Sons and Lovers

Episode 15.

Ruth spotted the tree from a distance and peered at it. There didn’t seem to be anyone there. Or was he hiding behind it? She walked closer to the tree looking directly ahead. Two steps away from the tree, someone grabbed her arm and snatched her away, out of sight.

*********************************************************************************************

Chidera looked up at Richard sitting up in his hospital bed, his eyes full of something she wasn’t sure she could decipher. She sighed. “I wanted to tell you face to face that I didn’t think we could continue with the relationship. It would be too much drama for me with your baby mama coming in and out of our lives. But…”
“What?” Richard said sitting up straighter.
“When I saw you lying down on your bedroom floor unconscious, I knew I couldn’t just leave you. Maybe not just yet,” she said quietly.
He took her hand and squeezed it. “Thank you Chidera. But really I don’t want you to stay with me from a sense of pity or out of obligation. Upon my word, I promise not to forget to take those meds again.”
She looked up at him, her eyes almost liquid. “I’m not staying with you for now because I have to. I’m staying because I want to.”
Richard was about to say something in response when Chidera’s phone rang.

*********************************************************************************************

When they got to class, they were very late so they had to sit at the back. Fola squeezed into a seat beside Remi like he usually did. She wasn’t sure she was comfortable with the closeness just yet but decided not to push it. The professor talked to his board as always and her thoughts strayed. She looked over at Fola who was intent on the lecture or maybe pretending to be intent. What was so bad about hooking up with him anyway, she asked herself. Why was the thought so foreign to her? He was smart, he was funny and he understood her. They had been friends for ages. He was a Christian. What was not to like? The professor suddenly turned away from his board and faced them, pointing towards the back, he asked a question.
“If you people don’t answer, I’ll pick someone to talk,” he rasped out. Remi cringed inwardly as his gaze almost focused on her. She hadn’t even heard the question. Before she could panic, Fola stood up and gave a rapid answer. Remi smiled to herself. It was one of the reasons she was attracted to him in the first place. She mentally stopped herself in her tracks. She had thought of him as attractive! What was happening to her? Before she could mull over it, her phone rang. She bent her head down and tried to pick it.

*********************************************************************************************

Peter walked back to his room whistling. He felt happier now that he had talked to Ize. Her being a drug addict didn’t faze him. It just made her all the more mysterious and interesting. As long as she was ready to fight it, he would stick with her. He would pray for her too. They hadn’t got to talking about how and why she became that way but he would find out later. There was lots of time for that. He had made her promise not to shut him out too. To always let him know what was going on with her. He smiled ruefully to himself. He felt like he was her protector, her knight in shining armor. He was mentally picturing himself dressed up a Roman conqueror with helmet and sword when his phone rang.
He picked it up. “Guy, where are you?” Tomiwa asked with an urgent note in his voice.
“Oh boy, what is it?” Peter asked concerned.
“I need your help right away!” Tomiwa said and cut off the conversation.
With hurried steps, Peter made his way to Tomiwa’s room.

PREVIOUS EPISODE

NEXT EPISODE