repogirl:
I had been quiet all along, listening, entranced, he meant every word and knowing that he did broke something in me. It suddenly seemed like something in me was loosened.

I couldn't explain it but I knew what had to be done. Barbie had been right, I had been holding on to all the hurt but now,listening to all he'd said, I felt lighter. I didn't want to hold on to any of it anymore now that I understood all that had really happened.

“Dad,” I began taking his hand in mine and squeezing tightly. I didn't recall ever making such a gesture. “Dad, it's okay.”

It was all I could say as both our gazes met and held.
I wanted to say more but I was having a hard time putting words together right now. So I just held his hand and we stared at each other as a silent understanding passed between us and we both knew it was all going to be okay.

I even managed a small smile, a genuine and effortless one.

We stayed that way for a while until I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to see my mom, she was smiling but I sensed something more in the smile.

“You have a visitor, dear.” She said.

“A visitor?” I frowned and she nodded.

“A very pretty petite little lady.” She described, her smile growing wider.

“Petite… Barbie!” I exclaimed as it dawned on me. She was here?”

I turned to look at the door way and there she was, looking so beautiful in a champagne coloured knee length gown, a black blazer over it and a small umbrella in her hand.

“Barbs!” I said still surprised to see her here.

She stepped into the room, looking quite uncertain and shy. “Hello David…. Hello Mr. Oghene…. It's good to see you're up now.” She said politely, addressing my dad.

“Thank you, My dear…. David, do you care to do the introductions?” My dad asked.

“yeah...umm, Barbie, these are my parents… Dad, Mum, meet Barbara...My…” my voice faltered as I wasn't sure what term to use, girlfriend?

“I'm friends with David, we work together.” She said saving me the trouble of coming up with something.

“Oh?” My mom raised a brow, her eyes briefly meeting mine. She wasn't buying it, she could tell there was something more here, my dad probably sensed it also.

“Dad, mom, please excuse us.” I said and without waiting for their reply, I took Barbie's hand and led her out.

“I'm really sorry for barging in on you like this..it's just..I.. I'm so sorry Dave, for this morning. All I said about you being damaged goods and all that….I was just angry at the and even jealous of the other lady you were talking with. When I… I… all day I couldn't think straight, I just had to say I was sorry for acting the way I did and everything I said.” She said, looking up at me with those large, beautiful brown eyes I loved staring into.



“Hold on, hold on Barbs,” I stopped her, taking her hand and pulling her closer. “I swear to you, I was talking to my friend, Franklin. No lady, I swear.”

She frowned, I could still see a tinge of doubt on her.

“Seriously, do you need proof?” I had to ask.

“No no, Dave...I really don't care for all that...it's just… I just…since I left your place, I've not been myself. Everything I try to do just goes wrong ...I really don't understand and I've just about had it. I couldn't concentrate at….”

“Wait..wait, everything you try to do goes wrong?” I asked to be sure I understood her.

“Yes!” She exclaimed, “I just figured I needed to apologise to you and all would be well. I need things back to normal.”

“Barbs, same thing has been happening to me!” I exclaimed. “All day...I didn't know what to make of it. How is it possible?” I asked confused, how could the both of us be going through the same thing?

I know I'd said the Universe had been punishing me but I'd half believed it myself. It was an absurd theory, really.

Now, for Barbie to say she'd been going through the same thing kind of made my theory realer than ever, unless….a thought occurred to me then, “Wait! Franklyn didn't put you up to this, did he?”

I had told Franklyn about my day and the universe conspiring against me and all that. Had he called up Simi? Had they asked her to come down here and play the same scenario with me? Was it all planned work? I couldn't put it past them to do something like that.

She frowned looking genuinely confused. “Who’s Franklyn…. Is he from work?”

I stared at her suspiciously, not buying the act, so O asked again. “Are you, Franklyn and Simi up to something here?”

“What are you on about? David. I don't know whoever this Franklyn is…. Simi told me you would be here and that's how I knew where to meet you.”

She explained but I still didn't believe her. “So you just happen to be having a bad day just as I am? You mean to say the universe is trying to get us back together? Wouldn't that be romantic?”

“What are you going on about?” She asked, the crease between her forehead when she frowned, deepening. “I came here to apologise about my outburst this morning and you're here talking about the universe and getting back together. For your info... I didn't come to beg for you to have me back. I just came to say I was sorry. Gosh! What a jerk?”

She was pissed now… genuinely pissed. By now I knew her pissed off face. I finally believed that my friends hadn't put her up to this, she looked too genuinely pissed to be acting.


'Shit!’ I had messed up again big time and she wasn't finished.

“Seriously, I'm done here Dave. I'm so... done…. Gosh, I don't care if this string of bad luck never ends but I'm surely done with you.”

She jerked her hand from mine and began walking off.

“Hey, hey,” I went after her, trying to figure how to smooth things over. Me, my big mouh and my suspicions had brought upon another rift even before we could settle the last one.

“Barbs please….. for a moment there I just thought my friend Franklyn had put you up to this… and I wouldn't put it past him but I guess he didn't. I apologise for my attitude, please.”

“Why would he put me up to this?” She asked without slowing down. She seemed very determined to get away from me.

“Well… he felt responsible for the fight in the morning, because I'd been on the phone with him and you misunderstood what we'd been talking about….. Then I also told him about the strange occurrences that had been happening to me since morning, so ..”

“Strange occurrences?” She asked, glancing briefly at me while still walking.

“Yes, same string of bad luck like yours…”

“Wait! Did you have a flat tire? ” She asked suddenly stopping in her tracks now.

I stopped also, taken aback. “Yes! Twice today! You did too?”

“Yeah, that was the last straw for me...I misplaced my purse, broke a heel at the office and just couldn't concentrate on work, so I decided to make things right between us but in your typical fashion, you had to be sarcastic and then accuse me of conniving with whoever….. You are such a jerk, David, I see that clearly now. I have to leave please.”

She resumed walking and I followed after her again.

“Hey, hey… I'm no jerk, Barbs, how can you say that when you know me.” I said. “I just misunderstood things, same as you did this morning, we all act irrationally and say stupid stuff sometimes…..”

“Oh, now you're calling me stupid and irrational? Seriously Dave?” She asked, doubling her footsteps and moving really fast for her size.

“Barbie please, you know I didn't mean it like that, can you just stop? Please… let's talk.”


“I've got nothing to talk about, Dave… It's clear you will only keep getting me pissed and I know I can forgive you for it because of the feelings I have for you... but I just don't need this sort of drama between us everytime. All I want is a normal relationship which you can't even give me, so there's just no point.”

She had stopped at the exit to the building now. The rain was still pouring outside, still so heavy I doubted she could brave it with her little umbrella.

“Barbie, please I beg you...let's sit somewhere and talk. Please, let's figure this out.”

“I'm done talking Dave. Don't even bother with the WhatsApp messages anymore, I won't return them and don't stalk me or anything…. I'm prepared to leave the country if only to avoid you. I've done it before, I can do it again.”

She made to step out through the doors and I held her back.
“Come on Barbs, it's raining heavily. You can't go out in the cold just because of me.”

“Yes, I can, Dave.” She said, “I don't care if I have four flats, I'll take a cab just to be away from you.”

It hurt to know that was how badly she wanted to get away from me but I pleaded one last time. “Barbs, please...”

But she was gone, the automatic doors closing behind her as I stood watching her run into the rain, under the tiny umbrella.

What had I done? She'd put pride aside, even after all the harsh words I'd rained on her that morning. She'd driven here and apologised but I'd thrown it all back at her with stupid accusations. Gosh, maybe I really was a jerk.
*****