The longer the truth takes to be let out, the more the damage lies must have caused in the meantime.

Dave took a glance at the wall clock for the third time.

9:15PM

“And why isn’t she picking up her calls for crying out loud?” He thought to himself as he picked up his phone and dialed the number again.

“Hello?”

Dave let out a huge sigh of relief before saying anything.

“Titi what’s wrong with you?”

“What?”

“I’ve been trying to call you since God knows when ago. Its really not cool believe me, the way I’m being treated by you. I said I’m sorry and you know I really am and I meant it when I said it but…”

“I’m driving bro. You can call me in half an hour please. You know the driving rules in lagos so thanks a lot for understanding.”

“Arrggh!…Alright. I’ll call you back, I only pray you pick up.” He replied dejectedly.

“Later.”

Just as Titi hung up, Dave slumped back into the couch he had stood up from and remained motionless as he subconsciously began to regurgitate on the events of the past weeks that led to this low state and his desperate fight to restore not only his relationship, but pride and esteem.

                         ****************

Titi entered the house, flung her handbag on the chair and made straight for the room. Dave sat at the edge of the bed scribbling on his ipad.

“Welcome dear.”

No reply.

Titi slipped out of her gown, grabbed her towel & made straight for the bathroom and in no time, the shower was running.

Dave dropped his ipad and made his way into the bathroom to find out what exactly was the cause for the attitude.

“Babe what’s wrong?” He asked, leaning at the extreme right corner, sparsely out of the reach of the spraying water.

No reply.

Dave slowly removed the only piece of clothing he had on- his boxers and joined Titi in the shower, slowly wrapping his arms around her from behind.

“Talk to me babe.”

“June’s presence was the only thing asides work that I use to keep my mind off your nonchalance and strange behaviour of late. Now she gone back to Abj and I feel like I’m stuck choicelessly with you. If I had the chance, I might just have followed her off so you can have the time and space to reminisce, soliloquize, meditate or do whatever it is you do these days.”

“But I already…”

“And when you need me back, you’ll let me know.”

Titi spoke in a very low voice and without making eye contact, which was unusual. She wriggled herself out Dave’s arms and wrapped herself in a towel. Dave knew it was now or never, the cat be better let out of the bag now or left to suffocate to death. Titi didn’t really want to what she’s about to hear but in all fairness, she deserves the truth. It been long overdue and she hadn’t pestered, made trouble, threatened or fought.

As Titi sat in front of her dressing table with her back to Dave, he made the sign of the cross, cleared his throat and stood a few inches to the chair.

“June is my ex. I don’t know how you both stumbled into each other but she’s my ex and she’s the one that kept on calling me persistently some few weeks back.” Dave paused.

Titi remained in the same position, not a flinch or emotion or reply. She just sat there brushing her hair, picking and dropping this or that. Dave took it as a sign to continue and he went on, narrated the hotel room scenario, how really bad he felt after having unprotected sex with June in a bit of an effort to put a little sugar to the vinegar and how he had been contemplating and gathering the courage to break the info to her cos he did not want to hurt her. Dave was using his best sober voice hoping that would also reduce some measure of Titi’s reaction to this very sorry news of his.

Titi continued what she was doing, dusted some powder off her face, and she moved to her finger nails.

Dave didn’t know if to continue or to stop, if to cut it off there and begin apologising or to say it all and clear the air. Confusing was an understatement to how Dave felt to Titi’s reaction.

“Did she know all what I’m telling her before?… Why isn’t she shouting on me or clawing my skin off?” Dave thought for a split second and continued his confession.

He narrated all the pressure I had put on him to confess and how he had been procrastinating and allowing fear to grip him anytime he came close to spilling it. Then how he had gone back to arrange framing June’s number one suitor in Abj for the pregnancy.

“Jay had nothing to do with that plan though… I just thought I needed a way out and it was best to keep you out of it. I know you were going to feel very hurt and disappointed in me and that was why I set out of taking care of my mess myself. It was a stupid and silly mistake, I know. One which should never even be heard of, let alone happening. I’m very sorry baby. Whatever it is I can do to restore the trust and love you have for me, please tell me, I’m hundred percent ready to do whatever it is to make it up to you. From the depth of my heart, I’m really sorry for everything. Not just for what I did but cos it took me this long to summon up courage to tell you.”

Titi still didn’t stand up, turn around or give a reply to all what Dave said and the silence that prevailed for around two to three minutes was the loudest ear and mind piercing silence Dave had ever experienced.

“Babe!… Babe won’t you say anything?… Baby?” And just as Dave attempted to move closer, it all happened in a flash. Faster than the speed of light- Titi stood up, tears streamed straight down her eyeballs over cheek down to her chin and just as Believe was about saying “I’m sorry” for the ninetieth time, two hot slaps landed on his face. They were quick, sharp, not noisy but they stung. Dave felt as if quite an appreciating number of bees had began feasting on the right side of his face the strings of pain pulled back a bit to affect the back of his neck.

“What a flexible palm she has.” He subconsciously thought on reflex. The magic of slaps

Without uttering a word, Titi found her way to her corner of the bed, slipped under the large bed spread and slept off. Dave attempted going to wake her and continue apologizing but on second thought, he quietly stole to the side of the bed and slept. Only in the morning did he realize Titi didn’t actually sleep. She just waited for him to, stood up, packed her things and left. Although she did him the favour of leaving him a note. That was the last time Dave saw his fiancé as all effort to bring her to the negotiation table both by him and by me had proved futile. Nothing seemed to get to her, not even the news that Dave was seriously ill and been on bed rest. All she had to contribute was a reluctant “God will give quick recovery.”

                         ****************

I dropped my phone and thought for a while. How do I break the news that’s just reaching from Kate’s intelligence unit to Dave? How do I tell him that his plan was already a no go area in just two days June arrived in Abuja?

This is really going to break his heart or whatever is left of it. I could only hope he had a contigency plan for a “just in case” scenario.

I shrugged, picked up my phone and dialed his number.

“Hello?” Dave sounded like someone who just woke up from bad dream.

“Hey bro… Are you ok?” I asked.

“Yeah sure… Sorry, I didn’t hear my phone ring.”

“Then why do you sound like a pregnant woman who just suffered a miscarriage?”

He didn’t reply and the ten seconds silence made me realize I just cracked a terrible joke with a totally one sided sense of humour. He wasn’t going to laugh at that kind of joke and I knew it.

“Err… Sorry, so how far with Titi?” I quickly chipped in.

“She’s just there at her place. She has started picking up my calls though but every time I call her, she’s always having this or that reason to jump off the phone. I don’t know what to do or say to her again. I’m giving up cos I’ve tried my best. Is it until I crucify myself before someone knows that the other person is sorry?… Or is anyone bigger than making mistakes?”

“It is well. I think she’s just punishing you for the whole lot of time you took before coming plain to her. You took too long man.”

“I know and I’ve apologized for every thing… Anyways, what’s happening?”

“I have bad news bro… & I don’t know if you wanna hear it now or I can call back at a more suitable time.”

Dave pause for a few seconds and just as I about saying “Hello?”, he replied.

“No. Now’s a good time. Tell me what it is.”

“Your plan with June is not gonna work sir and that’s why I’m calling now. In case you’ve got a Plan B, I think now’s the time to implement it. Sorry about that bro.”

“But why?…” Was all Dave could reply with, which would’ve sounded funny but for the present mood on ground.

“Tunde, the Etisalat guy asking June out in Abj is not in Nigeria presently and won’t be back from… I think Australia or Switzerland till a month’s time. That was what I heard and thought you’ve got to know. So I don’t know how you want to do it but the frame up plan is already cancelled.”

“Oh!… Oh Lord!” Dave said and hung up.

After a while, some evils let you go. But some little mischievous evils won’t but follow you everywhere like chicks and mother hen.