Sophia stood in the kitchen, listening to her favourite song as she prepared Michael's favourite dish- pork parmesan with garlic mashed potatoes. The aroma filled the air almost causing her to drool over her own cooking. She set the table and went upstairs to change into something captivating.
As the clock ticked closer to Michael's arrival, her excitement grew stronger. She couldn't wait to share the good news with him. It's something they had both been yearning for.
Finally, the door opened and Michael rushed in, "hey babe, sorry I'm late. I have to go out again soon"
"Where are you going?" She asked calmly as she tried to hide the disappointment and the surprise in her voice
"Nigeria"
Sophia's eyes flew open, mouth agape in stunned disbelief, "No I didn't get you right. Did you say Nigeria? All of a sudden? Why didn't you tell me abit earlier?"
"I'm telling you now am I not?."
"Mmhu"
"Listen I don't have time, Sophia. I just got the news a few hours ago and I was caught up in trying to find a flight. My sister needs me"
"What about me? I need you and the least you could have done was book two tickets to take me with you" she said in frustration
"I was In hurry that didn't occur to me. And I won't be gone for long, I will be back shortly after I've dealt with the situation" he said as he packed some of his clothes
"Can't you go tomorrow? As in wait for me to find a flight and we can leave together. You cannot leave me like this. Without even knowing... Knowing what I have to tell you"
Michael sighed, his eyes filled with a mixture of worry, love, sadness and urgency. "We'll talk when I get back, I promise. Tell me later, but right now I have to go. Please understand"
"No, Michael you need to understand, you either take me with you and we can leave tomorrow or you.."
"Sophia this is not up for a discussion, she's the only family I have left and she needs me" he said almost yelling at her
"What about me, am I not your family?" Sophia asked fighting the tears that were about to escape from her eyes
"I can't do this right now" Michael said calmly and took a step closer to her. He fondled her cheeks and gently pressed his lips on hers. "I have to go, I will call you. I love you" Michael hesitated, his hand on the doorknob and the other on his bag. He looked at her with pitty as soft sobs escaped her mouth
"Atleast have some of the food I made... Its your favourite" Sophia said as she wiped the few tears on her face but to her surprise Michael was gone. She stood frozen, tears continued streaming down her face. The silence was deafening, punctuated only by her soft sobs. As she slowly made her way to the couch, her mind raced with thoughts of him, she clung to the hope that he would call her once he landed in Nigeria, that he would be back in a few days or maybe just ask her to follow him. Sophia glanced at the wall clock, calculating the time difference. Hours went by and she slowly drifted to sleep.
The next morning she woke up to the sound of an alarm, she looked very confused, she could not recall the time she went to sleep. Sophia immediately grabbed her phone to check if Michael had called but there was no missed calls. She took a deep sigh and got off the couch. She had made plans with her best friend the previous night and this was the moment she needed her the most. She went upstairs to get freshened up, she stumbled upon some of Michael's clothes on the floor. He was such in hurry that he scattered them almost everywhere.
"Atleast he's coming back" she said to herself as she picked them up.
As Sophia descended the stairs, her eyes caught the untouched dinner on the table. The sight was a painful reminder of yesterday's disappointment. The pork parmesan once a symbol of her love and effort, now lay congealed and cold. She walked to the fridge to grab a bottle of water as she fought the urge to cry once again.
"So did you tell him" Wendy asked
"I did not get the chance to, he's travelled to Nigeria and..."
"Are you sure it's his sister over there?" Wendy asked concerned as they all knew her by name and had not actually seen her face to face. Only once had Sophia seen her on WhatsApp call when she called Michael to ask him for a favour to help her ship some stuff. Sophia only had the chance to greet her and nothing more.
"Oh my gosh, I've heard so much about you. You are so pretty" she'd said when Sophia popped up on the video to say hi. That was all they knew, Michael barely talked about his sister.
"Yeah I trust him" Sophia replied. The whole time she had her eyes on the phone, willing it to ring.
"If he won't call you might as well call him. I do not like seeing you like this"
"I've tried,but it won't go through" Sophia said.
Later that day she searched through Michael's stuff looking for his sister's contact. She thought she there was no need in keeping her contact herself but there she was wishing she had it close by. After a few minutes of searching she found the journal he'd kept her contacts in. A smile escaped her lips as she felt abit of relief at the new hope.
"Could I speak to Maria Brown please"
"Oh... I am so sorry ma'am. I'm afraid Maria is no more" the voice on the other end said, it's Nigerian accent a stark contrast to the devastating news it delivered
Sophia's world stopped. She didn't wait to ask questions, her mind already racing with the worst-case scenarios. She dropped the phone, her body crumpling to the floor as if the news had physically struck her. Thoughts swirled in her head like a maelstrom. Maria dead? When did it happen? Did Michael travel to attend the funeral? Or was it something else entirely?. The person's words echoed in her mind, "no more", implying Maria had been gone for a while, perhaps even way before Michael's trip. Sophia was lost in a sea of confusion.
#@annabelpiggy
#shortstories
#Romance