Binary logic and nature itself suggest that life ought to be simple but it is not, because we're involved.
Leroy crossed his right arm over Neylo's shoulder while he dragged his suitcase along the hard floor of the airport. He thought about how he'd diligently worked towards this day. He never fancied himself diligent in his ways but this time around, he followed through. He had to follow true. He owed it to himself. He owed it to Neylo who had been by his side these past seven years.
As the walked towards the departure side of Murtala Muhammed Airport, Neylo's eyes became misty and cloudy. It seemed like yesterday when they first met. It was her first year in the university. As she recalled the circumstances, she couldn't help but smile.
Neylo was only a couple of weeks old on the campus. She went out to have lunch when she saw him. Leroy was seated on a bench in Buka 12, which was one of the small diners on the school campus where students ate at subsidised prices than diners outside the school campus. Every minute or so, she stole a glance at him. He just sat there seemingly doing nothing.
Between Leroy and Neylo, there was a table where two beautiful girls and a lanky looking guy sat. The girls ate and talked excitedly while the guy just sat there, listening to the girls and barely touching his food. Soon the girls were done and the three had to leave. The diner was such that students ordered their food at the counter and paid at once then carried the food to their table of choice so when they are done eating, they could stand and walk away without having to invite the waiter over. Actually there was no waiter.
They had hardly reached the door when Leroy stood from his seat, fork in hand, settled on the lanky guy's seat and started eating the meal he had just abandoned. He noticed Neylo staring and invited her to join him. She smiled and declined. He was just finishing the plate of jollof rice and moi-moi when the Ianky guy returned. Leroy cocked his head to once side and bared his hands as if to say, "How could I have have known you'd return?"
Leroy made two friends that day: Neylo and Owen. Owen, the lanky guy, had told the beautiful girls that he was not hungry in an attempt to escape taking them out for lunch one last time. They had persuaded him so he felt he needed to keep up appearances of someone that was not hungry. He reckoned he could see them out and return quickly to finish his food. What he could not have imagined was that Leroy would be there to aid him in that regard. Leroy's humility and lack of pretence drew Neylo in and for the past seven years they stuck with each other through thick and thin.
She had not been quite herself since Leroy told her of his decision to travel to Vietnam. His football career in Nigeria was not working out and being confident in his talent and skills, he felt he would have better chances in Vietnam like his friend Max. Neylo was reminiscing the times when Leroy's flight was announced.
"Baby," He nudged her, "It is time."
"Oh, Lemon I don't know if I can bear it. You promise to call everyday?" she asked staring into his eyes. He had never gotten tired of hearing her call him Lemon from the very first day. From the moment he told her his name was Leroy, she decided to call him Lemon and he was okay with it.
"I will call you everyday," he assured. "And before you know it I'm back."
She clung to him tight, kissing him on the lips, wiping the tears that flowed freely from her eyes, until it was clear that he was going to miss his flight.
Leroy did call everyday but days became weeks and weeks became months. The days dragged on endlessly for the first one year. Neylo's feelings did not change at all. She kept living for the day she would be reunited with Lemon and she could not wait. She missed him so much. The second year dragged on but there was no end in sight. She would have gone crazy if it wasn't for Frank.
Frank was her childhood friend. Whenever she needed someone to talk to, he was there. Whenever she had any kind of difficulty with anything she could always count on Frank to fix it. Frank was always there to support her throughout her life. Sometimes she wonders how he manages to live his life and hers at the same time.
Meanwhile, Leroy had difficulties in joining the Vietnamese national team because he had to first naturalise. He realised that one way of achieving that was to marry a Vietnamese. An emperor's daughter always favoured him. He was completely sincere with her about his romantic entanglements in his some country but she did not care. As long as he would have her as a wife and help her father a son, she was ready to let him get back to his girl in Nigeria.
After almost two years in Vietnam, Leroy was able to come back home. Neylo was so happy to see him again. She waited for him at the arrival section of the airport. There was only one problem: Neylo was three months pregnant for Frank. It was not how she had planned this reunion but it happened. She could not bring herself to tell Frank because she had no doubts that Frank would want to do the honorable thing and marry her.
Neylo was mortified that she had been unfaithful to the man she loved but she would rather present herself to him that way and let him do what he would than to hide the truth from him. Kick me to the kerb, she wished. Anything but this painful silence. The driver back to his hotel room was silent. He had planned to spend a night or two with her before they travelled home together to meet her parents.
He did not blame her for what had happened but how could he explain that to her without having to explain his own marriage to Anh and the fact that he had a son? He also considered abortion. The problem with any choice he made was that it was completely his. Neylo had made it clear to him. She would not live without him but if he would accept her by any means, then she was willing to do whatever it took.
The sound of his ringing phone woke him from sleep. "Hello," the voice at the other end said.
"Hello," he replied still groggy from sleep.
"You were listed as emergency contact for Miss Kafor Neylo."
"Yes?" he asked with rising apprehension.
"We had a complication during the procedure she came for. The patient may not make it unless we can have your signature to try to save her," the voice said.
Leroy jumped up immediately to go to the hospital but realised that Neylo was lying there beside him. He thought she looked beautiful and even glowed. Just then, his phone which he had stretched his had to snooze began ringing his alarm again. It was alarm for training but he was in a different time zone now. He looked at her again. He counted himself lucky to have a girl like her stick with him these past nine years.
Suddenly he realised that the only thing that mattered was the fact that she was there with him.He was amazed at how things that seemed a big deal suddenly seem so small when death is introduced in the equation. He was glad just to have her there and then. Like vapour, all his doubts went away. He laid down and pulled her close to him. She hissed lightly and turned around. Their lips met and it was as if he never left.
Images were obtained from pixabay
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