The Affair

20. The Accident

Nothing lasts forever
Wildest Dreams
Taylor Swift

Eva sat in the passenger seat of Ebuka's car. The nights' event replaying in her head.

'Why not go to Ebuka, since you were so happy to have him on top of you.'

She closed her eyes tight in an attempt to block out the memories, the tears, the pain but they came back in flashes.

'Hey. Eva. Are you okay?' Ebuka asked, straining to see the road clearly through the blinding rain.

Her eyes remained closed. She didn't say a word in response, she couldn't speak past the huge lump in her throat. Thankfully, Ebuka respected her silence, focusing more on the road and didn't ask her anything more.

Not long after, they arrived at Radisson Blu. Ebuka went around to get an umbrella from the back seat before opening the door of the passenger seat.

'Hey, Eva. Come, we are here.'

She mechanically took Ebuka's hand and allowed him to lead her out of the car and into the hotel.

'I want to book a room for two please.' He said talking to the concierge. He glanced back to check on Eva who was seated by the wall opposite them.

'Two rooms or one?'

'One.'

The concierge typed on her system.

'How long?'

'The weekend. We'll check out on Sunday.'

She continued typing.

'Do you have any preference? We have one available with a seaside view.'

'Yes. I would like that.'

She typed some more.

'Card?'

Ebuka handed his card over to the Concierge and watched her swipe his card before finally handing it back to him.

'Here's your key. Your room number is 303A.' She said handing him his key. 'Enjoy your stay.'

Ebuka went to meet Eva.

'Come on, let's go.'

Eva allowed Ebuka to lead her up the elevator, down the hallway all the way to their room.

'Would you like to have your bath first or...'

Eva didn't respond. She just stared out into space. Lost in her thoughts.

'You can't do this to yourself.' He said joining her on the bed.

But she remained quiet. Like a doll. Unmoving.

'Eva! Eva! Look at me!' Ebuka said with exasperation, his hands on her shoulders, forcing her to look at him but instead, she seemed to look through him.

'Why?! What's so special about that weakling huh?' He stood up from the bed and started pacing the room. 'I wouldn't have bothered going to his office if I knew you would be this hung up over him. I've been...'

'What did you just say?'

He stopped pacing and moved towards her on the bed.

'I want you.'

'The hell with that! You went to my husband's office?! Why would you do that?!'

'Shhh, calm down. You're just tired. I'll run a hot bath for you and then...'

'The hell you are! This is all your fault! Kosi and I were happy before you uprooted our lives like a tornado!'

Eva got up from the bed and began looking around as though she had woken up from a drugged dream.

'I need to get out of here. I need to leave.'

She headed straight for the door but Ebuka rushed to block her path.

'You have nowhere to go!'

'Whose fault do you think that is?' She accused.

'At least just stay the night since it's raining. We can work something out.'

Ebuka's hands came to rest on her shoulders but she smacked it away.

'Don't you ever, in your God forsaken life, lay your filthy hands on me. I rather take my chances with the rain.' She sneered.

Surprised by her outburst, Ebuka moved away from the door and watched her leave.

'What are you going to do now?' He screamed after her.

'What I should have done from the very beginning. Talk to my man.'

Eva ran out of the hotel and into the pouring rain. She touched her pocket to get out her phone but realised she didn't have it on her. It must still be with Ebuka. Determined not to ask him for help, she ran towards the bus stop across the road and that's when it happened. The blinding headlights, the loud horn of a truck, sudden and inexplicable pain and then darkness.

                                                                                 ***

'Shit! Shit! Shit! What did I do? What did we just do?'

Hope turned lazily on the bed to face Kosi.

'It's too early for all this noise. We can think about this later.'

Kosi looked at Hope in disgust.

'I just had sex with my best friend on my matrimonial bed! No! It's definitely not too early to talk about this.'

Kosi scanning the room for his clothes and finding it at a corner, went to put it on.

'Kosi, don't overthink this. It's just sex. Eva obviously wasn't giving you any. And...I have to say, I enjoyed myself.' She said stretching, a contented smile on her face.

'Hope, I...'

The sound of his phone ringing cut him off. He ignored it at first but decided to pick at the third ring.

'Hello? Eva please I'm...'

'Listen. Eva...'

'Who's this? Ebuka? I don't want to...'

'Will you just listen to me! Eva was involved in an accident.'

'What?... What?! Shit! How did... what...?'

'There's no time. I'll text the address of the hospital.'

'I'm on my way!'

'What happened?' Hope asked, finally alert.

'It's Eva. She was in an accident.'

Without saying another word, Kosi grabbed a shirt and ran like a mad man out of the house.