Wedding Eve Error

Chapter 7

As they entered the venue for the birthday party, Micheal kept on scanning the crowd for Mark. Mark is Micheal’s best friend as well as the celebrant. They have been friends since secondary school; they also attended the same university. Mark studied accounting just as Rose. “Hey man, I’ve been looking for you, where have you been?” Micheal asked as he saw Mark walking towards them. “I’ve been here and there trying to ensure my guests are comfortable” he answered as he hugged him. Then he looked beside him “uhmm..and who is the damsel gracing my party with her presence?” he asked while gesturing at Klara. “Oh, this is my girlfriend Klara, I told you about her on the phone already” Micheal answered. “Hi Klara, nice to finally meet you, he’s been talking so much about you for the past two days now” Mark said while he brought his hand to shake Klara's. She took his hand, “it’s nice to meet you too, he told me a lot about your friendship also.”

“Alright, alright, enough of the pleasantries, where can I get alcohol guy, I need to be high!” Micheal asked excitedly. “High? remember you are going to drive babe” “I know, I just want to get a little alcohol in my system, that’s all. Besides, you can drive us if at all I end up getting drunk since you don’t drink. I can direct you” he winked at her and she smiled shyly. They met with and greeted some of Micheal’s acquaintances and old classmates. Klara enjoyed every bit of the party even though she doesn’t know anyone there except Micheal.

Mark works at a firm in Abuja but he likes coming down to Asaba to celebrate his birthday because that's where his family stays and that’s also where he grew up. Almost all his friends are in this city, the only people around him in Abuja are his colleagues with which he discusses only work-related stuff. “Micheal, I’m glad you are finally going to relocated to Abuja, can’t wait to take you round the beautiful city when you come!” he shouted because of the loud music playing. Micheal smiled at him as he nodded to the music playing. “What is he talking about, you are relocating to Abuja?” Klara asked in confusion. “Yes babe, we will talk about it later ok” he said as he guided her through to an empty table. “ok” she nodded.

As they were chatting and laughing, someone drew the empty seat on their table and sat down. They looked up and saw who it was, ‘Rose’. “You invited her, why?” Micheal whispered to Mark. “No I didn’t” he replied in confusion. Rose seemed to understand what they were talking about, “no one invited me, I just followed an old friend of mine who happened to be your old classmate because I knew I was going to see you here since you’ve been ignoring my calls and texts” she said while glaring at Micheal. Then she looked at Klara, “I thought you said this b***h is just a family friend who is like a sister to you?” “I said that back then to avoid your drama and embarrassment, I really don’t owe you any explanation but if you must know, Klara here is now my girlfriend” Micheal said. “Hahaha…you think I will ever let you go easily just like that to be with another girl, you know how much I love you and you still want to leave?” “Whatever you think you feel for me is not love Rose, it’s obsession, and I hope you get help for yourself because it’s getting out of hands and I can’t deal with it anymore” he said as he got up and drew Klara up from her seat. “Let’s go babe, we can’t stay here any longer, I will call you Mark, happy birthday once again” “Happy birthday Mark have a goodnight” Klara said as she is being dragged away by the waist. She had been listening to Micheal and Rose talk, but didn’t know what to do or say. She had received warnings from some girls in the past to leave their boyfriends who were just her friends or acquaintances and she had always laughed about it; but the present situation is more real and serious. She hasn’t fought for any guy’s attention with another girl before, she doesn’t know how to and she doesn’t want to. Especially when that guy is Micheal, the only man she has come to love.

When they got outside the party venue, Micheal turned her to face her, “I didn’t plan for whatever happened in there, I didn’t know she was going to be here, I’m so sorry for how that must have made you feel and I promise to avoid anything that would bring about this kind of situation again” he said with so much love and remorse in his eyes that made her melt. She got closer to him, stood on her toes and kissed him. She didn’t know what was wrong with her, why she was kissing him, she just felt like it. Micheal was taken by surprise; this isn’t what he expected from her. So he held her waist, drew her into his body and kissed her back with so much tenderness. He then broke off the kiss and held her in an embrace. “I don’t want to fight over you with another girl” she said in a low tone after being in his arms for a while. “I don’t want that either and I promise you that it’s not going to happen again” he kissed her hair and held her tighter.

“I love you” she said in a low voice while raising her eyes to meet his. He felt like cold water was poured on him, he never knew this sentence can carry so much peace. He wanted to say those words to her while they were in front of their door last night but couldn’t because he felt it to be too sudden and that she might not believe him. But hearing her say it now cleared all his doubts. Yes he loves her, even though he doesn’t know when it started or that it feels so sudden. He loves her and has never been more sure of his feelings before. He kissed her on the lips, “I love you, and I promise to make you happy and keep you safe.” She hugged him while resting her head on his shoulder. She has always fantasized about falling in love someday, but she didn’t know her heart will be capable of giving this much love to a man. She loves this new feeling of hers and it fills her up.

By the time they got home, they didn’t meet anyone downstairs; they have all retired to their rooms. He followed her into her room. She dropped her bag and sat on her bed, he sat beside her. “So..your flight is by 8:30 am tomorrow?” He asked while scanning the room. “Hmmm, I’m done packing my stuff” she replied. “I wish you could stay just for another day” he said in a sad tone. “Me too, but I have to start work officially tomorrow at one of my dad's hospital” she said. “Yeah..missing you already, the house will never remain the same when you leave” Micheal said gloomily. “I will miss you too, so much” she said with so much passion in her eyes. He moved closer to her side, caressed her face with his left palm, and brought his lips to hers in a passionate kiss. Before she knew it, she was already lying on her back with him on top still kissing her. She didn’t understand why her body was reacting the way it was doing, the feeling was all new to her. He stopped abruptly as he was about opening up her buttons, "you really need to get hold of yourself, your parents are in the next room Micheal” he cautioned himself as he cursed inwardly. He looked at her, she was still dazed. He smiled, kissed her nose and said, “we have to leave for the airport by 7:30 so to get there on time for your flight. “Huh? oh ok” she said shyly. He smiled as he saw how flustered she was “goodnight angel” “G goodnight” she stammered.