31. Alex
31
ALEX
NOW
T here’s no better way to show Olanna I still love her than reminding her about the reason we fell in love. That’s why I’m going on a love note writing spree. Yes, it’s cheesy, I know. But she loved the cheese, and she fell for the cheese, so I’m going to remind her all about it.
In order for me to succeed at this venture, I’ll need a partner, and Lerato, to my greatest surprise, has happily agreed to help me. We had lunch together in the communal area last week and we talked about faith and relationships. She told me all about her boyfriend—or shall I say, her soon-to-be fiancé—Paul and how she can’t wait for their long distance relationship to end when they get married.
The conversation moved on swiftly to my love life and since she had been open about hers; I thought I’d be honest with her, too. When I told her my love life was complicated, she told me she has been watching me and she knows I like Olanna.
I was so sure no one else knew about Olanna and I—except maybe Melissa—but apparently the word has spread around the office and Lerato claims to have very reliable sources.
Since Olanna and I work on different floors and her schedule is usually packed with meetings, Lerato has agreed to help me deliver my love notes without Olanna noticing. Today is the first day of our assignment, and here’s the cheesy note I wrote for her.
If I could turn back the hands of time, I would turn it right back to the first day I met you.
You were shining bright like the diamond you are and I couldn’t help but keep my eyes on you.
There’s something about the beauty you exude that can make a man lose the right words to say to you.
But permit me to say that your irresistible charm has drawn my heart to you.
So there’s only one thing left to do, and that is to never stop thinking about you.
After sealing the note inside a blue envelope with a pink heart sticker, Lerato takes it over to the queen of my heart, while I hide behind a wall in the corridor, so I can have a good view of her office. This is the moment where I thank God Olanna’s office is on a different floor to the open plan office. If someone was watching me right now, they would think I’m stalking the boss, but you gotta take risks to see results.
Lerato closes the door to Olanna’s office, but through the glass walls, I’m able to make out the confused expression on her face when Lerato hands her the note and leaves. When Olanna opens the envelope, my stomach flips inside out and I hold my breath the whole time she reads it.
For a moment, it seems all my efforts have gone to waste when she places the note down and shakes her head. Then, after what seems like forever, that charming smile I know and love breaks through. She leans back in her chair and twirls a loc strand as she reads the note again.
When she looks in my direction, I duck and head for the stairs while victory songs play in my head. Now I can spend the rest of the day thinking about that smile and hoping that someday she’ll admit she still loves me.
When lunch time rolls around, my excitement is at its peak and I can barely eat my burrito or listen to the conversation Melissa, Neil and Yin are having at Rosa’s Café.
“So, tell us, Yin. What does it really feel like to be the dad to a one-month old?” Melissa asks.
“Well, all I can say is I never knew I could be so obsessed with another human being.” He taps on his phone screen and shows us a beautiful photo of their son David on his screensaver.
“Aww,” Neil and Melissa say in unison.
“But I also don’t know what it’s like to have a good night’s sleep anymore.” He shakes his head and Neil pats his back.
“As someone who has twin toddlers, I can assure you it will get easier as they grow older.” Neil sips on his coffee.
“I hope so,” Yin says before turning to me. “You alright there, man? You’ve been quiet.”
“Yeah. I’m fine. Just a lot on my mind.”
“A lot on your mind, huh?” Melissa leans forward. “Are you sure it has nothing to do with a certain boss lady?” She giggles and Yin sends her a glare.
“Come on, Melissa. Don’t tell me you’ve been sitting there, making up theories just because Alex has been quiet,” Yin says before turning to Neil, who averts his gaze and whistles.
Yin shakes his head and looks at me again. “I’m sorry, Alex. The longer you work at Madu Health, the more you’ll realize that Melissa and Neil have a reputation for prying into everyone’s business.”
“Is that so?” I smile, but before I can add another comment, I spot Lerato across the street, heading toward Rosa’s Café.
“Guys, excuse me for one second,” I say before leaving the table and meeting Lerato outside the front entrance. “So?” I ask, my heart thumping like it would explode any minute.
“She loved it.” Lerato squeals and relief washes over me. “She has been smiling all morning, and I caught her reading the note multiple times. She even asked me who sent it, but when I refused to tell her, she said she’ll find out herself and then she walked away smiling.”
“I noticed the smile too. It means our plan is working, right?”
“Yes, I read the note and I have to say, you have a hidden talent right there.”
“Well.” I send her a sheepish smile. “Olanna is the only girl who brings out the poet in me.”
“Aww, you guys are so cute.” Lerato stomps her boots on the sidewalk. “I can see it in your eyes that you love her and I think she loves you too, but I wish she would just admit it.”
“I think she’ll say it when she’s ready. So for now, please calm down and don’t ruin our plans, okay?”
She nods. “Okay.”
“Thanks for your help, and we’ll do the same thing again tomorrow.” I bump her fist and we bid our goodbyes before she makes her way back to the office.
When I return to Melissa, Neil, and Yin, their eyes are pinned on me. “What?” I shrug, choosing to play oblivious. They look at each other and then back at me, their eyes begging for me to spill, but when I remain silent, Melissa breaks.
“Oh, come on, Alex. Tell us what is going on between you and the boss,” she says over the saxophone music playing from the overhead speakers.
“Could you be any louder, Melissa?” I roll my eyes.
“We just want to confirm if what we’re hearing is true,” Neil explains.
“Oh, really?” I take a sip of my orange juice. “What have you been hearing?”
“That there’s something going on between you and Olanna and you’ve been hiding it,” Melissa says.
I laugh and twist the cap back on the juice bottle. “And who else knows about this story?”
“No one.” Neil and Melissa respond in unison, but I won’t be surprised if Melissa has told everyone.
“Alex, you don’t owe anyone any explanations,” Yin says. “Please ignore these guys.”
“Thanks man, but it’s okay. Now that there are rumors going around, I think it will be better for me to set the record straight.”
“That’s what I’m talking about.” Melissa leans forward and rests her head in her hands.
“But just so you know, I won’t be giving you any specific details because I respect Olanna too much to share her personal business with you guys.”
“Understood.” Neil responds for the rest.
“Olanna and I go way back. We dated while we were in junior year at NYU and she loved me with everything she had. I loved her too, but I was too na?ve and selfish, so I hurt her real bad. The last two years have made me realize that I never stopped loving her. I made a mistake and I hope that before my contract ends here, I would’ve given her enough reason to give me a second chance.”
“Wow.” Neil turns to Melissa and says, “I think you owe me twenty dollars.” He stands up and does a chicken dance without caring about the other patrons looking at him.
Melissa rolls her eyes as she opens her purse and hands Neil a twenty-dollar bill. He takes it and changes his move to a Harlem Shake dance.
“You guys made a bet?” I ask, amazed by Neil’s display of the running man dance.
“Yeah, Neil said you were the reason you guys broke up and I thought it would be Olanna.” Melissa pulls Neil, so he can sit in his chair again.
“And out of interest, why did you think it was Olanna?” I ask.
Melissa shrugs. “Well, because she always says Madu Health is her only commitment, so my theory was that she chose the career over your relationship.”
“And you couldn’t be more wrong,” Neil says, trying to catch his breath.
“Yeah, but if she had chosen the company over me, it still wouldn’t have hurt me as much as I hurt her.” The silence stretches between us before I speak again. “By the way, cool dance moves.” I bump Neil’s fist and we stand up, making our way back to the office.
“Oh, by the way, since we’re all spilling secrets, I just want to know whether you guys had anything to do with me getting Olanna as my Secret Santa.”
“ Pfft . What? No.” Melissa throws her hands up in the air and her voice goes pitchy again.
I turn to Neil, and he gives me a thumbs up.
“Hey!” Melissa smacks Neil on the arm as we cross the road. “This is why you can never work for the Secret Service. You don’t know how to keep secrets.”
“Oh, and you know how to keep them? You’ll get caught on the first day of the job,” Neil responds and we all burst out laughing.
When we’re inside the office building, I pull Yin to the side as Neil and Melissa walk ahead of us, bickering at each other.
“So, can I have Emmanuel’s number?” I remind him of the request I made earlier in the week. Yin doesn’t think it’s a good idea, but I have to do this.
“Okay, man. If you really think it’ll help.” He swipes his phone and sends me the number.
“Thanks, man.”
“Yeah, just don’t tell Emmanuel I was the one who gave you his number, alright?”
“I gotchu .” I shake his hand, and we walk toward the elevator.
I press the doorbell of Emmanuel and Heather’s house and wait, my heart beating so fast my chest hurts. I prayed about this meeting last night, but I still couldn’t stop myself from watching videos about self-defense, just in case things turn south. The only thing stopping me from bolting is the promise I made to God. Lord, please help me not to give up.
Alex, my beloved. Trust Me.
The door swings open and my heart leaps to my throat when Emmanuel’s face appears. I freeze on the spot, unable to even extend the friendly handshake I’ve been practicing all morning. I open my mouth to speak and my voice comes out more croaky than I would like. “Good afternoon, Emmanuel.”
He only grunts and rolls his eyes as the door opens wider to reveal an auburn-haired woman carrying a sleeping baby. “Hi, Alex.” Her smile is warm enough to break me out of my frozen state as she shakes my hand. “Please forgive my husband’s manners.” She pushes Emmanuel with her free hand and he walks back into the house without saying a word.
“Please come in.” She beckons me in. “I’m Heather. It’s so nice to finally meet you.”
“Likewise.” I smile at her as I take a deep breath and take off my jacket. After placing it on the cloth hook Heather showed me, I walk further into their home, admiring their shelf of plants and the ginger cat touring its way around the living room.
“Ermm…this is for you.” I hand them my peace offering of a bottle of wine.
“Aww, that’s so sweet of you. Babe, please, can you take it from him?” she says to Emmanuel, who flares his nostrils before taking the bottle from me and heading to what I assume is the kitchen.
“I’m going to put our daughter to bed and I’ll be right back. Please make yourself comfortable.” She nods to the sofas in the living room before heading up the stairs. Olanna was right when she talked about how nice Heather was. If she can get back down before Emmanuel returns, that would be amazing, because I ain’t trying to die today.
“Just so you know,” Emmanuel speaks for the first time as he walks back into the living room. “The only reason I agreed to this meeting was because of Heather. So make sure you thank God I married a woman who has more patience for people like you.”
I swallow to wet my dry mouth before responding. “Yes, sir.”
He squints before taking a seat across the couch from me, and I follow suit.
“I’m back,” Heather announces as she joins her husband on the couch. “I hope he hasn’t been giving you a hard time?” she asks me as she squeezes Emmanuel’s leg.
“Not at all.”
“Oh, baby, you didn’t offer him anything?” She shakes her head and turns to me. “I’m sorry, Alex. My husband is usually a much better host than this. Would you like anything to drink?”
“No, I’m good, Heather. But thank you.”
A moment of silence passes between us before Emmanuel speaks again. “Well? Are you going to tell us why you’re here?”
“Babe, please.” Heather tilts her head at him.
I clear my throat and shuffle to the edge of the couch. “Yes, but before I say anything, I just want to say thank you so much for having me in your home. It means so much that you agreed to meet with me even with the inconveniences caused.” I stare at Emmanuel, who averts his gaze.
The cat walks past us again, purring before disappearing from sight. “I also would like to say that I’m here because of Olanna. I made a mistake which I can’t undo, but I still love her.”
Emmanuel scoffs but says nothing, so I continue. “Olanna is the most amazing woman I’ve ever met. She has a kind heart and she would do anything for the people she loves.”
“Of course, Olanna’s amazing. Now, what’s your point?” Emmanuel responds while Heather shoots him a glance.
I look at Emmanuel straight in the eye and say, “I believe God sent me to Jersey City to make things right with Olanna.”
“Yeah, right!” Emmanuel’s remarks are starting to get to me, but instead of reacting to them, I focus on the task at hand.
“You may not believe that, and that’s okay. But I don’t believe in coincidences. I believe God is a God of second chances and He can restore broken relationships.” I sigh before continuing to tell them the full story of what happened to me in college, the cancer diagnosis, the surgery, the recovery process, and everything I experienced in Ghana.
“I’m telling you all this not because I want your sympathy. But I wanted the truth to be out there because the one thing I think Olanna deserves is closure. My experiences gave me no right to treat Olanna the way I did. I hurt the only woman I’ve ever loved and I take full responsibility for everything that happened. I know how much she loves and cherishes her family, so I’m here to apologize to you for everything I did.”
I lift my gaze to look at Emmanuel, whose head is still turned away as he stares out of their window. Heather smiles and leans forward. “Thank you so much for coming to us, Alex. It was so brave of you to do this.”
I nod at her and wait a few moments, but when Emmanuel doesn’t look at me, I stand up. “Well, thank you again for having me. I think it’s best I leave now.”
Heather stands up and looks at Emmanuel, who doesn’t move, so she follows me to the hallway to get my jacket. “It was lovely to meet you, Alex. I pray God gives you wisdom as you navigate this situation with Olanna. I’ll be praying for you both.”
A warm sensation settles in my heart and even though I’m still in Emmanuel’s bad books, Heather’s kindness has made this meeting worth it. She hugs me briefly and when I turn around to open the door, Emmanuel’s voice stops me. “Alex.”
I turn around to look at him and Heather smiles before walking to stand behind her husband. “Thank you for coming here today,” he says. “Olanna is one of the most precious people God has placed in my life, and I don’t take it lightly when people hurt her.”
“I understand.”
“But I have to say, what you’ve done today has shown me you are a man who is leaning on God to make things right. That is very admirable.” He takes a few steps forward. “I’m sorry for giving you a hard time. Your story is incredible and you’re a living testament to God’s unfailing love, so…I forgive you, Alex.”
My eyes widen as Emmanuel approaches me. “Really?”
“Of course.”
I extend my hand and Emmanuel shakes it before pulling me in for a hug and patting my back. “Thank you so much. You have no idea how much this means to me, man.”
Emmanuel steps back and puts his arm around Heather. “Thank you for trying to make amends with Olanna. Is there anything you’d like us to do to help?”
“Yeah, do you want us to talk to her?” Heather asks, and I shake my head.
“No, I don’t want her to feel pressured to do anything. But there’s something you can do for me that would really help.”
“Sure. What’s that?” Emmanuel asks.
“I picked Olanna’s name as my Secret Santa at work and I have an idea for what to get her, but I need your help.” I take out my phone and show them my idea.
“Aww, that’s so sweet.” Heather squeals. “I’m sure she’ll love it.”
“I hope so.” Joy fills my heart as Heather, Emmanuel and I walk back to the living room to talk more about my surprise for Olanna. This meeting couldn’t have gone any better and I only have God to thank for that. I’m glad I didn’t give in to my fear and bolt. Thank You, Jesus.