Must Read: Three Women (short story) - Season 1 - Episode 14

6 years ago

Must Read: Three Women (short story) - Season 1 - Episode 14

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Dapo and Lola were seated in church the next day, and Dapo remembered how he used to really like coming to this particular church. But now, it was like the whole congregation was more concerned about what they had on than the pastor’s sermon. They had become so fashion conscious.

Lola was an interpreter for the Yoruba language section of the church, so they never sat together.
He noticed a lady staring at him, and he wondered if what people said about the church was true. He pondered on the thought if it was true that most of the ladies came to church with one intention; to find a life partner. The girl must think he was still single, because he was at the youth section. It was hard for him to break his over 5 year ritual of sitting at this section, and since he never got to sit with his wife during the service, he thought there was no use sitting at the married peoples section.

The pastor was saying something about the year being a year of transformation. Dapo thought about all the transformation he had gone through in the last couple of months, and he couldn’t agree more with the pastor.

After the service, he walked off to the car alone.
His ritual had always been to sit in the car and listen to some Hip Hop music while waiting for Lola, but today he had decided to sit on the car. The moment he saw the lady approaching the him, he knew he had made a grave mistake by making himself look so available. He felt like getting into the car in a hurry, but that would seem very immature.

“You’re Dapo, right?” The lady said as she approached. ‘Oh, she even knows my name already.’ Dapo thought.

“Yes.” Dapo answered with a quizzical look on.

“I knew I couldn’t be wrong.” The lady said with a smile. She stretched out her hand. “I’m Jane.”

“It’s nice to meet you.”

“Don’t bother trying to remember if you know me, you don’t.” She said and laughed lightly as she read the expression on Dapo’s face. “I used to stay across the street from Kike’s house.”
“Kike?”
“Kike Thomas.”

“Oh! Yeah!” Memories came back in a rush. The image of the last day he had seen Kike was as fresh as ever in his mind now.

“I think we met once back then…or rather, you saw me one time. You probably wouldn’t remember.” The lady said looking at Dapo, knowing that he was lost in thoughts. “You are married now, right?”

“Yes.”

“It is funny how things always end up; anybody that knew you two back then would have thought you would end up together.”

“Yeah, but s--t happens.” Dapo answered after getting himself together again. “So…you and Kike used to be friends?” Dapo said, finally giving in to the urge to get some information on his ex-girlfriend’s where-about.

“Yeah, we were; that is until she travelled and cut off all communications from her friends. ” The lady said and looked into space like she was reminiscing on the good old days. “She is back in the country though; I saw her last week.”

“You actually saw her?” Dapo said as his eyes popped out in shook.

“Yes. But we couldn’t talk much…she was in her car and I was in mine. I think she made it really big.”

“Why did you say that?”

“She was in a real fancy car.”

“Oh!”

“That’s your wife, right?” The lady said, pointing at Lola. Dapo looked behind him and saw Lola approaching them.
“Yes.”

“I guess you weren’t meant to be with Kike after all.”

“Why did you say that?”

“Your wife is wonderful. I guess God saves the best for last.”

“Thank you.”

“Keep a tight grip on her.” She said with a smile and a goodbye wave.

Lola winked at Dapo as she approached the car. It was funny, because he would think she would react differently after seeing another lady with her man.

“Who was that?” Lola asked as she came up to the car.

“She used to…she used to stay around my area from back in the day.”

“So why are you looking like…”

“What?”

“Your mind is miles away Dapo…what’s up?”

Lola said as she got into the car; obviously tired from standing for too long.

“Nothing.” Dapo shrugged and walked over to the drivers’ side. They had agreed to go see the Cole’s today because Mrs. Cole had specifically called up Lola and ask that they come over. The journey to the house was a very quiet one, as Dapo’s mind started wondering what was up with Kike, and the fact that he could accidentally run into her one of these days. He didn’t even know why he was thinking of running into her; they had no course to see; he was a married man now.
Lola de-railed his train of thoughts. “I wonder if Anu’s mom would be the receptive type, or just an arrogant rich man’s wife. What do you think?”

“Come on…give her the benefit of the doubt. I feel, judging the rest of the family, she’d be a great person to meet.”

“Hmm! We would get to know that pretty soon.”

Dapo’s thoughts went to his unborn child; he didn’t know if he wanted a boy or a girl. He was just so overjoyed that they were expecting their first child.

As they drove into the Cole’s mansion, he noticed the whole family was under a small canopy in the garden. The lady that seemed to be Mr. Cole’s wife got up from her chair as Anu ran towards their car. They got out of the car and greeted Anu warmly as they started walking towards the rest of the family.

As they got closer to the canopy, Dapo’s heartbeat quickened. He remembered what Mr. Cole had said about his wife being a beauty; although he couldn’t see the face yet, because she had shades on, he could only imagine a beautiful face going with the figure he saw in front of him; her dressing was very stylish too.

The lady took off her shades and Dapo’s heart skipped a beat; he thought he was going to pass out. She looked him straight in the eye and smiled. “I’ve been dying to meet the couple that my husband and kid have grown so fond of.” She extended a hand to Dapo; he shook it.
She walked closer to Lola, and held her in a tight embrace. “I feel like I already know you guys.”