Smiles of the Heart – Episode 33

Smiles of the heart ( Obianuju II)

Written by Princess Juliet

Episode 33

Trapped

 

A smile was playing at the corners of his mouth as he watched her, and his dark gaze was kissed with humour.

She was still the same, her face so beautiful and loving as ever. D*mn! he couldn’t stop himself from staring at her.
He stood transfixed, admiring her from afar as she glowed with enchanted charms.

His eyes slowly travelled down her body, taking in her delicate features and her seeming rounder shape.

His brows rose and he involuntarily smacked his lips together. The desire to own her flew through him, hot and fast and he unconsciously grunted out her name – Obianuju.

 

Obianuju’s step slowed as she neared the entrance. Her instincts were at clamor. Someone was definitely watching her, she was so sure about that.

She turned around. He quickly hid behind a provision store, his heart pounding in his chest.

Did she see me? he inhaled deeply and exhaled softly, trying to catch his breath.

He wanted to be angry with himself but was too dazed, too surprised at the sensation running through him. He couldn’t explain it.

He roared and hit his chest with his fist so hard, anger threatening to turn him into a different person.

” I really need to get out of here,” he muttered to himself and began walking towards a bushy path, hesitated for a moment, then turned around and looked toward Obianuju’s hostel once again.

She was no longer outside, he only saw a short man in a black suit dragging a heavy-looking bag into the building.

He smiled though his eyes became hard. “Still, she didn’t notice me.” he adjusted his clothes and started down the bushy path, only to bump into a chubby dark girl.

“Are you bli…………..” his voice trailed off into silence as he noticed the fear in the girl’s eyes. He stared hard at her, his expression sour. “Do you know me?” he was forced to ask.

 

“D-Dave.” The chubby dark girl trembled in fear. She hadn’t expected to see him again, she thought he would have been rotting off  in prison by now.”How …. where …when did you get out of prison?” She spoke in a pronounced stutter.

His reflective gaze searched her face, his brow furrowed at the odd sentiment. She really does know him, no doubt about that. But who is she?? “Who are you miss?” he threw the question to her.

“I am F-F…..” the chubby dark girl choked in her words and had to start again. “I am Faith.”

 

Faith! He tilted his head to the side and he looked at her curiously. The name rang a bell.

“O-Obianuju sister.” the chubby dark girl quickly added on seeing the drawn look on his face.

“Ha Ha,” he snapped his fingers in front of her face. Now he remembered where he met her. She was the one who conspired against Obianuju right? Why then is she calling her sister? he gritted his teeth in silent fury as he fought the urge not to smack her hard across the face.

He couldn’t do it, he was in desperate need of her help. He will get rid of her and that b***h Susanna after that.

“I need you to help me with something,” he told her plainly.

“Me! No ooooo.” the chubby dark girl croaked in a panicked whisper. She was so damn scared of the beast standing in front of her. “Don’t make me do it.”she begged him. “I am nobody but an innocent girl.”

 

His eyes flashed with anger. “Innocent girl my foot.” he spat, venom dripping from his words.

For a moment he contemplated threatening her, but what would he gain? Nothing.

“See Faith….”He tried to talk her into it. “I know you are scared right now, but I can assure……….”

The chubby dark girl phone suddenly buzzed. He glanced down at it and the picture on the phone screen caught his attention. It was the model picture of his younger brother—Landon.

He frowned slightly. Could they be in a relationship? Yuck! he eyed her with disgust. This lady was much more older than his brother. But nevertheless, he decided to use it to his advantage.

“You like Landon?” he asked her.

The chubby dark girl tore her gaze from her phone and looked at him. She appeared to be taken aback by the question. “Do I like Landon?” she repeated the question, as if in a trance. “Of course I like him.” She nodded sheepishly. “I love him so much.”

 

Ode! he cursed her inwardly but smiled outwardly. “Eyaaa! that is too bad.” his eyes mocked her. “The person you love is in love with another,” he said, not entirely sure of himself. His brother was always flaunting a little girl picture on his status, that was all he knew.

The chubby dark girl body shook with fury and tears flowed uncontrollably down her cheeks. ” You are talking about Chichi right?” she choked out her words.  She had also noticed it. Landon was so fond of the little witch that he spend hours talking to her on phone even when she is with him.

His face contorted into confusion. “You know her?”he looked at the chubby dark girl with keen eyes.

“Yes.” The chubby dark girl nodded her head lightly. “She is my sister…. erm….I mean Obianuju sister.”she stuttered her response.

 

“What ?” He heard  a  loud bang in his head. “Obianuju sister?” He couldn’t bring himself to believe that. His brother likes….wait a minute! She was the  one he shot at right?unbelievable!!!!!!

 

“You seem to know more about Landon.” The chubby dark girl’s voice interrupted his thought. “Are you a fan of his?”

A slow smile worked its way up to his eyes. The exact question he had been expecting her to ask. “I am his elder brother.”he replied sharply and the chubby dark girl jaws dropped.

 

She couldn’t believe it. This scary looking man is Landon’s brother, impossible!!

“I will help you win him over if you agree to help me.” he added.  He knew he sounded foolish, but he was too desperate to care.

 

“Can you really do that?” The chubby dark girl met his eyes and rasped.

“Try me and see.” he crossed his arms and smirk.

The chubby dark girl gazed up at him for a moment in silent amazement and then nodded her head in agreement. “What do you want me to do?”

 

“To lure Obianuju out.” he said with an evil grin plastered on his face.

The chubby dark girl was utterly dumbfounded. How is she going to do that? she wondered to herself. She held her silence, shrugging to him by way of explanation. She didn’t know to say. “Can we please talk about this later?” she wanted to step backward, but his eyes held her.

“Are you going somewhere?” he questioned, his voice leveled.

“Erm… Not really.” the chubby dark girl chuckled nervously. “I just want to share my birthday invitations to neighboring hostels.”

“Birthday?” he almost screamed, quite to his own surprise. “You are having a party?”his head was throbbing with a thousand thoughts already.

“Yes.”the chubby dark girl nodded slowly, wondering why he was acting so strange.

 

Perfect timing! he grinned all over his face. “When is the party?”

“Tonight.”the chubby dark girl replied.

 

“Good! I want you to invite Obianuju over.”he made his intention clear.

“But we are not on good terms and…….”the chubby dark girl began to protest but stopped when she saw the deadly look in his eyes.

Fear tied a knot in her stomach, and she tried to force it down. “I will do it.” she gulped down a tense, hard knot that had formed in the back of her throat. “I will invite her over .”

“Good.”A triumphant smile appeared on his face. He had other plans too

 

*
OBIANUJU

 

I couldn’t stop myself from crying, I was just too hurt and pained by my husband’s newfound attitude.

Gosh! I couldn’t believe my bad luck, I have never been so frustrated in my entire life.

“I hate you Ademilade!” I screamed out loud and collapsed on the bed like a temperamental teenager and proceeded to drench my pillow in tears.

“You really need to calm down Juliet.”Shakirat voice sounded like an echo in my ear. “Crying won’t solve anything……….”

Oh right! But at least it would make me feel alive.

 

“Your husband taking away your car doesn’t mean a thing, In fact you should look at it from another perspective.” her words sounded like childish gibberish, but they were magically efficacious. “He probably wanted to save you some trouble.”

Like seriously! “What then about my weekly allowance?” I half-shouted. “he transferred fifty thousand to me, fifty measly thousand nairas. Ugh!!!!”

 

“Oh please! Shut up.”She retorted irritably and I flinched at the cutting acidity in her voice. “Can you hear your self?Fifty measly thousand naira.” she mimicked me. “If it was so easy, why don’t you start  fending for yourself?”

 

I swallowed the insult and shifted nervously on the bed.

“You should be grateful to him and stop acting like a spoilt brat.”she rolled her eyes at me

“Who is a spoilt brat?” I glared at her, angry that she wasn’t siding with me.

What kind of friend is she sef? Always condemning all my actions and taking sides with my husband.

“You of course.” Her lips pressed tightly together as she glared back at me. “I wonder why he didn’t take away your phone sef.” she hissed loudly.

Crazy wench! I had wanted to yell at her, but quickly changed my mind and swallowed my words.

What would I gain from it? Nothing.

A sudden knock at the door startled us and we both jumped.

“I’d better get that.” I whispered

“No, let me do it.”she said, already heading towards the door and I scoffed silently. “Whatever.” I closed my for the briefest moment, trying to distract myself, but it was to no avail.

My mind was completely messed up.

“What are you doing here?” Her piercing scream split the air, almost deafening me.

I sat up in bed, breathing hard, my pulse still racing. “Who is that?”I glanced between her and the door, uncertainty in my eyes.

“It is me ooooo Uju.” a female voice answered.

That voice, I could recognize it from anywhere.

“Faith.” I jumped out of the bed and rushed to the door. Just like I guessed, Faith was standing outside the door, her hands on her waist as she glared hard at Shakirat.

“Yes.” I snapped at her and only then did she look in my direction. “What are you doing here?”

“Erm…..”she chuckled nervously. “I came to give you this.”She opened her bag, dipped in her hand and pulled out an envelope. My eyebrows arched, my curiosity senses on high alert. “It’s an invitation to my birthday party tonight.”she handed it to me.

“Oh.”I drew the invitation from the envelope and slowly unfolded it. Her silver jubilee birthday batch, is unbelievable!!!!

“You are not twenty-five years old, are you?” I asked accusingly.

“Erm ….I am actually twenty seven.”she gave a nervous little laugh, unable to hold my gaze any longer.

“Why then did you decrease your age?” Shakirat scoffed aloud.

“It is none of your business.”Faith growled at her and then looked at me, her eyes blinking rapidly. “You really should come out and celebrate with me, please please and please.” she begged desperately.

 

Shakirat and I exchanged puzzled glances. “Is there more to this birthday party?”I so badly wanted to know. The Faith I know wouldn’t care a bit if I attended her party or not, she was so annoyingly proud.

“No.”She shook her head slightly and smiled. I just miss our friendship, that is all.”With that, she nodded at me and started down the corridor.

I followed her with my eyes till she was out sight,  and then carefully folded the card and placed it back in the envelope, my hands shaking for no reason.

“Don’t believe a word of what she said.”Shakirat snatched the envelope out my hand and tossed it on the reading table. “She is a nothing but a rotten liar and ………..”

 

“I will go.” My sudden interruption stopped her in mid-sentence and she blinked a few times. “Do you even know what you are saying?”she stood looking at me with arms akimbo.

“I only want to relax my head.”I drawled tiredly and walked past her to the reading table. I picked up a grape from the bowl of fruit, tossed it in the air, caught it, then bit into it.

“Uhm, delicious.”I mumbled and turned my head to meet Shakirat’s blank gaze.

“What?” I mouthed at her.

“hmmmmmmh.”She looked away from me and began fiddling with her phone. “Make sure you sha tell your husband about it.”

“You aren’t coming with me?” I raised my eyebrow in disbelief.

“I am fasting remember?” She reminded

“Oh that’s true.” I nodded almost absentmindedly for a minute. “Alright then, I guess I will have to go alone.”

*

Ademilade

It was nearing sunset. The slanting rays of the setting sun poured through the open window and painted the office orange.

I sat there at my desk, my intense gaze fixed  on my laptop as I read through a research project work all over and over again.

Satisfied, I emailed it to the  head doctor, and gently closed the laptop.

“Phew!” I took out an handkerchief and mopped my brow. That was hard work!

I lazily got up out of the chair and stretched, then pulled off my lab coat and hung it over the chair.

“Are you also on night shift?”

The sudden voice startled me a little. I turned in the direction and saw Kewe was standing at the entrance.

“No.” I looked away from him and began arranging my desk, sorting out files and keeping them in order.

“Why then are you still here by this time?” I heard his light footsteps behind me.

I glanced at the clock on the wall beside me and noticed it was 5:10 pm. “I was working on a research question.” I replied him. “But I am done with it.” I quickly added.

“Oh! Alright.”he muttered, it was more like he was talking to himself.

I looked at him and smiled lightly. “See you, tomorrow bro.”I bade and walked past him to the entrance. “And have a wonderful night shift.” I drawled in a mildly sarcastic tone and stepped out of the office.

 

“Crazy idiot.” his voice echoed in the passage and I laughed inwardly, my hand in my pocket as I strode along the corridor and outside to my car.

I fished the key out of my pocket and opened the door; then climbed into the driver seat and started the car, slowly driving out of the compound, heading home.

*

In spite of the heavy traffic, I arrived home on time.I drove through the opened gate into compound and parked out in front of the apartment.

I alighted from the car and slowly looked around me. The house felt strangely empty without my wife.

Gosh!!!I was already missing her— her nosie , her smile, her laughter, her troubles, the buss of her phone, every damn thing about her………..Biting my lips, I slammed the door shut and started towards the front porch when my phone suddenly started to ring.

I fished it out of my pocket to check out the caller and noticed it was my baby. Perfect timing! A light smile played on my lips and I received it right away

“Hello Ade.”her voice rang out through and I leaned against the balcony railings, waiting…….

I honestly do not know, but from the sound of her voice, I could tell she was angry.

“I really want to thank you for making my life so miserable,” she spoke in a sarcastic tone and I heaved a deep sigh.

“You know that is not true babe.”I said softly, unaffected by her outburst.

“Don’t baby me.” She screamed over the phone. “That is not the reason I called.”

oh Jeez! It seems like my actions have really pissed someone off.

“Fine! Fine! Fine! Why then did you call?”

“To ask for your permission.”

My permission! “To do what?” I muttered confused.

“Celebrate with a friend.” her response made me frown.

“What friend?” I questioned her. “Is it someone I know? Who else is going………I trailed off when I noticed the call was no longer connected.

She got to be kidding me!!! I began dialling her number, but the line was interrupted when her friend’s call came in.

What is with them? I wondered, receiving it.

 

“Hello Shaki……..”

 

“Don’t worry yourself about her.” She cut in, her voice loud enough to drown mine out. “she is in safe hands.”

No! No! No! No! “What party is she talking about?” I wasn’t buying the cock and bull story.

“Erm…. it is like a …..”she paused and I heard Obianuju’s faint voice in the background. “A friend party………”Yes, a friend’s birthday party.” Shakira picked up from where she stopped. “The party is safe, you don’t need to worry about us.”

“Are you sure about that?” I wanted her to give me her word.

“Yes, we will both be fine.” she assured me.

“Alright.” I reluctantly agreed. “But remember, no late night keeping and alcohol.” I warned.

“I promise.” her voice was barely a whisper, but I was lest bothered by that. I trusted her and that is that.

*

OBIANUJU.

“Juliet.” Shakira screamed out my name as soon as the call ended. “I can’t believe you just made me lie to your husband.”

I looked in the mirror and met her angry gaze. “Chill babe chill.” I chuckled lightly. “We didn’t lie to him, did we? Faith is a friend, as well as a sister.”I rolled my eyes in mock exasperation.

“You are so impossible.”she scoffed aloud and sank into the chair, letting out a deep breath. “And so stubborn,” she said after a few seconds.

I smiled lightly and looked away from her, staring at my reflection in the mirror. I looked like a completely different person on my nude makeup. “How do I look? I directed my question to her.

“Like a pregnant woman.” she drawled.

I looked back at her. She was watching me closely, a blank expression on her face. “You better get going so you don’t get back late.”

 

“Sure.”I finished putting my makeup on, and took a neck chain from my Jewellery box and put it on.

Satisfied, I stood up and stared at my full self in the mirror.

Made of cotton and silk, the black Indian-like gown I wore hung loose on my upper body but was tighter around the hips and across the bottom. I smiled and turned around, admiring myself.

 

“Juliet.” Shakirat called out in a warning tone and began tapping her right foot on the floor. “It is getting late already.”

“Fine! Fine! Fine!” I hastily put on white fluffy slippers and grabbed a white handbag. “I will return on time.”I promised and started walking to the door, but she came forward and blocked my path.

“Remember the promise I made to your husband.”she was shooting me with her eyes, bullet-piercing eyes. “No late night keeping and alcohol.”

“Go with me now.”I looked at her with puppy dog eyes and pouted like a child . “Pleeeeeease.”

“You know I can’t do that. I am fasting, for crying out loud.”She reminded me for the umpteenth time today.

“Yeah! Yeah! How could I ever forgot that! “I rolled my eyes mockingly and stepped out of the room.

“I will keep tabs on you.” she called out to me

“As a monitoring spirit abi?” I retorted jokingly and sauntered through the passage and outside to the compound.

The moon was about half of its regular size and the weather chilly and unpleasant. I stood for a moment, looking around. If only I had my car with me, it would’ve been easier ……”Well!” I shrugged off the thoughts and started down a lonely road, walking as fast as I could when my phone suddenly buzzed with a text message.

Ignoring the shivers going through me, I fished it out of my bag to check out the sender and noticed it was Ademilade.

I quickly clicked on it. ” Don’t you ever forget that I love you.” I read it out, my voice trembling with emotions.

Good gracious! That was all I ever wanted him to say since. I took a deep breathe and a wave of relief washed over me.

“Hello Obianuju.”The sudden sound of a deep voice startled me, scaring the hell out of me.

I slowly turned in the direction of the voice and saw my worst nightmare was standing behind me few steps away.

 

TBC