Bed of Roses (Episode 7)

Tuesday

“Leave the road if you know you have nowhere to go.”

The loud shouts and hooting from the cars behind alerted her. The traffic light had turned green for a few seconds and the struggle to beat the traffic light was real, especially since it was one of the awkward traffic lights that went back to red almost immediately after turning green.

“I’m sorry” She said quietly as she zoomed off before the light turned back to red.
She sighed heavily. She wasn’t sure of how the conversation with Sewa was going to turn out but this time around, she seemed to be the one in danger. She had messed up big time.
She brought everything she was currently going through all on herself. Her heartbeat increased as she tried without success to compose the story she was about relaying to Sewa properly.

How was she going to tell Sewa that after her husband was discharged from the hospital and he insisted that she should discontinue further investigations on Tade’s whereabouts, she continued nonetheless? How would she explain that after she eventually got tired of searching, received no feedback from all her contacts in various police stations, and told the Smiths that she had finally stopped the search, Tade contacted her personally and asked to see her for a brief discussion?

Fikayo had been furious after dropping the call that sunny afternoon. She slammed the door leading to her office once she walked in from the kitchenette where she just had her lunch and had received the call.

She had lost every sense of composure and etiquette as she cursed Tade on the phone for trying to ruin the new home of their friend.

“I was going to have mercy on you before by letting this go, but now that you called all by yourself, be prepared for whatever…”

"Chill, Fifi, Chill…” Tade cut in.

Fikayo could not understand the nerve he had to talk that way after all he had done.

“I should chill? Can you hear yourself? What nerve…”

“I’ll send you a text message containing a description to a certain location. If our friendship means anything to you, anything at all, please find time to come. I don’t want to come to your place even though I know where you live…”  Tade paused a bit to get a reaction from her. He knew she would be shocked and probably scared, but that was the whole idea. He had no other choice of getting Fikayo to come around. He needed to make peace before leaving and he had thought of a plan to do that. It could only be through Fikayo. She was the literal ‘middle man’ in the tripod friendship.

Fikayo’s eyes widened as she dropped her fork on the plate of spaghetti and chicken stew. She knew for sure that her friend was capable of crazy things. It was not the first time he stalked people just for fun, and she remembered participating in one of his weird games back in University days. According to him, he had a flare for finding out things beyond the surface. It had nothing to do with his passion for Visual Arts. It was just something out of the ordinary that he liked.

“You there?” Tade broke the silence that was beginning to build up and dictated the convenient times he would be available to host Fikayo. He hung up before she could respond.

Fikayo’s gaze moved from her phone to the plate of food, still in shock. She stood up angrily and walked back to her office. She was not supposed to be involved in any of the nonsense relationship Tade had with Sewa. It was none of her business; why involve her? If he wanted to make peace, why couldn’t he find a different means? She stopped herself from overthinking, sat in her chair and covered her head with her hands for a few minutes. There and then, she decided she was going to see Tade all on her own; find out what other weird plans he had and most likely get him arrested. His return to the country was definitely not for the good of anybody. She would be the hero when she single-handedly gets him arrested for a crime she would figure out later, she thought to herself.

And true to her plan, she paid Tade a visit in the second month of his return. He had gotten a tastefully furnished studio apartment for himself at Omole estate. The apartment was within a compound with a bigger duplex. She had no time to wonder how he secured the place since she knew money answereth all things. She was surprised to see Tade so relaxed and comfortable. He wasn’t even scared of the possibility of being surrounded by the police, Fikayo thought as she helped herself to a seat near the door. She had to stay alert; Tade was not normal.

She demanded answers for all his actions and inactions, dishing out questions in quick succession, while paying close attention to what seemed like reasonable explanations from Tade. He brought out a small picture frame and gave it to Fikayo.

“It should have been our anniversary today. See why I’m happy you chose today of all the other days I told you to visit.” He smiled as he walked towards the refrigerator to get a bottle of coke.

Fikayo looked at the picture of Trish and the cute boy that Sewa helped the couple with. Trish had a weak smile on but there was so much love in one picture frame that she did not realize when a tear dropped from her eyes to the frame. She hurriedly wiped the tear off the frame with her hands.

“I’m so sorry for all you’ve gone through, Tade. You and mummy…” Fikayo started. She suddenly understood the reason for all his actions. Nothing else seemed to make sense; she felt his pain.

“Thank you. I knew you would understand.” He handed her the glass of juice he had poured her earlier that she refused to take because she was focused on getting a proper explanation for his actions.

 “But still, you shouldn’t have …”

“I know. I don’t know what came over me.” Tade interrupted Fikayo. He knew what she was about to say.

“I just want a mother for my son, so bad. Is that too much to ask?” He paused.
“…and for some reason, I want Sewa…” He continued rather quietly.

“The impossible is what you’re asking for.”

Fikayo wanted to slam the glass of juice she was sipping from on him for his last response. Instead, she found herself playing the understanding friend role. Tade just made it known to her for the umpteenth time that it was Sewa he wanted. The rage that was beginning to rise from within never made it out through the words of her mouth. She gave herself a mental slap on the face, adjusted properly on the chair, dropped the glass of juice and stood up. It was time to make amends. She was not in support of what Tade had done and she was not going to seat there like she was. He was crazy and needed help immediately, she told herself.

“You have this week to go back to the States. After that, I won’t be able to help you.” Fikayo started.

“You can’t… read my lips, you can’t have Sewa. The earlier you realized this, the better for you! Your son needs you, your mum needs you, your business needs you. Olutade, go back home. You’re not welcomed here.” Fikayo left the apartment without saying another word.

***
“Look up, I’m the one waving… yes,  grey shirt…” Sewa stood up from her corner seat, lowered the sunglasses she had on and waved on till Fikayo sighted her. They had chosen a cafeteria on the Island to meet.

Fikayo walked briskly to where she was and hugged her friend that she hadn’t seen in a long time.

“You look gooodddd…” She released her hold and hugged Sewa again.

“You don’t look bad yourself…” Sewa touched Fikayo’s hair and smiled.

“This is different, since when do you …”

“Leave that one jare…” Fikayo cut in before Sewa continued with the admiration of her newly installed human hair.
They played catch up for a few minutes before going silent at the same time.

“What’s up with you Fikayo?” Sewa broke the silence. She had been observing her friend since she arrived. There was something different about her, and weirdly so. The first being the way Fikayo did not question the reason for an impromptu meeting after receiving her text message the previous day. It seemed to her as if Fikayo had been longing for the meeting herself.

“Nothing much. I’m good, really.” Fikayo sipped her drink with a straight face. She wished Sewa started the conversation with her reason for sending the text message.

“No, you’re not. Chioma called me last week to tell me you’ve been off the radar; you were crying on the phone when I called yesterday…” Sewa sat up and looked straight into Fikayo’s eyes, not minding the fact that Fikayo’s gaze was fixed on some other things in the restaurant apart from Sewa.

“To be honest…” Fikayo started.

“Yes, please be honest. And don’t tell me you were not crying, ‘cause you were.” Sewa cut in before Fikayo could say another word. She had things to say, fears of her own about Tade’s reappearance but she needed an explanation for Fikayo’s reaction to the news of Tade leaving before she could vocalize her own fears.

Fikayo sighed heavily before she eventually spoke up.

“I’m pregnant, Sewa…”

“You… Oh my word… Fikayo… You’re pregnant…” Sewa jumped up from her seat. The excitement that overwhelmed her could not be contained. She hugged Fikayo tightly as she continued her many ‘wows’.

“I’m not sure who the father is…” Fikayo said quietly, still in Sewa’s embrace.

Sewa thought she didn’t hear clearly.

“You don’t…” She coughed a bit as she let go of Fikayo and collapsed into her seat quietly. The shock that engulfed her was more than the excitement that had overwhelmed her some few minutes back.

***Bed of Roses by Faith Tunde-Yara OLATUNBOSUN
***Photo credit: Shutterstock.com