Written by Evi Idoghor
“It is not an enemy who taunts me – I could bear that. It is not my foes who so arrogantly insult me – I could have hidden from them. Instead, it is you – my equal, my companion and my close friend. What good fellowship we once enjoyed as we walked together to the house of God – Psalm 55:12-14 (NLT)
“Fisayo, why is Lola sending me all these messages? What do they mean?” He replied, “let me see what she sent you.” I showed it to him. Then he said, “remember when we broke up? I stared at him intently. “That time, I was so mad at you that I went out to the club with Lola and her friends.” I adjusted myself on my seat and said, “turn on the car, I am beginning to get hot.” After he turned it on, he hesitated before continuing. “I told her about the breakup, and she told me that she was going to find another babe for me.”
“Ahn, ahn! Ahn, ahn! What? Lola? My friend? How can she suggest such a thing? Anyway, go ahead with what you are saying.” He took a deep breath, let it out, and continued, “so one thing led to another, and we kissed!”
I could feel the world stop around me. Everything was frozen as I attempted to process what he told me. How did you go from, let me find another babe for you, to kissing? How? Tears began to fall from my eyes. “Was that the only time you guys kissed?” His voice became shaky, “no…the other time, she wanted to prove to her friends that we were together, so she kissed me on the lips.”
“What friends? Oh! Those guys that you were always hanging out with and going rock climbing? Those same guys who told you that I had been with many men! My God, how could all of you do this to me?” “I am sorry,” he tried to hold my hands, and immediately I removed my hand. “Let’s go home,” he said.
We'd only been apart for two weeks, I thought to myself, with tears streaming down my cheeks as he snored. What could have caused this? Sleep had been robbed from me that night, and going to bed with a broken spirit is one of the most difficult things to do. Proverbs 18:14 says, “A man’s spirit will endure sickness, but a crushed spirit, who can bear?”
I went to church the next day, silently praying that Lola would not show up. I sat down to hear the word and I didn't see her in the congregation. However, no word of the sermon found its way into my heart, so I stood up and walked to the children's class where I serve. I sat down on the carpeted floors and texted Eileen and Stacey to meet me there.
They were concerned, “what is going on?” I looked at the teachers in class to ensure they weren’t looking at us, and began speaking pidgin English. As I narrated the story to them, their mouths opened. Then Eileen said, “go back home and ask him more questions, if there was a kiss, there could be more.”
After church, I raced back home to ask Fisayo if more happened, and he flared up. “I have told you it was only a kiss, I even stopped things before they went too far!” For the sake of peace, I calmed him down, and he left. I managed to catch some sleep, and woke up to a text from Fisayo. “If you want to talk to Lola about the situation, just so you have peace, we can go to her house to talk things over.” I replied to him, and then I quickly texted Lola and asked her what time she was going to be home, and she told me. I sent her another message saying, “Fisayo and I will be at your place to sort things out.”
Later that evening, Fisayo came to pick me up and we drove down to Lola’s house. On reaching there, she sat in her living room, looking like someone who was ready for a fight. Fisayo sat on a couch next to the door, while I sat down on the same couch with her. You could feel the tension. To break the ice, I took the initiative to speak first. “Lola, what is going on?”
“Tell me what he told you, “She said. “No,” I shook my head, “I want to hear your own side of the story.” We went back and forth for a bit, when I finally caved in and said, “Fisayo told me you both kissed.” Fisayo was sat like a puppy in a corner, watching us. “How long were you broken up for?” I laughed, “two weeks.” “When did you guys get back together?” She asked.
“Was it not two days ago that we got – I immediately shushed Fisayo, and gave him a look like, what are you saying? “We’ve been together for a while now.” Lola continued, “he said you got back together with him two days ago.”
“Okay, Lola, what is that to you? I don’t understand,” She began narrating how after she met him, they became close and she started having feelings for him. That was when I stood up from her couch. “I just want to find out one thing,” I said, looking at the two of them, “did you have sex with Fisayo?” Without hesitation, Lola said, “yes, every day for the past couple of months. I was stunned. "I can show you my sex calendar.”
“Thank you, that was all I needed to know.” My voice was shaky. Then I walked out of her apartment and started crying. So, he was sleeping with me at my house, then going over to her house to sleep with her? We attended the same church! We worked in the same department! We hung out together, played games, watched movies together, and shared apartment keys. Lola, how could you do this to me?
She came out from her apartment and stood on the balcony, saying, “come and take your man, I don’t want him to be violent with me.” I did not look back. As I walked back to my apartment, wiping the tears from my eyes, I could feel the stares of others.
I gave you my car to use freely, and you and Fisayo were driving around town and doing this behind my back. I opened my home to you, introduced you to my family and friends. You were one of us. You were not even a friend, but a big sister, how could you?
When I arrived at my door, I realized that I left my keys at her apartment. I sat on my stairs and it all came rushing back to me. No wonder, she attempted to return the iPad I had gifted her. No wonder, he insisted on going back home the night we returned from Houston. No wonder he returned the next morning wearing the same clothes. No wonder she didn’t want me to call him when I had a flat tire but insisted that she fix it for me. No wonder, she offered to drive me to Houston. She desperately tried to drive a wedge between us, yet, anytime Fisayo tried to leave me, I somehow found my way back into his arms.
Catch up with previous parts below:
Twists and Thorns is a retelling of my first short story series published on this platform five years ago. On the 5th anniversary of this blog, I have decided to bring back story telling. Two parts will be published weekly in keeping with the video story series I will publish on Instagram. Buckle up, its going to be a great ride! I hope you enjoy this series.
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