Sons and Lovers

Episode 10.

Chidera lay on her bed, her forehead creased with worry. She still did not know what to do with the information Richard had given her. How could he have a son somewhere? It was preposterous. Apparently, the lady who had called her has a child for him. He sent her money to support her and the child. He claimed he had nothing more to do with her, but that she must have seen Chidera\’s number on his phone when she brought the boy over for a visit. It was too much information for Chidera to take in, so she had done the only thing she knew how to do; she reached for the door handle.
She was stopped when Richard said:
\”I understand if you want to leave me. I come with a lot of baggage, what with my heart condition and baby mama drama,\” he said wryly. \”However the truth is…I love you Chidera. I wanted you to know that.\”
She left without a word and went back to her hostel. And she had pondered on it for days. The wisest thing to do was to leave him. Their relationship had not gone too far. She was still so young. When she had told Remi and Ruth, they asked her to follow her heart. She had laughed without mirth. Whatever that meant.
She glanced at Remi who was at the other end of the room, smiling at her phone. Remi suddenly laughed out loud as she read through her chats. James knew just how to crack her up. She recalled their first date. He had spoiled her. Taken her to a very expensive restaurant. She was a little embarrassed because she had dressed so casually. But he put her at ease. He was as smooth as they come. He told her she was different from other girls he had liked and dated. When she asked him why, he said she was smart, had a good sense of humour, wasn\’t fussy. But most of all, she was mature.
\”What are you laughing at?\” Chidera asked her,
\”Its James jare,\” she said smiling. \”He\’s telling me how he\’s going to rent Buckingham palace for our honeymoon.\”
Chidera sat up and looked straight at her friend. \”Do you really like him?\”
Remi looked her in the eye. \”I don\’t know.\”
Chidera sighed. \”Remi, be careful o. You know the type of guy he is.\”
Before she could respond, her phone rang. She picked it up without checking the caller id.
\”Hello Remi, it\’s me. We need to talk.\”

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Peter smiled to himself as he walked towards the cafeteria. Getting to know Ize was like getting to know his own twin. She was full of wit and satire and sarcasm; all the things he liked. And she could discuss politics with him better than Fola did. The first day they had talked, lunch had taken them the better part of two hours. Thankfully, they had no other lecture that day. Within that time, he learnt how to pronounce her name and surname properly. Ize Ochu. He learnt that she leaned her her head back when she laughed and her eyes twinkled when she was especially passionate about something. Somewhere during the discussion, in an unguarded moment, he caught a glimpse of razor marks on her arms. He didn\’t know what to think but he felt he would find out in time. For the past one week, they had been having lunch together. He hadn\’t asked her out yet. They were just two buddies hanging out. As he stepped into the cafeteria, his phone buzzed. It was a message from Ize.
\”I\’m sorry dude. I can\’t make it today. I have an emergency.\”
He wondered what it could be as he walked towards their usual spot. He was disturbed because he didn\’t have a clue. He hoped she was fine. All he knew was that today lunch would lose its flavor.

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