot for him, he was my first love despite all.
“Do you want to get out of here?” He asked.
I instantly heard my mother’s voice in my head screaming ‘don’t try it Ebunoluwa!’ but I nodded in agreement not sure where we were headed.
We eventually went back to his hotel room and although nothing happened at first – as I kept trying to resist the temptation from my mind – I couldn’t undo my love which had been reset.
As I stared at the city skyline through the window of his 20th-floor hotel room contemplating the repercussions of a moment of weakness with him, he reached out and grabbed my hand and as I turned around, he was standing right next to me, face to face.
To be continued next week.