A woman's dilemma - Episode 20

 

Claudia:

 I eye the Heineken bottle just a armlength away and shake my head at my self. I shouldn't have said all those things. I'm just so confused right now. The look on Daniel's face when his sister said the despicable word 'rape' troubles my head and heart. I slump into the nearest chair and bury my head in my palms.
"She's asleep now. I had to give her some drugs." I lift my head at Daniel's voice . I see the stress in his eyes for the first time and the usual playful glint in his eyes is gone.
"I'm sorry." It's all I can say. He comes to join me in the sofa and I try not to move away. He doesn't need that right now. I endure his hard thigh brushing mine every few seconds. I look ahead to avoid looking straight at him.
"You couldn't have known." He says but I shake my head.
"I shouldn't have said those words to you. I see how you're suffering for her."I turn so he can see the sincerity in my eyes and regret it. He's so close. I look back ahead.
"I love her. She's my baby sister y'know." He says and my heart goes out to him. I ball my hands into my lap to stop from trying to touch him. The kiss I indulged myself in just a while ago is still hot on my lips

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. I shouldn't be thinking like this right now.
"She doesn't want the world to judge her." Daniel says after a moment's silence.
"It's not her fault! No one will judge her! She should speak out and get the perpetuator locked up. He's a monster and shouldn't be allowed another chance to hurt another person."
"My thoughts exactly but Tina doesn't want to talk about it. She's not bulging. The world will surely judge her. She went to that hotel after all and her usual exploits of clubbing and partying will only make people think she caused it herself. But she went there for me. I couldn't make it to the meeting so I sent her. I shouldn't have." His eyes look red with unshed tears.
"You shouldn't blame yourself. Neither should your sister." I say silently.
"Oh no. This is my fault. I sent her to the place where she was drugged and raped. Now she won't even speak of how it happened or who did it."
"She's scared." I say and he nods.
"That's where you come in. Our scandal deflects the press from further investigating the pregnancy test kit found in my room." He says and I frown.
"You want me to pretend to be pregnant. For you?"
"Just for a month or less. The news will blow over then we all get back to our lives." He assures me. I start to shake my head at the atrocious idea. I can't pretend to date him. Neither can I let the world think I'm pregnant.
"I know. I shouldn't ask you this." He says when he sees my uncertainty.
"Why don't you pay somebody to do it. Why me?" I ask him.
"Frankly, I can't trust anybody with this task."
"But you trust me?" My brows draw together in confusion.
"You don't exactly like me so I know you won't get attached and want something real from me. There will be no emotional blackmail and threats to reveal my secret when I can't reciprocate your feelings." He points out and I nod.
"I guess you're right."
"But I'm a bit wary after you kissed me in that elevator. I'm beginning to think you like me already." My head snaps to face him. He grins crookedly at me while I hiss at him.
"Don't flatter yourself. I like my men real and not some Nollywood Playboy who sleeps with anything in a skirt." I smirk at him. He grabs his chest and pretends to be hurt by my words. I know better.
"Can you please think about what I'm asking of you?" He says and I nod. I can at least try to think this through.
"And you don't have to admit to the pregnancy. Just play along with the press. Give them something else to write about. A few dates around the city. Family visits maybe. They'll be thrilled to find out the notorious Playboy is in love and ready to settle down. I'll be indebted to you if you do this." He takes my hand and squeeze it reassuringly. Both our eyes clash at the electricity buzzing between our skin. My eyes stayes glued to his soft ones. My phone vibrating in my jacket pocket snaps me out of my daze. I retrieve my hands awkwardly from his.
"I should take this." I pull my phone and turn away from him. It's my 12:00pm appointment. I can't believe this much time has passed. I assure her I'll be there in half and hour and hang up.
"I'll take you. The press might be outside." He gives me his hand. I hesitate but he pulls mine out of my lap and pull me up. I scowl at his boldness but he only smiles cheekily.
"You'll be late." He says as we both exit the room. He says a few words to two men at the door. Most likely for them to watch his sister. I nod my goodbyes to the men before following behind Daniel who doesn't let go of my hand the whole way to the elevators.

****

Francesca:

 I eye Gideon's side profile as he concentrates on the road ahead. The frown line on his forehead is a funny reminder of how things haven't really changed much about him. I can't believe he's a doctor at the hospital Francis and I just acquired. I study the insides of the beat up car he's driving and his clothes. He doesn't look like he's a doctor at such a prestigious hospital. I mean, I know how much they get every month and it's enough to get him better clothes and even buy him another car.
"It's hard to concentrate on the road when you keep looking at me, Frances." Gideon says without looking at me. I chuckle under my breath and shrug.
"You should be able to multitask. I thought you were a genius." I tell him. It's his turn to chuckle. He turns his eyes to me.
"You're right. I am a genius." He grins. I shake my head at him.
"I can't believe you're a doctor and you drive a shitty car." I say when he turns his attention back to the road.
"It gets me where I need to be. Not everyone gets to dry a Benz like your husband." I'm confused at the bitterness in his words so I try to back track.
"I don't mean to insult you or anything. I'm just saying considering where you work, you should be able to afford so much better." As if on cue, the car coughs out a misty fume of smoke from the exhaust and I cringe. Gideon doesn't say anymore after this. I grope awkwardly for something to say to lighten the mood but fail miserably. He should have just let me take a cab. I reach for the car's radio instead and turn it on. A little music should help. The thing sputters and a screeching sounds is all I get. I hold back my laughter but Gideon beat me to it. He bursts out into a fit of laughter.
"That one died two years ago." He says lightly.
"You're right. I should buy another car but I can't for now." He tells me. I don't question him further so as not to offend him again.
"Here. Let me play you something." He punches a few things on his phone with one of his hands and the soft tunes of Anne Marie's 2002 spills out of his phone's speaker.
"Nice music choice." I comment.
"Help yourself to my music list if you want." He tells me. I pick his phone excitedly. The picture of a woman's sleeping head greets me on his screen. It's the back of her head that's visibly from the angle the picture was taken.
"Who's this?" I show him his wallpaper and I feel him stiffen.
"Girlfriend huh? Never would have thought that you like women." I tease.
"Why would you say that?" He turns to me and I shrug.
"You were just so uptight back then I guess."
"I wasn't that bad." He chuckles and I shake my head.
"It's a five carbon sugar Frances. Are you dumb? You can't differentiate between an alkanol and a carboxylic acid?" I imitate his usual jibes at me from years ago.
"Okay, I was uptight." He laughs and I nod. I look up at the road and notice Ola's school up ahead. I'm reminded of my life and I sigh. What am I doing going through memory lane with another man who isn't my husband?
  Gideon's Pigeout parks in front of the brightly colored school gate and people stare. I'm sure no one has ever been to this school with such a car. Gideon doesn't fit in here at all. I don't know why I feel the need to remind myself.
"Why do they keep staring at me?" Gideon asks when he comes around to pull my door open for me.
"They've probably never seen such a car." I laugh at him.
"Of course." He doesn't seem offended as he rolls his eyes at me. I smile cheekily.

Read " Set me free " by the same author ( Ameh juliet )

. He shrugs nonchalantly and helps me out of the car. The stares we're getting makes me uncomfortable. Most of these people know Francis. I should not be getting out of another man's car no matter how innocent this all is.
"You should go now, Gideon. I can get a cab from here." I tell him once I'm out of the car. He looks around him at the staring eyes and nods.
"Goodbye Francesca. Don't forget to visit the hospital soon." He whispers to me. His eyes subtly goes to my still flat stomach and my hands flattens against it on impulse. A sad smile crosses his features before he turns around and enter his car without another word. I watch him reverse and zoom off back into the city. Why do I feel like running after him? I know I'm being stupid.

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