Deception......Part 1
A lot of people feel bad when they find out that they have been deceived and generally I would like to think that you would frown upon another person deceiving the other but there are always two sides to a story. Let me tell you about Kunle and Shade.
They were both professional in their own right. They had very good jobs and were getting on with the business of living life. How did they meet? They met at a friends luncheon organised to celebrate one of the anniversaries of a fellowship in church. Tade was a mutual friend of both of them and had invited them both. He was not trying to match make but had innocently introduced Shade to Kunle because she happened to be besides him when Kunle walked up to him to say hello. They all exchanged hello's and Tade was called away by a fellowship member to give a toast. Shade glanced round to find a seat on one of the tables set for four just then Kunle said, I have an extra seat at my table if you don't mind and she smiled and said ...ok.
There were two other elderly ladies at the table wearing the same attire and they smiled warmly but seemed enthralled with Tunde's toast. As Kunle and Shade began to make light chatter everything and everyone began to fade into the background.
'So what do you do?' Kunle asked sipping his Chapman.
'I work in an NGO', Shade replied lightly, 'and you?'.
'I run my own business, we maintain aircrafts'. The conversation drifted on and before the afternoon was over Kunle gave Shade his card. 'I'll like to donate to the NGO you work for. Your description of the kind of work you do is very interesting and I'm sure I can help, do call'. 'Thank you, that's very kind of you Shade said enthusiastically, I certainly will'. Kunle excused himself and said he had to leave. He shook her hand briefly and as he picked up his car keys Shade could not stop her eyes from glancing at his wedding finger. There was no ring. Surely a guy his age must have some sort of attachment. She decided not to think about it and said bye.
It was four days later that she did call Kunle but not until she had told her boss about his offer to donate money. Her boss was really pleased and told her to chase it up because that was the sort of thing that they needed to help fund their cause. Kunle was genuinely happy to hear from Shade and said he would leave the check with the secretary at his office. Shade found it hard to believe that someone would donate money for nothing but she gave him the benefit of the doubt. The check was there and it was for 500,000 naira. After handing it to her boss, her boss asked her for Kunle's details so she could call and thank him and she passed them on.
Shade called Kunle's mobile later on that evening to say thank you and that was how it all started. Kunle sounded pleased to hear from her and said it was nothing. She was about to say bye when he asked if she would like to have lunch with him the coming Saturday. Shade said she had a wedding that Saturday but could see him later on in the day and he said ok. Then began a whirlwind of dates for dinner and then to events and during this time she managed to ask if he was attached in anyway. Kunle said he had been married and had just divorced his wife of over 4 years because they had found out after various medical tests that she could not have children and the issue had driven both of them apart.
He said he had not wanted to divorce Bimpe his wife but she had insisted. The knowledge had eaten away at her and their marriage crumbled. She had filed for a divorce 7 months earlier and it had just come through but that they were still friends. Shade felt relief wash over her when she heard these words because she was already too involved with Kunle to stop. She enjoyed his company, loved spending time with him and they had become intimate. He was never demanding even though he had a very tight schedule, he always made time for her at least once a week. Things were getting serious and they would talk for sometime everyday when he got home. He had even asked her to be his girlfriend or sweetheart. It had all happened so quickly....and it felt so good.......who said good things don't last forever?.......maybe they do in fairy-tale land......well this fairy-tale was about to end......Kunle had taken her to a shop to get one or two groceries that she needed. As she came out of the store it so happened that a very pretty lady passing by Kunle's car stopped and lifted her dark glasses as if to check if she had got the right person.
Egbon Kunle she said smiling and he pretended not to hear but the lady said egbon how now and he seemed very uncomfortable as he said.....ah...ah...ah Cynthia hello. He got out of the car and came to give her a hug. I had just walked up to where they were and I smiled and said hello just as 'Cynthia' said...Iyawo e nko? How is Babara?....Mind check! Who is Barbara? I thought his wife's name was Bimpe....Cynthia went on.....I was telling her the other day just before heading for Heathrow that all of us should have a get together to catch up because Sege will be back from the States in three weeks she said laughing....and fancy me seeing you here.
An uneasy feeling came over me and Cynthia suddenly noticed that I had been standing there.....she turned and said 'hello, can I help you?' and I just looked at Kunle....who had started sweating. Cynthia meet Shade, Shade Cynthia my wife's best friend. I could barely manage a smile. I felt dizzy, then hot....then angry as i managed to muffle...Hi!
Cynthia....turned and looked from Kunle to me and then back again....she nodded looking at me with folded palms before asking 'Who is this Kunle?' Cynthia asked.
