BROKEN...OR NOT? - EPISODE 13 (FINALE)

"Thanks for making this year a success, the next series is 'All Fun And Games' and it'll start Jan 2' 2014. Please join in the very IMPORTANT conversation on twitter after reading this episode by using the hashtag #BrokenOrNot and tweeting @tomi_adesina. I'll be expecting you all. Merry Christmas" from Tomi Adesina
 

Topic: Your view on Omololu and Ijeoma's reconciliation. Please tweet with the #BrokenOrNot to @tomi_adesina 

BROKEN…OR NOT? – EPISODE 13

EPISODE 13

*IJEOMA*

​​“Can you stand?” The Physio asked as I tried to make to take my balance.

​I didn’t have to reply as I crashed into his arms. “Do you think I can do this? Maybe we are rushing things.” I replied.

​​“Do you think you can do this?” he asked. “You were the one who came to me and said that you want to speed up your sessions, are you backing out now?”

​​“It’s just too difficult, standing up is not easy.” I replied.

​He nodded and passed my wheelchair. “Well, sitting here is more comfortable. While you are at it, should I get you a drink?It’s too hard for you to get your own drink, isn’t it?” he asked.

​I swallowed hard as tears streamed down my cheeks. “I’ll walk again, you jerk.” I shouted as I started to push my weight up.

​​“That’s the sort of reaction I hoped to get from you. Now, get up!” he shouted.

*OMOLOLU*

​​“She’ll be with you soon.” Olivia’s secretary said as she walked out.

I drummed my fingers nervously on my lap. I knew that my meeting with Olivia was going to be hard for us especially after what I did in the morning. She probably must have heard about it by now and I didn’t know if defendingmyself would be worth it in the end.

The door opened and Olivia walked in with an unusual smile, considering the tension between us in the past days. She darted a red gown and she did look very irresistible as she sat on her desk directly before me like she had done years ago when I was only her patient.

The room was silent and she maintained a smile that unnerved me. “I…I could go.” I said, as I broke the silence.

​“And why is that? Did you come to see my face or see me? I could have sent a picture of me if you needed something to see badly.” She replied as she folded her arms.

I cleared my throat. “Has your brother spoken to you?” I asked.

​“Oh, that thing about you going over to him and resigning?” she asked with a smile.

I nodded. “I…I just feel that I can’t work for him anymore.”

​“And that would be because I got you the job, right? Let me see, do you think I bought you?” she asked.

I swallowed. “You did not buy me, but, I…I want to make sure that-”

​​“-that you severe any possible ties between us so that you can go back to your wife feeling like a saint, well, almost a saint.”

​I took a deep breath. “Olivia…”

“I understand how you want to do it, you want to play the saint. I can’t believe you even asked not to be paid for the year from my brother, that’s amazing. And I guess you are putting the house back on the market?”She asked with a probing look. She smiled and continued. “I think it’s fine that you do it, but, I have news for you, you can’t get rid of me or our child.” She said with a firm look.

​I nodded. “I didn’t expect it to be easy, but, I am going to try to make you forgive me.”

“Forgive?! Lolu, what is there to forgive? We have the right to our own decision, if you don’t mind, I should have real patients soon, not those who use people.” She said and walked over to her desk.

​​“Olivia, we don’t have to do it this way. I am sorry that you feel bad about how we got here, but, you know that I love Ijeoma.”

She laughed mockingly. “You sound like a fool saying it. You love Ijeoma? Or she loves you? Look, Lolu, I am notgoing to continue moping things up for you. If you get into this mess, you’ll fix it, but I won’t be there for you.”

​“Stop being dramatic about this Olivia. Ijeoma is not amess, she is my wife and I love her despite everything that we have been through.” I paused as I prepared for my next line that I had rehearsed over and over before coming to her. “It’s over.”

She laughed mockingly. “Let’s see how strong your love is when you need to have sex.”

I was stoned and then I smiled and then started to laugh.

​​“The thought of that has you troubled that you are even laughing.” She said with a smile. “Think hard before you leap, Lolu.” She said as she approached me with a smile.

I shook my head in disagreement as I rose to my feet. “You are very wrong there, very wrong. Ijeoma is a hundred times better than you and I mean even in her present state.” I said with a smile. She stared at me with a surprised look.“You are surprised? I can’t resist her.” I replied and tried to leave but she held me back.

​“Please Omololu, you can’t do this to me. To us.” She begged.

I took a deep breath. “Olivia, I am sorry that it has to be like this, but, I…I don’t want to sacrifice my love for unhappiness, we won’t be happy together.” I said.

​“We would. I swear I would make it work, all we have to do is get Ijeoma out of sight and we would be fine.” She said.

​“Even if she is out of sight, she is not out of mind.” I replied as I tried to walk away.

She pulled me back. “No! I’ll take you away from here, I’ll make you the happiest man on earth.”

“You don’t get it, do you? Ijeoma is my life and I am nothing without her.” I replied.

“I am nothing without you.” She protested. “I have nowhere to go, there is no one for me. I’ll die without you, I’ll kill myself.”

​I shook my head sadly. “How desperate are you?”

​​“I am too in love to let it go.” She replied in tears.

​​“I…I can’t let you do this me, it’s bad enough that there’s a child but I won’t stay, I will be a responsible father but I am not staying with you.” I replied angrily.

​She screamed out. “There is no f#@king child! I just want you!”

​​“W…What?”

​​“Omololu, Please stay.” She said as she held me.

​I yanked out of her grip. “Are you telling me that you are not pregnant?”

​​“I…I am pregnant.” She replied.

​I nodded in disgust. “You are pathetic, Olivia. You should get help.”

​She pulled me back. “You would never be happy without me. Ijeoma would hurt you again.”

​​“I’ll rather die by Ijeoma’s sword than be with you.” I replied and walked out slamming the door hard.

I sat in my car as I boiled in anger. I had never thought I could say such words to Olivia and in the harshest terms that I could possibly find but she had pushed me too far by speaking badly of Ijeoma and with the lie she had made me believe. I thought about returning to her to render an apology but I knew the effect of such, Olivia would think I was unsure about Ijeoma and I didn’t want to relay that to her.

*IJEOMA*

I gulped my drink as I wiped off some perspiration from my face. The Physio returned to me. “We have to get back to work.” He said.

​“Can’t I just get five minutes? I mean, you said I did well with my balance, right?”

He nodded. “And it exactly for that reason that I need you to take advantage of the situation and get a firm grip.”

​“I understand, but it gets tiring and really stressful.” I replied.

He nodded. “Alright then, what we are going to do is simple. Maybe you should call someone that would do this session with you, maybe a family member or friend, because, you are going to walk and this time, it is serious.” I took a deep breath as he opened a chart. “From the X-ray, your limbs are getting into shape, all you have to do is believe and try taking those steps.” He continued. “I am going to take your chair and you would have to walk down here if you really need the chair.” He said as he approached me.

​“But I have no friend or family here yet.” I protested.

He nodded. “Well, you have five minutes to call else, you’ll do it alone.”

I’d call Austin to help me out. I couldn’t call Omololu yet, we were still complicated not knowing what would be the outcome of our relationship. Maybe the divorce would still happen. Just then the door opened and Omololu walked in. “Hey Doc.” He said in the Physio’s direction.

The Physio exchanged hands with him. “Right on time.”

I was smiling sheepishly like a teenager. Omololu had walked in right when I thought I had nothing else for me. I tried to maintain a straight face as he smiled in my direction but my childishness won’t let me and I smiled back.

​“Now it’s time to walk. What you have to do is simple. You are to help her on her feet and then, you take steps together.” The Physio instructed.

Omololu stared at me. “Are you ready to do this?” he asked. “For us?”

I felt like jumping up in an instant. Did Omololu just mention ‘Us?’. I needed to be sure. “What about Olivia?”

​“I ended things with her, I ripped the divorce papers, I am sorry for everything I have done wrong, please forgive me.”

Tears rolled down my cheek. “Omololu…”

​“You don’t have to forgive me yet, you can think about it, but I want back into our family.” He continued.

I pulled him closer and we kissed passionately.

​“Someone has to get up.” The Physio shouted.

***

​“Nice performance today.” Sharon said to Tiwa as they walked out of the room. “I think you are ready for a cast, let’s see what the director thinks about that.” She added.

Tiwa smiled. “I’ll be glad to get a cast soon. How are you lately?”

Sharon shrugged. “I am okay, I feel more positive about life now.”

​“And Love?” Tiwa asked, grinning.

Sharon laughed. “I just knew you were going there. If it’s about my ex, I don’t know yet, but, who knows?” she smiled.

​“Can I take you to have lunch?” Tiwa asked.

Sharon stared at her. “You?”

​“Yeah, my treat. I mean I have extra change.”

​“And you want to spend it on me?”

Tiwa nodded. “Yeah, and my Uncle would be there too, so I just want you to meet him. I already told him about you.” She lied.

​“I…I don’t know if I am in the mood to meet people.” Sharon replied.

Tiwa’s face fell. “But, I am just asking you to meet him, that’s all. It’s nothing serious.”

Sharon rolled her eyes. “Okay, let me get my bag.” She said and left for her change room.

Tiwa immediately fetched her phone from her pocket and dialled Austin frantically. “Hey, I need your help, I have an emergency at the tuck shop near your office, Can you meet me there?”

​“Slow down, what’s up?” he asked.

She checked to be sure that Sharon wasn’t near. “Please meet me in fifteen minutes, thanks.” She replied and hung up as Sharon joined her. “Let’s go.”

***

Olivia pulled her hair out as she stared at herself in the mirror. She had given up her last card cheaply as she ranted wrongly. She slid into the ground in the bathroom as she wept.

​

​***

Sharon and Tiwa walked into the café. Tiwa kept a searching glance as she looked for Austin. He hadn’t shown up, that was good. The door opened and he walked in. ‘Right on time!’ She thought with a grin. Good thing Sharon was backing him, so she called him over.

​“Where is the emergency?” he asked.

Sharon turned as soon as she heard the voice. Austin stared at her and then at Tiwa. Tiwa cleared her throat. “This is my uncle.” She introduced with a faint smile.

Austin took a deep breath and looked over his shoulder and then back at Sharon. “Hi.” He said.

​“How are you?” she replied.

Tiwa picked up her phone. “I…I have to make a call.” She said and walked out.

​“Err…sit down.” Sharon said.

Austin nodded and took his seat.

​“You guys planned this?” They both said at once and they laughed.

Austin cleared his throat. “You go first, I am sorry.”

She smiled back. “Did you plan this?”

​“Tiwa told me there was an emergency here.” He replied. “What did she tell you?”

​“She said her uncle wanted to meet me.” She replied.

He stared at her. “Well, here we are again.” He took a deep breath. “Sharon…I…I don’t know how we fell apart.”

She raised a finger to interrupt him. “I know how we did. I made you choose between me and Ijeoma and I apologise for that.”

​“No, it was my choice to stay with Ijeoma. I could have fought for you. I could have tried to make us work, but, I didn’t and that’s because I didn’t want to.”

She blinked. “Could that be because you thought that Ijeoma would fall in love with you someday?”

He swallowed. “Yes.”

She nodded. “So, are you happy now?”

​“No. I have never been happy since you left but it was difficult for me to face it. All I wanted was for her to love me back, but she couldn’t and I realised that I didn’t really have those types of feelings I had for you for her.” He replied.

She took a deep breath. “Is that supposed to make me happy?”

​“No, but, all I can honestly tell you is that I regret leaving you and if you are here today, it’s because I might just have another chance with you.” He said.

​“What about Ijeoma?” She asked.

He relaxed in his chair. “She is my friend, and that’s all we can be, but with you, it can be different. I don’t just want to be your friend, I want to father your children.”

Sharon chuckled. “Sounds like a proposal?”

​“That may be the best line I can churn out in my entire life.” He replied.

She nodded. “I won’t be surprised.”

He took her hand. “I am sorry for hurting you, please forgive me.”

She nodded. “Just one more question for you.”

​“Ask.”

​“Tiwa is Ijeoma’s daughter, right?”

He nodded in agreement. “Yes, she is.”

***

A MONTH GONE

***

*IJEOMA*

“The past one month had been an experience for myfamily, we have had to go to the court times without number just to throw out the initial suit that I had filed for permanent custody of my daughter. Anyway, we have the suit dismissed. It’s now, Omololu, Tiwa and I as a family once again.

Okay, I forgot one part, I am unemployed. I resigned from my job, but I could afford to do that, after all, I was able to part with a very very decent amount due to my status at the firm. I intend to start up my own business soon, but I haven’t decided yet as Omololu and I are yet to make a good decision on that. We rarely make good decisions on anything, but we end up getting it done. In the end, won’t you still call that a good decision?

Austin is having a good relationship with Sharon, they are picking up their pieces and making it beautiful. Good for them.

Omololu says that Olivia is now in Bangladesh. Like seriously? What is she doing there? Okay, I feel bad for her, no I don’t. Hasn’t she heard of what God has joined together, let no man put asunder?

Okay…today is a big day for my family. Our daughter gets her first-

​​“IJEOMA!!! We are running late?!” Omololu shouted.

I know we are late, but let me end my part, Today is Tiwa’s first play with the Lord Tanner group. They are doing a great job with the tour around Nigeria and their plays, glad to see that my daughter is part of such. I am a proud mother and wife.” I concluded.

​***

​​“Do you ever get off this thing?” Omololu asked as he walked in.

​​“No. It’s my podcast on marriages, why would I ever leave it?”

​He nodded. “I hope you didn’t forget to tell them that we renewed our vows?”

I smiled in his direction and then back at the camera. “Okay. I forgot that part. We renewed our vows and I guess it worked for us. And one more thing, my husband is saying that we return to Ibadan. How fair is that? I love Lagos.” I asked.

​“But you love me more, right?” he asked.

I nodded. “That, I can’t deny.” I replied and pulled him closer for a kiss.

***

​​​​​​​​​​​END

​

EPISODE 12

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BROKEN…OR NOT? – EPISODE 12

EPISODE 12

*IJEOMA*

Sharon placed a glass of juice before me and took her seat opposite mine as though she was about to start an interview session. When she met me at the door, she simply stepped back with a smile and let me into the house without a word. Even when I had tried to mumble greetings to her, she remained unmoved by them and continued ushering me into the house. I didn’t like a minute of the silence and to be honest it was getting me worked up, but I had promised myself that I would keep my cool throughout the meeting with her; after all, I chose to visit her.

            “Sorry about your leg.” She said.

I smiled faintly as the silence had finally been broken and we could now speak. “I am having therapy; I’ll walk again pretty soon.” I replied.

She nodded. “So, tell me, The great Ijeoma Martins in my house? Is Austin dead?”

I smiled. “If he were?”

            “It’s understandable that you break the news to me, you are guys are like Bonnie and Clyde, right?” she asked.

            “I see you haven’t lost your touch for subtle insults.” I replied as I sipped the drink slowly.

She scoffed. “Me? I haven’t had a touch for anything. If I did, I won’t be the loser.”

            “You are not a loser.” I replied, replacing the glass.

She smiled. “Says the woman with a boyfriend and husband! You know, I actually wonder how you manage to rotate them or should I say conveniently swap them? You are a legend, Ijeoma.”

I swallowed. “Do I take it as if you are going to vent on me all day?”

            “Am I wrong to do that? I can’t see Austin to tell him how I feel and life has presented me with you on a platter, am I supposed to throw away the maybe only opportunity I’ll ever get?” she asked.

I took a deep breath. “Well Sharon, I am not to blame for what happened between you and Austin.”

            “Really? Why would a married woman call my boyfriend up in the middle of the night to cry with her after she has done something so wrong?”

I stared at her. “What are you talking about?”

            “The stuff between you and your husband?”

I blinked. “He told you?”

            “We used to talk about everything and I thought I was doing just enough to be his girlfriend and there was always you, getting all the attention. ‘Ijeoma needs this…Ijeoma needs that. I have to do this for her, she is my friend.’ I envy your level of friendship, it’s amazing, I wish I had a friend who would love me that much.” She continued.

I turned my wheelchair to approach the door and then I turned back at her. “You know what? I am going take everything you say, so continue.”

            “Really? Why did you come here, Ijeoma?” she asked with a smile.

I took a deep breath. “I came to ask your forgiveness.”

            The smile on her face faded slowly. “Forgiveness?”

            I nodded. “I am sorry, I came in between you guys and I apologize for that.”

                        “So, you do admit that you were responsible for all the problems I had with Austin?” she asked.

I shook my head in disagreement. “I am only sorry for the attention that was divided but I won’t claim responsibility for your jealousy and drama. I know how you feel and how mad you are at me and how easy it is for you to blame everything on me, but, you should have never asked him to choose. Austin still loves you and I am going to do my part of slipping out of his life gradually, it is your call to get your man and keep him.”

            “Are you doing me a favour?” she asked. “This is not a favour just in case you think you are helping me.”

I shrugged. “I have not said anything about that, I am here to amend whatever was broken between us and for what it’s worth, I did enjoy the few times we hung out.”

The room was silent. Sharon smiled faintly. “Like when we had to go to the cinemas with Austin and he was screaming with us.”

            “That’s because we were screaming and he wasn’t. He felt weird.” I replied chuckling.

She shrugged. “Why would a guy even scream for any reason?”

I raised an eyebrow.

*OMOLOLU*

I watched Olivia as she paced round the bedroom. “We need to get married soon, Omololu.”

            “Soon?”

She nodded. “Two weeks max.”

            “Two weeks? I…I haven’t even proposed to you.” I said dumbly.

She stared at me. “You are so good with words, aren’t you?”

I wiped some perspiration off my brow. “I am sorry, i…I didn’t mean it that way, but, aren’t we going too fast? If we are going to get married, it should be properly planned.”

            “Why? We can’t get married in the church. We are both divorcees.”

            “I am not yet divorced.” I replied cutting in.

She folded her arms. “What are you trying to say, Lolu? Can you be a little more explicit with me?” she asked.

I rubbed my palms together. “I am just saying that we should take it easy. You are pregnant and so we need to take things easy right now.”

“I am taking everything easy except this, you are developing cold feet about this thing and I am not going to allow us throw everything between us away and if you think I am going to let you make a mistake in your life and come back begging, you are mistaken. And you know why? You are not even making that mistake in the first place.” She replied.

                        “Olivia, you are overreacting. Ijeoma is a not a mistake.”

She scoffed. “Oh really? And what happened that night? A woman who claims that you are life to her does what she did to you? She denied you and then came over to say sorry and that was all. Did she come back? All she cared about was her money, status, fame and everything that she has achieved. Does she care about you or her daughter?”

            “Ijeoma loves me. And she loves Tiwa too and Tiwa does love her too.”

She laughed mockingly. “Loves? She doesn’t. A woman who loves you won’t look down on you when you were nothing and then embrace you now.”

            “She apologized even then.” I replied.

            “Now you are making excuses for her. Tiwa is a young girl, she is excited to meet her mom and we are talking about a celeb mom, it’s not a problem, the issue is this, the society does not even acknowledge you or your daughter with Ijeoma. Remember what the papers said about you the next morning after that night? ‘Party crasher’. You were called at a party crasher and your own wife whom you claim loves you did nothing. Where does this all fit in?”

I slammed the chair. “Stop it, Olivia. Where are you going with all these?”

            “I am opening your eyes again and to be honest, I am sick and tired of it.” She replied and stormed out of the room.

I took a deep breath and slid into a chair.

*IJEOMA*

 Sharon and I approached the car. “To be honest, it was nice seeing you again.” I said.

            “Nice finally been seen.” Sharon replied. I paused and stared at her. “Sense of humour.” She added quickly.

I rolled my eyes. “That’s not cool.”

            “Come on, Ijeoma. Don’t tell me that you don’t feel a bit of awkwardness between us?”

I shrugged.

            “You are super human.” She replied. “I am not holding on to the past anymore to be honest, I just want to make sure that you are really through with Austin before I give myself any false hopes.”

            “The only thing I have with Austin is the friendship that I have always had with him.”

She took a deep breath. “I don’t want any of that friendship, Ijeoma. I didn’t survive it then and I don’t think I can survive it now, I think I am fine on my own without him.” She replied.

            “Are you? You’ll never be the same after now, and it won’t hurt if you try fighting for what’s yours.”

She smiled faintly. “Am I getting lessons on fighting for love from you?”

I nodded. “Some of us have learnt.”

            “I see.” She replied as she opened the car door for me. “Where is your family now?”

I smiled. “Around, but I am fighting for them and believe me when I tell you that I am sorry because I know how hard it is to fight for something that’s yours.” I replied.

*OMOLOLU*

Olivia had locked herself in the bathroom downstairs for over thirty minutes and I didn’t know what to say or how to say it to her. I stared at the door waiting for it open but it didn’t. Funny thoughts started to run through my mind. I even had the feeling that she might have committed suicide but I didn’t think she would try it, she is the psychologist. She knew better about these things.

I started to tap the door slowly and when I didn’t get any response, I started to drum on the door. “Olivia! Olivia! I am coming in now!” I shouted as I drummed hard. I still didn’t hear anything from her so I started to throw my weight against the door frantically. I pushed the door open and Olivia stood before me naked.

            “What…What?” I asked.

She walked up to me. “Make love to me.” She said.

My mouth stayed agape and she planted a kiss in it as she started to unbutton my shirt. I got a grip of her hand. “I can’t.” I said.

            “You can.” She replied as she reached for my shirt. “Come on, Lolu.”

I took her hand firmly. “I am sorry. I can’t do this.” I said and walked out of the house.

*IJEOMA*

I drove my wheelchair into the garden with my iPod in one hand. It was late at night and I knew that I could use a moment alone to reflect on a very long day but one with a lot of fulfilment. I had bridged the gap between Sharon and I in a way or so I think.

I stared at the skies and started to count the stars. As a girl, I would count the stars at night with Omololu and we would talk about how many kids we would have.

Flashback

“I want a boy.” Omololu had said. “And after then, I want our house to be as big as this town, you know? The kids would run around and we would just sit and watch them from the roof top.”

I smiled. “A girl is more like it.”

                        “Do you want a girl because you are a female? Or because you really want a girl?” he asked.

                        “I just want a girl.” I replied. “To spite you.” I added quickly with a grin.

He nodded and cuddled me in his arms. “Then I want a girl too. Because now, I’ll be the one spiting you.” He replied and kissed my forehead.

********

            “Memory has a way of haunting us, isn’t it?”

I swirled my wheelchair in response to my mother-in-law’s voice. “Why are you not asleep?” I asked.

She set her chair and stretched out her legs. “How easy is it for a mother to sleep when her kids are not okay? Would she even get any sleep?”

            “Mama, Omololu and I would sort it out.” I replied.

She nodded. “I see? You guys loved staring at the skies when you were younger, are you reliving those days in his absence?”

            “I might have to move on.” I replied.

She smiled faintly. “I never knew that moving on involved coming back to old spots to dwell in it, that’s really not like moving on.” She replied.

Mama was right. Moving on would never be easy without Omololu. “I can always try.”

“Ijeoma, I have not really had the time to know what went wrong with you, but, I can’t say I am totally shocked at how fast you changed. You were the bright girl with prospects and you needed that opportunity which thankfully came your way, but how on earth did you forget where you came from?”

I swallowed hard. If there was anyone that I would want to avoid on the discussion, it had to be Mama. “I am sorry.”

            “I know. Omololu knows. Tiwa knows. But what I don’t know is how you could do that to Omololu?”

I blinked. “I…I didn’t make the right choice.”

            “Of course, you didn’t. You could have damned the job right there and gone with the man you love, but you chose to ignore him and that not only bruised his ego, it shattered him. He told me how the press labelled him ‘Party crasher’. Ijeoma, that was your husband they insulted and you kept mute, why? For money?”

I couldn’t hold back my tears as they flowed freely. “I know I was wrong, but…but I am sorry.”

            “Sometimes, sorry is never enough and that is what you might have to learn. Wounds take time to heal and I think Olivia’s presence in Omololu’s life at his vulnerable moment sold you out, but, the good thing is he loves you and that is where you’ve always had the edge, I just hope and pray to God that he heals all the wounds and Lolu can totally forget that night.” She replied.

            “Olivia is pregnant.” I said. “Omololu slept with her, he is having a child with her, what am I to do?”

Mama smiled. “Pregnant? That was expected. Anyway, it means I’ll have another grandchild soon.”

            “I…I don’t know if I’ll be able to take it.” I replied.

She smiled. “Do you have a choice?” she asked.

I turned my face away.

                        “Let’s say she isn’t pregnant.” Mama suggested.

I turned in her direction in smiles. “How high is that probability?”

            “I can say 20%”

I took a deep breath. “I want my husband back and I am ready to build my hopes on the 20%.”

She shrugged. “This is not about how much love you guys have for each other, this would involve mature reasoning as a child is now involved.”

*OMOLOLU*

I hurled the empty bottle of water in my hand into the sea. I had gone to the bay to see if I could make any meaning out of my life. The sea breeze did a lot for me. It made me want to sleep. At the moment, sleeping felt appropriate except that I was far from home and I didn’t have the intention of going back to Olivia’s. She was too mad at me for me to show my face anywhere near her. I would just return to the apartment.

I stepped into my car and started to drive. I stared at the document on the passenger’s seat as I drove on. The divorce papers had not been signed and I didn’t know if I really wanted her to sign it, but, I had to do something for Olivia.

I stopped as I joined the traffic. It didn’t look hopeful and so I followed the next diversion into streets. I continued in my thoughts as I drove slowly through the bad roads. I didn’t have to concentrate on the driving as my thoughts strayed. It was soon going to cost me as I heard a loud bang on the car. I immediately pulled up and stepped to see a dent on the side of the car.

            “Oga, you no get sense? You dey sleep? I don dey horn for your head since morning and you just dey there no move your moto.” A man rambled in pidgin.

I stared at the dented portion of the car and then back at the man. “I am the one with the dent in my car, why are you screaming?” I asked.

            “It be like say this one dey craze! Na me you dey speak English for?” The man continued.

Loud horns went off as we had blocked the tiny street. “Just move your crap out of the way.” I said attempting to return to my car but the Man reached for me. I was saved from his hit by a man who shoved him aside.

Nerves were calmed and I stepped aside with the man who saved me as the other cars moved on. “I am a victim of traffic, else, I wonder what I’ll be doing in these streets.”

            “Do you remember me?” The Man asked.

I stared at him blankly. “Who are you?” I asked. I then stared around and noticed a familiar territory.

            “I am Pastor Tim. Tiwa was here.”

I smiled. “Nice to meet you…again.” I said as I approached my car in an attempt to avoid the lengthy sermons.

            “Why don’t you come with me to the Church and we could talk? Traffic would have died down after our discussion.”

I shook my head in disagreement. “I am sorry, I don’t want to talk.”

            “Why not? I saw you in the car before that man hit your car. You looked lost.” He continued.

I blinked. “Was it so obvious to see?”

            “I guess so.” He replied. “So?”

…

*OMOLOLU*

            “I am getting a divorce.” I said as I stared at Pastor Tim.

He folded his arm as he stared at me. “Clearly that is not what you want.”

            “I don’t know what to do. My hands are tied.” I replied.

He nodded in agreement. “What has your hands?”

            “Can we talk as men, not you as a pastor now?” I asked.

He smiled. “Lolu, my name is Tim.”

            “We might get along well.” I replied with a grin. “Well, Tiwa’s mom is my wife and she is the woman I love.” I said with a smile. “Look at me talking about love like a boy. I am crazy about her and it’s been the same passion since when we were young and even though everything seems so complicated right now, I just want her.”

Tim sat up as I took him into a world I had with Ijeoma.

*IJEOMA*

            “So, if Olivia has a boy, Lolu would be glad, right? He always wanted a boy.” I said as I stared at the stars.

Mama shrugged. “What if you give him a boy?”

            “Me? We are about to get a divorce here in case you haven’t noticed.” I replied.

She nodded. “I know about the divorce and I think it is going to be really hard on the both of you if it goes through, so I am hoping God does something about it.”

            “Olivia is desperate and I am scared that she’ll win Lolu eventually.” I confessed. “She’s bringing her gloves at me.”

Mama smiled. “That’s good, she’ll need it because we would be crushing her together.” 

*OMOLOLU*

            “I never got over that night and now Olivia is pregnant, so, it’s all complicated. I…I just wish Ijeoma had never done that to me.”

Tim was silent.

            “That’s it.” I said as I clasped my hands into my laps.

He stared at me. “That’s not it. It’s obvious that there is still a lot to fight for and I know that Olivia is pregnant, but have you thought of what would happen to you? To Ijeoma? To Tiwa?”

            “What would you have me do?” I asked.

He scoffed. “This is not about me, Lolu. This is about you, you are the man who has to decide what you want to do for the rest of your life and how you want to please God doing that.”

            “It’s tough for me. If I am with Olivia, I don’t have to worry, because she has the master plan, but, with Ijeoma, we are like two crazy kids, we just keep going, failing together, winning together, I don’t know what I’ll do without her.” I said as I stared at the documents in my hand. “I need her to forgive me for breaking our vows too. Even she hurt me, I hurt her too.”

Tim nodded and stared at me. “What are you going to do?”

            “I am going to fight for my family.” I said tearing the divorce papers.

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