Just a Tear: Episode 15 by Ngozi Lovelyn O.
"Hello Madam?" Austin greeted
"Hello Sir. How can I help you?" Osonye asked.
Austin gave her an assuring smile and said' "Hmm, I know we have not met before, because Kanayo has not properly introduced us.....My name is Austin, and I am a very close friend of Kanayo. He has been telling me so much about you....and I must confess, you are more beautiful than he described"
Osonye was not into his tease, she did not give any gesture of enjoying his praises because she already knew the reason he came.
She only managed to say "thank you".
Austin was not comfortable with her mean face. Every girl enjoy praises, atleast, he expected her to smile.
"So Austin, what brings you to my place? Because I know you actually came for a purpose." Osonye asked.
So Austin began explaining his reason for visiting her.
At a point, he paused, and asked her if she was following, she nodded and then he continued: "See, I am sure of what I am telling you, marrying Kanayo might not give you the happiness you deserve. He was the one who got your friend pregnant, he was the one who made you severe ties with your friend. Ifeoma is there suffering all alone, do you think God will be happy with him? Please, I am begging you, don't get yourself involved with the wrath of God that will befall him in the future. Please don't get into this marriage with him and help me reunite him with Ifeoma. He really caused that girl a lot" Austin went ahead to narrate to Osonye that Kanayo was the one who planned everything against her best friend. He was all enthusiastic that Osonye would see reason with him following the way Kanayo was praising her good heart, but he was shocked to the bones.
After the explanation, Osonye kept silent as Austin watched her to say something.
"Hope you understood all I said?" Austin asked.
"Hmm, Mr Austin, are you done explaining yourself?" Osonye asked
"Yes I have" Austin replied.
"You can now leave my office" Osonye ordered.
"How? I don't understand. You mean I should leave?"
"Yes, leave and don't cross your path near mine again and not even in the future. Please carry your stinking body and get out from my office"
"Watch it woman! How dare you insult me?" Austin flared, standing up.
"Insult? You call this insult? I thought Kanayo is your best friend. He speaks so highly of you. Why are you trying to instigate me against the man I have chosen to marry? So you don't want him to be happy, why being jealous? And why do you think I care about Ifeoma and that thing in her womb? Ifeoma is not the only woman to have a bastard and she will never be the last. So why making a great deal out of it as if Kanayo has committed a murder? He said he doesn't want her anymore, so what reunion are you talking about again? And let me warn you now and clear, don't try anything stupid that will make Kanayo change his mind about me or else, you will have me to deal with"
Austin was agape with his eyes wide open, listening to Osonye.
"So Mr Austin, or what ever you call yourself, please leave my office and next time, don't forget to take your bath properly before looking for marriages to break.... Please leave now"
"Its OK, I will leave. If I tell you that I'm not surprised hearing this rotten words leave your mouth, then know that I'm an outrageous liar. Shame Kanayo believed you to be an Angel who is blessed with a golden heart, he should just come and see the stuff you are made off. I'm out of here..."
"Yes leave" Osonye yelled
"Kanayo, shame on you. See the kind of woman you chose over Ifeoma. I am shaking my head seriously for you. Sorry man, you are doomed" Austin said to himself as he was driving out of the place.
Osonye immediately put a call through Kanayo and told him how she treated Austin.
"Yes, he really got served. Thumbs up Bae" Kanayo adored
Month later, Kanayo and Osonye's wedding date had been fixed.
Osonye managed to convince Kanayo not to throw an elaborate traditional wedding.
"But why, Baby? I want both the trad and white wedding to be the talk of the town.".
"No baby, be it traditional or church wedding, they are all the same. Its just a waste of money doing traditional wedding" Osonye said
"But Baby, money is not the problem. I have been planning for this special day for a very long time, so I am highly prepared, OK. You don't need to worry yourself about our finance after the wedding." Austin said rejoicing in his heart that Osonye is a homely woman who cared for his welfare and not after his money. "Not all these wild girls who will be after the money, seeking for any flimsy reason to squander it. Oh Lord what have I done that you are blessing me with this Angel. Thank you Baba God, you too much oo."
Osonye on the other hand was planning on how to make him accept her idea.
"How do I convince him to avoid traditional wedding. Throwing a massive party for it might get me exposed that I do not belong to that community, and I will get to loose everything..No, that can never happen"
She said in her heart and continued: "But baby, try to understand me. Let's just settle my family and the kinsmen, give them the things stipulated in the marriage list and then we return to the city and throw a massive white wedding. I just don't know why my spirit is against that traditional wedding.. Baby, whenever my spirit is against something, I don't really like to prove strong headed because if I insist, something bad might happen."
She gave a lot of reasons and finally, Kanayo accepted to do it her way.
To do it in money form. Settle the fake kinsmen she organised, pay her dowry and complete the remaining marriage rites with money.
When Austin reached home, he was still shocked on how Osonye insulted him. He had never been insulted before like the way Osonye did. "Kanayo has been praising her good heart, I sure know how 'good people' behave and this lady is far from such category of people. This girl is such a pretender...... Oh no! I have failed Ifeoma, I promised her that I would reunite her with Kanayo but I don't see that coming. Osonye and Kanayo are strong headed, they are not ready to listen to anything I have to say" Austin felt down, shaking his head.
Austin visited Ifeoma to know how she was doing but forgot to remove Kanayo's wedding card that was placed on the front seat of his car.
To be continued.
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