Fulfilling Wishes - Episode 10

 

“Maggie is gone isn’t she?”

“Yes she is dad.” Andy replied, sitting beside his father on the bed.

“She has grown into a fine woman.”

“Yes she has.”

“You still hate her?”

“Well, she has convinced me that she has changed and that all the childhood stuff are past behind her.”

“So you believe her?”

“I do.”

As they were talking, the doctor with Ruthie came in.

“Mr. Andy, please can I see you for a second?”

“IS it about my father?” Andy asked.

“Yes please.”

With this, he stood up . “I will see you soon father.” He said to his father before following the doctor out of the room.

Ruthie shut the door behind them and went to stand beside Mr Michael.

The man looked at her and smiled. “Ruthie my right hand woman.” She chuckled at this compliment before proceeding to sit beside him.

“I have no idea what I would do without you.” He said, reaching for her hand and holding it close to his heart.

Ruthie was old, they were both old and all these years of staying together, there was no way that they hadn’t felt anything for each other, even though they had both acted like there was nothing, they always had their moments.  But being here alone, together with a chance back to life, Michael believed that he needed to make things right.

“Well, that was a compliment that would last me through the lifetime.” She remarked with a laughter while trying to clean the tears that were about to drop. “I thought you were going to die

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. I was so scared. It reminded me of Pablo.” She continued with her voice breaking, “I don’t want you to die Michael. What will happen to Andy?”

He smiled, still holding her hand. “Andy? Are you only worried about Andy?” He asked with a knowing look.

“Well, what would happen to me too. I would have been so devastated.”

For a while there was a silence. They just sat there starring and smiling at each other.

“You have been part of the bad, the good and the ugly of my life. Because of you, my son has turned out to be such a successful young man and I don’t even know how to thank you, yet here you are beside me, after all these years. You are heaven sent Ruthie.”

Ruthie smiled and replied, “you should know by now that I have seen you and Andy as part of my family, so you don’t need to thank me for anything at all.  Although, there is something that I would really love to talk to you about.” She said, changing the topic.

Michael raised a brow. “Really? What is it? Is it about Andy?”

Ruthie nodded. “Mostly about him and about you too.”

“Okay, I guess my being alive does have a purpose, what is it?”

“Well, Ruthie started, “as you know that Andy is not growing any younger and a time will come when he might desire to settle down....”

“Hello dad.” Andy interrupted as he came in. Then he realized that with their disposition, he must have interrupted something. His eyes lingered at where Ruthie’s hand had been when he had entered, it was right on his father’s chest and now, it was on her lap, in a flash.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, did I affect anything?”

“It’s nothing.” Ruthie quickly said before standing up, “so what did the doctor say?”

“Well, he told me the list of things that he needs to be eating and the quantity, then he said we can take you back home tomorrow, isn’t that great? He also said that you need to take a break from work for at least two months until you are fully okay.”

“Well, as long as I am still alive, work can wait, right?”

The other two nodded.

“So, Ruthie, you were saying something...”

“It can wait.” Ruthie said quickly before excusing herself out of the room. As she shut the door behind her, she couldn’t help but turn around and look at the two men she had just left.

Andy was holding his father’s hand, the excitement was on his face, Ruthie wondered what would have happened if Michael had actually died. Andy would have been devastated and he would still keep carrying on that wrong notion about every woman out there and this could affect him and his happiness. How would he have a happy family when all he had in mind was to fulfill his father’s wish without a clue of what he actually wanted.

She had been the closest woman in both their lives, she knew their deepest darkest secrets and weaknesses, she knew everything that happened with Andy’s mother and she was their when Michael had been devastated, she was there when he had no money left on him and he had to start picking the pieces of his life again, until the woman was later found dead. Now, she needed a way to make them realize that not all women were like that and for true happiness, sometimes, they just have to take a leap of faith. Love is powerful indeed, trusting someone is like giving the other the ability to destroy you with anything and in anyway but, sometimes, it was worth it.

She used to be married, to Pablo and they loved each other until his death, when he had died in a terrible accident which was few months after their wedding. They were both in the car and he had died trying to save him, the baby in her womb couldn’t make it, the accident affected her womb, she could never have any child again.  Since then , she had devoted her life to her work taking care of these two men. Andy was like a son to her, because she had started working for them right from when he was a baby, the following year after she had lost her own child. She loved Pablo so much that she promised not to marry any other, instead, she had spent her days taking care of these two and somehow, they had become part of her, they were her family and that home was her home as well.  Now that things were going wrong, she felt that she needed to do something.

Whatever Michael was holding on to with his first wife would always come in between them, she had spent all these years taking care of him, and she knew him better than anyone. She knew that he had feelings for her but whatever he had in mind about woman would always interfere, she was getting old and getting tired of it. If Michael would chose to live his life wastefully without being happy, she wasn’t going to let Andy experience that.

**

“So have you finally decided what designers you will be going for pertaining your shoe?”

Reeva looked up at Skybae. “Not yet.” She sulked.

It was a Sunday morning and the three were at a restaurant. Reeva was still sad about the whole thing with Andy especially since she has been calling him that morning and he wasn’t picking. Something was wrong and she wasn’t happy about it.

“Are you still unhappy about the whole thing with Andy?” Skybae asked.

“Of course I am, shouldn’t I be?”

“Why don’t you drop a message for him, explain to him that you were sorry and that you had no idea since he didn’t tell you.” Skybae explained.

“If I were you, that yesterday, I would have booked the next flight to Abuja.” Skybae said, sipping from her cup of coffee.

“But I don’t even know the hospital, besides, what if he doesn’t pick my call, I would be left stranded in the middle of nowhere.” Reeva replied. “ I will drop a message for him.” She took out her phone and dialed his number, it rang for a while before going to voicemail, there was a beep sound after which she spoke.”Hi baby, I am sorry about yesterday but you shouldn’t have lashed out at me like that. I had no idea that your father was sick, besides, why didn’t you even tell me? Call me when you get this. I miss you and....” She stopped. “I mean, I hope your father gets better.” Then she ended the call with a scoff.

“What was that?” Skybae asked, chuckling to herself. “You are terrible at apologies.”

“I know, right? I couldn’t even say anything without making a mistake. Anyway, thank God that I have done that, what remains is for me to wait for his call.”

“Yea. Can we go through things we have listed once again?” Skybae asked and Skybae brought out a list of things they needed to do and buy.

“Before buying anything, it says here that you need to book an appointment with a wedding planner.” Skybae read from the list.

“Have you decided on which of the planners you will go for?” Skybae asked.

“Well, my mother recommended two people and their numbers are on my phone, so , maybe I should go ahead and give them a call.”

“Good idea.” Skybae replied and signaled to a waiter.

Reeva was going through her phone while the waiter refilled Skybae’s coffee.

“Reeva?”

The girls turned around to see who had called and were surprised as they saw Tony.

“What is he doing here?” Skybae asked Skybae loudly enough for Tony to  hear, he was now advancing towards them.

Reeva was as well surprised, she definitely wasn’t expecting to see him ever again.

“Hi Tony.” She replied, ignoring the hostile glare that her friends were sending to her.

Tony came closer and the ladies turned to face Reeva.

“You are definitely not going to invite him to our table will you?” Skybae asked.

“Definitely not.” She replied and stood up. “Let me talk to him and see what he wants.”

Reeva walked towards Tony and stood akimbo right in front of him.

“So, what’s up?”

Tony smiled. “I deserve that. I just came in for a drink, never knew you would be here.”

“Well, I can go anywhere I please right?”

He smiled. “Right. The last time we saw I wanted to tell you how much sorry I am for everything that happened between us.”

“Okay, you mean when you cheated on her and later dumped her?” Skybae shouted from their table and everyone was staring at him.

‘Well, urm...” He continued, quietly to Reeva. “About that most especially. I was young and stupid and I am really sorry for everything. Please, can you forgive me?”

Reeva sighed. ‘Well, whatever you did to me only helped me work on myself better. SO I should thank you instead.

Read " Bleeding Petals " by the same author ( Tobi Loba )

. Consider yourself forgiven.”

“Thank you.”

“What are you doing here?”

“I came to see a client actually. He agreed to meet here at  this diner, that is why I am here.”

“Well, I am here with my girls to....”

“To plan her wedding!” Skybae shouted again.

“Well, she just told you.” Reeva concluded with a smile, Skybae could be so dramatic.

“Wow! Congratulations. I am happy for you.” Tony said.

“Keep it! We don’t need it!” Skybae shouted again and Reeva couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Your friends hate me.” Tony said to Reeva.

“Sure, they do and you know that they have reasons to, they are my friends and they are looking out for me.”

“I understand. So when is the wedding?”

Reeva looked surprised.  “You want to come?”

He shrugged with a smile. “Why not? I can come if I am invited.”

“Well, I will have to think about that if you don’t mind, I will get back to you on that.”

“He is not welcome!” Skybae shouted again.

“I will excuse myself before your friend goes for the gun.” He said and hesitated. “I should say this, it has been on my mind for a while, actually since the last time we saw.”Please, tell me you didn’t study law because of what I did to you.”

Reeva smiled. “Well, you know me, you know what I can do irrationally, it was a decision I took because of you and I don’t regret it because it turned me into the person I am now. I am successful, I have a great man and I am happy.“

Tony nodded and smiled. “Well, I am glad I have such an impact , but I am really proud of you. Have a great day.”

“You too!” Skybae shouted before Reeva could reply, she chuckled and walked back to her seat.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      &