Now That You Are Here – Episode Eight (A Tale Of Deception, Betrayal And Murder)

In case you missed Episode 7 CLICK HERE

With her hands folded under her breasts, Damilola stared unseeingly. She was sitting in her bedroom where she had refused any source of light and had refused to leave since getting back from the hospital. Losing the baby felt like losing Gbade all over only this time it hurt more than she could ever have imagined she was capable of hurting.

Anu who was staying with her since the incident was beginning to run out of patience. It was already two weeks and Anu was hoping by now that Damilola would get her life back together and move on but all she saw was the constant flow of tears and the self-pity whenever Damilola managed to talk.

“Why me all the time? I can’t keep a man, I am here lusting after another woman’s man and now my baby has been taken from me. This life just doesn’t want me in it.” She would wail and start another round of sobbing just when Anu thought she was getting better. It was as if the well of tears never dried. It hurt Anu to see her friend hurting this way and she was unable to do anything to alleviate her pain. She couldn’t comprehend the pain Damilola was feeling. If she knew Damilola was even contemplating suicide, maybe she would have had her checked into a psychiatric ward immediately. Damilola however kept those dark thoughts to herself and could never quite bring herself to attempt it because she didn’t have the courage to end her own life.

It was on one of such listless days that Muyiwa stepped in with a pretty lady behind him. Light flickered in from the opened door and Damilola turned her head away, hiding her face in the already tears soaked pillow.

“Hello Dammy,” Muyiwa’s voice was soft and strong. It was nothing like Anu’s pleading voice.

“Hi Dam,” the second voice sounded unfamiliar and Damilola looked up to study the woman standing beside Muyiwa. She looked pretty with the striking large eyes and full lips that gave the oval face a larger than life look like some Barbie doll. The unknown woman had the beauty of a glamour model who had just stepped out of the pages of a fashion magazine. Damilola’s eyes roved over the other woman’s figure. The strange woman carried herself in the manner of one unaware of her own beauty.

Instinctively, Damilola knew this had to be Halima and hatred welled up in Damilola as she realized what contrast she must look next to the gorgeous looking Barbie doll. Damilola shot Muyiwa a dark look and managed to crack a smile at Halima who rushed forward to embrace her like they were long lost friends.

“Oh you poor dear, I am so sorry about your loss. I just had to come over when Muyiwa told me about what happened.”

 Damilola wasn’t sure how to respond and found herself hugging the other woman back while shooting another dark look at Muyiwa who was smiling sheepishly.

“I am terribly sorry,” Halima continued, “but we can’t have you moping around like this forever.”

Halima dragged Damilola from the bed gently and led her towards the bathroom. Muyiwa smiled wryly to himself as he listened to Halima chattering excitedly like she had just found herself a new best friend. Lord bless her heart, he thought to himself.

***

To say Anu was speechless when she returned from her grocery shopping to see the change Halima had wrought on Damilola was to undermine her shock. The same Damilola who wouldn’t get out of bed was talking and laughing with Halima while Muyiwa listened to both women with a look of pride on his face. Anu felt a twinge of jealousy that this stranger had been able to help her friend when she hadn’t been able to but she dismissed the thought as quickly as it came.

Damilola’s happiness was all that mattered. Halima talked about everything like they were all old time friends and Anu soon found herself warming up to her as well. Anu couldn’t stop herself from wondering what Halima would think of Dammy if she knew the person she was helping was sleeping with her man.

***

Following Halima’s visit, Damilola got back into her old routines and she was reading a novel and munching on her favourite chocolate cookies one evening about two weeks after Halima’s visit when he phone rang. She stared at the phone as if it was some dangerous weapon when she saw Gbade’s name appear on the caller ID. Her heartbeat quickened in her chest and she felt a rush of excitement. She picked up the phone gingerly as if any wrong move was going to make it explode and answered the call.

“Hello Dammy,” the sound of Gbade’s voice brought a wave of emotions and for a second her mouth refused to open.

She mentally chided herself for being such a fool and managed to mutter a cool hello in return.

“I am sorry about the miscarriage.”

Anu had informed him about the miscarriage when Damilola had refused to come out of her room.

“Took you long enough didn’t it?” She replied curtly.

“I am sorry for not having checked on you earlier. I just felt I would have been the last person you would want to hear from considering how we left off. How are you now?”

“I am fine! Thank you for asking.”

“Are you sure?” He was using that tone of voice that had always had her melting in times past and she felt a twinge of excitement which was replaced by anger and then excitement again.

Damn him for making her so confused! Then the alarm bells went off in her head when she heard him say, “I am coming to Nigeria to see you Dammy. I miss you and I know I have been a jerk but I want to make things right with you. When I think of love, you are all I can think of is you. I love you Dammy and I can’t stop loving you.”