thought it would. Kewve, still single, still in love with me… But I blame myself now. I think I believed in a chimera. Before he left, Kevwe told me he’d met Stanley…”
“ He knows your Stanley?”
“ Yeah, and so now I think yesterday was all a colossal mistake.”
Nneka looked on but didn’t say anything.
“ Kevwe somehow - don’t ask me how - found out about Stanley and I, and Stanley’s visit to Abuja this weekend.”
“ That’s true,” Nneka said. “Will you still meet him tomorrow?” Nneka re-arranged her blouse and shifted into a more comfortable position for Anuli, who had fallen asleep.
“ I’ll go. I already agreed,” Efe moaned. “ My life is just so complicated right now.” Efe rubbed a hand over her features. These tears would be the last she shed. She was glad it was finished. One reason she’d made love with Kevwe was to get closure. She took a deep breath and exhaled.
“ I’m glad it’s all over now.”
“ Are you sure?” Nneka asked in a dubious tone. “From where I sit, I don’t see it as you do. I think you made a mistake sleeping with Kevwe. I think it has only muddled things. Think about it.” Nneka stood up and went to put Anuli in her carrier. She strapped her in and then took the seat into the bedroom.
Efe considered Nneka’s words. The first time they broke up, she’d regretted not going the whole way with Kevwe, believing he’d left her for another girl who would. So no, she wouldn’t regret having sex with Kevwe. She’d learned it was better taking action even if it turned out to be a mistake, than to regret inaction later.
**
12
Abuja, November 29, 2009
Efe stood in the lobby bar of the Sheraton waiting for Stanley who’d arrived in Abuja in the morning, asking for them to meet by three. It was a quarter past the hour, and the lobby was crowded. It wasn’t like him to be late. The first time they had met, four years ago, he’d arrived early for a business lunch with her boss and had to wait in her office at the Hilton in Palm Beach.
She’d only just joined the hotel then as an intern in the accounts division. Stanley was good-looking, and dressed in a suit that showed off his tall frame. There were a lot of African-Americans in West Palm Beach, but it wasn’t everyday one met a fellow Nigerian.
That day, she and Stanley passed the time chatting about life in the United States, and being a Nigerian immigrant in the country. His witty style had made her laugh, and she found the conversation enjoyable. Before her boss arrived, he’d told her about a summer event, and convinced her not to miss it. At the venue of the party which she’d dragged Temi to, she’d met Stanley again.
He was with his girlfriend, whom he couldn’t keep his hands off, and his whole body language spoke volumes about how close they were. Efe felt a tug in her heart because she’d liked him the first time they met, and also, they reminded her of herself and Kevwe when they had been together.
It had been over three years then, but still, she hadn’t forgotten her first love. There was always the niggling hope that somehow she and Kevwe would find each other again and resolve their break-up. Tucking the painful memories aside, along with envy and jealousy, she went over to introduce herself.
They all got on well enough, yet when Temi was called away by her family, she was relieved to go. The old memories had left her with a nagging sense of loss and anger, and she just wanted to go home and sleep off those feelings. After that day, they moved in similar circles, and she got to know Stanley more. A year later, he was in her office again.
“ Hey, Efe,” he greeted.
She looked up from her computer. “Stanley, it’s been a while.”
“ Yeah, you moved up and started keeping to yourself.”
Just that month, her recent graduation had come with a promotion and change to a new office.
“ No need to answer,” Stanley continued with a
“ He knows your Stanley?”
“ Yeah, and so now I think yesterday was all a colossal mistake.”
Nneka looked on but didn’t say anything.
“ Kevwe somehow - don’t ask me how - found out about Stanley and I, and Stanley’s visit to Abuja this weekend.”
“ That’s true,” Nneka said. “Will you still meet him tomorrow?” Nneka re-arranged her blouse and shifted into a more comfortable position for Anuli, who had fallen asleep.
“ I’ll go. I already agreed,” Efe moaned. “ My life is just so complicated right now.” Efe rubbed a hand over her features. These tears would be the last she shed. She was glad it was finished. One reason she’d made love with Kevwe was to get closure. She took a deep breath and exhaled.
“ I’m glad it’s all over now.”
“ Are you sure?” Nneka asked in a dubious tone. “From where I sit, I don’t see it as you do. I think you made a mistake sleeping with Kevwe. I think it has only muddled things. Think about it.” Nneka stood up and went to put Anuli in her carrier. She strapped her in and then took the seat into the bedroom.
Efe considered Nneka’s words. The first time they broke up, she’d regretted not going the whole way with Kevwe, believing he’d left her for another girl who would. So no, she wouldn’t regret having sex with Kevwe. She’d learned it was better taking action even if it turned out to be a mistake, than to regret inaction later.
**
12
Abuja, November 29, 2009
Efe stood in the lobby bar of the Sheraton waiting for Stanley who’d arrived in Abuja in the morning, asking for them to meet by three. It was a quarter past the hour, and the lobby was crowded. It wasn’t like him to be late. The first time they had met, four years ago, he’d arrived early for a business lunch with her boss and had to wait in her office at the Hilton in Palm Beach.
She’d only just joined the hotel then as an intern in the accounts division. Stanley was good-looking, and dressed in a suit that showed off his tall frame. There were a lot of African-Americans in West Palm Beach, but it wasn’t everyday one met a fellow Nigerian.
That day, she and Stanley passed the time chatting about life in the United States, and being a Nigerian immigrant in the country. His witty style had made her laugh, and she found the conversation enjoyable. Before her boss arrived, he’d told her about a summer event, and convinced her not to miss it. At the venue of the party which she’d dragged Temi to, she’d met Stanley again.
He was with his girlfriend, whom he couldn’t keep his hands off, and his whole body language spoke volumes about how close they were. Efe felt a tug in her heart because she’d liked him the first time they met, and also, they reminded her of herself and Kevwe when they had been together.
It had been over three years then, but still, she hadn’t forgotten her first love. There was always the niggling hope that somehow she and Kevwe would find each other again and resolve their break-up. Tucking the painful memories aside, along with envy and jealousy, she went over to introduce herself.
They all got on well enough, yet when Temi was called away by her family, she was relieved to go. The old memories had left her with a nagging sense of loss and anger, and she just wanted to go home and sleep off those feelings. After that day, they moved in similar circles, and she got to know Stanley more. A year later, he was in her office again.
“ Hey, Efe,” he greeted.
She looked up from her computer. “Stanley, it’s been a while.”
“ Yeah, you moved up and started keeping to yourself.”
Just that month, her recent graduation had come with a promotion and change to a new office.
“ No need to answer,” Stanley continued with a
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