Song of the chapter: Romantic by Korede Bello ft Tiwa Savage.

...

Tobi ran out of the house faster than the speed of light. Abena had insisted to follow him, and since he was in a hurry, he had no time to argue with her.

There was only one person on his mind, his best friend.

Abena walked into the car as quickly as she could, wearing a pair of shorts, an oversized shirt and flip flops. She fastened her seatbelt and frowned at Tobi when he began driving without strapping his seatbelt on.

"Tobi. Your seatbelt." She said cautiously.

He ignored her, fire burning in his eyes, as he gripped on the steering and continued to drive, passing a red light.

"I know you're upset, but can you please fasten your seatbelt." She said again.

"Can you please, shut the hell up." He snapped.

"Tobi-"

"I have no time for seatbelts right now Abena. If you're going to keep talking, I'm not going to hesitate to drop you right here, by the side of the road." He spat out, anger and fear flowing with each word.

"I understand that you're upset, but if we have an accident right now, with your reckless driving, you would probably suffer the most, because you have no seatbelt on, and if you don't care about me or yourself, can you at least care about your baby!" She shouted and he abruptly stopped the car.

Regret visible in his eyes, he strapped his seatbelt slowly, ignoring the insults and glares he got from other drivers.

He started the car again, driving more carefully. Fast, but carefully.

Abena's breath became even and she stared out of the window, because she couldn't bear to stare at him

"I'm sorry. I just-. Joseph is like-." He attempted to say something but his voice broke and his eyes flickered towards her and back to the road.

"You don't have to tell me anything. Just drive. Let's go see how he's doing." She reassured him, touching his hand lightly. He visibly relaxed and she smiled.

They drove in near silence, while Tobi struggled to fight back the tears that threatened to fall, while Abena reassured him continually that everything would be alright, although she had no idea if it would be.

She knew however, that she understood his pain.

The fear of losing someone you love.

Especially when it was unexpected.

...

Abena followed Tobi into the hospital, as fast as she could. She pushed back the memories she had of such a place, reminding her self that she was there for Tobi, not to reminisce on her unattractive past.

She slump wearily on one of the uncomfortable chairs in the waiting area, trying to ignore her stomachs request for food. It would be odd for her to ask for food while he was worried about his best friend.

Tobi walked to Dera and immediately she saw him, she started crying again. He engulfed her into a hug, assuring her that it was going to be okay, when he wasn't even sure.

"Where are the children?" He whispered as though they were sharing a secret.

"With Joseph's mum. I couldn't bring them, I just couldn't." Her voice broke and she started to cry again.

They waited for what seemed like hours. Abena dozing on the chair, Tobi pacing like a madman, not noticing that Abena's sleeping position was likely to give her a back ache; and Dera, occasionally calling her mother-in-law to make sure her children were doing fine.

After a while, the doctor came out, with a calm expression on his face that already comforted Tobi.

"How are you related to the patient?" He asked cautiously.

"I'm his wife." Dera said quickly.

"Best friend." Tobi added.

Abena's eyes fluttered open at the sound of the doctor's voice. She strained her voice to hear what he had to say, ignoring the pain in her back.

"Well he's very lucky, he didn't hit his head during impact, its his leg that I'm most worried about. We have operated on his leg, and from what I see, he would walk again. After six months of healing and therapy, he would be fine." The doctor said and Dera breathed a sign of relief.

"Well can we go see him?" Tobi asked with a smile.

"Yes. Family members only." The doctor said before walking past them.

Tobi followed Dera, completely forgetting Abena who sat painfully on the totally uncomfortable chair.

They rushed towards Joseph who was sleeping. His leg was hoisted up and there was a cast around it. On hearing them come in, he woke up and stared at them, confusion visible in his expression.

"Who are you guys?" He asked slowly.

Dera and Tobi looked at each other with worry.

"I thought the doctor said he didn't hit his head?" Dera said in a panicky voice.

"I'll go get him." Tobi said and rushed towards the door.

Joseph burst out laughing, much to their surprise. "You should have seen your faces. Oh my God!" He said, still laughing.

Dera's mouth hung open and she slapped him across the cheek twice. He stopped laughing immediately but still had a small smile tugging at his lips. She pulled him into a hug, while sobbing and he patted her back.

"I'm okay love. I'm fine." He said.

"Of course yes you are. If you died, I would have resurrected you myself." She said still crying.

"You scared the life out of me man!" Tobi said giving him a friendly slap on the shoulder.

"Don't hit a sick man!" He said, feigning hurt.

"Dera just slapped you, twice." Tobi pointed out.

"Abeg, she's my wife. It's allowed." Joseph smiled and Dera planted a kiss on his lips.

"Another reason why I can't get married." Tobi joked.

"Oh! You left Abena at home?" Joseph asked.

"Oh my God. She came. I totally forgot her in the waiting area." He panicked.

"Who's Abena?" Dera asked. "Isn't that your baby mama?"

Tobi shot Joseph a look. "I can't keep stuff from her. That's not the problem right now. You left her on those deadly chairs. She's probably aching all over."

"I'll be right back." He said hurrying out of the room.

"Does he like her?" He heard Dera ask Joseph.

"No!" He shouted and made his way to the waiting area, ignoring the looks he got from the nurses.

Abena had fallen asleep on the chair, her neck was placed in the worst way, and she shifted uncomfortably.

"Abena?" He tapped her shoulder gently.

"Huh?" She woke up and sat up. Rubbing her eyes, she asked. "Is it time to leave?"

"Nope. Apparently you're a friend of Joseph too, so he wants to see you." He smiled, feeling guilty about leaving her.

He helped her stand up, and she stretched. She followed him, with a hand on her belly, a habit he had noticed.

"Abena! My favourite person." Joseph joked as they entered the room.

"For someone who almost lost a leg, you're very happy. I like that." Abena commented with a laugh.

"Sorry I didn't acknowledge you before. I'm Dera." Dera said to Abena.

"No problem. I'm Abena." Abena replied.

"That's..."

"Ghanaian." Tobi cut in and Abena smiled at his memory.

Joseph wiggled his eyebrows at them.

"If I slap you ehn. Sick or not." Tobi warned.

"No vex. I forgot you were a billionaire." Joseph joked and they all laughed.

"Sit down Abena. You must be feeling very tired." Dera offered, gesturing to the couch.

"Actually, since I've seen that this idiot is well, we're leaving. I would come and see you tomorrow morning." Tobi announced.

"Okay then. Hope to see you again." Dera said, referring to Abena, who replied with a smile.

"What about me?" Tobi asked, feigning hurt.

"I'm already tired of your face." She joked and Joseph gave her a high five.

"You guys are perfect for each other. Go away." Tobi smiled.

"Actually, you're the one that's supposed to go away. Give us some couple time. Odabo." Joseph said, gesturing for them to leave.

"Whatever." Tobi laughed. "See you tomorrow." He added before stepping out, with Abena following him.

...

Once they were in the car, Tobi turned to Abena, with an apologetic smile. "Sorry. About how I treated you. I took out my frustration on you and it wasn't fair. Then I left you in the waiting area where you were obviously uncomfortable. And you've probably not eaten."

"It's okay. I understand. But you're making me food once we get home." She smiled back.

"Deal." He flashed her his charming smile.

"I've never seen you like that before. So... out of control." She spoke up.

He visibly relaxed in his seat, and made no move to start the car.

"I had a lonely childhood. Busy parents, no other siblings, surrounded by the household staff. You know, typical rich kid problems." He gave a nervous laugh and she smiled at him, encouraging him to go on.

"We went to the same nursery school, but that's nursery school. We were still innocent children. But when we got to primary school, I was an awkward child. I had no friends because I didn't know how to play the games they played, and I didn't watch the movies they watched or listen to the songs they listened to. I was a..." He paused, looking for the right word.

"Misfit. I was a misfit. But Joseph talked to me. He became my friend. Showed me the games they played, movies they watched and even the songs they listened to. He taught me Pidgin English, because it's apparently compulsory for every Nigerian to know. He didn't treat me like a rich kid, he treated me like a friend. He's like the brother I always wanted, with less common sense." He smiled and she gave a light chuckle.

"My point is, I don't have a lot of people in my life. So I try my best to be there for the ones I have."

As he drove out of the hospital, she couldn't help but wish she was one of the people in his life, but she knew she wasn't. If was ever there for her, it wasn't because he cared about her, but because he cared about the baby inside of her.

...

Abena lay down on the large couch immediately they got home, and sighed contentedly.

He noticed the look on relief on her face and felt guilty again.

"Abena sorry about leaving you again, It wasn't-"

"You know for someone who doesn't apologize much, you seem to be doing it a lot." She joked.

"Who told you I don't apologize much?" He asked smiling.

"The first time you apologized to me, you looked like it was hard for you. Like someone was holding a gun to your head or something." She laughed.

"Observant. Well ever since I met you, I've been doing things I never thought I would do." He flashed her a smile and she tried to ignore the butterflies playing around in her stomach.

"Whatever. Just cook indomie and chicken for me." She said and looked away before she said something she would regret.

Something like how sexy he was no matter what he was doing.

That was unfair.

She then remembered that he was expecting a girl the next day.

"How about Tami?" She asked, trying to sound casual.

He turned around and looked at her in surprise before speaking. "I sent her a text, I cancelled."

...

Tobi got into the house at a few minutes after three. He had spent the day with Joseph at the hospital, standing in for Dera when she had to go and bring his kids from his mothers place.

Abena was laying on the couch, lazily eating crackers and bananas. She sat up when she heard him walk in.

"Hey. How's Joseph?" She asked

"He's... Joseph. He doesn't act like anything is wrong." Tobi said with a smile.

"Sounds like him." She commented.

"I got you some roasted corn." He said handing her a bag.

"No thank you, I don't eat corn." She replied, shaking her head.

"Oh. Well, more for me." He said bringing a cob out.

She shook her head vehemently, and swallowed.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yes. It's the smell, it's-"

She couldn't finish, because she ended up puking over his imported rug.

...

"Abena. It's no big deal." Tobi said knocking on her door again.

She had ran to her room after the mess she made, and after calling someone to get rid of the rug, he wanted to know if she was alright.

"Are you sure? It looked really expensive." He heard her say. Her voice cracked and it was obvious that she was crying.

"It's no big deal. Trust me. It was just like ten million naira. I'll just buy another one." He shrugged although she couldn't see him. He heard her cry again.

"Abena? Are you okay?" He asked while trying to open the door.

"You let me puke on a rug that expensive? It's not even supposed to be put on the floor for us to walk over it. It's supposed to be hung up like a precious painting." She shouted.

"Abena, calm down. How about you come out, I'll get you some caramel popcorn, then we watch a movie?" He said softly.

He heard the door click and open. She looked at him expectantly, her brown eyes glassy from crying.

"Caramel popcorn?" She asked like a child.

"Caramel popcorn."

...

"You don't know where your cinema room is?" She asked with disbelief.

After getting the popcorn, they were about to watch a movie when Tobi realised that he didn't know where the cinema room was in the house.

"It's your house!" She exclaimed.

"I didn't build it." He replied with a shrug. "I only use my bedroom, study, kitchen and sitting room."

"You're a very boring person."

"You don't look at me like I'm boring Abena." He leaned in and whispered. "You look at me like there's something exceptionally special about me."

Her breath hitched and she had no idea what to do.

"Stop saying rubbish and just take me to the cinema room." She said, as though she was unaffected by the sudden closeness.

"Yes ma'am." He said teasingly and started walking.

"We already checked there." She laughed and he turned around.

...

After a while, they found the cinema room. They decided on Ghostbusters and sat down together, while Abena hugged her bags of popcorn.

Halfway into the movie, she slept off. Gently, Tobi carried her, bridal style, and took her to her room.

He placed her gently on the bed and just stared at her, a genuine smile on his lips.

"I have no idea why I can't get you out of my mind Abena. You're not even my type. So what in the world are you doing to me?"

He placed a kiss on her forehead and left, closing the door. At the sound of the door closing, Abena's eyes fluttered open.

He had forgotten that she was a light sleeper.

...

Abena sat down to eat breakfast, while Tobi made himself a smoothie.

Her phone rang and she answered the call, after peering at the caller ID with recognition.

"Hello."

"Yes, this is Abena."

"Okay. I would be right there."

"Thank you."

Tobi looked at her phone after she hung up. "Whats that?"

"My phone." She replied with a quizzical look.

"Or what's left of it." He added referring to her beat up phone.

"Tobi. I don't have time for this." She said wearily as she placed her plates in the sink.

"Okay, you're going out?" He asked.

"Yes."

"One second." He said before running up the stairs. He returned with a box.

"You're giving me an iPhone 6. And you think I'll collect it from you?" She smiled.

"Please?"

"It's not in the contract." She simply stated averting her eyes from his handsome face.

"See it as a gift. From me to a friend." He added.

"If you say so." She said hiding her excitement. "I'll think about it." She added and left the house with a smile on her face.

The smile disappeared when she remembered where she was going. It was her turn to go to the hospital, to see the one she was afraid to lose.

...

Heloooooo!

If I had a farm by the sea, does that mean I have a pharmacy?

Funny?

Maybe not.

Moving on... 😅

They're a lott of things to explain on this chapter so I'd better get started.

No vex means don't be angry.

Odabo means goodbye in Yoruba language.

Pidgin English is like Nigeria's unofficial lingua franca. It's like 'broken English.' Everyone speaks it cuz we have like over 500 languages in my country and not everyone is educated enough to speak English.

Banner on the side was made by my best-est-est guy friend who I love so much: @Mofiyin_nuel

My mum has this odd feeling that we're going to get married...

😕

Moving on...

Don't forget to vote, comment, follow and share.

I'm open to suggestions and advice...

Toodles my lovely bananas

☺

-Timi

P.S.

I just entered The Contract into the Nigerian Watty Awards.

You guys should check it out.

Search for Nigerian Watty Awards, it's like a book.

Please nominate the characters for the different categories.

Thanks

☺