Please Break My Heart – Episode 12

Please Break My Heart – Episode 12

By Tomi Adesina

“Wonderful end to your evening, right?” Dad asked, as he signed my bail papers. I collected my wristwatch and purse from the Police officer. “I also signed bail for the thug who helped you in attacking an innocent man.”

I laughed. “That is my boss. He is no thug Dad, and your so-called innocent man is a stalker. He has been following me all around and if not for Dare’s timely intervention, I might be dead.”

“I see. So, Ade-Cole’s boy was your Jackie Chan out there.”

Dare came out with a police officer. He was handed his wallet and other properties. “Thank you Sir.” He said to my Dad.

“You are welcome Ade-Cole.”

“You guys have to report here tomorrow around 10 in the morning to file a formal report against your so-called stalker.” The Police Chief said.

Dad dropped Dare off at his house before we left for ours.

“Hope you weren’t mistreated at the station?” Dora asked as we walked in.

“They acted nice.” I replied slumping into the sofa.

“Go to your room Dora, I have to talk to your step sister.” Dad ordered.

“Sister.” I corrected.

Dad smiled. “Nice to hear that from you Darlene, Please go to your room Dora.” Dora pecked Dad and I and left for her room. Dad sighed and I guessed that it could only mean trouble. His sermons might just be too much for me to bear.

“Dad please, I don’t want you scolding me on this issue. Daniel is the stalker and Dare was just helping out.”

“It didn’t seem like that to the Police; else, you both wouldn’t have been locked up. Listen Darlene, I understand that Daniel might be into you.” He paused and cleared his throat. “But I don’t think he is a stalker, I got him a job at Badmus because I have known him as a good kid.”

“Do you believe Daniel over me?” I asked feeling offended.

“Don’t take it that way honey, but I know Daniel can never hurt you, he won’t dare it.”

“Why do you trust him so much? Is he also your kid, maybe my step brother?” I yelled.

Dad sighed as he sunk into the sofa. “Are you ever going to accept Dora?”

“How does this involve Dora? Dad, you trust a man that has been stalking me, how am I sure that he doesn’t mean a lot to you?” I asked, raising my voice.

“I think you should keep your voice low, I am not dissuading you from pressing charges against him if you want to, I just think that you should be patient. Those meetings might have been mere coincidences like Daniel explained, and it’s not like he has forced himself on you.”

“Stop it Dad!” I yelled. “If you want to protect him, you can. I am taking him to court and that is final!” I retorted and left for my room.

I stopped at the Police Station early the next day.

“Would you like us to take this case to the court?” The DPO asked.

“Yes. I want a restraining order on him. The best way is to go to Court.” I replied.

“What if you are not granted your request?” he asked.

“I’ll push for it. I don’t want that man anywhere around me.”

“You are a lawyer, it shouldn’t be that difficult.” He replied, smiling.

I bumped into Daniel on my way out of the DPO’s office. “Look at who we have here.” I said stepping aside.

“Are you taking me to Court?” he asked.

“I have no business with you Daniel. You have shown that you are very unpredictable and I can’t stand you, so please leave me alone.”

Daniel shook his head. “You don’t get it, do you?” he paused. “This world is not all about you, I wasn’t stalking you. I thought it was unsafe for you to walk alone into the night and so I tried to follow you, I was at the dance, like every other person.”

I shrugged. “It doesn’t matter to me. I am not comfortable with your presence, and I have to put a stop to you. You grabbed me by the arm, which was rude.”

“I didn’t want you wandering off again. That hood is filled with thugs who would do anything to feed their belly.” He replied.

“There is no point discussing this Daniel, Excuse me.” I replied and left.

Dare told me that I could skip work today, so I took the time to visit the Events House for Dora’s coming out party. We agreed on the decorators to visit our house during the weekend to plan for its arrangement. I had it fast at the Events House, so I took the opportunity to search for a new driving school. If I was to avoid Daniel, I had to close all possible avenues of us ever meeting again.

“When do you want to start your lessons ma’am?” Mr Tobi asked. Mr Tobi owned the driving school. I intended to continue my driving lessons with him.

“I wouldn’t mind having it every Friday, and probably, some Saturdays.” I replied.

“That’s fine by me. Do you want to start this week?”

“No, I will be busy this week, but from next week, I will be starting my lessons.”

We finalized arrangements for my driving lessons. Mr Tobi’s driving School was quite a distance from home, but that is one of the few sacrifices to pay to escape Daniel. It was lonely at home when I returned, so I took the time to tidy up my speech for the Annual Meetings. It was a huge relief for me when Kolapo drove in with Dora.

“Hey Darlene.” He called.

“Hi KP, How was work today?” I asked. I rose to hug Dora. “Hey sis”

Dora sipped my drink and sat down. “I have huge news for you.”

“I’ll be in the living room.” Kolapo said leaving for the house.

“What is it?”

Dora sat upright. “The detective has been able to track Paul’s initial location when he left his house. Paul did not go to Obudu like you thought, he left Nigeria.”

“I guess we can say that he is safe?”

“I don’t know if I can agree with you totally. The other issue is that Paul is in the Bahamas. That is, if your descriptions were accurate.”

“Of Course they were, but what I don’t understand is what Paul is doing in the Bahamas? Or could he be with Jake?” I thought aloud. Suddenly, I remembered the letter that I received from work thinking that it was from Jake. “I’ll be right back!” I said and dashed into the house. I turned my bag over and searched for the letter. ‘It has to be somewhere’ I thought. I finally found the letter and left for the compound.

“What is that in your hand?” Dora asked.

“I received this letter from the Bahamas yesterday, I didn’t open it as I thought that he would be from Jake, but I can’t be so sure that it is from Jake .” I replied, opening the letter carefully.

“Hurry sis, what does it say?” she asked.

____

PAUL’S LETTER

“I would not be surprised if you are just reading this letter 2 to 3 days after getting it. It shows that you are still the Darlene that I have always known, always jumping into conclusions, the letter is from ME, not Jake. I would like to ask a favour from you. Do not hate Jake for bringing me to the Bahamas. I know you are shocked to read that Jake took me to the Bahamas, but he knows what to do for a friend, well, not really friends.

I apologize for the show that I put up with the gun and all. I was clueless and scared of loosing you. I apologize once again, and I hope that you forgive me.

Breaking up with you has been hærd, but I am moving on fine. It has been slow, but I am determined to put you aside and move on. I know that it would be impossible to forget you. Before you hear the last of me, permit me to tell you all that I was not able to say when we last met.

I never lied to you when I said I love you. I have always loved you since the first day I set my eyes on you, but I cannot say that I will always love you because I intend to move on, just as I know you have. Darlene, you were very special to me. You were my first special girl. You are nothing like every other girl I know, and that is why I will always respect you. You are the woman that every man wants, but not every part of you is what a man wants. You do not always have to be so FORTHRIGHT. From the first day we started our relationsh¡p, you were so straight with me that ‘you never loved me’, you did not have to put it that way. Not every man can cope with your being so forthright. I could not, and I am sorry.

Darlene, you never TRIED to love me. You did not appreciate my love; I worked hærd towards making myself a man worthy of you, but you were not ready to see him. Darlene, not every man can be exactly the type of man that you want, but you could have made me better, I was willing to try. U never was.

D, about that guy you brought to my place, your boss, right? Look, I know that he is exactly your type-Elegant, and a perfect debonair, but I think I am going to be the first to slam the relationsh¡p before it happens, he will never make you happy. Love is everywhere around you, be open to it.

Okay, I am done writing you, I still miss you, and I had a nice time with Jacob to be honest, he enrolled me here for a retreat in order to help me ‘find myself.

Darlene, you are a perfect woman for any man, maybe, I am not just the perfect man for you. However, I believe that I deserve better. I will find someone else when the time is right and move on properly.

Once again, don’t forget all that I have said. I may not be the perfect advisor, but I don’t think that your boss will ever make you happy. He might be your fantasy but he is not your Prince.

PAUL

I sighed. I read the letter for the second time, but this time, not aloud. Dora patted me on the back and left to join Kolapo in the house. I folded the letter and placed it carefully beside me. My Juice was now cold and it almost felt impossible to take another gulp. Paul’s words were more scratchy than scary. At first, I thought that he might have carried out his threats and committed suicide, but thanks to Jake, Paul is aiming at moving forward and even admonishing me on my next relationsh¡p. He even feels that Dare might be my next!

“Darlene…D”

I almost couldn’t hear Dora call until she tapped me. “Hey, I am sorry. Is there a problem?”

“Are you so sure of Jake’s safety? Paul could be dangerous.” She said, taking her seat.

“Jake will be fine. If he took Paul with him to the Bahamas, he must be aware of his actions. I am only curious as to why Jake didn’t tell me, he would never hide a thing from me.”

“Here is a first” she shrugged.

Dora was right. There is always a first time, but I never had imagined that Jake would hide a thing like this from me. “Yes.” I replied coolly.

“Let’s imagine that both are safe. What do you intend to do about Daniel?” I stared at her. “The stalker”

“He claims he is no stalker.”

“They never tell. Why is he everywhere? Coincidence?”

“I really don’t know, but I will get a restraining order, I won’t be taking any chances with that guy. By the way, Does KP work at Williams too?”

Dora raised her eyebrows. “No. Why do you ask?”

“He is always bringing you home, so I thought you guys might work together, and you know, I have never really asked him where he works.”

“I think you guys should chat a little, he is in,side and bored. Do you mind keeping him company?”

“I am a bit stressed out now, maybe some other time.” I replied, standing.

“Really? Are you going to deny my boyfriend the opportunity of having a chat with you? Don’t be mean sis, it won’t take forever, you know.”

“Okay.”

Kolapo smiled. “How are you today?”

“Good. And you?” I replied casually.

“Fine.” He cleared his throat. “I am happy to learn that you are getting along well with Dora. She’s a good girl”

I smiled. “I know that. I am also pleased to have a good relationsh¡p with her.”

“So, how is law going for you?”

“I am at the initials, so I can’t say that I have really started the court cases and all, but I am doing pretty fine.” I sprawled out into the sofa. I was exhausted, and with this interview with KP, I might just get more exhausted.

Kolapo stared at me for a while and said. “I think you are naturally boring.” My eyes popped open like a shotgun. “Do you have any fun at all? Anything spontaneous about you?”

“I do have fun, but only when necessary, I try to keep the balance.” I replied.

“Necessary doesn’t imply that you strike a balance, it sounds like only 5% of your life. I think you should hang out with me on maybe one or two occasions, I bet you will have fun.”

“I do have fun.” I argued. “Only yesterday night, I was at the movies, and then at the Central Town square. I do have fun.” I insisted.

“Who are you trying to convince? Me? Or yourself?”

KP was right. I was trying to convince myself. Fun isn’t for me, or is it? I sighed, and diverted from our discussion. “Where do you work?”

“I run a beauty parlour.”

“Seriously?” I asked, looking surprised.

He winked. “Yes. ‘KP’s Place’ is the name. You will get every treatment to bring life to the body and soul.”

“KP’s place? I have heard of it in South Africa. When was it established?”

“Yes. It’s been for over two years. I have the head office in Johannesburg; I just started the Lagos Outfit six months ago.” He replied, handing me a business card.

“I will definitely check it out.” I said.

“If you can come to my Beauty Parlour, you will get a fabulous treatment and then we could hang out a little. We could do that this weekend.”

“I am very busy this weekend, maybe some other time, but we will fix an appropriate date for that.”

I left Kolapo in the Living room and left for my bedroom. “I have missed you.” I said, slumping into my bed. All I could think about was sleeping. I sprawled out on the bed without eve taking off my clothes. I could sleep in shoes in this condition. My phone buzzed. It was a message from Jake.

“I am in Nigeria.” It read.

…to be continued