The relentless knocking at my door left me with no choice but to answer, wearing just a towel secured around my chest. The visitor's aggressive pounding resonated as if they aimed to break through the very walls that stood between us.
Struggling with the key, I tightened the towel securely around my chest, ensuring my modesty was preserved, or at least the essential. I opened the door and was greeted by Chloe, the daughter of my former neighbour, with a face twisted in anger, hands on hips, and chest puffed out defiantly.
"Why must you always meddle?" She barked as soon as the door swung open.
"Excuse me?" I replied, puzzled by her accusation.
She closed the distance, stepping just inches from me, locking eyes as she towered over me. I glanced downward, perplexed by the sudden increase in height,only to realize she was wearing stilettos.
"You spoke with my mother about my scholarship, and you told her to make sure I accepted it—that no man is worth throwing my future away for," she said, her hands still firmly on her hips, mimicking the exact words I had used. I instinctively leaned back slightly, wary of any stray saliva that might escape in my direction.
"Chloe, I understand you're upset, but I'm standing here in a towel by my door. If you want to talk things out like adults, please come in and take a seat," I said, trying to diffuse the tension.
I turned my back and retreated into my home, leaving the door ajar for her to decide whether to follow. Opting to forego the shower for now, I bypassed the bathroom and headed to the bedroom to don a robe. After all, it was Saturday morning, and I had nowhere pressing to be. I returned to the living room and found Chloe seated on one of the plastic chairs, legs crossed, and a frown etched on her lips.
"Allow me to share a story with you. It might give you some insight to reconsider your decision." I proposed. Pulling one of the nearby plastic chairs closer to her, I settled myself into it.
"You're barely twenty-one. What do you really know about love? Are you willing to give up a scholarship abroad for a twenty-four-year-old university graduate who doesn't even know what his future holds?"
"Enough to know that Caleb and I are destined to be together," she fumed, her conviction unwavering. "Going abroad would only complicate things for us."
"If you truly believe you're soulmates, then you shouldn't be afraid of anything," I urged, reaching out for her hands, but she recoiled. "Accept the scholarship. Go abroad. It's only for four years. If your bond is as strong as you say, you'll find your way back into each other's arms."
"Just like yours found its way to your arms," she scoffed, uncrossing her legs and stretching them forward.
"You don't know everything that happened between Lucky and me. Distance wasn't what caused our relationship to falter. Maybe I should share that story with you now," I suggested, and I adjusted myself on the seat.
"I too once thought Lucky and I were soulmates. I was convinced our love was destined and impervious to outside influences. I met Lucky in Port Harcourt and instantly fell for him. Our paths crossed when he came to submit some files to my guardian. Despite my guardian's disapproval, which he had warned me about after noticing our exchanged glances, I followed my heart. Nothing could deter me from wanting him."
Chloe listened intently, her hands cradling her jaw as she leaned forward with her legs pulled backward, fully engaged in my story, eager to catch every word.
"How did your guardian react when he learned that you proceeded with the relationship?"
"That's a tale for another time, Chloe. But let me tell you about the job offer I received that was to take me away from Port Harcourt. Despite its enticing salary, five times what I was earning, I couldn't bring myself to accept it. I was deeply in love with Lucky and couldn't bear the thought of being apart from him. It took a family intervention for me to eventually agree to the job, with the condition that Lucky and I would make efforts to visit each other regularly."
"Ehen! What now changed?"
"Everything changed. As soon as I landed the job, Lucky lost his and became increasingly insecure. His behavior took a drastic turn. He started acting erratically, accusing me of infidelity. He'd drive all the way from Port Harcourt to Asaba, banging on my gate at 11 p.m., just to check if I was with another man. He grew possessive and extremely demanding. The relationship had become toxic, so I had to end it. Two years later, Lucky married someone else. It's surreal to think that if I hadn't accepted that job, I'd be filled with regret now."
Chloe lapsed into silence, her eyes wandering into the distance as if she were pondering everything she had just heard. I held onto the hope that my narrative had planted a seed of reconsideration in her mind, possibly swaying her towards accepting the scholarship to study abroad.
"Well, Caleb isn't Lucky. Just because your relationship took that turn doesn't mean ours will. Caleb and I love each other, and that's final," she asserted.
She rose from her chair and prepared to depart, but before leaving, she glanced back at me. "Thanks for the chat, but I'll pass." With those words, she exited the sitting room, and I heard the door close behind her.
I shook my head and retreated into the room to prepare for my bath. It seemed my words had little effect, like water off a duck's back. As the warm water cascaded over my skin in the shower, I couldn't help but wonder if Chloe would come to regret her decision.
Two years later, I bumped into her mother at a wedding and inquired about Chloe. I learned that she eventually traveled abroad for her studies, albeit not with the scholarship. It turned out that Caleb got another woman pregnant, forcing her to make the decision to pursue her education overseas.
