by Boadi, Lilly
“Maybe”
“Hey, don’t give people room for unfair gossips about you. If you don’t go, others might assume what Meg has been accusing you of is true - you know how people think”
“Alright” Haida sighed once more “I’d see what I can do”
“Be there” said Kiara quite sternly
“Ok, see you then, bye” said Haida, sitting behind the wheels. She put on the ignition for the third time, but it gave away.
“What’s wrong, Haida?” asked Kiara, approaching the car “You have a fault?”
“Think so. It didn’t give me any problems when I was coming, in fact not for the past couple of months”
“Let me give you a push” said Kiara, getting to the boot and pushing the car with all her might, but the car didn’t seem to budge.
“Do I give you a hand?” said a male voice behind her. She turned immediately and beamed with bewilderment
“Chad!?” she exclaimed. It had been more than three months since she saw him. She had actually called for a separation four months ago with the reason of sorting herself out in their relationship, and to her surprise, he had given in calmly without any argument. Haida saw him in the rearview mirror, but ignored him. His couple pushes set the car alive, and Haida sped off without even waving at them.
“Have a nice evening!” Chad shouted after the car. He hardly completed his farewell message when Kiara turned and gazed unenthusiastically into his eyes
“What are you doing here!?” she snapped
“Hi sweetheart, I miss you” said Chad, about touching her cheek. But Kiara pushed her palm towards him, stopping him
“Don’t tell me your work as a common clerk in a shopping mall has earned you the opportunity to be here!” she said
“Don’t forget I’m a certified member of the Association of Chartered Accountancy”
“You were!” sneered Kiara
“Why are you being so sarcastic? Anyway, I’m on three-month probation of a sort…at Jude Hansen and Associates”.
Kiara opened her mouth and shut it again. She stared into his eyes for a moment, and then flung to her car “It’s up to you!” she murmured.
As Haida drove back home, she thought through what Kiara had said. Maybe she was right – she should attend the wedding on Sunday; she’d have to cope with Meg and save herself unnecessary gossips. But that wouldn’t stop her from attending the beach party tomorrow.
***
It was one thirty the following afternoon, and the party had begun some thirty minutes ago. It was a TDB (Till Day Break) affair, to last through till the following morning, and its evening, a dinner was to be held at the same venue. Most of those who had wanted to attend Osborn’s wedding tomorrow had scheduled leaving early into the evening to prepare for the next day. No one could fathom why the couple had scheduled a day, immediately after such an exhausting event as their wedding day. But Meg had insisted on this day, knowing very few staff members could make it - most of her friends were her colleagues at work and from other accountancy institutions. In fact, her idea was to lessen the cost of the wedding, and she’d do anything to achieve this, since she was actually the one bearing all the miscellaneous cost. Haida gathered few things together and fifteen minutes later, she was on her way to the party. Though she wanted to leave the house around two thirty and make it to the four star hotel couple of hours into the party, she’d better leave now before traffic jam made her get there at the latter part of the event, when the excitement had lessened. Her car was faulty and she had to pick a cub. Besides, the vicar had indirectly granted her not more than seven hours out.
It was already three thirty when she got to the beach. The sea was beautiful, with a blue sky, smiling heavenly at the surface. Bevy of ladies in bikinis stretched their beautiful bodies on the shore, while few others were joyfully swimming in the sea. Haida realized almost everybody had at least, a companion. She looked round among the most beautiful ladies to find a trace of Mellis, but there was no sign of him; maybe he wasn’t coming, or was yet to come. She felt lonely, although most of her colleagues were around. The sea looked inviting, but she felt nervous, having to change into a bikini, or perhaps, tight trunks. She realized the fat ladies were in below-knee swimsuit and the bikinis went for the ladies with gorgeous exquisite bodies. Thank God she brought along Jolly’s above-knee swimsuit; it looked smaller though, but Jolly had assured her it would make her look slimmer. She decided to swim when it was dark so that no one would notice her fat thighs. So she retired to the barbecue and helped herself with some kebab and few soft drinks, and then later, fried rice and chicken. She chatted up a lot of her colleagues and made new friends. Then she joined the crowd on the dancing floor. Within a short time, it was few minutes past six and getting dark.
Haida walked around the shore and went a bit further to an isolated edge; that side was rocky, and she had to climb over a number of rocks. Just in between two big rocks, there was a small cave-like area the sea had almost turned into a pool; it was beautiful and secluded. She walked further and saw quite a number of these. Suddenly, she heard voices coming from one of the caves. She took some steps forward and saw a couple, entangled in each other. They were so engrossed that they didn’t notice her bypass them. The sight on this side was beautiful, and it lured her to go further, and she saw quite a number of couples, seriously in romantic positions. Oh, but this side was romantic and deserving for couples. She watched a couple who was standing on one of the rocks; the man hugged the lady tightly and awaited the coming roar of the sea to bury them. The sea came with a great force and blew over them; they laughed hysterically and looked into each other’s eyes. The man kissed the lady, and no one had to tell they were in love. Suddenly, she missed Mellis and wished he was around. She had vaguely convinced herself he wasn’t coming after all, for he would have been there earlier if he were coming.
It was half past six when Haida got back to the main grounds. It was quite dark, and she thought it was ok for her to swim now. She turned into Jolly’s swimsuit, but it seemed to choke her neck and squeeze her body; she felt very uncomfortable in it – she shouldn’t have eaten that much. She turned into the bikini which was more comfortable, and wore a gown over it. She knew she could only swim around the shore since it was dark and late. She had already found a perfect place at the rocky area and she walked her way there; this one in particular was filled with much water and looked more comfortable for a pool. Taking off the gown, she jumped into the pool and almost drowned; it was deeper than she had thought. She wasn’t perfect a swimmer and the water seemed to joke her. The sea roared, and with a great force, overshadowed her. It took her along in reverse and she held on to the rock; she thought she would drown. She was breathing heavily and tried making her way out of the pool, but not before another roar came with much greater force and overshadowed her again. She reached for the rock, but her hand slipped and the sea took her
“Help! Help!” she shouted, gasping for air
“Hold on Haida!” shouted a male voice.
The next minute, she felt being lifted up. She felt comfortable in the man’s arms, coughing the water she had swallowed out. In his arms, she could hear the heavy sound of his breath. The man laid her on the shore gently and watched her cough all the water out
“Thanks. Thanks for saving me” she said
“Are you better now?” asked the man; his voice was very familiar. She sat up suddenly and stared into his eyes. It was very dark, and so she stared closely
“Osborn!? What are you doing here!?” she asked, very surprised “I thought you weren’t coming….!” she said, though surprised, yet happy to see him “Where’s Meg?”
“What were you trying to do? Swim?” asked Osborn, utterly ignoring her questions
“Yes. I wanted to enjoy the water, but I didn’t know it was that deep. Why are you here? You should be having enough sleep for your wedding tomorrow, so what are you doing here?”
“I’d been watching you stru
ggle with the water, hoping you were tougher enough to overcome it” he said, mindless of her question once more
“Osborn, you’re not answering my question! You’re getting married tomorrow, so what are you doing here at this time?”
“Enough of this marriage thing!” he burst, and Haida was a bit offended “I’m sorry” he said, looking away from her “I came here because of you” he said softly
“Because of me?For what?”
Osborn sat beside her and took her hand, looking into her eyes “To save you”
“Oh that was just a coincidence….”
“You think so? You really think so? Well, it wasn’t a coincidence to me” he said and shifted closer to her. He looked her over, and then whispered “You’re very beautiful”
‘Not these fat thighs and legs and body’ she thought.
“I couldn’t walk down the aisle without having a heart to heart chat with you first” he said somewhat sadly
“You came to say goodbye?” asked Haida, feeling sad herself.
She felt the moment of truth and for the first time, realized how truly jealous she was that Osborn was getting married; that she had lost the closeness of a great friend, perhaps the only one who could possibly heal her heart, after cheating bastards like Mellis made her life miserable. His love had never touched her heart and made so much meaning to her, the way it did tonight.
“Perhaps to hear you say goodbye to me, and give me every cause to walk down the aisle with Meg tomorrow”
“What…what are you saying?”
“Yes. If I know right now you’d accept to be with me, I wouldn’t go on with the wedding”
“Oh but you wouldn’t have been fair to her?”
“Fair? Who’s talking about fairness? She’s the one who hasn’t been fair to me”
“Why do you say so?”
“Setting our wedding date without my knowledge; telling all friends and our families about an upcoming wedding I had no idea about, and about the same time, printing invitation cards and distributing them without my knowledge! Is this fairness?”
“Oh no. How could she do that?”
Haida was right; Meg had strained him into this marriage “But why are you still carrying on with the ceremony when you don’t want it, and don’t even love her…?” She ceased her breath; of course that was too far out of the way. She knew she shouldn’t have said that; she didn’t want Osborn to think she was confidently aware of the fact that she was the one he loved “Err, you don’t love her right? At least, that’s what you told me” she stammered.
Osborn saw her blush and he smiled at her “Of course I don’t love her. I love only one woman…” he lifted her chin with his finger “…and that’s you, my darling” he bent his head towards her
“No Osborn” she turned away, trying to control herself
“Alright” he said, comporting himself with gentility “I’m doing this for my ailing father”
“How? Why?”
“He said he wanted to see me married to her before he died. She did all she could to win his favour, and she had it. The news of our marriage is perhaps the greatest so far to him, throughout his ailing period; I believe that is what has survived him until now. He’s been cheerful and hearty since that announcement. I know how it means to him to see me married, and to Meg, before he died, and I know how it would be like if I refuse this wedding and send him to his grave prematurely; I’ll never be at peace, knowing in a way, I was the cause”
Poor him. “I understand you Osborn, but I don’t agree with you. Everyone knows he’s old and sick; you’d not have to be blame for his death. Well, I think you should have explained your true feelings to him and he would have understood you”
“Well, I think it’s too late now. I made my emotions override my sense of judgment” he scoffed “or is it the opposite; unless I was being too judgmental which I doubt anyway - and I’m paying for that” he said sadly
“Ooh, I’m so sorry. I only hope you’d be happy with Meg; you can learn to love her”
“Isn’t seven months enough to know if you could love a person or not?” he asked with so much sadness in his eyes.
Haida hugged him tightly with all the love, passion and affection she had grown to have for him, and the hug lasted as if it were the last she could give him. She was enjoying his arms and wouldn’t let go, until he pushed her gently away. They stared into each other’s eyes. With all the passion that was burning inside her at the moment, Haida couldn’t control herself anymore. They kissed passionately, and she felt so sensual and yearned for the warmth of his body - a feeling that she couldn’t understand nor know where it was coming from.
“Oh Osborn?”
“Yes my love”
“I want you to spoil me; show me how it feels like to be a woman” she whispered into his ears “I want you to be the one to teach me how the feeling is like, to know what the world is all about, and to take control over my world”.
Haida was actually losing it to the world at the moment, and she was being too carnal with herself and yet, saw nothing wrong with it. She needed to grow up, yes, but she got it wrong.
“You mean it would be your first time?”
“Yes”
Osborn couldn’t believe she was still a virgin “I’m honoured” he said.
“You deserve it”
He started kissing her again
“Would you mind a drink first?” he asked
“Not at all”
“I’ll be back in a jiffy” he said getting on his feet, and made his way to the bar
“Hey!” she called after him “I’d take what you’d take”
“Alcohol?”
“Sure”
Nothing mattered to him now than seeing her happy beside him. He got back to her with a dozen bottles of brandy.
“Have you taken alcoholic beverage before?”
“This is my first time. I want to have it all with you, so that I will always remember you” she said, taking the bottle to her mouth.
The beverage tasted nice and she got very drowsy after the third bottle. She felt an incomprehensible joy deep down her; with this strong, good and sweet pretty man beside her, one who loved her deeply, she cared less about her worries and hurts, and for the first time in a week, she felt relieved and peaceful. After the fourth bottle, she rushed into the small pool, though very drowsy but careful this time, and splashed the water all over her. She was very hysterical, too excited. Was it the effect of the drink? Osborn couldn’t tell. He joined her in his swimming pants. Few minutes later, he took her out of the water and laid her on the shore; the water was chilly, and he worried she might catch a cold. Completely naked, they fondled each other, touching the most sensitive places, at this point when they were both heavily drunk, especially Haida.
Osborn heard footsteps approaching but ignored that.
“What the heck are you doing, ninny!?” said a voice behind them. Osborn jumped out of his skin and turned.
“Mellis!? What are you doing here!?” he asked, feeling trespassed on.
“I should be asking you what you are doing with my girlfriend! You jerk!” shouted Mellis
Osborn reached out for his pants and slipped into it, but it felt lose on him.
“Danny boy! Aren’t you tired trying to get into Haida’s pants all night? Here!” said Mellis, and threw Osborn’s pants on him.
“You don’t have any right interfering in people’s affairs, ok!?” shouted Osborn
“You flirt with my girlfriend, I catch you red-handed and you call it an interference!? You imbecile! Get dressed and move out of here before I destroy your pretty face!”
Osborn pounced on him. “You are the one to leave here!” he shouted
“Hey!” Mellis seized his wrists, “You better comport yourself!” and then, smelling alcohol all over him “You’re badly drunk! You can stay here all night for all I care, but I’m taking my girlfriend away!” and he pushed him away.
Me
llis tried picking a heavily drunk Haida up, but she fought back vigorously. “Don’t touch me! Go away! Osborn did nothing wrong” she was shouting on top of her voice and took some difficulty getting on her feet. “He was only being nice to me! He’s been giving me the greatest pleasures of my life!”
Hardly had she stood up properly than she had fallen helplessly on the ground.
“My God! What were you doing to her!?” asked Mellis furiously, turning to Osborn.
“What do you think!?” said Osborn, giggling and swaying slightly “Giving her sex lessons….”
“You what!? Moron!” said Mellis, and he gave him a heavy blow which sent him down the floor. Osborn was so drunk he struggled hard, trying to get on his feet.
With her back off the ground, Haida kept struggling with Mellis as he put her bikini on her. How alcohol could make her strong, it marveled him. Tired of fighting, she collapsed into his arms, very weak. Mellis carried her towards the hotel.
“Hey!? Stop there!” Osborn shouted after him, but Mellis ignored him.
“Leave me alone! Let me be!” Haida kept shouting on top of her lungs, yet weakly.
“Hush! I’m taking you home right away” said Mellis.
“No, I don’t want to go home. I want to be with my love, Osborn. Take me to him, now!” she was saying drowsily.
Mellis chuckled and shook his head - she definitely was out of her mind. He possibly couldn’t take her home in this condition - he was well aware of the vicar’s reaction; to know Haida took alcoholic beverage and got drunk this way, he might disown her as his daughter forever. She should get some sleep to sober her.
Mellis got one of the rooms and took her in. As he took off her wet bikini, he froze with emotions. It wasn’t only the sight of the nudity of a beautiful woman, but one he loved. He was too carnal a man to control his libido which was rising at higher degrees. But he respected her, and that was enough for him to deny his lustful feelings. But could he sleep beside the love of his life in the same room and refuse to touch her? It wasn’t easy though, but he would try for her sake. Though he wasn’t sure if Osborn really slept with her, meaning her chastity would have been sacrificed more than once, he still respected her and wouldn’t like to take advantage of her. Besides, the silent pain he was feeling inside was more than his libido that was rising. She lied still, half collapsed, as he wiped off the water in her hair. He couldn’t stop thinking about the scene he had beheld few minutes ago – Haida and Osborn lying together naked, probably making love. As he took each wipe, he felt a sharp pain in his heart. Though he was being caring towards her, he was hurting deeply on the other side; and how he could combine the two at the moment, it marveled him. He had swallowed his pain and acted defensibly in the presence of Osborn, but the pain was killing him within. Erratically, he paused and exhaled with pain. He knew Haida was especially vulnerable towards Osborn, and that the latter was taking advantage of the status of their relationship at the moment to have his way with her; upon seeing them lying together, he realized Haida was badly drunk and then knew immediately that Osborn was taking advantage of her, which was why he took that impulsive action. Yet, to spend the evening and make love with Osborn was her choice, and that was what gave him pain.