Tanure forever episode 20

💞TANURE, FOREVER💞

CHAPTER 20

AUTHOR PAMELA.

Tanure reread the letter again and
again.If he really wanted to hurt her
again,then he wouldn’t have waited till she
wanted him,he wouldn’t have spent so
much money taking her to London and
building up a restaurant for her.
Even after the countless number of
times they made love, he was still crazy
over her,he would still tell her each day
how much he loves her.
People make mistakes, people have
regrets but no one can change the past,
but then everyone can move on, everyone
deserves a chance to make amends, to
change for the better.
He didn’t tell her about what Christine
because he didn’t want her to hate and
leave him.
She recalled the many times he had
made her promise not to leave him,there
was always fear in his voice and eyes then.
But things fell apart again and she
left saying what she wished she could
take back.Richærd was the only person
who has loved her unconditionally.When
they argued hotly about anything and he
was at fault,he would always apologize at
the end, even if she was at fault,he would
still apologize,he had told her that he
would give anything to keep seeing her
dimples forever.
Painful tears ran down her cheeks,
she wanted them to start anew.This time,
she was sure that there would be no
Christine and even if another woman tries
to get him swayed,he wouldn’t fall
because he said that there was no space
for anyone else.
But changing her mind now was all
in vain.It was too late to do anything
because he has given up already.

****************
Sometimes,you feel you have to
live because other people are living,you
have to move because other people are
moving.That was how it was for Richærd
now,he was surviving but didn’t know how
he was actually still surviving.His life had
no meaning,he was scared that one day
he might sleep and never wake up…..at
least before that day,he wanted to see
Tanure, even just from afar.
If it wasn’t for the fact that he had
done so many things for the company he
worked for,the CEO would have fired him
without hesitation.But then he was told to
take time off from work and see a doctor
since he kept on looking distraught at
work.
Only Lanre knew that he was
suffering from depression and since he
wouldn’t see a doctor,Bisi had to drag him
back to the village.
She was growing so worried,she
didn’t want to bury her own son.He hærdly
ate,his door was always locked,he
practically isolated himself from
everyone.Sometimes she and Remi had to
lie to him that Tanure was outside…that
she had finally come to see him.The first
time they had done that,he raced out just
to meet his greatest disappointment, but
they managed to force him to eat.
Bisi and Remi played that prank on
him several times just to make him come
out and eat.But he got used to it and no
longer fell for their lies.
Now,Bisi sometimes have to beg and
cry at Richærd’s doorstep, sometimes he
came out while other times he didn’t.
Bisi had just finished crying at her
son’s doorstep,he was forced again to
come out,he sat outside of the house and
Bisi quickly brought him food.
He managed to eat few spoons of
rice then he stood up to leave.
“Kayo, please eat something”Bisi
pleaded.
At that moment Sade passed by,she was
surprised to see him in the village.
“I just ate something,Maami”He
replied.
“Haven’t you looked at yourself at
the mirror, you’re growing leaner and
leaner each passing day, you’re killing
yourself”
Richærd sighed.”I’m just tired, I’m
okay”And then he walked into the house.
Bisi stared at him sadly, when will he
ever have strength?
Richærd walked into his
bedroom,he locked the door, and lay down
on his bed.
He reached out for his cellphone,he
slid into his music player and turned on
‘Orente by Adekunle Gold.’
The song always gave him a kind of
joy because he would get to think about
all the good times they shared.He slid into
his gallery, and smiled at her pictures,he
had always teased her love for pictures
and though he wouldn’t dare tell her that
he always got tired when taking her those
pictures.
But now,he wished he had taken
more,he wished he could be her
cameraman again, anything at all would
be okay to him.
He always sent her money through
Bisi but each time Mr Ojaide always sent it
back.
He knew deep within himself that he
should give up now.He should see a
doctor and reorg-nize himself,he had to
put the broken pieces of his life back
together and move on.
But he wanted to wait just one more
day.That was what he had been telling
himself and that one more day had ran
into two good months.

**************
“After hearing stories and stories
about how happy you were with Richærd
and how you wish you could be with him
again,why then are you still holding
back?”Sade asked that afternoon when
she visited Tanure.
“I wish I could,if only I can see him
again”Tanure replied, sadly.
“Then go to him”Sade suggested.
“Baba won’t let me travel to Lagos
and he has probably moved on already”
“I saw Richærd this morning at his
father’s house”Sade announced.
Tanure frowned.”You’re not serious”
“I am, I was really surprised to see
him because you told me he left already”
Tanure slowly sat on a chair,he was close
to her all along,he was probably waiting
for her.
“Maybe you don’t know him well
enough,or you still don’t know the depth of
his love for you. I know things hadn’t been
really smooth for the two of you, but at
least have a little bit of trust in him, that
he wouldn’t give up on you so soon,he
probably didn’t come to see you because
your father wouldn’t allow any of him or any of his
family members to come here.Since he
can’t come to you, won’t you take the bold step?”She asked, seriously.

Minutes later,Sade had left and Tanure just sat on her bed feeling so nervous,she wanted to go to him but what would she say?
It was as if they had been separated for more than two months.
She had missed him a lot,she had missed him with an intensity that hurt physically,she missed everything about him.
The way his eyes always flashed with amusement,his heart melting smile,she missed his masculine scent…his touch and k-sses.
And most of all,the way he would look at her so adoringly like she was his jewel…his priceless jewel.
Unable to comprehend fully how much she had missed him,she headed for the door.
As she held the doorknob of the main door,her father’s voice sounded in the air.
“Where are you going to?”
Tanure turned around to face him.
“You told me he left”She shot at him, angrily.
“I was only doing what was right for you”Mr Ojaide said, calmly.
“Right for me? I’m the only one who knows what’s right for me,and I’m going back to my husband”
“You’ll be making the biggest
mistake of your life if you go back to
him.You’ll regret this and you’ll come
running back home”
Tanure sighed.”I… I don’t know what
would happen to me years from now, but
right now, I can feel this deep in,side me
that if I let him go, I would be miserable
for the rest of my life.He has hurt me a lot,
and he has showed me unconditional
love,he sees the good in me,he wants to
be everything to me”She muttered,
tearfully.
“Tanure, people say love is blind but
you have to open your eyes now….. right
now!”He ordered.
“I’m sorry,Baba.I love him, there’s no
end to that”With that,she opened the door
and walked away.

******************
“Kayo…Kayo… Tanure has come to
see you”Bisi said excitedly, knocking on
Richærd’s door.
Richærd turned around to face the
wall,her prank won’t work on him.It had
stopped working a while back.
“Brother Kayo,this time, we’re not
lying”Remi assured.
Richærd frowned,they should go
away,he wasn’t hungry.
“What is he still doing in there?”Mr
Boyowa yelled.
Richærd sat up,he was feeling uneasy,his
father had never played any role in this
prank.He heard his step mother’s voice.
“Our wife is waiting o”
He quickly stood up from the bed and
opened the door.
“She’s at the compound”Bisi said,
calmly.
Richærd hurried towards the
compound half hoping and half doubting
then he saw her.Her back was to him.
Tanure heard footsteps behind
her,she turned around.For a long moment
they just stared at each other in disbelief.
Tanure couldn’t believe that this
was the same man she had been with two
months ago,he had grown so lean and
looked so disheveled.He was wearing a
singlet and faded jeans,he was
barefooted.
Richærd stared at her ransacking his
brain trying to say something,he had
dreamt of this moment over and over
again and now that it was finally here,he
couldn’t find his voice, but he had to say
something…. just anything.
“Ho…. How are you?”He choked out.
‘so you waited for two months to tell her ‘how are you’, abi?’ His subconscious mind berated.
“I…. I would have come to see you but you know your father wouldn’t let me in.Don’t…don’t be upset”He muttered, running a hand through his hair looking for the right words to say next.She could feel waves of his tension enveloping her.Could anyone else love her as much as he did?
“So how’s the baby… I mean our baby?”
She moved closer to him and hugged him tightly as she let the tears flow freely down her cheeks.
He shut his eyes feeling life being restored to his wretched soul…. everything was making sense already.
“Why haven’t you been taking care of yourself?”She asked as she disengaged from him.
Tears threatened and as he spoke,his voice hitched.
“I was waiting for you….I didn’t know how long it would take…but I was waiting for you”
“I’m so sorry,Richærd.I’m sorry”She pleaded, tearfully.
“I’m the one who should be sorry. I brought Christine into your life…you were probably living a peaceful life before I walked in and messed it up”
“I didn’t mean what I said that day, I
was just angry and hurt. I didn’t know
what joy feels like until I met you”She
slowly held his hands.
“Richærd, let’s start anew.Will you
take me back?”
Richærd swallowed,he was going to ask
her that exact question.
“Iyawo mi”He called.
She had missed hearing that alot.
“I don’t want you to come back to me
because of this child….. because of
Maami….because of what people might
say or because you feel sorry for me.I
want us to start all over again because
you love me and I love you, and most
importantly,you trust me that I would
never do anything to hurt you again”
Tanure nodded.
“I love you and this time,no matter
what you do, I’m not leaving you, we’re
inseparable”
Richærd smiled broadly through his
tears.”You have no idea how much you
mean to me, and I have no idea on how to
start explaining it to you”He moved closer
to her and sunclad an arm around her
wa-ist pulling her into his body then he
k-ssed her, slowly, absorbing the softness
of her l-ips.God!He had missed her.
Her arms were wrapped around him,she
tasted the salt of his tears.
Richærd slowly took his l-ips away.
“I love you so much”She whispered,
breathlessly.
He smoothened her cheeks with his
fingers.
“If love can kill, I swear, I would die
this very moment”With that,He k-ssed her
again, fervently.
“He took after me,we don’t give up
on the ones we love”Mr Boyowa said,
proudly.
Bisi and Folake eyed him.
He shrugged.”What?”
Remi stared at his brother who had
suddenly forgotten that they weren’t alone
in the compound.He watched as their
heads moved from side to side, k-ssing
each other passionately,they had no plans
of ending this sensual onslaught soon.
He smiled, to think this all started
that day he caught Richærd staring at her
buttocks.

TBC