life.”
Efe opened her mouth, but he continued, gripping her hands tight.
“ Please don’t say you don’t love me. I believe love will grow.”
“ Stanley, please stop…”
“ Hello Ms Sagay.”
Her heart stopped at the voice, but when Efe looked up, it was Ofure. “Hi Doctor, how are you?” she asked, taking a deep breath when she saw Kevwe standing to the side.
“ Good, thanks. I hope you’re feeling much better yourself since the last time?”
“ Yes I am, and thanks for your concern.” It wasn’t concern she saw in his eyes, and she hoped he and his twin got her sarcasm too. Kevwe stalked off to an empty table and only then did she extricate her hands from Stanley’s.
Let him stew, she thought. “Why are you at the Sheraton?” she asked Ofure. “I hope you’re not shifting your business from us?”
“ Not yet.” His smile was thin. “I came with Kevwe who has business with the hotel.”
“ Hello, have we met?” Stanley asked Ofure.
Efe had almost forgotten he was there until he spoke, and her hand flapped between the two men as she spoke. “Oh sorry, please forgive me. Stanley, this is Dr. Mukoro, a client of mine. Doctor, this is Stanley. He’s a friend of mine.”
They exchanged a firm handshake.
“ Engineer Mukoro visited Sheraton Lagos on Friday. Is he your brother?”
“ You work with the Sheraton in Lagos?” Ofure raised his brows, his similarity to Kevwe even more striking. He glanced at Efe and then returned his stare to Stanley’s nod. “It must be my brother you saw then.”
“ You sure do look alike,” Stanley said.
“ Yes we do, and I have to join him now. See you.” He glared at her as he moved away.
Efe bent her suddenly hot forehead and shut her eyes tight. Why had she agreed to meet Stanley here? After Kevwe told her he met Stanley, she should have guessed he would come. And he had, business with Sheraton be damned. There was no way to continue the breakup with Stanley, with Kevwe just across the room.
“ So where were we?” Stanley asked, bending close.
Efe was remembering another proposal many years ago, one that had to be sorted out first. “Stanley, I can’t marry you.”
**
Abuja, November 29, 2009. 6.30pm.
Waiting in the car for Efe outside her apartment, Kevwe watched her headlights wash over his rearview mirror as her car turned into the complex. He rarely drove when he visited Ofure, but had asked his brother for the car once they left the Sheraton earlier. The sight of Efe with Stanley had cut him deep and also made him think about yesterday.
He’d not wanted to leave her so angry, but that was what he’d done. Had he also sent her into his rival’s arms? He couldn’t bear it if so, and this wasn’t just about Stanley. It was about just the two of them. He still loved Efe, and wanted to resolve things so they could start again. There was no use pretending otherwise.
Kevwe stepped out of the car and stretched his legs, the cold harmattan air dry on his face. He licked his lips and marched to her apartment, knocking on the front door.
“ Who’s there?”
“ It’s me, Kevwe. I’d like to talk.”
She opened the door but didn’t let him in, a defiant look on her face.
Kevwe hoped she wouldn’t close the door on him. “I waited outside for you. I want our promise, Efe. I want to marry you.”
Efe was stunned, and opening the door wider, she walked to take a seat. In her nightmares, she’d often railed against him for breaking their promises. No other words could have been more effective, and he must know it.
Kevwe followed to the settee. Yes, he remembered her words from the first time they met. At Ofure’s office, he hadn’t been prepared. Feeling wronged, he’d wanted to protect himself. After their night together, he’d gotten defensive again and attacked her by involving Adetiba in their misunderstanding.
“ I’m ready to talk. I’ll tell you what happened after our last discussion about your US
Efe opened her mouth, but he continued, gripping her hands tight.
“ Please don’t say you don’t love me. I believe love will grow.”
“ Stanley, please stop…”
“ Hello Ms Sagay.”
Her heart stopped at the voice, but when Efe looked up, it was Ofure. “Hi Doctor, how are you?” she asked, taking a deep breath when she saw Kevwe standing to the side.
“ Good, thanks. I hope you’re feeling much better yourself since the last time?”
“ Yes I am, and thanks for your concern.” It wasn’t concern she saw in his eyes, and she hoped he and his twin got her sarcasm too. Kevwe stalked off to an empty table and only then did she extricate her hands from Stanley’s.
Let him stew, she thought. “Why are you at the Sheraton?” she asked Ofure. “I hope you’re not shifting your business from us?”
“ Not yet.” His smile was thin. “I came with Kevwe who has business with the hotel.”
“ Hello, have we met?” Stanley asked Ofure.
Efe had almost forgotten he was there until he spoke, and her hand flapped between the two men as she spoke. “Oh sorry, please forgive me. Stanley, this is Dr. Mukoro, a client of mine. Doctor, this is Stanley. He’s a friend of mine.”
They exchanged a firm handshake.
“ Engineer Mukoro visited Sheraton Lagos on Friday. Is he your brother?”
“ You work with the Sheraton in Lagos?” Ofure raised his brows, his similarity to Kevwe even more striking. He glanced at Efe and then returned his stare to Stanley’s nod. “It must be my brother you saw then.”
“ You sure do look alike,” Stanley said.
“ Yes we do, and I have to join him now. See you.” He glared at her as he moved away.
Efe bent her suddenly hot forehead and shut her eyes tight. Why had she agreed to meet Stanley here? After Kevwe told her he met Stanley, she should have guessed he would come. And he had, business with Sheraton be damned. There was no way to continue the breakup with Stanley, with Kevwe just across the room.
“ So where were we?” Stanley asked, bending close.
Efe was remembering another proposal many years ago, one that had to be sorted out first. “Stanley, I can’t marry you.”
**
Abuja, November 29, 2009. 6.30pm.
Waiting in the car for Efe outside her apartment, Kevwe watched her headlights wash over his rearview mirror as her car turned into the complex. He rarely drove when he visited Ofure, but had asked his brother for the car once they left the Sheraton earlier. The sight of Efe with Stanley had cut him deep and also made him think about yesterday.
He’d not wanted to leave her so angry, but that was what he’d done. Had he also sent her into his rival’s arms? He couldn’t bear it if so, and this wasn’t just about Stanley. It was about just the two of them. He still loved Efe, and wanted to resolve things so they could start again. There was no use pretending otherwise.
Kevwe stepped out of the car and stretched his legs, the cold harmattan air dry on his face. He licked his lips and marched to her apartment, knocking on the front door.
“ Who’s there?”
“ It’s me, Kevwe. I’d like to talk.”
She opened the door but didn’t let him in, a defiant look on her face.
Kevwe hoped she wouldn’t close the door on him. “I waited outside for you. I want our promise, Efe. I want to marry you.”
Efe was stunned, and opening the door wider, she walked to take a seat. In her nightmares, she’d often railed against him for breaking their promises. No other words could have been more effective, and he must know it.
Kevwe followed to the settee. Yes, he remembered her words from the first time they met. At Ofure’s office, he hadn’t been prepared. Feeling wronged, he’d wanted to protect himself. After their night together, he’d gotten defensive again and attacked her by involving Adetiba in their misunderstanding.
“ I’m ready to talk. I’ll tell you what happened after our last discussion about your US
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