COME WHAT MAY

CHAPTER TEN

The newly engaged couple embraced and kissed again. Lorato hoped Desire was on her way to celebrate with her because Chidi will be taking them to dinner at the Grand Palm Hotel. When the gate opened, she assumed it was her friend and went to the door. The tear stained face of Lolita met with hers. Her hands went to her mouth. Lolita shook her head and turned to leave when Lorato opened the door and grabbed her arm, turning her around.

 "Don't go please." Lorato said softly. Chidi joined his fiancé on the doorway. Lolita felt she could go mad at any moment. 

"I am sorry that I cannot join your celebration so I will take my leave."

"Don't be like this" Chidi pleaded. Lolita wanted to laugh but decided against it.

"This is really interesting. You two were courting?" She glared hard at Lorato and pointed an accusing finger at her.

 "These past six years you have done nothing but comforted me, encouraged me to keep hoping that Chidi would come around. You are a snake Lorato! You are a pretender. I fear you!" Tears began falling down her face again. "How could you betray me like this? How long has this been going on anyway?"

"Let's not talk about this right now. We are all emotionally..."

"Save it Chidi! Save your rotten sermon for yourself and my supposed best friend of ten years! You two make me sick!"

"What did you want me to do Lolly? I watched you being torn apart by an unrequited love. He never loved you in any special way and if he did he let you go a long time ago. I found him so I keep him. I have loved him for as long as you have, you were just too blind to notice."

Chidi then explained how Lorato e-mailed him and asked him to consider Lolita's heart ache and come back. They met in South Africa by chance when he started his Masters program.

"That is when I knew it was fate Lolly. You were not meant for him, I was. I have been to Nigeria three times now and his family recognizes me as their daughter- in- law." It suddenly dawned on Lolita that her friend's frequent visit to South- Africa in the guise of visiting relatives and doing shopping were lies. Chidi and Lorato had been seeing each other for five years!

"You are despicable Chidi. So, long distance relationship could not work for us but it worked well with Lorato. This is really unbelievable." That moment someone else entered the compound. It was Desire. Lolita waited for her to come closer.

"Thank God you are here. You will not believe what I am hearing from this two." Desire began fiddling with her phone and looked away. Lolita was the only one who did not know about this "arrangement" between Chidi and Lorato. She suddenly felt light headed and tired.

"You knew? Tell me!" She screamed.

"Yes." Desire replied softly.

"What have I done to you to deserve this? You could have told me to spare me this pain of betrayal"

"Really? Just look at your reaction right now." Lorato shot back.

"We went to church together! We practically did everything together and you did not find any convenient time through these five years to let me know you found him? You kept all this hidden and yet smile at my face every day? You guys are really something!"

Chidi walked towards her and held her shoulders. "It happened as it should Lolly. I am sorry we didn't tell you well in time." Lolita removed his hands from her shoulders.

"I was the one consoling him when he missed you. I was there and you weren't!" Lorato shouted.

"You are not making any sense because I could have been there if you contacted me about his whereabouts! Are you sure you are not being used for residence permit and citizenship?" Lolita spat out with vengeance.