HOOK, LINE AND SINKER (Episode 6)

Hello people. She's Back! 

I need to apologize to everyone for going silent for almost a month now. I'm extremely sorry. A whole bunch of things came up requiring urgent attention and it was literally impossible to blog. 

Big thanks to everyone that sent a message and/or called to check up on me.

Hook, Line and Sinker is back on track. I am aware that many of us would need to refresh our memories on the story. It is for this reason I have dropped links to the first five episodes below. 

Sit back, relax and enjoy the story. Don't forget to drop a comment after the read. 

Thank you.

P.S: I hope we all like the new poster for the story. 

PREVIOUS EPISODES:

Episode 1; Episode 2; Episode 3; Episode 4; and Episode 5

***

"Hello. Akin, right?" He stretched out his hand to shake him.

"Afternoon. Yes, I'm Akin" Akin stood up from his seat as he shook hands with Marcus.

"I hope you've not been waiting for long. I'm so sorry for the delay...

I ran into a longtime friend on... " Marcus stopped himself midway.

"Not at all" Akin cut in before delving into the reason for asking them to meet.

After listening carefully to all that Akin had to say, Marcus smiled to himself. He raised his head to meet Akin's curious face and gave a stern look.

"I don't know what this is all about but one thing I know is you've got the wrong guy." He stood up to take his leave after swallowing other nasty things he already thought of as a response for Akin, who he had labeled as a hungry journalist in his subconscious.

He paused midway, turned back towards Akin who had a confused look plastered to his face and said even more sternly:

"By the way, you go back and tell whoever you're working with that I ain't no blesser*"

 And with that he walked out of the mall in annoyance.

Before starting his car, he sat for a while and tried to connect the dots. The name 'Sharon' did not ring any bell and there was no way he would forget the name of any girl he got intimate with. His mind recalled running into Bisola and how great a coincidence he thought that was, especially since they had been out of touch for four years. He soon dismissed the thought of Akin having any connection with Bisola, since she made no reference to any implications from their longtime relationship.

As he stared at the text message Bisola sent to him, he realized Bisola was indeed the only connection to his earlier meeting with the hungry journalist.

He sighed heavily a number of times as he recalled a couple of events from four years back.

*

"Trust me, you're a reflection of my mum. No flattery" He looked into her eyes and watched a tiny smile form on her lips.

"I hear. That's all you ever say since I got here. I look like your mum, behave like your mum, talk like her... I'm sure you'll soon say I eat like her" She raised her head to meet his gaze and then shifted her gaze quickly back to her food.

"What?" She looked back up to find his gaze still fixed on her. She began to feel uncomfortable.

"Let's go see my mum" He cleared his throat before speaking.

She dropped her cutlery and adjusted properly on her seat. She was confused but tried her best not to show it.

"I'm serious. Let's go see my mum right now."

Without saying a word, she examined the drink they had both ordered. It was a nonalcoholic malt drink. She let out a small laugh and waited in vain for the seriousness on his face to fade.

He dropped his cutlery and stretched his right hand towards her left hand.

"Bisola, look at me." He swallowed hard.

She suddenly began to feel cold on her inside. Marcus had never called her by her name since she began working at the radio station. He had always called her "Kaina", and the odd name was what sparked up their friendship.

She heard him loud and clear but was unsure of what he was actually saying. She told herself not to jump into conclusions. Their closeness was not a secret, at least she made it obvious that she liked him and liked working with him but until that moment, she never thought the feeling was mutual. She always thought she was being irrational and stupid about making her likeness for a guy known and obvious for everyone to see. She was very single, young and couldn't care less. She had dated only once while studying in the UK and even though she knew the relationship could not last, she went in all the same just to have a dating experience. She had never taken issues like that seriously but meeting Marcus began to change her perspective.

She swallowed hard and tried her best to look back at him. His hands were warm and his eyes filled with emotions that she tried to decipher.

She withdrew her left hand gently from his hold, and looked away.

"I don't know." She began.

"I mean, I'm not sure I get you" she turned back to see him still looking at her.

"Can you stop? You're making me uncomfortable" she said in almost a plea.

"Not until you give me an answer" He stared on.

"Okay. You win. Let's go." She felt her legs wobble as he stood up and watched her get up from her seat.

In no time, they were on their way to his mum's place. Once they arrived, he led the way to the bedroom and Bisola hurried after him, while admiring the huge house as fast as her eyes would let her. She wasn't sure of what to expect but with the way Marcus hurried towards the bedroom, it seemed there was no time to ask questions. She was shocked to see her small frame lying on the bed. She stood still and watched Marcus lift her up to assume a sitting position. He said a few things to her and she smiled while Marcus let out a small laugh. He beckoned on Bisola who was still standing by the door without realizing. She rushed in immediately and shut the door behind her gently.

Marcus moved her to his left side so that she could stand by his mum closely.

Bisola bent a little towards her as she greeted.

"Kaina has told me so much about you" Marcus's mum began softly in her polished Hausa accent.

Bisola smiled inwardly as she now understood where the name came from. She moved closer to the bed and sat down beside his mum who patted the edge of the bed as she shifted a bit. She took Bisola's hands in hers as she continued smiling. Her smile was weak, she looked frail but there was so much love in her eyes. The room was quiet and Bisola wished Marcus could break the silence. As if he knew what was going through her mind, Marcus moved closer to the two women and joined his hands with theirs.

"Ta da kyawawan, dama? (She's pretty right?)" He asked with a wide smile plastered to his face.

"Kyakkyawa sosai (very pretty)" She responded with a smile.

She  beckoned on Marcus, whispered something in ears and Marcus asked Bisola to excuse them. The request couldn't have come at a better time. She had been shifting her gaze from his mum to him a number of times, in a bid to hide her nervousness. She however, ensured that her smile remained genuine. 

A maid walked in with a tray containing two glass cups and a pack of juice just as Bisola was about leaving the room. Marcus instructed her to follow Bisola with the tray and they both left the room. Bisola took her glass of juice in hand as she began her full admiration of the huge sitting room. It was filled with frames of various captivating artwork. The only frame she saw containing a picture was a small one positioned at the center of other small sized frames on the console table. She picked it up and found herself smiling at a picture of Marcus' mum as a young, pretty woman with little Marcus. Just as she was about dropping the frame, she saw the maid run past her outside the house. She ran back in with another domestic servant, and they both hurried to the bedroom. Being unsure of what was going on, Bisola rushed towards the bedroom and tried to open the door.

The maid opened the door slightly and after sighting Bisola, told her she couldn't let her in.

Bisola thought she heard Marcus sniff, but she couldn't insist on going into the bedroom. She decided to wait outside the door till whenever Marcus came out. Thankfully, there was a stool just across the corridor, which she helped herself with. The domestic servants kept running back and forth and after some time, a nurse walked in with one of them.  At this time, Bisola knew something was definitely wrong. 

***

Two days later, Bisola stopped by  Marcus' house like she did the previous day. The maid let her in without questions. The silence in the house was deafening. She walked straight into the bedroom with her bag in one hand and another carrier bag containing cooked food, some fruits and a pack of juice in another. His eyes were still red and swollen. She dropped the bags on the dressing table just across the bed before walking towards him. Walking into the bedroom and seeing Marcus lying on that same bed sent shivers down her spine but she had to stay composed. He needed her now more than ever before.

"Hey..." She sat close and took his hands.

"You have to eat something, okay?" She started.

"I brought your favorite. I cooked it myself." She continued.

Marcus let out a weak smile and wiped off a tear that was already making its way down his cheek.

"She was all I had left; the only one... And she promised me; the doctors promised me..." He held Bisola's hands firmly.

Bisola rubbed his hands gently as she fought back the urge to say "I'm here for you; I'll always be".

As if Marcus could read her mind, he sat up in bed and looked into Bisola's eyes.

"I need you babe..." He said in the most husky tone Bisola had ever heard.

She told herself to concentrate. He needed her more as a friend at this time. She had been telling herself that ever since she saw him weep like a baby two days back. She smiled at him and said the words she had rehearsed.

"I'm here for you; I'll always be"

It seemed the words had a different impact than Bisola intended. Marcus burst into another round of tears but this time, he let the tears flow down Bisola's shirt. He held her close and wouldn't let go. Bisola began patting him on the back for as long as it took him to stop crying. She moved her hands from his back to his head and patted gently. She pushed back tears too; she had never lost anyone so close but in that moment, seeing Marcus that way just brought tears to her eyes.

He rested his forehead on her chest and took breaks to look up at Bisola, as though he needed assurance that she meant what she just said. He regained his former position but this time, he planted a kiss on the nape of her neck. She moved slightly on the bed but continued to pat his head. He kissed her yet again before looking up at her. She looked away, while swallowing hard. He moved his body closer and kissed her neck upward to her chin. He kissed her chin before finding her lips. She didn't try to stop him. Instead, she kissed him back till they were both lost in passion for each other.

***

*Blesser: a slang term for a rich man who offers support (typically financially and material) to a younger female companion in exchange for sex, friendship, etc. (urbandictionary.com)

HOOK, LINE AND SINKER by Faith Olatunbosun