The Awakening

Eighteen

I walked to my door in my robe to see who had been knocking for a while now and wouldn't let me rest. I was tired and the last thing I needed was a visitor. Opening the door, Bryan stood there with pleading eyes and as much as I wanted to bang the door in his face, I had no reason to be angry with him.

"Hi." He said and I nodded and crossed my arms, letting him know he could say whatever it was he wanted.

"I'm sorry for how things played out yesterday. I swear I didn't know she was even around the area. I'm... I'm sorry." He said and I gave a deep sigh.

"You didn't do anything wrong. If I were in her shoes, I would have done same." I said.

"I'm really sorry. I would have at least said something. I was just... " He dropped his head and I walked closer to him and looked up at his face.

"You're right. But wait a minute, are you scared of her?" I enquired.

"I... I just don't want to do anything to lose her, that's all." He said and I didn't know why hearing that from him made me feel some kind of way.

"If you have to walk on eggshells around her to make her happy, then she's probably not the woman for you. I'm just saying." I said with a shrug. He didn't reply to that.

"Is that what you came to say?" I asked, adjusting my robe.

"Uh...the wedding is in two weeks." He said and I nodded, placing a hand under my protruding tummy.

"I know. I'd be there for sure." I said with a fake smile. He came closer to me and I looked at him with a frown.

"Are you okay?" I asked him as he leaned forward a little towards me.

"There's something on your face." He said huskily and I couldn't deny I was loving the proximity. His scent washed all over me and gave me goosebumps.  He brought his hand up to my face and cleaned something that was just beside my lips.

Staring at his lips made me confused. What did I really want from him. He stared back at my lips and as much as I wanted to stop, I couldn't help the force that pulled us together, placing my lip on his. It was amazing as he wrapped his arms around my waist and the kiss went on till I heard a knock on the door.

"Jeez." I breathed as we stood apart. I couldn't look at his face because it felt too awkward.

"I'll just go." He said and I followed him to the door to see who was there. My friends.

"Hey guys." I said with a small smile and let them go in before locking the door behind me.

"Hm. The neighbour was here." Timi noted and turned to me, wiggling her brows.

"What did lover boy want this time?" She asked and I couldn't help the heat creeping up my face. Silly girls.

"He came to apologize for what happened yesterday."

"Hm. What happened?" April asked, walking to the refrigerator to get a drink for herself and Timi.

"We met at the office yesterday and he took me out for lunch. Tehilah barged in and I had to go back alone since she insisted he took her home."

"Damn. So sad. You accepted his apologies?" Timi asked and I smiled.

"We kissed." I said.

"Damn..." April whispered as she sipped from her drink.

"I like the sound of that." Timi commented.

"You like the sound of what exactly? Me kissing someone's husband-to-be?"

"Shut up jhoor!" They said in unison and I laughed hard.

"Sapphy, you're in love." Timi said and I frowned.

"Nah. A crush? Maybe. Love? Definitely not, guys." I said, taking a sip from Timi's drink as she swatted my hand away.

"You finally accepted you feel something for him." April shrugged. "Don't you have something for me to chew on? I'm jobless." She complained as she stood up and moved to the kitchen to find something.

"I got this chocolate chin-chin from Wendy at the office. It's in the top cupboard in a used strawberry jam jar." I said loudly for her to hear.

"How's the baby faring?" Timi asked and I placed a hand on my tummy, it was becoming an involuntary act. I always automatically placed my hand on my tummy whenever I was asked of the baby."

"Kicking and healthy. The last time I checked with the doctor, he said the baby was okay but I was stressing myself a lot." I said and she shook her head.

"You have to take a maternal leave so you can rest."

"Babes, no one is going to pay me for staying home and I need enough money to take care of myself and the baby. Not everyone has a governor's son as a fiance." I said and immediately regretted it from the look on Timi's face.

"You didn't just say that. You think having the governor's son as a fiance is an easy task? Do you know how many times I have been called a money-grubbing whore by my future mother-in-law? Do you even know how I'm treated by his family? I was pregnant and you know it. I had to remove it because they didn't want anything to bring their family name to the mud and Derrick wasn't ready to get married at that time. If anything, I'd rather have a normal life with a normal class man and a very kind family." She said and I rushed to her side and hugged her side tightly.

I could see her deep frown turn into a sad scowl and very soon she was crying like a baby.

"Oh, my gosh." April said and dropped the jar that was in her hand and ran over to Timi's left side who we consoled her.

"I've been called a lot of names by his family. His mum hates me and I've had the opportunity to meet his dad just a few times. His aunts and uncles hate me. It's crazy. I just never say it because I don't feel it's necessary to." She said as she wept bitterly, shoulders shaking from crying hard.

"I didn't remove the baby. The doctor said my food was poisoned and it caused the miscarriage. I lied to you guys. I'm sorry." She said and we just hugged her and kept whispering soothing words into her ear. I had been so overwhelmed with my own problems that I forgot my friends also had their own problems.

"Maybe we need something to cool all of us?" April asked and Timi nodded quietly.

"Shopping? Icecream?" I asked and they nodded.