THE LAST SMILE Episode 26 by NISSI ADEOLA
Duke and Raymond discussed unhindered in the sitting room. Raymond was trying his possible best to use his best friend as a tool in order to forget his worries and keep his head straight. Never did a minute pass when he did not think about Luciana, worrying if she was alright. Being in the office made it worse; he was being paid to stay focused when he was doing the exact opposite. He could not remember anyone who took over his thoughts the way Luciana had done successfully. They were never intimate throughout their stay except for the kiss that in the gym. Even though he had been barely conscious, he still felt her soft lips on his and it had continuously haunted him until he felt he would run mad from desiring to really kiss her. The gym had become his favorite part of the house because he went there frequently to work of his stress and thoughts; even at that, there was little or no effect. He had no doubt in his mind that the kiss was what propelled Lucy’s speedy departure. He had known that she would leave soon but not as fast as a bullet.
“RAY” Duke yelled as he and Vicky stared at Raymond who suddenly bolted out of his reverie. The two pairs of eyes peering at him drew a scowl from him.
“What is it? Do you have to yell my name like that when we are two steps away from each other?” Ray asked as the anger that had become his best friend for the past few days began to erupt.
“Considering the fact that I have been calling and talking to you for minutes now with your mind being far away, I was sorely tempted to use a megaphone in retrieving your escaping mind” Duke ranted. “What the hell have you been thinking about?”
“I am sure a particular fair goddess with an incredibly long brown hair and striking eye balls has created a castle in his head. He was merely exploring it” Vicky said with a glint of humor in her eyes.
Duke frowned. “I never knew Raymond was that much into Tinuke. Especially with all her unbearable attitudes. Does she have brown hair?”
Vicky snorted. “Tinuke my foot. Even Tinuke cannot stand Lucy’s beauty. Ray has been testy ever since the rare beauty left, I have no doubt he is in love with her”
Duke smiled. “You don’t say” he had a devilish grin that Ray already recognized as a sign that he would continuously tease him until he said something. He hissed. Duke and Vicky kept on talking about him, like he was not present while he just looked on.
“Raymond is in love!” Duke exclaimed then out of the blues, he asked Vicky. “How did you know?”
She smiled. “You only need to see the way he looks at her. He stares at her even when she is not looking and the look on his face is priceless. She was able to pull him to the kitchen, can you believe that? He looks at her like she was the last icing on the cake and he would not wait to grab it for himself”
Ray snorted. “If I am correct, you used to think the same of Bose and I” he replied.
She smiled. “Yeah, I used to, because I mistook your likeness for her as love. The way you gazed at Lucy can never be compared to the way you looked at Bose. The chemistry between you and Lucy cannot be denied also; I am sure Lucy left because she could not withstand your powerful appeal. I noticed her efforts in ensuring you guys never stood too close to each other” she had this love signs in her eyes as she talked.
The analysis struck Duke as odd, coming from the mouth of Vicky. “And how would you know how a man looks at a woman he loves?”
Vicky turned to him as the humor in her eyes and voice evaporated. Ray noticed the turning table with both relief and anxiety.
“I don’t expect you to know that. The highest you should know is how a woman in love looks at another woman” Duke continued.
“Bring it down Duke” Raymond said quietly, knowing how hard it had been for Duke to forget Vicky.
“I know exactly what a man in love looks like…” Vicky felt insulted.
“Humor me” Duke countered.
Raymond stood up with a sigh and turned towards the entrance. He knew that they needed to settle their score so he decided to leave them alone. He had enough things to think about. When he got to the doorway, he faced the duo and smiled. “I guess you don’t need me here. Three is a crowd. Duke” he called. “Be a gentleman”.
“How can I be anything less? I would not dream of crossing the line with someone who considers herself a man, even though she dresses otherwise. Would rather be with that fat dwarf in the office”. Ray swallowed and left them alone while Vicky sat down, glaring. She was hurt by that sentence.
“So, you consider me unappealing” Vicky mouthed.
“It is your appeal that sickens me. I was crazily in love with you but what did you give me? You threw my love in my face, telling yourself the ridiculous story of being a lesbian”
“It is not a ridiculous story. I am a lesbian. Men do not appeal to me and it is not my fault that I am like this. I did not create myself”
“You were not made like this. The problem is that you have not found the guy to make you squirm”
“I am not interested in any search. I have searched and found no one but now I am comfortable with what I am” she glared and stood up as she became very angry. “The earlier you accept it, the better for you. I have not had anything to do with men for over a decade and I never will” she declared.
“I would be an exception” Duke grabbed her hand and pulled her to him, so fast that she did not even have enough time to breathe.
“What the hell is this?” she asked breathlessly.
“When I kiss you, I want you to know that it is Duke and not one of those whores” with that he brought down his lips to hers, kissing her thoroughly with anger. She struggled for some time against his chest but he pinned her to him until she later relaxed, knowing that no harm would come from letting him indulge himself. She was sure that he would have no effect on her.
When Duke sensed her total surrender, his anger seemed to evaporate and what was left was the love he had for her. He had been sure the feelings were dead but now they burned with rage, even higher than what he had felt for her five years ago. Even as he kissed her, he knew that he would suffer the consequences. He would have to deal with killing that feeling all over again but even at that, he just kissed her. When she placed her palm on his chest, a cold shiver went down his spine and he jerked away from her. She looked stunned but he just turned around and marched out of the house without looking back.
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When Raymond left the main house, his intention was to go into the gym as he usually does but he found himself opening another door. Even as he stepped into the room, he could not believe that his legs had brought him there. There was a time when art was his life and he could hardly do without drawing or painting in a day. But he hadn’t lifted a paintbrush or a drawing pencil in years and he wondered if the gift was still there. He swallowed as he traced some of the paintings with his fingertips, drawing dust from them. He remembered with a smile that Lucy also traced them that way.
Raymond took calculated steps towards that stunning painting on the wall and took it in his hands. That painting was the last one he had done. He painted it some weeks before his parents’ death. His parents had been having marital problems which took only God’s intervention to manage. They had been on the brink of divorce and it affected everyone terribly. It all started when a guy came into the house, claiming that he was Mr. James’ son. Everyone had assumed that he was mad or on the verge of madness but they had received the shock of their lives when their dad confirmed the news. His wife hadn’t been able to comprehend the fact that she had a step-son, especially one that was almost the same age with her first son, Kelvin. Raymond and his siblings were also very shocked to find out that they had a step brother. He had destroyed the peace in the house, all bent on destroying the happiness and love which was resident in the house. Even after everyone, including his mum had come to accept the boy and forgive the mistake made by their father; the guy was still bent on destroying the family. He framed up their dad until there was no trust again.
The day everything was resolved, it was a dream come true for Raymond and his siblings because one of the people who connived with the guy came to confess and everything was resolved. He had begun that painting of his parents, telling a story of the pain they went through during that period but they never got to see the painting. He had anticipated and foreseen the smile on their faces when he handed the picture to them but it never happened. The crash burned in his memory.
For the first time since the crash, Raymond really cried. He hadn’t been able to cry. At times, it would be a few drops which he would control but he had never broken down in tears because he had feared that he would cry himself to death. It had taken the strength of Raymond and his two brothers to console their two sisters. He wondered what would have happened if they had taken the girls to the crash venue.
He turned and saw the unfinished sketch on the canvas which was still on the easel. His hands balled into fists as he willed himself to walk towards it. He swallowed hard. That was the only thing that came to his mind after the crash. After the incident, he had ran to painting, seeking refuge, hoping that it would make him forget but the opposite was what it gave him. Every time he picked up his pencil to sketch, he found himself sketching the burnt and frozen bodies he had seen. It scared him as hell and after the fifth try; he ran out of the room and never returned.
He replaced the canvas with a blank one and took out a pencil. He took a deep breath and prayed silently that his nightmare would not resurface. He had only one image on his head as he started to sketch again.
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Luciana entered the empty church with her head covered with a shawl, to prevent people from seeing her. She had struggled with her parents until they finally allowed her to go. She walked to the pulpit feeling totally miserable. She had never been this confused, sad and angry in her life. When she got to the altar, she sat at the edge and just stared into space.
“What have I done Lord?” she began as her heart ached. “Why do I have to go through this turmoil? Why have you subjected me to this test? I know I was wrong, did not seek your consent before going for Deolu out of pressure but must I go through this pain now?” tears slipped down her cheeks and she furiously wiped them away. She swallowed as she remembered the constant calls of her parents, asking her to bring a man home. Ever since she clocked 21, the tune had changed from ‘don’t let me see you wasting your time with any boy when you need to face your studies’ to ‘you are a grown woman, when would you bring the lucky man home’. It had been tough because her mum believed that any girl that was 21 years was ripe enough for marriage. When she clocked 23 and was not even seen with anyone in the male gender, not to mention being engaged, the pressure had increased. The job away from home had been all that she needed to breathe but still, her parents kept calling and asking. She was never angry because she knew that they loved her and being the only child, their focus was constantly fixed on her. What happened when she was 20 years old and in her third year in school had distanced her from men and she had maintained that distance. Fred was the only male friend she had in school but she saw him as a friend and nothing more even though he tried to change it. Deolu came along and was even closer to her than Fred was. He was everything a lady could want in a man – a Christian who loved God, a handsome guy who could make ladies trip, a successful and independent man, and a guy who loved her so much.
It hadn’t come as a surprise when Deolu asked her out and she had accepted even though she did not love him. Of course, Deolu never knew that she did not love him but she knew that the feelings she had for Deolu were too simple and easy to be called love. She liked him and felt that was enough because she had given up on herself, saying that she was incapable of love. But here she was, madly in love with someone she had lived with for two weeks and three days. Madly in love with someone who just broke off his engagement to his fiancée immediately she entered his house. Madly in love with someone who had too many ghosts haunting his dreams. Madly in love with someone who had given up on God. Madly in love with someone whose sister is a lesbian.
“Why is this happening to me?” she screamed at the pulpit as more tears left her eyes. “I just want to be happy Lord” she sniffed. “Why am I now faced with these feelings for Raymond when I am obviously with another man?” she lamented. She knew that her heart would never allow her to leave Deolu even though she was clearly in love with Raymond. Deolu had gone through a lot when she was away, it would be suicidal if she told him that she was in love with someone else. Was that not what that useless Tunde did to Teju? Teju had told her everything shortly before she went to Abuja and Lucy had insulted Tunde, calling him all sort of names. Lucy felt she would be in the same category with Tunde if she left Deolu, even though she was not after sex.
Raymond was not perfect in any way but whenever she saw him, she saw perfection. Ever since she got to that house from the hospital and found out that Vicky was a lesbian, along with their religious status, she hadn’t stopped praying for them. Even though Ray’s physical appearance alone was enough to make any lady desire a steaming night, his looks was not the only thing she loved about him. She loved his jovial nature. She loved his ability to understand her silence within the few times they had spent together. She loved his attachment to his parents, even though it was a bit of a setback for him considering his inability to forget their death. She loved his romantic attitude. She loved his inability to cook. She loved his self confidence and independence which was very evident. The fact that he still worked under someone however surprised her. Ray was very famous, probably even more famous than Deolu but she saw and felt his humility and his down-to-earth nature. His compassion was great. She sighed and stood up. Once again, she had been carried away by thoughts centered on Raymond. She wondered if Raymond felt the same way but common sense made her feel that the feelings she had was not reciprocated because she felt that he would love his fiancée, or ex-fiancée. He had slept with his fiancée a lot, he must love her. She swallowed as jealousy threatened to choke her.
“Lord, please fix this for me. If you don’t I would end up living with Deolu, while my heart stayed with someone else” she demonstrated, like she was talking to a physical being. “I also want Fred to pay for what he did to me. Father, you know what he did. Please, fight for me” she wiped her face and went out of the church with the shawl carefully covering her face.
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Teju arrived at the hotel feeling satisfied. She was hundred percent sure that everything would be over in the next two days. She was always happy whenever something was going according to plan. She knocked on the door of Deolu’s room excitedly and was glowing when he opened the door.
“Well, I don’t need to ask how things went” he said as a form of greeting.
“Hi” Teju responded instead and brushed past him into the room. She looked like a kid whose mother just bought a baby doll.
“How did it go?” he asked.
“Thought you did not need to ask” she sat on the chair. “I am sure it went well.” She answered and went ahead to narrate everything to Deolu, right from the second she entered the station to the time she left. Deolu smiled through it all but was surprised by the slight annoyance and irritation he felt when she mentioned the stares and filthy comments she received from the policemen. “I was not too happy putting that man through all that” Teju confessed. “He was only trying to help his brother”
“He is a conniving beast. If not for your insistence, I would take him to court along with that bastard”
Teju understood. “I was right. He knows where he is and had been protecting him but he loves his family more. He would not want to lose his career, family and everything by protecting a criminal. He risks the penalty of death if he is caught with this act.”
“Lawyers” he murmured with admiration and Teju grinned. He hadn’t seen her this lively in days and the great happiness he felt because of her good mood surprised him. “You are here now. I want to hear everything about that guy who deliberately gave up a good thing. He must be a fool, I am not sorry to say that”
Teju sighed. She had been contented with keeping her personal life out but Deolu had made it clear that he was not going to back off. She opened her mouth and started narrating everything that happened, exactly the way she had told Lucy. Lucy had insulted the living daylight out of Tunde that she even became happy. There is always this ability and power in a woman’s tongue that could turn any saint into a villain within the twinkling of an eye. As she told Deolu, she felt Goosebumps on her skin as she shivered in remembrance. Unknown to her, tears rolled down her cheeks and it was not until Deolu wiped it away that she noticed them. Wiping them away brought fresh tears and Deolu had to hold her. He was quite used to crying women but seeing the strong and independent Teju crying tore at Deolu’s heart painfully and he also started raining insults on Tunde who was not physically present.
Everything became quiet some minutes later but Teju was still in Deolu’s arms. She started to pull away but she looked at him and became very alarmed by how close they were. Their faces were only inches apart and she could not pull back. Deolu bent his head and covered her mouth with his in a firm kiss. It took Teju some seconds to realize what was going on. She was being kissed by her best friend’s fiancé! She flew out of his arms and did not pause before swinging her palm to connect with Deolu’s cheeks.
“You bastard. You are just as evil as Tunde. How dare you kiss your fiancée’s best friend?” she asked herself the same question.
Deolu was as stunned as Teju. He did not know what devil had made him act before thinking. He did not know what he was doing until he had done it. Now, the damage had been done and he was too alarmed to utter a word. Teju looked at him like he was a demon incarnate. “I thought you loved Lucy. How dare you?” before Deolu could open his mouth, Teju’s phone rang and she picked it with shaky hands, yelling hello into the mouth piece.
She calmed down a bit when she listened to the other person, then she managed a shaky smile. “You’ve made the right decision sir. I would be there tomorrow” she hung up and stared at Deolu. She didn’t know if she was angrier at herself or Deolu. He is a man and she was the woman who should know better than to cry in the arms of a man – her best friend’s hubby.
“I don’t need you here. Please leave if you have enough dignity in you to do that. As you can see, I have everything under control and I can take care of myself” she turned towards the door.
“It is not like that Teju. I am-” Teju slammed the door hard. And Deolu blinked. “Sorry” he finished silently as he held his head which had developed a splitting headache.
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Tinuke opened the door of Raymond’s sitting room without knocking. She wanted to see what Raymond had been up to. The first person she saw was Vicky and she frowned.
“What are you doing here?” Tinuke asked.
Vicky looked at her like she had lost her mind. Firstly, she entered without knocking and to make matters worse, she is asking her, Vicky, what she was doing in her brother’s house. Vicky clapped her head as she laughed. Her encounter with Duke fuelled her anger the more. “Oh my…” she said in her foreign voice. “You are asking me what I am doing in my brother’s house? How hilarious. Now, what the hell are you doing here?” she asked glaring. She had always hated Tinuke for her guts and audacity.
“I am here to see my fiancé” Tinuke said boldly.
Vicky laughed. “You mean, ex-fiancé”
“What are you doing here Tinuke” Raymond growled and Tinuke spun to face Ray who was at the entrance. She composed herself and moved forward to hug him.
“Baby……” she drawled as she went towards him with open hands. Ray blocked her advance with his hand,
“Answer the damn question. What the hell are you doing in my house?” he yelled now.
“I am here to give you the good news baby” she was all smiles.
“No news from you can be good” he declared.
“Was about to say the same” Vicky added.
“I am sure you would love this Ray” she paused for effect. “I am pregnant”
THE LAST SMILE Episode 27 by NISSI ADEOLA
All the blood drained from Raymond’s system as those three words echoed in his brain. He could no longer hear what was being said and all the blood in his veins seemed to have flowed to his feet, making it impossible for him to move. ‘I am pregnant’ it echoed again.
Vicky clapped her hands, eyes flashing with humour and anger. “Tinuke, I have always known you to be the sneaky type but with this sort of plot, you deserve a gold medal. How dare you fake pregnancy because you want to have my brother back?”Vicky was very angry. She glanced at Raymond but he could not hear anything.
Tinuke turned furious eyes at Vicky, dangling a piece of paper before her. “That is the doctor’s report”.
“I don’t need a useless sheet of paper. You are not pregnant; but if you are, Raymond is most likely not the father”
Tinuke looked insulted. She grabbed Raymond’s hand, successfully bringing him back to his senses. “Did you hear her Ray? She is questioning my fidelity! That is why I have always hated this lesbian sister of yours”
Vicky’s hand itched to slap her but she controlled the urge. She should love the reality of being a lesbian the same way she had loved and accepted it for a long time but hearing Tinuke call her a lesbian was sounding terribly like an insult. She mentally blamed Duke for this. She hadn’t been able to think straight ever since Duke had kissed her senseless. Ray pushed Tinuke out of his way and swallowed hard. “It looks like I am on the verge of becoming an aunt” Vicky said in a jovial way, trying to bring down the tension he felt but it did not succeed.
Tinuke saw his look of doubt and confusion. “Here, have a look at the test result” she put the paper in his hand but he could not even read it. All the letters on the paper vanished before his eyes. The read meaning of being doomed stared at him terrifyingly. He had just come to accept the fact that he was truly in love with Luciana but here he was with absolutely no hope in that direction because as the devil will have it, he would be fathering a child from his demented ex-fiance. It had been during his quiet time while drawing that he realised that he actually did not love Tinuke the way he loved Lucy. Lucy had given him back his artistry, had helped him get past his fears and had secured a very tender spot in his heart in the process. When he had picked up his pencil to sketch, Lucy was the only person that posed as a model in his senses. He remembered how beautiful she looked when she had entered his room the first Sunday she spent in his house. She had gazed at his bare chest with curiosity and longing and uncertainty while she thought he was asleep. He had loved that lovely gown on her, just as he had imagined when he spotted the gown in the boutique but it was absolutely lovelier when she wore it. As he sketched, he had entertained false hopes that they would meet again someday but standing in front Tinuke, he felt all his hopes shattered. Lucy vanished from his mind and he envisioned himself carrying a crying baby which had pooped in his pants and a yelling Tinuke complaining of too much stress. He swallowed and took a deep breath.
He took out his phone and dialed a number. “Doc T…. good afternoon Doc…. I am on my way to the hospital now, are you there?…. Good. I need to carry out a pregnancy test and I need the result immediately… Ok then” he ended the call and even though the news had been too shocking to be true, he marched inside the bedroom with confidence, leaving the two ladies to stare at his wake. He returned some minutes later with his car keys and Tinuke swallowed. “Follow me” he muttered as he passed beside Tinuke and she followed like a robot. Vicky tagged along, determined to see the end of it all.
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Deolu knocked the door for the umpteenth time. “Please open up for me Teju, please.” Just like the past futile fifteen minutes, Teju did not respond. He became weery and agitated. “If you won’t open the door, I would break it down T” Deolu warned, his voice holding the assurance that he would not hesitate in doing what he just said he would.
When no response came, he was scared that something might be wrong with Teju. He swallowed and moved several inches away from the door. “Move away from the door Teju” he said in an authoritative voice. Just as he was about to kick the door, Teju opened it and peered at him.
“What do you want?” Teju asked steely.
Deolu blinked. “I need five minutes of your time, after that you can throw me out. Please”
Teju swallowed. “I am counting already”
Some people passed by them, obviously going to their hotel rooms. “can I at least come inside?”
Teju gave it a thought and opened the door wider. Immediately he entered, she closed the door and relaxed her back against it. Deolu could not bring himself to sit down so he just paced and finally stopped some steps away from Teju. “I am sorry Teju, I am so sorry. i… I should never have done what I did but it just happened. I was not thinking straight.” He swallowed as everything he had rehearsed vanished from memory. “You know me T, I am not a betrayer, I can’t do such a thing against you or against Lucy. Please forgive me. It won’t happen again” he finished and looked straight into her eyes.
Teju swallowed. She felt so miserable. Why was she casting all the blames on Deolu when she was the one who went crying in his arms? She had effectively pulled danger to herself with her own hands, knowing how most men were with crying women. “It is not your fault. I was the crying baby, I should have had more sense than to cry shamelessly in front of you”
“No… no, you are not at fault at all; I was stupid” he said and Teju looked at him with a slow smile creeping up her face.
Deolu did not understand her smile. “It won’t repeat itself again, I promise”.
She smiled widely. “your five minutes is up” Teju said.
He swallowed and nodded. He made for the door and opened it.
“By the way, we should have Fred in our grasp tomorrow” she said as he walked out and he nodded.
“At least there is good news”. She smiled.
“We would be in Lagos faster than a sniper’s bullet”.
Deolu winced. ‘So that is how much she wants to be rid of me’ he thought vaguely, also agreeing that he really wanted to be back in a sane environment.
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Raymond, Vicky and Tinuke sat in Doctor It’s office as they waited for the lab results. Vicky was trying to diffuse the tension which cracked the air uncomfortably.
“Just think about it Ray, it is not so bad to be a baby Dada, I am sure you would have a very beautiful baby as long as the baby is yours; that is if there is a baby”
Tinuke faced her with a face wrinkled with anger. “I would have you eat back your words when the results are out”
Vicky ignored her and continued her jest. “Imagine what it would be like to wash your baby’s buttocks after he had messed up himself. Trust me Ray, it is always helpful to think about it before it actually happens, that way, you would not be caught off guard.
Ray glared at her and she blessed him with a sisterly grin, patting his thigh with her palm, she showed that she was equally as concerned as he was.
Doctor Tunde entered the office as calmly as ever even though his face held no hint of a smile. Ray had insisted that he monitored the lab process and ensure that no mistake was made. He produced a paper containing the lab result but just as he had been unable to read anything then, he still was unable to read the lab result. He threw it back on the table. “I don’t have time for this crap Tunde, tell me what the result is”
Tunde sighed and tried to bring up a small smile. “She is positive Ray, Tinuke is pregnant…..” Doctor Tunde continued talking but Ray could not hear a single word. He felt terribly alarmed and dumbstruck. He hadn’t felt more terrible in his entire life. The thought of having a baby, his own baby, excited him but he had for long destroyed the thought of having children from someone like Tinuke. The days he stayed away from Tinuke made him realise that the attachment he had for her was because he had deflowered her. The promise he made afterwards also fuelled his closeness to her. But now, he had broken the promise promise to never leave her and now, all he wanted to do was stay far away from her. She posed a hazard to his happiness and peace of mind.
Raymond stood up slowly, not even conscious to the discussions between the people. He faced the door and walked out, ignoring Vicky and Tinu who called ceaselessly. Both of them ran after him, Tinuke playing the protective wife to be and Vicky playing the unyielding baby sister.
Vicky got to Ray faster and snatched the keys from his hands. He in turn glared at her in a way that Tinuke squirmed in fear but Vicky did not bulge a bit. She was used to Raymond’s fury and could stand him. “You can get angry all you want but I would not sit back and watch you drive us into the mouth of a waiting trailer, speeding up my ascend to heaven. If you want to die, at least wait till we get home so you can die alone.” The humor in her eyes faded when she imagined that he might actually do it. “That is not an advice”
When Ray did not leave where he was standing, she bypassed him and sat on the driver’s seat, strapping the seat belt instantly. When Ray did not leave where he was but continued to glare in her direction, she smiled lovingly and annoyingly at him. “You would want to get in the car if you don’t intend on walking home” with that, she slammed the door shut. Tinuke, who had been too scared to touch Ray considering his mood, quickly sat on the backseat of the car knowing that Vicky might speed off, leaving her behind.
Ray swore under his breath as he grudgingly went over to the other side and sat down, closing his eyes instantly.
“Oh… You finally agreed to imagine wiping your baby’s butt? It could be a really nice image”
“Vicky” Ray warned with blazing eyes. She laughed and Raymond noticed that part of the tension had seeped out of him.
Back in his office, Doctor Tunde shook his head sadly. He also had hoped to God that the result came out negative but instead, it had turned out positive. He had always felt that Tinuke was not right for Raymond but what right did he have to condemn her when it was none of his business. He had voiced his relief when Raymond had told him of their breakup but now, he had succeeded in tying himself to her for life. He felt sorry for Ray because he could vividly see that Tinu would make his life a living hell. That is why he always advised men to zip up. He sighed even when he knew that women could be terrifyingly tempting.
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Fred lay on the bed feeling aroused the next morning. Some weeks back, he would have walked confidently to the red zone and pick any girl he wanted for the night but now, even though there was some level of security where he was, he could not afford such publicity. Wanting Lucy had led him to the redzone so many times when he could not have her. He quenched the thought of Lucy instantly and decided to masturbate.
Just as he was about to carry out the unholy act, he heard a knock on the door. He groaned as he left the bed grudgingly and made for the door. It would be either Chris or the lady who usually brought him food. If it was the lady, so help him God. He hoped she was the one as he went to the door, even though she was not really attractive. He asked who it was and his hopes shattered. He opened the door for Chris and they greeted even though Fred was not too happy to see him.
Immediately they were both seated, Chris portrayed a serious face. “I have something to show you” he took out the folded news paper from his back pocket and gave it to a curious Fred. Immediately Fred saw the major obvious, he shivered and dropped the paper. The picture of Lucy which he had seen was too real. It was as if she were staring at him with accusing eyes.
“She… She has been… Found” she stammered.
“Yes. I thought of erm… Bringing this to you so you could see with your eyes.”
Fred swallowed, his arowsal long forgotten. They heard a knocked and Fred looked questioningly at Chris. “Are you expecting someone?”
“Yes, I came with one of my boys who rushed off to eat. He must be the one”
Fred smiled as he remembered his earlier thought when he heard the first knock. “Come in” he murmured and faced Chris to continue their discussion.
He saw Chris’ eyes on the door and he turned and shrieked the at the sight before him. He had paled terribly and was glued to the chair. Teju smiled and entered the room with her usual flair and style.
“We meet again Fred” she said with a smile that had the evident glint of anger. Fred shivered uncontrollably.
THE LAST SMILE Episode 28 by NISSI ADEOLA
Two weeks ago, the tension had been thick in the air, filling everyone with dread and discomfort but thanks to the help of everyone, especially Deolu and Teju, there was a breathing space. They had been able to secure the arrest of Fred who was currently under detention, awaiting trial. Lucy felt the freedom to move freely again and was just too happy about it. She immediately went back to work amidst so many protests and complains from her parents but Lucy did not want to risk losing her employment in one of the fast growing advertising firms in Nigeria. She however could not stay there because her boss gave her leave for one month, wanting her to get everything settled before she finally resumed. Even though she had wanted her job to take her mind off the problems she faced, she was grateful for the break, even though she knew that she would pay for it when she finally resumed because they would wear her out with duties.
Lucy remembered the day that her parents had gone to Raymond’s house. They had been so excited when they arrived, talking endlessly about their discussions with Raymond. They had exclaimed, asking why she did not tell them that he was the well-known artist. They had returned with a painting and Lucy noticed that she hadn’t seen that particular painting when she entered that room. Even though the paintings had been much and she could hardly see half of them, she had the distinctive feeling that the painting was new. That was probably the reason why he gave the painting to her parents; to tell her that he had moved on. She felt happy for him if that was the case, although, she had wished that Raymond would send her parents to her, to either tell her something or request something but he hadn’t. it had alarmed her when she noticed just how much she missed and desired to see him.
Teju entered the room and jumped on Lucy’s bed. Bewaji and Ken had gone for a wedding function and Lucy had had the house to herself. “Hey beautiful” Teju called.
Lucy glanced at the wall clock and stared at Teju. “Are you not supposed to be at work?”
“You are not the only one who can be given leave, durr” Teju grinned. She grabbed Lucy’s hand and dragged her. “Get your sorry ass out of bed, I am hungry”
“Holy father” Lucy exclaimed, wanting to beat up Teju for disturbing her brain. “You know that Dana is in the kitchen right?” she murmured as Teju continued to drag her into the kitchen.
“Yeah, she is. But since when did she start serving my food? I am in my house babe”
“The more reason why you should serve yourself” Lucy responded, although admitted secretly that she was hungry too.
“You see? You are also hungry”
Lucy glared at her. “You are a witch”
She laughed. “And you are a witch’s best friend. And as the saying goes, show me your friend and I would tell you who you are or who you would be” she grinned.
Lucy shook her head. “you need deliverance”
“I would book appointment for two with the pastor”
Dana laughed out at the two friends who could not stop teasing each other. She loved listening and watching them and suddenly wished she also had a best friend.
“Tell me we are not the cause of your laughter” Lucy murmured and Dana portrayed an innocent face. The two laughed and left the kitchen for the dinning with their plates of rice in hand. They prayed and delved into the food with vigor, only relaxing when the food was halfway through and the worst part of hunger had been eliminated. “T.J” Lucy called.
“Yes ma’am” Teju replied cynically.
“I want you to follow me somewhere”
“OK maam”
“Be serious my friend” Lucy snapped.
“I have never been this serious honey” she grinned and Lucy sighed.
“I need you to follow me to Raymond James’ house. I need to thank him personally for what he did for me. I don’t want to seem ungrateful”
Teju stared at Lucy. “You have been calling him Raymond ever since you arrived but calling him Raymond James makes him sound different. Why does that name sound popular?” she looked thoughtful and Lucy smiled internally. She had successfully hid that fact from Teju knowing fully well that she would squeal when she found out. “Surely it is not James Ray” she waved her hand like she was wiping away the possibility but when Lucy smiled cynically, Teju’s eyes rounded like two lolly pops. “He is not the one right?”
Lucy grinned. “Guess I was lucky to see your James Ray before you”
“Oh my God!” Teju exclaimed and Lucy laughed. “When were you planning on telling me, naughty” she scolded.
“Now, I guess… so are you coming with me?”
“Are you kidding? I would get there before you”. They laughed. As they packed their plates to the kitchen, someone knocked and Dana went to open the door. They entered the sitting room and saw Deolu approaching them with a cool smile
“Hello ladies” he greeted and they responded albeit similarly. He kissed Luciana’s forehead and stepped back. Lucy noticed that he hadn’t been the same since he returned from Abuja. He had made a habit of kissing her forehead instead of any other place and Lucy was happy about this turn up. She felt guilty for not being able to return his feelings and having him kiss her all the time would make her feel more guilty and awkward. Despite that fact though, she was curious. Apart from Deolu’s strange behaviour’s of late, she had also noticed Teju’s discomfort whenever Deolu was around. She wondered what had happened in Abuja. It seemed Teju was back to her usual aloaf nature whenever Deolu was around even though they seemed like the best of friends when Lucy came back from exile. She had shrugged it off, feeling that Teju’s reactions towards Deolu had something to do with Tunde and her general distance from men lately but Lucy decided that there was something more to it. Teju hardly talked or looked at Deolu lately and Deolu did the opposite. He looked at her more and tried to talk to her more even though Teju was always reluctant to answer him. The next line of action was that Teju always looked for a reason to leave whenever Deolu was around. Lucy expected to feel jealous and put-off by this new turn-up but she was not.
As they discussed, Lucy noticed this same thing repeating itself. She noticed the look of sadness in Deolu’s face whenever he stared at Teju and Teju paid him no heed and only looked at him when their faces collided coincidentally. Lucy was about to break the ice and speak her mind when Deolu’s phone rang.
“Hello dear” he said immediately he picked the call. “No, don’t come to my house… yes, I am not home… where are you now?… ok… I am not far from you, I am in my fiancee’s house… Yes, it is about time you met her… I would send the address now” he hung up and smiled.
“My step-sister is coming. She has been clamouring to see you”. Lucy smiled.
“I should be on my way now” Teju said, standing.
“Why not meet my sister first?” Deolu asked.
“No. I have some work to do”
“Thought you were on leave” Lucy said
“It is not official. See you guys”
Before anyone could reply, she was out already and Lucy glimpsed a look of pain on Deolu’s face but it went quickly. She swallowed as her mind brought up the most logical explanation for the tension.
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Raymond sat in his office ruminating over the events in his life. His life hadn’t felt so shattered. He almost could not believe that those things were actually happening to him. He had been sleeping with Tinuke ever since they were together as she never returned pregnant because he always took precautions and watched her take drugs but just when he decided to vent his anger through sex, it ended up being a terrible mistake. He was going to be a dad!
He recalled the visit of Luciana’s parents and sighed audibly. He had needed no introduction to know that they were her parents. Lucy looked exactly like her mum. Her mum had been so stunningly beautiful that he wondered how beautiful she would still look when she clocked ninety. She was dazzling and breathtaking, no wonder Lucy’s father was glowing. His life must feel blessed, being surrounded by two dazzling beauties. He noticed that Lucy had her father’s shape of pointed nose. He swallowed as Luciana’s image popped in his mind. He could remember everything about her, including the colour shade of her hair although he hadn’t been opportune to feel the texture much even though he would love nothing more.
Raymond drove all thought of Luciana away from his brain. He knew now without a doubt that there could be nothing between them. Even though Luciana’s parents had given him the goodnews of the arrest of the miserable bastard that stabbed Lucy, Raymond still saw the overwhelming barreer between them. Lucy was with a man already and he felt that she should also be in love with the guy. If that was not enough reason, being saddled with a baby was more than enough reason. He dared not visit Lucy even though her parents had dropped their address in case he wanted to visit.
After he left the hospital, he had wanted to drink himself to death but Vicky would not hear of it. He drove out of the house to get a drink outside after he had successfully sent Tinuke away with a promise to call her. He had spotted a church – the same church Lucy dragged him to – and instead of going for the drink, he went to the church to vent his anger on God. A pastor had sighted him and prayed with him, relieving him of a lot of stress by talking to him. Despite all that, Raymond’s craving for Lucy did not decrease. He was madly in love with her but could not do anything about it. There are times when you have to put responsibility before love.
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Vicky opened the door and jumped back, not wanting to be too close to Duke. “Ray is not here. Go to his office” she hurriedly said.
“If I wanted to see him, I would not be here” he said confidently, closing the door behind him. Vicky shivered and he smiled. “If I didn’t know better, I would say my presence had some effects on you”. She remained mute, moving backwards slowly as he advanced towards her. “Don’t look frightened, I am not a serial killer” he murmured as he took in her appearance. She was putting on a multicoloured tube top with a pencil jeans trouser. A jeans jacket was lying on the couch. “You look beautiful” he breathed as she collided with the wall and he pinned her to it with his hands on either side.
“I always do” she swallowed, angry that her heart raced wild. She remembered Lucy’s words. ‘You would not have to try’. Vicky shook off the words from her head. She cant be falling for Duke. No!
Duke brushed away some stray braids from her face as his eyes probed hers. He bent his head and gave her a quick kiss and vanished instantly, leaving her with a sense of loss. She followed him with her eyes as he headed towards the kitchen. He turned and met her eyes. He smiled softly. “Come on, you need something to eat. Your stomach is growling with hunger”
Vicky hadn’t noticed how hungry she was until he mentioned it and she wondered how he noticed. She entered the kitchen as Duke broke and whezzed some eggs. “Do you actually know what you are doing” she had a faint smile on her face.
He turned with a smile. “Cut the crap, I am not Raymond who can’t boil an egg, I could open up a restaurant if I want to”
“Don’t be so sure. Lucy taught him well and now, I let him do the cooking at times and he surprises me with delicious delicacies”
He laughed. “I would like to taste that” He took a deep breath and turned back to face what he was doing. He got a pan and placed it on the burner to heat up and Vicky walked to him, standing beside him. She retrieved two cups from the cup stand and started putting beverages into them. Duke breathed uncomfortably. “Could you please put on that jacket I saw on the couch? Your bare shoulders in too much distraction”.
She smiled. “I prefer the cool breeze I am getting without the jacket”
He groaned internally and knew that keeping his hands away from her would be difficult.
They sat to eat some minutes later and resisted the urge to sit beside her and sat opposite. Vicky was disturbed by her attraction towards Duke. The eggs tantalized her taste buds and she became instantly aware of her empty stomach. She murmured praises as she ate and Duke watched her, not knowing that one could derive pleasure from watching someone eat. He managed to shove food down his throat when the only thing he wanted to do was watch Vicky eat. When she finished her eggs, he passed his own to her and she accepted it without hesitating. She must be really hungry, he mussed.
“You should try to avoid being too hungry before you eat” he quipped.
“You should try to make less delicious eggs, so that people don’t get too hungry” she returned and he grinned.
“it is not my fault that I am so talented”
“Don’t blow your own” she smiled. He looked into her eyes until she was forced to look away.
“I should be leaving now” he said, rising. She packed the plates into the kitchen even though he wanted to do it. She started washing the plates and he grabbed the towel to dry them.
“Thought you were leaving” she murmured as he took the plates from her and dried them.
“Yes” he said.
“And?”
“I wanted to steal something from you before I leave” he dried the last plate.
She faced him. “What is that”
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply, making her head spin. He held her so close to him, with his hands on her shoulders. He broke off breathlessly and kissed her forehead. “Take care of you” he said and walked out.
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Deolu and Luciana sat on the couch watching a movie. The movie was so emotional and touching. When we heard the knock, Deolu stood up and headed towards the entrance. “That must be Tinu” he said.
Immediately he opened the door, Lucy heard a familiar voice and also went to the entrance.
“Big brother” Tinu hugged Deolu. “Still as handsome as ever” she said
“And you are even more beautiful. You even look fatter”
Tinuke smiled, knowing the cause of her weight but not even daring to mention it.
Immediately Deolu and Tinuke heard someone approach, they turned and Tinuke froze, along with Lucy.
Deolu smiled, not noticing the tension. “Tinu, meet my sweetheart Luciana, Lucy, meet my sister, Tinuke”
“Brenda” Tinuke exclaimed.
“No. not Brenda, I said Luciana”
“No. this is the girl that I said stole my Raymond from me. This is Brenda” Tinuke exclaimed.
THE LAST SMILE Episode
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