Aliya, Afoma's best friend, is watching a series when she returns home. She turns to her, and asks, "How was the meeting?" Afoma sits on the couch and removes her suit, then says, "You will not believe who the client was."
Immediately, she asks, "Who?" Afoma sighs, and replies, "It was Nonso." Immediately, Aliya shouts, "This had better be a joke or a prank." Afoma looks at her dead in the eyes, and says, "I wish I was."
"What did the fool want?"
Afoma replies, "Apparently, he knew I was working in the firm, and used this to get to me, knowing fully well that he would not be given the time of the day otherwise."
"That stupid idiot."
She smiles tiredly, "Yeah. You have not even heard the interesting part yet."
"There's more?"
"He told me he'll like to talk to me." Aliya immediately interrupts, "Please, tell me you ignored the Buffon."
"That's what I wanted to do, but he asked in front of my boss. She even answered on my behalf, and told me to take him to my office so that we can talk privately." Aliya hisses at that, and Afoma continues, "I then left the door open, but the dude closed it."
"I want to strangle this guy. So, what did he ask for?"
"Me too," Afoma says concurring to wanting to strangle Nonso. "And to answer your question, he asked for ten dates."
She looks confused and says, "I don't understand."
"I didn't as well, but Nonso asked for ten dates. Apparently, he's apologetic, and has found out the whole truth, and knows what his mother did and all that."
Aliya rolls her eyes, "It has been three years. Why can't he leave you alone?"
Afoma says, "Same thing I said babe. He promised we will be getting this deal, and honestly my bosses will see me in a very different light when we do get the client. He wants ten dates, and to be honest, I want to hear the details of how he found out. I think he and his mother are on bad terms right now."
She rolls her eyes and says, "That is his business to be honest. After your patience, you warned him about that witch, but he did not listen. To be fair, I understand why he didn't initially, but it became too much. The microaggressions and all that. He probably didn't want to believe that his mum could do that. Wait till he finds out that she offered you money three times to leave the guy."
Afoma laughs, and says, "He is definitely not finding out from me. I probably should have taken the money seeing as the relationship did not work out. At least, I should have asked for more and taken it." They both laugh, and Aliya asks, "How are you feeling though? I know it wouldn't have been easy to see the person you thought you would be spending your life with like that."
Afoma smiles slightly, and says, "To be fair, we should have seen earlier, and yes, it is not an easy feat, but I'm fine. I was young, I lived, I loved, or so I thought, and I have grown from it. It taught me a very good lesson."
Aliya comes to sit beside her, and hugs her, "Maybe, but I hope you know that I love you." Afoma smiles, and replies, "I love you too." They both watch a few more episodes of the thriller series, and then Aliya goes to sleep because she has an early day tomorrow. Afoma decides to stay awake and work a little, then goes to bed.
*The next day*
'Life is good when your roommate, who is a chef, prepares breakfast for you, and you go to your office, and your seniors and bosses are all smiling at you,' Afoma thought to herself. From what she has heard, the signing might happen sooner than they expected. From what she knows about Evans, Nonso's lawyer, he will be so meticulous. He was always very serious when it came to business or school.
She greets Maryanne, and drags her to the office to ask her what happened, and she says, "Apparently, Ola got news that they rejected Focus Firms."
Afoma puts a big pretend smile on her face because she already expected it. Although, to be fair, their reactions are totally understandable because Focus firms were one of the biggest competitors for this, and they are their rivals. They both talk a bit, and she gets to work. By 11 am, Afoma gets a call from the receptionist that she has a delivery.
She's confused, but goes downstairs to check the so-called delivery. She stops when she sees flowers, chocolates and a card. She doesn't need to read it to know who it is from, but she does anyway. She picks it up and sees:
Afoma,
I know you will be confused when you get this, but I tried so hard to stay away from you, but I will not be doing that anymore. I know you told me not to say it so, I will not say it right now, but I still feel the same way I felt three years ago. It's the reason I could not imagine dating again.
Nonso.
She notices the curious gazes she's getting, but makes sure she snaps the card, flowers and chocolate, then sends it to her siblings' group chat and my friends' group chat. She drops her phone, and carries the 'gifts' with her. Once she's in her office, she tears the card, and throws it away. She then gives the bouquet to Maryanne simply because she knows she's a sucker for flowers, and if she finds out she threw it away, she won't live to see the next day. She also gives the chocolates to Maryanne, and gets a text from an unknown number. Afoma rolls her eyes because without a doubt, she already knew who it was.
Nonso: Did you get them?
Afoma: My colleague says thank you."
At that, he sends a heartbroken emoji, and she checks her friends gc, and sees the way they are going crazy. Her older brother and sister also texted in the group. My brother is asking when he started reaching out to me. She's sure he wants to know if he's in her office so that he'll punch him more than he did the last time. Afoma is also sure it was Nonso that did not want him arrested. 'Had it been for his obsessive mother, I'm sure my family and I would have all been in jail,' Afoma thinks to herself. She then sends a quick message telling her brother Nonso was the client the firm had been working towards.
Her brother then calls Nonso a 'bastard', while her sister calls a group voice chat, and asks, "What does he want after all these years?" I tell him, and my brother then says, "Please tell me you blocked the idiot."
She rolls her eyes, and replies, "Of course I did, but now, he's texting with a new line. Apparently, he wants to apologize."
Her sister lets out a very long hiss, and says, "He is three years late." her brother says, "I hope to God that you know what is going on Afoma because It is only God that can stop me from killing that guy. Now imagine what Andy will do when he is online."
Referring to their younger brother who is younger than Afoma with two years, and who is also even more protective of her, as if he is the older one. The three of them talk for bit, and she thanks God that her younger brother and sister, Andy and Annie, are not online right now. When they end the call, she knows this is not the end of the conversation.
She then goes to her girls group, and notices how they have already written long paragraphs of how? When? Why? What happened? She replies the messages, knowing fully well that this weekend, she might be getting a lot of visits. She rubs her eyes and puts on her glasses and gets to work. By the time the office closes by 5 pm, she lingers in the office, and realizes it's 7:40 pm. She gets a text, and it says, "Why are you still working at this time?"
Her heart immediately enters my stomach, but she wills it to stop when she realizes it's Nonso, but still, that is creepy. She plans on making him know that as well. She types furiously, "If you are spying on me, it should stop now. This is not a dark romance novel. This is a crime. I don't care if you are the governor's son, or the president himself. Do not invade my privacy, and instill fear upon me whilst making me uncomfortable because you have a problem letting your ex go. Since you've seen me today, this is your first date. Nine more to go, and let this be the last time I will be stalked. If you have ever done it in the past, stop it now. The person who actually needed stalking was your mother. Then maybe you would've known she was a conniving witch. Good night."
She is boiling heavily with anger, and carries her things and to go home, when she sees him beside her car. Her eye twitches, and she has the sudden urge to slap him. Again, she isnot big on violence, but apparently her ex brings out the worst in her. She sees the sheepish and apologetic look on his face before she even talks, and he says, "Afoma, I am sorry. I know I should not have invaded your privacy or made you afraid. I just came to tell you that the deal will be signed this tomorrow."
She nods, and asks, "Have you ever had me followed before?" He does not reply, and she knows the answer already. She narrows her eyes, and says, "This should be your last time. Moreover, I don't need a bodyguard. I am not a governor's daughter, I am a child of a 'commoner.' As your parents famously said." He winces at that, and says, "I deserve that, but I'm here to prove to you I have changed. When I found out what my mum, I wanted to come back immediately, but I saw a post of you with a guy, and I backed out. Also, I felt you would not have taken me back one bit."
She cocks an eyebrow at him, "And you think I can 'have' you back now?" She snickers, and he says, "I won't know if I have not tried, and I am willing to try. Everything you have done from blocking my phone number, to giving out the gift I gave you,is nothing compared to what you went through because of my blindness, and my family. If I could turn back time, I would. I never wanted you to go through such a thing, and I am sorry you went through it, even though I was supposed to protect you." she swallows the lump in her throat, and looks away. And he continues, "I never should have been the reason for you to feel pain, but I was, and I plan to rectify that."
Her heart is breathing rapidly, and she is trying to hold her tears, whilst maintaining eye contact. She clears her throat, and says, "I wish, an apology will take it all away, but it will not, and that is okay. What we had, was good in the beginning, while it lasted until, we had outside forces which caused our separation. It is okay. I have moved on, and you should too."
He comes closer to her, and says, "You are not the kind of woman people move on from. It is why I am here . Since the moment I held your face when you were on the ground, till now, I have not, and will not move on from you." she gasps slightly, and he goes to his car, and says, "By the way, this is was NOT our first date. Next week Friday, will be our first date." I roll my eyes, nod in affirmation, and enter my car. He waits for ne to drive before leaving.