Abandoned Love

Chapter 3

We both walked over to the glass sliding door and took a look outside. Comfort Musa stood next to me. She towered over me in height and had an elongated, slender figure. Due to the fact that she did not have any shoes on, I estimated that she was approximately five feet nine inches tall. When I compared myself to her, I felt short and average due to my dark brown hair that was escaping its messy ponytail and my figure that had hips that showed my love of junk food. I also felt like I had a messy ponytail.

On the other hand, I wasn't here to vie for everyone's attention. After I had recently called off my engagement, the last thing I wanted to do was to immediately get back into the dating scene. This was the time for me to establish myself as the person I had always envisioned I could be. This time was for me. And I was thankful that I didn't have to go through it by myself. During the course of our phone chats, I quickly developed the impression that Comfort was a buddy of mine.

"Allow me to walk you inside your bedroom."

Comfort ushered me inside after opening one of the three doors that led off of the living area. "I am aware that it is on the smaller side, but it is comparable to mine. In any case, I don't spend very much time in there."

As I looked around the space, I remarked that it was "wonderful." That was the case. It was mine, in spite of the fact that it was a confined space. I did not have to consult with anyone else to determine if what I was planning to do was acceptable to them before I could forward with my plans. I continued to think about Francis on occasion, and although I had moved on, there was a part of me that still mourned him. Ten years had passed since he had first entered my life, but I had never stopped loving him and wishing the best for him. Despite the fact that I regarded Francis to be very dull during our relationship, he was always thoughtful and courteous. He was an upstanding citizen. It was me who decided to change the rules in the middle of the game.

After assisting me in bringing my luggage into my room and guiding me to the bathroom, Comfort sat down on my bed to wait for me to finish. I was thankful that she appeared to think of me as a new friend, rather than merely someone sleeping in the next room. Having a friend waiting for me when I moved in made the transition into my new life a lot less daunting, despite the fact that I was quite excited to begin it.

"So, what are some things that you'd like to get done on your very first official day in Lagos?"

I got so excited that I literally started jumping up and down. "I really have no idea. Perhaps we could just go for a stroll and see what the area has to offer. Unpacking is the last thing on my mind right now; I can't even think about it."

"Sure. I'll take you on a tour of the neighborhood, and then we can have a drink at Tiger Bar. It's a bar that's a few blocks away from here."

I was appalled by what I saw when I looked in the mirror that was mounted on the wall over the dresser in my bedroom. "First things first, let me see if I can make myself look like a human person. It looks like I jammed my finger in an electrical socket with my hair."

As she left my room, Comfort let out a chuckle to herself. "Of course, go at your own pace."

When I opened up one of my suitcases, I found a pair of clean jeans and a tank top inside in addition to my personal hygiene items. As I made my way into the restroom, Comfort was reading a magazine. I heard him as I entered. When I finally changed into clothes that didn't cling to me, it felt like a weight had been lifted. Even more of a burden was lifted when I was finally able to wipe the dirt and grime off of my face that had accumulated during my travels and apply new makeup.

As I emerged from the restroom, I gave a triumphant shout of "Tada!" "Today is not going to get any better than this, but at least I don't feel as awful as I did earlier."

As Comfort put down the magazine and rose up, she remarked to her friend, "You look great." She was dressed in shorts that drew attention to the length of her legs and a cute little t-shirt that appeared to be sized for a child. Her legs appeared to be much longer than they actually were. It worked out well for everyone involved that Comfort was such a sweet young lady. Someone who appears to put no effort into their appearance is bound to attract feelings of envy.

Comfort showed me all of her favorite spots in the area, and it seemed as though she was familiar with most of the patrons on a first-name basis. She exuded an effortless charisma that made others want to smile and strike up a conversation with her. Comfort was an excellent tour guide who took the time to walk me through the various areas of Lagos and point out key locations, such as the grocery shop and pharmacy closest to where we were staying. Simply moving around and taking in the surroundings was a thrilling experience. And there was a lot of atmosphere to be found in the North Village. Even though it was more gritty and filthy than the version of Lagos that I had seen through Mercy Uche's eyes, it did not make my love for the city any less strong.

We walked down to Union Square and explored the farmer's market there, pausing sometimes to purchase cups of ice-cold apple cider to soothe our parched throats. We decided to take a break and watch the folks passing by, so we sat down on a nearby bench.

"So how do you enjoy your new neighborhood so far?" Comfort inquired while sitting in an upright position on the bench.

"I know it seems like I'm always repeating this, but it's true: I adore everything. It's wonderful! It is extremely distinct in comparison to Niger State or even Abuja. Even though it has a cliched ring to it, it just looks so alive. I get the impression that I can transform into a different person here."

Comfort arched her brow in confusion. "What's wrong with the person you are now?" is a rhetorical question.

As I deliberated over it some more, I heaved a sigh. As a result of the fact that Comfort's mother was friends with mine through a women's charity group in Niger State, I was confident that Comfort was aware of the broken engagement. Although we both grew up in the same little town in Niger State known as Dede, we never crossed paths throughout our formative years due to the fact that Comfort attended a boarding school. It seemed that everyone in Dede was talking about my escape after it happened.

"Well, you must be familiar with Francis and me, don't you?" I carried on once Comfort indicated his agreement. "It's not that I didn't love him; that's not the issue. I did love him. I mean, I still do. Simply put, it was an inappropriate form of love. It wasn't the kind of love that made me eagerly anticipate our next encounter; rather, it was the kind of love that caused me to pine for him whenever we were away. Since we were both fifteen when we started dating, I can honestly say that I have never had butterflies when I was near him. I mean, I had feelings for Francis, and I found myself drawn to him. In the past, I believed that to be sufficient. Now I am certain that it is not."

Comfort began to drag out the word "well" before continuing. "That makes perfect sense to me. On the other hand, how does that relate to the fact that you are a different person?"

"The individual who had reconciled themselves to leading a life devoid of enthusiasm was uninteresting. She behaved appropriately at all times and did everything that was expected of her. She came very close to marrying someone simply because she and everyone else, including herself, expected her to do so."

I decided to consult with Comfort. "That old version of myself is gone forever. I have no idea who I will be at this point, but I do know that I will not be her in any way, shape, or form."

The thought of comfort made me c***k a grin. "It's not a bad idea to work on improving aspects of yourself that you don't like, but I don't think it's necessary to start over with everything about yourself from scratch. Even though we have only met today and have only been on the phone a few times together, the Janet Mike that I know seems to be doing very well."

I looked up at the trees that were growing above me, their branches moving back and forth in response to the breeze. I didn't want to settle for being merely satisfactory. I always knew that I wanted to be somebody who would leave their impact on this world.

As I turned back to Comfort, I let out a hearty laugh to shake off the weight of my somber thoughts. "Put an end to all of this serious discourse. You'd be forgiven for assuming that I was going through some kind of identity crisis. Tell me about you. You're currently performing in a show on Broadway, right?"

Comfort smiled in an ironic way. "It is so far off Broadway that even calling it off-off-Broadway would be a stretch to describe where it is performed. However, it is a fantastic part in a play about a lady who is torn between two men in her life and the process by which she makes her decision about which man to select."