Sacrilege – Episode 28

Sacrilege – Episode 28

© Adeola Nissi

“Hey man”

Chris walked into Deolu’s office, shutting the door after him. Deolu stared right at Chris without twitching. “Same to you”

Chris smirked and dropped into a chair. “What are you doing sitting behind your large desk?”

“Working my a$$ off like every man should” Deolu stared at an open file on his table, not sure he saw a single word on the document in it. Thanks to his impeccable staff, his company was running just fine despite his absence for several days. It was like ages since he really sat in his office for longer than five minutes to actually do something worthwhile.

Chris raised his brow. “Doesn’t look to me like you’re getting anything meaningful done. You should be in the hospital, with Laura. It’s been three days, man…”

Deolu swallowed, opened a file and closed it albeit unconsciously before pushing out of his chair, running his hand over his head. He buried his two hands in his pockets. “How is she?” he asked, his back to Chris.

“Why don’t you go see for yourself?

He shook his head. It had really been three days… three days since he had last seen her and everyday away from her was like a fire in his gut that he could not douse. He wanted to be there with her, especially now that she was going through too much. He wanted to hold her hand and be the shoulder she could lean on like always, but… “She doesn’t want me there.” He said both to himself and to Chris before turning to face him. “I shouldn’t burden her with my presence; she has enough to worry about as it is.”

Chris stared at Deolu. “Something happened, isn’t it” Deolu said nothing, looking away as he went back to his seat. He didn’t need to say anything, it was written all over him. Chris gritted his teeth. “Give her some time. Infidelity is a lot to take in” he said drily.

“Fine words” Deolu leaned into the chair. “But why do I feel like it’s not about that anymore?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Wish I knew” he moved restlessly in his chair, his eyes assuming a confused faraway look. “It’s just these puzzles floating around my head, it’s…” he exhaled, “driving me crazy” he took a deep breath and swallowed. “Something’s just not right somewhere.” He swallowed. “If only I knew what Teju had said to Laura that night in the hospital, maybe I would understand what is going on”

“And what exactly is going on?”

Deolu exhaled, running his hand over his head. “Laura did a good job of asking me to marry Teju”

Chris stilled and blinked. “She couldn’t have meant that”

Deolu’s chuckle was stiff. “I think she did. That’s the problem. Then I went to Teju’s place and found her in so much pain; I have never seen her in that much pain before, Chris. She looked… sick”

Chris froze. “The baby?”

Restless, Deolu pushed out of his chair again. “I took her to the hospital and she stayed there for a while. The doctor said she was fine. He said the pain was triggered by the stress she had been going through lately. He said she only needed to rest.”

Chris frowned thoughtfully. “Sounds reasonable”

“Does it? I don’t know what to believe anymore. Teju is hiding something, I know it. My fear is that Laura probably knows what it is and that’s why she is willing me over to Teju”

“So you think the doctor lied”

“She specifically requested I take her to that hospital” he said with a vague smile. “Just saying… there are too many puzzles.”

Chris nodded in affirmative. “Well then, let’s go and interrogate the doctor”

Deolu rolled his eyes. “Think I have not done that. He kept telling me the same thing; he is very consistent and convincing, almost like he is telling the truth”

“Maybe he is and you are just over thinking things.”

Deolu exhaled. “I hope I am”

“I’d ask Tito” Chris finally said.

*****

“Careful there” Uneasy, Chris placed his hand on the small of Tito’s back, swapping places with her so he was the one directly by the side of the road. The warmth of Chris’ hand warmed Tito, making her tense but the hand was soon gone, disappearing into his pocket. Chris should ask Tito what he had promised Deolu he would, but for the life of him, he just wanted to watch her breathe some fresh air for now. They walked on in silence. The wind of the night was gentle against her skin, making her smile. “You were right; a walk is what I need”

Chris brimmed with satisfaction, looking heavenwards. “She finally admits I was right”

Tito rolled her eyes, smiling. “Snap out of it”

“It’s not every day you win an argument with Tito” he said and Tito smiled. Chris stared at her face for a moment. “You are always more relaxed outside the hospital”

Tito felt his eyes on her and swallowed, walking on silently. He had to stop looking at her like that; it was the most unnerving thing ever. It always felt like he was reading into her soul, unlocking her threshold of secrets.

Chris stuck his hands in his pockets as they walked on in silence. “Want to tell me what happened?” Tito looked at him. “To the men you lost?”

She looked away; the smile on her face was gone as she walked on, her eyes on the road. She finally shook her head, exhaling. “It’s a beautiful night” she offered him a shaky smile. “Let’s not spoil it”

Chris nodded. “Okay… anything to retain the smile on your face”

Teju looked up into his smiling face and shook her head. “You seem negatively charged towards flirting with me tonight. Barbieque wouldn’t be pleased”

Chris looked amused. “Barbeque?”

Tito rolled her eyes. “The Barbie I saw at your place that night”

Chris stared at her, and then shook his head, chuckling. “Barbieque” right! That night.

“Is she waiting for you at home or was it just her turn that day?” Teju tried to make her voice as light as possible.

Chris grinned. “Oh well, she was my mum’s missile. My parents seem negatively charged towards getting me married at all cost” he feigned a pained look.

“Ah! Mission impossible. You’re still busy sampling different prospects”

“You’re not jealous, are you?” the grin he directed at her was mischievous.

Teju rolled her eyes, blushing as she looked away. “Don’t be ridiculous”

“Huh” was all he said, nursing a secret smile. “Well, answering your question, she isn’t waiting for me at home”

“She didn’t find out you snore and took to her heels, did she?” she asked grinning.

“I don’t snore!”

“Didn’t expect you to admit to it. Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me” she winked at him, trying hard not to laugh out as they walked on. Of course, she didn’t know if he snored or not, she just knew he had to have something that is not so perfect going for him, and since she had never seen him picking his nose before, snoring would probably be it.

Amused, Chris shook his head. He had seen a different side of Tito since the accident that he had never seen before. “I should get you out of the hospital more often; hopefully you won’t have to perpetually stay there much longer”

Tito sighed. “Yeah. And hopefully, it won’t include a trip to the cemetery”

After walking for a while, they got to a big shady tree. Street lights beamed on it, creating a mirage-like effect. Tito smiled, fascinated, moving ahead of Chris to stand under the tree. She turned her face up, looking at the fat leaves and the tiny rays of light that illuminated through from the light. “Wow! This place is so beautiful”

Chris smiled, his eyes on her, watching her. “Yeah… beautiful” he said. It must have been the way he said it that pulled her eyes back to his. These past few days left him wondering if he had been blind all along to the beauty that was Tito. There was this exotic beauty with Tito that he had never noticed until now. Certainly not the fair dazzling beauties he was used to but as he stared at her now, her face flushed with the glow of wonder, her pink lips slightly open as she stared back at him; he could not think of a sight more beautiful.

Tito blinked and looked away, searching the ground till she found a big log of wood. She sat. Chris drew closer and sat beside her. Silence settled around them, unnerving them. He could hear the catch in her breathing, could perceive the faint scent of Tito’s flowery perfume, and could see the way her fingers moved restlessly, tapping – something he realized she did whenever she was nervous.

“Tell me about the book you are working on” Chris blurted out, in an attempt to stop himself from doing the one thing he was dying to do.

Teju looked up at him, amusement in her eyes. “Who told you I’m working on a book?”

Chris shrugged. “A writer always is, especially when she is a fulltime writer”

Tito smiled. “Oh well, just like others, it’s romance. A man and a woman both too busy fighting their demons to accept the fierce attraction they have for each other”

Chris smiled. “Would they have a happy ending?”

“Yes” Tito didn’t think she could write a story without a happy ending. Her books were the only places love ended well for her.

He nodded. “You know, I always find it puzzling that you write love stories yet do not believe in love”

Tito glanced at him and looked away. “I believe in love, I just don’t think it’s meant for me”

“It is”

Tito smiled bitterly. “My dead exes wouldn’t tell you that.”

Chris touched her cheek, turning her face to his. Her face was so close to his, he could feel the change in her breathing. He stared into her eyes, holding them. “Their death is not because of you, stop holding it against yourself”

Tito swallowed. Her throat suddenly felt dry. His face was so close to hers, there was no other place she could look asides from his eyes. “You don’t know what happened to them”

“I don’t care” he whispered.

She swallowed. “You should”

He stared into her eyes, making her heart stop. “Right now, the only thing I care about is kissing you” He leaned forward and kissed the tip of her nose. His eyes lingered on her mouth as his fingers fanned her cheek, his thumb moving dangerously close to her lips. Tito’s heart raced in her chest, the thump if it echoed in her ears. Chris looked up into her eyes, the hunger and desire in his practically stopped her heart. “Can I kiss you?” he mouthed, touching his head to hers. “I think I’d go crazy if I don’t” his breath washed over her face as her breath came out unevenly.

This was her chance. She should say no and run as fast as she could. She should do the sensible thing now that she had a choice. But when her lips opened, the only thing that came out was, “yes”

Without waiting a second longer, Chris brought his mouth to hers, sealing them, branding them. He couldn’t remember the last time he had wanted, needed to kiss someone so badly. Moving his hand into the hair at her nape, he placed another at her back, moving her into his arms as he kissed her deeply.

To be continued

 

ALL EPISODES