Thorn between episode 76

TITLE: TORN BETWEEN

WRITTEN BY OGECHI ALABI

URENNA’S NARRATION 13

I travelled back to Lagos for my trip to the US. I went to the hospital to see my colleagues and also to see Paschal. I had known his schedule before I arrived and I didn’t tell him I was coming to Lagos. It was pleasant to see those I left three weeks ago. I came prepared, I was well dressed and I wore my signature smile Paschal had always encouraged me to wear. I walked into the ward Paschal was consulting. I greeted the nurses and other doctors I met there. The exchange of greetings attracted his attention and he turned to see the cause of the noise. He was surprised to see me. He could not resist a smile and when he was through with the patient, he came to meet me.

“What are you doing here?” he asked me.

“I am travelling in two days, I came to see you.”

“You did well. My rounds will end soon, we can have dinner afterwards. Where are you staying?”

“With my sister but I can stay as late as I want. I hope you are not offended I came to surprise you.”

“Why should I be? I’m so glad to see you, I would have kissed you if not that we are in a ward. Go and say hello to your friends, I will buzz you when I am through.”

I left him to see other friends and acquaintances I had made during my housemanship. It was refreshing being a visitor and not working at that time. It was fun talking to them when not under pressure. I also went to greet some of the Consultants I worked with. They were pleased to see me. Some of them offered me a connection to serve in a Federal government establishment. It was nice to be appreciated for your hard work that your bosses seek to favour you. I exchanged contacts with some of them.

Paschal was ready and called me. We met at the parking lot of the hospital and then he took me to his place. He said he had to bathe and change before we could go out. He wanted me to come in but I did not trust us not to misbehave and I told him. I stayed in the taxi and waited for him. When he came out, he was no longer smiling abut we left for the restaurant he had chosen. It was a Chinese restaurant and I enjoyed the food. My excitement made him smile and warm up towards me. We left there for my sister’s house. I wanted to drop him off and leave but he refused. He took me home. He held my hand in the taxi and he asked me if anything had changed between us.

“I do not understand your question,” I told him.

“You didn’t want to come into my home, why? Have you changed your mind?”

“We both know things would happen in the room we would later regret.”

“I can never regret anything we do.”

“I would. I don’t want to resent you and I believe you don’t want that too. I would rather we meet in public.”

“Does it stop anything? I can still kiss you anywhere we are. I can kiss you here and right now.”

“In the presence of the driver?”

Paschal asked the driver to excuse us for a few minutes when parked he in front of my sister’s house. He excused us and Paschal kissed me. I knew why I liked this guy and he overwhelmed me with his tenacity. He did not hide the fact he was attracted to me but he knew when to stop. I also knew I had to go in. I stopped the kiss. He grumbled and asked, “Do you have to go in? Spend a night with me before you travel, I swear, I won’t do anything inappropriate.”

I shook my head while smiling at him. Of course, he knew I wouldn’t fall for it.

“Come on. If I touch you, scream down my building. I wouldn’t.”

We stayed outside for so long that Tunde, Dumebi’s husband and Dumebi, had to come outside to find out if I was ok. I was forced to introduce them to Paschal. Dumebi was surprised and when she heard he was a doctor I worked with (I had told her about him being my mentor) she was all smiles. Tunde invited him in but he declined. He agreed to visit when I am posted to Lagos for service. He left. Tunde gave him his complimentary card and asked him to call him while standing outside.

“I like the guy. He is confident and speaks well. You don’t need to be told he is intelligent. Where does he work? Nigeria is never fair to doctors. Maybe he can travel out to catch a big break.” Tunde said as we walked in.

Dumebi came to my room to attack me. “From Mentor to lover, when did this happen?”

“It just happened. I wanted to be sure he was for real before telling everyone about him.”

“My husband is right, she appears brilliant, and he is well-spoken. Let me have his full name, I want to know more about him. You both stayed too long in the car, what was happening?”

“Nothing, we were just talking.”

‘The head movement didn’t look like talking that was why Tunde rushed out.”

I saw Paschal the next day, but he had a series of surgeries so he couldn’t be with me for long. I left the following day.

When I was in the US, we talked every day. I enjoyed sharing my experience with him and telling him about my adventures. I stayed with Chinemerem for a week and then shuttled between Uncle Paul and Auntie Helen’s homes. I spent my last two weeks with Chinemerem. She observed my frequent voice and video calls. She asked me who I talked to that often every day, and I told her about Paschal. My sisters had very comfortable husbands, and I knew they wanted me to marry the way they did. I was worried they might not like Paschal because of his background, but I was mistaken.

Chinemerem announced to my other siblings that I had a lover. Dumebi said she knew about the guy but had no details except he was a mentor and now lover. They made fun of me and asked me several questions about him. Paschal gave me bragging rights. I told them about his brilliance and outstanding academic performance. I talked about his work ethic and how much of a high flyer he was. When I finished, Mmesoma asked me. “You did not say much about both of you. How did the relationship begin, and what are your plans with him?”

Read – Under the moon light episode 78 – 79

I told them how we met and how the relationship developed. I tried to avoid talking about our intimacy but they were not buying it. Dumebi mentioned the activities in the taxi the night I arrived in Lagos. They made fun of me, but after the jokes ended we had a serious conversation.

“I won’t advise a long courtship. If he is serious, let his people come and see our people. We will sponsor the wedding if money is a challenge. From what you said, he has the potential to be successful and so do you. Choosing a man from a humble background isn’t an issue with me. Have you met his parents?” Dumebi asked.

“We are not yet four months into this relationship, how would I have met his parents? We only spent three weeks together before I travelled to see Mum and Dad. He said he would love to meet mummy though.”

“Mummy knows about him? You are married already. It is to convince him about tying the knot quickly before your ex becomes a thorn in your flesh. He wants you back. He had been harassing Dumebi until her husband had to have a word with him and he stopped calling her. Why do men do such things? Urenna is level-headed unlike Chinemerem but a man feels he can eat his cake and have it,” Mmesoma said.

“Urenna is ajebutter. We spoilt her and she has the best of everything. She is Nda Flora’s baby too. Nda Flora has promised to buy her a car for graduating with honours. My husband said she deserves it and more. He was looking for a husband for her, but now he met Paschal he has stopped. He took the young man out to ask him about his intentions towards Urenna. He came home convinced Urenna chose right. He likes him and wants to sponsor the wedding. Shop for your wedding gown as you are there,” Dumebi advised.

“She doesn’t need to, I have it covered. She needs to introduce us to him so we can see what he looks like. Did you even shop for him? I have to take you shopping for him. What do you say?” Chinemerem asked.

“Doesn’t that appear as if I am desperate? I can get him a perfume or something but I don’t want to spend money on him. I don’t want him to feel like I am buying him or want to live off me because he believes I have money. As much as I like the guy, I have to also be smart.”

“Makes sense but I will still buy him some clothes, you can be gifting him bit by bit. You can give him a perfume set, socks, singlets, boxers and grooming set. It is an excellent gift for a lover so trust me,” Chinemerem concluded.

I was surprised Paschal never mentioned meeting Uncle Tunde. Why didn’t he say anything? I believed he had a good reason and waited for his explanation when it came.

When I came back to Nigeria, I arrived in Lagos first to drop off my luggage. NYSC was a week away, and I travelled to Port Harcourt to see my parents. The way my folks received me was suspicious. My father was excited to meet with me, and so was my mother. I thought they missed me, but I was wrong. Uncle Tunde and Paschal came to Port Harcourt to see my parents. My mother was so happy to meet with him. They spoke at length, and he told my parents he was ready to marry me when I was ready. He was willing to wait until I was ready but wanted to meet my family before anything else.

My mum added, “I told him you were pure and keeping yourself for marriage. If he wanted a girl who wasn’t chaste he should look elsewhere. I told him why your last relationship ended. He was just smiling.”

I was offended because this was too much. I had an outburst, “You all are treating me like a child, I am 26 for God’s sake. Are you so desperate to marry me out? Why not wait until I tell you I am ready? I don’t know this guy beyond where we work, and you have given your consent for marriage. Doesn’t it look like I am damaged goods you want to get rid of? Please allow us to have a real relationship and whatever happens, you will be informed.”

“He is thirty now and wants to settle down because he has found his real wife. Why are you proving difficult? He is scared you will reconcile with Stanley. Tunde told him how Stanley came to Dumebi’s office, church and house and that Dumebi suggested reconciliation to you. She didn’t know about him. That’s why he came to make his intentions known, we didn’t force him to come, he asked Tunde to bring him to us. We want you to be happy.” I could see my mother was his cheerleader now.

I stayed for a week. I was not on speaking terms with my mother because she did not think she did anything wrong. She could be overbearing and although she may be right, the manner she presented issues made me feel she just wanted to prove a point.

My father took me to dinner after work where we could talk one on one. I loved it when we had this father-and-daughter time away from my mum.

“My baby, your family means well for you. I know we can be overwhelming but trust me when I say we have only good intentions. Do you think I would have given my consent if I had not investigated the boy and his family? I did immediately Tunde called me to discuss him with me. I sent people to his village and they knew him. He is very brilliant and went to University on scholarship. His village raised money to send him to school and every year he comes home to treat them for free. He has been doing that since he graduated. I was impressed with all I heard about him and I looked forward to meeting him. Initially, I was worried he might be unable to take care of you but he is a good boy with a vision. We can help stabilise him so he can be a good husband and father..”

“Dad, I do not need your help. Allow us to build our home just as you did with Mum. He doesn’t have to be rich when we start up, but we can work and cut our coats according to our material. If I need help, I can always fall back on you, but hopefully, I won’t. I like this guy but I do not want to appear desperate. I don’t want him to think there is hope with my family or his family to believe they can depend on us. We have not gotten to the stage where we have confessed our love for each other. So why are we jumping into marriage?”

“He wanted to meet your mother. I agree, we overdid the excitement but we didn’t show it to him. Your mother asked important questions and he said that was why he came. She told him you are her baby and she would not want someone who can’t take care of you to marry you. She was hard on him. She asked if you had met his mother and if she liked you. Forget our excitement, he felt the heat too. She told him that you have a choice to come back home at any time and she would accept you. Your mother is smarter than I am. She knew how to sound and it worked. She loves you, go easy on her.”

I hadn’t spoken with Paschal since I arrived and it was because I was upset. He called a couple of times, and then he stopped calling me. I didn’t call him either. I was upset with my entire family. I quickly prepared for NYSC.

I went from the airport to the camp. I had not been to the part of Lagos where the camp was. I was excited to serve and looked forward to the camp. The driver helped me drop my luggage at the desk where we were registering and left. I signed in, collected my kit and was assigned a room. I went to the room, I met some other ladies there. I was glad to be there and determined to make friends. I had more male friends than females growing up, and I wanted to have a good mix of friends now. This was a first step.

I had just settled in when I heard my name announced. I went to the office of the HOC (Head of Clinic) as instructed only to find Paschal there with the HOC. The man and I exchanged greetings and then he excused himself.

“You are angry with me, did I offend you and you couldn’t tell me?” Paschal asked.

I was too shocked to respond immediately. Pascal came to camp to see me. I had to pinch myself to be sure I wasn’t dreaming.

He continued “I’m sorry for whatever I did. I had to see you today, you drove me crazy wondering why you wouldn’t talk to me. I thought you had changed your mind and gone back to Stanley. Your brother-in-law helped me find out you were upset about my visit to your parents. I needed to decide and meeting them was a determining factor.”

“And you couldn’t wait for me to come back before meeting them or even telling me about it. We spoke every day, why couldn’t you tell me?”

“I think this is the time to tell you I have spoken with your sisters too. You have an amazing and overly protective family. I heard warnings, but I understood you are the last and they want what is best for you. Two months was too long to be away from me. Damn too long and please let us not do it again. A few weeks is enough. I missed you too much.”

I looked at Paschal and he appeared genuine. He came to me and took me in his arms. I couldn’t resist him, and he hugged me tightly. I had planned not to encourage him to kiss me again, but I was the one who wanted the kiss so badly. I had missed him. I rested my head on his shoulder, luckily I was wearing a pair of slip-on. He stroked my head and whispered to me, “What we have, I have never had with anyone else. You are different, and I like it. You are so mature and forward-looking. Here you will meet people, please have fun but don’t dump me because of anyone here.”

I lifted my head and looked at his smiling face and I didn’t know when I kissed him. We kissed and we were too close, he pulled me even closer and his hands roamed around my body. He touched my bare skin and the sensation I felt was something else. It was getting serious and I understood it was either we tied the knot or we would do things we would regret later. I stopped him.

“You are irresistible. If we keep this up, you might be pregnant before we get married. It has taken all the self-control in me not to cajole you, but my patience is running out. I understand what Stanley felt being so close to you but being unable to have you, at least I got this far. I want to lay with you and make you feel good. I want to please you until you beg me to stop. It will just be me and you, I promise. I own you and you own me. Here, you will meet guys who will fall for you just as I did and they will come after you the way Stanley did, I can’t compete with that. I will give you time to make up your mind, but I will see you every Sunday here at the clinic.”

I was shaken. I couldn’t respond to him the way I would have loved to, it was too dangerous. We had such intense chemistry that I couldn’t see myself with anyone else. He knew how I felt, I was sure of it. I wished I could be with him every day. It was my heart’s desire. He looked so good.

I saw him off and guess who we ran into as we left, Monique. She was surprised to see me with Paschal. We exchanged pleasantries and Paschal hugged and pecked me before he left. Monique couldn’t believe her eyes. She dragged me aside and said, “Is this for real? People suspected both of you, but we did not have proof. Dr Paschal made us suspect both of you. The way he looked at you gave him away, but he never denied or confirmed the relationship. He came to see you, now this is serious. The only but is that he is not Stanley. You and Stanley looked good together, but he is a jerk. Doc isn’t as good-looking or rich but he is kind and I can vouch for his character. I will choose him over Stanley any day. You are lucky.”