"I just came in today and I'm hollering." I quickly countered.
"What if I'm out of state..., hell, out of the country and unavailable. So, this is how you would have visited secretly and gone back surreptitiously?" She continued really angry and disappointed at me.
"Let's not forget where we left things before now." I said calling her attention to the giant elephant in the room.
Oluchi and I had been dating for like five or six years depending on whom you ask.
We had met when we came to write Post-UTME at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. She from Lagos and I from Jos. We had hit it off from then. In her mind that was when we began dating, but, for me it was a year later when I asked her out and took her to a date officially.
Things ran smoothly between us relationship-wise and before long, we graduated and went for service. She in Jos and I in Lagos.
We saw each other anytime we get. She every time she visited her family in Lagos and I every time I visited mine in Jos.
During one of such visits, I had bought a ring with the intention to propose. We were having lunch at one of these new restaurants in Apata, when the discussion shifted to our plans at the end of service year.
"I think I will move back to Jos and get myself established first." I said regaling her with my big plans for us.
"Jos? Really? You know there is nothing here in Jos?" She said regarding me.
"Haba, now. Don't say that. Jos might be dry on the surface, but, there is something here. Especially if you know where to look. It might not be as huge as Lagos or as replete with opportunity as it, but, our standard of living here is way better and for a young man starting up life, I can't ask for a more better city. Don't tell me that if I ask you to move here with me you will not?"
"I won't o. I can't wait to go back to Lagos. I'm so tired of this city."
And that was how my ring didn't leave the breast pocket of my jacket.
We finished service year and she moved back to Lagos and I to Jos.
Our once robust relationship took a back seat. I stopped calling as at when due and each time she called, she always asked what she had done wrong that I no longer cared about her as I used to.
On one of such occasion, I opened up and told her and she was livied I took everything she said then quite literally.
"Jos, might be dry and all, but, for you, I can move to anywhere, hell, I can even move to the Sahara desert..." She swore angrily.
"But, you said you wouldn't."
"I was only joking."
"It didn't sound like a joke to me then." I reminded her.
And that was how she was still angry with me for not going through with my proposal and I for her telling me she was only joking about what I knew she was dead serious about.
I had just finished taking my bath and laid down on my bed which was covered with soft fluffy beddings it felt as if I was floating.
In my mind, I was home away from home, but, something was missing. I can't quite place my hands on it, but, there is one person I wanted to be right here with me at Ibis. (https://hotels.ng/hotel/52497-hotel-ibis-lagos-ikeja-lagos) At this very particular point in time. Oluchi.
I have not spoken to her in a year. I don't know whether she will even pick my call or not. I tried to call but, after picking my phone several times and dropping it, I finally summoned all the courage in me and called.
"Hello, Ogoo. Wow! This one you called me am I safe? What happened?"
"You're very safe. Nothing happened. I'm in your city."
"You're joking, right?"
"I'm not. I'm in Ikeja precisely. Hotel Ibis. Room 606."
"Okay. Gimme an hour I'll be there."
I don't think I waited up to thirty minutes before I heard a knock on my door.
"Who's there?" I asked thinking it may be one of the room service, but, an unmistakable sweet sonorous voice called my name.
"Ogoo, please open up."
I did and lo and behold it was her. Beautiful as the first day I saw her back in Awka except that the Lagos weather had done wonderful things to her chocolate-brown skin making her to be practically glowing.
"Aren't you going to invite me in?" She asked and I realized I had been staring at her for far too long.
"Come on in." I invited her, "What's in the paper bag anyway?"
"Wine and chocolate."
"Hmmm. Maybe you can begin by first apologizing to me." I began.
"Or other hand, you can take the lead while I follow. After all, you're the man. I think we are in for a long night of apologies and counter-apologies. Basically, that's why I brought the wine and chocolate. Trust me, we're going to need it."
And with that I know that my Oluchi is back.
-Ogochukwu Umeadi is a Writer and a Filmmaker. This is his entry for the Hotelng.com Content Writing Challenge, https://hotels.ng/guides/uncategorized/content-writing-challenge/?utm_source=facebook-campaign;utm_medium=social;utm_content=content-writing-challenge about reuniting with the love of his life at Hotel Ibis, Ikeja, https://hotels.ng/hotel/52497-hotel-ibis-lagos-ikeja-lagos.
Nice, all comments reserved. Lol
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