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A Familiar stranger...
Excerpt from the short story 'A Familiar Stranger' by Obasi Naomi
Wayne couldn't believe it, Sandra was alive! He had searched for her for three years! And she had been here all these while. He was about standing but changed his mind upon realising that she would have gone by then. He still couldn't believe It, he wanted to rush up to her, hug her, kiss her, hold her. Confess all the feelings he felt about her that were hidden so deep in his heart. Beg for her forgiveness, apologize for failing her. He slumped back on his seat, feeling overwhelmed already.
Thinking about her reminded him of her God-forsaken husband. Well, ex-husband now that he married the assistant he always took everywhere. He had noticed something was wrong with the man. Sullie - short for Sullivan- as he was popularly called, was Wayne's greatest enemy. He detested the guy. He would gladly spend the rest of his life in jail if it meant pinning him on a stake.
When he first came into Sandra's life, alarms of wariness started to ring in his head. He saw the way he charmed Sandra, which was quite a feat because Sandra had a heart of stone. He, like the idiot he was then, stood by the sidelines, afraid of confessing his feelings. At some point, he started comparing himself to Sullie, his insecurities dwindling every second. He remembered trying to dress like him or act like him but gave up when he realised he could never be him. He was extremely jealous and heartbroken when he found out that they were engaged. He came to their wedding with a fake smile and a heavy heart. Despite it all, his love for Sandra never lessened.
He started noticing signs of change in Sullie. He had hoped that Sandra would be able to recognize those signs and act upon it, but whatever he was hoping for never occurred. It seemed like she became blind to all his antics. He knew when her husband started cheating on her, his envy rising quickly to intense hatred. He couldn't believe that a man like that married Sandra, while he stood back and allowed it. He hated himself ever since.
The day Sandra disappeared was the day all hell broke loose for him. He marched right up towards the house Sullie had shared with Sandra, broke down the door only to see him on top of his secretary, pounding into her relentlessly. His anger became pure, unadulterated fury. He took the vase seated on the coffee table and broke it on his head. He could remember the unabashed woman screaming, but he paid her no interest, his only concern being that he killed the buffoon who laid sprawled on the floor. He was utterly disgusted by him.
Thinking that he had done enough damage on the abhorrent man, he walked away, dusting his legs on the welcome mat laying on the front porch of the house, as if wanting to rid himself of the mere presence of the man. He could still hear the woman sobbing loudly, crying out to the lout as he made his way to his car, not giving a damn if he was alive or not.
He started preparations on how he was going to find her. He travelled to almost every place she had ever gone, met her old and new friends, but no one had heard from her. Three damn years had passed and he had buried himself in alcohol, already thinking the worst. But now she appeared right before him, in all her beautiful glory.
He was going to find her, then he would chase her properly as he should have done all those years. He would hold her tight and make sure she never leaves, and this time, make sure that she ended up with him for life.
© Naomi Obasi
Wayne couldn't believe it, Sandra was alive! He had searched for her for three years! And she had been here all these while. He was about standing but changed his mind upon realising that she would have gone by then. He still couldn't believe It, he wanted to rush up to her, hug her, kiss her, hold her. Confess all the feelings he felt about her that were hidden so deep in his heart. Beg for her forgiveness, apologize for failing her. He slumped back on his seat, feeling overwhelmed already.
Thinking about her reminded him of her God-forsaken husband. Well, ex-husband now that he married the assistant he always took everywhere. He had noticed something was wrong with the man. Sullie - short for Sullivan- as he was popularly called, was Wayne's greatest enemy. He detested the guy. He would gladly spend the rest of his life in jail if it meant pinning him on a stake.
When he first came into Sandra's life, alarms of wariness started to ring in his head. He saw the way he charmed Sandra, which was quite a feat because Sandra had a heart of stone. He, like the idiot he was then, stood by the sidelines, afraid of confessing his feelings. At some point, he started comparing himself to Sullie, his insecurities dwindling every second. He remembered trying to dress like him or act like him but gave up when he realised he could never be him. He was extremely jealous and heartbroken when he found out that they were engaged. He came to their wedding with a fake smile and a heavy heart. Despite it all, his love for Sandra never lessened.
He started noticing signs of change in Sullie. He had hoped that Sandra would be able to recognize those signs and act upon it, but whatever he was hoping for never occurred. It seemed like she became blind to all his antics. He knew when her husband started cheating on her, his envy rising quickly to intense hatred. He couldn't believe that a man like that married Sandra, while he stood back and allowed it. He hated himself ever since.
The day Sandra disappeared was the day all hell broke loose for him. He marched right up towards the house Sullie had shared with Sandra, broke down the door only to see him on top of his secretary, pounding into her relentlessly. His anger became pure, unadulterated fury. He took the vase seated on the coffee table and broke it on his head. He could remember the unabashed woman screaming, but he paid her no interest, his only concern being that he killed the buffoon who laid sprawled on the floor. He was utterly disgusted by him.
Thinking that he had done enough damage on the abhorrent man, he walked away, dusting his legs on the welcome mat laying on the front porch of the house, as if wanting to rid himself of the mere presence of the man. He could still hear the woman sobbing loudly, crying out to the lout as he made his way to his car, not giving a damn if he was alive or not.
He started preparations on how he was going to find her. He travelled to almost every place she had ever gone, met her old and new friends, but no one had heard from her. Three damn years had passed and he had buried himself in alcohol, already thinking the worst. But now she appeared right before him, in all her beautiful glory.
He was going to find her, then he would chase her properly as he should have done all those years. He would hold her tight and make sure she never leaves, and this time, make sure that she ended up with him for life.
© Naomi Obasi
