SHADOW OF THE PAST

14 Perplexed

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It was a bright morning at FOOD&MORE. Tomisin was attending to some customers at the far end of the restaurant.

Banji was in the kitchen getting some dishes prepared for the sales of the day, while Udoh was at the counter serving the dishes.

Some minutes after, Femi walked into the restaurant. Immediately he stepped his foot into the restaurant, he sighted Tomisin leaving the customers she was attending to at the far end of the restaurant, and walking over to give him a warm welcome. That was her usual attitude of welcoming any customers ag FOOD&MORE.

“Good morning sir. You are welcome to FOOD&MORE. Come have your seat here.” she said ushering him to the middle of the restaurant where there was an empty seat.

Femi was so surprised to why Tomisin was still pretending not to know him. He complied and followed her behind to the middle of the restaurant.

Tomisin handed over the menu list for Femi to choose his choice of menu from the list. Femi stood glaring at her, he was still perplexed to why his ex-wife was still pretending not knowing him.

He sighed and received the list from her and took a quick glance at the list before picking his choice of meal.

Few minutes later, she returned with his order.

Femi looked up and whispered, “OLUWATOMISIN” his whispering was loud enough for her to hear the name.

That name ‘OLUWATOMISIN’ sounded so familiar to her hearing. She took a pause while dropping off the cup and juice she had in the tray, and scenes of the past flashed before her face, just like from the movie. It was the memory of the past, but not too clear for her to comprehend.

“Diana…” Udoh called out from the counter, and Tomisin responded

“One second please.” she dropped the cup and juice she was placing on the table before Femi, and went to respond to Udoh's call.

“DIANA?” Femi exclaimed in astonishment after she left. He seemed not to understand why the lady who just responded to been called ‘Diana’ was looking so much like his ex-wife.

Moments later, he beckoned on Tomisin and requested for the POS to pay for what he bought and left.

Tomisin was so surprised to why the customer she attended to doesn't bother to eat or taste out of the food she served and left.

“Diana” Udoh called and beckoned on her and she went over to meet him at the counter. “Were you rude to the man that left?” he asked curiously and Tomisin shook her head in response. “Then, why did he left without eating out of the meal?” he dug further and she shrugged her shoulders, still wondering why her customer left.

“Such a thing as never happened before…” she drawled looking bewildered.

••• ••• ••• •••

Femi drove down to his father's company concluding that he might have mistaken Tomisin to someone else.

“But, why do they look so much alike?” he asked himself as he drove into the parking lot of his father's company.

MOMENT LATER…

Femi sat down in his friend’s office. They were busy discussing about the new changes in the company.

“I don't understand why your brother had decided not to allow me know about the new developed drugs. Those he employed were so secretive about the drugs. The only work I have to do here is just to sit in the office.” Mr. Fashola explained to his friend.

“I'm back now. And I believe that there will be a lot of changes now.” Femi responded.

“Fash…” that is Femi's usual way of calling his friend. “I saw something miraculous today.” he said, with his brows furrowed.

“I saw someone who looked exactly like Tomisin…” Femi said out of the blue, and Fashola was shocked to hear him mention that name. “Her figure, height, complexion and all were same as my wife, but her name was completely different and her attitude was too. This last in question is humble, and my wife isn't. I'm still having my doubt though… I believe the person I saw truly is Tomisin. I'm not mistaken about it at all.”

Mr Fashola (Femi's friend and the laboratory analyst) knew that Tomisin's dead. But he had been forewarned by Olanrewaju never to disclose it to his friend yet. He found his reasons genuine.

“Femi will surely be traumatized if such news get to him. You know how softhearted your friend is… When it's time to break the news to him, I will do that myself.” Olanrewaju had instructed Mr. Fashola back then.

“Are you sure of who you saw?” Fashola asked with his brows raised in question.

“And, what do you mean by that question? Is Tomisin so far away that I can't see her around?” he asked curiously, and Fashola shook his head in dismissal.

“I don't mean it that way… I was only trying to find out if you truly saw your ex-wife, because Tomisin had traveled out of the country for a while now.” he lied and Femi bought it.

“But, how could someone look so much like Tomisin? Even her voice…” he said thoughtfully and his friend wasn't feeling comfortable about the discussion.

“How is Zoe?” he said changing the topic of discussion….

••• ••• ••• •••

Months went by, and Femi hasn't set his eyes on Tomisin. He didn't even bother visiting the restaurant where his wife's replica was. He has concluded within himself that the said woman was surely his wife's replica, after hearing that Tomisin is not in the country.

One evening, Femi was returning from work when he met with the said woman again.

This time around, Femi ignored seeing her. But, the said woman did something that was related to his ex-wife's attitude.

He approached him, and asked him why he left the restaurant without touching the food she served him.

The manner and how she approached him brought the feelings again. He was so convinced that this woman was Tomisin. Because, Tomisin is very bold and energetic.

“I had an urgent appointment to attend to that day, which I almost forgot. I'm deeply sorry.” he apologized

“I won't accept your apology except you come visit our restaurant again.” she said, and Femi wondered why she used the pronoun ‘Our’ instead of ‘My’.

“Do you mean you don't own that restaurant, or you partner with someone?” he asked with his brows raised in question.

“I am just helping my friends out to make the restaurant grow bigger. I do not own or partner with anyone.” she explained calmly and Femi understood better.

He felt the lady shouldn't and can't be Tomisin. Because, his ex-wife would never work under anyone, talk more of giving a helping hand to make the business grow.

But, when the lady smiled back, he noticed that she had a gap tooth just like his ex-wife's. He wondered why there will be a striking resemblance as much as this.

‘Could God also create ones replica as much as having so many physique in common?’ he asked himself within.

“I will be looking forward to see you patronize us soon.” she said and left Femi standing in awe as he watched her leave.

To be continued...

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