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

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