Near Miss

EPILOGUE

Seyi’s team moved to various parts of town around which the shows have been spread, taking in the imposing splendor of the famous concrete jungle called New York. Seyi is somewhat familiar with the feeling of walking these streets because he did as a child with his parents, but for Morenike this is a first. Every walk down the runway was with a new swagger knowing that Morenike was somewhere watching. He was not just another hanger for the clothes, no! He was a peacock showing off his feathers. At most of the after parties of his career so far Seyi took a back seat. Tonight, he got down with the best of them arm in arm with Morenike from the dance floor to the bar. It seems cliché but the days flashed by as they were having the time of their lives.

When the agency and it models had fulfilled their contract to the designers that participated in the event, it was agreed that they should stay for another week before returning to Nigeria. Seyi showed Morenike the sites of New York from the Times Square, to the Brooklyn Bridge, statue of liberty and of course where the twin towers stood. It did not matter where night caught up with Seyi and Morenike they just looked for decent hotel and stayed till sun up, then it’s time to move again. On their way back from Brooklyn, night fell before they could get back to town so they found a hotel to spend the night. On the way to their room they saw a middle-aged woman who appeared to be a little tipsy talking to some hotel officials about a broken item in her room. She was not fussy or angry; in fact, she apologized profusely until she looked up at Seyi and Morenike and recognized Seyi.

“Hi I saw you at the Mercedes Benz Show!” She said aristocratically.

“Yes hi.” Seyi said thinking that she must have been at some long drawn out after party. They continued walking.

“Hold on a minute, let’s get a picture with you.” The woman handed Morenike her android phone with an air of arrogance and latent victory for a brief moment in time where the model is in her arms. This made Morenike want to laugh out loud, but she just smiled and took the picture.

“Thank you.” She said taking her time to let go of his hand. While Seyi was trying to walk the fine line between not being rude and the need to get going, the elevator doors opened and a familiar African woman walked out towards them.

“Where?” He heard her say to her associates. The woman pointed to their general direction. Datare turned and looked straight into Seyi’s eyes. She shook her head as if to clear a hallucination and squinted as she moved closer.

“Sey?”

“Datare.” She closed her eyes for a moment to savor the sound of her name pronounced correctly. She recovered quickly, evaluated the scenario before her. He is here with his girlfriend or wife and she has a job to do.

“I will be with you in a moment.” She said to the older woman and walked towards Seyi. She was not sure how to proceed but one thing she is sure of is that she is really glad to see him; she went with that.

“It is great to see you.”

Seyi did not know what to say. There was a rush of emotion; some happy most sad. But this is not the time or place.

“It is great to see you. You changed a little; I almost did not recognize you. How are you?

Datare smiled self-consciously.

“I am great, but I am working. I will see you later.”

“Sure.”

Seyi watched her as she went to handle her business, leaving him to the same. In their room he felt strange and could not relax even after a bath and meal. He decided to take walk. Morenike did not protest. Running into the person that broke his heart like that can be hard for anyone.

He did not know where he was going until he got into the streets. The night breeze hit his face then he realized that he had to talk to Datare.

He went back into the hotel and asked to see her. He waited at the reception as the front desk official called her office. A few minutes passed before he saw her walking towards him with her hand bag and a coat.

“Are you leaving?”

“Yes, it way past my closing time.”

“Datare what happened?”

She drew in a breath and heaved it out heavily. The dreaded moment is finally here. With a defeated look she said-

“I am sorry Sey. I was stupid. I could not reach you, with all the uncertainty I decided to take another route.”

“How is that route working out?”

She did not give him an answer. The bag she carried seemed to be getting heavier. Seyi felt like a jerk for asking her that.”

“I am sorry. I should not have said that.” Datare just shrugged. “Let’s find somewhere to sit down and talk.”

“Ok but I will not stay too long. I have to head on home.”

They found a restaurant where they sat and talked.

“I know I pushed you to that point where you felt the need to find an alternative. For that I am sorry.” Seyi said when they finally settled in their seat.

“Water under the bridge.” Datare said

“You have changed indeed. You have gained wisdom beyond your years.”

“You can say that again.”

“You have gained some other things too.”

“Keep going and you may have this glass of water emptied on your head.” They laughed.

“I had a baby.” Datare said out of the blue.

“Wow. That is great. Boy or Girl?”

“Girl.” She said handing him a picture of Hope.

“Congratulations.”

“Thanks and on that note I have to get back home to my family.” She got to her feet and together they were back in the streets.

She held her hand out for a cab.

“I guess we were not meant to.”

Seyi just nodded as a cab stopped before them.

“Kind regards to your baby.”

“Hope, her name is hope.” She said as she entered the cab.

“Are you happy Datare?”

“My happy days are more than sad ones. Getting the chance to clear things with you is more than I can ask for.”

Seyi bent into the cab and gave her a bear hug.

“Take care Datare.”He said as he closed the door of the cab.

Seyi walked for a few blocks enjoying his new found peace. Its like the turbulence suddenly stilled around him and he saw clearly. Before him at that moment was a jewelry shop into which he walked.

Morenike could not sleep. She hoped that Seyi was alright. She called for hot chocolate as she waited for him. Sure enough Seyi came before she could worry out of her mind.

“Hey.”

“Are you alright?”

“Yes.”

“Did you see her?”

“How did you know that I went to see her?”

“Lucky guess.”

“Yes, I saw her we talked and I am back.”

“Great, I am glad you did not run off with her.”

“Were you jealous?”

“Nah, the senior lady made me more jealous than your old girlfriend.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes!”

“Is that why you could not sleep?”

“I could not sleep because I care about you and wanted to be sure that you are ok.”

“Why would you do that?”

“Because I love you.”

“That is strange, because I was just thinking the same thing on my way back.” The light moment turned thick when Seyi got on his knees.

“I walk into this chic little store and came out with this.”

He held up a little glass case for her to see before opening it to reveal a ring.

“Marry me.”

Morenike was touched. She was humbled that he thought of her in this way after seeing his old flame.

“Of course, I will marry you.”

He removed the ring and put it in her finger. He held her close. Yes, this is what love should feel like; an old friend, home.