*A Kiss To Dried Lips*

*Episode One*

_When a tender heart nudges against an intense pressure, it's bound to wreck into pieces. But if its speck stands again, it pops doom to every path it trends._

That evening was particularly wet and cold. The drizzling fog was docking gently to its shell, revealing a dense of frigidity that cuddled the city of Awka. Somewhere at Ifite, the weather, indeed, promised a moment of hide and seek games of love; wherein, if it were to be in the days of King Solomon, lovers could go about interlocking their bodies in a warmth aglow of fleshly desires.

But, Frank dared not to make such advances on his lover, especially as he knew it would ultimately utter their ecstatic mood. He could only do nothing but lick his lips while he lay, staring lustfully at her succulent lips.

"Babe! You know I love you, don't you?" Frank blurted in a seductive tone with several wrinkles of lust, crowding his anxious face.

Without waiting for her reply, he leaned forward and slammed his left arm over her shoulders, while allowing his thigh to squeeze intimately against her smooth skin. Shyly, she looked away and blinked repeatedly. She gradually rolled forth her head and rested it on his hairy chest. Frank's heartbeat took a hasty pace as some sensational feelings banged against his rib cage.

Eyes locked in awe, cheeks spread in alluring smiles, unveiling sets of sparkling white detention from each lovers’ mouths, Frank cuddled her in his arms. The romantic atmosphere was electrifying, laced with the temptation to strip each other naked and dive into oceans of passionate lovemaking.
Frank knew better than to venture into such a forbidden area. She had rather commit suicide than allow him lure her into a ‘sin of the flesh’. She shifted slightly in his arms.

"You know this can't happen, Frank, don't you?"

Frank leaned closer and caught her left hand. "I know sweetheart but-"

"No buts today" She quickly cut him off, sliding her hand away. "We mustn't go over this again dear. This isn't what we should keep talking each time I come visiting, huh."

Frank stared beggarly into her eyes. "Well, I think you should also consider my own feelings," he whooped.

"I thought we're done with this conversation, Frank? Do we start over again?" This has been Isabelle's defensive mechanism. She knew if she should continue to play along, things may get beyond her control.

"I think I should get going, the rain has stopped," she announced, flinging her hand bag over her shoulder. Frank gasped, and quickly withdrew himself hopelessly to the bed.

Isabelle grabbed the mood, but spending the night in Frank's house wasn't what she was prepared for. And this would be quite unavoidable if she waited any further. She could read the silly looks on Frank's charming face but that could equally be handled.

Indeed, Frank was a handsome bloke. His twenty-seven year old lanky body fitted perfectly into the blue T-shirt he had on. Scantily bearded, with a moderate body build. Frank's attractive features flocked ladies around him, but he had chosen to love and cherish Isabelle. Their relationship was over five years old and he had always respected Isabelle's wish of remaining a virgin until her wedding night. Isabelle knew she was lucky to have known Frank but his recent crave for sexual pleasure was becoming unbearable.

While she was still lost in this thought, Frank held his hands over her mouth and kissed her neck softly. He continued down till her bossoms. Isabelle stood frozen in shock like she had seen a ghost. Frank looked at her eyes, he believed that she was enjoying the moment and he continued the smooch.

Continued..

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*A Kiss To Dried Lips*

*Episode Two*

"Babe I get gist for you" Anna rolled her eyes as she tapped Isabelle repeatedly. Isabelle was busy with something on her phone and pretended not to have noticed Anna's presence. Her encounter with Frank was still fresh in her memory, but it was what she had to submerge within herself.

"Isabelle, no be you I dey tell something" she'd called her name in full now and that rarely happens.

Isabelle knew that whatever it was must have itched her throat enough to blurt out. Anna was a chatterbox and everyone knew how smart she was at cooking stories. She'd once spread news that a particular student slept around with animals. The news shocked everyone including the accused. As such, Isabelle had taken great care at revealing things to her as a friend.

"Sorry o, I was checking something online. What's it about?" she feigned apologetic and turned towards her.

After much hesitation by Anna who felt discouraged by Isabelle's reaction, she got closer and stretched her phone towards her friend.
Isabelle was in total shock to see what it was on display. She snatched the phone from her and stood abruptly. She starred intently at the image as if the sitting position denied her some details about the photo.

"That is how I saw it too" Anna said, a bit remorseful.

"You do not see it the way I do" Isabelle held her palm over her agape mouth now. A ring out of the popular _Jo soapy_ beats from her phone startled her to the present. She quickly rummaged her bag for the phone which ascended in tone as she searched. She'd thrown out her handouts and phone charger before she got hold of the phone.
Abuchi was the caller and she was surprised to see him call at such odd hour.

"What is it now?" she asked agitatedly.

"Sister! Uncle Ifebunna just got ill." Abuchi's voice was low and deep.

Who's Uncle Ifebuna, anyway? This is a man you would never wish to know.

"Let him find help ni" Isabelle said and ended the call without waiting for further details.

Turning to Anna, their eyes locked. She'd watched her all the while the drama ensued. Anna knew much about Isabelle and the difficulty she faced at school coupled with pressing issues from her home. A part of her was pitiful for such predicament on a pretty dark girl but she was wholly against her indifference towards Frank.
Several times, she had deviced means to instigate Isabelle to take an action towards her no sexual intimacy decision.

"Who doesn't have sex these days" she thought and hissed aloud, oblivious of Isabelle who had gotten very close to where she was seated.

"What is it this time?" Isabelle asked.
"Nothing o, just girl thoughts" she smirked.
The two ladies sat quietly for about twenty minutes in silence. The lecture ended over an hour ago but they'd always stayed back to do their private studies before returning to their hostels. They lived a pole distance from each other but Anna stayed in Isabelle's room most days.
Anna was not lost in deep thoughts the way Isabelle ruminated on what she just saw which had become aggravated by the news from Abuchi.
Anna cut her from the reverie and beckoned on her to gather her things. They headed towards their hostels and parted at the Dogoyaro tree that stood between the both buildings.
Isabelle had taken a lot of decisions while they walked home and she hoped their effects wouldn't affect the people she cared about.


Contd..

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*A Kiss To Dried Lips*

*Episode Three*


Isabelle continued to reminisced the act of the previous night at Frank's apartment. Thoughts of it sent cold chills down her spine and gave her a kind of feeling below. She recollected and muttered a short prayer. After a while, she picked her phone to text him.

'I want to come over' within a few seconds, the message ticked blue and Frank started to type. Isabelle's heart hung between her chest, as if detached from it's support. She placed the phone down and patiently waited to get a beep of notification. She'd known Frank for quite a long time but the way she felt about him hadn't changed from the first day they met. It was far back in her post secondary school years. Over half a decade years now.

'Yessss' it popped on her screen before she opened her WhatsApp. She calmed from the tension. She got up and grabbed her jean skirt and tucked her shirt into it. She packed her full black hair into a large bun. She was a typical naturalista and had winced of pains from combing thick hair. She matted her lips and spread the red lipstick on her full lips. One final stare at the mirror, she grabbed her bag and stormed out. A whole lot of questions on her mind and Frank has to do the clarifications. She flagged down a shuttle heading towards the Ajedeyo street where Frank lived all alone in a two bedroom apartment.

She tapped lightly on the door, then harder. Frank welcomed her in open arms when he opened the metal door of the entrance. They embraced each other at the door, then locked it behind them. Frank was dressed in his blue jersey when she entered. He'd just returned for his evening basketball training. He was jogging home when he got Isabelle's request to come over. He'd carefully explained to isabelle who looked like something bothered her.

"What's the face?, you don't have the usual smile I love to see" Frank smiled as he handed her a glass of water.

"Was it stressful at school, or is it?" he asked and gestured towards her lower abdomen.

"Oh please" she was a bit embarrassed.
She turned her face away and dropped the glass on the stool beside the bed. The small sized bed was covered in plain red sheets, two pillows rested close to each other at the opposite end of where Isabelle sat. Frank knew something was up her sleeves and it worried him too. He pushed the stool aside and sat close to her, he hung his arms over her shoulder and brought his face very close to get temple. Isabelle could feel his heavy breath brush her shoulder, she skipped a heartbeat. She reached out for her phone and slid it open, she quickly scanned through her photos and found a particular image which she held out to show Frank.
He backed out of the embrace, the picture had taken him aback and he was utterly shocked.

"How did you dig this up?" Frank stuttered.

"Anna did" she demonstrated by shaking her head sideways.

"This is my past baby, trust me" he was kneeling before her in sober now. The once agitated Isabelle felt mellowed by his very acts. She raised his dropped head and felt the wetness. Frank had shed some tears and it disturbed her to see him cry. She rubbed his face with both palms and urged him to smile. After much persuasion, he let out a thin smile. Isabelle felt relieved again and assured him that she felt better. Frank took the phone and deleted the particular photo which had stirred this disturbance between them.
Frank couldn't risk letting Isabelle know he was a fraudster.

Cont'd

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*A Kiss To Dried Lips*

*Episode Three*

Isabelle continued to reminisced the act of the previous night at Frank’s apartment. Thoughts of it sent cold chills down her spine and gave her a kind of feeling below. She recollected and muttered a short prayer. After a while, she picked her phone to text him.

‘I want to come over’ within a few seconds, the message ticked blue and Frank started to type. Isabelle’s heart hung between her chest, as if detached from it’s support. She placed the phone down and patiently waited to get a beep of notification. She’d known Frank for quite a long time but the way she felt about him hadn’t changed from the first day they met. It was far back in her post secondary school years. Over half a decade years now.

‘Yessss’ it popped on her screen before she opened her WhatsApp. She calmed from the tension. She got up and grabbed her jean skirt and tucked her shirt into it. She packed her full black hair into a large bun. She was a typical naturalista and had winced of pains from combing thick hair. She matted her lips and spread the red lipstick on her full lips. One final stare at the mirror, she grabbed her bag and stormed out. A whole lot of questions on her mind and Frank has to do the clarifications. She flagged down a shuttle heading towards the Ajedeyo street where Frank lived all alone in a two bedroom apartment.

She tapped lightly on the door, then harder. Frank welcomed her in open arms when he opened the metal door of the entrance. They embraced each other at the door, then locked it behind them. Frank was dressed in his blue jersey when she entered. He’d just returned for his evening basketball training. He was jogging home when he got Isabelle’s request to come over. He’d carefully explained to isabelle who looked like something bothered her.

“What’s the face?, you don’t have the usual smile I love to see” Frank smiled as he handed her a glass of water.

“Was it stressful at school, or is it?” he asked and gestured towards her lower abdomen.

“Oh please” she was a bit embarrassed.
She turned her face away and dropped the glass on the stool beside the bed. The small sized bed was covered in plain red sheets, two pillows rested close to each other at the opposite end of where Isabelle sat. Frank knew something was up her sleeves and it worried him too. He pushed the stool aside and sat close to her, he hung his arms over her shoulder and brought his face very close to get temple. Isabelle could feel his heavy breath brush her shoulder, she skipped a heartbeat. She reached out for her phone and slid it open, she quickly scanned through her photos and found a particular image which she held out to show Frank.
He backed out of the embrace, the picture had taken him aback and he was utterly shocked.

“How did you dig this up?” Frank stuttered.

“Anna did” she demonstrated by shaking her head sideways.

“This is my past baby, trust me” he was kneeling before her in sober now. The once agitated Isabelle felt mellowed by his very acts. She raised his dropped head and felt the wetness. Frank had shed some tears and it disturbed her to see him cry. She rubbed his face with both palms and urged him to smile. After much persuasion, he let out a thin smile. Isabelle felt relieved again and assured him that she felt better. Frank took the phone and deleted the particular photo which had stirred this disturbance between them.
Frank couldn’t risk letting Isabelle know he was a fraudster.

Cont’d

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*A Kiss To Dried Lips*

*Episode Four*

Anna had gone extra miles to find that photo of Frank in the midst of some boys. Boys that had dreads and coloured hairs, tattoos on chests and arms too.

Frank had sworn severally to Isabelle that he never smokes but the image had proved otherwise. The room was smoky and vapes were visibly lying around the place.

He wondered who had leaked the photo they took the previous week during their weekend gathering.

How could he not have known that Abidjan was the culprit? He had taken several shots of them and shared it on his WhatsApp updates. Anna was quick to get a hold of it to show Isabelle. She had searched so long for strong evidence that could taunt her. Isabelle believed that her lover was a saint who neither smoked nor indulged in illegal businesses- to the best of her knowledge of him and all she had observed. Anna thought it was wise to let her experience truly that boys were different breeds of chameleons.

As Isabelle darted eyes on the photo one more time, she could see how the room was filled with smokes and the topless Frank, seated on a bed with his fellow guys. He was sitting like one who was conversant with the environment. Blatantly, Frank’s image posed amidst those of his friends. He held a bottle of whiskey in his hands, while a stick of cigarette tucked firmly behind his ear. His face was wide in excitement and merriment of the moment.

“What kind of man leads life this way?” Isabelle growled from inside. She was ready to confront him with a myriad of questions. How could Frank have lied about not smoking? She’d never bumped into him on one, nor perceived the dry smell in his apartment. Her mind bashed against the bridge of confusion, popping out several questions. Every tip of her entirety beclouded and constantly clashed with a fuse of confusion and anger. Emotional trauma dragged a stream of tears down her succulent cheeks. She could see through the mirror by her left that her makeup was gradually being washed in a flood of tears, drawing lines on her cheeks.

“This is not the man I’ve loved,” She said, staring at the picture again. Just then, Frank, who heard her sniffs from the bathroom trudged in looking stunned. Isabelle quickly hid everything in her handbag.

“What is going on babe?” he asked in a soft tone, leaning closer with his hand crossing Isabelle’s neck.

“Nothing”, Isabelle knew the best solution to such cases with Frank would be a simple lie. She was not ready to let anyone come between them. She was ready to stomach his flaws for the relationship to continue. Not just because of his assistance in times of financial challenges but for she loved him dearly.

“Nothing?” Frank’s eyes brightened. “Your eyes are wet” Frank was now looking into her eyes, trying to pick a reason from her expressions. In as much as he had chosen to live the life of a player, he still loved Isabelle. It beats his heart to see her cry. Isabelle remained mute and just stared into his eyes. “Tell me, babe, what has happened lately?”

“With who?”

“Your family, friends, uncle too.”

Isabelle’s eyes rolled away. Frank has just reminded her about the call she received earlier from Abuchi her younger brother. Abuchi had called to inform her about Uncle Ifebunna’s health.

Uncle Ifebunna had been manhandled by some hoodlums a few days ago. It was rumoured that the touts were arranged by Chief Odili, his business associate whom he owed some money and refused to pay. Hence the sickness. It then dawned on Isabelle that her uncle, though a despotic and frugal man, had got no one else except them to help him come back to life.

“Frank, I will need some money to pay for my Uncle’s hospital bills. He’s really not in good shape right now.” Her mouth moved so fast as she spelt every word, making sure Frank understood the reason for the money.
“Please”

Frank was caught in awe of shock by Isabelle’s quick reaction and sudden demands for money after ages of silence. “What happened to him?” his voice was guttural as he allowed his finger to stroke lovely on her cheeks.

“Don’t worry, I’ll let you know that once I get to the hospital”, Isabelle stood up almost immediately, grabbing her bag to go. “Can you help me please?” she begged again, looking Frank in the eyes.

“Okay” Ordinarily Frank ought to get affronted with such actions, he hardly took it from people, but he chooses not to. He gently reached for Hos mobile phone and transferred some money to Isabelle. After she received it, she gave beams of smiles crawling at the edges of her lips. She then zoomed off with her mind still is reminiscent of the photo that was about to change everything she’d known about Frank

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Thanks for the update

*A Kiss To Dried Lips*

*Episode Five*

Isabelle got to the bank and withdrew half the amount she received from Frank and boarded to the hospital. She met Abuchi at the doorway speaking to someone over the phone. She’d known that her visit there was solely to contribute to clearing the treatment bills.

Uncle Ifebunna’s face was disastrous for her and she wouldn’t spare extra minutes at that place. Abuchi let her know how grave the situation was and described the whole event to her. He’d watched the hoodlums zoom in motorcycles after they perpetuated their act. Abuchi had followed his uncle to a traditional marriage ceremony at the nearby town, it was on their return that this tragedy struck. The young boy scampered into the bush close by to hide his head from injury. The masked men had matchets, one of them had a gun too. Uncle Ifebunna agreed that the masked men told them the reason he was being punished and threatened to return if he didn’t comply in two weeks.

“Two weeks Ada, two weeks has started counting” Abuchi reminded while gesturing both hands in a beggarly way. He alone addressed her by that name, since she was his only sister and was senior too.

“Yen yen yen” Isabelle mimicked his outburst. “This same uncle you care so much about, where are his wife and son?”

“Let’s not go into this” he replied, picking each word.

Isabelle used that condition to remind Abuchi of their past encounters with his son, Obinna and his wicked mother. Before the woman eloped with her son, she planted several seeds of enmity between the two brothers. Isabelle’s father and Uncle Ifebunna continued to be at war end until the death of Mr Nduka.

Uncle Ifebunna let himself be cooked with deceits and false stories. One of such was that his brother believed to be manipulating him with charms. This caused issues between them as Uncle Ifebunna was a staunch Catholic who never misses taking holy communion on the daily. He didn’t take the news likely after his wife told him about it. This caused great tumult in their compound for several weeks, the two brothers engaged in physical fights but no one ever intervened.

A week after one last fight, Isabelle’s father died a bad death. He consumed a few tablets which were later identified to have minute traces of lead.
This news pained the young Isabelle that she swore to help uncle Ifebunna get a bit of what he made her father undergo. It was later discovered that there were no such diabolic plots by Mr Nduka.

As expected, uncle Ifebunna came to seek forgiveness from the poor wife of his brother and the then fatherless duo. That was a wail over spilt milk.

“Abuchi, take” Isabelle tucked some notes into Abuchi’s folded arms and turned to leave.

“Sister, thank you so-”

“Don’t mention, greet Mummy for me, I will come home next week” she convinced him.

Abuchi knew it was another deceitful talk. For three consecutive weeks, she’d promised to return the next week but never did. “Ok, I will send your regards to her” he bade him farewell and ignored her coming part. Isabelle took her turn and returned to the hostel. There were more cuds to chew with Frank but this favour he did for her uncle equally mattered to her as much.

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Well done OP

A Kiss To Dried Lips*

*Episode Five*

Isabelle got to the bank and withdrew half the amount she received from Frank and boarded to the hospital. She met Abuchi at the doorway speaking to someone over the phone. She’d known that her visit there was solely to contribute to clearing the treatment bills.

Uncle Ifebunna’s face was disastrous for her and she wouldn’t spare extra minutes at that place. Abuchi let her know how grave the situation was and described the whole event to her. He’d watched the hoodlums zoom in motorcycles after they perpetuated their act. Abuchi had followed his uncle to a traditional marriage ceremony at the nearby town, it was on their return that this tragedy struck. The young boy scampered into the bush close by to hide his head from injury. The masked men had matchets, one of them had a gun too. Uncle Ifebunna agreed that the masked men told them the reason he was being punished and threatened to return if he didn’t comply in two weeks.

“Two weeks Ada, two weeks has started counting” Abuchi reminded while gesturing both hands in a beggarly way. He alone addressed her by that name, since she was his only sister and was senior too.

“Yen yen yen” Isabelle mimicked his outburst. “This same uncle you care so much about, where are his wife and son?”

“Let’s not go into this” he replied, picking each word.

Isabelle used that condition to remind Abuchi of their past encounters with his son, Obinna and his wicked mother. Before the woman eloped with her son, she planted several seeds of enmity between the two brothers. Isabelle’s father and Uncle Ifebunna continued to be at war end until the death of Mr Nduka.

Uncle Ifebunna let himself be cooked with deceits and false stories. One of such was that his brother believed to be manipulating him with charms. This caused issues between them as Uncle Ifebunna was a staunch Catholic who never misses taking holy communion on the daily. He didn’t take the news likely after his wife told him about it. This caused great tumult in their compound for several weeks, the two brothers engaged in physical fights but no one ever intervened.

A week after one last fight, Isabelle’s father died a bad death. He consumed a few tablets which were later identified to have minute traces of lead.
This news pained the young Isabelle that she swore to help uncle Ifebunna get a bit of what he made her father undergo. It was later discovered that there were no such diabolic plots by Mr Nduka.

As expected, uncle Ifebunna came to seek forgiveness from the poor wife of his brother and the then fatherless duo. That was a wail over spilt milk.

“Abuchi, take” Isabelle tucked some notes into Abuchi’s folded arms and turned to leave.

“Sister, thank you so-”

“Don’t mention, greet Mummy for me, I will come home next week” she convinced him.

Abuchi knew it was another deceitful talk. For three consecutive weeks, she’d promised to return the next week but never did. “Ok, I will send your regards to her” he bade him farewell and ignored her coming part. Isabelle took her turn and returned to the hostel. There were more cuds to chew with Frank but this favour he did for her uncle equally mattered to her as much. Join this blog for more interesting stories and continuation of the story www.Felvicstories.com

A Kiss To Dried Lips*

*Episode Six*

Frank rolled over his bed and suddenly jolted awake from his sleep, he’d barely slept for an hour when his phone startled him. He checked the message notification and it was a credit alert from his bank. He just got half a million Naira payment. He gave a lopsided smile and slumped on the bed on his back. Nothing excited him as much as the way he smartly did his business.

This business has sustained him for three years and has paved the way for better opportunities. It gladdened him too that he could cater to Isabelle’s dues, the girl he loved so much. Just recently, he’d transferred fifty thousand to her, to assist the uncle who was recently hospitalized. This work of his made him live an outrightly conserved life. He hardly moved about in public vehicles nor carried his laptop to go to open places. This was to prevent unplanned search warrants by the police. He couldn’t imagine an arrest at that point in his life so he took every precaution. The country shunned cybercrimes but he alone saw the need for it. He spends several hours each day on the net to eke out a living by the very smart trades he makes with these people meets.

He thought about life-threatening situations he’d been in the past. Once, his sister was arrested for stealing at a supermarket she worked and he paid a huge sum to bail her. Twice in the past year, his mother had slumped at her shop due to cardiac failure. Had he no savings of his own, he would have lost his only parent for a whopping hundred thousand which the hospital had requested since it was an emergency case.

To him, family meant nothing rather than mother and sister. His father died shortly after his birth. Uncles and distant relatives never existed throughout his years till present. He only imagined monstrous men who stole all his late father willed to them, just the way his mother told them when they got older. Virtually all the firms in southeastern Nigeria knew about his stubborn nature. Refusal to leave company premises after being informed about no job vacancies. He definitely fought to lead a responsible life but society didn’t let him.

A second class honour in civil engineering, with only a ten thousand naira job offers, was not what he had planned for himself while at school. The same school he had met his heartthrob. That was in his final year and the young girl’s first year. Isabelle had borrowed his pen at a bank to fill the bank teller for her school fees. Afterwards, it was the exchange of digits by both parties. The next day, Frank discovered the girl had given her the wrong digits after a middle-aged woman picked the calls consecutively. This inked him more than ever that he prayed never to cross such a fresher again. The girl later called him several weeks later when he’d almost gotten over the trick she played.

“This is Isabelle. I sincerely apologize” she had said the moment he picked the call. Her voice mediated the anger waxing in him and the eagerness to blurt the way he felt about what she did.

“It’s fine,” He had said smiling widely.

This last conversation had served the purpose of drawing them together on several occasions until their love grew from mere likeness to affections.

Frank had, from the onset, pressed the button of secrecy by keeping it cool to conceal his personality from Isabelle. But it appears there would soon be an outburst of an open secret, as he had learnt about how obvious his dark secrets seem to be unfolding gradually to her knowledge. He knew he had to do something as soon as possible to avoid letting the cat out of the bag

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