This is a work of fiction, any resemblance to events or people dead or alive is merely a coincidence.

All rights reserved, including the rights of reproduction.

©Gabriel, Odigiri

SECRETS AND WEDDING BELLS EP1

On this day, waiting at the hospital lobby with her wedding gown drenched in his blood, the doctor came with the news that made Iris’s heart stop for a minute. “I am sorry Madam…” you know Doctors. The happiest day of her life had suddenly turned the saddest… She couldn’t even cry or make a sound. It was a sad day on her happy day.

Exactly six months ago, Instagram saw her engagement ring first. At a five-star restaurant across town. Jason had shut it down to go on one knee with his mother’s ring and had asked her the forever question. She screamed a big yes without pausing to think. Of what good was thinking? He was the man of her dream. The prince amongst the thousand and one frogs she has had to kiss in her lifetime. Just a year of dating had earned her the right of a fiancée. She wouldn’t turn him down for anything in the world. Not even the fact that she was nursing feelings for another man.
He was a charming man with a good heart. A tech guy with millions in the account. A feminist but he pays all the bills though. A pacifist doesn’t have a bone of dissension in him. The perfect gentleman. What else could she wish for in a husband? Her engagement photo raked over a hundred thousand likes on Instagram. That’s aside from the hundred reposts and a feature on Instablog. The IT breakout guru Jason Uchendu engages his girlfriend, blogger, and social media influencer Iris Ekeh. It was the talk of the town and she was enjoying every slice of it.

Before they met, she had read an article about him on THISDAY Sunday. How he sold his APP for millions of naira to an IT giant overseas. She was smitten. Couldn’t stop staring at his photo on the feature article. A young man with big dreams was her forte. He didn’t need to do much to win her heart.
He wasn’t on Instagram. IT boys are not very keen on the app, so she went on Twitter. He was there. A sea of his cerebral tweets shaken her a bit. She’s not the very bookish type despite being a literature major, so it was sort of difficult for her to type that first DM that would get his attention. Stuff that interest him wasn’t her forte. Technology. Crypto. Arts. World politics. The weather. She was more invested in pop culture. Give her that and she would eat the conversation like meat. But then she told herself, been a fine girl sliding into a guy’s DM should be enough to get his attention. So she typed ‘Hi Jason, my name is Iris Ekeh, I am a blogger and Instagram influencer, I would love if you could feature on my blog…’ and sent. Waited for him to reply for over a week but she didn’t get any, so she gave up.

But the universe brought them together on this fateful night at a lounge across town. He was there with his guys, Emeka, Jide, Pato, and Gus. It was Gus’s birthday and they had planned this lowkey surprise party for him at the lounge, just the guys, no chicks. A birthday cake and some really expensive drinks.
Iris had come for a girl’s night out with her two besties Linda and Nnenna. They do this sometimes on Fridays like this. Come for some wine tasting and get tipsy, so Saturday would become a blur. But today wasn’t about to lead to another blur as she sighted Jason two tables away from where she sat with her friends. She was going to stand up and walk up to him with: “hey, it’s me, I sent you a dm. I am a blogger of so, so and so…” Wouldn’t want it to feel like an ambush but it was actually. She told her girls about going to the guys' table. They quizzed her about her intention of moving tables in Nnenna’s words: “ashawo, state your mission…” She seemed surprised they couldn’t figure it out even without her telling them.

“So you guys can’t see Jason Uchendu in their midst?”

Puzzled, Linda asked: “Who’s Jason Uchendu?”

"Seriously?” Iris gave Linda a disappointed look and took a sip of one of dem strong wines and off she went. The guys noticed early, this fine slim model-like curvy lady in a red wine mini-dress making for their table. They held their breath.

“Hi, guys…” She has this sweet voice that sends chills. “Looks like you are having a party, Uhm, can I join?” Pato, the sharp guy took her hand and led her to a free seat. It’s a guy's hangout but one lady in the mix won’t hurt. She had intended to go straight for Jason with the whole prepped speech but sitting at the table, making eye contact was a good start.

“What’s your name?” Pato asked, it looked like he was the only one very keen on her presence.

“Oh sorry, it’s Iris…” She thought of what could be on Jason’s mind. Why wasn’t he sizing her up like the others? Maybe he wasn’t into women, that would be a great fail, she thought or he was just the shy type. All these geeks tend to be shy.

"Are you the celebrant?” She directed this to Jason. He initially seemed startled by her question but he swiftly pointed to the glasses-wearing nerdier than the rest Gus. Gus smiled at her but this wasn’t who she wanted a smile from. The other guys had begun to sense her mission here, it was for the whizkid Jason.

TO BE CONT’D

Nice write up, keep going I’m following this bumper to bumper