LOVE & FLAWS | A NIGERIAN ROMANCE |

Chapter 24: Promises and Confessions

Clint was tortured. Ending things with Tina was difficult for him. He licked his wound while blaming himself. He acted out rash, because of his ego. Tina not recognizing his efforts pained him, and having to throw away those efforts in split seconds didn't help either. The last time he felt this way, he had sworn never to grow emotions again.
“I can't say I really know how you feel, but I can imagine myself in your shoes. I've been estranged from this whole love and relationships thing for a while now and can't promise you much. You are a strong lady, I admire you. I want you to understand that it wasn't easy for me either. I want to give us a chance.”
“Maybe if we get closer and become fond of each other, I will get over this whole argument in my head. Trust me; I have a lot going on in there.”
“I like you. I do, but like I said before, I hate emotions. If you can give me a chance, I will prove that, and maybe one day, I will get to learn how to love you, irrespective of whatever and against all odds,” Clint went through his words that evening at the Restaurant.
These were sincere promises, sincere confessions he made to her and worked to keep. At least, he tried. Now she was throwing those to his face.
“F**k you!” He screamed in annoyance. He furiously ran his fingers over his hair.
He gulped down some liquid from the bottle of Jack Daniels he held. He made a quick jug through the day he met with Jenny and the pictures on Instagram. He was only trying to be good, covering up for his many wrongs. Had he kept a deaf ear to her emotional blackmail, this wouldn’t have happened. What could he have done? He was being guilt flogged. She took advantage of it.
“A superior plaything,” he recalled the day at the mall. Could she be referring to that day? Did they have a face off or something? He ran his hands through his head again.
Kamso! He recounted the morning of yesterday, the events that lead to it. The plea, the unexpected entanglement, and how she left that the morning the text message after. At this rate, his brain would burst. He gulped down the remaining gin in several attempts, taking breaks to think before eventually passing out.
“I'm Tired Of sitting around and listening to these heart wrenching songs with you on repeat all day. Seriously, I'm beginning to feel like I'm suffering from heartbreak too,” Chidi whined. She couldn't bear the sound of Sia's Elastic Heart coming from the home theatre anymore. “I'm beginning to hate these songs I once thought were my favourites.” She drew closer to the couch. “I'm going to break down too if you don't stop.”
Her complaint was reciprocated with silence, not like she was expecting a response either. She wanted result. You hardly could talk Tina out of something, and the whole ‘heart break' thing had lingered a bit too long. It was getting a better part of her too; she was losing her cool. She left for her bedroom.
Tina caught the message; she'd already tried. From the constant petting to the extra efforts made to converse with her. It'd been weeks now, and she had made little effort in leaving her emotional shell.
Chidi emerged from her bedroom again, showered, and dressed up. “Tee,” she called out soothingly, “Tina, I'm sorry.” She sat beside her. “I'm sorry about earlier, but I can't bear to watch you sulk every day, repeating these songs as if the world is coming to an end.”
Tina turned to her.
“I'm sorry. Let's go grab ice cream,” she pleaded, “please, pl…ease, pl…ease.”
Ice cream was the least thing she wanted at the moment, but she obliged. Chidi would be disappointed and complain if she turned her down. The least thing she wanted to be now was ungrateful. She stretched her hand out to Chidi. She grabbed it and helped her get up.
“You're heavy!” Chidi gasped, holding onto her waist once her hands were free. “Smile for me, please. Promise me to stop sulking all day. Promise? Promise?” Chidi said, playfully pushing her to the bedroom.
It was too much of a promise to be made, but she turned to her with a weak smile on her face. Chidi took it as a clue to leave her.
“Are You Sure about that?” Concerned Chidi asked.
Tina nodded in affirmation. She wanted to go home. It was about time she returned to her normal life. After spending weeks mourning her lost relationship, it was shades of reasonable to move on.
“Is it because of me? Is it because of what I said last night? I'm sorry; I won't say that again.”
Chidi’s affection melted Tina’s heart. She felt guilty for making unintentionally making Chidi believe she was offended by her the past night. She embraced her.
“It wasn’t because of you,” she signalled, “I need to get myself together.”
On getting down the stairs, Tina waited for Chidi while she reversed her car out from the parking lot, carefully not to alter her car's exterior likewise that of others beside hers.
“Those guys always narrow down on my car. Cars need personal space too,” she complained as Tina shut the door.
They rode into town and to Tina's family house from the city suburb of Amawbia, where Chidi lived in a bedroom apartment.
Chidi Pulled Over at the Adubasim's front yard. Good thing about family houses, ones with large spaces like the Adubasim's, was that you could drive and park freely. She missed home, but her parents were different breeds from Tina's. They were a little far from being cool. She wouldn't want to be queried before being allowed to hangout, and she hates curfews too.
They aimed for the entrance to the magnificent building. The kind of building you would have when you are an engineer, your son an architect, your daughter an interior designer, your wife a doctor and stylist, and you have enough cash flowing through your banks.
Tina pushed open the large door.
“Good evening, aunty!” Chidi greeted Patricia who sat in the sitting room, cheerfully.
“Good evening, dear. How are you?” She replied cheerfully.
“I'm good.” She shared a hug with her on the couch.
“How are you holding up, sweetheart?” She asked Tina, after pecking her.
“Better,” she gestured.
“You will be fine. You will get over it with time.”
Tina nodded.
They left for the stairs, aimed for Tina's room.
“Care for something, girls?” Patricia asked.
“I'm full, aunty!” Chidi echoed.
“What of Tina?”
“No Aunty.” Chidi conveyed.

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