Jola woke up with a banging headache. She fumbled about her bedside drawer in search of her phone. 10am? She hissed and sat up in bed, trying to remember the events of the past 24 hours. Her head was pounding. She remembered she was supposed to meet up with Jimi, who was meant to be her date but was disgustingly late. She had tried his number several times, while sitting at their reserved table, waiting for him, but he didn’t pick up. Feeling disappointed in herself for trusting him again, she ordered a cab immediately. She remembered her heels echoing as she walked out of Crust and Creme restaurant into the car park.
Click-clack-click-clack.
It is not his fault, she said to herself, it’s because I even agreed to go on a date with him. Jola knew she had no business with someone like Jimi, let alone a date. She blamed herself for going all out to look nice, she even wore her uncomfortable heels just to compliment the outfit. She had made some wrong choices in the past few weeks and couldn’t help but wonder how things got out of hand.
Click-clack-click-clack
She remembered taking out her phone to confirm the cab’s plate number when she heard her name. It was Jimi. He had shown up eventually and was fortunate to find her at the park.
“I am so sorry Jola.” I finished late at work. He held her hand.
“Why didn’t you call to tell me you were running late?” She withdrew her hand from his. Gosh, he smelt so lovely. He looked good too! Well, he always looked good. Focus Jola! She blinked. He was about to kneel.
“What are you doing?” Jola frowned. “Please don’t kneel abeg.”
“Ah let me kneel, I know you are very upset. I am sorry.” Jimi looked sober.
“Well, it’s late now, and my cab is here. Look, that is the driver in the black Toyota.” She helped him off his feet. Jimi annoyed her most days, but he was quite reasonable.
“I can pay him for his time. Let me drive you home; make it a date night.” He held her hand again.
“Date night at my house? By this time?”
“Yes, we can buy takeout from this restaurant, then watch a movie; I will set it up; all you need to do is sit and rest, and I will do everything.” As Jimi spoke, he held her with one hand and pulled her closer to him with the other.
Jola’s head was spinning. God this is a bad idea; I don’t want to be alone with Jimi, not this night. Sigh, but at least we would have our date, and he is actually trying. But mehn! What if something happens? This is not ideal.
“I would leave immediately after the movie. I know you are worried about us crossing boundaries. I promise to behave.” Jimi interrupted her thoughts; he could tell what she was thinking.
“Okay, fine. Oya let’s talk to the cab guy. Promise you will behave.”
“I do solemnly swear.” He said with his hands up.
That would have been the beginning of a good night for Jola, except that Jimi ended up spending the night- with her consent. As a matter of fact, she remembered telling him to stay because she was worried about the time.
“I am so stupid!” Jola said under her breath as she turned to see Jimi’s shirtless back tucked below the duvet. She was sure they didn’t have sex, but they definitely did other things, which she vaguely remembered now. She was still in her nightwear, but she knew something had transpired. Dragging herself off the bed, she padded to the bathroom and splashed water on her face. She stared at herself in the mirror and slowly dropped to the bathroom floor, feeling sorry for herself. Here she was at 32, still making the same mistakes. She crossed her legs and buried her head in her hands, casting her mind to how she ended up at that very moment.
2 YEARS EARLIER
“Guys! Soji proposed!” Tife screamed in excitement when her friends came on the video call. She had dialled her friend group chat barely 5 minutes after the proposal. Soji was in the background talking to his mum on the phone. They were at the beach.
“Their daddy’s daddies!” Chioma screamed.
“Awww”. Jola was almost in tears. She was the emotional one in the group
“This your ring is fine, oh!” Lola clapped excitedly.
“Thank you, guys! I am so excited. I will call you guys later. I wanted you to see it first before posting.”
“Oshey! breaking the internet.” Chioma cheered.
Two days had passed, and Femi was yet to return her calls or reply to her messages. She understood the nature of his job as a medical doctor, but this was becoming a habit even when he wasn’t busy. Jola’s phone rang from the kitchen. She tapped her airpods immediately. She was in her living room.
“Femi?” Her heart was racing.
“See your mouth, na only man full your head.” Chioma’s laughter echoed at the other end of the phone.
Jola hissed.
“How far? I didn’t know it was you.”
“I know; why is your voice like this? What happened to Femi?” Chioma was concerned.
“Babes, something is going on. I am trying to figure out what to do about this communication thing. I feel he is distant. He rarely calls these days, and when I call, he misses my call and gives excuses. ‘Oh, I slept off, I was seeing a patient and had an emergency.’ Chioma, I am tired.” She went to the kitchen to get her phone.
“Ahan, but you should know his rota by now, so you don’t call him when he is at work.”
“Even when he is not at work, it’s the same. It’s only when I get worried that I call him at work. I don’t think he is that busy.” Jola shook her head. “Even if, so he can’t respond to his girlfriend… For 2 days; how busy can he be?”
“Pele, this sounds a bit serious. I am guessing you have spoken to him about this.” Chioma asked because she knew that Jola could be timid at times.
“I am telling you, we have spoken about it, and he keeps saying he doesn’t see the problem. That it is his schedule, and he has tried to change it but couldn’t.”
“Ehn, at least he is making an effort, na.”
“Chioma, it is more than that. The last time he said ‘I love you’ to me was about a month ago”
“Are you counting it?” Her friend burst into laughter.
“I am serious, babes; something is wrong. I feel alone. Why would he be doing this to me? If I did something to him, at least he would tell me. I am really hurt. This is different from how things were before. I know what I am saying.” Jola responded. She went back to her living room. She was living alone in a well-furnished two-bedroom flat.
“Okay, Jola, I know that this is frustrating, but you need to tell him how you feel-“
“I have told him severally!” Jola switched from her airpods to her phone and put the phone to her ear.”
“I know, calm down. Tell him again. Ask him what you both can do to make things better because it’s clear you are not coping. Find out what he would also suggest. What about utilizing moments like when he is driving, or at the gym or doing laundry? You both just have to create the time. You need to make it work.”
“That is if I even get to talk to him; it has been two days now, and nothing; he is not picking up, he is not returning my calls or texts, and I don’t want to leave too many missed calls, so he won’t think I am desperate.”
“But you are desperate, dear.” Chioma chuckled and could feel her friend’s glare from the other end of the call. “Why not go to his house?”
“Really? Like, show up unannounced?” Jola wasn’t sure she wanted to do that.
“Yes, do you know his duty today?”
“He is off this week, which is why I am worried he is not picking.”
“Oya, go to his house and take a very nice meal along when you go. Actually, scratch that, I am coming to your house first. I will help you. You need to fight for your relationship.”
