Hour of decision!

James is trying to patch his life. Suddenly, he has realised that for seven years, he has lived off a woman! Whatever pushed him into such an embarrassing lifestyle? Whatever made him think he could enjoy the life of dependency? He remembers his mother’s favourite saying, ‘Dirty hand leads to oily mouth’.

Whatever made him forget that! His late mother was a hardworking businesswoman who toiled day and night to ensure that her children had the best of life.

Even when she lost her husband at his prime, she made sure that the quality of life their children were used to didn’t drop noticeably. She taught her children the import of hard work. She would have died of shock if she was alive and saw what became of her beloved son today. “Mother, I’m sorry.

I promise to change from my bad ways today,” James mutters. He smiles as he negotiated the last turn to Dave’s house. He has spoken to Dave on the phone and they agreed to meet in his house. He has tried to avoid Kathryn for so long but today, he has to see Dave because it has become a matter of life and death.

There are business opportunities, Dave has told him. They have discussed about them and how James can get involved. He wonders what he would have done without Dave. His heart misses a beat when he remembers Kathryn. Fate! He honks at the gate and the security man throws the massive gate open and he drives in.

************ Kathryn feels like she’s sitting on gun powder. She wonders how Dave will feel if he finds out his beloved cousin has slept with his wife. She shudders. She will do anything to keep Dave, even if it means dying with that secret. But is it possible? James looks like trouble.

His being married to her soul sister, Alice, notwithstanding. She is sure Alice will help her if need be, but wait, Alice has been behaving funny the past few days. She has blamed it on hormonal changes caused by pregnancy, but it seems more than that. Alice is like an open book if you know her very well, and she does.

She has asked her repeatedly what the problem is but she has been evasive. The other day, she cried her eyes out on the phone when they spoke but would not say why. Kathryn has felt that it has to do with James not doing anything for a living and has discussed the issue with Dave.

Dave is also sort of disturbed, but she just cannot pinpoint what his anxiety is all about. However, something rings in her mind: Alice continually said that she had hurt somebody that means the world to her as she cried that day. Well, she will get to the bottom of that when they see eyeball to eyeball later in the week, but now, she has to confront that monster that wants to wreck her life. Dave has called to say that James is coming over.

She would have preferred that Dave is home before his arrival, but he is held up somewhere and will come home a clear hour later! Well, she will give it to James! She can’t allow any man to make her miserable in her husband’s house. She refuses to live like her soul sister! The bell chimes and she goes to let James in. “My wife, how are you doing?” James says in the most friendly tone and Kathryn is taken aback.

This is the first time they will be alone since they met after she quit her trade. “I’m fine,” she replies in an uncertain tone. James has always been antagonistic towards her; why being this civil? “I have a meeting with my brother. Please tell him I’m around. Hope you have something in the kitchen? I can eat a whole house now,” he says.

He actually looks tired. “My husband is not back. He’s held up in Tayo’s office. He said you should give him an hour. Lemme get something for you to eat,” Kathryn says. “Thanks,” James says after her as she walks to the kitchen. She isn’t sure of James’ friendliness. What has happened? Has Alice chided him over his irritable behavior to her? She dishes some food into a plate and serves him.

She watches him eat heartily while she pretends to be watching the television. She clears the table when he is done and goes back to her favourite spot in the sitting room -the ottoman facing the big screen. “How are you doing dear,” James asks suddenly and her heart lurches. “I’m good,” she replies. That husky voice! It throws her back to those days they were together. He has not used that voice since they met again.

He has always almost growled whenever he talks to her, so she is thrown off guard at his tone now. “How’s life with you? Anyway, I can see you’re doing great,” he says again in that friendly tone. Kathryn watches him closely. She just doesn’t feel comfortable. James may just shatter her life today when Dave comes in.

He may just reveal their past together. She wishes that Alice is around. She has always felt safe with her. Unfortunately, Alice is not here. She realises that she has to be nice to him so that he doesn’t bring her world tumbling down. Be nice to a man who obviously hates her! She curses under her breath and smiles. He catches the smile and smiles back. His next words throw her off her feet. “Kiki, I’m sure you think I hate you.

I don’t. I have always loved you! When I couldn’t reach you for months, I was out of my mind. So when I saw you months later beside my brother, I was mad. I tried to get you off my mind but couldn’t. I was in love with you…even now. I became antagonistic to mask my feelings to you. I know I had behaved like a prig to you but it was a deliberate effort to get you off my mind. I’m sorry Kiki, I’m really sorry,” he says. Kathryn stares at James. She sees the James she grew to like and then love. The James that had a way of making her laugh.

The James she used to call spirit man because he disappears and appears at will. He called her Kiki in a way that melted her hard heart then…the same way he is calling that name now. Her mind travels back in time, to that day he had advised her to get a man and leave the streets. She had laughed and asked if he was that man.

That was the day he opened up to her. He said he would have gladly taken her off the street if he wasn’t married, he also told her about the woman outside his home. She had taken that advise to heart and began to look for a man. At a point, she looked his way seriously. Tears flow down her cheeks. She is so engrossed in her thoughts that James is kneeling before her before she notices. His hands rest on her bare laps. “Kiki, why are you crying? I didn’t mean to make you cry.

You see, I should be the one crying. My life is a mess; my marriage, a mess. Alice is threatening to throw me out of the house…her house actually. Yes, her house. I think she’s had enough of me.

I really had not been a responsible man at home,” he says, his tone sad. Her hands are on his shoulders before she knows what she’s doing.

“It’s ok dear. You just have to change your ways. My sister is a very good woman. You have wronged her and you need to apologise to her. I’ll talk to her also, but promise me you will stop making my life miserable,” she says. James replies, “I’ve stopped doing that already Kiki, my Kiki.

You don’t know how jealous I felt the first time I saw you beside my brother. Such is life. Love has a way of healing every wound, it also has a way of causing problems for man. I loved you, will always do…” He stands up, pulling her up too and kisses her. It is too sudden, Kathryn had already responded before she realises what is happening. “I love you Kiki…hope you will make me godfather of your baby…” he begins but the honk of a car at the gate cuts him off. Kathryn extricates herself from his arms and goes upstairs.

*** After mulling over her life, Alice picks her phone and dials a number. She is worried. She never expected things to turn out this way, but they did. The problem now is that she has to make sure very few people are hurt as she savours her joy. “Hello darling,” she coos into the mouthpiece.

“Yes, I’m so happy. Will be happier if we can find a way around this situation I found myself. Kathryn is my sister from another mother and if I have my way, I wouldn’t want to hurt her feelings. Since it has happened, we have to find a way around it. Okay, let’s meet outside our respective homes then,” Alice says into the phone while listening and interjecting at intervals.

********* This is really the hour of decision. Let’s meet here on Sunday. It can only get better!