Must Read: The Rich Kids Of Lagos (16+)

7 years ago

Must Read: The Rich Kids Of Lagos (16+)

Aduke looked into Danladi’s face, contemplating the question he had just asked. Should she be upfront and answer honestly, should she sugar coat their reality or tell outright lies? She looked into the face of this man, who meant so much to her and decided that he deserved the truth. She knew she had to be able to throw herself in the deep end with him. She hoped he would be able to accept her as she was.

She took a deep breath and looked into his beautiful eyes. These eyes that could make her heart melt and at the same time, make her so mad. She looked at the beginning signs of crows feet beside them and knew that these had been formed not as the result of a hard life, but by many years of laughter and successes. In all honesty, Gabbo had made her happy but her situation was a lot more complicated than this sort of selfish love he expected.
‘Danladi’, began Aduke, ‘I love you and even as I speak right now, I do not know if this is a good or a bad thing. I have been so confused about us, it has given me a lot of headaches because there are too many factors to consider…’
‘Adu’.. he began, wanting to say something too.
‘Shhhh’ she said, moving close to him and covering his lips with her hands, ‘Please let me finish’ she said
‘You have been such a fantastic man to me, you have taken care of me, provided for me and been much more than I could ever have imagined. This life that you have opened up to me has been the stuff of my dreams. I cannot say how much it has thrilled me. But is this life not more than a dream?’ she asked
Before he could speak, she continued ‘I see how much you care for me and even though you think I do not know, I saw how you struggled to make my mother accept you, bent over to apologise when you misjudged Peter, I have seen you exchange jokes with Bassey, your gatemen and even your office staff. You treat them as equals, you make them feel their opinions matter.

You are a good man, Danladi and all of these have only made me love you so much more’ she said, her eyes filling with tears
‘I have seen you change from the angry, hard, formal man I first met to this romantic, soft, sensitive man and sometimes I cannot even join the dots. You are a man worth loving. There is no woman on earth who would not love you. You are smart, intelligent, good looking. You even treat me as an equal when the mood suits you..’ she said, teasing him.
‘I have never loved like this because…’ she was interrupted by a knock on the door.
‘Come in yelled Gabbo, who was obviously in a hurry to get this conversation over. He was too uncertain of where this conversation was headed and with his many years of experience in negotiations and board rooms all over the world, he was always very sceptical when a story was told from its rosy side first.
‘Sorry sir’ said Bassey as he scurried in ‘Madam has a letter that was hand delivered here’ he said as he crossed over to Gabbo who redirected him to her
‘It is her letter and she is here. Why give it to me?’ he asked, obviously irritated at the intrusion.

Aduke collected the package from Bassey and saw that her name was scrawled at the back of the envelope with a writing that looked very familiar. She wondered what more Peter had to say to her. She knew from the weight of the envelope that this was no ordinary letter.

This package probably contained a lot more. She opened it with her heart in her mouth.
As she looked into the quattro sized envelope, surprised to see a clean wad of $100 bills inside the envelope wrapped in a piece of paper that seemed like a letter
Dear Aduke,
Please find enclosed in this envelope, your money from Alhaji Gabbo. The one you got for very good performance that night so long ago. This is the money that ended our love and our perfect story.

It is the money yourself and Tessy were so desperate to have. I could not believe that you would ever be convinced by another person that I would ever take something that was not rightfully mine. I guess Tessy did a good number on you or perhaps, you were so desperate for the money. I guess I would never know.

I have long retrieved the money from Eno, but just collected it from Femi who kept it in his bank’s safe. I retrieved it from him only yesterday evening. I want you to know that I’m desperately sorry for every word that I uttered that hurt you, I am also sorry for cheating on you with Eno. I was selfish in my actions and did not see past my hurt. I should have forgiven you earlier. You did say you were sorry, but I could not relate. I have lost you to a man I respect so much. I am not angry with him for beating me up – you know I was always willing to take one for you – I still will. I am angry with him for taking my love and making it his. I am angry that he is the one who has the kind of money that makes your world right. I am angry that in spite of everything that we were, you did not believe in me enough.

Perhaps one day, I will be rich like him and can give you everything you’ve ever wanted. Until then, I wish you both all the hapiness you deserve.
I remain forever in love with you,
Peter.

By the time Aduke finished reading the letter, she was in tears. She had hurt Peter so much and now her greatest fears were manifesting.

She looked at Gabbo and wondered why she felt this way. Was it possible for a single human being to be so conflicted?
‘Aduke, what is it?’ asked Gabbo who saw the tears and was worried. ‘Have you received bad news from home? Is it you mother? is everything okay? Do you want me to do anything, shall we go to her? he asked in a rush, wanting as usual to make everything right with her world.
‘This letter is from Peter and it crystallises everything that I have been thinking of, everything that I am worried about. Will I carry on and remain in a relationship where everyone thinks it was only ever about the money? Can I live this life knowing that your friends and associates, mine too will keep thinking I am a gold digger?

Even I am not sure that I’m not here because it is comfortable. Is it fair to do this to you Danladi?’ she asked in a rush
‘As I am, I do not know whether or not my feelings for Peter have evaporated. He sends a miserable letter and look at me, Gabbo I’m in tears. Wailing over this same guy who found it hard to forgive me. This guy who pushed me out.

Do you know why, its because we have so much shared history. I think I still love him, I think I feel guilty because at the end of the day, when the cards are la!d out, I am the one who strayed. I am also the one who has moved along without a backward glance. I am the one who seems to have messed his life up in the process of making mine better. Can I perpetually live in this guilt?’ she asked in tears
‘You, on the other hand have forgiven me so many times that I feel almost spoilt, you have learnt to understand me and tolerate my moods.

Am I your thing for a period before you move on or is this for real Gabbo? she continued
‘At least, with him, it was a stable relationship, perhaps a little boring, but I never complained. If I had listened to him, I would never have been with my friends who spiked my drink and made me act the fool that night. I would not be here with you, our paths might never have ever crossed and you see that night at the restaurant would never have happened because I wouldn’t have been there.’
‘Right now, Gabbo my head isn’t clear and I need it to be. I have my mother to contend with, she has not spoken to me because of this relationship with you, basically because she think I betrayed Peter. I cannot stand that, I need my mommy, I want to make her proud. I need to be sure that even if she does not accept my decisions, she understands them, whatever they are’
‘I should not be with you only because Peter is mad at me. I need to be at peace if I decide to carry on with you’ she said.
‘If Aduke? I see that I am still an ‘if’ with you. I love you Addy and at my age, you do not expect me to write rosy poems, pledging my love to you. I am a man of action and can only show it.

However, I would rather be alone than be an object of pity – that old man that was so desperate, he settled for less. Never! Danladi

Mustapha Gabbo stays only where he is wanted.’ He said, his hurt and anger shining out of his eyes.
‘Go, Aduke. Go and do what is necessary for you to have peace of mind. I need to find my own balance too. You know where to find me IF you decide that you need me’ he said out of gritted teeth. ‘The thing is, I won’t always wait for you’ He said as he walked out of the room.

Aduke crumbled to the floor, her shirt soaked in tears. This life was too hard.