Ruth Vicissitudes - Episode 5

 

The harsh rays took no pity on anyone that it touched, razing his or her skin like a hot burning coal. No one was seen without holding an umbrella to shield him or her from the effects. The scarcity of taxis made it bad for those waiting and far more worse for pregnant women who couldn’t bear it anymore. It was of no surprise as it had been predicted that the ozone layer depletion was getting worse as more burning occurred from industries and machines . One taxi finally came after about an hour of waiting , before it could get to a stop, the passengers and some pregnant women fought for a space inside, not minding they were having another being inside of them. It gets filled and the rest that didn’t get through result to prayers, hoping another would come soon.
Dolapo’s table was not as full as the last time. He looked to have handled most of the impending documents the previous day as he closed around 11 pm. For that reason, many of his staff never expected him to be around that day, a quality they all loved about him. They liked him to other CEOs and MDs of other companies who decides to be available anytime they wanted, scream at you when you falter instead of a simple correction. Dolapo decided to take a break and see Ruth to make up for the last time they didn’t meet as he was a whole less busy

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. He told his secretary Joana to clear his schedule and revert anyone who wants to see him to see his assistant.
“But sir, what about the meeting that is coming up by 3 pm?”, the slim blonde lady asked as he was leaving the office.
“Tell them I won’t be present due to an emergency” he said and left. He tried calling Ruth again immediately he left but her number continued disconnecting each time he tried. He had tried about four times prior to his coming but it never went through. This was the first he tried calling this so many times and he didn’t get a response. Couldn’t it be that something tragic had happened, he thought while he sat in his Jaguar. He discarded the pessimism and thought that she might have another home emergency. He remembered her telling him about visiting her parents the other day. Another thought enveloped him again, he concluded that he would visit her school to find out where she was.
The loud music been played inside was alarming and as Dolapo knocked, it seemed he wasn’t even knocking even as he knocked harder. He pushed himself against the door and he noticed the sound minimized and the unlocking of the door.
“Hi Tonkey”, greeted Dolapo.
“Hi Dolapo. Wasn’t expecting you to come. Please come in”
“No, I won’t take much of your time. I will prefer to stand here”
“Okay, if you say so”
“I want to know if anything is wrong with Ruth. I mean is she sick or something? Because I have been calling her all day”
“I thought she was with you. She came back from lectures few hours ago and left”
“No, I haven’t seen her all day. Am just coming from the office”
“She said she was going to…” she paused as if trying to recollect.
“Was going to do what?”
“She said she was going to see a friend in the hospital. Ya, that’s what she told me”
“Are you sure that’s what she told you?”
“Am certain. Don’t you trust me her friend?”
“Am sorry for asking you that way. I have been worried throughout today”
“Ruth is a kind person. She will be back”
“Okay, please can you buzz me when she comes back or tell her to call me”
“Oh yes sure. I will”
“Okay, thanks. How is your other friend Maureen”
“On a visit to her boyfriends. Glad to know you can differentiate us now”
“Oh yes.  Its Friday, everybody is just out on a visit. So you are the only one left? Nowhere to visit”
“Yes. That accounted for the loud music”
“I would have kept you company but I have a lot of things to do. Extend my greetings to Maureen”, he chuckled and took a French leave, shutting the door behind her. Tonkey resumed her loud music. Dolapo was sure at least she was safe, his fast heart beat returned to normalcy.
Ericks and Ruth went separate ways when they got to the gate of the campus. It was another thrilling day for her, a day that would be an indelible one to them both. With Ericks in her life for the past few days, she had become a leaf revitalized. It was obvious she was becoming to like Ericks much more than she thought. Every bit of moment she had with him was fascinating. She reached her room and greeted her Tonkey who was still at her aunts as she shut the door but received no response from Tonkey who seemed engrossed in what they were doing. Unusual of her, she took a quick glance at her and sensed something was amiss.
“Girl, what’s up with you? Why the long face”
“Ruru, when did this start?” asked Tonkey.
“When did what start?”
“Don’t reply my question with another question. You know what am talking about. You have been lying recently to us”
“No, I haven’t. I told you where I went to. Didn’t I?”
“Don’t tell me that crap. Do you think I will believe you cheaply again? You selling the idea to me that you are on a visit to some friends in the hospital”
“Common girl, what’s this query? You aren’t a detective to question where or who I spend my time with. I know you care about my welfare but you are going over the top really. You are not my mother”
“Your fiancé dropped by today in the afternoon”
”What ? what did you tell him?”
“What do you expect me to tell him? I sold him the fabricated lie you sold me”
“Thank goodness. Thank you girl”
“Don’t thank me. I had to do what I had to, to protect your damn self. You have been lying to me, haven’t you?” Ruth became quiet for a minute while she sat slowly, almost as if she wanted to repent from a sin.
“Am sorry for talking impudently to you”, she apologized.
“I understand it wasn’t intentional. What’s happening girlfriend? Are you seeing another guy?” Ruth didn’t know what to say to her. Exposing her clandestine relationship with Ericks could be dangerous to him especially if everyone finds out. She wouldn’t want Dolapo to find out why she has been avoiding him lately.
“I don’t really know Tonkey”
“What do you mean you don’t know? You must know what is happening to yourself”
“Am seeing someone. You are right about it but am really confused”
“You are seeing Ericks right?”
“How did you know?”
“Am Tonkey. I know everything happening around here plus I see the way you too see each other affectionately”. Ruth took a deep breadth, there was no point trying to prove something falsely  that has already been proven right. She didn’t want to lose the trust of her friend.
“Yes, its Ericks. I think am beginning to fall in love with him”
“Ruru, what the hell is wrong with you? You have a rich handsome guy trudging at your feet and you want to leave him for Ericks, a common random guy. Listen to yourself for a moment”
“Hey, point of correction, Ericks is not a common random guy okay”
“Fine but he is not just up there with Dolapo”
“I have no feelings for Dolapo. I don’t know why but I just don’t want his money or anything from him”
“Listen, more than half of the girls married to a rich guy don’t  love them at first sight. Love comes in between, when they are married. You don’t want to give Dolapo a chance, you keep on bringing up negatives about him and leaving the positives. Ericks is a nice guy on his own but you will be missing a whole lot more if you lose Dolapo”
“Am finding it hard to see him as my man. There is nothing real between us”
“What you have for Ericks is mere infatuation. It will pass away eventually”
“Since you see him as a Mr. perfect, why don’t you go be with him then?”
“Do you want people to brand me as a boyfriend snatcher who snatched her best friend’s man? Come on Ruth, Dolapo isn’t what you think. You will love him eventually when you spend more time with him”
“I will think about it. I want to go to bed now” she started to pull off her dress and lay on her undies. Tonkey reminded her of calling Dolapo which she postponed till the next day. she was too tired to engage in any activity other than sleeping. 
Charles and Cynthia locked arms affectionately as they approached the garden, with both looking at each other’s eyes as they sat on the bench. Cynthia couldn’t understand the why and wherefore of being taken to a place she had never been before since their relationship of two year . Charles rather acted amusing to her by this act but the calm and easiness seemed everything was alright, she just had to reciprocate his warm smile. The surprised call she got while in the office disturbed her into thinking something was wrong and the manner in which he called seemed it was an emergency, only to end up in the garden with him, in a perfect and peaceful evening.
“Why are we here?” she forced the words out of her agape mouth as she unlocked her arms with him on the iron bench.
“I want us to enjoy this special moment Cynti”, he turned to her and responded. He fondly called her Cynti.
“What moment?” she asked. Nothing special was around that deserved the word ‘special’ except the movement of couples  and some people in and out of the garden and the number diminished considerably. Cynthia wished she could ask more but she lacked the words, it was beginning to frustrate her by the second. But happiness was restored partly to her face when a group of singers and dancers sprouted out from nowhere like a plant, playing some of the best melodious tunes she had ever heard. It got her turned on as she listened and the worry disappeared out and out.
“This is amazing. How did you…” she seized her breadth suddenly. Charles was kneeling right infront of her, several thoughts began to roam in her mind. Did Charles have an affair with another woman and wanted to apologise in the most romantic way possible or was he trying to break up with her because of one thing or the other he had heard from someone about her in the past. All the negative thoughts changed when a small red box was staring right infront of her, in her stomach level region.
“Will you marry me Cynti?”, he let out. Cynthia continued to let her gaze fall on him. she wasn’t really expecting that in this kind of moment and she wanted to make sure she heard the right thing.
“What?”
“Will you marry me Cynti?” he asked again louder, this time, opening the red box to reveal a glittering 40 carat gold ring impatiently waiting to enter the finger of that chosen one. The music players and dancers suspended their activity as they waited for the Cynthia’s reply. It was all planned accordingly. Cynthia’s eyes moved from left to right, from Charles to the ring, to the music players and dancers and then to the patches of the cloud passing and then back to Charles again. Charles was proposing to her and that’s what she ever wanted. Tears were rolling down her cheeks while she tried to cover her mouth.
“Yes, I will”, she finally replied. At the moment, the music players resumed again, the dancers took to the platform once more. Charles stood upon his feet, slotted the ring to her middle finger and embraced her afterwards, smooching each other and kissing.

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