Previous Episodes, episode 1 CLICK HERE, episode 2 CLICK HERE, episode 3 CLICK HERE, episode 4 CLICK HERE, episode 5 CLICK HERE, episode 6 CLICK HERE, episode 7 CLICK HERE, episode 8 CLICK HERE, episode 9 CLICK HERE, episode 10 CLICK HERE, episode 11 CLICK HERE, episode 12 CLICK HERE
“Wana! Wana!”
I heard Debbie’s angry approach from where I sat at the backyard. With a deep sigh, I braced myself for what was to come, a possible dismissal from the house.
“My God, how could you do that to him? Why did you do that to my cousin?” she asked the moment she rounded the bend.
“He wanted kinky sex,” I replied frankly.
“What?” Debbie obviously wasn’t expecting my answer.
“Look, babe, I’m sorry if I offended you. But you know me; I’m not one to cower from a problem. I was tired of running around the house with a perpetually aroused man after me, I had to do something,” I shrugged, consciously refusing to add the money part.
I was sure Bobo’s embarrassment wouldn’t allow him to mention the money, but if he did, I was ready to deny it.
“Oh, God, every time I close my eyes, his balls are there. I’m not sure I’d be able to sleep this night,” Debbie said and began laughing.
I chuckled along, “Did you untie him?”
Debbie’s shoulders shook from her laugh while shaking her head, “No, I ran out of there.”
“You should,” I pointed out.
“Not yet, let him enjoy the kinkiness of the situation.”
This comment caused a bout of giggle. We guffawed as Debbie explained her shock at finding her cousin naked. She expressed her fear that armed robbers had raided her house. And then she thanked me for taking care of the situation, she confessed that it had bothered her and she’d had no idea what to do.
“If he bothers you again, he’s out of my house. After all, he’s buoyant enough to get his own apartment. I only endured his presence because, like my mother would say, ‘you need a man in the house to keep out undesirables’.”
“Plus, it’s less lonely,” I added, understanding that she was thinking of her husband. Debbie only nodded at my comment; she looked about her cluttered backyard before turning to me again.
“I need a favor, Wana,” she said in a serious note.
“Anything,” I replied in my gratitude that she wasn’t sending me out of her home.
“Don’t be so quick to promise that,” she cautioned with a worried look.
I frowned at that, “You look disturbed. This favor, is it as…indecent, as your cousin’s proposal?” I joked, trying to lighten the mood.
Debbie made a face, “Sort of…kind of…I don’t know,” she finished nervously.
My frown deepened, oh God. “Please don’t tell me you’re bi-sexual,” I blurted.
“What? Heavens no! Why would you even think that…urrg,” she really looked disgusted, so that was out of the question.
I sighed in relief and shrugged, “Well, what was I to think? You said ‘sort of, kind of’ like your cousin’s indecent proposal. I…for God’s sake spit it out Debbie,” I snapped, the suspense was killing me.
She did wring her hands nervously before talking. “Okay…um…You remember the call I took earlier today?”
I nodded, she nodded too and continued. “That was Daniel, I went to meet him. Well…he’s a family friend, but mostly my husband’s friend. But he has tried to make us reconcile over time…,” she stopped and sighed. “I’m rambling, aren’t I?”
I smiled, “A bit, but I’m getting you,” I encouraged.
“Anyway, we met a while after his wife ran away with their only child, a seven year old girl, because he wasn’t as financially buoyant as she wanted.”
As always, I’m sensitive to anything that concerns children and parentage. I frowned, “That’s terrible.”
“Yes, but now, his wife is in town and she’s been served divorce papers and Daniel wants custody of the child.”
“As he should…but I don’t see where I come in,” I pointed frankly.
Debbie sighed as though she had a heavy duty to perform. “To tip the balance in his favor, he needs a fiancée…a fake fiancée. He asked me, but I’m still legally married to Paul. So…,” she paused, hesitantly.
“So…?” I prodded expectantly.
Debbie grimaced, “So, I sort of, kind of, told him I could help.”
“And by help, you meant me,” I concluded in exasperation. I watched Debbie nod and shook my head. “This is important to you,” I was making an observation, but she nodded all the same.
“He’s going to pay, right?”
“Oh, yes, of course,” she nodded eagerly.
I contemplated for a while, “Is he handsome?” I asked with a coy look.
Debbie gasped, “Wana!” she exclaimed in mock shock, causing us to melt in laughter. “I’ll allow you make that decision when you see him tonight.”
~*********~
Daniel noticed them the moment the walked into the restaurant. He stood as they approached and smiled when Debbie smiled, but his eyes were riveted on the taller lady behind her.
“Daniel,” Debbie called as a form of greeting.
“Debbie, good evening,” he replied and engaged her in a side hug. He immediately pulled a seat, “Do seat down…”
Debbie interrupted his actions by softly touching his arm with a shake of her head. “Unfortunately, Daniel, I can’t stay,” she announced regretfully. “I’m only here for the introductions,” she said and stepped to the side.
Her hand landed on the small of Wana’s back, “This is Uwana Ukpong. And Wana, this Daniel Akpan, the friend I told you about.”
Their eyes met and held. Daniel remembered his manners at the nick of time and extended his hand for a shake, “Can I call you Wana, too?” he asked cautiously.
She shrugged, “It’s okay. It’s a pleasure.”
“Same here,” Daniel said and nodded.
“So, my work here is done,” Debbie declared while pushing Wana into the seat that had been pulled for her.
“Thanks, Debbie, I appreciate this, so much,” he said sincerely.
Debbie waved off his gratitude; she smiled and whispered in Wana’s ear, “I’ll be waiting.” Wana smiled back and nodded, watching her weave her way out of the restaurant.
Daniel cleared his throat awkwardly after taking his seat. “Hi,” was the only thing he could manage.
Wana’s eyebrow went up, “Hi…seriously? I didn’t think there were still men like you in the world.”
His frown was curious, “Men like me?”
“Shy, awkward, courteous to women, generally good mannered…predictable,” she said frankly.
“You make me sound lame…like it’s a bad thing,” he laughed self consciously.
“Not bad, just really rare,” Wana replied confidently and then sat up straight. “Debbie tells me you’re in need of a fake fiancée.”
“Wow, you move straight to the point, don’t you?” he said, hedging uncomfortably.
Wana shrugged, “I’ve found from practice it saves time,” he nodded in agreement.
The waiter interrupted them then to take their orders, they declined food and settled for drinks.
“I assume Debbie has told you why I’m doing this,” Daniel broached the conversation, after they’d been served.
“She did.”
“And you’re willing…?” he asked and then realized his folly and answered himself. “Of course you’re willing. You are here because you are willing to…to…”
“Daniel,” Wana interrupted exasperatingly. “What’s on your mind? You don’t seem like a person that goes into a meeting unprepared.”
Daniel cleared his throat in embarrassment. “I’m sorry if I seem befuddled. But I wasn’t expecting someone this…,” he paused in contemplation.
“Intimidating?” Wana supplied with a sly smile.
Daniel shook his head, rejecting her suggestion. “No, big; I’m sorry, that’s not even an issue. It’s just that I’m still stuck with the image of the other women I’d met on this.”
Wana was surprised, “Oh, so I’m not your first attempt,” she watched him nod. With interest she asked, “Exactly how many?” she narrowed her eyes at him and tried not to smile, she enjoyed making the man uncomfortable.
“Seven, eight…there about,” Daniel replied, already regretting that he had brought up the issue. To be sincere, he even preferred her, even though she was decked out in a jean and t-shirt, there was a homely feeling around her.
She grinned, “That many skinny women and none met your need?”
“They didn’t meet my prerequisite,” Daniel replied soberly.
“Which was?” she asked curiously.
Daniel did not appreciate Wana disposition, it was as though she was humored at his expense; he was miffed. “A simple question… ‘how do you handle a twelve year old girl from a broken home?’ that’s all.”
“It’s not that simple,” she pointed out.
“So, you saying you can’t attempt to answer it?” Daniel challenged.
Wana smiled and sat up, silently accepting the challenge. “The way I see it,” she began and Daniel nodded, “Adolescence is already a difficult time for a twelve year old, especially, an unadvised one. They are bombarded with sudden changes in body and mind and to add the divorce of parents on top of that, it’s a big blow to the child.
“So, to answer your question, the best way for the other woman to handle the twelve year old girl, is to befriend her…become her confidant.”
Daniel was impressed but didn’t show it. Instead, he sat forward with interest, “How can an adult, especially a woman taking her mother’s place, befriend this twelve year old? I feel it’s impossible,” he was still challenging her.
He wanted to know if she really knew what she was talking about or if she was parroting what Debbie must have fed her.
Wana laughed, and since he found her laugh infectious he joined. “I can assure you, that’s a difficult task. Especially, if said twelve year old assumes that the woman is the cause of her parent’s divorce.”
“So, you agree I’m right, it’s impossible?” Daniel prodded, ready for the satisfaction of winning the argument.
She chuckled, seeming to enjoy their easy flow of conversation. “No, I’m not agreeing to that. I said it would be difficult…”
“You can’t wiggle out of this one with reasoning,” Daniel interrupted with a smile. He’d not enjoyed the company of a woman like her before and he loved that she laughed at his lame attempt at a joke.
She laughed again and then curbed it with a shake of her head. “On a serious note though, I said it’ll be a difficult task, not an impossible one,” she said and grinned at him.
“To befriend a teenager would involve doing things that interest them,” Wana began but was instantly reminded of her stint at the orphanage and how she’d handled the unruly teenagers then.
Her voice was a bit hoarse as she swallowed the tears that threatened to spring from her eyes, “It would involve bringing one’s self to their level, seeing things as they see and compromising sometimes to get them to listen to you. It might sometimes involve sharing your teenage experience with them.”
Daniel was riveted. The lady before him was probably his next big book. The lines were already writing itself in his head. Debbie would not have fed her all that, this was probably from experience, and Daniel knew it would be wrong to bring it up.
He smiled widely and extended his hand for a hand shake, “Welcome to my home.”
Wana grinned and accepted his hand over their drinks, “How much are you paying?” Daniel laughed while pumping her hand and enjoyed the sight of her pleasant smile.
TWO HOURS LATER, DEBBIE groaned in the driver’s seat of her car, parked in the restaurant’s parking lot.
“Seriously, what are they talking about? I’m tired o. Today was just supposed to be the meeting, not the signing of the contract,” she griped while fidgeting uncomfortably.
She sighed again and had just found a comfortable position when a sharp knock on her window made her start and emit a squeal. Her heart leaped when she saw Paul by her car, she immediately opened the door and stepped out.
“Paul, what are you doing here?” she asked in a voice suddenly gone hoarse.
“Waiting for Daniel, you?” he asked crisply.
“Waiting for Wana,” she replied slowly.
“The lady with him?”
She nodded in reply while wringing her hands and trying to come up with the courage to ask about his health.
“So, you’re a pimp now,” PJ casually commented, and all the concern for his health vanished.
The hurt on her face was obvious when she swiftly looked up. “Paul, that hurts and quite frankly, it was unnecessary.”
PJ smiled then, “Not as much as you hurt me.”
“But I’m sorry for that, Paul,” she was immediately apologetic. “I’ve apologized countlessly. I’m sorry; it was a freak slip of tongue; why can’t you forgive me? I just want my marriage back…with you,” she cried and didn’t care that somebody might have heard her.
He shook his head slowly, “I don’t know, DJ, I’m not ready yet,” he replied in a lowered tone.
A sob broke from her throat, “Well, I hope I’d still be interested when you’re ready. It’s been years without your warmth, a woman has needs you know,” she said, trying to wipe the tears from her eyes.
PJ scoffed with a laugh, “Are you trying to make me believe you haven’t been seeing other men?”
Time stopped for Debbie. She knew he most have been seeing other women, but, that he could acknowledge that and then assume she was doing the same was too much to bear.
She exploded in a fierce whisper, “God damn you, PJ!” She moved close to him and poked his chest, “I hate you,” she pronounced with so much venom and then reached for her left hand and pulled off her wedding band.
“I’ve had it with this sham, I want a divorce!” she declared and flung the ring at him, got into her car and zoomed off.
PJ stood there and for the first time in his unforgiving stint, he was uncertain of his position. Surprisingly, his heart felt like it had been wrenched out of him when Debbie pulled off her ring. He shook his head to disperse such fancy notion; he picked the ring, looked at it thoughtfully, and pulled out his left hand from his pocket to stare at his own wedding band.
Maybe, it was time, he thought, it was time to set her free.
The story continues…
I heard Debbie’s angry approach from where I sat at the backyard. With a deep sigh, I braced myself for what was to come, a possible dismissal from the house.
“My God, how could you do that to him? Why did you do that to my cousin?” she asked the moment she rounded the bend.
“He wanted kinky sex,” I replied frankly.
“What?” Debbie obviously wasn’t expecting my answer.
“Look, babe, I’m sorry if I offended you. But you know me; I’m not one to cower from a problem. I was tired of running around the house with a perpetually aroused man after me, I had to do something,” I shrugged, consciously refusing to add the money part.
I was sure Bobo’s embarrassment wouldn’t allow him to mention the money, but if he did, I was ready to deny it.
“Oh, God, every time I close my eyes, his balls are there. I’m not sure I’d be able to sleep this night,” Debbie said and began laughing.
I chuckled along, “Did you untie him?”
Debbie’s shoulders shook from her laugh while shaking her head, “No, I ran out of there.”
“You should,” I pointed out.
“Not yet, let him enjoy the kinkiness of the situation.”
This comment caused a bout of giggle. We guffawed as Debbie explained her shock at finding her cousin naked. She expressed her fear that armed robbers had raided her house. And then she thanked me for taking care of the situation, she confessed that it had bothered her and she’d had no idea what to do.
“If he bothers you again, he’s out of my house. After all, he’s buoyant enough to get his own apartment. I only endured his presence because, like my mother would say, ‘you need a man in the house to keep out undesirables’.”
“Plus, it’s less lonely,” I added, understanding that she was thinking of her husband. Debbie only nodded at my comment; she looked about her cluttered backyard before turning to me again.
“I need a favor, Wana,” she said in a serious note.
“Anything,” I replied in my gratitude that she wasn’t sending me out of her home.
“Don’t be so quick to promise that,” she cautioned with a worried look.
I frowned at that, “You look disturbed. This favor, is it as…indecent, as your cousin’s proposal?” I joked, trying to lighten the mood.
Debbie made a face, “Sort of…kind of…I don’t know,” she finished nervously.
My frown deepened, oh God. “Please don’t tell me you’re bi-sexual,” I blurted.
“What? Heavens no! Why would you even think that…urrg,” she really looked disgusted, so that was out of the question.
I sighed in relief and shrugged, “Well, what was I to think? You said ‘sort of, kind of’ like your cousin’s indecent proposal. I…for God’s sake spit it out Debbie,” I snapped, the suspense was killing me.
She did wring her hands nervously before talking. “Okay…um…You remember the call I took earlier today?”
I nodded, she nodded too and continued. “That was Daniel, I went to meet him. Well…he’s a family friend, but mostly my husband’s friend. But he has tried to make us reconcile over time…,” she stopped and sighed. “I’m rambling, aren’t I?”
I smiled, “A bit, but I’m getting you,” I encouraged.
“Anyway, we met a while after his wife ran away with their only child, a seven year old girl, because he wasn’t as financially buoyant as she wanted.”
As always, I’m sensitive to anything that concerns children and parentage. I frowned, “That’s terrible.”
“Yes, but now, his wife is in town and she’s been served divorce papers and Daniel wants custody of the child.”
“As he should…but I don’t see where I come in,” I pointed frankly.
Debbie sighed as though she had a heavy duty to perform. “To tip the balance in his favor, he needs a fiancée…a fake fiancée. He asked me, but I’m still legally married to Paul. So…,” she paused, hesitantly.
“So…?” I prodded expectantly.
Debbie grimaced, “So, I sort of, kind of, told him I could help.”
“And by help, you meant me,” I concluded in exasperation. I watched Debbie nod and shook my head. “This is important to you,” I was making an observation, but she nodded all the same.
“He’s going to pay, right?”
“Oh, yes, of course,” she nodded eagerly.
I contemplated for a while, “Is he handsome?” I asked with a coy look.
Debbie gasped, “Wana!” she exclaimed in mock shock, causing us to melt in laughter. “I’ll allow you make that decision when you see him tonight.”
~*********~
Daniel noticed them the moment the walked into the restaurant. He stood as they approached and smiled when Debbie smiled, but his eyes were riveted on the taller lady behind her.
“Daniel,” Debbie called as a form of greeting.
“Debbie, good evening,” he replied and engaged her in a side hug. He immediately pulled a seat, “Do seat down…”
Debbie interrupted his actions by softly touching his arm with a shake of her head. “Unfortunately, Daniel, I can’t stay,” she announced regretfully. “I’m only here for the introductions,” she said and stepped to the side.
Her hand landed on the small of Wana’s back, “This is Uwana Ukpong. And Wana, this Daniel Akpan, the friend I told you about.”
Their eyes met and held. Daniel remembered his manners at the nick of time and extended his hand for a shake, “Can I call you Wana, too?” he asked cautiously.
She shrugged, “It’s okay. It’s a pleasure.”
“Same here,” Daniel said and nodded.
“So, my work here is done,” Debbie declared while pushing Wana into the seat that had been pulled for her.
“Thanks, Debbie, I appreciate this, so much,” he said sincerely.
Debbie waved off his gratitude; she smiled and whispered in Wana’s ear, “I’ll be waiting.” Wana smiled back and nodded, watching her weave her way out of the restaurant.
Daniel cleared his throat awkwardly after taking his seat. “Hi,” was the only thing he could manage.
Wana’s eyebrow went up, “Hi…seriously? I didn’t think there were still men like you in the world.”
His frown was curious, “Men like me?”
“Shy, awkward, courteous to women, generally good mannered…predictable,” she said frankly.
“You make me sound lame…like it’s a bad thing,” he laughed self consciously.
“Not bad, just really rare,” Wana replied confidently and then sat up straight. “Debbie tells me you’re in need of a fake fiancée.”
“Wow, you move straight to the point, don’t you?” he said, hedging uncomfortably.
Wana shrugged, “I’ve found from practice it saves time,” he nodded in agreement.
The waiter interrupted them then to take their orders, they declined food and settled for drinks.
“I assume Debbie has told you why I’m doing this,” Daniel broached the conversation, after they’d been served.
“She did.”
“And you’re willing…?” he asked and then realized his folly and answered himself. “Of course you’re willing. You are here because you are willing to…to…”
“Daniel,” Wana interrupted exasperatingly. “What’s on your mind? You don’t seem like a person that goes into a meeting unprepared.”
Daniel cleared his throat in embarrassment. “I’m sorry if I seem befuddled. But I wasn’t expecting someone this…,” he paused in contemplation.
“Intimidating?” Wana supplied with a sly smile.
Daniel shook his head, rejecting her suggestion. “No, big; I’m sorry, that’s not even an issue. It’s just that I’m still stuck with the image of the other women I’d met on this.”
Wana was surprised, “Oh, so I’m not your first attempt,” she watched him nod. With interest she asked, “Exactly how many?” she narrowed her eyes at him and tried not to smile, she enjoyed making the man uncomfortable.
“Seven, eight…there about,” Daniel replied, already regretting that he had brought up the issue. To be sincere, he even preferred her, even though she was decked out in a jean and t-shirt, there was a homely feeling around her.
She grinned, “That many skinny women and none met your need?”
“They didn’t meet my prerequisite,” Daniel replied soberly.
“Which was?” she asked curiously.
Daniel did not appreciate Wana disposition, it was as though she was humored at his expense; he was miffed. “A simple question… ‘how do you handle a twelve year old girl from a broken home?’ that’s all.”
“It’s not that simple,” she pointed out.
“So, you saying you can’t attempt to answer it?” Daniel challenged.
Wana smiled and sat up, silently accepting the challenge. “The way I see it,” she began and Daniel nodded, “Adolescence is already a difficult time for a twelve year old, especially, an unadvised one. They are bombarded with sudden changes in body and mind and to add the divorce of parents on top of that, it’s a big blow to the child.
“So, to answer your question, the best way for the other woman to handle the twelve year old girl, is to befriend her…become her confidant.”
Daniel was impressed but didn’t show it. Instead, he sat forward with interest, “How can an adult, especially a woman taking her mother’s place, befriend this twelve year old? I feel it’s impossible,” he was still challenging her.
He wanted to know if she really knew what she was talking about or if she was parroting what Debbie must have fed her.
Wana laughed, and since he found her laugh infectious he joined. “I can assure you, that’s a difficult task. Especially, if said twelve year old assumes that the woman is the cause of her parent’s divorce.”
“So, you agree I’m right, it’s impossible?” Daniel prodded, ready for the satisfaction of winning the argument.
She chuckled, seeming to enjoy their easy flow of conversation. “No, I’m not agreeing to that. I said it would be difficult…”
“You can’t wiggle out of this one with reasoning,” Daniel interrupted with a smile. He’d not enjoyed the company of a woman like her before and he loved that she laughed at his lame attempt at a joke.
She laughed again and then curbed it with a shake of her head. “On a serious note though, I said it’ll be a difficult task, not an impossible one,” she said and grinned at him.
“To befriend a teenager would involve doing things that interest them,” Wana began but was instantly reminded of her stint at the orphanage and how she’d handled the unruly teenagers then.
Her voice was a bit hoarse as she swallowed the tears that threatened to spring from her eyes, “It would involve bringing one’s self to their level, seeing things as they see and compromising sometimes to get them to listen to you. It might sometimes involve sharing your teenage experience with them.”
Daniel was riveted. The lady before him was probably his next big book. The lines were already writing itself in his head. Debbie would not have fed her all that, this was probably from experience, and Daniel knew it would be wrong to bring it up.
He smiled widely and extended his hand for a hand shake, “Welcome to my home.”
Wana grinned and accepted his hand over their drinks, “How much are you paying?” Daniel laughed while pumping her hand and enjoyed the sight of her pleasant smile.
TWO HOURS LATER, DEBBIE groaned in the driver’s seat of her car, parked in the restaurant’s parking lot.
“Seriously, what are they talking about? I’m tired o. Today was just supposed to be the meeting, not the signing of the contract,” she griped while fidgeting uncomfortably.
She sighed again and had just found a comfortable position when a sharp knock on her window made her start and emit a squeal. Her heart leaped when she saw Paul by her car, she immediately opened the door and stepped out.
“Paul, what are you doing here?” she asked in a voice suddenly gone hoarse.
“Waiting for Daniel, you?” he asked crisply.
“Waiting for Wana,” she replied slowly.
“The lady with him?”
She nodded in reply while wringing her hands and trying to come up with the courage to ask about his health.
“So, you’re a pimp now,” PJ casually commented, and all the concern for his health vanished.
The hurt on her face was obvious when she swiftly looked up. “Paul, that hurts and quite frankly, it was unnecessary.”
PJ smiled then, “Not as much as you hurt me.”
“But I’m sorry for that, Paul,” she was immediately apologetic. “I’ve apologized countlessly. I’m sorry; it was a freak slip of tongue; why can’t you forgive me? I just want my marriage back…with you,” she cried and didn’t care that somebody might have heard her.
He shook his head slowly, “I don’t know, DJ, I’m not ready yet,” he replied in a lowered tone.
A sob broke from her throat, “Well, I hope I’d still be interested when you’re ready. It’s been years without your warmth, a woman has needs you know,” she said, trying to wipe the tears from her eyes.
PJ scoffed with a laugh, “Are you trying to make me believe you haven’t been seeing other men?”
Time stopped for Debbie. She knew he most have been seeing other women, but, that he could acknowledge that and then assume she was doing the same was too much to bear.
She exploded in a fierce whisper, “God damn you, PJ!” She moved close to him and poked his chest, “I hate you,” she pronounced with so much venom and then reached for her left hand and pulled off her wedding band.
“I’ve had it with this sham, I want a divorce!” she declared and flung the ring at him, got into her car and zoomed off.
PJ stood there and for the first time in his unforgiving stint, he was uncertain of his position. Surprisingly, his heart felt like it had been wrenched out of him when Debbie pulled off her ring. He shook his head to disperse such fancy notion; he picked the ring, looked at it thoughtfully, and pulled out his left hand from his pocket to stare at his own wedding band.
Maybe, it was time, he thought, it was time to set her free.
The story continues…
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