The Inauspicious - S01 E11

3 years ago

The Inauspicious - S01 E11

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 11

The church wedding went smoothly and it was time for the reception. Amanda tried all she could to act normal and to avoid Ray who she was so sure his eyes were following her about. She was sitted at a table with Mabel and Laura who had flown down from Abuja the previous night when a small boy walked up to their table. They all turned their attention to him.

Small boy: goodday maam

Trio: goodday

small boy: someone said i should give this note to miss Amanda.

Amanda: i’m Amanda, let me have it (he handed the note to her and immediately left)

Amanda threw glances at the duo as she opened the piece of paper slowly. The message or question rather was clear, precise and simple.

HOW LONG WOULD YOU KEEP RUNNING? She read

she needed no soothsayer to tell her who it was from. She glanced round the hall to see if he was in view but didn’t see him. Meeting him wouldn’t have been a problem if she was alone but considering the fact that Jovita was just by the side made her scared. Inasmush as she wanted Jovita to know her father and Ray, his daughter, she was scared. Scared of what Ray’s reaction would be if he find out about the truth.

Would he be angry at her for keeping such an important truth from him?

Would he even want to have anything to do with her if he finds out?

These and many more questions ran through her mind. And just when she thought she was getting answers, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She didn’t even realize she had been staring into space for long, something she had been doing ever she saw Ray at the boutique. She saw the looks on Mabel and Laura’s faces and immediately resolved to restrain herself from doing it inorder not to give her sister and friend high blood pressure.

*****

Yet another note arrived for Amanda as she sat at the church the next day for the thanksgiving service. She opened it more slowly this time around

MEET ME UP BY FOUR TOMMORROW EVENING.

YOU KNOW WHERE TO FIND ME.

She stared at the piece of paper as if there was another information enclosed in it other than the one she had read. She sighed quietly before tucking the piece of paper she had folded neatly into her purse. She glanced round the church before directing her gaze to the ministering choristers.

later in the evening

Laura: i think you should go and see him.

Amanda had told them about Ray’s request to see her. They were in Laura’s room.

Mabel: Laura is right. You could even take Jovita with you. (Amanda stared at her as if she had lost a nut) Don’t stare at me like that. You should let him know before someone else does that for you or he finds out himself.

(Amanda rolled her eyes)

Laura: girlfriend. I think it’s high time you both set things right. If not for any other thing, for the sake of Jovita. You both should stop acting like some high school kid whose favourite teacher had just been transfered (Mabel and Amanda stared at her with that ”like seriously” kind of look)

okay. Maybe that was not the right line to use. (they laughed) All i’m saying is that you both should act matured. You both are at fault, the more reason you have to meet and talk and……

Amanda: (interjected) okay, okay. Enough. I’m hungry and i need to eat.

She headed out of the room. The duo followed suit after exchanging glances

* sunday, 5:40pm*

Ray glanced at his watch for the upteempt time and sighed. He had been waiting for almost two hours but there was no sign of Amanda. A part of him was telling him he was fighting a lost course while the other part told him there was hope. Hope of talking to her, settling things between themselves, to explain to her and express to her how much she meant to him. How hopeless and lifeless he had been all these years. He sat there for another 20minutes reminiscing on the moments they had spent in that special place, at that particular spot he was seated. He glanced round the open field which had flowers of all kind, shapes and sizes around it. He watched as the couple at the extreme left curled up at each other with their child scratching and scrabbling for a space to fit in between them and a small smile crept up his dark handsome face, lighting up his dark blue eyes. He imagined how it would have been if it was him and Amanda and maybe with their little cute prince or princess.

Maybe we are not meant to be together. He thought

with his hands in the pocket of his jean trousers, he turned to leave. The time suddenly stopped moving and the earth stop revolving. It wasn’t her beautiful face or her eight shaped figure complimented by the orange knee-length fitted gown or her eyes which was hidden behind the dark shade glasses she wore that caught his attention. It was the undoubtedly replica of him in the hands of the undoubtedly beautiful woman that held him spellbound. This was one of the moments he would wish his lip would spill out the many questions in his head but it was still one of those moments his wishes were never granted.