OPEN HEART SURGERY

THROWING STONES AND PILLOWS

She packed and styled her hair high up, something she did only on special occasions. The hair style made her look different and her beauty much more outstanding.

Dara stood watching her do her makeup as her eyes also scanned the room, trying to count the number of new dresses she noticed on the bed. Recognizing the style of the short gowns, she could tell the designer and could also guess how Nicole came about them.

Nicole turned around "How do I look?”

Dara marveled, Nicole had taken her breath away but Dara was not sure if that happened because of her fears or simply because of how breathtaking Nicole looked. Nicole reminded her of 'The Devil wears Prada', a movie Nicole used to watch over and over again until she could recite the lines of all the major characters. "You look beautiful." Dara replied.

Although Nicole wore Prada, she had no horns and no tail. She looked so angelic and would not let the colors riot even though she wore five different countries on one beautiful body. A pair of wine Prada boots, an Ezimma short gown, David Yurman jewelries, a Gucci hand bag and a Viktor & Rolf perfume. "Where are you going?" Dara asked in bewilderment.

“I'm going out with Zak." She replied, happily.

“Why didn't you tell me?"

Nicole turned to face the mirror. "I wanted it to be a surprise." She replied in a mumble as she cleaned the excess red lipstick off the corners of her mouth.

“Well, I'm surprised because lately you've been highly unpredictable." Dara said, struggling to suppress a rising anger.

Nicole turned to her sharply. "What's so unpredictable about going out with Zak?" She said, almost angrily. "I'm I supposed to be playing a sneaky game here?”

“You're acting like it." Dara replied.

Nicole dropped her bag on the bed almost pissed off. "I'm sorry if that's how it looks. Now you know! I'm going out with Zak."

“Going out as in a relationship or going out as in just going somewhere?" Dara asked.

“Dara, you're the one becoming unpredictable," Nicole said. "Going out is going out!" She grabbed her bag and stomped to the door.

Dara gently pulled her back. "I'm sorry Honey, I didn't mean to sound like that, I just don't know what's wrong with me.”

Nicole smiled, and made Dara sit on the bed. "I think you're working too hard on this new job, sometimes you need to take a break and be Dara for a minute." Nicole said. "Try not to miss me, I'll be back soon.”

“Can I come?" Dara asked, not sure if she wouldn't mind dressing and looking that hot and happy.

“No! You can't, it's a date, not a family reunion. Wish me luck." Nicole said.

She smiled and raised her hands to Nicole's head as Nicole bent to her lips and got a peck on the head. "You look gorgeous. I hope he doesn't propose to you today." Dara teased.

Nicole laughed, "Common! Stop it.”

Dara pushed her on gently. "No s*x and no kissing."

“I know the rules! Stop being a silly girl." Nicole replied, and walked out of the room with springs of joy in her every step.

Nicole sighed and fell back on the bed with arms spread, talking to the ceiling. "Maybe that's all you are Dara. Maybe a silly girl is all you will ever be." Her words silenced into thoughts. You might be a silly girl, but you are not silly enough to let a dumb blond-. Her thoughts halted because she knew better, that Nicole was far from a dumb blond and that was going to make a lot of things much more difficult for her.

Zak inserted the password and the door slid open, he held her hand and walked into the massive room. Nicole froze at the graceful sight. "What is this?" Nicole asked. "It's your mother's." She guessed.

“It's definitely not Nene's room." Zak replied.

Nicole had never seen anything like it. She was completely overwhelmed and unaware that the shock had left her mouth open for as long as her disbelieve and speechlessness remained.

Nicole walked slowly to the numerous beautiful short gowns displayed before her eyes. Her curiosity sent her straight for the Label, 'Ezimma' was the signature. The other dresses, skirts and shirts were of various top ranking designers of all times. The east and west wall had countless designer shoes and bags. The room was a fashion house.

Zak pointed. "That door leads to my parent's room," He said. "This was her wardrobe.”

“This is unbelievable," Nicole finally found words. "This is glorious!" She said, as she ran from one end of the room to the other checking out everything that grabbed her attention. "Zak please tell me who this woman was, this is absolutely 'off the hinges'." Nicole screamed excitedly.

Zak laughed at her display of joy. "You talked a little about fashion but you never told me you were crazy about it.”

“I'm not!" Nicole yelled excitedly. "I'm just so in love with this woman. I can't imagine your father fitting into her life style and yet I can tell she fitted him into it.”

“My father wasn't always this stone and knife, he wasn't always The General. Her absence changed him.”

Nicole's smile faded into a frown. "Wait a minute Zak, you mean all those short gowns you've been sending to me, all came from this room?”

“No, I bought them." Zak replied.

“I don't believe you.”

Zak took her hand. "How about I take you to the shop where I buy them?" He said, and led her out of the room.

Zak drove the Jaguar through Ezimma Street, and although the South gate would have been closer, authorization was required to gain access to the southern section of Top View Villa since the National Intelligence Headquarters was situated in the south. So they drove through the East gate, chatting excitedly until Zak drove into Ezimma Avenue. "Who the hell is this Ezimma! Is he the Bill Gates of Africa?" Nicole asked.

Zak looked threw a quick glance at her and smiled. "She's my mother."

Nicole's shock absorbers were in perfect condition, "Your mother?" He had never told her his mother's name and she had never asked, it just never came up. She lifted her eyes to the magnificent edifice. 'Ezimma' was written everywhere. They walked in through the front door and Nicole began to connect the dots. He led her into a more private looking hall and everything connected. "It's a fashion house." Nicole said. "Ezimma fashion house," She reaffirmed.

The hall was quiet and void off people then Zak said, "It's not only a fashion house, it's also your birthday Nicole.”

“Happy birthday!!!" The words and voices that hit Nicole and echoed the popular happy birthday song came from about fifty strangers with a 'say cheese' kind of smile, as they sang the song joyfully.

Nicole was awed as she watched two ladies roll in a birthday cake. Dr. Emem and Dara walk up to give her a hug. "Happy birthday Honey," Dara said. Nicole's shock absorbers could no longer take it, as she began to cry on Dara's shoulder. She had thought they had both forgotten her birthday.

Nicole's birthday celebration at Ezimma fashion house was a stylish one. From the Creative Director to the Fashion Trainee, all had something nice to say about Nicole. Some of the staff had suggested she'd join the company while others thought she could start as a model. "Christina, She's only here as my girlfriend and not job seeking." Zak said.

Christina Brown was the head of fashion design team. "What are you talking about Zak? Take a look at her, that girl is hundred percent designers." Christina said, excitedly.

“Why don't you talk to her about it?" Zak said, trying to dismiss Christina as well as her many ideas and plans for Nicole.

“Thanks Dr. Zak, that's all I wanted, Permission." Christina said, as she walked away.

Zak bit his lip and reached out a hand towards her, then stopped suddenly. "Christina, please don't!”He begged, but Christina pretended not to have heard him as she walked into the crowd, towards Nicole.

Mr. Zion gently clang his wine glass with his key, he was the marketing and promotional manager as well as Zak's personal friend and adviser. "Attention please," He began his speech. "Some of you might be wondering why we're celebrating a non staff, just as Nicole would be wondering why these strangers are celebrating her.”

“Because she's the blondest celebrity in town." Ogemdi, the witty store manager said with an Igbo accent, and everyone laughed.

“I had told Zak," Zion continued. "We had threatened Dr. Zak," He corrected, and gestured to some of the top management staff. "That if he did not introduce one special girl to us before the year ran out, we would all quit and shut down the company.”

“And his mother's spirit would have stricken him with the thunder of Omadioha." Ogemdi interrupted again, and got the same response.

Mr. Zion smiled and raised his glass. "He has not only introduced that special girl, but has also introduced to us the most beautiful white girl we have ever seen." Zion continued. "Nicole, we're not just a fashion house, we are also a family and you are welcome to join our family. If I'm not alone on this, can I get a witness?" Mr. Zion said, excitedly. The house applauded and those closest to Nicole gave her light hugs as she blushed endlessly.

Mrs. Lillian Fasbendar was the company's creative director. She was right beside Mrs. Ezimma Ikenna as a friend and as a partner from the inception of the vision of Ezimma fashion house. "When ownership of 'Ezimma' was willed to Zak, he was still a boy and I was skeptical about a lot of things but since Ezimma Ikenna left us on this same date, many years ago, Zak became the next best thing that happened to us." Mrs. Fasbendar said. "And today as we remember her, we also celebrate a woman she would have really loved to meet." Mrs. Fasbendar raised her glass for a toast. "A toast, to long life and prosperity, love, and to the future."

Nicole had blushed, cried and laughed at the love she received at her surprised party after which she and Zak had gone on their date, which was so awesome and they had wished it would last forever. “Why do they say nothing last forever?" Nicole asked.

It was already night when Zak drove in, and parked the Jaguar. "Because it's a saying." Zak replied.

“That's my question, why is it said? Do you believe in that saying?”

"I only believe what i say and can understand." Zak replied. Nicole picked her bag and her new iPod, one of her many birthday gifts from the fashion house as she stepped out of the car, he held her hand and took her to the back of the house.

Nicole looked at him suspiciously. "What are doing Zak, don't you think I've had enough surprises for one day?" Nicole said, and then she saw the large tent Zak had built in the lawn by the pool. It was a roofless hexagonal tent with white curtains "It's beautiful!" Nicole said, and ran to it. It housed two reclining chairs, a bottle of wine and a couple of glasses hanging on an outdoor wine and glass holder, not too far from a wash hand basin on its stand.

“We are going to need a bed, don't you think so?" Zak said.

“That depends on what you intend to build or do." Nicole replied.

Zak smiled. "I'm going to build as many things as possible in one night. Why don't you get some pillows from the house while I fix the bed?”

Nicole watched him walk to the small building that looked like a garage. The ring on her phone diverted her attention and she began speaking into it. "No! Thanks, we've already had dinner." The light in Nene's room came on and Nicole could see Nene by her room window with the phone to her ear. Nicole waved excitedly. "Instead of getting us dinner out here, why don't you get us some pillows?" Nicole said and Nene was out of sight in no time.

Zak returned to the tent with an army green Knapsack, emptying its contents to the ground, he began to fix a bed. "What do you think?" He said, tying a loose rope of the tent to its peg.

Nicole laughed. She could imagine lying with her heart surgeon in the tent while listening to him mend her heart with his words that were never wrong. "Let me get the pillows." She said.

“No, let me get them, it's your day and i just remembered you don't have to lift a pin today."

“I want to! Being lazy on special days only makes it boring. Nicole said. Nene had appeared at her window again with a pillow. "What's she doing?”

Zak chuckled. "Were you expecting her to bring it down here for us? She intends to throw it down, that's what she's doing." Zak said. "And that's why I offered to get them.”

“Catching them will only be more fun for me." She smiled.

“Just don't hurt yourself."

Nicole eyed him in disbelieve. "Zak, she's throwing pillows and not stones." She said, walking to Nene's window.

Nene threw down a pillow and Nicole almost caught it but it touched her hand and fell on the flowers. Nicole waited for Nene to throw down the second pillow but instead, Nene's room lights went out. Nicole smiled, hugged the pillow and walked back to Zak, happy that Nene was not treating her like The General.

Zak was done with the bed and she dropped the pillow on it, took off her boots and jumped into the bed. Zak called out to a guard, and the entire backyard went dark. "What happened?" Nicole inquired.

“Patience my dear, darkness is only the absence of light, and with your presence, light can never be truly absent." He said, to the figure on the bed. He washed his hands and served the wine. "Happy birthday to 'my beautiful'," Zak continued as he raised his wine glass to hers, he took one of the chairs beside the bed.

She smiled. "It's such a beautiful night, look at the moon Zak!”

“Civilization has a way of closing the curtains on the beauty of nature. There are many more beautiful nights as this in Bekinta." Zak said.

“I would really love to go there someday.”

A car light shun at the front of the house. "My father is back." Zak announced. The announcement drained some of Nicole's enthusiasm as she let go a weak unenthusiastic smile. "What's wrong?" He asked.

“What did I do to him Zak?" She asked.

“Who?”

“Why doesn't he like me?”

“Zak smiled and moved over to the bed beside her. "He does. He's just being a soldier.”

“But the same soldier treats Dara differently.”

“That's because he doesn't know you like he knows her. When he does, he's going to love you." Zak explained.

“That's not true, he was nice to me initially but one day he woke up and his attitude towards me just changed. Something must have caused it." She queried, discontentedly.

“Beautiful, please don't make this fine day turn sour. You're in a relationship with me and not with my father. Nothing and no one is going to come between us." He held her hand to assure her on that.

Nicole looked at him with a smile that still had some doubts in it. "If your father does not have a say in your relationship, that's encouraging coming from an African.”

“You know that's the part I'm supposed to kiss you?" Zak said, jumping at his opportunity to change the subject to something more exciting.

“Don't even come near me," She pushed her glass to his face. "And stop threatening me with that 'kiss stuff'. How many times do you kiss me in a day even when I haven't done anything wrong?"

“Nicole, you know you've got guts like a maggot to be yelling at your judge when you know you're guilty. Zak said, and tickled her.

“Did you just call me a maggot?" She said, laughing and rolling on the bed. He smiled and held her from falling over the edge as she continued to laugh happily.

“That was a figure of speech. It's called a 'simile'." Zak said.

“You're an ass!" Nicole said.

“Why?”

“That was a figure of speech. It's called a 'metaphor'." Nicole replied, laughing uncontrollably as she gently pushed him on the bed. She hugged and squeezed into him the excitement of something she could not explain. She caught the scent of his heavenly made perfume as she rested on his chest, the place where she always dreamed of staying forever. They stared into the sky. Her eyes had adapted to the darkness and she could see the moon and the stars that filled the sky. The calm night breeze made the curtains dance a silver dance under the silvery moon. "Zak, this is glorious.”

Zak cleared his throat and smiled at her, then took a deep breath and began to sing.

“A million shines of stars, in the night sky.

Glitters of gold bars, a silver spoon in my hand.

Non-compares to you, nothing can be you."

Nicole lifted herself and stared into his face. "I'm shy," Zak said, burying his face into her chest like a child. "How did I sound?" He laughed.

She was completely taken by the grace and control in his voice. "Zak, you can sing? That was sweetness in its self Zak. What else haven't you told me about you?”

Zak smiled, sadly. "That was the last song my mom wrote, she told me to complete it.”

Nicole felt sorry for him and she laid back and hugged him. "Did you?"

“Yes I did.”

“Can you sing it for me?" Nicole asked quietly but he did not reply. "You don't have to, if you don't want to." She told him.

Zak pushed her up gently. "Why don't you sing for me?”

“I can't!" She laughed. "I'll be a better brain surgeon than a singer.”

“Common, any song at all will do. Dido, Adele, Natasha Bedingfield-.”

“Why are you picking a particular set of artiste?" Nicole grumbled.

“I don't see you being the Eminem type." Zak replied.

“Okay, let me think of one." Nicole said, lifting her eyes to the sky, she began.

“I know you're somewhere out there, somewhere far away.

I want you back-.”

“But I'm here, what are you talking about?" Zak interrupted.

Nicole threw a hand in the air. "That's it! I'm not singing anymore." She protested. "I wasn't referring to you, that song came into my mind because of that moon up there." She pointed to the sky.

Zak laughed at her agitation "Okay let's sing it together. I think I know the chorus. That's Elton John, right?”

Nicole laughed almost to senselessness, and then she plugged an ear piece to his ear and the other to hers. "You are such a doctor. It's a 'Bruno Mars' song." She lay back in his arms at her favorite position as they listened to the song while she sang along.

“I know you're somewhere out there, somewhere far away

I want you back…"

Zak joined her on the chorus as they sang and smiled at each other.

“At night when the stars light up my room, I sit by myself talking to the moon.

Trying to get to you.

In hopes you're on the other side talking to me too, or am I a fool who sits alone talking to the moon?”

Zak took a part in the song, making Nicole sound really good. "Oh! God," Nicole screamed, excitedly. "I can sing! I sound better than Kiara."

"Kiara is your sister, right?"

"Yea, she's a music teacher and she's really good."

"You've never really told me about her." Zak remarked.

"That's practically all about her except that she has three kids which you already know, and I love those kids with the whole of my heart."

He drew her to himself. "How about you, how many kids would you like to have?”

Nicole always felt more at ease every time he drew her close and he always knew when she was tensed and how to administer the cure. "Three! But I'm sure whoever he is going to be, will also have a say in it, right?”

“You sound like a submissive and loyal wife to be." Zak teased.

“I could be but I wouldn't like that to be taken for granted.”

“Do you think it's possible for any sane person to take anything about you for granted?" Zak asked. Maybe Zak was not aware, but Nicole had begun to count the number of men that had refused to recognize her worth. "How many guys have you had before me?"

Nicole almost jumped out of her skin. Why would he ask such a question? "I'm not going to answer that question." Nicole bit her lips and eyed him. "Tell me about yours, which was the most significant one?”

Zak hesitated before he answered. "Her name is 'Adaeze', she works with an oil company in Port Harcourt.”

“Oil Company? That sounds like a lot of money." Nicole said.

“Adaeze was a long time ago.”

“Who was the last one?" She probed.

“Staff Sergeant Diana." Zak chose to shoot his reply this time, and it came like a slug to Nicole.

The name shot straight for her brain. "The pretty soldier in command of Top View West Gate?" Nicole asked, and prayed he'd say no.

“Yes." Zak replied.

“What happened?" She asked.

"Nothing, we were not really in love and we knew from the start that the relationship was only temporary.”

Nicole smiled understandingly. "So it was all about s*x, friends with benefits?" Nicole interrogated. Zak didn't know what to answer, because that was the only term that defined the relationship accurately. "Fine, I see you can't answer that, so answer this. Does she know about us?"

“Relax Niki, it's over with Diana.”

“Zak, I need to be sure because I don't want to get shot." She said, and smiled, gazing into his eyes as she got on top of him. "Zak, you're everything I ever wanted. If I'm dreaming, Please don't wake me up.”

“I love you Nicole and you are not dreaming. And if you think you are, you better wake up, because I'm here to stay" He whispered into her mouth as they held each other in their eyes, his seriousness became contagious and she kissed him gently.

The associates of a passionate kiss all came alive as Zak's hands began to find its way into her dress from the top but it got stuck. He tried it from the bottom and that was easier, so he went higher up and almost got there. "Stop!" Nicole halted him, where she always did, just before he went too far.

She didn't want him to go beyond where she wouldn't be able to stop him. "Are you giving me the ninety days rule Nicole?" Zak asked in frustration.

“What's the ninety days rule?"

“When a girl says, I'm going to date him but he has to wait for three month before he gets anything that starts with an 's', and ends with an 'x'." Zak explained.

Nicole feigned ignorance and Innocence. "Seriously, so how did you know about the ninety days rule, have you been a girl before?" They both chuckled. "Look Zak, I'm not giving you a ninety days anything." Nicole continued. "I just don't want us to rush into it.”

“Nicole it's been almost two months and you call that, rush?"

“Yes I do, because it's not running, unless you have a good reason why we should rush it. I'm willing to listen.”

“Perfect! Now she's playing it the oxford style, brains for brain." Zak said in surrender.

Nicole kissed him again and rolled off his body. "Common, stop sulking about s*x and start worrying about saving lives." She said. "You're a doctor not a porn director."

Zak instantly knew that sealed her disapproval. "Wow! I thought Dara was hash, but Nicole you are absolutely …" Zak was still trying to find the most appropriate word to describe her meanness when her phone rang.

Nicole made a face at Zak. "Mama calls.”

“Niki do you have a wrist watch?" Dara's voice filtered from the phone. "What says your time and where are you?" Dara continued.

“We're already back home and I'm on my-"

“Give the phone to Zak!" Dara's voice interrupted, and commanded.

"Hello Dara," Zak said. "We'll soon be-”

“Zak! The brains in your circular head will find it very difficult to square how cross I will be with you, if you do not bring that girl home immediately." Dara's angry voice spat from the phone.

Zak cut the call. "Why is she yelling, and who is she yelling at?" He said, in annoyance.

“She's right, for the past two weeks, I've been getting her out of bed to open the door for me and that's not nice at all." Nicole said, trying to defend her friend.

“What if you wanted to sleep over?”

“Then, I should have told her that.”

“She's not you mother and you're not a baby-.”

“Zak!" Nicole halted him. "Calm down, she not trying to control me, it's just her way of saying she's missing me, and she wants me to come back home."

"Then she should a better way to say it."

Nicole put on her shoes and they walked hand in hand through the lawn, out of the gate and strolled along Ezimma Street, chatting and laughing quietly.

Suddenly, military vans and a few cars lit the street as the couple stopped to watch the vehicles speed into General Ikenna's compound. "What's going on?" Nicole asked.

Zak looked at his wrist watch. It was 2317 hours.