OIL MONEY |A Nigerian Romance|

Chapter 20.

FARIDA

Love is indeed a beautiful feeling. One that makes you fill a void you never knew existed. A feeling you only get to experience when you are fortunate to meet the right person. The problems of my past do not hinder me from believing the beauty that comes with it. It's amazing to see two souls wanting to understand each other and spend eternity together as they fall deeper and deeper into that feeling that breeds sanity. Pause, wait a minute. I am not in love. It's watching Jack that has made me smile, thinking about love and all it entails. The man is currently a nervous wreck. How will he even have doubts about this?

"What if she meets some guy in Denmark and decides that I am not it for her anymore?" I want to laugh because what he said is funny but I try to understand his plight. He is currently sweating under this cold AC as he nervously unknots his tie and completely take it off before unbuttoning the first two buttons on his shirt.

"Calm down, Jack. She will not do that to you. Tamara loves you so much and we both know that." I know my friend and she is not tailored that way. Has this man looked at himself in the mirror? He is a fine specimen of man. Mind you, I am not lusting or drooling over him, just stating the obvious.

"What if?" He persists. Gosh, I badly want to smack some senses into his head right now. Jack is the most supportive boyfriend Tamara has ever had. Plus, he does not look down on her and encourages her to always push. I know my friend would be in safe hands.

"Can we focus on the engagement plans and not dwell on that? You have my word, she won't." I know he also knows she would not do that. He is just nervous and so many thoughts that would hinder their possible future together have been taunting him. It is pretty normal for him to feel this way. He should just take a deep breath and remind himself why they both love each other in the first place.

"So, what else do we have to put in place?" I ask him and his focus goes back to his iPad as he runs his eyes through the to-do list we created.

"Flowers and Invites to the brands she works with." He states and I quickly make a call to one of my QCOGs that runs a flower shop, basically a flower house because that place is big. Another amazing thing is that you can get any flower delivered and in record time. After specifications and payments were made, we tick that off our list and proceed to do the one last thing on the list before calling it a day.

"Thank you so much for the help, Farida." He says with a smile.

"You're welcome. Just ensure you take good care of my friend." I know he'll do a good job at that. They both will. Jack and Tamara's story is one I admire. The way they met was purely coincidental but look at them today, all loved up, with him even planning a proposal. This is huge!

"You can trust me on that." He says and I just hum, nodding to concur.

•••••

I have never run this fast in my life. I could barely feel my feet on the ground. It felt more like flying. The Nurse's voice behind me was selectively blocked off by my brain as I burst into the hospital ward, taking a quick retrace in my steps at the shocking reality I am met with.

Tubes, scars, bandages, plasters and the beeping sound of the heart monitor. The never-ending stench of the hospital's cleaning agent that majorly reeked of Izal hit my nostrils strong, mixed with the metallic smell of blood.

Whatever strength I have in me flies off the moment Jack's bloodshot eyes meets mine. My legs that initially felt like wings gave up and I found myself on the floor, wailing uncontrollably. Bukky was a lot stronger than I was but to see her this weak and vulnerable, shoulders shaking and palms clasped over her mouth as she cried, leaned against the door, it further cemented the fact that this situation was indeed a terrible one.