Palm lines 2 - Episode 23

 

Ade's POV
I couldn't believe my eyes, Felix on a suit and Tasha on a wedding dress. "According to my friend, they dated for years" "And they got married"
"It was a fake wedding at Las Vegas" 
"It's suspicious, how come he's now dating Sharon who happened to be a friend to his ex girlfriend. It doesn't add up"
"The same thing I thought" Shirley answered and I scoffed.
 "Apparently they claim to be best of friends now and please turn to the other page" she demanded and I did. 
It had Clinical records of her slitting her wrist and also being admitted into a psychiatry hospital . "Seriously?" 
"Yeah. I had my suspects the first day I spoke to her." 
"I'm not concerned about the Clinical records now. I'm so sure he's definitely cheating on Sharon. She possibly can't get married to him. She's sick but he's sicker!" I exclaimed.
"I knew there was something fishy about those two. We have to warn Sharon real fast"
"I thought tomorrow was that guys wedding"
"True" I slapped my face then I exhaled.
"Would you be my date?" I asked and she smiled. "Yes I will" she answered and i smiled. 
"Thanks for this" I appreciated raising the print outs and she nodded. 
"Things I do for love" 
***
I sighted Felix and Sharon at the party

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/palm-lines-2

. Sharon looked as beautiful as ever, Felix couldn't keep his hands off her waist. 
I wanted to talk to him, I needed time alone with him. Just when I finally saw him alone, I walked towards him. 
"Hey" he said to me and I quietly looked at him. 
"Can we talk alone?" I asked and he looked around.
"We're alone" he answered and I got his point.
"Away from where people can see us" "Dude I know you really like Sharon and now she's getting married and it might hurt like hell" 
"I'm not here to talk about that"
"I don't think I have anything to say to you man"
"How about your fake marriage in Las Vegas?" I asked and his eyes scattered around nervously. "Huh...." He held my arm, "You know what? You're right. Let's talk somwhere private" he suggested and we went outside the event center.
"How did you find out?" He asked and I scoffed. 
"A little help from a friend"
"It's not what it seems man, I know it looks really suspicious but everything is not as it seems" 
"Why are your dating your exes' friend?" 
"It's complicated okay, I met Sharon and I fell in love with her. Tasha and I, we're not together" he answered and I gazed at him in unbelief. 
"Is Sharon aware you both dated?"
"No. It wasn't important. We broke up years ago" 
"I also know you're still together" I lied and he hesitated, "It's.... It's complicated" he answered and there I had my answer then I punched him on the nose for cheating and he groaned in pain.
His hands didn't leave his nose, "Why are you having me followed?" "Because I care about Sharon and I lied, I only suspected you were having sex with Tasha but now I know who you truly are" 
"Please don't tell Sharon" he finally removed his hands from his nose revealing his nose bleed. He removed an handkerchief cleaning the blood.
"I swear to you, I'm no longer with Tasha. We ended things but Tasha is crazy, like really crazy for real and it's way serious this time around" 
"I really don't want to listen to you right now cause I'm pretty sure you'll only spit lies" "Can you listen to me for a minute?" he asked and I shook my head.
"No."
"I'm not the bad person here, fine I have some blames to take but my wedding plans to Sharon is as real as the love I feel for her" he suddenly started crying. 
"This is all Tasha's sick plan but I've got a plan of my own" he added and I laughed. 
"And I'm supposed to believe you"
"You don't know Tasha" 
"I don't need to know her, all I know is that you're not to be trusted and you have to let Sharon know or I'll personally tell her"
"Please don't"
"Give me one reason why I shouldn't"
"Cause I love her"
"If you loved Sharon even for a bit, even a tiniest bit you won't cheat on her" I snapped and he cried. "You don't understand Man," "The name is Ade" I Interrupted then he continued.
"It's complicated. It's the way she controls you, it's not my fault, I swear it's Tasha's" he answered and I tightened my fist in preparation to punch him again for pushing blames to Tasha when he could really be the one at fault then he moved back. 
"You have tomorrow to tell her the truth or I will" I threatened and I watched him bend down and cry like a little baby.
For a moment I almost believed him but it didn't make sense at all. How was Tasha controlling him?

Sharon's POV

"Are you still going to go through with the wedding?" Tuni asked and I gave a half smile. "I don't know, Felix's parents are one of the nicest people on Earth. To think that I'll break their hearts"
"But you've made a realization that you like Ade, heck you've been crying over him. It's not necessary trying to appear strong in everyone's eyes. You like him"
"And you like Ayo too"
"That's why I took a step of fasting and praying to get it sorted." "I can't fast and pray if i don't believe in it"
"You don't have to fast, I'm fasting for two. Don't worry my faith in God will make our relationship whole" she held my hands and I chuckled.
"How's the movie going?"
"It's great Sharon" she answered then Shirley walked close to me. 
"Can I speak to you Sharon" She requested, "Tuni, I hope you don't mind" she added and Tuni waved her hands,  "I'm tired already, I was about calling it a night. Bye Sharon, bye Shirley" she chipped in then left and my eyes remained glued on her till she was out of sight. 
There was a brief silence for a moment and then Shirley chuckled, "That was awkward" she muttered and I couldn't agree more. 
"Do you still love Ade?" She asked and i folded my hands quietly wondering why the would ask such a question. I didn't even know the right response to give. 
"Why do you ask?"
"I'm curious Sharon, do you still love Ade?" She asked and I gently nodded. 
"I do. I never stopped loving him" 
"And why did you stay away from him without calling him? I love Ade, do you know how I know? Because I can go all length to make him happy, to help him. Why would you?" She asked in tears, "It was my third year in college and I got so sick from being away from Ade, I got a form to drop out of school. I wanted to go to Lagos and just be near him. I was dying and then Tasha spoke to me and she had a therapist speak to me, it made me realize i was being obsessive and I believed it cause I was going crazy without him. I had to place my career as prior to everything and it helped then Felix came into the picture" 
"You could have answered his calls and messages. You could have said something to him"
"That I'm also guilty of and I've apologized for it a number of times. Apparently you're much more angry over it than Ade was" I answered and she scoffed. 
"What made you think so?" She cleaned some tears off her face.
"When you said It's nice to meet the girl who broke Ade's heart and that day at dinner" 
"Geez! Ade was right you're the kind to keep grudges" She answered and I laughed even in tears. "Are you going to call off the wedding?" She asked and I shrugged. 
"I don't know"
"If you call off the wedding, I'll back down so you can have your precious Ade for yourself but if you don't, I promise I'm not going to leave him. It might be difficult for him to get over you but i promise that I'll strive to make him forget and make him a happy man" she promised and I cried even more.
"Why is life so complicated?" I asked and she laughed. "Same question I've been asking myself ever since I met Ade" she answered and we both laughed. 
"I misjudged you. You're not a bad person" I concluded and she laughed again then she wiped off tears from her eyes, this time with an handkerchief.
***
I went in search of Felix and I finally found him drunk on the floor. I called Ade and he helped me carry him into my car and we drove off to his hotel room. 
Ade dropped him on the bed and we went back into the car afterwards. 
 "Thanks" I said to him, "Felix doesn't get drunk. I don't know what happened" I added and he forced a smile. 
"You don't seem okay, wanna share?"
"I'm keeping a lot of secrets that I can't let out because it's not in my place to tell it" he answered and I wondered what it was.
"Will it hurt anyone?"
"Yes it will, but it will also save someone from making a terrible mistake" "Why don't you tell the person for yourself?" She asked and I gibed. 
"I don't know how to" he answered and we sat still quietly. He didn't start the car we just stayed out in the car opposite the hotel.
"My step dad came home"  he spoke up again and I turned to him in shock.
 "Why?" 
"He wants to see me but I don't know why, he wants me to come to his office to discuss with him" 
"Why don't you go?"
"And pretend like there's nothing wrong, like all is well, like I'm not angry at him for sending me packing" 
"At least hear him out. I know he doesn't deserve it but what do you stand to lose if you do?" She asked and I got her point.
We suddenly fell into another moment of silence again, this time I broke it. "In my third year, I almost dropped out of school because I was going crazy without you by my side. I was literally crazy and it Tasha made me sit for therapy and I thought I was obsessed because I was made to understand that childhood relationships tends to get obsessive. I stayed back because I knew I would be a waste of dad's resources and I thought you would have moved on" I explained, "That was why I didn't come back." I turned towards him and he leaned against the chair.

David's POV

While I drove through an estate, I had an incoming call from Tasha so I picked it up. 
"I'm waiting" Tasha said and I rolled my eyes. 
"I'm close by already" I answered then I sighted her sitting on a car "And I can see you" I answered parking the car then I walked to her. 
"The taxi dropped me at this exact address" she smiled and I passed a key to her then I pointed at a building. 
"You're to take the lower floor" 
"Don't you wanna come in with me"
"I can but I won't"
"Why? Don't make me feel bad" she held my hands and I pulled back. 
"Stop it this instant. I've gotten you the house, just live peacefully till you finally leave Nigeria"
"I'm thinking of staying back" 
"Don't even think of it"
"Won't you miss me?"
"No!" I exclaimed. 
"I'll see you one of these nights" 
"No"
"That wasn't a request David. I'll like to see your wife, Erika's face when she finds out what kind of husband she has" she answered with every subtlety gone. 
"It was just a simple mistake"
"And why are you so scared to tell her if it's just a simple mistake as you called it?" She asked and I scoffed.

***
"Can you believe she threatened me again?" I asked and Feso scoffed. 
"What did you expect? She's going to keep threatening you David, you have to come out straight with Erika before that snake does" 
"But Lawrence"
"You should know more than listening to Lawrence. It's his style. You have your own style and you never hide a thing from Erika"
"I'm scared she'll take it hard on me"
"She'll take it hard on you, no doubt but you know what? Screw it! Who cares if she does, the Erika I know will appreciate the effort of even telling her. I'm even at risk of anger for knowing this secret" 
"Mehn I'm scared" I exhaled.
 "I shouldn't bother you with this on your wedding week" 
"Anything for a brother and my best man"
I sighed, "This matter ehn!"
"Thank God I haven't experienced this" he answered  and I chuckled.
"Experiences like this are for the handsome men"
 "Dude, I'm a lot more handsome than you. I had a chance of taking Erika from you. Do you really want to go down memory lane?" He snapped and I laughed the more.
"But prison food has ruined the shape" I added and he threw a pen at me then he laughed.
"You're an idiot. Don't you think it's time you start acting mature?"
"Where's the fun in that?"
***

On Thursday evening, I had several calls from Tasha just before I drove home. Then I drove angrily over to the new place I got for her.
I knocked and she opened up biting her lower, she had a silky robe on.
"Hey baby" she muttered and I walked in angrily. 
"Okay, what's it with the attitude?"
"I can't believe you just asked that"
"Okay I think you're stressed out, let me relief you a bit" she placed her hands on my shoulder and I brushed it off. 
"Okay I know something that would make you feel good?" She opened her robe revealing the red matching lace bra and panties she wore.
"I know you want all of this" she grabbed her breast and I scoffed. "I can't believe I was stupid not to notice this from the start" I blamed myself.
"When you came into the house, I thought you were sweet, I thought you were easy-going and fun. You had something I haven't seen in Erika in a while but I was just obviously lustful cause you have nothing compared to Erika
"You're just fake, you're a completely fake. I'm pretty sure all those character from the start were just an act" "I never pretended from the start, I never pretended with you David, not once. I like you, I really do like" she placed her hands on my cheeks and I pushed it off.
"I know you like me too. I can see it in your eyes, I mean the kiss" 
"It meant nothing. It was just a mistake, the worst mistake of my life. Something I might get to regret for the rest of my life. I don't like you Tasha, I never did. I love Erika and I'll forever love her"
"All men are the same" she held my hands, "Not all men" "She's not more beautiful than I am... She's...
"Erika is a lot more beautiful than you are. You can't even begin to compare."
"I'll like to see how strong your marriage will get when she finds out you're having an affair" 
"Don't threaten me Tasha! I'm bad with threats, you want to tell her, fine! Tell her, but we've been through the worst situation and every worst situation makes us grow stronger so you can feel free to tell her. Go ahead! I'd rather face that than have s*x with... With you" I gazed at her repulsively then I walked out of the house. 
"David!" She called out following me and Ignored her. 
"Mr Savage!" I heard a woman call out my name and I turned towards her. She was with the tenant who lives at the upper floor. 
I turned towards her and I noticed it was one Mummy Wemmy who once lived in our estate.
She turned towards Tasha whose robe were tied thanks to God! "Mummy Wemmy right?" I asked and she smiled. "What are you doing here"
"I just came to visit my friend oh"
"Ehen? So you don't live in the estate again right?"
"No. We packed years ago" 
"And Wemmy nko?"
"She's in University of Illinois oh, just like Sharon travelled abroad too" she answered. "How's Sharon?" 
"She's back"
"I heard" she answered and I almost rolled my eyes.

Read " Palm lines " by the same author ( Essien Eno )

. Gossip association of Lagos State, why won't you know? I asked within.
"I was leaving" 
"Ehen" she looked at Tasha once again. 
"Good night to you" I chipped in then I scurried away. I began to get worried, what if Mummy Wemmy opens up her big mouth and starts spreading fake news?
I went back home and my kids rushed towards me filling me with love and Sera threw questions at me as usual.
"Where's your mom?" I asked and Sharon walked towards me smiling. 
"She said she'll be sleeping over at Aunt Ify's house. She just left, she left you missed calls"
"I didn't even notice" I brought out my phone and I finally saw the missed call. 
 "Dinner has been served" she yelled and i laughed. 
"Are you sure it's not tomatoes soup?" I asked and she laughed. "I warmed yesterday's soup" she answered and I sighed. 
"God bless your mom!"
"Dad I can cook very well! I cooked for you before you married Cynthia"
"Who's Cynthia?" Sera asked and I shut my eyes. Big mistake! 
"She's no one in particular" Sharon answered pointing at Sera's cheeks. 
"Is that mosquito bites on your cheek?" She asked and Sera touched it. "Where?" She asked. 
"Dad would help you out" she ran off and I bent down touching her cheeks. Nice distraction! 
The wedding went well, all families were well represented. The turn out was amazing, even though it was on a Friday! 
Part of me feared that Tasha had revealed it all to Erika but with the way she was happy all through the day, I had second thoughts; maybe she couldn't tell her.
"Did Tasha call you?" I asked after we got home and she shrugged removing the long earrings she wore. 
"No. Why will she call me" 
"I don't know, I just thought she must have"
"No. She didn't" she answered and I sighed within at the same time, I also found it suspicious she didn't call. I wondered what game she might need playing at.