STOLEN PARADISE

CHAPTER TWENTY - SIX

"Oh my goodness! You are here!"

"I am here," he drawled.

"I.K!" She shouted his name and gave him another hug.

"You are looking great Princess." He said with admiration. Funmi led him to sit and soon they began to reminisce on old times.

Ikechukwu Thompson was her childhood best friend and they parted ways because they were enrolled in different universities.

"You shocked me Funmi! You didn't invite me for your wedding when you know I would have taken the next available flight to Nigeria. The pictures Dele sent were my only consolation."

"It is a long story." She said with an innocent smile.

"But all of this is strange. One minute you were single and hiding and the next you were married! The drama doesn't end there, you added spices and voila! Your husband has to be the crazy Toni."

"Why him Funmi? He doesn't believe God or rather claims not to. The worst part of all this? He has been in love with Sharon, forever!"

"Ikechukwu, mind how you talk to me o! What is it? Besides, everything happened fast! I couldn't get to you in time."

"Where is that Toni anyway?" He asked with attitude.

He saw the overnight bag and smirked, "already leaving?"

"Shut up IK. Let's go and make dinner like old times."

"I will terrorise your kitchen like I used to do with our Mums'."

"Try it IK. Don't forget, it is Chef Funmi you will be dealing with. If you don't behave in my kitchen young man, I will throw you out."

Both of them exchanged a knowing look and busted into laughter. Ikechukwu promised to behave and followed her into the kitchen.

At 8 pm sharp! Antonio arrived to find his wife in a happy mood, a type he had never had the privilege to see. But she was obviously not alone too. She was having dinner already and with a man. He felt anger slowly rising inside of him.

Funmi suddenly laughed at a joke Ik made and this only made things worse for Antonio.

She seemed to be in love with him too. No problem because their divorce would work out quickly and easily. He decided to end the celebration.

"Didn't anyone teach you it is bad manners to be talking while eating?" The two old friends stopped laughing. Antonio who had been standing with his arms across his chest and the visitor's back to him decided to walk towards them.

He stopped in his tracks when Ikechukwu turned around.

"Ike?" Antonio asked in surprise.

"You haven't changed Toni! How could you leave your beautiful wife alone in this big house?" He stood up and walked towards Antonio. The two men busted into laughter and embraced each other tightly.

Funmi stood up and watched as the scene unfolded.

"And what is going on boys?" They parted.

"Ike is my childhood buddy."

Funmi knew that but decided to own the occasion.

"Ikechukwu, Kemi and I were called the three impossibles from kindergarten to secondary school."

Funmi linked her arm with her husband's, "come and have dinner."

He broke the link and replied, "I'll pass, I'm okay," he turned to Ikechukwu.

"Ike come here please, we have lot of catching up to do." He grabbed the latter's hand and dragged him to the living room while Funmi watched with a smile on her face.

Three hours later, Ikechukwu left the couple and bid them goodbye but not before giving Funmi a long and warm hug that made Antonio "cringe".

Funmi stretched herself on the sofa she sat on and yawned loudly.

"I'm off to bed." She stood up.

"Funmi," Antonio began to say. "I am sorry about earlier. I shouldn't have lashed out at you as I did."

Funmi already forgot about it since Ikechukwu's arrival.

"Don't worry about it, goodnight."

She started towards the stairs.

"Funmi," he called.

She turned around, "Yes?"

"We can make this work."

Where was that coming from?

She smiled broadly, "I know Antonio, I know."

She turned around and left.

Jealous rage fell over Antonio as he watched the glow on his wife's face, quiet similar to the one he has on himself when Sharon comes over. He knew the source of her happiness; Ikechukwu. Did they suddenly fall in love?

He scratched his head for the answers but none came.

Why should I care? She's a free woman and my wife. There is no way Ike will have his way and take her away from me and that is a promise.