Replica: Crazy Versus Smart (Nigerian Story)

Chapter 33: I Have A Better Plan

Susanne sat in the dimly lit restaurant, the flicker of candlelight casting a warm glow over the table. She had carefully arranged the evening, hoping to mend the rift between her and Micheal. Their appointments at this restaurant had always been special, and she hoped this one would be no different. She had ordered her favourite strawberry pizza and chilled strawberry wine, aiming to recreate happier times.

As they sipped their wine and picked at the pizza, Susanne broached the topic carefully. "Micheal, I was thinking... maybe we could go on a vacation to Miami. Just the two of us. It could be a fresh start."

Michael's jaw tightened, the mention of Miami doing little to ease his frustration. He glanced at the wine, the pizza, the candles-all the details she had meticulously planned. Normally, these gestures would have melted his heart, but tonight they only served to heighten his irritation.

"Susanne," he began, his voice strained, "you want to go on a vacation when I've just lost a critical contract with Camilla? Do you understand how much this affects our business, our lives?" a hideous hiss escaped his lips. "She isn't even answering my calls!"

Susanne's face fell. "I know I messed up with Camilla, but I thought... I thought we could use some time away to reconnect."

Micheal shook his head, the disappointment evident in his eyes. "I don't have time for vacations right now, Susanne. We need to fix this mess. I need to fix this mess."

The candles continued to flicker, the wine remained untouched, and the pizza grew cold. The restaurant, once a place of shared joy and love, now felt like the setting of a widening chasm between them. Susanne realized that it would take more than a romantic evening to heal the wounds she had inflicted, and Micheal's anger was a reminder of the consequences of her actions.

Meanwhile, outside the restaurant, Cryst, Micheal's younger sister, was shopping when she spotted her brother's shiny car parked nearby. Curiosity piqued, she walked in, disguised with dark shades and a hat, and took a seat close enough to overhear their conversation. As she listened, she couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement when Micheal turned down Susanne's vacation idea. However, the idea of a vacation in Miami intrigued her.

With a mischievous smile, Cryst stood up and approached their table. "Dearest sister-in-law." She took off her shades and hat, revealing her identity, and plopped down beside them with a big, bold grin. "I heard Miami. Don't tell me you're both planning a vacation without me?"

Micheal caught off guard but amused by his sister's audacity, chuckled. "Yes, we are. You can come with us if you want to."

"Imagine going shopping in Miami and taking a photoshoot at the beach? How about we take a family tour?"

"Excellent, Cryst. I'll book a ticket for the three of us."

Susanne's heart sank. She had hoped for a private trip to mend their relationship and pin her pregnancy on him, knowing how troublesome Cryst could be, that wouldn't be an easy task.
"Since my dearest husband has decided, I'll agree with him." Susanne faked a smile dabbing her fork into a pie of the pizza, chewing on it making her stomach rumble. Cryst's presence suddenly made her lose appetite.
Susanne's plans for a quiet, romantic getaway were now in jeopardy, overshadowed by the prospect of Cryst's unpredictable presence.

"Great, it'll be fun!" Cryst exclaimed, oblivious to Susanne's dismay and glanced at the table. "So you're both having this without me? Cryst gave them a mysterious stare and nodded with a small smile. "Waiter!" She called and a server hurried towards her. "Pack a box of fruit pizza and vanilla ice cream for me. Make it snappy, please." She ordered.

"Okay, ma." The server nodded and walked away.

Susanne forced a smile, her mind racing to find a way to salvage her plans. She knew that having Cryst along would make it nearly impossible to have the meaningful conversations and intimate moments she desperately needed with Micheal. As the evening wore on, Susanne realized that she would need to come up with a new strategy to win back her husband's heart and rebuild their trust. Micheal sat in his car.

Driving home that night, Kanye noticed the long, pensive look on Michael's face. His dull expression made Kanye sad in the gloomy car as they moved swiftly and silently.

"Are you worried about going on vacation with your wife? This is your second vacation with Susanne, and I hope you won't run back home like you did on your honeymoon. Come on, you have another chance! You should be excited."

"You know how our relationship is. Why are you making fun of it?" Micheal rolled his eyes at Kanye's words, frowning. His friend's observation made no sense.

Micheal retreated into his thoughts, while Kanye chuckled softly. His friend looked like a timid newlywed.

"Whatever, I'll be fine," Micheal muttered to himself.

"Imagine lying half-naked under the blue sky on golden sand, posting those pictures online, or booking a suite and sipping glittering champagne from long-stemmed glasses. Imagine kissing in a room filled with roses. Those are the desires of a bachelor like me. You can easily enjoy that life, but you keep avoiding it. For how long?" Kanye shrugged in disappointment. "Susanne is adamant. If you don't want to go, there are plenty of excuses you can use."

"What?" Micheal asked, taken aback. "How would I tell Susanne that? Why would I back out now that Cryst is involved?"

"So you asked Cryst to go with you." Micheal nodded in reply, and Kanye let out a sigh.

"A lonely and desperate couple in a room... I guess even a hundred Crysts won't stop you two from being intimate. Every man is meant to be intimate with his wife anyway. Will Susanne's determination to have a child will finally come true? Or should I call you Dad now?" Kanye joked while Micheal pondered his reality.

He has never been with a woman, not even once. With all the ladies in Miami, how could he not share a bed with his wife? No one needed to know, but the thought disturbed him.

That night, Susanne couldn't sleep a wink. She paced her room, wearing a red satin nightgown and thinking of a way to be with Micheal, even if it was just for a night.

"That stupid girl," Suzanne chewed on the artificial nail of her thumb. "Why does she have to involve yourself in my personal life?" she cried out mentally, grabbing her head in frustration.

Her makeup-laden face contorted as she walked towards the bed with drooping feet. "This is my last chance to be with Micheal. I'll be four months along tomorrow. It's a good thing I have a slim body but I'm scared that this bump will come out anytime soon. How can he accept this child without seeing my nakedness? How much more will I have to hide? Should I make him... should I drug him, or should I just charm him? Nothing is out of my reach, I'm just scared of the consequences." A sharp pain hit her as she got stuck in the moment, clutching her belly.

Micheal, in his room, took a shower and stood before the mirror, thinking about his wife. "I can't... I don't care why you married me, but since you married me, you are responsible for me," Micheal remembered Susanne's words clearly. The urge in her eyes when she confessed those words triggered him. "I want a child so that I can feel at ease and live out of all this drama." The agony in his unsettled mind prompted him to grab his phone and make a call.

Susanne walked up to Micheal's bedroom, showing off her figure through the revealing nightgown. She cat-walked, her body enveloped in rose perfume. About to knock, she heard him talking on the phone.

"I called for you to cancel my flight to Miami. Only Susanne and Cryst will make it tomorrow. I'll come up with something because I'm busy. I have to earn Camilla's trust once they leave. I spoke to her, and we agreed to meet somewhere in town."

"Okay, good night, Kanye." Micheal ended the call with a sigh of relief.

Susanne felt pained. Her blood boiled as she controlled herself. "Micheal, you didn't even give us a chance to be together! Don't worry, I have a better plan." She nibbled on her trembling lips and walked away.

Before going to bed, Susanne asked that her mum meet her at Maitama Amusement Park the following morning, so they could talk.

Author's Note

Hello my beautiful readers!
Thanks so much for walking this adventurous journey with me. A lot has been on my mind recently as I'm about to tie the knot with my soulmate, but thank God I'm not like what I've been through. We're close to a thousand reads and two hundred votes now. Thanks so much for the immeasurable love you've shown me so far. I just feel discouraged to write unlike before, because I didn't get any feedback or comments. I feel alone walking this journey. It might be slow but I really have plans for this novel. Don't forget to vote and comment on this chapter. Have a blessed week ahead.