Palm lines - Episode 14

 

I'm sorry about the late post. I've been dealing with vigil hang over since on Friday.. LoL

David's POV
After the emotional rollercoaster I went through. At night time, I went back into the room. Cynthia was already putting her clothes in her bag. 
"What are you doing?" I asked and she scoffed.
"We're going home" she announced and I flouted. "That sentence is wrong in different ways that I can't begin to place them" 
"What else do we have to wait for ? we came for the burial, it's over"
"I'm the first son Cynthia, you know these stuff don't only end with the burial"
"I feel like no one likes me here"
"Because you're making it difficult for them to" "How am I making it difficult?" She asked and I just had to shut my mouth, I didn't want her getting more angry that that she was. 
"Have you visited your family?" I asked, maybe she can do that so we could stay longer and she rolled her eyes . "Of course I have! Mom wants babies and I can't give her babies so it's out of my control"
"You say that all the time Cynthia, it's out of your control, how is it out of your control?" I asked and she rolled her eyes.
"We've been trying for two years, and nothing has happened. This has to be a conspiracy from God" she locked her bag. 
"Or conspiracy from my enemies, example Thelma" she added and I rolled my eyes. 
"Thelma would never..."
"Then who would then?" She cried and I held her waist

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

. "We're going to keep trying" 
"Till when? Your stupid village people replaces me with another, your father that chose me is dead. Or will you guys now replace me with Sharon's teacher?" She asked and I scoffed at her.
I wondered why the thought crossed her mind.
"Why would you even say that?" She asked, "I'm a woman, I know when I feel threatened. I saw the way you talked to her yesterday" she moved closer to me and I wondered when?
"When?"
"At the burial, under the canopy" she answered and I scoffed.
"We were just talking"
"And laughing too, you forgot to add that. What could you possibly talk with a teacher that isn't even your daughter's teacher?"
"That's ridiculous, there are range of topics to talk on"
"Why don't we talk on it?"
Because the only thing you ever do is complain about Sharon. That has been the only thing we've talked on since we got married, I thought within.
I exhaled loudly.
"So you're jealous"
"No I'm not" she answered moving her lips close to mine, "You know why? Cause she does not close close to being as hot as I am" she scoffed. 
"She's not worthy of being called a threat" she kissed me and I kissed her back."No one can rock your world the way I do" she hopped on me and I held her firmly. 
"Give me some sugar baby" she demanded and we had s*x as usual but her m*an was louder than it usually is. 
Even when I begged her to reduce it, they didn't.
I had to stop halfway. "Are you kidding me right now?" Cynthia asked, "We haven't even started"
"I just ended it, good night" 
"I'll keep it down" she promised and I scoffed.
"You had your chance and you blew it. Good night dear" 

Erika's POV
I took a long shower then I wore a white short gown I used in sleeping the previous night, since I didn't bring much clothes from Lagos.. When I walked into the room, I saw Dorcas look at me, I wasn't sure what to make of it.
"When are you going under the knife?" She asked and I shrugged. 
"My appointment was scheduled for this week but I moved it" I sighed. "I'm scared. The doctor said there won't be any complication but my conscience. I might never forgive myself"
"But you want to do it because of Feso" 
"Yes... I want to be happy and I don't see the possibility with the baby" "Have you thought it through?" She asked and I nodded. 
Just when I was about to close my eyes, I heard loud m*aning. "Is that what I think it is?" I asked Dorcas and she nodded.
Thelma walked in, "Can someone tell that sl*t called Cynthia to please keep it down?" She asked and Dorcas.
"I don't know what she's trying to prove. We also have s*x too but we keep it down, why does she have to publicize hers?" She asked.
"Let her at least tone it down nah" I added feeling really uncomfortable. "There are kids here"
"My baby Is sleeping and if I go into that room, I swear to God I'll break Cynthia's head" 
Suddenly there was no sound any longer. "She better thank her stars or else I would have started a war this night. Good night beautiful ladies" she blew kisses at us then walked away.
"Why does she hate Cynthia?" I asked and Dorcas raised her brow at me. "Haven't you met her? Remember how I always talk about my uncle's wife"
"Now I remember" I folded my legs and she mounted on the bed. "Well Erika, I can't really explain why, Uncle David will be a better position to tell you" 
"I obviously can't ask him" I scoffed, "Why?"
"Have you met your uncle? The man is obviously a clown" I explained and she laughed. 
"Uncle David is the coolest uncle on Earth, he's amazing. The things he does"
"He's a bad parent"
"Don't judge a book by his cover, it's not Uncle David's fault Sharon decided to hate him. Sharon started this war, since he couldn't bear the neglect from Sharon after his marriage, coupled with the death of his wife which; for your information, still hurts him till date. Uncle David had no choice but to dabble in his work"
"How do you know these things?"
"We talk, when you hear him out, you'll understand better. I do, that's why I don't hate or judge him for anything he does. Uncle David is the most truthful person I've ever met"
"Still, he neglected his daughter"
"He's trying to gain her love back"
There was a knock on the door and Sharon walked in.  "Hello cousin" Dorcas waved and I smiled at her. 
"Shouldn't you be sleeping?" I asked, "I couldn't sleep," she answered. I was curious if she heard the moaning from her Dad's room.
"Did you hear any strange sound?" I asked and she chuckled. 
"You mean the sound of Cynthia having s*x with Dad?" She asked and I gazed open-mouthed. "She does that when she's trying to piss someone off. I wonder who she was trying to piss off" she added and Dorcas chuckled.
"Can I sleep over?" She asked and I invited her to join us on the bed.
"Sure, why not?" I answered and she hopped on the bed. 

The next morning, after I had taken my bath, I came out with a towel wrapped around my waist.  There was a knock on the door, I opened and Dorcas walked in. 
"Uncle David is about to take his bath, he asked us to hurry up" Dorcas announced  and I cleaned my face with the towel, the towel was still wrapped around my chest though.
"Dorcas I don't have anything to put on oh" I complained and she opened her drawer, pick any one you one. The issue you might encounter is the bust, it's as if your bust is a lot more bigger now" she answered and I looked through the lines of clothes hung there.
Sharon walked in wearing a three quarter short and a white top. "Dad is ready" she announced and Dorcas scoffed. 
"You dad just entered into the bathroom"
"Dad only uses two minutes to bath. I've never seen him take long" "That's ridiculous" 
Mr. Savage walked into the room, he had a white polo and a brown short on" "Seriously?" I gasped then he looked at me. 
"Where are your manners Sir?" I asked and he laughed. 
"I thought you guys must have been through"
"Close the door!" Sharon yelled, "Yeah.. sure" he gave a thumbs up then closed the door.
Sharon laughed, "Dad is clueless!" She added and I shut my eyes laughing, "Does your uncle womanize?" I asked and Dorcas shook her head. 
"Never! I can swear on my life" she answered and I lowered my gaze at her in unbelief. "Uncle David is all but a womanizer, you can ask the daughter" 
"Don't ask me, I'm just getting to know him" Sharon raised her hands up and I laughed.
I picked a gown from the hanger.
"This should size me" I said out loud. 

We went out the compound where David leaned on the car with Lawrence. Mr Savage wanted to prey on us for taking so long but I did well to put him in his place. 
I felt satisfied.
 "Someone looks pretty" Lawrence commented and I smiled at him. "Thanks"
Mr. Savage stared at me intently, he didn't say a word. 
"No comment for me?" Dorcas asked and Lawrence hissed. "Abeg commot for road my I see well" he snapped and Dorcas pinched him.
"Isn't that Dorcas' clothes?" Mr. Savage asked and I scoffed. "Would it kill you to just shut up or derive Joy from embarrassing people?" I asked and he cringed in thought. 
"I know you're thoughtless, can't you at least be diplomatic" I asked entering into the car and then I saw Sharon walk up to him, she said something inaudible. 

David's POV
I woke up having a family picnic in mind; so I entered into the kitchen very early to cook. There was flour and baking ingredients so I decided to fry puff-puff as snacks and then cook a little rice. 
Mom walked in on me sieving the parboiled rice. "I haven't see you cook since Juliet" she said in our language and I glanced over at her.
"Good morning Mama"
"Good morning dear" she answered. "I'm taking Sharon and her teacher out for picnic today"
"Isn't she Dorcas' friend?" She asked and I paused thinking of a way to explain it to her. 
"It's complicated"
"Who is she to you?" She asked and I laughed knowing very well what she meant. "She's my daughter's mentor"
"To you"
"Mama" I whined, "You know I can't talk and cook" 
"What are you cooking?" She asked, "Fried rice, I noticed there were some carrots and I fried Puff-puff"
"Did you leave it to rise?" She asked and I kept quiet, I knew what was coming soon, mom gave me a loud hit on the head. 
"Ouch, you always have a way of humbling me mom" I answered and she laughed. "Where did you meet her?" She asked not ready to let go of the topic.
"It's complicated" I answered. 
"Better start talking" she demanded and I rolled my eyes.
****
After taking a quick bathe, I wore a white polo on a khaki brown shorts. I heard Sharon's voice from the other room so I went ahead opened the door to see her. 
I know I should have knocked but it skipped my mind.
Erika was standing close to Dorcas' wardrobe clad in a towel wrapped around her chest.
 "Seriously?" She gasped. Automatically, I was supposed to apologized and close the door but I didn't.
Suddenly I remembered what Cynthia said about her no being a threat, she was wrong. 
"Where are your manners Sir?" She asked, this brought me out of my thought then i laughed. 
"I thought you guys must have been through" I answered. 
"Close the door!" Sharon yelled and it dawned on me what my initial reaction should have been.
 "Yeah.. sure" I gave a thumbs up then i closed the door.

While I stood outside the compound waiting for the ladies to come out, Lawrence walked towards me.
"I heard you're going out, count me in" he demanded, he didn't even need my permission. "Sure.. but why?"
"Mom said I'm supposed to meet someone today. Sounds like an arranged marriage so I'm taking off" 
"Just meet her, she might not be bad"
"Yes, like Cynthia" he leaned on the car and I laughed.
"Cynthia wasn't bad at first" "Whatever David, this my escape, when I want to get married, I'll do it willing not through some fucking arranged marriage." He answered and I laughed again.
Shortly after, the ladies came down all dressed up with no make up. "So you guys took so much time to look the same way. I thought they were making up" I nudged at Lawrence.
"Women, you can never understand them"
"Seriously? Well unlike you, we don't spend two minutes in the bathroom" Miss Erika answered and i turned over to Dorcas. "I didn't say anything" she raised her hands to prove her innocence and Sharon looked away.
"I hope you took longer brushing your teeth than you did bathing" she added and Lawrence laughed.
"Damn, she just salvaged you" he said and I chuckled. I noticed a smirk on her face.
 "Someone looks pretty" Lawrence commented and she smiled at him. "Thanks" she replied almost pageantry.
I stared deeply at her,  the gown she wore looked so familiar. I felt like I've seen someone wear it before.
I didn't even know what was happening around me, I was still racking my brains to remember where I've seen the gown. 
Then it hit me like a bomb!
"Isn't that Dorcas' clothes?" I asked and she scoffed. "Would it kill you to just shut up or you derive joy from embarrassing people?" She asked and I raised my brow, I was slightly confused.
"You just embarrassed me too and now you're playing victim"
"I know you're thoughtless, can't you at least be diplomatic" she asked , "Like you were diplomatic" i retorted and she entered into the car angrily and then Sharon walk up to me, "Not cool dad, not cool"
"I was going to tell her the gown looks nicer on her than on Dorcas"
"You can let her know later" she answered entering into the car. 
Soon everyone entered and i drove off to Ikoyogen hills. It holds a very historic and significant symbol for me.
It was my first family picnic with Sharon.
The look on Miss Erika's face when he gazed upon the mountains was priceless! "Wow this looks beautiful" "I Know" I answered and I saw her look at me, she was definitely giving me cold shoulders.
Dorcas was already taking selfies with Sharon. We found a place, I spread a cloth mat and they all sat down then with the help of Lawrence, I brought out two food flask, plates and drinks from the car. 
"She's really angry" Lawrence noted, "I know, maybe she's on her period" i answered and he laughed.
"Did I say anything bad earlier on?"
"I didn't even know that cloth belonged to Dorcas, you embarrass her" 
"So her first remark at me, doesn't it count as embarrassing"
"She's a woman, they always need apologies" he advised then i dropped the food flask on the mat.
Afterwards, Erika stood up taking pictures of the mountain view. I walked up to her plunging my hands in my pocket. "It's a beautiful view" I commented and she nodded. 
"It's amazing"
"I'm sorry if I offended you" I apologized and she turned to me with a half smile. "I was going to comment on your dress"
"Does it really matter, you're someone else's husband and clearly not my boyfriend"
"I was going to say the cloth looks nicer on you than it did on Dorcas" I confessed and she chuckled. "Are you trying to make me feel better?" She asked and I shook my head. 
"I'm being truthful" I answered and she smiled. 
"Thanks" she answered, Now that's what a real smile looks like" i chipped in and she let's out a loud sigh.
 "It's peaceful out here"
"Yes it is" 
"Why did you choose this place?" "Well, this place has a very symbolic significance to me" 
"As what?" She asked and I nodded.

Erika's POV
"This was where I conquered my late wife as a youth Corp member" he answered with a wide smile. "She was proving hard to get at first" he laughed. "Mehn i was a bad boy then" 
"how old were you?" i asked, "28"
"i can't believe you just called yourself a boy" i retorted then i watched him go speechless. I wanted to laugh but i managed to keep a straight face.
"weren't you too old to be serving? What happened? Jamb dealt with you thrice or was it four times"
"Unfortunately. Unlike you whom jamb dealt with thrice or was it  four times?" he asked and i laughed.
"talking from experience shea?" I added and she scoffed.
"Oh shut it! I only wrote jamb once and started serving at 25. Some of us didn't have to wait till we started growing grey hairs" i folded my hands and he chuckled.
"I studied computer engineering, then i went into estate management" he answered and i gaze in shock.
"Wow" i said unconsciously and he sniggered.
"Did i mention that i have a phd degree too?" he asked and i scoffed. "Now you're just gloating" i replied coldly and he laughed. "i'm serious, you should call me Dr. Savage, you reduce my rank by calling me Mister" "How about Papa Sharon?" i asked and he laughed.
"All these small small Bsc. Students and their insults sha" he answered and i tapped him on his arm.
"Papa sharon has a nice ring to it" i smirked and he scoffed. "That'll make me look old" "Mister Man, you're not 28 again, wake up and smell the fifties" i snapped intentionally leaving him speechless.
Of course I knew he wasn't up to fifty, i just wanted to pull his legs.
"I'm pretty sure i don't look fifty, i'm 43 and still gorgeous" he moved close to me and i laughed. "Who's deceiving you?" i asked and he smiled.
"My late wife and my current wife, i still have my bad boy in me"
"What made you think you captured your late wife's heart here?" i cleared my throat. "this was where i kissed her in front of everyone who came to see the hil, I mean the touristsl"
"And she didn't slap you" "She didn't, she kissed me back" he bit his lips. "Juliet that would have originally slapped me, kissed me back. Then she slapped me" he laughed, "And that was where it all started, our beautiful and tragic love story" he sighed.
"I'm sorry" I apologized and he waved his hands he didn't care.
Suddenly, It looked as though tears were going to rain down, "Are you about to cry?" i asked and he scoff. "The wind ... I think there's sand in my eyes"
"Even the sand has no respect for your phd degree" i chipped and he laugh.

Read " Hotel Palava " by the same author ( Essien Eno )

. "I proposed to Juliet on that hill, aren't i the most romantic fellow you've ever met?"
I scoffed, "look at her face, she can't even deny it"
"Have you told sharon?" i asked and he shook his head. "it's a sweet story" i commented and he smiled bashfully. "What did you say?" he asked, he wanted to hear me say it again
"Sharon, your father has a lovely story to tell you about your mom" i announced and we both went over to join them on the mat.
"Did you know your dad first kissed your mom in this hill and he also proposed to her here?" Lawrence asked and i saw mr. Savage roll his eyes. "Now i have nothing to say, let's eat"

I opened the food flask and the aroma of fried rice filled the air.
"this smells nice, who made it" I asked, "Chef David in the house" Mr savage pointed at himself.
"Don't ever say that daddy, it's embarassing" Sharon complained and i started serving the meal.
"Not bad" i commented, his cooking skills were not bad at all and he smiled like a baby. "Thanks" he replied.
The day ended well, I had fun. At least I forgot about my pregnancy for a while; well not until the doctor called me. 
"Have you finally decided on when you want the abortion done?" He asked and I sighed. I honestly didn't know.
"I'll get back to you"
"You're postponing it, you already made down payment already. Do you want this or not?" He asked and I gave it a thought. 
"Miss Erika" he called out and I heard the thunder strike. It suddenly started raining, "Miss Erika!" He called out again and I jerked out of my thought.
"Do you want this?" He asked again and i nodded.
"Yes. I still want it"

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