Finding Solace (COMPLETED)✔

someone from my past

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We were sitting at Chicken Rep, enjoying a good laugh at the expense of some funny customers. As we chatted, we marvelled at how much this place had developed since I left.

A beautiful waitress approached our table, her smile radiating warmth. I couldn't help but smile back; her charm was contagious.

"I'll have the chicken pie and a medium Hollandia yogurt," I said, and she swiftly noted down my order.

"As for me, I'm starving. I'll have the fried rice with chicken wings and a small Hollandia yogurt," Tom chimed in, clearly distracted by the waitress. I kicked his leg under the table to bring him back to reality.

Startled, he shook his head as if trying to clear his mind. "Huh? Oh, yeah. Same as her," he pointed to Seyi. The waitress jotted down his order, seemingly eager to move away from Tom's intense gaze.

Men will always be men, I thought, amused by the situation. The order took longer than expected, making me wonder if the poor girl was intentionally delaying. Eventually, our food arrived, and we dug in without worrying about table manners. After all, we weren't at home.

I relished the joy of good food, unabashedly enjoying every bite without caring who was watching. We finished our meal and settled the bill when suddenly someone shouted my name, capturing everyone's attention.

Who could that be? I thought, annoyed by the public display. I tried to hide my face, hoping it was someone else she was calling. But as the person approached, I sighed and looked up, only to be greeted by one of the few people I loathed.

Christabel!

This was exactly why I didn't want to come here. Memories of how she used to frustrate me in secondary school flooded my mind. She always took pleasure in rubbing my mistakes in my face. I forced a smile and waved at her.

"Hey there, Christabella. How are you?" I deliberately used her full name to annoy her, knowing she disliked it.

"I can see some things never change," she said, a wicked smile on her face. "Like how dumb you still are and how you can't follow simple instructions."

"What instructions are you talking about, my dear? I make my own rules. So, kindly, fuck off," I retorted, bitterness seeping into my laughter. My siblings watched the exchange, clearly intrigued.

"What rules, exactly? Like the one that got you disowned by your own father? Or the ones that led you to drugs and abortion? What a rule!" she exclaimed, reveling in her hurtful words.

I laughed bitterly, my anger simmering beneath the surface. "I won't blame you, but I won't hesitate to knock out your teeth so you never smile again. So, in summary, don't test me!" I warned, causing her to grimace.

"You're a mad woman, and no matter what you've achieved, you'll always be one," she spat before I could respond. Before things escalated, I tapped my siblings and motioned for them to follow me. I didn't have time for this, and I didn't want unnecessary attention.

Christabel scurried away as she saw us approaching, probably assuming we were coming for her. Imagine! She was talking tough but ran away when faced with confrontation.

I got into my car and rested my head on the steering wheel. I couldn't deny that Christabel's words had bothered me. Did people really think I had an abortion? Was that what she had fabricated in her small, twisted mind?

Me, aborting a child? Never. It's true that I made mistakes, especially when I got pregnant right after finishing secondary school. My father was furious and kicked me out of the house. My mother was disappointed but didn't want me to be alone.

She convinced my father to let me stay, but he never ceased to remind me of my transgressions. He ridiculed me whenever he had the chance, and I turned to drugs for solace.

I lost myself in the process, becoming someone I didn't recognize. The pain became unbearable, and one day, in desperation, I stole my mother's money and ran away to a different state, where I knew no one. Little did I know that I had already lost my baby due to excessive drinking.

Months later, when my bump failed to show, I went for a test and discovered the heartbreaking truth. And now, people were badmouthing me. I started the car and left Chicken Rep's parking lot, feeling disturbed.

"Call me when you get home, okay?" my mom said as she shut the car door. I nodded, acknowledging her words, and waved before driving away from our compound.

The journey took three hours before I finally reached home. I grabbed my handbag from the car and began searching for my house key. I had always told myself to keep the car and house keys together, but I had procrastinated and never done it. Look at my life now.

Lost in my search, I failed to notice Dan standing outside my door, arms folded, with an amused look on his face. He had probably been waiting for a while to get my attention.

"Hey, Dan!" I greeted, walking towards him for a hug. "You didn't mention you'd be at my place today."

He embraced me tightly, as if he hadn't seen me just four days ago. "I missed you, baby," he whispered, inhaling my scent. I blushed, feeling a mix of shyness and love.

"I didn't miss you," I teased, loosening his grip and entering my house. I noticed his laptop on the couch; he was probably working on another project. He never seemed to stop working, and I couldn't help but think that he needed to find a balance between work and relaxation.

I couldn't imagine being married and constantly competing with work for my husband's attention. Call me a drama queen, but his relentless work habits worried me. We would have to address it later, though. For now, I just wanted to shower and sleep.

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