THE PHOTOGRAPHER 11 --by Rose

(Image source: gettyimages.com)

Nadie and Udeme had just finished shopping for shoes when they spotted one woman they both abhorred. Adenike had also seen the pair and was quite fascinated; two friends dating the same man, she thought. There was something fishy going on. She deliberately walked towards them. Udeme flinched like she saw a ghost and that made Adenike chuckle. “Hello pretty lady and not-so-pretty-lady Edwards,” she said with a smirk. “What do you want?” Nadie asked, praying and hoping the evil witch won’t run her mouth about her and Bode in front of Udeme, she mustn’t know! “Well, relax, I won’t spill the beans if you play by my rules,” she reverted her eyes to Udeme, who wondered how the two had met. “And you Barrister, how is that leg of yours? Is Bode done playing with it?” I’m sorry madam, I don’t understand you. We have to go now. We’re in a hurry obviously,” she rolled her eyes and walked away, leaving Nadie at her mercy, the claws of that witch, she muttered.

As she reached the car, she turned realising Nadie hadn’t followed her and she wondered why the two were still talking, how did Nadie get to know Adenike? And what secret was the woman talking about? Something was definitely wrong somewhere, her friend wasn’t being straight with her. “I’m here love,” she said sweetly as she entered the car. “What was that about?” Udeme asked, looking startled, not waiting for a reply she continued. “That woman was very mean to me at the interview. How did you get entangled in her web?” Nadie was lost for words, like what the hell, was she gonna say now? “Uhhm,” she began, clearing her throat, “It’s a long story, would tell you later.” Really? Ud thought. So much for friendship. She ignited the engine and drove off.

“Udeme, it’s not as if I’m keeping secrets but when it’s appropriate, I would definitely tell you,” Nadie pleaded, she had to tread carefully. If Udeme found out she had something to do with Bode, everything was gonna be messed up, Udeme had nothing to say, she just stared on quietly. Gone were the days she was so attached to her friend and got hurt a lot. Now she had Bode and she had no time for this. “Drop me by the ice cream eatery, I won’t be following you back home,” Udeme said and Nadie became perplexed. She hadn’t expected her friend to react the way she was. “Come on Ud, why the attitude, what’s all this for?” She pulled over for a conversation but Udeme had already stepped out of the car before she said a word. “Damn,” Nadie muttered. What was the ugly duckling feeling like right now? New found love, she sneered at this thought. She quickly remembered her appointment with Bode and seized this opportunity; she had to win him back, her baby. She smiled and drove off.

****

“I’m over here,” Bode waved to her as she stepped into the restaurant. He looked as handsome as ever, so enticing the way the blue shirt clung to his muscular frame, he was so simple yet elegant. She smiled and walked over but he looked different. He wasn’t friendly, he didn’t return her smile and kept going through his phone, and she instantly felt stupid. “Do you mind telling me what’s between you and Udeme?” She started, he just stared at her as she continued. “I thought I made it clear my friend has a fiancé, and soon they will get married, whatever is going on between you two has to end, it’s wrong.” “You’re such a bitch Nadie, I’m quite disappointed.” Maybe she heard it wrong, maybe. Did he just call her a bitch? “Excuse me?” “Yeah, you heard me. You ruined every chance I had with Udeme. How could you? I thought she was your friend?” “I don’t understand you,” she feigned ignorance. “You are engaged to be married to Duncan, you lied to me. You’re such a cheap whore, bedding another man while engaged? And you lied about Udeme getting married, who does that?” She stammered as tears shone in her eyes. No! He couldn’t do that to her, it was the fault of that bitch, that ugly duckling that claimed to be her friend, she must have told him she was getting married to Duncan. “Bode...please, I’m so sorry, I...,” he just waved her aside. “Now you’re gonna keep whatever happened between us a secret, I don’t want Udeme finding out, it cannot hurt her. She’s so precious to me, and I don’t ever want to ruin that. Keep away from me or else Duncan will get to know about our affair,” he looked her over and walked away without looking back. She felt like screaming; the pain was too much to bear. How could he do this to her? Suddenly, he had forgotten all what they shared, how he kissed her, made love to her. She felt numb. Udeme had stolen his heart and she was going to pay, she couldn’t imagine a life without Bode, she had to fight. Her tears spilled rapidly across her cheeks as his words echoed once again in her head, “she’s so precious to me.”

****

He carried her into the house, after their date at the famous lodge, she felt like the only girl in the world. He had hired a band and they played love songs all through the date. If she had known him better, she would’ve sworn he was going to propose. He dropped her on a cushion and smiled warmly into her beautiful and seductive eyes whose depths glowed like stars in the night. He fought the urge to kiss her, he had to take this slowly. He planned on getting married to this woman someday, and he had to be a gentleman in all respect. “Thank you so much dear, I had such a swell time,” she smiled back. He kissed her hair and inhaled deeply. “Lest I forget, I have something for you,” he dipped his hand in his pockets and brought out a golden vial. “Have it. It’s for you, my world.” She liked that name, my world. She carefully placed the vial in her hands and was surprised. No man had ever gotten her something this beautiful as well as expensive. She hugged him. “Baby this is so beautiful, thank you.” He felt happy she liked it. He would do anything for her smile. He had bought her two pairs of green diamond earrings, he knew what women loved and he wanted to please her at all costs. “It’s nothing. I just want you to know that I love you so much with my life, Udeme. Since the first time I set my eyes on you, I knew you were right for me, my world, my everything,” he laid her down on the carpet grass and placed his lips over hers, she responded and they were enveloped in this precious moment before they heard gunshots. She felt Bode stiffen, she jerked and held him up but it was too late, he was bleeding.

The commotion outside confused her. She heard shouts and gunshots. She pulled him behind the fountain. He was bleeding as he groaned in pain. “Bode hang on, it’s like we are under attack, please baby, stay with me,” she sobbed. Why was everything turning out this way? Luckily, they made it to the back of the fountain. Bode was still bleeding. She heard footsteps approach the garden as one man barked, “Where dem dey?” She could see him giving the old Chef a slap as she hesitated to answer him. “Dem bin come this side, plz no kill me, tender justice with mercy biko nna,” the woman begged but was given another blow on the head. “Dinka, search all this area, make sure you find them. If you spot that yarinya, waste am.”Udeme felt her heartbeat increase. From the conversation, she found out she was the target. Who could want her dead? The footsteps were getting nearer to where they hid. Bode had gone quiet, she felt his temperature and said a quick prayer. The situation wasn’t funny at all. Suddenly she heard three loud shots and fear almost ripped her apart. Two men had spotted her. She got up and began running but they caught her and whispered, “Madam, na we be the guards, wey Oga dey?”