All Grown Up

Chapter Three

Marvelous beamed as Simeon came down from his car. She hugged him and he kissed her.
"I'm so glad you could come"
"Anything for you" He said with a wink and she giggled.
"My mum is beside her self to meet you. Come in" She led him inside and he prostrated to greet her mother making her heart leap.
"Welcome my son. Please sit"
"Thank you ma"
"It's really good to see you. You must be hun..." Her mother paused when she saw the worried look on her face. "What is it?"
"Aunty Blessing and Stephen just drove in"
"Ehn?"
"They will ruin everything. Did you invite them?"
"Do I need to invite Blessing?"
"Who is that?" Simeon asked trying to know who caused her to have a worried look.
"Tope!" Marvelous groaned as the door opened while her mother gave her an apologetic smile.
"Aha! Are you guys having a visitor?" Aunty Blessing asked.
"Marvelous, brought the person she's in a relationship with" Her mother said and Aunty Blessing smiled a big smile.
"You're welcome my son"
"Thank you ma" Simeon said prostrating.
Stephen looked dazed as he entered the room carefully. She was wondering what was up with him but the hand Simeon placed on hers made her turn back to the discussion at hand.
"I love you" Simeon said as he kissed her hand. Dinner had gone quite well and she was surprised that Aunty Blessing had made it more fun. She had thought she'd act cold because she had wanted Stephen to marry her.
"I think meeting your mum's was a success eventhough your brother doesn't look taken to me"
"Stephen? Pssh... He will get over it. I'm just glad that this phase is done"
"I second that, I shouldn't keep you outside for too long. I'll give you a call when I get home, and the food was delicious"
"My mum speciality"
"Tell her I said thanks again"
She nodded and waved to him as he drove out. She skipped in happiness back inside and ran into someone. Hands quickly steadied her before she fell. She looked up to see Stephen giving her a smile.
"You still smell like honey" He said and winked making her roll her eyes at him. "I know you have a fiance but I want us to go for dinner as friends"
"We are not friends"
"So what are we?"
"Acquaintances"
"Seriously, Marvelous?"
"You made my life a living hell. Do you remember when you said that for someone to ask me out they have to ask a dog out first?"
Stephen winced. "I...I said... Said that?"
"Yes"
"I cannot tell you how sorry I am, I was young and stupid. Please forgive me" He pleaded going on his knees.
With tears in her eyes, "Is it because I'm up to your standards now that's why you're asking for my forgiveness?"
"No, I'm a Christian now so it's the right thing to do and I was wrong in the way I treated you. Please forgive me and just have dinner with me to talk things over"
Pained, "One dinner cannot make everything you said go away Stephen"
"I know, please"
"I'll think about it" She said going inside and he sighed.
Marvelous was giggling as she spoke to her love, she heard a knock on her door and sighed, it can only be her mum. She ended the call not after promising to call him back.
"I see you're happy" Her mother said as she sat.
"Simeon makes me happy"
"That's good to know. I want to talk about Stephen" Hearing his name she frowned. "You hate him"
"I don't"
"Yes you do, I heard your discussion earliy today"
"I'll go to dinner with him"
"For agreeing quickly there is something you're hiding"
"I don't understand"
"Your words to him were heavy"
"He deserved it"
"True, but he's not the same boy. He's grown and wise"
"Mummy, there's nothing, you're just reading meaning into what's not there"
"I know he hurt you when you were much younger but he's sorry"
"Mummy, I've forgiven him" Her mother sighed and kissed her forehead.
"Call him and tell him you'll go for dinner for old time sake and for his mother"
"Aunty Blessing is cool with it"
"You don't know your aunt like I do. Just call him"
Four days later, Marvelous entered the restaurant and sitting at the far end was Stephen. He couldn't be missed. He was twirling a small box in his hands and handsome. She flashed back to secondary school. Most ladies wanted to date him, even his school daughters wanted to date him. He got his looks from his mum. She looked at his direction and saw he stood up with a smile. Her breathe caught as she smiled back and went to him.
"Welcome, sincerely, I thought you wouldn't show" He said nervously.
Why was he nervous? She asked herself. "I said I'll be here and here I am" She answered as he seated her.
"First Marvelous, I'm sorry. I wish I was wiser"
"The deed has already been done"
"That's why I'm scared. The deed has already been done. Let me make it up to you, please"
"There is nothing you can do now Stephen, it's all in the past" She said trying hard not to cry.
Stephen noticed her quivering lips, there is more than she's letting on, he sighed. God help me, he whispered. "Will you like to order now? They have rice and stew with vegetables" He said winking and she smiled.
"Is that appropriate for our formal dressing?" She asked looking at the tables around.
"Who cares? The goal is to have an enjoyable evening. Did I mention you look gorgeous?"
"No you didn't"
Laughing, "Marvelous Olayinka, you look gorgeous"
"Thank you"
Marvelous was surprised when there food came. "We've not ordered"
"I ordered before you came"
"How are you sure I'll eat this" She said looking at the roasted tilapia fish just the way she loved it.
"I've been good at convincing you to do things when we were much younger" He said winking.
"Don't remind me" She answered and he laughed as both their mind went to that night. "My mother beat the truth out of me"
"I ran away that night"
"Yes, I remember your mum calling that evening"
"I thought she would have forgotten after I came back. She flogged me four days after the incident and didn't give me pocket money for two weeks"
"And you still convinced me to break my saving box and give you the money inside. Stephen, you were the death of me" Marvelous said laughing and shaking her head.
"You can't deny that I'm good looking and you had a soft spot for me"
"Yuck... More like you bullied me every opportunity you got. This fish won't eat itself" She said and he chuckled saying grace over the food.
"I'm very much sure I can't move" She said with a smile.
"I'm glad..." She saw him stiffen and she turned to see what caused him to but he took her jaw to face him. "I'm glad you like it"
Removing his hands from her jaw. "What is it?"
"I think we should go" He said motioning for the waiter.
"Running away from a former girlfriend?" She asked trying to turn but he stopped her.
"Look at me, please for my sake don't turn, please" He said as she looked at him confused, he helped her up and they walked out.
"I had a wonderful time to..."
"Is that not Simeon's car?" She asked interrupting him and he mentally groaned. She looked at the car back to him then to the restaurant. "You saw him in there"
"Wait, it might just be a friend like us"
"He was supposed to be working late at the office today"
"Maybe it's a colleague at work"
"Let me say hi. I told him I was going out with you tonight" She said shrugging.
"Wait! Aren't you tired?"
"I heard guys love to cover for themselves even when they don't know or like each other"
"I'm just trying to protect you"
"From what?"
Sighing, "He was kissing the lady in question"
"That's a lie" She ran back inside and he had to follow.
"I'm sorry Marvelous" Stephen said as they were escorted out of the restaurant by security. "Say something" He pleaded when they got to his car and she looked at him. What he saw made him scared.
"Anytime you're in my life, you end up destroying something"
"I?"
"Yes Stephen. You've caused me so much pain, you've made my life miserable!"
"I'm not the guy who cheated on his wife with you!"
"Just shut up! Shut up! Do you remember Seun from secondary school? He raped me because of you, you Stephen" She shouted poking him with her hand.
"What? How?"
"He told me Stephen said I was useless, a gold digger, I could never measure up that I was a piece of trash that night... You were jealous of the love your mum had for me, you..." She couldn't continue as she heaved and vomited all she ate while he looked at her shocked with wide eyes. He didn't know how he walked to the car and gave her a bottle of water which she rinsed her mouth.
"Take me home" She whispered and he opened the door for her. She was shaking badly that he had to carry her into the car.
"Do you want to sit or lie down?" He asked softly.
"I'm cold" He kept her on the seat and removed his jacket and wore it for her. Her hands were cold and he checked her feet because when they were much younger, she always complained her feet was cold. It was cold also. He removed her shoes and removed his socks, wearing it for her closed the door. And jogged bare footed with his shoes in his hand to his side. Raising all the glasses up he drove her home.
"What happened?" Aunty Tope asked alarmed as her daughter moaned softly.
"Simeon is married" He said as he took her to her room. He lay her down softly while her mother helped her undress.
"Thank you Stephen" Aunty Tope said shaken.
"Don't thank me yet, you might never allow me or my mother close to you or her ever again when she's alright"
"What are you talking about?"
"Marvelous was raped because of me" He said in anguish.
"Today?" Aunty Tope asked shocked.
"No, fifteen years ago"
He quickly went to help her to a seat as she looked bewildered. He knelt before her. "Aunty I'm sorry. I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I'm sorry, if I could take those years back I would, please, forgive me" He begged in tears.
"Where you there when it happened?"
"No"
"When did you know?"
"This evening"
"There is nothing to for..."
"My words caused it, okay, I was jealous of her. She was so perfect that my mother won't believe otherwise. My mother loved her and I was jealous. I said so many ill things about her, about you. I didn't know you were even the one helping us more. Please Aunty Tope forgive me" He begged.
With tears in her eyes. "When my daughter told you off on that graduation day I heard your discussion, all of it. It was my fault, I should have called your mother's attention to what she was doing to both of you but I didn't"
"I'm sorry aunty"
"I've forgiven you"
"You won't forgive me that easily when you listen to her"
"I forgive you Stephen" She said with a smile.
"Aunty, talk to her first..."
"I forgive you, are you not my husband again?"
"I've caused her so much pain"
"That God can heal. It's painful, really painful but God can heal any hurt"
"I want to ask for permission to marry your daughter"
"No Stephen. You don't have to come to..."
"This is what I want to do not my mother..."
"No!" She said firmly. "It's late, I don't want my sister getting worried" She said helping him up and hugging him.