Sifon ✓

EPILOGUE

TWO MONTHS LATER...

They say you don't get to move on to the next chapter in life without having closed the previous one, I think it's true.

Damini had once been a vital part of my life, there was a time that I never imagined my future without him in the picture, but I guess as things change so does people and so have I.

I don't regret choosing Haruna. Yes, I chose him over Damini but definitely not out of pity.

I loved Damini with all my heart but now, Haruna has filled that position in my heart. I never intended to fall for him, I tried my best to hate him, I really did because I only wanted to be with Damini.

Now, the only thing I could do for Damini, is to tell him everything and give our ‘relationship’ closure because I still cared about him.

I should probably not say that in the presence of Haruna.

I made the effort to go see Damini without Haruna's knowledge of course.

....

I stood in front of Damini’s apartment summoning the courage to knock. After everything that has happened I realise it is quite difficult to face him but I know it's something I should do.

I knocked twice before taking a stepping back, involuntarily holding my breath when the door opened and I'm met with Damini.

I thought I'd at least feel something. Anything. Maybe a remnant of what I use to feel anytime our eyes met or when we touched but I felt nothing.

It was as though I was meeting an old friend I hadn't seen in decades, how strange.

“Hi Damini”, I murmured with a small smile that he didn't return.

“We have to talk”, I said and he sighed before nodding and pulling the door wide open for me to enter.

He led me to the sitting room, it was just the way I remembered it, nothing out of place.

He motioned for me to sit and I did.

“Would you like something to drink”, he asked unsurely but I shook my head.

“It’s fine, thanks”, he nodded and sat, his elbows resting on his thigh.

“Now, will you tell me what really happened?”, he asked softly his brows creasing in concentration.

“That is why I'm here”, I replied, my eyes directly fixated on him.

....

“How much longer will we wait?”, I asked impatiently, pacing back and forth. Haruna only rolled his eyes, his tall frame leaning lazily against the hood of his car.

“Don’t roll your eyes at me”, I scowled at him and he quickly raised his hands in surrender before sighing.

“Look, these things take time and besides we'd know if someone hadn't insisted on not going”, he said and I glared at him, my scowl deepening.

The only thing that hasn't changed is the fact that he never fails to annoy me every chance he gets. Ugh!

“Don’t—”

“They’re here”, he cuts me off, straightening up, his eyes glued to the double mahogany doors of the courtroom that reporters have began to swarm.

It was pushed open a second later, there, I saw my father, his hands cuffed behind him being led by policemen on either side of him who at the same time were trying to keep the reporters at bay. Their cameras kept flashing and their probing questions never ending but throughout all the ruckus his gaze remained fixated on the floor.

I didn't know when my legs started to carry me from my position opposite the scene but Haruna's hold on my arm drags me back to reality. He had his phone held to his ear which meant he was in the middle of a phone call, he shakes his head for me not to go and I silently obliged, turning back to the commotion, our eyes meet.

For a second it’s as if the voices of the reporters fades into nothing, like it was just the two of us.

‘Dad’, I mouthed, just before he was led into the police van and the door slammed shut.

The van sped off into the distance, flanked by two police cars, the only evidence that he was ever there was the wailing of the siren in the distance.

A tear dropped.

I will allow myself to cry just this once, never again. Not for him.

I turned to Haruna who had finished his call, he shook his head and engulfed me in a hug, he rubbed my back in soothing circles and whispered sweet nothings in my ear to calm me. Eventually, I pulled away and looked him.

He pursed his lips, hesitating before he eventually gave in.

“He was found guilty of forgery amongst other charges so he'll be spending an ample amount of time in jail, but unfortunately they still haven't found substantial evidence to suggest he has a hand in my parents death”, he looked away when he said this, his jaw clenching in anger.

“The investigation is still ongoing though, so we have all the time in the world to do some digging ourselves”, he caressed my face when he said this and I smiled, nodding.

“Come on, we don't want to miss our flight”, he held the door of the car open and I smiled placing a chaste kiss on his lips.

“Of course”.

....

“Is granny asleep?”, I asked Haruna just as he shut the door to our bedroom and began to crawl back to bed.

He hummed and pulled to him, my head laying on his chest. I sighed in content as I listened to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, hoping it would lull me to sleep.

“Love”, he murmured and I hummed.

“I know you went to see Damini before we left Calabar”, I gasped, pulling away from him to look him the eyes.

“How did you know?”, I inquired, my brows furrowing in confusion.

“It doesn't matter, why?”, he asked.

“For closure”. I simply said.

“And to explain everything to him, he deserves to know at least, it wouldn't be fair if I'd left everything the way it was without trying to fix it”, I explained and he sighed, leaning in to place a tender kiss on my forehead.

“I understand”, he whispered before his lips descended on mine in a hot and fiery kiss.

I pulled away a moment later, my eyes trailing his features, the pad of my finger caressing every ridge and contour of his face.

“I love you”, the words tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop myself and I quickly covered my face in embarrassment.

He was silent for seconds before he slowly pried my fingers from my face, the adoration I saw in his eyes both shocked and excited me.

“My love, I'd spend every waking moment of my life treasuring you, I feel like the luckiest man alive knowing that you love me just as I do you”,

“We may have had a rocky start but I promise to be better, it won't all be sunshine and rainbows but we'll make it work”, I chuckled.

“I’ll be better too, for you”, I replied.

“I love you”, he whispered placing a chaste kiss on my lips. I smiled and embraced him, his hold tightening around me.

I guess there is such a thing called a happy ending....

The End