The other lady (1)

"Grab a cup of tea and go to bed. It will do you some good."

That was the response at the other end of the phone when Araba called him to catch up on the events of the day. She was however met with a female voice; and surprised at the first instance she called his number again to be sure that she hadn't called a wrong number.

But she wasn't wrong. It was his number. The number she's been calling him on since they ever met. It's the same number she's been texting him on so who was the lady on the other end of the phone.

It had been a hectic day for Araba who had just started a small business to augment her monthly salary. Her busy schedule didn't give her the time to call him since after all he had also been busy with work and other stuff. The year was coming to an end and she was more than elated about it because the long holidays meant she would get to spend some meaningful time with him.

She had already made a proposal to host his friends for lunch but he turned it down politely with the excuse that he had to visit his mother. And even though she wasn't happy about the turn of events with regards to her proposal, she just let it slide.

Araba had in the past three years not been in any meaningful relationship after her three-year relationship came to an abrupt end. Raymond, her then boyfriend broke up with her and married his ex-girlfriend. His excuse? She was making too many excuses not to be married within the year he had proposed. They were not mere excuses, Araba thought. She had just landed a new job and had returned to school. She was one year through the two-year course and all she needed from him was some patience for her to complete so they finally tie the knot. But Raymondwouldn't take any of it.

He thought he had waited to long enough for her to achieve her long list of dreams and he had no more time to waste. There was this time he spoke passionately about how all his mates were married and had a child or two and how his mother always asked about when she was getting a grandchild from him. It was as though he was bowing down to pressure and Araba did not want to be pressurized into marrying him. She loved him though but she had to let him go. It was only a year till she graduated so if he couldn't wait for just one more year, he was free to go.

To be continued...