Finding Grace - Part 3

Lagos, Nigeria

Grace eagerly reached for her phone as it beeped. When she saw a text from Azuka, a sheepish smile somehow found its way to her face. Hey Cece…howdy? It’s a nice, rainy day in London. You’re missing out! She was glad he had stuck with calling her Cece. She liked it – it made her feel like she was special to him. She texted back.  As if any sane human being could miss that your horrible weather!

They texted back and forth a few more times and he finally said he had to go into a meeting. She wondered how he was doing. She hated to admit it…even to herself, but she really missed him. He had become such a big part of her life in such a short time. She had talked to him every day while she was in London and they had become really good friends. Until that last night when for a few heady moments, they had been something more than just friends. The searing heat of that kiss still affected her. She would have been content to just be friends with such a great guy, but that kiss had changed everything. She wanted more…she wanted to hear him call her ‘Cece’ again in those velvet tones of his. She wanted to curl up against him and watch TV in the evenings. She wanted more, but did she dare reach for it? Memories of a past hurt filled her mind and the bitter taste of betrayal left the taste of ashes in her mouth.

Everyone urged her to move on. She wanted to move on. Needed to move on. But something still held her back.

A knock sounded on her office door. “Come in”.

It was her secretary, Tarila. “Madam, somebody is here to see you. She said her name is Annie.”

Annie! She hadn’t seen her in almost a year. Not since the wedding that wasn’t. It would be nice to see how she was doing and catch up on old times.

“Please show her in”. As she waited for Annie, she looked at the digital clock on her desk. 12.15 p.m. Maybe we’ll go out for lunch.

She raised her head as the door opened and almost gasped out loud when she saw her friend. Annie had always been slim, but now she was skinny. She had her hair in a bun and the severe style drew attention to her jutting cheekbones. She wore a smart skirt suit, but the outfit was ill-fitting and at least two sizes too big. Oh, Annie. What happened to you?

Grace jumped up and hugged her friend as she led her to the small sitting area in the corner of her office. As they chatted, Grace asked her friend questions. Gently probing questions. She wanted to know what happened to her friend. Maybe someone died?

Annie smiled slightly as she answered. “I’m doing really well.” “Yeah, I’ve been really busy. Some days I even forget to eat!” “My parents are fine. Everyone is just great”, “I lost weight? Really?”

Grace was stumped. If she’s not sick, and her family is fine, then just what is going on?

She made a decision “Babe, let’s go get lunch. I need to get some food in this tummy!”

Annie demurred “No. I’m good. I ate already”

 “No problem. You can watch me eat”.

They chatted about old friends and caught up on what had been going on with each other. Grace hadn’t seen Annie in almost a year, since the day that would have been Annie’s wedding day. She and Alex were friends with Annie and her fiancé and they had been there at Annie’s wedding. They were as shocked as everyone else when Annie’s father had stood at the front of the church, two hours after the ceremony was supposed to have started and announced that the wedding had been postponed. It wasn’t until later that the real story had come out. Jim had stood Annie up at the altar. He had just sent a note through his best man and not even bothered to show up. Grace had immediately tried to contact Annie, but wasn’t able to. Annie had refused to speak to anyone and had stayed away from other friends’ weddings and events. She hadn’t seen or spoken to Grace until now.

Even though Grace was concerned about Annie, she was glad to see her and they fell back into their rusty, but familiar friendship as they walked the short distance to a small café near Annie’s office.

They sat at a corner table and waited for their food.

Suddenly, Annie made a hissing sound.

“Annie, is anything wrong?”

“Oh. Nothing. I thought I saw someone”

Grace wondered who would have provoked such a fierce reaction from Annie. “Who?”

“Jim”, she answered after a long pause. “I thought I saw Jim.”

Jim, her ex- fiancé. Grace understood how she felt. She didn’t know what she would do if she ran into Alex unexpectedly. She just hoped she would be able to handle it like a sane person.

“Have you seen him since…since the last time?” Grace asked.

Annie nodded. “Yes. I saw him a few months later at Shoprite. He was quite startled to see me.”

Grace could imagine how awkward it must have been. “So, what did you do?”

“Nothing…which I’ve always regretted. I should have rammed him with my shopping cart and taken off running!” Annie said. “Instead, I just turned around like a meek little mouse and almost ran out of there. I stopped going to Shoprite after that. I stopped going just about anywhere just so I wouldn’t see him again.” Annie smiled ruefully. “Today is the first time I’ve left my house in like six months.”

Six months? Sadness for her friend almost overwhelmed Grace. Looking at the shell of a person her friend had become, Grace wondered. Would her fear of being hurt leave her in a prison of her own making, just like Annie? Annie was afraid to leave her house to avoid seeing the man that had left her at the altar. Grace was afraid to love again to avoid being betrayed by another man. She didn’t want to end up like Annie, one year on – and still living in the past while life moved on without her. She reached for her phone. ‘Ask me again’, she texted the now-familiar number. Oh, Azuka….ask me again.

Onyih Odunze

Thanks for reading! Please come back on Sunday June 17th for Part 4.

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