Unfulfilled promise 2 episode 17 – 18
Unfulfilled Promises
Season 2
Episode 17
There was another round of silence as tension sizzled in the air, They stared at each other and their past flashed through their eyes as they willed themselves to control their emotions They moved inch by inch closer until their l-ips met but were jerked apart by Erica’s wails Her daughter, their daughter had woken up Oleng froze
Eric looked in the direction of where the wailing was coming from. “Who’s that?”
“My baby.”
“Your baby? But Zinny said you didn’t have kids.”
“I don’t know why she told you that but I have a daughter.”
“A daughter.” He said it as if he had never heard the word before “A daughter with a good set of lungs considering the way she’s yelling What are you waiting for? Why don’t you go and hold her?”
Oleng knew one glance at Erica; he would know he had fathered her She couldn’t take that risk and she didn’t trust him enough not to follow her into the room She felt bad keeping such a jewel from him but she didn’t have a choice.
“I’m waiting for you to leave.” she replied as she got up He got up also.
“Leave?” he was astonished. “But we haven’t finished discussing.”
Baby, please hold on She said within before saying to Eric, “To me we have.”
Before he could reply, Aunt Vien opened the door and came into the living room Oleng bid her a hasty welcome and rushed in,side after noticing the wondrous way her aunt was staring at Eric She wasn’t surprised because she knew he had that effect on women She was grateful for her aunt’s entrance though She had saved her.
“Sweetheart, stop crying. Mummy is here.” she cooed as she lifted her baby from the cot and cuddled her.
She was b### # t feeding her when her aunt came into the room.
“Eric is so gorgeous! I suspected such because of your first child and this one but not this gorgeous.” she said in a gossipy way as she sat down.
“Not all that glitters is gold.”
“Come off it He’s definitely gold I mean just look at his product.” she pointed at seriously nursing baby. “What’s he doing here anyway?”
“He came to find out what happened years ago and why we broke up Aunty, do you think Mrs Akpan could have manipulated a lot of things to set both of us up just so we’d break up?” she sounded confused.
“I know she isn’t a good person but to actually do such would have been very callous of her. Do you think she did it?”
“I don’t know. Eric said a lot of things. I even have questions to ask Dave because I think he’s guilty also.”
“That I won’t argue.” she remarked. “You couldn’t even offer him a drink I had to do that for you. That was very poor of you.”
“What was I supposed to do? I was so surprised to see him He gave me quite a shock. I wasn’t thinking straight.”
“With all your hormones at a riot, right?” she teased and Oleng laughed. “Yes, If I were your age, my hormones would declare war not even riot How I wish things worked out for both of you ,You would have made a perfect couple…things can still work out.”
“That’s wishful thinking, aunty I don’t know where I stand with Eric Besides, I don’t believe in divorce.”
“What if Dave actually wants that?”
“I’ll contest it.”
“I’m afraid the court will rule in his favor because infidelity is quite a serious offence.”
Oleng was too sad to say anything.
“Bring Erica. Go and meet him He’s all alone there though I put on the television.” she suggested as she took the baby who had stopped nursing. “Come here, sugar. Mummy will be back. She has to go and meet your dad now Yes, my princess.” she told the giggling child. “See Oleng, your daughter approves the fact that you’re going to meet her father.”
Oleng made a face at her as she righted her clothes Unconsciously, she went to the mirror and started putting on some make up before she caught herself and stopped which made Aunt Vien laugh
“Your hormones are starting a riot alright You haven’t worn make up in months and now you are doing so because of your baby’s father No one will blame you though He’s worth it.”
Oleng got to the door but came back to the room after a thought. She knelt before her aunt.
“Aunty, I know you want the best for me but please I beg you in the name of God. Please don’t bring the baby out. Please let Eric and I sort out things first before I let him know about the baby.”
“Would you really let him know?”
“Eventually. He was very broken when I told him of Eric’s death. I’ll tell him about Erica but not now.”
“Okay, I won’t bring her out but I must confess the thought did cross my mind.” She admitted smiling.
“I suspected such.” she remarked and smiled, then she k-ssed her baby before searching for her old phone in her box of keepsakes and left the room with it.
She met Eric standing beside his laptop.
“Sorry I left in a rush. I had to feed my baby.” she informed him and stood uncertainly by the door.
“No wonder.” he muttered but she heard.
“No wonder what?”
“No wonder you’ve filled out in the right places You look good Dave is a very lucky man.” he commented and sat down to look at his system.
She didn’t know what to say to that She moved cautiously into the room.
“Here.” he said handing her the laptop. “That’s the message you sent to me and here are the messages I sent to you that kept coming back.”
She handed him her old phone “Here is the message you sent to me I kept it too as a constant reminder.”
Eric was stunned when he read the message after she put on the phone though the battery was weak. “I swear I didn’t send it!”
Oleng looked at all the messages and wondered for the umpteenth time what really happened.
“Oleng,” he called with a firm note “Do you think your mum could have set us up?”
She shook her head slowly. “I know she didn’t love me but to actually do such would be sheer hatred.”
“She hated me, Oleng, even while we were still together, not to mention my impregnating you. Did she have access to your phone and system?”
Oleng’s brow creased in a frown as she tried to remember. She eventually nodded. “After quarreling with her when she found out, I left the house. I also left when I went to see Zinny and Marvy. She could have done it anytime but I still believe she didn’t do it.”
Eric blew his top then and grabbed her arms. “Haven’t you been listening to what I’ve been saying? I never knew you were pregnant, dammit! What we shared meant a lot to me I love you I would never abandon you like that You mean the world to me.” he growled impatiently and they stared at each other heatedly.
“Eric,” she called softly after she noticed he had declared his feelings for her in present tense again. “Why aren’t you married?”
He quickly let her go. “I’ve got to get going.” he said as he shut down his system.
She didn’t know why but she moved to block his path. “I asked you a question and I demand an answer.” She gazed into his gorgeous eyes.
He looked at her intently and asked, “What do you care?”
“At least let me know.”
“Alright. Alright.” he said in exasperation. “I couldn’t love again because I haven’t been able to stop loving you. I’ve tried, believe me You’re my very first love and it was difficult for me to let go It’s hærd to love someone else when your heart has already been captured by another for life I envy Dave a lot I do I know there’s no hope of us ever getting back together again but I want you to forgive me for whatever I’ve done to hurt you My life would be better if you stopped hating me I’m innocent of every accusation but forgive me anyway.” he said heatedly He chuckled before continuing, “It’s quite funny I know I know in your mind you’d be jeering at me for still loving you after so many years.
I know one thing though You didn’t love me then the way I loved you Then, I thought our love was so deep nothing would ever come between us but I was wrong We promised each other faithfulness no matter what Unfulfilled promises! I never broke any of those promises I tried my best to fulfill them I came looking for you at every turn and I’ve never stopped loving you All you feel now for me is hatred over nothing and you even married one of my best friends and have a kid by him. That’s what I find most baffling; that of all the men in the world, you had to marry one of my closest friends. Sometimes, I feel you did it to spite me.” he said with so much pain, it robbed her of words.
“And what about this?” He hooked his small finger with hers and pronounced drily, “‘these promises we’ve made to each other will never go unfulfilled.’ Those were just meaningless words to you!” He was furious
Oleng felt like dying
UNFULFILLED PROMISES
SEASON 2
EPISODE 18
He dropped her finger in disgust, gathered his things and briskly walked to the door while AuntVien came out and said, “Are you leaving so soon?”Oleng froze Surely Aunt Vien hadn’t broken her promise and brought Erica out?She heaved a sigh of relief when she saw she was alone Eric turned around and forced himself to smile.“I’ve got to leave now, ma’am.”“I thought you would stay for dinner.”“Aunt Vien!” Oleng admonished.Eric shook his head sorrowfully. “I’m sorry, ma’am. I won’t be able to stay. Obviously I’m not wanted.”“Where are you staying?”He told her and she raised her eyebrows at the most expensive hotel in Calabar.“Why don’t you join us tomorrow?” she hopefully asked, shocking her niece further Eric smiled genuinely then He liked this woman.“I’m sorry again I’ll be leaving Calabar tomorrow I have an appointment in Port Harcourt tomorrow.”She looked disappointed “Maybe some other time then.”“There’d be no other time, Aunty. He’ll be going back to the States soon.” Oleng put in.Eric’s made the two females drool when he smiled “Actually, I’m no longer based in the States Nigeria is my abode now I moved back a week ago I would have been here sooner but I had a ghastly motor accident that kept me bed ridden for months but I’m fully recovered now I work for one of the construction companies here now.”“Wow. So soon?” her aunt asked.“I’m not trying to blow my horn but you know how Nigeria is I was like hot cake because I schooled over there and I’m a M.Sc. holder with many certifications.”And also a genius in you field Oleng said within her Her admiration for him grew.“Did companies struggle to get you?”Humble Eric looked down before replying, “Yes, ma’am.”“And you went for the highest bidder I bet.” she teased.“As a matter of fact, no, I actually went for the company that needs me most I need to help them grow to be the best.”Still Eric of yesteryears, Oleng thought She believed that instant all he had told her that afternoon How could she have forgotten this wonderful person? Eric had always been selfless Always thinking of others before himself She recalled in that instant all the wonderful things he did then for his juniors, classmates and seniors alike Everyone had loved him He would never have abandoned her.She had lost Eric because she had been so overcome with pain that she had failed to see the boy she loved, still loved considering the fact that she dreamt of him almost every night,his son and his daughter and the fluttering of her heart at the sight of him which had nothing to do with lust.“Oleng, are you alright?” The object of her thoughts asked with concern etched on his face She realized then that tears had been dropping from her eyes So ashamed, she ran out of the living room Aunt Vien came in a while later She sat beside her on the bed.“You still love him, don’t you?” she inquired softly Oleng sat up and nodded as her aunt held her. “I can’t believe I ever doubted him Eric wouldn’t have abandoned me in a hundred years I strongly believe that woman was responsible for our break up After everything I did to him, he still loves me. Aunty, I can’t believe I’ve lived in so much bitterness all these years for nothing.”“It’s not your fault, my dear You couldn’t have known he wasn’t the one who sent the message The evidence was incriminating It was his own international number for crying out loud!”“That’s what I don’t understand It was his own number but I believe he didn’t send it The look on his face when I showed him was that of shock and amazement After the love we’d shared before he left and promised each other to continue sharing, I should have had enough trust in him to know he couldn’t do such a thing.He was my best friend then, my life! I was so naive and foolish to believe the worst of him I didn’t stop to an-lyze everything I was a fool!”she wept.“Stop crying dearie. Remember you were very young then.” Her aunt consoled her.“I hate Dave so much right now He was part of the wh0le scheme He lied to me I would have reconciled with Eric a long time ago I would have had more kids by now and been so happy but Dave lied to me How I wish I had listened to Zinny.” she lamented “Things would have been so different by now God! I’m so foolish!” she said wistfully.“Dearie, it’s okay I know it’s very painful but you have to pull yourself together At least you still have a part of him in his daughter which is why you must let him know soon, at least to make up for the hurt you’ve caused him.” she advised.“I will, I will.” she wept, painfully recalling her past and repeating the words, “I’m such a fool.”
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Oleng thought and thought about her entire situation She weighed her choices over and over again because she didn’t want to make a drastic mistake again When Erica was six months old, she decided to go and approach Dave once more for them to talk She didn’t feel like it but she didn’t want her daughter growing up with a single parent and she didn’t want to live the life her aunt and Mrs. Akpan had lived She hadn’t seen Eric since that day she had fled the living room crying He hadn’t called or anything She had kept looking at her phone, waiting for his call and she jumped at the sound of every knock on the door thinking he was the one She missed him She stared at his daughter everyday with longing for her father but she knew she would never have him She had lost him forever due to her foolishness Her mind kept telling her to divorce Dave and marry Eric She didn’t know what to do Besides, Eric hadn’t even made a move It would be foolish of her to give up on her marriage to rekindle the love of yesteryears when Eric hadn’t even shown interest in her after that day What if it didn’t work out even when they come back together? What if it had just being a childhood thing for them? She deeply loved him but she couldn’t lose in both places She couldn’t afford to do that for the sake of her daughter She decided to go and visit Dave for them to resolve things but if they couldn’t, she knew she would eventually divorce him Would Eric come for her then? She prayed so Her aunt wasn’t happy at her decision of going back to Dave but she didn’t have a choice but to let her go and wish her success Oleng fretted allthe way to the house She began regretting why she came when she got to the gate She should have just called him for a divorce because all she really felt for him now was hatred, hatred for denying her the one man she truly loved She sighed. She was already there so she might as well get it over with With Erica wrapped securely at her back and sleeping peacefully, she knocked on the gate but was surprised when someone else other than Chike opened the gate.“Good afternoon. What about Chike?” she asked politely.“Good afternoon Chike is sick I came to stand in for him till he gets well.”“Sick? Hope it’s not serious?” She was worried.He smiled and shook his head “No. It’s only malaria.”“Thank God.” she said with relief. “Is your Oga around?”“Yes.”“I’d like to see him.”“But who are you?”Oleng felt bad but she shrugged. “His wife.”“Wife?” The new gate man was astonished. “But Oga didn’t tell me he had a wife.”“That’d because I traveled. I went on leave and now I’m back. Are you going to stop me from entering my own house?” She was beginning to get angry.“No, not at all ma.” he hastily said and opened the gate w¡der for her to come in.“Thank you.” she said indignantly and walked up to the house She tried the door handle but it was locked so she had to knock on the door It took time before he came to answer the door.“What the hell are you doing here with that thing on your back?” Dave asked with scorn immediately he opened the door Oleng was speechless as she stared at her husband This man was a shadow of his former self. He looked so thin and emaciated His head was cleanly shaken. He looked gawky.“Are you alright? Are you sick?” she inquired with concern.“Are you deaf? I asked what you’re doing here.” he curtly told her.“I…” she faltered. “I’ve come for us to talk.”“Talk?” he asked as if he had never heard the word before. “Talk about what? We’ve already said all that needs to be said on the phone You must be deranged to think I’d accept you and that bastard back.” he cynically told herOleng’s eyes flashed with anger “Don’t you dare call my child a bastard! So you still feel this way after so many months?”“How do you expect me to feel after you abandoned me?”“Me?” She was astonished “I abandoned you? Have you forgotten you were the one who threw me out?”“I threw you out because you were treacherous and I couldn’t stand you any longer but you didn’t dim it fit to come back and fight for your marriage. What exactly do you want here? To show me that albino at your back? Do you think I don’t know Eric visited you? I hired a private investigator to watch you Eric came and spent a considerably long amount of time before your aunt finally came back from school What really do you want from me? You’ve got your lover back and you even have his child Why can’t you leave me alone?” he sounded very distressed much to her chagrin Oleng made up her mind right there “I want a divorce I don’t want a fierce and bitter battle in court I want a peaceful divorce.” she firmly told him.Dave was so stunned he actually rocked on his heels. “A divorce?” he questioned. “For you to marry that bastard?……Never! You hear me? Never!”“You can’t mean that.” she retorted in anger.“I mean every single word I say Now go away and never come back You hurt my eyes The very sight of you and that thing at your back makes me want to puke.” With that, he banged the door against its hinges Oleng stood there in shock. She sat at the steps leading to the door What was she going to do now? She sat there under the sun thinking of her next line of action She knew she just had to try somehow to get through to him More than ever she wanted a divorce Talking to his mum was a hopeless case because he felt bitter towards his mum also for taking sides with her She was determined to get through to him She wanted to be free of him She suddenly recalled the back door She quickly got up and looked at the house and wondered if he was watching her She quietly sneaked to the back She was joyous when she met the door ajar She quietly entered the house She gaped around the house realizing how much she missed the place She found him in the living room sprawled on a sofa as if there was no life in him, staring at the ceiling.“Dave,” she quietly called.He jerked upright His face contorted with anger. “Are you deaf or something? I thought I told you to leave me alone.” he demanded For an answer, she went closer to him with the sleeping baby still at her back.“Dave,” she began. “I know I’ve hurt you a lot with what I did but please I’m very sorry I don’t want to continue this marriage with you but I don’t want us to fight over it.”“Bangladesh! Utter hogwash!” He seethed. “There’s no way on earth I’m going to grant you a peaceful divorce.”Oleng surveyed him steadily “But why? Why do you want remain married to me? We both hate each other now Is it for spite’s sake?”He allowed her to stand there for a while without sparing her as much as a glance He began recalling the good times he had had with her and their promises to each other.l Tears welled up in his eyes then He however pulled himself together.“I…I want you back.” he solemnly declared Oleng was so dumbfounded she gasped. “What?”She couldn’t believe her ears.“You heard me I didn’t stutter.”“You want me back?” she asked incredulously “You want me back after everything? You want me back even after I’ve given birth to another man’s child?”He winced in pain at her last words. “I don’t mind that anymore I know you’re not to blame I caused everything. Now that you have a child, I believe we can continue with the marriage.”“And what about Eric?”His face hærdened“Eric can go to blazes for allI care.”“I won’t give up Eric again Not even for a million dollars.”“Then what are you still doing here?” he fumed, got up and approached her menacingly She drew back in fear. “What’s wrong with you? Where’s the man I married? That sweet, gentle, soft spoken and easy going man. Where is he?”“The fool you mean. Well, I’m no longer a fool.”“No, you’re not a fool. You’re a monster!”“How dare you?” he said and slapped her hærd across the face making her shriek in pain Oleng’s face reddened Her baby woke up at the noise and started crying She looked up at Dave as he towered over her with anger She blew up then.“You liar! You filthy liar! You’ve been lying to me from the time I met you in Calabar You made me continue to believe that Eric was a bad person when you are the terrible person.l You lied to me just to get me to marry you I loathe what you did!” she spitefully told him.“And when did he tell you all that? In bed?”“You have an obscene mind I knew you were obscure but I never knew you were full of guile and so obnoxious.” she threw at him.“If you don’t want me to throttle you, better get up now and leave my house with that crying thing.”“With pleasure. You’ll never see me here again Whether you like it or not, I’m going to get that divorce God knows I’ve tried You hit me and pour insults on me and my innocent child despite the fact that you’ve not for once apologized for what you did I don’t want to live with a stranger To think I was willing to let by-gone be by-gone before you threw me out of this house.”“Fine! Now get out and stay out!” he yelled She tried hushing her baby but she cried on regardless of efforts to placate her She walked with her head high towards the door Dave slammed the door a second time that day He slid to the ground behind it and held his head as bl0*d dripped down his nostrils and tears from his eyes.“O angel!”His angel walked slowly to the gate where the gate man had surreptitiously been looking at her She left the house without saying a word She hailed a taxi and gave the driver the address to her mother-in-law’s house Mrs. Sokari lamented when she was told by Oleng what her son had done Oleng stayed with her for a few days before returning back to Calabar.Her aunt didn’t say a word when she saw how sad her niece was She just hugged her.
TBC