At dusk, I decided to phone Vicky before I forgot. "I'm sorry."
"Hey, I'm sorry too. I acted badly. I hated myself. I couldn't believe I lashed out at you when you needed me the most. And I didn't even call."
"Vicky, it's fine I take the blame. I was dumb for telling Faith about your home address."
“She showed up here.”
"What? Did she hurt you? Are you fine?"
"I'm fine. She only asked after you and when I told her you left for Nigeria, she left.”
“Oh, that's good.”
“How is Toyin?”
"Good. We are back together. She has forgiven."
“I'm glad she has forgiven you. I'll be in Nigeria tomorrow or two days later."
“For what? Is it safe to travel?"
“Absolutely it is and I miss home in Nigeria. I want to see Toyin and Bisola. I can't believe she's dead."
“It's hard to believe. I'm sure they will be glad to see you.”
“I have to go now, bye. I love you," Vicky said and hung up.”
“I love it too."
I pulled up Jasper's car at the huge gate of the mansion and I smirked. Some memories just won't die. I began to recollect how Henry had watched me through his window as I made my way out on my first official day here. The time he scolded me in the garden. The time he leaned his face to mine just to be clear that I wouldn't get to see his face because no one else did. The time I stood by his side in the gallery room. The time he had stared at me as I read the rules in my eighteen years old slim body. The time he scolded me for not being able to shoot. The time we danced together. The time we went on vacation with the group. The time he had worked selflessly and energetically like the boss he was.
God, so many memories.
I saw the signboard that said the house was on sale and I input the code before I finally drove in. Jasper and Toyin had decided to go to Toyin's house in her car to properly introduce Jasper to her parents and I was happy for them.
After I had parked the car, I pushed the front door open and recalled my first time here at the doorstep. I waved at the CCTV and I smiled. Making my way around the house made my memories vivid. I felt the memories that I began to see all over again. I walked up the stairs and everywhere felt so silent and empty.
"Hey."
"Ah!" I got startled as I placed my hand on my chest. "James, don't do that!".
"Do what? I shouldn't greet you anymore? Fine, if that's what you want,” he joked.
He had grown so well. He was young when I got here and look at us now, all grown up.
I saw a big bag with him and asked, "Going somewhere?"
He snorted. "I came back for my stuff. You ran away."
God, please, I don't want to do this.
“I…”
"It's fine. I get it. How is Toyin?"
"She is fine now.”
"Good. I'm going to college. Henry said I should do something good."
"That's great."
"No, it's not. Isn't it too late for me, right?"
"Of course not! You start now you will finish before you know it."
He nodded and came to hug me. "I will miss you and everyone."
"I know, just please stay safe and be humble. I know you're a rich dude."
"It's hard but I'm glad Henry is playing the father's role in my life. If I find college to be difficult for me, I will set up a business."
I was touched when he said he was glad Henry was playing the father role in his life. "Well, that will be nice."
"I have to go now. I'm not sure Henry will be happy to see you."
"Where is he by the way?"
“In the meeting room.”
"Thank you," I said and I watched him go.
When I saw that he had left, I made my way to the meeting room. I pushed the door open and saw Henry standing in front of the furnace. Everything in the room was vacant. Henry's hands were in his pocket as he bowed his head with the mask on. I approached him and touched him.
He flinched and quickly got himself together when he saw me. "Tosin?"
"Hey, you're wearing a mask."
"James is around," he said softly.
“He just left. I watched him go.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Henry removed the mask and stared at me. I was seeing Jeremy in Henry's mansion. That was how it felt like, but it was all one person. "How are you?"
The light of the furnace shone on his face and all I could see was a handsome face. Damn! Whose son was this again?
“Is it about the baby?”
“Us.” I knew Henry could be harsh and be going through some stuff he had told me but I knew we could work it out. Knowing him showed me his personality. A man dealing with things and being secretive. And knowing him as Jeremy showed me he could love despite all.
“Us?” His eyes flickered like a faulty light bulb. Now should I season a little?
“But first, what are you doing standing here?”
“Watching my masks burn.”
I shot my eyebrows up. "Why? Henry was completely letting it go? He was thinking for the best.
“I see no point. This scorpion group has caused enough damage.”
“And so has it healed and brought hope to people, Henry. I looked at the mask that was gradually burning into shreds and looked back at him.
“I thought doing this is best for us, possibly and for the baby especially."
"You are doing right," I moved closer to him and loved the way his enormous eyes gazed down at mine. "You have done wrong to me..."
“I'm sorry... For being harsh... For all the lies. The house, the fashion business... "
“Shhh," I placed a finger on his mouth. “I'm still talking. You've done wrong, and so have I. So selfishly but that's all in the past now. Let's assume I have you as my boss and I have a lover who isn't you, but another person entirely. I want you to know that I would have left him without an explanation too. For his sake. I'm sorry I hurt you."
"No, I'm sorry."
"No, I am. If we continue like this, we will stay here till tomorrow saying sorry to each other. "
Henry smiled. "Is this a second chance?"
"Yes. To me, I want you to be part of my life and our baby," I said and ruffled his curly hair. I should have let him suffer a little bit because of what he did to me, but it was best we talked it out without elongating anything unnecessary.
Henry cupped my face as his eyes watered. "Thank you." He leaned his forehead on mine. “And I nearly went insane when you left me. Don't try that again."
"I'm sorry. And don't lie to me again.”
"It's okay to be scared. What matters now is the two of us. The present and the future."
"Your flight?"
"That will be cancelled. What I need is you. All the time to keep me calm and warm like the coat does to me during winter. I need you to keep me sane. I know I can be harsh, but trust me, I'm not that bad."
"I know. I need you too." I smile. "I want you."
Henry pulled me to him, not breaking our eye contact as he cupped my face in his strong hand until he gradually bent to kiss me. With passion and vigour. And man, it reminded me of the first time he kissed me!
Since we couldn't get enough of each other, he carried me, not breaking the contact as he led the way to his room. All I was feeling was passion and being loved. Nothing more.
Henry pushed the door open, kicked it shut and suddenly, it looked strange to me. I had never been here before. Never. Except for Jasper's room. Some might have entered here, but not me. The room was big and flamboyant and I must say, Henry had an exquisite taste for how he wanted his room to be.
He carefully lay me on the bed and kissed my forehead, my nose and slightly bit my lips. "Welcome to my room."
I was glad to be here. "Ever brought another woman here?"
"No, not my special space. I don't have the luxury of time to have sex around. Being a masked gangster didn't make room for that."
"I thought you had a girlfriend," I said and remember the day one of the gangsters told Henry in the meeting room that some girl was looking for him.
"Oh, that girl? She liked me. We only talked whenever she came around. She was trying to find everything about me like you, so I stopped her from seeing me. I was giving her attitude. Being a gangster didn't give me room for a lot of things."
"But now?"
"Now," he knelt and pulled up his shirt over his head and I marvelled at his torso. He was slender but still, his abs were great. Damn, I missed this.
Henry unbuttoned my blouse and kissed my boobs and my belly. "I love you."
The joy of seeing him with me was exhilarating and my hormones were running wild. I knew I thought if we are meant to be, we would be, but what if he had come back _like fate had brought us together and I just didn't know it. Henry could have let go of me if his intention was not genuine but come on, his feeling was true because he came back for me. Wanting a second chance. Pushing him away was just going to cause me more sadness and a vacuum in my life.
"Is it okay to make love? You are pregnant."
"It's safe." I laughed and dug my fingers into his hair, grinning like a fool. I was in love.
"How?" Henry kissed my neck.
"The baby is protected by the amniotic sac and the womb. It's pretty safe."
"Well, how did you know? The doctor told you?"
Shamefully, I said, "I did some research before coming."
"Badass." He nuzzled my neck.
"I missed you. You can't blame me. I'm supposed to be at the hospital."
"We'll do that tomorrow."
I didn't know why I didn't feel anything wrong with the baby, but I was glad. Maybe it was a sign God wanted me to keep the baby. I might have been hard on myself, but He had been there all this while. That was how it occurred to me that God loved me despite all.
Vicky, I'm glad and grateful.
Henry gently handled me and I felt like a woman other than how my gender revealed I was a woman. I was so glad I met a man like Henry.
After night fell, he cuddled me, whispering lovely words and memories of us together till we fell asleep in each other's arms.
____________________
A week later, Toyin and I became stronger and alive. We worked together to complete Bisola's novel. Everything in her story was about us all, but most importantly about her and Joe.
Since Toyin and I weren't novel writers, we brainstormed and tried to detail it as much as we could. It was obviously a sad ending for her, but I was sure she was happy in Heaven to see us happy. Especially since her novel was published both online and in hard copy.
The mansion was sold off and Henry got a new house. At first, I didn't see the reason he had to when we had decided to stay back in Nigeria for a while before we moved. But he said the mansion brought a lot of memories to him and I couldn't agree more. He was right. Letting go of the past meant letting go of what reminded us of it.
As we moved into a new day every day, I began to feel alive gradually. We began to heal one step at a time. My family was still clueless about what I had done and I had no intention of revealing anything. The past should bury itself in the past.
My Mum was still mourning and sweet committed Gideon was still by her side. And their relationship was evidence enough to make me know they would still be together.
There was also a time I invited my biological father to visit us and to be honest, nothing felt so good as having a family gathering in the house; where you share laughter, gossip and much more.
And as for Toyin, her relationship with her parents had changed for good. I was happy for her. I was happy for us all. I was happy we were healing.
Everything seemed all nice but once in a while, it bothered me who could have ordered the death of my uncle. Was it my Mum or Loveline?