Scars (Romola 2)

27: Dami's Wife

Two weeks had passed and Olumide was yet to hear from Dami. He had to apologize but what had happened at the dinner was not his fault. If he had been better prepared—

He knocked on the main door leading to Dami’s office. A picture of Dami— holding a helmet under the right armpit— graced one section of the blue wall in the receiving area. Mide hid his smile. If the dinner had been about how Dami had started his own business, Olumide would’ve loved it but…

He shook his head.

“Come in.” A female said.

He stared at the golden plaque on the door. This was Dami’s office right?

He opened the door and stepped into the office. A cool blast of frigid air swept through his noise. The room had a small white desk with a dark green velvet upholstered chair behind it. Two chairs stood opposite the velvet chair.

Vicky sat in the velvet chair.

“Marrying the man and marrying his office, right?”

She lifted her head, then dropped her gaze to the photographs on the table. “Oh, it’s you.”

Olumide sat on the seat at the right, opposite her. He placed his hand on the table and licked his lips. How would he congratulate a friend whom he had not spoken to in two years?

Vicky’s fingers moved fast, pushing the photographs, this way and that, while her other hand flipped through a magazine that lay on the table. Three  flower bouquets lay on the table. Olumide couldn’t tell if they were real or not. He reached for the flowers and her eyes shot up.

Her hands grabbed his. “Don’t touch.”

“Alright.” He raised his hands.

She went back to the magazine while he linked his fingers together. He’d been in Dami’s office a couple of times. The only new addition was the water dispenser at the right-hand corner.

“So, you’re planning the wedding, right?”

“Well, it won’t plan itself.”

He had specifically chosen to meet Dami here so that non of his family members could guilt trip him about his behavior. That was a better response than he had hoped for. The last person he’d expected to find on his trip here was Vicky. Vicky deserved the treatment she got from him.

“Where is he?”

“Who?”

“Dami?”

“You mean my fiance?”

“I mean my friend.”

He wasn’t here for her games. If she wanted him to acknowledge their marriage, he  had done so by asking about the wedding plans.

Vicky kept at her work like he hadn’t asked a question. She flipped through two more magazines before the door handle behind him jingled. Vicky looked towards the door, the light in the room catching her eyes and matching her smile that glared like the light from a 10000-watt bulb.

“Baby.”

“Yes, honey?”

Olumide felt himself dry heave a little but he remained seated. His own best friend would be marrying Vicky. How had this happened? How had he missed the signs?

Vicky rose, picking up her magazines and photos. She stood behind his chair, addressing Dami. “I’ve narrowed down the choices to three. So, you need to pick one.”

“Just one?”

“Just one.”

Olumide heard them kiss but he kept he focused on the wall in front of him.

“I really have to go now.”

“Alright, see you later.” The door shut behind Vicky.

Dami stroller to the seat she’d just vacated. His best friend had a clean-shaven face and a sharp haircut that framed his rectangular face. A greyish turtle neck guarded his neck.

“I don’t remember giving you an appointment.”

“Come on, don’t be like this.”

Dami’s eyes ran over him. “You look like you haven’t slept for days.”

“I have.” Olumide capped his word with a denial. There was no need to drag Dami into Romola’s situation. “So, you and Vicky. Since when?”

“Mide?” Dami’s brow straightened in that no-nonsense-way that Olumide had come to hate. “I hope you didn’t come here to talk about my fiancée.”

Olumide shrugged. “I’m just curious. Vicky of all people. When?”

Dami settled into the chair, leaning back so that his shoulders touched the top of the back rest. His left and index finger formed an arch beneath his chin. “What business is it of yours?”

“You are my best friend and besides, I introduced you to her.”

“And so?”

“I didn’t think you would date her. It was a shock to me.”

“Same here. I didn’t think she felt the same way.”

Olumide felt his jaw slack. “You liked her. How did I not know?”

“You were busy, in your head as you always are. What’s eating you Mide? You don’t look like yourself.”

“I’m fine. I just want to know what possessed you to think that Vicky would be a good choice for a wife.”

Dami sat up, a deep frown marring his clean-cut features. “Listen I will not have you talking nonsense about my wife just because of a little misunderstanding—”

“A little misunderstanding?” Olumide rose.” She lied to me. If she’d just been honest, my family would not have been embarrassed.”

“The only person who lied to you was Romola.”

“She could have known that Romola faked her memory loss. It can’t be that easy to fool a doctor. Right?”

“But yet, she fooled you.”

Olumide gritted his teeth, his cheeks hardening as he glared at his friend. Dami remained in the seat, seemingly untouched by his anger. How could Dami remain so calm while he was boiling inside?

“She fooled us all.”

“No, she fooled you. I warned you to let Romola remain in school. Yet, you insisted that I stay out of your business and I did. I would appreciate it if you returned the Favour by staying out of my relationship with Victoria.”

Olumide had never seen Dami like this. Dami was always on his side, supporting him. It had always been him and Dami against the whole world. Now Vicky had come between them.

“Vicky is my wife-to-be and right now, she is the most important person in my life. If you will continue to spew rubbish, I have nothing to say to you Mide.”

Olumide fell back into his seat. In just two years, Dami had found a wife. In the two years that he’d been absent, Dami had made progress. Was Yetunde right about him?

He held his head in his hands. “When is the wedding and what can I do to help?”

Update:

Wedding bells are ringing. Do you think Mide is jealous of Dami or he just hates Vicky?