ALEX AND BELLA 5

  ALEX AND BELLA 5

Charles leaves the bar and walks back to locate Bella who seem busy with another friend. He motions to her as she excused herself and walks her way out of the hall with Charles t o another bar in the same hotel. They sat to drink and unwind and as they were talking, he discovers Bella has feelings for Alex and he became weak. Now Bella is not married and there should be no issue if she has feelings for Alex ordinarily but with the drama on ground the feelings needed to be modified and put into proper perspective. Besides Bella can date a man like Alex because their ways of life could never produce a synergy. 

Bella:  Where is Alex.

Charles: At the other Bar.

Bella: Then let’s go over there to bug him. That friend of yours cherish his own company more than hanging out. I watched him as he danced into the hall with the other grooms’ men; the guy is simply a fine gentleman.

Charles: Don’t mind him jare… You know he is introverted and would rather speak to the books or his laptop. People like him are more addicted to career, research and church but wait a minute, where is Zoe; she seem to have disappeared too early.

Bella: Oh yes! She had to. She received a call just as we came into the reception hall, while we were still fighting over the Samosa and gizzard in the small chops plate, she received the call that her Aunt in Germany died this morning.

Charles: Omg!  (Charles was really shocked but he played along) That is really a sad one but how old was the Aunt?

Bella: 57, according to Zoe, the lady already went through the third stage of chemotherapy yet she still didn’t survive. It is sad though.

Charles: These days, we hear a lot of campaigns on how early detection can save. May God comfort her family.

Bella: Amen. You are quite right my brother. Life is too short and too many diseases keep popping up and they just make life shorter. Hmmnmm! As for me I often go for medical checkup and series of cancer examinations just to avoid stories that touch the heart.

Charles: Very important dear. My wife does same. So where is Zoe, we need to drag her out. She can’t just be by herself at this time.

Bella: She has gone back to the hotel. She needed some time alone and I quite understand.

Charles: Oh I see. Same hotel with yours right

Bella: Alright then. That is a great idea. We drag her out and we can even hang out in that same hotel or its vicinity, because she might not want to go far from her suites.

Charles:  It is equally fine by me but I would need to call Alex so we can all go together, only that I do not understand why you told Alex a confusing story. Yet you gave him Zoe's number. Babe don’t you think, Alex would find out the truth when he eventually calls her.

Bella: Well I did what came to my mind the moment Alex came asking after her.

Charles: Then why give him her number?

Bella: I wouldn’t give out her number without her consent, I gave him my number.

Charles: Bell you sound a bit interested in Alex because tonight’s drama speak volume and I won’t probe further

Belle: No doubt, I like your friend. Alex nah cool guy but that wasn’t the reason I gave out my number instead of Zoe’s.  You know Zoe might not like the idea of her number been given to a stranger.

Charles: Bell, I believe you. But then can we clear the air a bit: You and I know that Alex isn’t your kind of spec. and you both won’t flow for long. So instead of us trying out a relationship we are sure wouldn’t work, why don’t we put our energies …

Bella:  Into what, Charles?

Charles: Pardon me dear. I do not mean to get on your nerves

Bella: Well you aren’t. I was only asking a simple question.

Charles: The truth is that, my friend Alex is madly in love with Zoe and at the moment, he his love sick. No matter how much I try to convince him that you are a great babe and that he should try asking you out, my dear, it will not work. I am sorry if I sound unfriendly or biased but my stand is because Alex told me few hours ago of how he has admired Zoe for 7years with an unexpressed secret affection.  

Bella: Hmmnmm! Wow that is indeed interesting.

Charles: So what do you think and how can you help this helpless guy.

Bella: Well there is nothing I can do.

Bella then tells Charles how her friend Zoe had been in a bad marriage. She had suffered psychically and emotionally in the hands of her ex-husband who had always accused her of infidelity, he would speak ill of her and beat her up at random, especially whenever, she reminded him of his affair with his ex girlfriend. Zoe had her resigned her job in other to please her husband and family, yet her husband never trusted her. News has it that he had more two mistresses yet he accused of Zoe of every silly thing you he was capable of indulging in. According to Bella, Zoe had spent her three/ four years in the marriage like she was in hell. If not for her Aunt in Germany who visited Nigeria at the time and spent two weeks with Zoe’s family, no one would have known how much of pain, Zoe was going through. Aunt Betty had arrived just in time to save her from the beast she was married to and that was how Zoe and her son separated from her husband. Zoe had to allow her son go with Aunt Betty to Germany after much persuasion while she tried to fix her life. Unfortunately, same Aunt Betty was diagnosed of cancer few years back and she dead yesterday. So you see, the reason Zoe insisted on been alone all day. Besides I am not sure she would stay in Nigeria any more. From all indications, she might just relocate to Germany to stay with her son after Aunt Betty’s burial. Charles felt really sorry for Zoe and could understand her reasons for the sex toy with this story.

Alex insisted on them going over to Zoe’s suite but on getting there, Zoe was already packed to leave with the next flight the Sunday morning. She had cried her eyes out and could barely listen to all they were saying even though she followed them to the closet bar. She was only thinking of the last four to five years of her life and how her only source of encouragement had exited the earth.  Bella spent the later part of the night with Alex and both of them became friendly and Bella encouraged Alex to go and propose to Zoe the next morning before she takes off. So the next morning, Alex went over to Zoe’s suite very early to propose to her but she declines and told him, she wish he finds another but that she was never sure, of remarrying. She literary told him the sound of the word marriage gives her a form of torment. Alex decided not to push his luck further, instead he pleaded to drop her off at the airport and promised never to talk about his proposal again. Alex returned to Calabar more sad, as he wished he had seized the opportunities that he lost.