Chapter 33—Lost in a Bad Dream

Korede found herself standing in the middle of nowhere with nothing except for total darkness enveloping her. She looked around; trying to make sense of her surroundings and figure out where she was but it was to no avail. Then she looked down on herself and realized she was wearing her wedding dress and holding a bouquet of flowers on one hand.

Was it her wedding day already? If it was, then what was she doing here and not in the church getting married to Mide?

Just as she bombarded her mind with a billion and one questions, a white light emerged brightly at the far end from where she stood. Korede raised her other hand to shield her eyes as she squinted at the direction of the shining light. She soon noticed two tall male figures standing away from her as the light began to disperse.

Her eyes got wide in shock as she recognized the two men; it was Mide and David.

They stood side by side as they stared at her with expressionless eyes, not uttering a word.

What’s going on? She wondered in her thoughts. She could understand seeing Mide as he was her husband to be but what was David doing there as well?

She opened her mouth to call out their names but realized her voice was inaudible.

What the hell?

She kept on yelling and yelling, but before she could come to terms with the fact that she couldn’t speak, she noticed a fog had come over them, and they slowly began to disperse into the mist.

Gripped by sudden alarm, she raised her gown with one hand and began chasing after them but the more she edged closer the more she realized they stood wide apart from each other and now she was stuck in the dilemma of having to pick which side she would run to.

Who should she run to? Dammit, Korede, pick one!

But she couldn’t, all she could do was plead in her thoughts as she glanced at both their fading faces.

Please, don’t leave me. I don’t want to be alone…I’m so sorry.

But it was useless. They were now gone, swept away by the misty fog and leaving her all alone, just as she had feared.

And then she woke up.

“Hey, sleepy head.”

She jolted up to see Mide lying beside her, eyes fixed steady on hers as he rested his chin on his palm with his elbow on the bed.

“Watching you sleep has to be the most beautiful thing ever,” he confessed. “Even when you snore, you do it so gracefully.” He sniggered at the end.

Korede forced a chuckle to act embarrassed as she was more worried about something else. It was just a dream, she thought. What was the deal with her and having bizarre dreams lately? What was her subconscious trying to tell her? Did it mean that she had to make a choice between Mide and David? If so, then it would mean she had to accept a truth that she had been trying to avoid for a long time; she still loved David.

What about Mide? Was David right about asking her if she truly loved him like she said she did? She only seemed to be getting more confused with each passing moment.

No! Stop it! You’re getting married in two days!

“Good morning, babe.” She put on a warm smile and forced down both the dream and her thoughts so Mide wouldn’t suspect anything.

Peering through the white curtains by the window was the rays of the morning sun, resting partially on her face. “Wow, what time is it?” She yawned as she stretched, suddenly feeling weak.

“8:30,” Mide answered.

“Really? I slept like a fool then. I should have been up since to prepare the family meal,” Korede exclaimed.

“Who could blame you? You were up last night chatting with my dad…He too isn’t awake yet.” Korede heaved a sigh of relief at his words. “And relax. Aunty Bukky is already on breakfast duty. As his only sister, she claims to know what my dad likes.”

“Oh, right,” Korede said blankly and rubbed her eyes.

“By the way, do you have anything planned for today?” Mide asked.

“No, not really,”

“Great, neither do I,” Mide exclaimed. “That means we get to spend the day together…I thought of the perfect pre-wedding date while I was out for my jog this morning, and we are going to play it out.”

“We will?” Korede gaped in excitement.

“Of course, silly.” Mide chuckled.

“Awww, that’s so thoughtful of you,” She swung her arms around him for a hug. “I can’t wait to see what you have planned out…Let me go to the bathroom.”

“Okay.” Mide jumped out of the bed with a catlike agility as he said, “I guess I will be seeing you downstairs, right? Unless you want me to join you in the shower.” A devilish grin cut across his face as he spoke.

“No, I’m good.” Korede chuckled.

“Awww, man.” Mide pouted, disappointed at her rejection. “It doesn’t matter anyway. I have you to myself for the rest of the day.” He smiled with a wink.

“You’re so naughty, babe.” Korede giggled.

Mide placed both hands on the bed and faced her squarely.

“For you, I can be anything,” he whispered as he leaned closer for a kiss, sending her heart racing as her eyes dimmed in surrender, eagerly awaiting his lips on hers until he pulled away slowly before they made contact—the perfect tease.

“See you downstairs, babe,” Mide yelled as he walked away, leaving her to grumble in her disappointment.

** ** **

Due to David’s ultra-devotion to his job, he barely had time to stop by his favorite restaurant for a meal. Instead, he opted for a local vendor closer to his office vicinity who sold snacks of different varieties. It was a quarter past 12 p.m., and he had stopped by the shop to buy some snacks before he heading back to work.

He wasted no time as he began devouring the snacks the moment he received the pack he ordered, starting out with a strawberry sprinkled doughnut which he munched as he headed for his car. It soon proved to be a bad idea as David began struggling with the keys inside his pocket because he held a nylon pack on one hand and the doughnut on the other.

“Awww man.” David puffed in frustration at his stupidity when he suddenly felt a presence walk towards him.

“Why have you been avoiding me?” he heard a voice growl behind him as he struggled with his keys.

He spun around quickly to see Naomi glaring at him.

“Naomi, what are you doing here?” he mumbled with his mouth full.

“Don’t start with that crap, David,” Naomi snapped back in anger. “Why have you been avoiding me?”

David stuffed his face with another bite from his doughnut. “You seem feisty,” David mumbled as his mouth danced with each word pronounced.

Naomi sighed. She knew David would always opt for a comical conduct each time he wanted to avoid something or someone.

“What’s going on, David?” She calmed her nerves and stared at him with empathy. “Is it because of Korede?”

“Hold on.” David held out his forefinger before turning to drop the pack on the top of his car and placing the doughnut right on top of it. Then, he proceeded to the tip of his fingers one after the other in a manner that made Naomi lose her patience.

“Come on, David, I left my business and came all the way here to see you. At least say something,” she begged.

David’s countenance seemed to change as soon as he was done playing with his fingers; he became more serious.

“Fine, you want to know why I have been avoiding you, right,” he asked before he continued. “I have been avoiding you because I don’t know what to say to you, Naomi…Listen, I know you were banking on I and your sister getting back together but that’s not going to happen.”

“Why is that? You love her, don’t you?”

“But she is getting married to somebody else,” David countered.

“It shouldn’t matter. She loves you too.”

“No, she doesn’t,” David objected.

“What?”

“She told me she doesn’t love me, that Mide is the one she loves, and that the fact that I love her isn’t enough,” David explained.

“Huh? What does that mean?” Naomi said as she casted a puzzled look on him.

“I have no idea,” David muttered. “But I’m not going to bother myself with it anymore, and I’m not going to chase after Korede again either…I’m ready to let go and move on with my life.”

“B-but that’s not fair, and you know it,” Naomi stuttered. “She loves you, David. We just have to find a way to make her see it.”

“Naomi—”

“No, David, don’t patronize me,” she lashed out with her emotions rising. “You are not the one who went back home to her parents singing the praises of some billionaire playboy after he had taken their daughter away. I know what I’m saying, and I am never wrong!”

“Naomi, come here.” He pulled her to himself and offered a warm hug. She did her best to fight back tears, resting her head on his chest as he spoke. “I’m so sorry for blocking you out. If I hadn’t, you would have warned me earlier, and maybe I would have had the chance to change something…But it’s too late now. I’m too late.”

David could hear her sob quietly as he paused to observe her reaction.

“We just have to move on and hope for the best…Personally, I see Mide as a great guy. He’s got a wonderful personality and an amazing physique. Plus, he is rich too.” David gave a slight chuckle. “He is a good man, and I know he is capable of making Korede happy, but if there are any red flags you’re seeing, it’s up to you to warn your sister about it—not me or anyone else.”

A weak smile curled on Naomi’s lips as a realization hit her. “Guess that’s what I should have done in the first place before dragging you into this mess.” She sniffled.

“It’s alright,” David replied. “Just don’t make the same mistake I did by being too late,” he added as he let go of her to release her from his grip, but she held on to him.

“Thank you, bro,” she said and beamed a smile at him.

“You’re welcome, sis.”