The Lives We Lived

56: Chioma's Chance

Satisfied with the job she had provided for Ijeoma, Kemi decided that it was time for her and Osa to celebrate her promotion properly. There was no better time than the Friday that his fast was supposed to end.

The sooner she chose the way they could celebrate, the less anxious she would feel. Somehow, everything was coming together and yet falling apart. With Ijeoma gone, the office was a soulless corporate society. Osa's absence from home didn't help as she found herself spending more and more time in the office to fill the void. Whatever was going on between them had gone on for too long and tonight, it would all come to an end.

She settled into the high back wooden chair in their bedroom where Osa spent tireless hours working into the night. She opened her sleek silver laptop. With a couple of taps from deft fingers, she had ordered a cab to take them to a couple's resort somewhere between the borders of Lagos and Ogun state. This night would be all about relaxation. None of them would lift a finger except out of necessity.

She picked her phone and dialled his number as she walked to an open travelling box on the bed.

"Hey, baby."

"My love, how are you doing?"

"Fine." She smiled. "Thank you for fasting for us. You know, the fact that you've decided to fast without me dragging you has given me time to rethink some issues."

There was a brief moment of a heavy pause before his reply. "What issues?"

"Us. Where are we in this relationship? How did we get here? Where are we going? How many kids we're going to have and what shall we name the one we might have at the end of the year. You know, nothing too serious." She laughed at the end of her words.

"Hmm."

"I understand that you're busy. They've recognized your proficiency, else you wouldn't have gotten the promotion but I don't see the amount of work you have slowing down soon. So—"

"When would you like to talk?" He demanded.

"I want us to take the whole weekend. Like we were supposed to the last time Mama visited."

"This is a little too sudden. Where are we going? Have we reserved the place?"

"Don't worry about that. So, I'll be seeing you tonight?"

He was silent for a bit.

"Osa?" She couldn't keep the anger out of her voice as she pressed for an answer.

It wasn't just a celebration she planned for. She wanted to lock him in an unfamiliar territory so that he would tell her what was wrong. Was it money issues? Was it still the thing that Mama had done that he refused to share?

"I'll be there. Let me know if there is anything I need to do."

"Nothing, my love."

"Love you too, Kemi. Can I go back to work now?"

"Yes." Her smile grew. "Only so that you can finish on time."

* * *

Osa set the phone down. His sweaty hands had imprinted on the phone case but he took a deep breath to steady his nerves. Had she forgiven him for what happened last weekend? For most of the week she was cold to him. He knew she wanted an explanation for what happened and that she wasn't convinced about the fast being the reason for his distance. But he wasn't sure yet how to tell her.

He had considered asking Mama to explain to Kemi but he didn't know how Kemi would react towards Mama, he only knew she would kill him. His new therapist had advised him to come clean since losing Kemi was his biggest fear.