Love's Second Chance (2 page)

“
Hmm. How are you?” Ofure asked. “Remember you promised to take time off soon. When should I expect you, in two weeks or next month?”

“
Soon,” Kevwe bit off, wishing his brother would quit bugging him about working too hard.

“
No, I won’t stop bugging you, because all work and no play...” Ofure laughed.

“
I asked for that,” Kevwe said, rolling his eyes. “Anyway, on to other things, have you called Mum?” Kevwe asked.

“
We spoke yesterday. But that’s not why I called. Ugome
has finally decided to leave me
and sent some choice words to that effect.
” Ofure’s voice dripped
sarcasm. “She sent me a message on Facebook and has a status message too
.
”

“
I thought you had both decided to go your separate ways some time ago?”

“
Well, we’ve been each other’s back-up since the split.”

Kevwe chuckled. “What do they call it? Friends with benefits, right?” Laughing some more, he sat back up and placed his arms on the top of the table. “Didn’t I read somewhere that e-mail is the latest way to break off relationships?”

“
I told you that,” Ofure said, “I saw it online and now I’ve experienced it. Nigeria is fully in the internet age, but some cavemen hold back, preferring to stay in the Stone Age. He knows himself, he who won’t join Facebook or Twitter.”

Kevwe accepted the jibe with a laugh. The only technology that concerned him was that which had to do with his business. However, he wasn’t complaining that Ofure had helped him get up to speed with
a website, an iPod and iPhone.

“
I’m the one to talk,” Ofure continued, “I’m sure Ugome’s friends know it’s me in that status update. I’m finished, I tell you. I won’t be able to get another girl…”

“
I say you gave Ugome a reason to become jaded and bitter.” Kevwe knew it wouldn’t take time for his twin to land another lady.
Ofure loved women, but they had their place and it wasn’t on top of any list. Kevwe pitied the ladies who fell for his charm.

“
Man, unlike you, I’m not made of wood.
” Ofure laughed, “
When I came back two years ago, Ugome
was all over me. Why turn down her offer?
We weren’t exclusive, and I thought she understood that I wouldn’t just bow to
Dad’s wishes. Maybe now the old man is gone, she accepts marriage is out of the question, and that’s why she’s finished with me.”

Their father brought Ugome into their lives seven years ago, when Kevwe was still bedridden from the car crash that cost him Efe, his ex-fiancée. Ugome became Kevwe’s de facto girlfriend
, running errands and visiting him faithfully in the hospital. For several months, things remained that way.

Their dad only cranked up his demands
a
fter Ofure returned to America, and Kevwe was more stable
. He wanted Kevwe and Ugome married, and enlisted their mother to use all manner of tactics including Kevwe’s near-death experience
. At the time however, Kevwe had not been interested in Ugome or in any other woman. When he wasn’t battling the pain of his injuries, he fought not to be consumed by the agony of Efe’s betrayal.

At the end of that year, Kevwe left Nigeria for more treatment in Germany. When he returned some months later, he made it clear to Ugome that he was not interested in a relationship with her. She stuck around but he ignored her, focusing all his attention on his previously abandoned business. Luckily Ugome was soon transferred by her employers to Abuja, and h
e cut all ties to her.

After
his brother returned two years ago, it came as a surprise seeing them together
. Not that he had been upset; it only cemented his belief that no woman could be trusted. So while his twin dated and dumped women, Kevwe’s business remained his only mistress.

Kevwe sighed before speaking into the phone. “
You know, I never had anything against Ugome.
Mum said Ugome went to see her last week, so s
he’s good enough - just not the girl for me or even you.
And please Ofure, remember to call Mum often. She misses the old man a lot.”

“
What say we go see her together when you come up here?” Ofure asked.

“
Sure.” Kevwe was
reminded of the strange feeling down in the factory earlier.
“Did you have an incident with a potential lady friend earlier today?” he asked, “
Or don’t you want to tell me all about your damsel in distress?
”

Ofure did not answer at once, but Kevwe knew he recognized the incident.

“
I thought the name sounded familiar,” Ofure finally said, “but it’s been a long time.”

“
What name?” For the
first time, Kevwe cursed his ability to share thoughts with his twin
as images of Ofure’s meeting with Efe flooded his senses. A headache started at his nape, his shoulders feeling tense as wetness prickled under his arms.

“
Ms. Sagay,” Ofure replied, “Yes, it was Efe Sagay.”

The name slammed into him like a fist and swirled over him. Ofure continued to speak, but Kevwe wasn’t listening any more. Efe Sagay. A name he thought never to hear again and didn’t want to hear now either. He ended the call, gripping the phone hard.

**

2

Abuja. November 19, 2009. 9.15pm

“
Hey Ms Workaholic, do you know what time it is?”

Efe lifted her head from the desk, blinking twice to clear the memories that had swamped her. Ovie stood at the door, silhouetted against the darkness outside the hallway window. Efe flicked her right wrist to take a look at her watch.

“
Goodness, I just lost track.”

“
Were you asleep? You OK?” Ovie asked, pulling her fitted jacket about her buxom chest.
She strutted inside on high heels,
pencil skirt hugging her narrow hips,
and perched on the nearest armchair.

“
No, no, I’m fine.” She’d been lost in the past, forgetting their plans for tonight. A party was certainly what she needed after the shock of seeing Ofure earlier. She squeezed her nose and pushed the papers on her desk together, “I’ll finish this tomorrow…”

“
You better do that. We’re ready to paint this town red!”

Ovie was her second oldest friend. They met through Nneka as first-level students at UniBen, and it was also through Nneka they reconnected when she moved to Abuja. Ovie worked for Zenith Bank and went out with Bernard, a staff of Zain, a mobile phone company with offices not too far from the Hilton.

“
What of Bernard? And Danjuma, the birthday boy?”

“
Ben picked me up from work and all the others are here too.”

“
Where do we start? Are the others okay with Safari?”

“
Haba now Efe, you know this una Hilton club no dey happen at all on weeknights?”

“
I know but still, I have to show some loyalty, abi?” she asked.

“
OK, I’ll go and get them in, but I don’t know how long they’ll agree to stay.”

“
No problem, I’ll meet you guys there.”

It was Thursday, and Ovie was right, the Safari would probably be dead. Efe had been tasked with bumping up traffic and sales at the club, but she had yet to make much headway. They had planned a bar crawl, and she would be taking notes as they went.

Ovie popped her gum in a loud snap and walked out, an exaggerated sway to her hips. Efe smiled and tidied up her desk. It amazed her how little they’d changed. Each remained the same, though they had all grown up and moved on with their lives. Ovie was no different from her university self, still a brash loudmouth and down to earth.

As she joined the others, Efe wondered what Ovie thought about her current persona. Nneka often said Efe had changed more than any of them; going from slow and distracted, to focused and out-going. Efe agreed, and they both knew what made her that way.

As she joined the others downstairs, she forced herself not to dwell on bygones. It could be that Ofure did not recognize her, or Kevwe had moved on and so beating herself up would be useless. In the basement club, it took less than an hour for them to tire of the irregular beats and overworked waiters.

Four more people joined the party before they all piled into three available cars and drove to the
Sheraton
Dazzle nightclub to continue the celebrations. The
naked skin on display made Efe feel out of place in her work clothes but she ignored the smell of sweat, smoke and alcohol. Since she wasn’t driving, she extended a hand for some champagne.

Soon after midnight, they left Dazzle
for Krystal Lounge
, where
Efe had called ahead to add their names to the guest list. They made a quick entrance, moving to the clusters of small tables at the back as the drinks flowed. The place had a shiny décor with plenty of oversize couches holding well dressed people.

On a usual day, Efe would have been more reserved, but as the mix-tape on rotation pounded in her head, she joined others in ordering glasses of top shelf liquor and wine. The meeting with Ofure still plagued her, and she wanted to avert another nightmare.

When she felt a headache coming, Efe shrugged it off and lost herself in people-watching. One girl, wearing a tube dress that started from her nipples and barely covered her fat bum, plastered herself to Danjuma. Efe gulped down the rest of her champagne and snickered to herself; maybe the bootilicious girl could give some of her junk in the trunk to Ovie. She snickered some more and took another glass from the passing waiter. ‘Roll it’ by P-Square came on and the curvy girl jumped up with joy.

As she began to dance, rolling what her mama gave her; Danjuma stood up and bumped against her backside. Efe sniffed at the sight; she already didn’t like P-Square because they reminded her of Kevwe and his twin - and now this? She would go and ask the DJ to change the music.

“
Who’s the DJ?” she shouted over to Bernard. He told her it was Jimmy Jatt and Efe felt even more displeased. Earlier in the week, after a show at the hotel with Julius Agwu, DJ Jimmy Jatt had turned down her offer to play at the Hilton Safari.

Dbanj came on with ‘Fall in Love’, and Bernard and Ovie walked to a corner of the lounge and began dancing. Watching them, Efe forgot her annoyance as she was thrown into past nights. She saw herself and Kevwe right there under the disco lights. She recalled the times in Benin when they’d all gone out together, with Nneka, Ovie and the guys.

Remembering her earlier decision, Efe got up and walked to an open space, it was time she let go and enjoyed herself. The darkness swirled in her head, and she closed her eyes as her body swayed to the beat of the music. She reveled in the freedom of the dance as the rhythm swept her away.

She stopped to have another drink, and when the music changed, she danced with several other people before Ovie and Bernard dragged her home to bed.

**

Lagos, Nigeria. November 20, 2009.

Kevwe opened bleary eyes and glared at the pattern made by the morning sunlight on the opposite wall before shifting his gaze to the clock. It was seven already. After yesterday’s call with his brother, he’d plunged into work, not stopping until the entire factory workers left. Back home, he went straight to his office-cum-studio, a design project of his a way to forget the past.

He’d only gone to sleep at three in the morning, and was now suffering for it. He had known this day would come, and thought he was ready, but after all the years, anger and pain still swamped him. He covered his face with clenched fists, and then swinging out of bed, he padded to his den.

“
Why didn’t you recognize her when you met?” he asked once the phone clicked.

“
Kevwe, are you OK?” Ofure asked before replying,
“Blame my temper. I’d gone there to solve a problem, and was pissed off by the ineptitude of the staff right before I saw her.
She also looks a little different from the pictures you showed me when you dated her all those years ago, but that’s only to be expected. It’s been what, ten years…”

“
To the day I first saw her; ten years, four months, two weeks…” he stopped when he realized what he was doing. Hopefully Ofure would not call him out on it. But yes, he’d been counting. This day had come when Efe
was back in the country,
and he wasn’t ready
.

“
What next? Do you want to come up here and meet her? I could…”

“
Why would I do that?” Kevwe sprang up from his seat in a sharp burst of anger. This was a girl who abandoned him when he needed her most. Who dumped him like a hot potato at the time he lay dying. And Ofure thought he would go running to her at the first scent. What made him angrier was that he’d considered it himself yesterday.

“
OK, don’t get too worked up,” Ofure replied. “It was just an idea. I know what you went through and how long it took you to get over her, even now…”

“
Ofure, that’s enough.” Kevwe warned. His brother’s thoughts said more than his words and images of days of painful physical therapy and nights of tears filled his head. He struggled, refusing to follow Ofure down memory lane. “Allow the past to remain where it is.”