AMBER ROMANCE

WHEN THE HEART KNOWS

CHAPTER TWENTY

The next few days that followed, Nma was all but dead, nothing seemed to matter to her anymore, her label, sewing or sketching out a design. Nothing mattered to her now that Uche was no longer a part of her life. She wasn’t getting over him either rather she was falling in love more with him each day that passed and hating him the more for it. He never came back, he never called. For two days now she did nothing but will her phone to ring, listening to the sound of cars, hoping against hope that one of the cars would turn out to be his but it didn’t happen. It seemed as if he had forgotten her already, maybe he had gone back to Angela. It hurt, it still hurt so much, and she sighed getting out of the bed. He might actually be waking up beside Angela this morning and maybe kiss her good morning while she was here dying.
“Stop it! Stop it” she screamed at herself. “Stop punishing yourself more than you are already suffering, haven’t you suffered enough?” She asked. “Uche is not worth it” she told herself slowly. But her heart was screaming at her
“It is a lie, a wicked lie he is everything that matters to you, he is the core of you existence, he is your life and the only love you’ll ever know” Nma didn’t deny the truth in the words her mind screamed at her. She loved Uche and nothing could change that, not even the knowledge that he was sleeping with another woman she thought wearily. Too late the knowledge was just dawning on her now, or she would have forgiven him when he asked.
She was so tired and weak; she couldn’t even remember the last time she ate. She had lost weight and all the shinning radiance was gone from her face. She walked to the mirror and stared at herself. She looked dead, she thought. There were hollows on her cheeks and bags under her eyes and she felt worst. Her stomach rumbled, obviously asking for food but the thought of food put her off entirely.
“What kind of life is this?” she asked herself. At twenty six, what did she ever do to deserve to suffer this way, she sighed.
“I can’t go on like this” she groaned but she was sure that with time the hurting will stop, when she got used to the idea of not having him in her life. She soothed herself. But that seemed like an eternity away, she could never get used to that idea. Who would have thought that she and Uche would end up like this? People who had seen them together would never believe this, she sighed turning away from the mirror. She had to get to work today. Everybody would be wondering what was wrong with her. For two days she had rarely shown her face at the boutique, and when she did, she didn’t spend much time. It was as if she was avoiding people, she thought
“But of course I am avoiding people” she said to herself. She didn’t want anybody seeing her withdrawn look and asking her questions that would undo her. She knew she would have to face them eventually, she was yet to tell Felix and Tessy and even Helen what happened. But she didn’t want their pity or even I told you so from Felix. She shook her head sadly and went to take her bath.
Nma got ready for work, wearing a white cooperate gown with black button down in the front and at its breast pockets. The gown came with a belt and she belted it and slipped her feet into a black low pencil heels... she chose white because she needed a bright color to bring brightness and peace to her mind.  She also used lots of make up to cover the paleness of her face and the bags under her eyes. She took a long look of herself in the mirror. She had done a good job in disguising her pains, she thought soberly.
She had also made up her mind; she was going to tell Felix about the break up today. Nobody had asked about the ring, maybe none of them had noticed that she was no longer wearing it, she thought turning away from the mirror.

Nma got to work and went to her office first to pull herself together before she faced Helen.  The girl would surely notice that she was no longer her usual cheerful self or the lack of ring on her finger. She could even ask question about the way she had been absenting herself from work when it was only seven days to her exhibition.
“This is ridiculous” she muttered. “I cannot continue like this or I would loose all I have ever worked for over that cheating beast” she fumed, furious with herself. Resolutely, she got up and walked to the door.
“Just calm down, be strong” she warned herself. “Now paste a smile on your face good” she muttered as she opened the door and closed it behind her.
As she got to the studio, Helen looked up from cutting materials and gave her a bright smile.
“Look who decided to show up” she said brightly.
Nma smiled back and walked into the room.
“So you are still alive and on this earth” Helen continued beaming. Nma’s smile faltered a little when she saw how happy Helen looked and sounded. “Of course I am still alive and on this earth” Nma replied quickly getting her composure back.
“So why have you been hiding six days to your show?
Oh! How was she going to explain to her that what seemed like the whole world to her meant nothing to her anymore? All because of one man Uche Okoha. “I had other important things to do elsewhere” she replied flippantly.
“No doubt with Prince Charming” Helen smiled
Nma’s face fell at the mention of Uche’s name and she couldn’t reply, she just stared at Helen with stricken face.
“Did I say something wrong?” Helen asked taken aback with look on her face.
“No! No! Nothing is wrong” she stammered going quickly to inspect what Helen has done so far.
“You’ve done a lot here, I didn’t expect this much” she said trying to change the topic
“Yes em before I forget, the Petal’s woman has been here to remind us that she would needing her orders by the end of next week”
“And what is that supposed to mean?” Nma shouted “I told you before to get the girls working on it”
“Yes they are working on it and most likely it will be ready” Helen replied a little surprised by her outburst.
“So why is she bothering us, since when did they have to remind us of our duty? This is the last order I am taking from that woman” then she groaned inside after her outburst. Why was she taking her anger out on poor Helen? It wasn’t her fault, it was Uche’s fault but Helen was trying so hard to remind her of Uche, when she was trying equally hard to forget him. She sighed. In her heart she knew she had to apologize to Helen. “I am sorry” she said ruefully “I didn’t mean to bite your head off”
“Is everything alright?”
“Nothing, I am alright, I will be alright” she said nervously going over to the newly arrived materials.  “When did this arrive?” she asked meaning to lighten the air.
“Yesterday evening”
Helen turned back to her work, meaning not to press her anymore. She was sure that whatever was bothering her, she would talk about it when she was good and ready. She understood that sometimes you needed to keep things to yourself. Wasn’t she an expert in that? If Nma learnt the truth about her, Helen shuddered at the thought and concentrated on her work.
Nma used the silence to pull herself together. Stupid, she called herself. If she was this fidgety with Helen, what would happen when she faced Felix? She wondered. Better to put off that particular task till she was ready, she decided cowardly.
“No I have to get it over and done with” she told her herself but she couldn’t make herself take one step in doing that. She couldn’t do it, she was scared of what Felix would say, she was scared of everybody even herself. She wondered if Uche had broken the news to his family and how they were taking it. Well they might not be surprised, they should know by now what a womanizer their son was, she thought bitterly trying hard to concentrate on the job on hand.
“How are the models coming up with the rehearsals? Helen asked she was a bit worried, though she was determined not to press but she could feel that something was dreadfully wrong with Nma, forgetting the models rehearsal was one thing but how could she forget to come for their fitting? She was very worried and helpless.
“Oh that! I will book another appointment with them tomorrow” Nma got up to hang the gown she made before and left for her workers to finish.
Then Helen noticed and spoke without thinking “Oh Nma!” Helen cried
Startled Nma dropped the clothes; looking around for anything harmful but Helen had already put her hands around her, “Why didn’t you say something? You broke up with Uche” the girl stated.
“How did you know? Nma asked choking back tears.
“I put one and one together, the way you’ve been behaving recently but I wasn’t sure till I saw your bare finger” she said “I am sorry if I had known I would have kept my big mouth shut but all I did was remind you of him”
“It is not your fault” Nma said with constricted chest. “I still can’t believe it, I can’t believe it” she sobbed.
“I know how you feel; some things are hard to believe. Is there no way for making peace? I mean… seeing the way you are looking and feeling…you can’t continue this way”
“How do you reconcile with a man who cheated on you?”
“Not Prince Charming, he is not like that, he adores you, he loves you and what could he possibly want from another woman anyway?” asked Helen puzzled
“Believe me he did, Helen you don’t know how I have suffered these past days, at a appoint I wanted to die”
“Oh! Don’t say that” soothed Helen “But surely there must be an explanation for what happened”
“Not good enough. Oh Helen! You can’t begin to imagine how it felt, I thought I would die from it” she began to sob
“It’s okay, hush, these things have a way of taking care of themselves” Helen didn’t ask what happened, she didn’t want to press. She felt that if Nma wanted to tell her she would have told her without her probing. She thought, comforting and consoling her till her sobs died down.
“Silly me I have messed up your blouse” she said with an attempt on a smile
“Nonsense!  Think nothing of it, besides what are friends for?” Helen reprimanded her
Nma felt lighter having shared her burden, she was grateful that Helen didn’t probe and she was also happy she kept her story to herself; somehow she felt it would be degrading Uche if she had told her.  She managed to pull herself together accepting the wads of serviette given to her by Helen. She blew her nose and sat down, trying to build up the energy to resume working.
One hurdle crossed two to go, she thought, and those two were the hardest. Felix and Tessy, the worst part of it was she would be forced to tell them how it happened. She could see no way out of it. If only they wouldn’t pity her or worst treat her like a child. This could happen to anybody, she sighed. She picked up her scissors and started cutting down the materials trying to concentrate but it was proving difficult. She didn’t know whether to go down and break the news to Felix or wait till it was time to go home. She was acting like a coward and she knew it but there was nothing she could do about it. Except shedding the cowardice skin and marching off to Felix’s office and telling him how right he had been about Uche.  Knowing Felix, he would understand and comfort her. She didn’t think he would condemn her after all she didn’t do anything wrong, she was in love and there was no sin in that, she reasoned. The sinful part of it was still being in love with him. Surely it was madness, how could she love and hate him at the same time, was it possible? Felix would understand she assured herself, switching her mind off so she could concentrate on the job at hand.
“I have to see Felix” Nma said absent mindedly but making no move to get up.
Helen gave an understanding look.
“I take it he doesn’t know yet” she asked
“No he doesn’t but I can’t keep it hidden forever, I should tell him”
“Just be strong and remember you did nothing wrong, these things happen you know”
Nma smiled gratefully and got up to see Felix.
She was surprised to find Felix not alone when she got to his office. There was a young man in dreadlocks and earrings with him. She wondered what problem he could be having with the customer.
“Nma there you are” smiled Felix “I was going to call you to meet a friend, his father and I go way back, Mike. He just came back from US and couldn’t believe that this place is owned run by a twenty six years old girl”
Nma was taken aback, if only Felix knew, he wouldn’t be beaming and smiling at her.
“Hi! I am Nma” she managed to smile.
“Yo! What’s up sis?” the man said loudly.
She was astonished by his behavior but she smiled and managed to reply “I am fine”
“Felix was telling me how you started and what you do, it is really great” he said in perfect English.
Nma was surprised at his English and she didn’t know that her surprise showed.
“Did my English surprise you?” he asked
“Yes it did, I thought you are yuppie sort of guy”
“I am when I want to” he laughed. “Felix told me you are like a daughter to him”
“Felix is not old enough to have me as a daughter” rejoined Nma.
“Probably a sister” he concluded. “Enough on Felix, why don’t I take you out for lunch and get to know you better”
“Sorry to disappoint you Mike but Nma is as good as married. You should look else where” Felix smiled.
If only he knew Nma thought ruefully.
“Ah but she is not married yet. It is not as if we are eloping” he turned to face Felix “Come on Felix don’t you trust me” he smiled and turned to Nma with a charming smile showing nice set of teeth and dimples. “Won’t you have lunch with me?”
“I am sure Uche is coming to take her out for lunch, quit wasting your time”
“Felix, there is nothing wrong with an innocent date” Nma said
“Don’t mind him, he is blast from the past and he can’t understand the generation gap”
“I’ll get my purse” she excused herself.
Coward! Coward she called herself as she climbed to the stairs back to her office.

Mike took her to an impressive restaurant.  As soon as they sat down, she felt that someone was looking at her but when she looked around, she saw no one she recognized. She turned to her partner and gave him a dazzling smile.
“So” Mike began “ You know I actually saw your picture in Felix’s office and I cajoled him into introducing you to me”
“I’m flattered” she replied dryly
“What was that nonsense about you being engaged, your fingers are naked”
“I was engaged” she smiled acting cool. “But Felix doesn’t know that we’ve broken up yet. It happened three days ago” she said stilling her emotions successfully.
“You are not acting like one whose heart has just been broken”
“Well what has happened has happened and I can’t turn back the hands of time so why kill myself” she said with a sureness she did not feel.
“What went wrong” he asked
“Oh! The same old story, men can’t be trusted” she said unwilling to tell her story to this perfect stranger.
“Not this man baby” he said picking up her hands and kissing it.
“Everything about you says you can’t be trusted” she said removing her hands from his.
He smiled coolly “With time we shall see”
“Sorry but I don’t think I have time to find out”
“We shall see” he said firmly. He beckoned on the waiter lazily and the smart looking boy in uniform hurried to their table. “What will you have?” he asked her. Nma ordered her food not really interested in what she ordered. The waiter moved away and her eyes followed him absent mindedly but it stopped widened with shock as Uche’s angry eyes locked with hers. The blood drained from her face and she stared at him, taking in his handsome features greedily. Oh! But he was so handsome even now when he looked as if he would like nothing better than to kill her. He was in the company of some men in dark suits no doubt having a business lunch, she thought as her eyes traveled the length of him. He looked tired and withdrawn and she wondered if he was feeling as empty as she was. It gave her some measure of satisfaction to think that he was suffering too.
“You look like you’ve seen ghost” Mike interjected following her gaze with his eyes.
Nma tore her eyes from Uche and gave him a dazzling smile.
“Do you know those men?”
Nma didn’t see any point in 1ying so she answered him truthfully.
“One of them there happens to be my ex fiancé”
“No wonder! You still love him?”
Of course I still love him but she checked herself before that could come out of her mouth. “We just broke up three days ago”
“Naturally it is not long of enough for you get over him?”
“Obviously you think it is long enough” she bit out.
“Sorry don’t bite my head off, I am just a guy interested in you, and it is rather agonizing to my ego to see that you prefer another man”
“For very understandable reason that I was going to marry him till three days ago”
She couldn’t believe his selfishness. He didn’t even stop to think   how much she could be hurting just sitting there and watching Uche. All he was interested in was his non existent feelings for her, she thought irritated. Even if he was the last man on earth, she would never consider him. The likes of Mike could only appeal to immature girls who might be impressed by his Americanized behavior and looks.  But a girl like her who was more focused looked past those silly façade.
She was relieved when the waiter brought their food and they started eating. She used the moment as an excuse to keep quiet, only nodding to his chattering and answering his questions in monosyllables.
“Just my luck that Mr. handsome showed up and spoilt my lucky day” Mike jeered.
“You can hardly blame him for that; he didn’t figure we would be here”
“Nor did we, I just blame fate”
“Only we can decide if we are going to have a messed up day. You can hardly blame a third party least of all Uche”
“So that’s his name!” he exclaimed. “What exactly went wrong? Because I can see it is hardly over between the two of you”
“What are you implying? Do you think that if we are still in a relationship, he would tolerate this idle lunch with you?”
“I mean I can see vividly the sparks flying to and fro between you two”
“Now who is spoiling the day” she asked
“I was just making an observation”
“We just broke up three days ago, what do you expect?”
“That one party hates the other passionately for causing her heart ache”
“Why you are so bent on discussing Uche is over me” she said almost angrily
“I just want to know if I stand a chance and what that chance is”
“I am not ready to jump into another relationship” she told him clearly “and certainly not with you” she added to herself.
“Let’s forget Uche and enjoy a perfect meal” suggested Nma.
“If you say so but he is not easy to forget not when he is so near and looking at me as if he wants to tear me apart limb by limb” he complained.
“If it is any consolation, he wouldn’t do that. He has no violent bone in his body” she assured him.
“As if I believe that”
“You heard from an authority” she smiled at him.
Mike gave her a hard stare “I know a violent man when I see one, living in New York as a black man has taught me some survival instincts some of which are recognizing a violent man when I see one”
Nma tactfully remained silent, she was tired of talking about Uche and she regretted coming out with Mike. The man was sulking like an old mother in law. For him to think of Uche as a violent man was funny. Ruthless at times he maybe but that was when the occasion demanded it. Okay maybe now he was feeling a bit ruthless but she believed he couldn’t harm another fellow.
Mike stood and she looked up.
“I am going to the gents’ lady” he said arrogantly. Nma grew annoyed at his tone, seething and regretting as she watched him leave. A movement caught her eyes a few tables away and she looked and saw Uche advancing towards her like a panther after its prey. She met his eyes gave him an icy look, and wondering what it was he wanted from her.
“So” he began as he got to her table and sat down comfortably. Anybody seeing him would think he just wanted to greet an acquaintance but she knew better, she could see the ice perking in his eyes.
“It didn’t take you long to find a replacement”
“You did that pretty faster than I did” she replied coolly.
“You are still bent on believing that?”
“It is what the eyes see that the brain interprets”
“That is why you have to be careful interpreting what the eyes see; sometimes things are not usually what they seems”
“On that I couldn’t agree anymore” she smiled at him sarcastically.
“One day darling, one day” he chanted.
“You will get your revenge” she finished for him “but we both know that day will never come”
“Oh! Don’t be too sure because I can see it so near” he smiled wickedly
“Why you still bother with me I can’t tell”
“Don’t flatter yourself; I hardly bother about you now, only for that day when the truth will dawn on you”
“Get out of here Uche or I’ll have you thrown out of here for disturbing a customer”
“You will find the opposite the case if you do. I will personally ask them to throw you and raster out. And maybe you didn’t know it before nobody will dare throw a dog with an Okoha surname out of anywhere. Not when I own this place anyway”
Nma didn’t for one second doubt him but she was surprised to know that he owned the place; he must have his hands on every available pie.
“If you would please leave, as you can see my date is on his way back”
“If only you beg nicely” he replied arrogantly.
“I most definitely will not!” she said firmly
“Then I will stay, there is some certain appeal in finding out what kind of guy you are dating now”
“Are you not keeping your associates waiting?” she reminded him anxiously.
“Uche Okoha calls the tune” he replied lazily.
Somehow she knew that the Uche she first knew has returned but fiercer and more arrogant. Gone was the loving man who courted her. In any case, she still preferred his company to that of Mike though she would rather die than admit that to Uche.
“Uche please leave, I am begging you” she pleaded.
He took his time standing up and smiling contently but before he could uncoil his long form from the chair, Mike was already upon them and he still had to wait some agonizing seconds before Uche could stand up for him to sit. Nma could see how easily Uche intimidated Mike with his height and build plus the aura of wealth and charisma he exuded from every pore of his magnificent body.
Mike looked from Uche to Nma puzzled. “I am Mike and you are” Mike asked trying to gain his lost composure.
“I will see you Nma later” Uche said ignoring Mike arrogantly.
“No you won’t” she told angrily, she couldn’t believe his arrogant behavior.
“Don’t count on it, surely you know me” with that he left, walking back to his associates.
“What kind of monster were you going to marry?”
“He is not always like that”
“You have the grace to defend him?” he asked astonished.
“I know him more than you do, he doesn’t behave like that unless he is crossed”
“Meaning I have crossed him. I am afraid he would make a formidable enemy. And to top the crown, he looks wealthy”
“He is wealthy; he has more money than he needs” she replied nonchalantly.
“No wonder the self confidence” Mike stated jealously. “I would have loved to have met him on a neutral ground, you know without you between us, and then I would teach him to part with some of his excesses to others who seriously needs them”
“What do you mean by that” asked Nma horrified.
“I didn’t get by in this life by being a good boy lady. I guess your lover was born into money and those of us who are not so lucky, we love to get them to share”
“You mean tricking them to share” stated Nma.
“Wise girl and your man seems like the right candidate”
“You’ll be disappointed. Uche didn’t remain at the top by giving in to every tom, dick and Harry who comes along with a brilliant idea. He is intelligent as well as clever”
“Too clever that he let you go”
“Too clever that he wants me back” replied Nma abruptly.
“Take me back to my office and I am only asking so I don’t hurt your pride, I can easily get myself back”
“I am not going to trick your Uche, I might even have to buy a ticket before I see him” he laughed standing up.
Nma stood up feeling drained and tired, with one last look at Uche who seemed immersed in what he was doing, she began to leave. He had already forgotten that she was in the room. She realized then that he was saying the truth when he said he didn’t bother about her any more, she thought with bitterness as she walked out of the restaurant.
If she had known, she wouldn’t have accepted this foolish date, she thought miserably. It was a total disaster and a nightmare. Meeting Uche added insult to injury, she thought. Honestly, finding out that he was still angry with her but might want her back for revenge was horrible to her. How she even jumped to his defense was beyond her, it only went to prove that nothing has changed for her. It could sound ridiculous but it was true. She glanced at Mike and hated every miserable second she spent with him. How did Felix get saddled with this hateful crook as a friend? Imagine him thinking of duping Uche and having the guts to say it to her presence. Maybe it was an empty boast or he thought she would support him to get back at Uche. Now she understood the reason why Felix was adamant that she did not accept the date in the first place. He knew what a miserable company his friend’s son was going to be and she turned a deaf ear to him because she was afraid of telling him her engagement was off. As soon as she got back to the office, she decided, it would be the first thing she would do, she would tell him. She saw no reason for the delay, it was not as if she and Uche were getting back together, so why the delay? Deep inside her she knew she was hoping for a reunion, subconsciously she held back from telling Felix who would tell Tessy, she thought, making up her mind.
Mike stopped the car in front of her boutique and turned to her.
“Despite Mr. Billionaire spoiling the day, I enjoyed it”
Nma couldn’t say the same but she smiled and nodded at him.
“So how about if we try it again, let’s say this evening?”
“Thank you but I can’t, I have got my two hands full this evening” she replied jovially.
“Surely you can find time, I am talking about dinner, and you don’t work at night do you?”
“I do and I am behind schedule as it is now. So I work every night to meet up” she explained.
“I guess I’ll just have to make the time for the two of us, see you very soon” he said.
“Thank you for the lunch, it was good” she said getting out of the car.
“The meal or the company?”
“Both”
“Then we will have to repeat it next time” he stated
“Next time it is then” she said politely but evasively
Nma got out of the car and released her pent up breath slowly, she could feel relief flooding back into her body but it stopped as she turned towards her boutique, she just remembered she had to see Felix. She walked resolutely into the building, heading towards Felix’s office. When she got to his door, she stopped; she could hear voices, shouting at each other. She thought it was Felix and Tessy having a little fight and turned to go but she stopped. That didn’t sound like Tessy and they have never had such a heated fight before, she walked to the door meaning to find out.
“She is my daughter! And I want to get to know her”



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AMBER ROMANCE

WHEN THE HEART KNOWS

CHAPTER NINETEEN


Nma almost fainted as pain and betrayal tore at her heart and through her body. Just immediately Uche came out from the bathroom looking so fresh and handsome with towel round his waist and he was looking quite surprised to see her. The smile started on his face.
“Sweetheart, what a ….” But he stopped when he saw her stricken face, then he saw Angela lying down contently in the middle of the bed.
“What….” He roared
“Nma this is not what you think” he turned to Angela “what are you doi....” he trailed off confused.
“Not a good cover up darling” Angela cooed
“You bastard” Nma hissed at him and turned to go but she thought better of it. Not without giving Angela one last embarrassment. She turned to face her with her hands on her hips her face contorted with anger.
“Get out of here now” she told her firmly, looking at Uche daring him to oppose her but Uche looked even angrier than her. Angela looked at Uche first and saw the ice in his eyes, then she looked at Nma seeing only her angry eyes ready to kill, she wrapped the duvet around her and picked up her scattered clothes putting them on hastily and trying to hold on to the duvet at the same time. If Nma wasn’t so angry, she would have laughed at the picture she made. But laughter was the last thing on her mind, she felt lifeless.
“Funny attempts on modesty” she hissed at Angela as she ran past her. They turned to each other when Angela was gone. He moved close to her.
“Nma listen, this is not what you think...”
“Stop it, just stop it” she wipes the tears from her eyes “I know what I saw” she rasped angrily. She twisted the engagement from her and threw it at him. “It was perfectly clear the lesson you taught me, good riddance” she hissed walking out on him. She walked with dignity out of the house but ran to her car when she came outside. She was shaking uncontrollably as she got into the car. She was feeling faint and had to blink severally to concentrate. Her fingers shook violently as she tried to separate her car key from the rest of the keys in the bunch. When she finally got it separated, she jammed it into the ignition and accelerated with all her might. She couldn’t believe it; she didn’t want to believe it. This couldn’t be happening to her; she thought dashing tears from her eyes angrily. Uche whom she trusted so much, why? Oh why? She thought painfully would he sleep with Angela of all women. So Angela had been right all along, she said Uche always came back to her, she painfully recalled.  Then why call her, why come after her, why make her fall in love in with him? When it was Angela he obviously loved and wanted. Why go after other women when he knew he would always go back to Angela no matter what? She cried. She felt her heart constrict with bitter pain.
“Oh! God give me the heart to bear this or I will die from the pain of it” she cried letting the tears flow freely now.
Once she got into her house, she ran inside and locked the door and flopped down on the couch crying bitterly. Her body shook with her sobs. She tried to pull herself together but she couldn’t, the pain tearing inside her was too much.
How could he, how could he have had the heart to do this to her, she thought painfully. Then Angela’s word came back to her “Do you honestly think that Uche is faithful to you? You and I both know how virile he is. What makes you think he would remain celibate for God knows how long in a country where there are lots and lots of free women?” oh! She cried more bitterly.  She knew how virile he was, just from his kisses and touch; she knew how passionate he would be. How could she have expected him to live a celibate life knowing this?
“I gave him choice at the beginning; he could have opted out knowing he wouldn’t cope?” She told herself firmly. But he didn’t because he thought he could have his cake and eat it. He thought he could sleep around and still have a virgin bride waiting for him on his bed on his wedding night, she thought bitterly her sobs breaking for a moment.
He was a cheat and nothing but a liar, pretending he cared so much for her even to the extent of asking her to marry him by this weekend because he was getting to the end of his patience. And the fool she was thinking that it was because he loved her so much and couldn’t wait for her to finally belong to him. And when she had insisted on twenty seventh, he easily turned to Angela whom he swore he had nothing to do with who he would never have anything to do with, and she gave a bitter laugh. What a fool she had been, she thought.
Then the good times they share started coming back to her and the tears came back.  She could see both of them in Eden’s castle running about, playing and kissing at his house before he traveled. Oh! The way he kissed her felt so right, the way he used to touch her felt so right. The soft way he called her name was music to her ears and the sound of his voice,
Oh! God I hate him so much but deep down in her mind she knew that it was untrue, she still loved him. Was it possible? She asked herself rhetorically, could she still love a man who could do this to her?
Would she ever get over him? She asked herself, she knew the answer was never. But there was no way she was going to forgive him for breaking her heart, for this calculated betrayal. Yes it was calculated she realized that was why he asked to see her in her boutique in the afternoon so he would have time enough to bed Angela to his satisfaction. And in the afternoon he would act the bewildered lover telling her, the fool she was how much he loved her and she would have been thrilled. She thought bitterly, how he must have laughed at her and possibly with Angela. Going to her bed every night while spending the afternoon with the fool she was. But not anymore, she would never be any man’s fool again, she swore.
She had learnt a lesson, she had learnt how heartless, wicked and beastly men were, ruthlessly taking what they wanted and leaving you with a heart ache as large and high as Mount Everest. She thought bitterly.
A tiny voice whispered in her mind, maybe if she had offered herself to him, like his other girlfriends, he wouldn’t have gone to Angela. Maybe she pushed him into Angela’s hands. And probably he would have invited her to his house this morning instead of Angela. Obviously what he wanted was a woman in his bed to satisfy his selfish carnal appetite, not just a woman he could touch and kiss lightly to his frustration. Angela was fit to do the job. And not the naïve, inexperience and scared to experiment Nma. She thought bitterly.
“Thank God I didn’t change for him, thank God I didn’t fall for his charms” If she had, he would have been long gone by now.
“What a fool I was but never again, never again” she swore violently and stood up on shaky feet,
“Why should I wallow in self pity” she tried to console herself. “It is not as if I can turn back the hands of time” she sighed bitterly.
A loud knock on her door startled her and she knew immediately who it was at the door. But she was not going to open the door and let that cheat into her house, she decided firmly. But the knock continued and it got louder with each knock, but she adamantly refused to open the door.
“Nma I know that you are in there, you had better open this door before I destroy it” he bellowed
“Go away, I don’t want to see you ever again” she shouted back at him.
“If you don’t open the door, I am going to remove it from its hinges” he threatened but Nma stayed where she was, determined not to bulge. She grew alarmed when she heard the door squeaking, he was actually going to do it, she thought surprised. He was going to remove the door from its hinges. Angrily she stood up and moved to the door and threw it open
“What do you want? Or did you by any chance miss your way to Angela’s house?” she rasped angrily.
“Shut up, just shut up and listen” he said angrily coming into the living room.
“I don’t want to listen to you or any more of your lies, I know what I saw. What are you going to tell me, that I grew momentarily insane or that I didn’t see clearly or probably my brain was not functioning as well as it should this morning?” she laughed bitterly.
Uche felt his heart twisting with pain when he saw how hurt she was. Not that he blamed her, he blamed the stupid house keeper who let Angela in, and he must explain this to her, he thought fiercely. “If you will listen to me, I can explain” he said quietly.
“Listen so you can tell me more lies, I thought Angela didn’t mean anything to you, that you never had anything with her and would never have anything with her, you bastard. I thought you said it was so because it’s me you want and no one else, lies! All calculated lies” she shouted angrily
“But what you were hoping to achieve is what keeps me wondering, did you think I was going to give in to your voracious sexual appetite sooner or later seeing how irresistible you are. Probably you thought that a virgin is a rare catch these days and you wouldn’t mind owning one? What was it you wanted to achieve Uche, what?” she was growing hysterical.
“None of the above” he said quietly. “I fell in love with you. If I had wanted to sleep with you without marriage, I would have taken advantage of your inexperience, I would have overwhelmed you with my experience, it would have been easy, and we came close the night before I traveled. I didn’t need to propose to you”
No that line was not going to work, he didn’t love her because if he loved her, he wouldn’t have done this to her. He was only saying that now so he could get away with betraying her. At the back of her mind, she could see the truth in what he was saying but she was too hurt to believe him.
“Liar” she screamed at him instead “Why did you have to wait till afternoon to see me, was it not so you would have enough time to bed Angela!”
Uche heaved a sigh, he wasn’t sure she would understand or believe him. “If I had invited you this morning with the way I was missing you and what nearly happened the last night we were together” he closed his eyes briefly. “Do you have any idea what it did to me holding your soft body and wanting it and yet knowing that you trusted me not take advantage. I remembered how you felt in my arms as I landed. If I had seen you this morning the way I was feeling then, I would have taken you to my bed and my fear was that you would have allowed me. Then later you’d have regretted your lack of integrity” he explained quietly. “I love you Nma and I want to make love to you and have you smile at me afterwards with your wonderful eyes”
Nma was touched by his words, there was a ring of truth in them but she couldn’t get past what she saw that morning “So you decided Angela was the best option” he loved her, the bastard loved her, she could see it in his eyes. But why was he lying about what she saw this morning, why not accept it. Couldn’t he see that there was no way they could have a future together with that kind of huge unsolved betrayal between them? No, she thought, if he could still lie to her after all these, then what would happen when they were married. He didn’t love her, she assured herself. He was just reluctant to loose a virgin.
“I didn’t invite Angela; I didn’t see her till I came out of that bathroom”
“Uche other things I might forgive you but I won’t ever forgive you playing on my intelligence” she whispered. “I know what I saw. You are welcomed to Angela, it hurts now but with time it will stop hurting” she said turning her back on him. How could she? She cried silently; tell him that when all she wanted to do was go into his arms and have him hug her, kiss her and soothe her but she couldn’t do that, she didn’t want to be played for a fool again.
“You can’t mean that!” he said sounding very astonished.
Hearing the surprise in his words gave her a little triumph and she turned to face him firmly.
“You can be sure I do because Uche I can never trust you again and without trust, love can be very dangerous” she turned her back to him. There was no way she could face him and have the heart to tell him all what she wanted to tell him. She was surprised to feel his hands around her. She knew she was done in because his hands felt so wonderful and she actually leaned back and rested her head on his wide hard chest. Uche turned her around and started kissing her tenderly at first but when he remembered that he had almost lost her, he kissed her harder marveling at her response. Oh! How he wanted her, he didn’t know if would be able to stop this time around. But he must stop, he decided or she would conclude that this was another calculated attempt to get her back. But oh! She felt so right in his arms and went on kissing her.
Nma responded to his kissing wantonly, she missed him and the two week they were apart was not a joke; she could feel herself straining to get closer to him. It was as if she couldn’t get close enough. “Oh! How I love this man!” she sighed and that brought her back to earth. “How could you?” she said to herself, “How could you love him still and respond to his kisses so shamelessly after all he has done” she thought. This must be another premeditated effort to get her back. Then his words came back to her loud and clear. “I would have taken advantage of your inexperience, I would have overwhelmed you with my experience, and it would have been easy…..” she didn’t want to remember more and she stopped responding and became still. She was not going to dignify his efforts by struggling, she decided.
Uche sensed her withdrawal and let her go; he knew he had frightened her. “I am sorry, I was…”
“Save your apologies, you’ve proved to me that you could have had me without marriage, you only have to use your experience to overwhelm me and I will forget myself. But surprised are you, you couldn’t and you know why? I have grown up, I grew up the minute I saw Angela on your bed”
“Haven’t you heard a word I said? He asked harshly.
“I did, I need time to think it all through” she said
“Time?” he asked “What does that mean?” Uche knew he sounded desperate but he didn’t care, the thought of loosing her was unbearable.
“I need time to sort it all out. If  you would please excuse me, I have work to do” she said turning her back on him.
Uche was bewildered by the change in her, it was as if he could not get through her that she never loved him and he tried to put it all together. Then he could feel his own temper rising, how could she choose not to trust him after all he had sacrificed to be with her? He had accepted her the way she was, changed his life style so he could be with her and never in all that did he give her a reason to doubt him. He couldn’t get a hold on temper no matter how much he tried.
“Now I understand, that scene was what you have been waiting for, now you have a reason, I mean your triumph is great. You have succeeded where others have failed. You dumped the formidable Uche Okoha” he said bitterly.
“That’s not true! You are turning everything to soothe your wounded ego”
“save your breath, I’m leaving but bear this in mind, you’ll realize the truth one day and you’ll beg me to take you back, it is only then I’ll have my revenge” he said walking out.
Nma stood still seething. Then it dawned on her that he is gone. She cried out, “I may never see him again” she turned and ran to the door and threw it open but he was already gone.  She slumped on the couch and sighed bitterly. The tears began to roll down her eyes again, “I will survive” she told herself, “I must, I have to”. After all she survived when Felix who was her first love chose Tessy over her, her young heart had survived it.  But what she felt for Felix could be compared to candle light against the burning furnace of feeling she felt for Uche. How was she going to live without him, she asked herself, how was she going to stop this blinding pain in her heart. She asked again drying her tears.
“Oh! Help me, I can’t bear this alone” She also wondered where Angela was and what she would be doing?  She thought of how she had hurried off when she had commanded her to. Surely something didn’t fit in, could Uche be telling the truth after all, she thought confused

AMBER ROMANCE 

WHEN THE HEART KNOWS 

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN 

Nma could feel someone kissing her lightly; she knew instantly that it was Uche she put her hands around him and deepened the kiss. Uche sighed, it was morning and he was half dressed for the day and he was trying to wake her with some light kisses but instead he found himself falling into the bed as she kissed him back. Nma slowly opened her eyes and saw him almost dressed, she blinked back her surprise.

“Good morning” he said

“Good morning” she replied and looked about the room and smiled

“This is not the third room by the left is it?” she asked him

He smiled and got up “No, somehow you ended up in the right room”

“Hope you slept well because I did very well”

“I am not super human”

“Oh!” she exclaimed “I didn’t realize, I should have slept in the third room”

“No I am glad you slept here, it felt real good watching the sun rise on your face and knowing I am the only who could see that”

She could feel her emotion rising to the point of tears and she kissed him again

“I love you” she whispered 

“I love you too” Then he kissed her, and she prayed with all her heart that it would always be like that for both of them.

“Unless you are telling me something else, I should get up now” he said

She reluctantly let him go and she saw his bag already packed.

“When is your flight leaving?”

“In about an hour” he replied

“I thought you had other things to do before that”

“I have changed my mind, I have asked Star to be at the air strip in forty five minutes” he said backing her as he sat at the foot of the bed to wear his shoes.

She panicked instantly at the thought of the woman joining him. The beautiful and alluring Star whom he was going to spend the next two weeks with. But she quickly cautioned herself. She trusted this man, and he has proven that he could be trusted beyond measure.

“I should get ready then because I want to see you off”

“You have fifteen minutes” he told her over his shoulder

“Yes sir” she said putting her hands around from his back. She kissed the top of his head and got out of the bed.

With Uche’s departure, Nma turned into a walking zombie. She missed him so much that she felt empty. If not for his nightly telephone calls, she didn’t think she could have survived the loneliness. To keep herself busy and distracted, she concentrated on her work, working as if it was going out of fashion. The results were great; the dresses she was going to exhibit were all ready. Modeling agencies had been contacted and soon it would be rehearsal period with the models. She still didn’t have the girl who would model her master piece yet. Her master piece was a regency style bridal gown, complete with bridal train and grooms men.  Now she could concentrate on her wedding dresses but she was too tired to continue and she yawned tiredly, resting her head on the sewing machine. Her engagement ring sparkled and she sighed again with happiness, remembering the very first time she broke news to Tessy and Felix. Tessy wouldn’t stop bugging her with wedding plans. She had taken over the planning and had just completed the list of guest last night. Nma shuddered as she remembered Tessy was coming to discuss it with her. It was not as if she didn’t appreciate her efforts but she thought that Uche’s family should be consulted and included in the plans. The problem was that none of them had asked for updates on the wedding since dinner party. She made a mental note to call Eva later in the day maybe the two of them could have a drink together.

“Why don’t you go home and rest, you’ve done enough for one day” Helen who was working equally hard said interrupting her thoughts.

Truly she had been working too hard, she couldn’t remember the last time she had a decent sleep. Recently, it had deteriorated to sleeping on the couch in her studio at home. Last night, she worked till the wee hours of the morning, completing her master piece. Soon she would have time to work on her wedding gown and all the other dresses she needed for her wedding and honey moon.

 “You are right, I know I have been over doing it, I think I will go home and have some rest”

“Wise choice or Prince Charming would be disheartened at the sight of this pale face and those baggages under your eyes” laughed Helen

“I don’t look that bad, do I? Asked Nma alarmed.

“No you don’t but if you don’t take time you will” Helen assured her.

“I’ll go but I have to meet with Tessy she said something about guest list and wedding color”

“Let her meet you at home Nma, we don’t want a tired bride on the twenty seventh” Helen smiled at her.

That’s a good idea but get those girls started on that Petals woman’s order. Meanwhile I will go home and start on my wedding dress”

 “You can’t be serious” Helen was alarmed. “I thought you said you are going to rest”

“Of course but after I must have rested…?”

Helen pretended to think about it for a while. “Well  you can dream of prince Charming?”

“That is what I call unhealthy habit” laughed Nma.

“Anyway dreaming of Uche comes naturally and I don’t have to mark out a special time for it. I hardly think of anything else as it is” she said folding the materials in big shopping bag marked NMA. “That reminds me, I have some of those exhibition invites to give out personally.

Helen looks up “Don’t tell me that all the invites have not all gone out?”

“They have but this one is special, it is going to Uche’s mom” the woman she was going to marry her son in a few weeks, she looked at the diamond and ruby ring on her finger. 

“Didn’t you say she owned one of the best boutiques in the world?”

“Yes and she is going to be a special guest, just imagine how surprised everyone is going to be at her presence”

“When they realize you are getting married to her only son, they will understand”

“You are such a kill joy” Nma laughed “You don’t have to remind me she is coming because I am wearing her son’s ring”

“Without her son’s connection I strongly believe she would have considered coming, she might be ruling the world but here in this city, you have a reputation”.

“If she loves good clothes, she would be impressed with what she would see” Nma said off handedly

“Talking about shows, have found the model for your master piece?”

“I don’t like any of the models I’ve seen so far, I want someone with an innocent face that will look virginal in flowing white but up till nothing” Nma said disappointed.

“I’m sure you will find someone soon enough” said Helen.

“Thank you, see you tomorrow. Go home when you like, you have been working hard yourself”

“Oh! Don’t bother, there is no man to be dismayed with pale face” she joked.

“You are incorrigible and don’t worry, when you meet Chucks it would be my turn to tease you”

“Nma surely you did not take me serious, what would a man like him see in me, his last girl friend was the most beautiful girl in Nigeria”

“That was the same thing I told myself when Uche asked me out but look at the story now, he makes me feel like I am the most beautiful girl in the world”

“Oh but you are beautiful, those eyes and figure would get any man interested but I am not as endowed like you, I know my place”

“Come on you sound so pathetic. Anyway I have come to realize that it is not the pretty face they after most of the time, love has nothing to do with the way you look”

“Until then, It is my turn to tease” Helen laughed.

Nma shook her hands at her, “You just wait for your turn”

Nma left the studio after that, as she came down the stairs, she saw Felix looking worried and immediately she was alarmed. “What is Felix?” she asked stopping in front of him.

“Nothing, just meditating” he gave her a bright smile.

“If you are sure” she said walking past him but the office assistant stopped her.

“Excuse me Madam” the girl said to Nma nervously. The girl is considerably older than Nma, she smiled at the girl to ease her nervousness and it seemed to work because the girl spoke. “Helen said to you give you this you forgot your phone”

“Thank you” Nma smiled at the girl. Immediately the phone began ringing. She moved Felix office to take the call.

 “Hello!”

“Hello, its Eva”

“Oh! How are you?” Nma asked happily.

“I have been ringing your cell phone but nothing seem to be happening”

“Oh! I am sorry, it must be network” Nma apologized.

“Are you too busy to take my measurement?”

“Measurement?” Nma asked confused

“For my wedding gown”

“But I thought the wedding is two months away”

“Charles and I have decided to marry sooner. Please honey I know you are busy but I won’t get time to do this again, I am traveling and when I get back, it would be wedding plans” pleaded Eva.

“Alright why don’t you come over to the house, I was just about leaving for the day”

“Oh! Thank you, you are a darling. Where is the place?”

Nma gave her the house address and rang off. She groaned aloud. “What a day?”

“You should have insisted she wait, you look worn out” said Felix with concern.

“I feel worse; let’s just hope I will find time do shower and food before she comes” Nma reassured him with a smile. “Give my love to Tessy and to your darling self” she kissed him on the cheeks.

As soon as she got home, she dropped her bag on the bed and stripped herself of her clothing and went for a shower. She felt refreshed almost immediately. She dressed herself in deep blue cut off shorts and a light blue body blouse and moved to the kitchen in search of food.

In the kitchen she decided to have a proper meal, boil hot water and make eba. She sat on the stool waiting for the water to boil. As soon as she made the eba, the door bell rang and she went to open the door for Eva. Nma unlocked the door but to her greatest astonishment, it was Angela standing on her door way, looking as cool as ice in a cream colored smart skirt suit.

“What do you want?” Nma asked icily but groaning inwardly.

“May I come in?” without waiting for answer, she brushed past her into the living room.

“Nice place you’ve got here. Uche seemed to getting as good as he is giving, isn’t he?

“I would say it is none of your business. Some of us actually work for our luxury” Nma replied pretending to be bored.

“I know you like to feel like an independent woman, one would wonder why an independent woman would snatch another girl’s boy friend”

“If you have no reasonable excuse for coming here uninvited, I suggest you leave my house immediately” Nma said firmly.

“So this is how you receive visitors, or are you by any chance expecting a lover”

“Since Uche is out of town, that question seems rather out of place” Nma replied curtly.

“Oh! I can see what Uche sees in you but let me tell you some home truths, you will soon tire him and he would come back to me, he always does”

Nma caressed her ring and Angela got more incensed by it “This is one time he is not coming back to you, I have him exactly where every woman wants him, including you”

“You fool, once he gets tired of your body and innocence…

“Why don’t you let me worry about that and when that happens, I shall bear my heart ache gracefully and I shall not descend as low as following him about and warning off his new girlfriend” she smiled sweetly at her. “So long Angela, I have wasted enough time with you” Nma went to the door held it open for her.

“Do you honestly think that Uche is faithful to you? You and I both know how virile he is. What makes you think he would remain celibate? For how long in a country where there lots and lots of free women?”

“This shows how little you know about him and certainly nothing about his virility. I trust him and at the thought of me, other women pale in comparison especially you” she said sweetly.

“How naïve and stupid you are, I told you he can’t stay without me and it took only some days away from you for him to realize it” she rummages in her bag and brings out her passport. “He invited me over to stay with him, see! That is my visa”

Nma felt her heart give a painful lurch but disguises it with a smile.

“Why you as old as you are, allow yourself to be used by a man who has pledged himself to another is beyond me? She asked disdainfully “I know Uche did not invite you but as is your practice you chase him all over the world. Why go to a man who is getting married to another girl”

“That is what I could never answer” Eva said joining them.

“I see always inviting other people to fight your battle” Angela faced Eva.

“Not other people Angela, we are family now” she smiled putting her hand round Nma’s shoulders.

“We will see who will be family when I come back with Uche”

“Still chasing him all over the world? Are you not tired of that style? Surely if that style is going to work, it would have worked long ago”

“You’ll see Eva that I hardly give up” she puts back the passport in her bag.

“Oh! That’s not news” Eva replied obviously bored. “Keep trying till hell freezes over”

“You’ll regret this little girl” she said to Nma moving to the door

“I will live with him happily ever after, you’ll see old woman” Nma said closing the door after her then she leaned on it, drained of all energy. “Is she always like this?”

“That is Angela for you; she has always bullied any girl Uche happens to be interested in”

“Doesn’t she have a boyfriend or something?”

“She has her lovers but she hides them very well. She is always dating poor men who wouldn’t have any say in the relationship. So she would be free to run after my brother”

“In me she met her match because I am not letting Uche go now or ever”

“That is the spirit, because no matter how much any other girl bullies me, I am not letting go of Charles”

“Lucky men” cooed Nma “I hope they feel the same way about us”

“I thought you told Angela just as much just now” Eva reminded her.

“Deep inside we all have our doubts. Uche is a man of the world, he has seen it all. Sometimes I can’t help wondering what he sees in me?” she asked worried “It couldn’t have been my beauty, he has dated a beauty queen before, was it miss world” she asked and Eva nodded. “There is no way it could be for my money that idea alone is absurd, sophistication, he sees that everyday with women he works with, so what is it?

“Why don’t you ask him?” Eva advised following her into the house.

“Oh! I have, he doesn’t seem to know, and all he knows is that I touched where no woman ever had”

“You have your answer then, you shocked him when he started feeling again for a woman. Maybe he can’t lay a finger on what it is about you that got him hooked on you but he loves you and that is for sure. What else do you need to know, love and trust conquers all fears”

“You’re right” laughed Nma “Look at me boring you with my fears. If you will come with me to the studio, we’ll get this over with”

“Nonsense, I wasn’t bored. Besides what are families for?” replied Eva following her to the studio.

At the studio, Nma took Eva’s measurement; she was impressed by the girl’s statistics and height. She took a good look at her oval face and big eyes. This was exactly what she was looking for, innocent wide eyed beauty and an idea occurred to her.

“What about the bride’s maid?” asked Nma?

“They are all size ten girls if that would help, I can’t assemble them now, and they are all at different parts of the world”

“It will help, I will fit them later”

“I am just wondering how I am going to achieve all this. With my own wedding coming up too”

“Don’t make me feel bad” Eva whined “I am sure you will find a way, mine is still two months away. It’s like a life time”

“Not if you count the amount of time my honeymoon is going to take and I plan to have a very long honeymoon” Nma smiled

“But then you can still do it, can’t you. I happen to be your favorite in law” she cued 

And Nma laughed “Yes I guess so”

Eva looked relieved and asked “What size do you wear? 

“I wear size six”

“Good mercy! No wonder you are so slender” exclaimed Eva

“I wanted so much to be a model at one time but now I am very satisfied being what I am” Nma saw Eva studying her body especially her midriff. “And you wonder what my brother saw in you?” she asked aloud “this very tiny waist with grand curves and I am sure you are a D cup” teased Eva

“I too wonder about that, having such rich bosom while being very slender. Not that I wear a D cup come on!”

“I seem to recall that my brother has always had a thing for slender D cup girls” said Eva mischievously.

“Oh! Now I understand why he doesn’t want Angela, she is has little or nothing up there” and the two girls laughed.

“If you care for eba and oha soup, I am game” said Nma going to kitchen.

“If this is what you wear around the house when my innocent brother comes calling, no wonder he is so hooked on you”

“That is the idea” replied Nma dishing the food. “When I was younger I got into trouble a lot with men who misjudged my age. So from a tender age, I learnt what wicked thoughts a girl could give a man without meaning to”

“Surely my brother is free to have his wicked ways with you” teased Eva.

“I cover myself properly when you poor brother calls, I don’t want tempt him beyond his power ton resist” teased Nma. Eva laughed till she nearly choked; Nma had to slap her severally at the back before she began breathing again.

Eva left shortly after the meal leaving Nma to her thoughts. She began to clear the table though Eva had opted to help but she wouldn’t hear any of it.

Nma went into her room to lie down trying not to think about Angela and her unwanted visit. She assured herself that there was no way Uche could have invited her to stay with him. If he was in need of female company, he would have invited her and not Angela, she thought happily. But at the back of her mind, a little niggling thought continued to worry her.  How did she expect Uche to invite her when he knew she was not going to satisfy his intimate needs, the thought stole into her mind? “What he would need is a woman who would share his bed and not just his company” the voice taunted. “Stop it” she screamed at herself. “I trust him, he can control himself” if not, he would have continued nagging or even forced her but he had been patiently waiting for their wedding night. Maybe because he was getting those needs sated somewhere else the voice taunted yet. “I trust him and he can control himself” she said aloud and firmly and closed her eyes tightly trying to keep her mind from wondering along those lines.

Nma woke up with start, it was dark and she was confused and sure that something woke her. Then the phone rang again and she grabbed it from under the pillow.

“Hello!” she said sleepily

“It’s me darling” Uche’s voice came through the phone.

“Uche” she called waking up and sitting up.

“Of course it’s me, are you okay?”

“Yes I am fine, the phone woke me. When are you coming back?”

“Missing me that much huh?” he taunted

“More than you can ever imagine” she replied.

“I miss you too but cheer up, the day after tomorrow you will see me in Nigeria” he announced.

“That’s two days away” she said with excitement

“Yes it is, sure you can wait that long”

“I’ll be counting the hours”

“I’ll land in the morning by seven thirty, so I’ll see you in the afternoon at your boutique”

“Okay” she replied trying to hide her disappointment. Why didn’t he ask her to come over to the house or wait for him at the airstrip?

“I hope you are not over working yourself” Uche asked

“No I’m not, how about you?”

“The thought of you is responsible for wearing me out, not work. You don’t know how these few days has been for me without you”

“I know because I have been feeling the same way too.”

“Why don’t we get a special license and get married this weekend” asked Uche seriously.

“I would love to but we will not have enough time for honeymoon because I will be working tooth and nail to have my exhibition the next weekend.”

“On the twenty seventh it is”

“Yes on the twenty seventh, I’ll become yours at last”

“You are mine already, a piece of document doesn’t make a difference”

“I love you Uche, just come back in one piece and I will show you how much”

“And how exactly are you planning to show me” he asked.

“When you come back, it is a surprise”

“I can’t wait, two days seems too far now” he complained.

Nma laughed “Just make sure you don’t postpone it again” she warned.

“Not anymore I won’t”

“Good I will be waiting” she told him.

“I can’t wait to see your lovely eyes again, it seems like eternity”

“Is that all miss about me?” Nma asked, not really satisfied that her pretty face was what he was missing. He should be missing her not just her face

 “Of course not, I am just being patient till the right time to show you” he replied.

“Oh! That is not what I meant but what would that be? She teased. Remembering what Eva told her about his preferences in women.

“You will see on twenty seventh” 

“You are a witch do you know that? Do you know what pictures you are invoking in my mind?”

“How could I? When you have refused to tell me” she said in fained innocence.

“You’ll pay for this agony I am going through now on twenty seventh” he threatened.

“Now I am quaking in my shoes”

“Better be” he laughed

Nma loved the sound of his laughter, sighing she closed her eyes happily and content. Angela lied, she said to herself happily.

“Are you going sleepy on me?”

“No I’m just happy”

“I better ring off and let you get some sleep” Uche decided.

“Oh no! Don’t, I am not feeling sleepy” she protested.

“Don’t worry I will be with you soon”

“I love you” Nma said earnestly “Remember the only one who can love you so completely, always have that at the back of your mind” Nma pleaded.

“I know, see you on Saturday and sweet dreams” he said instead.

“Dream of me” Nma said as he cut the phone. Nma dropped the phone and smiled at herself dreamily. So Angela was lying. What a stupid lie? There was no way Uche could have asked her to come when he was coming back on Saturday, she thought. “Forget Angela she is only trouble” She told herself firmly. She should plan for saturday, a visit to the hair dresser and probably the spa.

Saturday dawned bright and sunny “a prefect day for reunion” mused Nma contented as she came out from the bathroom. She glanced momentarily at the wall clock. He must have landed by now, she thought hurrying up, she didn’t want to arrive late and spoil her surprise. She put on simple gown made of Ankara, the gown was smoked at the bust and flayed to emphasize her hips and it stopped just a little above her knees. Since the gown was made of green and gold, she slipped her feet into gold wage heels. With Her visit to the salon, she changed he to black waist length Brazilian hair. The black hair matched her fair complexion perfectly. Taking one last look at herself in the mirror, she snatched her black bag and car keys from her bed and left the room.

Nma arrived at Uche’s house very early; she came out of her car and walked briskly to the house, thinking only of how surprised Uche would be to see her waiting for him. The thought brought smile to her face.

The snobbish house keeper opened the door for her, to her surprise, the woman smiled at her while warmly ushering her in.

“Mr. Uche has just arrived?

“Are you sure?” Nma asked astonished

“I couldn’t have mistaken him with another person now, could I?”

“I guess not, I am sorry”

“So where is he?” she asked, a little disappointed that her surprise was spoilt.

“In his room enjoying himself” she answered wickedly

There was still a chance that she could surprise him, she thought and started moving towards the bedroom.

“Do you think that is a good idea, I mean he might be resting” said the house keeper smiling.

Nma wondered what was wrong with the woman, how come she was smiling like lunatic.

“He wouldn’t be happy either knowing I came and left just like that, would he?”

“I guess you are right and I doubt if he is resting not when he...” the woman trailed off walking away. Nma stared at her dumbfounded, she didn’t know what came over the woman and she couldn’t careless, she muttered moving again towards Uche’s room. How she wished that he came back to meet her waiting for him? Anyway she still got some surprise left, he wasn’t expecting to see her till this afternoon and seeing her now could still be a good surprise as any. She thought. She turned the knob and opened the door, with a pleasant smile plastered on her face. 

The smile died on her face instantly, she didn’t want to believe it. It could not be true, she couldn’t be seeing correctly. Though she covered herself with the duvet but it was obvious she was wearing nothing underneath. This was a nightmare and she was going to wake up any moment from now. She told herself. But that was impossible she had to accept painfully, no dream could ever seem this real. On the floor were scattered clothes and under wears showing impatience. It didn’t take a genius to know what had taken place and Uche was nowhere to be seen, where was he? She asked herself amazed, refusing to believe what she was seeing. Then Angela turned, smiling at her and looking incredibly ruffled.

“Hi” she greeted flippantly

DEAR READERS

THANK U SO MUCH 4 READING. I TRULY APPRECIATE UR EFFORTS IN INVITING N SHARING WITH FRIENDS N FAMILY. 

LETS DO MORE. LETS TAKE IT TO D SOCIAL MEDIAS. FACEBOOK, TWITTER, BBM, WHATS AP ET C. LETS MAKE SO MUCH NOISE FRIENDS. LETS FILL THE WORLD WITH LOVE.

Hello dearest readers. I hope u enjoy chapter 17. I thoroughly enjoyed writing it. Pls share and pls subscribe to the blog.


Take time to answer this question 

At this point in their relationship do you think it is right for Nma to sleep with Uche?

Waiting to hear your thoughts

Yours always 

Chioma Onuoha

AMBER ROMANCE

WHEN THE HEART KNOWS

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN


Her heart stopped beating and she couldn’t find her voice, she could only stare at him as her heart began beating erratically.
“Actually I have known before today. I thought it was so obvious that was why I was angry when you came to rescue me from Angela. How could I abandon the woman I love for one I dreaded from childhood?”
What was he doing he asked himself, he was babbling. Uche Okoha was babbling to a woman. He never blabbed. What had she done to him, how could he become so vulnerable to her. He felt his anger rise and did nothing to stop it. She wasn’t saying anything, he had just told her he loved her and she was silent.
“After all we’ve shared together, you should have trusted me enough to be sure that whatever the conversation was I would keep it neutral, or did you think I was asking her for a date?”
Nma was still trying to come to terms that the man of her dreams loved her, how was it possible that of all the women in the world, he loved her. She turned to him with stars in her eyes only to meet his angry ones and she was startled for a moment.
“Coming to drag me away from her showed insecurity on your part and you should have trusted me to come and get you once it was time for dinner”
Then understanding dawned on her. And she smiled at him. She saw it, the fear that comes with love, the fear of rejection and heart break.
“Angela is the least important person here right now. Right now all that matters is you and me and that we love each other.
“I love you”
It was his turn to be shocked even though he knew all along that she loved him. She had made no secret about that.
“I want you to know there is nothing and there isn’t going to be anything between me and Angela. It is you I want and love!” he said firmly.
“Do you believe me?” he asked firmly
She kissed him for a reply and he held on to her for dear life. When he let her go, she touched his face
“What took you so long?”
“You might not believe it but I was afraid”
“Afraid of what?”
“I have been here before” he said
“She was everything I thought I wanted, she was beautiful and raised to make a man like me the perfect wife and hostess, maybe that was why I wanted her so much but in the end she eloped with one of my closest business associates”
Nma pretended that she had not heard the story before and touched him
“Meeting you, I finally realized that I never really loved her but I thought if a betrayal of a woman I didn’t love could hurt me so bad what would happen if it came from you, a woman I love with all my heart”
When he said he loved her, her heart still flipped, it still felt like a dream to hear him say it.
“With me you have nothing to fear because you are my home and no matter where I ever I run to, I will always come home to you”
He held her with one hand drove with the other.
 “You are home” he said when he pulled to a stop in front of her house.
For the first time since she met him she wanted really wanted to make love with him but only her love and fear for God held her back. She didn’t want the night to end, but then she took comfort in the fact that by same time next month nothing would keep them apart any more.
“Are you too busy tomorrow?”
“Not sure if I don’t travel this night, I must unfailingly by next tomorrow so that alone will keep me fully occupied and I don’t really know when I’ll come back, probably next week but I’ll call you” he said
“Ok” she said as an idea began to form in her head for tomorrow”
“I miss you already” she whispered
“Naturally” he murmured “now don’t go watery eye on me” he told her
“Safe journey” she leaned forward kissed him before getting down. Uche waited until she entered into her house and the lights came on. He then drove away.
Nma ran to the window to watch him drive away.

She lay on the bed but was too excited to sleep. She couldn’t believe it, she couldn’t stay still, and she was wanted to scream her happiness. She thanked God again and again for sending Uche her way and for giving her the strength to live by His principles and standards. Somehow she knew that if she had given in and slept with Uche, he would have categorized her with others girls who wanted nothing but what his money could buy them. She shuddered thinking what would have happened if she had given in. “Thank God” she whispered again.
She went through everything that had happened since she woke up that morning. She was happy. She got up from the bed and walked to the mirror and at looked her green satin night gown, in matter of weeks she would become Nma Okoha. She would become Uche’s wife. She would share not only his name but his body and soul and then they would let go of all the inhibitions they have been living with because she would sleep with him then. She couldn’t wait for the twenty seventh of next month. She wanted it to be the most memorable day of her life, the day she would be his forever.
She wanted to call him, to hear his voice but she didn’t because he did have a long day and he had another long one ahead of him before he travelled. Then she stopped, did it mean she wouldn’t see before he travelled? No she thought, of course she was going to see him before he travelled. She had to give him a loving memory to go away with. But whatever that was going to be she had no idea.  She couldn’t think of what to do. He had already hinted that he was going to have a busy day. She went to sit on the bed confused. She thought of paying him a surprise visit at his office but she thought against it. She would be in the way and he probably would not appreciate that. She was sure something would come to her. Knowing that he loved her made her bolder and she loved the feeling, then again their platonic relationship didn’t give her much choice. She lay down on the bed and closed her eyes, she was sure she would dream of him and only because her senses were filled with him.

The next morning Nma was still in the same high spirit, she couldn’t stop smiling as she took her bath and wore a baby pink empire waist gown that stopped at her knee, she wore black peep toe shoes and bag. She was feeling loved and that had a hand in her choice of color.  She dressed for work believing that before the day ended, what to do before Uche left the country would come to her. She examined herself in mirror, she was conscious of the fact that she ate too much yesterday. But no harm has been done to her curves she saw and smiled. At this rate if she married Uche she would become obese in a matter of weeks. She left the room deliberately denying herself of breakfast. She remembered she had to tell Tessy they had a wedding to plan. She felt her heart skip a beat at the thought. Planning a wedding, her wedding to Uche, She hurried out of the house. She couldn’t wait to tell the only other two people who meant something to her.
While at work, Nma found herself talking to Helen about her confusion and not about the wedding because she wanted Felix and Tessy to be the first to know.
“Pay him a surprise visit at his house” Helen said “let him come back to good home cooked meal and a warm body all through the night. When he is least expecting it”
Nma laughed because she knew that a warm body all through the night was not part of their relationship.
“But I have already cooked for him before” Nma said
“Nma, a man never gets tired of good food and warm body, that is the wise woman’s two most effective weapon to keep her man from straying”
Nma smiled as the idea took hold in her mind and before long she was planning.
“Guess who I met yesterday?” Nma asked
“Chucks, unless you met him, I am not interested” then she turned with interest, “You met him yesterday, oh Nma tell me, did you mention me?” she asked her eyes dancing with excitement.
“Honey that man is handsome, if there is anything like God’s gift to women, it would be Chucks” Nma said standing up and glancing at her watch
“Please may I have his number? I finished in a record time remember” Helen asked
“Nope! According to Uche he would be in town for a couple of weeks so I will try to introduce you two”
“That’s even better” Helen laughed “where are you going? We haven’t finished talking about him yet”
Nma laughed “Actually you are too old to be having a crush on a celebrity”
“You saw the guy; no flesh and blood woman can resist him”
“This one can” said Nma “he paled in comparison when Uche stood beside him, see you tomorrow. I am going to snatch some few hours with the love of my life” she left.
Helen’s eyes were still sparkling with excitement.

The uniformed gate man opened the gate for Nma and she drove into Uche magnificent house. She came out of the car bearing some shopping bag. The surly house keeper opened the door for her. Nma smiled at the woman but the woman didn’t return the smile and she wasn’t giving her way to come into the house.
“Mr. Uche is not around?”
“Don’t tell me he has left the country already”
“No he hasn’t” the woman replied “He is not around and for that I can’t let you in. he didn’t leave that kind of instruction this morning”
Nma was too astonished to put her thoughts together “Did he leave instructions not to let his fiancée in? She asked
“Mr. Uche doesn’t have a fiancée”
“He asked me yesterday. I am sure he didn’t have the time to tell you. Look.” She began almost desperate I just want to surprise him but now you are going to spoil the surprise. I guess I will have to call him and demand for a key” she brought out her phone but the gate man started opening the gate and that stopped her. She watched with surprise as Uche’s jeep crawled to a stop beside the house and he came down staring at her with surprise. She smiled at him but stopped when she saw an elegant woman in black pants and white wrap around shirt. The woman was tall and as classy as they come. She recognized her as Star his personal assistant. Her heart gave a painful lurch but remembering that he loved her and told her only yesterday kept her from loosing her grip. She watched as the woman said something and Uche smiled. Then he walked to her and gave her a hug and kiss. That should have reassured her but somehow it didn’t.
Uche could see the dismay she was trying to mask and shook his head in amusement. Didn’t she understand that there could never be another woman for him?
“What going on here? Are you just coming?”
“I was going to surprise you but I guess it’s no longer a surprise”
He smiled at her and took the shopping bags then he frowned at the house keeper
‘You’ve met Star, she is my personal assistant and we would be making the final arrangement for our travel”
Nma shook the woman coolly. Their travel?  Was he traveling with this alluring girl?
“Actually I am more like a glorified secretary? Star said laughing. Nma smiled at the girl as Uche introduced her as his fiancée. Then he turned to the house keeper.
“Miss Ubong, I would like to see you shortly” he said in clipped tone. As they entered inside, as always the living room never ceased to take her breath away. She walked straight to the well equipped and beautiful kitchen. She dumped her shopping bag on the table and turned to find Uche watching her. He was leaning on the door.
“I am glad you are here” he said he came forward and kissed her
“I am glad too But my surprise has been spoilt” she complained
“No I was mightily surprised and glad to see you here; I was thinking in the car that today is going to be a long day without you”
She smiled and kissed him thoroughly
“Hm! That was nice” he said
“Glad you didn’t jump into the wrong conclusion about Star”
Nma smiled at him, if only he knew how close she came to that.
“She is rather too flashy and classy to be anyone’s secretary? She told him jovially
“Star personality is like an advertisement for us. She has that image that says we are the best” he told her.
“Enough on Star I figured we could make our engagement official” he said and brought out a velvet case. Nma’s eyed widened with excitement as he snapped it open and presented it to her.
It was a beautiful ring red ruby surrounded by tiny diamonds. Her heart skipped a beat.
“It is exquisite” she exclaimed as he took her fingers.
“It belonged to my mother, now it is yours and would be our daughter in law’s one day”
She smiled at the thought as he slid the ring on her engagement finger and kissed her.
“Now you are mine” he told her
“And you are mine too” she said and kissed him again.
She raised the ring to sparkle at the light. Just then the housekeeper came in. Nma could see that the woman’s wicked frown as she saw them cuddling and then her shocked expression as her eyes rested on her ring and she wondered what she ever did to the woman.
“Yes I was going to see you privately but I guess Nma may as well hear it”
Nma didn’t know who was more surprised between the house keeper and herself.
“You were going to turn her away?”
“I am sorry sir but you have always been emphatic about admitting visitors when you are not expecting them”
“Do you know who she is?”
The woman hesitates “Well yes she said she is your fiancée”
“The woman I am going to marry in a couple of weeks, you should have known better. Please let this not happen again. You may leave”
The woman left but not before she gave Nma a wicked look that spoke volumes.
“I don’t know what I ever did to her”
“She is Mrs. Ekpo’s relative that is the only reason she is still here” he said “I am sorry you had to go through that”
She smiled at him “it’s nothing”
“So what are you cooking?” he asked
“Oh! Something special”
“What…”
“I am not going to let you spoil the remaining surprise”
He smiled, “I will just finish with Star” he left and Nma smiled happily, it felt real good to see the woman put her in place. The woman had been nothing but mean and rude to her ever since Uche introduced them. She wondered how the wonderful Mrs. Ekpo ended up with a relative like this one. Then it dawned on her that Uche had addressed her as “Miss”. She was probably still a spinster but that didn’t explain why she was so rude and… then she stopped and laughed out aloud. “No way it is not possible” she said aloud. The woman couldn’t possibly have any designs on Uche. The thought was ridiculous. She was old enough to have a son like Uche. She began to prepare to cook Oha soup.  Star came into her mind again, and she shook her head. If Uche said she was just his personal assistant then she would accept that, though she didn’t feel right knowing that he would be with that very beautiful and elegant woman all through his trip. She looked at her ring and felt reassured and busied herself. If there was anything between them; Uche wouldn’t have been this comfortable having the two of them in his house nor would he have introduced her as his fiancée,
Just as she was dishing the pounded yam, the house keeper entered with her surly face. She went straight to fridge and opened it; Nma wondered how she was going to live with this woman after the wedding. She could only try and wish that the woman would come around by then. She was amazed at how quickly she was becoming possessive of Uche’s house but why not, the house was going to be hers too in a matter of weeks.
Nma turned to the woman.
“Look” she began and the woman turned
“You are not married to him yet” the woman spat at her “so don’t go making yourself comfortable in my kitchen”
“Look I don’t want to have to fight with you now nor in the future because really I don’t have to” she smiled as the woman understood her meaning “can’t we call truce? I am not here to take over my duties from you maybe except for preparing my husband’s meals…”
“You wouldn’t know where to start”
“I have already started” she smiled at the woman “We could actually live cordially; I am willing to try if you are”
“I would rather wait till you are married to him, if there is any superior knowledge I have of him over you, it is that he is very predictable with our sex” she left abruptly.
Nma was shocked speechless and she slowly returned to her cooking but her mind was pricked. The woman was actually hinting that a wedding might not take place. The truth was that she was probably right. Her mind immediately went to Star and Angela. She heaved a sigh, she hushed her insecurities, Uche loved her and he asked her marry him and none of the others.

Uche returned to the kitchen just as she was placing the food on the table, then it began raining.
“Smells delicious” he said sitting on the small eating area in the kitchen.
She smiled at him “has she left?” she asked
He nodded and sat down on a chair.
“In this rain, you could have invited her to eat with us”
“I want to be alone with you” he stated and drew her down to sit on his lap just as she was passing by him with a dish” he ran his hands through her hair. She turned and kissed him, he took the dish and dropped them on the table and drew her closer.
“I am going to miss you” he whispered.
Just then the house keeper entered with his phone “Excuse me sir” Uche looked at her irritated by her presence
“Your phone was ringing”
“Let it ring, since when did you start taking my calls?”
“I am sorry sir” she dropped the phone and left.
Nma quietly stood up from his lap.
“Let’s eat, the food is getting cold” she smiled at him. She was going to let the woman shoot herself in the leg. Uche opened one of the dishes and saw the pounded yam and he looked surprised.
“Don’t tell me you did this?”
She smiled at him “don’t you like it” she asked
“Are you kidding me, they are my favorite”
She was deliriously happy with the way he attacked the food.
“You know when I asked you to marry me, I didn’t bargain for a chef”
“What did you expect?”
“I thought classy girls like you don’t cook”
She smiled “For you I will learn”
They smiled at each other. Her heart glowed, the thought of being the one to take of care of him, cook his meal, take care of his clothes was like a dream come true.
The rain was looking as if it was not going to stop by the time Nma finished washing the plates and cleaning. She looked through the window at the heavy down pour and wondered how she was supposed to drive home in it. She sighed and turned to go into the living room where she had left Uche.

The living room was quite cold, the air conditioner was on in full blast and Uche was sitting in there comfortable in his jeans T shirts. His full concentration was on his laptop and his ears were covered with earphones, listening to music, she smiled as her breath caught in her throat at the picture he made. She shivered not really from the cold but from something else she couldn’t begin to phantom.  She was no longer scared of being alone with him as she moved towards him, he reached out and drew her down beside him, hugged her briefly and returned back to his work but he kept one arm around her. She trusted him. Nma couldn’t make any sense out of what he was doing; the graphical representations on the screen were quite confusing. But she was quite content to watch him work; wondering if this was what gave him his billons.
“The rain is not letting up” she told him
“Don’t worry, just give it time. In my experience, the rain never stops if you do nothing but wait for it to stop”
“But it is getting late, maybe I should consider…”
He turned and gave her his full attention “There is no way I am going to let you drive home in this rain” he said firmly
She grimaced “I thought as much” she said sitting up
“It is for your own good” he told her
She smiled at him “I know” she picked up the remote control and flipped through the channels. She found nothing she wanted to watch, she saw Uche nodding his head and she took the ear phones from him. When West Life’s QUEEN OF MY HEART wafted into her ears, she raised her eyes at him in appreciation.
“I am a music person; especially soul it relaxes me and helps me concentrate when I am working”
“Then I wouldn’t want to take away your concentration” she told him handing it back to him.
“Or we can share” he said giving her back one of the piece”
She laughed “No I would distract you”
“On the contrary, I would concentrate more knowing you are here with me and I would so much want you to hear the lyrics because they are everything I want to say to you”
She smiled at him and took one ear piece. He drew her closer and went back to his work, she fell in love completely with the song if these were words he wanted to say to her then he must really love her. At that thought she looked at the man she loved the way he worked, all concentration. The only indication that he was aware of her was the occasional kiss he dropped on her head or the squeeze he gave her shoulders. Nma could feel sleep luring her away and she fought to stay awake so she could watch him work. Her last thought was, not even ten million fire spitting dragons would stop her from marrying him on the twenty seventh.

Nma woke up as Uche was trying to make her more comfortable on the couch. He smiled at her. “Welcome back”
She rubbed her eyes “what time is it? She asked a bit alarmed that she had not left
“Too late for me to allow you to drive home”
She glanced at her watch and was surprised to see that it has gone past eleven. “You should have woken me” she told
“I didn’t have the heart not when you were sleeping so peacefully, do you usually have a smile on your face when you are sleeping?”
“No I don’t know, I don’t see myself when I am sleeping” it was obvious she was bothered about having to spend the night with him alone in the big house. The house keeper had longed retired to the boys’ quarters.
“I hope I don’t sound arrogant if I say I could be the cause for it”
She gave him a shaky smile and sat up. Then he looked her
“Do you trust me?”
She knew what he was asking and she nodded “I trust you completely it is myself I don’t trust. I loose all my control when you are near”
“I don’t trust myself too, when ever I look at you I want to make love to you but I also gave you a promise and I am going to fulfill it no matter what”
She smiled at him and got up “I would love a bath and something to sleep in”
“The room is the third one by the left and you should be able to find something to wear in my room” she gave him a kiss and left to get ready for bed. He sighed and closed his laptop. It was going to be a long night, he thought.

Nma looked into the third room by the left, she was relieved to see that it was not his bedroom and somehow disappointed. He wasn’t even trying, she said to herself but she had to quickly caution herself. She was happy that he loved her enough to do this; most men simply lacked just the principle and integrity for what he is doing. She was sure it was the same principle and integrity he applied in his business that made him so successful, she thought deciding to go to his room in search of something to sleep in.  The room took her breath away and her eyes lingered more than necessary on the big bed. She could see both of them on the bed on their wedding night, her heart skipped a beat and she quickly pushed the picture out of her mind breathlessly. The room was so big, her entire house could fit into it, and the floor was marbled and had some Persian scatter rug here and there. It had French windows and a marvelous view of the sea.  She walked into the closet, selected a T Shirt; it has been worn and had his scent on it. She hugged the shirt to herself and turned but when she looked at a closed door which was the adjoining bathroom, she decided to have her bath there instead of walking to and fro from one room to another. She smiled at the share luxury of the bathroom and she was humbled immediately. She had always thought her bath tub was something she could brag about but not when compared to what she was seeing before her. She sighed and ran herself a bath.
When she stepped out of the bathroom, she eyed the bed; she walked towards it and sat down to see how it felt. She lay down after sometime telling herself that she would soon get up before he came in. when she lay down, she could feel his presence and she could see him asleep on the bed. She sighed and closed her eyes contented.

That was the way Uche found her two hours later, asleep on the bed and shivering because she had forgotten to get under the duvet. He sighed with relief. He had gone to the room he directed her to, just to check on her before going on to bed. It was alarming to find her not there and the same emptiness greeted him in the other rooms. So he had rushed in here to check and there she was shivering. He slowly lifted her and covered her with the duvet and she didn’t wake only snuggled close to him. He climbed in beside her and drew her cold body into his and she fit him perfectly and he sighed. She would be the death of him yet. It was going to be a very long long night, he sighed.