Love Wish
They stared at each other for a moment. Their eyes glinted a reflection of both of them. They started to giggle from scary shocking tones into rounds of laughter. It was a game to the other two people sitting around the mat with them, but to the players, it was a bitter-sweet remembrance of the happy love life they had together five long years ago.
"Gosh! My eyes are sore". Femi liked away noticing the dusk setting Chi's eyes. "I lose this game". He said passing a sum of money, a bet placed on the game. Kyra, his fiancee had quickly swung her hands around his shoulder and planted a kiss on his cheek, telling him he was still a winner no matter what. Chi's gaze focused on both of them, forcing a smile on her face and turned to look at her husband, Francis who gave her one of his priceless smiles. He took her hand and placed it in his, caressing and shocking her fingers with his big brown hands. She fluttered her eyelashes coyly, avoiding Femi's eyes which were like lasers on her skin. Her mind tried to tell her that he was no longer her lover anymore and he was even planning to walk down the aisle with his fiancee in some weeks' time!
"Let's play Chalie Chalie! Kyra said, grabbing an apple from a picnic basket and passing another to Francis. Her eyes were brown and big from excitement, almost popping from their socket. As she ate her apple, she fumbled with her gold lucks with her other hand.
"Oh yes! I have got an idea!" Femi said in a fantastic cheery mood. He quickly grabbed the bag in which they stuffed all their game puzzles and other gems.
"I don't like this! Chi mumbled as he brought out several bone pieces.
"So this is a wishbone". Femi started to explain as they looked at him, absorbing whatever he had to say. Two people would split it into halves and whoever gets the longer half will have his or her wishes granted.
"This does not look like a game to me". Francis, Chi's husband, finally spoke since they started the picnic. He was a reserved type and very secluded person, another reason why Chi felt like her marriage was a feeling one. He looked at her for a response and weakly she nodded her head saying she agreed with him.
"C'mon this will be so much fun," Femi said convincingly.
"Well, I'm not a fan," Francis said in a low tone and glanced over to his wife who nodded weakly in agreement. Femi noticed the sadness in Chi's eyes but remained silent about it. It was all her fault anyways she shouldn't have gotten instantly married to Francis all because he had gotten Kyra pregnant although she later had a miscarriage.
"I will pair with Francis," Kyla said with bright eyes. She was just like Femi enthusiastic and vibrant in everything, this broke Chi's heart the most.
"That means I'll have no option other than to pair with you? Femi smiled almost in tears as memories of Chi were in his head. He shouldn't have checked at all and now he had no choice but to regret it.
"I wish to get pregnant for my darling femi". Kyra said amidst a burst of shaky laughter. Her eyeballs turned the Golden brown color of her long-decade looks. Her fiance forced himself to wink at her. Kyra had found herself unable to conceive since her miscarriage. They all knew that already.
"I wish the new branch of my bank in Dubai will become a massive success". Francis said with a smile. He was a businessman and that came before the fact that he had a family.
Both of them (Francis and Kyla) tugged at the tiny v-shaped bone and Femi had the longer half. They all laughed even though it happened to be a very cold state joke.
"It's just a joke". Francis laughed behind clenched teeth and gave his fiancee an apologetic smile. Her wish wasn't his wish.
Then it came to Chi and Femi's turn.
"I wish to be happy". He said as if it wasn't what he truly wanted.
"I wish you weren't married to Kyla but me". Chi said with a very cold smile not minding the look on their faces. Her husband, Francis was dead silent, his eyeballs turning blue with his fist clenched. He was angry but Chi didn't care.
Femi was speechless. it was his innermost wish but he dared not to say it out loud. He avoided the eyes of Kyla and Francis who were waiting long for his response but he couldn't bring himself to speak.
"Excuse me", Kyla finally broke the growing silence. She was ruffled and annoyed. "What did you mean by that statement?"
"Exactly what you heard."
Kyra felt the urge to pounce on her when Femi placed his hand on hers, to Chi's disappointment. His eyes had turned weary and all its excitement had faded off.
"It's just a game and Chi is perhaps joking." All of them knew Chi wasn't joking but blindly agreed.
The both of them tugged at the skin like bone. He had finally resisted a little before he finally put in the effort. The sore finally split into two halves.
"Look, I have the longer half". Chi smiled bitterly.
