CONTRACT MARRIAGE
Contract Marriage - Episode 13
They laughed heartily at a joke uncle Makinde cracked, while Jadesola passed the bowl of peppered grilled chicken.
“ So how did you two meet?” Aunty Desola; uncle Makinde’s wife directed the question at Omar.
Omar exchanged a glance briefly with Ife and cleared her throat.
“ Uhmm… we met at a resort center in Tanzania.”
“ Is that so?... What’s the name of the resort center?” Jadesola asked amidst bites, with her interest aroused.
Omar gave a soft smile.
“ The Hotel Riu Palace in Zanzibar.” Ife quickly cut in.
“ Come-on Ife, I was talking to Omar, not you.” Jadesola pointed out and everyone chuckled.
“ What difference does it make if I answer the question for my wife?” Ife asked Jade with a smirk.
“ Sorry dude… we want to hear Omar’s side of the story.” Jade replied cheerfully.
“ Fine.” Omar said and laughed.
“ So tell me how it all happened?” Said Jade to Omar.
Omar paused briefly before she began.
“ It all started on a sunny day… when I went to the beach for a tan.” Omar began.
"...meanwhile, I had been planning on going for a vacation in Zanzibar for months to escape the monotony of my daily routine life. So when I finally went, I was quite elated.
"...And on that very day, I was content to spend my day lounging by the beach side and reading books. So I sat on a beach chair, engrossed in a novel, when I caught a glimpse of a shadow coming towards my direction. I looked up to see a young man I had earlier seen, swimming on the shoreline a few minutes ago, walking towards me with a singlet hung on his broadened chest like that of a model, and exuding much confidence. He bent In front of me and introduced himself as Mike Davis.
"...Initially, I wasn’t paying much attention to him due to the fact that I was so much into the novel already, but he wasn’t any bit discouraged about my attitude. Infact he had a cadence of one who was out for the chase.
"...Although, he was initially brisk and business like in his approach, until he began to talk about his dreams and favorite books, and that was what ignited my interest. I was so much impressed by his intelligence and wit.
"...And as the day turned into night, we found ourselves sharing dinner at the hotel’s restaurant. We talked and laughed for hours and walked each other back to our rooms.
"...That was how the spark that ignited the fire of our true love began.” Omar ended.
Ife mused in utmost surprise.
Jade rested her palm on her chin totally mesmerized by Omar’s speech.
Uncle Makinde cracked up, while his wife clapped happily.
“ Love is a beautiful thing you know?” Uncle Makinde added.
“ Yes dear… it is.” His wife concurred.
Turning to Ife, Jade asked.
“ Now it’s your turn Ife, what attracted you to strike up a conversation with her in the first place…. Cos I know you are not one to frolic around with women.”
Ife chuckled proudly, resting his gaze at Omar.
“ I couldn’t help but notice her beauty and grace…. But as we struck a conversation there and then, I was completely drawn to her infectious smile.” Ife replied, playing along with what Omar had said.
“Hmm!.... So is he romantic?” Jade asked Omar, clearly not ready to drop the conversation.
“ Uhmm.”
“ It’s ok…” Jade waved her hands in dismissal.
“ I know Ife is a piece of work dear…. And can be too serious and boring for your liking, but he wasn’t always like that…. It only started from when Zoey broke his heart… that was when his love life never remained the same.” Jade pointed out.
“ Why involve Zoey in this?” Ife asked Jade, with seriousness in his expression.
“ Because I want her to have a better understanding of the kind of man she married.” Then turning to Omar, she said.
"...Ife appears hard on the outside dear, but deep inside him, he is a sweet and caring man….. I need you to know that you are in good hands… and if there’s any issue at all, feel free to share with me, I know how to handle him for you.”
Ife scoffed loudly.
Omar laughed heartily as they continued chatting for a stretch of hours. She loved this family and the bond they shared. If only she had half a family like this, she wouldn’t have turned out the way she did.
By the time they returned back to their hotel, it was 8pm already and time for a video call with her friends.
******************
Six hours earlier.
Ashley let out a fustrated sigh, checking for nothing in particular as she opened her car bonnett.
If she kept looking like this, she would be running late to her destination. Her mechanic wasn’t living anywhere near the area her car stopped abruptly, but she called him anyway.
She didn’t mind footing his transportation expenses with an extra tip on it, as far as he revives the car back to life.
“ Hello Musa…. Where are you?” she asked frantically, on a phone call with her mechanic.
“ madam I dey for area, I dey come.” The mechanic told her.
The blazing sun scorched through her soft skin, leaving her to curse under her breath.
She waited for 30 mins extra, but the mechanic didn’t show up, so she concluded to use a taxi.
Her sister wouldn’t like the idea of a taxi, but right now, she had no choice.
Ashley trekked further, abandoning her car in front of a supermarket by a motor park, she began flagging down any taxi that came her way, but they all seemed to be occupied. She trekked further, ignoring the nudging pain of the stilletto heeled shoe on her feet.
“Today was gonna be one hell of a bad day for her.” She thought as sweat trickled down her face.
So engrossed she was in her thoughts, that she didn’t notice the Jeep that alighted some distance ahead of her. By this time, another 30 mins had already elapsed, prompting her to double up her steps.
“ Hey Ashley…. Need a ride?” The voice of the man halted her steps.
She faced the Jeep and peeped into it.
“ Oh Stanley!!” She gasped in relief.
“ Come on hop in…. Let me give you a ride.” Stanley offered.
Without waiting for a second invitation, Ashley quickly hopped in and settled beside Stanley.
“ Thank you Stan…. You can drop me at the garage were I can find a taxi heading to the airport.” Ashley voiced tiredly, stiffling a yawn.
“ You look really stressed out Barbie…. Must have had a long day today.” Stanley replied.
“ My car broke down on the busy road a while ago…. So I had to take the option of getting a taxi.” Ashley explained.
“ I could drive you to the airport if you do not mind.” Stanley volunteered.
Ashley let out a sigh of relief, followed by a genuine smile.
“ Oh thank you so much Stan…. I really do appreciate your kind gesture.”
“ You welcome Barbie…. If you don’t mind me asking why you are going to the airport.”
“ I’m going to pick up my younger sister who just arrived from South Africa.” Ashley replied.
“ Oh wow!.... That’s great…. Didn’t know you had a younger sister.” Stanley said as he manouvered the steering into the express road leading to the airport.
He knew Ashley and Judith through his relationship with Omar some months back. It was quite unfortunate that Omar never reciprocated the deep feelings he had towards her.
But what gave him concern most, was his friend’s dedicated involvement with Judith. He never expected Emeka would go that far in pulling the company funds just to buy a property for his mistress at banana Island. But Emeka’s ears were suddenly deaf to his counsels.
He had decided to forget all about Omar, until that very day he saw her at Judith’s house warming. That was the moment he knew he might never get over his feelings for Omar. So he decided to try again in professing his love to her but got so disappointed and heart broken.
He sighed.
“ Are you alright?” Ashley asked him, noticing his sad countenance.
“ Yes I am dear…. Just meditating on something….. that reminds me….. it’s been a while I saw Omar, how is she?” Stanley asked concernedly.
“ Omar is doing great….. why don’t you call her to check up on her?” Ashley suggested.
“ Will do that…. Thanks.”
It took them about an hour thirty minutes more, to get to the airport.
Ashley was already 40 mins late as she scanned through the terminal looking for her sister.
Her sister saw her first.
“ Ashley!!” She called.
Ashley turned to her right and saw her. Her face creased into a smile as she ran to hug her sister with Stanley standing a few meters behind.
“ You’ve added a little weight!!” Ashley was saying to her sister as she beckoned her to turn around.
They both broke into laughter.
Stanley coughed a little, indicating his presence.
“ Oh Stan… forgive my manners…. I want you to meet my younger sister who has refused to come home in the last two years….. her name is Zoey.”
“ Hi Zoey…. It’s nice to meet you…. My name is Stanley.” Stanley said holding her hand in an handshake.
(Do not take credit or Plagiarize AMAH'S HEART stories)
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