Chapter Nineteen

He walked into the bar in a blue t-shirt and casual jean trousers with sneakers, looking frustrated, like a man who had just lost his wife. Bukunmi's attitude was really eating him up, and all he could do was pretend not to care. Throughout the week, the only words she had said to him were: 'Good morning" and 'Here is the report", and it bothered him a lot. He hadn't caught her talking to any guy on the surveillance camera yet, and she didn't even leave the office except it was lunchtime. How could she manage to stay the whole day without speaking to him? It never used to be so. He felt really hurt, but what could he say? He had been the one pushing her away time after time, and probably hurting her feelings in the process. Maybe it was revenge she was seeking for, but he doubted that she could be that petty. She had just changed towards him because she had a better man to focus on, and had had enough of him. 'Dude!" Francis hollered. Tade swung his eyes in the direction of his best friend's familiar voice, and smiled upon seeing him, then headed towards the table where he was sitting. 'Sup, man," He said, and shook hands with him, before pulling the chair closer and having a seat. 'Everything's good. You?" Francis asked, taking a sip from his glass of red wine. 'Not bad," Tade said, as he proceeded to pour himself some wine as well. 'It's been a while," Francis commented. 'Of course. You've had to settle down at your father's company, I completely understand. I was surprised when I even got your call asking us to meet up. What's the problem?" He asked. Francis scoffed. 'Problem? So, I can't call my best friend just to see his cute little face and tell him I've missed him?" 'Dude, that's gay, and you should stop it," Tade said, feigning irritation. 'Ah, come on. You were my first love, and that's never going to change. Who cares about being gay? Love is love," Francis said, trying so hard not to laugh. 'The States really did a number on you. I beg to take my leave," Tade said, as he picked his keys from the table. Francis burst into a fit of laughter, seeing the reaction Tade had given. 'What's making you laugh?" Tade asked, keeping a straight face. 'Calm down. Don't take this too personal. You and I know I was joking. Someone will think you're homophobic if you act this way in public," Francis said. 'Who cares?" Tade retorted, with a shrug. 'Whatever, dude. I'm sorry about that anyway. You seemed a little off, so I was trying to make you a little bit better," He said. 'Seems like you made things a lot more worse," Tade said, with a sneer. Francis chuckled. 'I'm sorry. What's wrong with you?" 'What do you mean?" 'You're not your usual cheerful self. Any problem with the company?" Tade shook his head in negativity. 'The company is fine, it's even going better than I want it to," Tade said, and let out a loud hiss. 'You and your dad are still not seeing eye to eye? Wow," Francis remarked. 'It's not that. Lately, he's even been saying he's proud of me. Can you believe it?" 'That's impressive," Francis said, in honest excitement, knowing how Tade used to badmouth his father and sneak into his home every now and then just to escape being with his father. Back then, Francis had told him he was just displaying a youthful exuberance, and was glad that he had been right after all. Tade knew that Francis thought his father was proud of the work he was doing in the company, when his father's joy was seeing him partake in his illegal business. His father would always say that the illegal one brought ten times more than what the company brought. People wondered how Welling Fam Heights grew richer day by day, not knowing where the real funds were from. Although Francis had been his friend for several years, he was in the dark as to the other thing his father did to get money. 'Since your father's proud of you and the company is going well, what then is the issue?" Francis asked. 'Nothing, just..." His words hung in mid-air. 'You can tell me. Is it a girl problem? Did you contract any infection?" Francis asked. Tade threw a distasteful glance at him. Francis chortled. 'But that's the only thing that could possibly be related to a girl issue for you," He said, advancing his argument. 'That I sleep here and there doesn't mean I'm stupid, Francis. I use protection...always," Tade said. Francis heaved a sigh that showed he wasn't really convinced. 'Well, you should just get a woman to be committed to," He said. 'Most women like me just for my looks and money. I doubt I'll ever find someone who likes me for me," Tade said. Francis shrugged. 'Is there really anything to like about you?" 'There are many things to like about me. That's why you're still here," Tade said. Francis seemed to be in a reflective mood. 'No. There aren't many things to like about you. You're proud, insensitive, unfeeling and very annoying." Tade smiled. 'Then, why are you still here?" He shrugged. 'I guess I just like you regardless," He said. 'You see what I'm talking about? I need someone who'll like me without knowing why," He said. Francis smiled and nodded his head in understanding. 'Layla has this friend who is super nice and might just be the woman you need..." 'I don't need anyone," Tade cut in. 'Well, everyone needs someone, as no man's an island," He said. 'Oh, please, I'm not everyone. Speaking of Layla, how is she?" Tade asked. Francis sighed. 'We've been on the rocks for sometime, that's why I called you here to discuss how best to propose to her. I'm sure that will make everything okay," He said. 'You called me here not to discuss a business plan, but how to plan your engagement? What do I look like to you? A wedding planner?" Tade asked, visible annoyance written on his face. Francis laughed as he uttered those words. 'Why are you laughing? Nothing's funny, you know," Tade said. 'Calm down. Who was I supposed to call if not you? Apart from being my best friend, you're practically the only friend I have," Francis explained. Tade eyed him, still annoyed. 'How is that my fault? Am I the one who asked you to be antisocial? Please, make new friends and leave me the fuck alone," He retorted. Francis' face squeezed into a frown, and he pouted like a child. 'You look stupid, you know. It's sad that you're headed for the age of thirty and you're still acting like a baby. This is why Layla is having issues with you," He said and clicked his tongue. Francis gave a small smile. 'No, that's not why." 'Of course, I do know. What am I to you? A dummy?" 'Well, we've been having issues ever since I travelled abroad," Francis said truthfully. 'Oh, really? Why?" Tade asked, truly concerned. 'Distance. She was claiming I wasn't giving her too much attention and she wasn't seeing enough of me, blah blah blah," He said. 'You guys weren't having video calls?" Tade inquired. 'We were, but she wanted more of the physical me," He explained. Tade rolled his eyes. 'This is one of the reasons I can't be in a relationship. Why didn't she go to visit you if she wanted more of the...the physical you?" He asked. 'You know she has work to do here. Ever since her dad died, she's been working her ass out to show that she deserves the position of the chairman as his first child, and not any of her younger brothers," He explained. 'Wait, let me get this straight. You're busy with school, she's busy with work. So, why was she then complaining? And how did she even have the time to complain when all that should have been on her mind is work? Women are just drama queens," Tade said. 'I guess so. Well, ever since I've been back, we still haven't really been seeing eye to eye. We disagree on even the slightest issues, and we're always arguing about irrelevant things, like a teenage couple. I mean, Layla wasn't like this. There are many things that have just changed about her, and she picks offence at every little goddamn thing," Francis complained, not able to wrap his head around the situation. 'If you all aren't doing so well anymore, why do you still want to propose to her?" Tade asked, having been thrown into a state of confusion. 'Would you rather have me leave someone I've dated for four years, and start getting to know a total stranger?" He questioned in a calm voice. 'So, you're basically saying that you can't just seem to let go because you're afraid of change?" He asked. Francis shrugged. 'Well, if you choose to put it that way, I guess you're correct then," He said. 'Dude, change is the only constant thing in life, and..." 'Don't start, Tade, I don't want another one of your sermons. Irrespective of whether I'm afraid of change or not, Layla and I love each other very much, and like every other couple, we're experiencing some difficulties, and I'm pretty much confident that once I ask her to marry me and she accepts, things will start sailing smoothly once again," Francis said, in a highly optimistic voice. Tade scoffed. 'And how are you sure she's going to say yes to your proposal?" He asked. 'She loves me, Tade, she'll say yes definitely," He replied. 'You're sure she loves you?" He asked. 'Yes, Tade. I'm thinking the reason she's even getting mad at me all the time for no reason is to give me a signal that we should get married. She wants us to be serious, and not keep on with this boyfriend and girlfriend thing. We're old enough to get married anyway," He said. A smirk lit up Tade's face as he looked at the table two rows away from theirs. 'That could be the reason, or perhaps, she's found a new man," He said, in a knowing tone. At the utterance of those words, anger seeped through Francis' veins. 'What do you mean by that? I get that we're friends and you say a lot of annoying jokes, but this, Tade, is totally unacceptable and the height of disrespect," Francis said, firmly. Tade shrugged. 'I just spoke the obvious truth, man. No hard feelings," Tade said. 'What obvious truth?" Francis asked, still annoyed by Tade's words which he could clearly tell he wasn't sorry for. 'There," Tade said, pointing at the table, which his eyes had been fixed on for some time. Francis looked at Tade with a puzzled expression, wondering what it was he was up to again. He then followed his gaze and the direction his index finger was pointed at, and was met with a completely surprising sight he had never imagined in his entire lifetime. Francis had thought Tade was up to a silly prank again or wanted to show him something funny, and he had wished that had been the case, because even though it might have been stupid, it'd have saved him the pain of seeing something he couldn't un-see, and something that wouldn't make his heart ache any time he thought about it. For some minutes, time seemed to stop. All Tade's efforts to call back his attention proved abortive. Francis had been thrown into a dilemma, and as he tried his best to block out the memory of what he had just seen, it kept on flashing through his brain, blurring his vision and blocking him out from the rest of the world. 'Francis!" Tade yelled, this time, in a tone of urgency. Francis finally woke up from his perplexed state, and looked from Tade to the table two rows away from theirs, and what had made him go into a state of shock was still there. Still not believing that it was true, he rubbed his hands over his eyes again and again. 'You know what? Let's get going," Tade said, finishing up his glass of wine. Francis ignored him, and concentrated his gaze blankly on the woman he had wanted to surprise with a marriage proposal, sitting on the laps of some other man, drinking from the same cup with him, and smothering his face with kisses. 'Dude, stop staring at them like that. It's creepy," Tade said. That was the statement that made Francis get his voice back. 'It's creepy? It is? What she is doing there, isn't it far more creepy?" He asked, almost raising his voice. 'Hey, I'm not the one who cheated on you. Refrain from yelling at me," Tade said. Francis nodded in agreement. 'You know what, you're right. I shouldn't be yelling at you..." 'Exactly, dude." '...I should be yelling at them," Francis said, as he staggered to his feet, almost turning the table over in the process. 'Uh-oh. That's not what I meant, man," Tade said, trying to stop Francis from making the mistake of confronting Layla and her lover. However, Francis wasn't listening anymore, as he was already headed towards their table. Tade grabbed their phones and car keys from the table, and rushed to stop Francis from causing a scene, but apparently, the angry man was faster than he was. 'Really? Layla, really?", were the words that escaped from Francis' mouth as he got to Layla's table, who opened her mouth in shock upon seeing him, and she immediately jumped down from the man's laps. 'Who is he? What's going on?" The man, who was of average height with moustache and no beards, who seemed to be in his forties, and was her lover, asked. 'I can explain," Layla said. 'And that's all you could think of to say? Why do you all always want to explain? What exactly is it that you want to explain?" Tade asked, disgusted at the sight of Layla, a petite fair beauty, who was presently trembling, with her makeup smudged, from the aggressive smooching she had been involved in. 'Honestly, it's not what you guys think," Layla said. 'Whatever we choose to think is our goddamn business. The bottom line is that you're a cheat with no iota of shame. Of all places to cheat, you had to do so in a public place, shows what kind of person you are," Tade chided. 'Man, this is my fight," Francis said, wondering why Tade who had been trying to stop him from confronting them was suddenly the one doing the confrontation. 'If I let you handle it, one of them is going to die here today, and this little peasant isn't worth getting your hands stained with blood for. Besides, your fight is mine as well," Tade said. Francis let out a small chuckle, his burden lessening off a little. 'I love you man," He said. 'I love you too, bro," Tade said, and they both smiled. 'As for you, Layla, I never thought you'd come to a place like this. You were always the Chinese cuisine and the picnic kinda girl, but I guess a lot has changed since we've been apart for a while. If you had been cheating while I was overseas, maybe I'd have understood, but you still cheating while I'm back and trying to make our relationship work is what I do not understand..." 'Babe..." 'Don't babe me!" Francis hollered, causing the attention of more people who hadn't already noticed the drama that was going on, to finally notice them. 'It's the audacity for me. How dare you call him babe in this kind of situation?" Tade seconded. 'You know, even if you had cheated while I was away, I still wouldn't have been able to understand, because I called you everyday to make sure you never felt my absence, yet you weren't satisfied, and you were always getting angry and making me apologise for no reason. I'm glad that this toxic relationship has finally come to an end," Francis said. 'Come to an end? No, you can't be serious. You're overreacting, without even hearing what I have to say," Layla said, tears rolling down her eyes. 'Did you just say overreacting? Cheats like you don't deserve a second chance. You wanna know something? This dude was actually faithful all through his time abroad, thinking he had something precious waiting for him in Nigeria. And do you want to know why he called me here today? He called me to discuss how to plan a surprise marriage proposal for you, but you've ruined everything," Tade said. 'He wanted to propose? You know what, just shut up. You're the one heightening the issue here. You're acting more pained than Francis, and making matters worse," Layla accused. 'You wouldn't like me to show how pained I am, Lay. It's better he does it instead. Anyways, I'm sorry for interrupting whatever it is you were doing. I hope to never see you again," Francis said, and turned his back to walk out. Tade cast a look on Layla's lover, who had been silent and was just staring at them, then he shook his head disappointedly. 'Next time, if you want to cheat, do it with someone who looks better. How aren't you ashamed making out with someone who looks like this in public?" He questioned, a look of irritation plastered on his face. 'That's enough, Tade," Francis said. Tade raised his hands in surrender, then walked out of the bar with Francis, who was walking with quick steps, like he was trying to run away from something. 'You'll never find anyone like me, you know that, right?" Layla's pathetic voice called after them, void of remorse. Tade sighed, controlling himself to not respond to her, as he followed Francis closely. Outside, he watched quietly, with his arms crossed, as Francis kept on landing punches on a part of the wall. 'Did you pay the bill for the drinks already?" Tade called. 'I did," He said, as he kept dealing the wall with blows. A few people going into the bar or coming out just stared at him, muttering to themselves, but not daring to confront him as they didn't want to be the ones to replace the wall. Tade took out his pods from his pocket, connected its Bluetooth to his phone, and walked over to where Francis was, not trying to stop him, but gently placed the pods in his ears, as he kept on taking his anger out on the wall, not minding the fact that his knuckles were already bleeding. 'You did a good job by not taking your anger out on those two in there. Let your anger out, it's fine," Tade said. Tears streamed down Francis' face. 'Love hurts, man, it hurts really bad," He said. Tade said nothing and just played the song, 'I hope you're miserable until you're dead," by: Nessa Barrett, hoping it would soothe his emotions, and relieve him a bit, while he just stood, waiting for him to get fed up, and request to go home. Francis rarely got angry, and he ought to be free to express his anger today. The thought of Bukunmi crossed his mind. How would he react if he saw her with another man? They weren't dating, but why was he so sure it was going to hurt him if it ever happened? If Francis could be sweet to Layla and she could still break his heart, how much more he who had been a jerk to Bukunmi? He was going to have a conversation with her, so if something like this happened, her actions couldn't be justified. That, he resolved to do.