Anticipate a Valentineβs special next weekend. I wonβt tell you what it is but just anticipate.
This post is dedicated to @Coolrosebelle from her beau.
It was love at first sight for Khalid when she came into the kitchen. She was a gorgeous little girl with a contagious smile that touched something profound in him. She looked every bit like Monet except for a Nubian nose he was sure was from her father.
Brown, curious eyes searched Khalidβs before they looked up at Mrs. Tunji for some form of introduction.
βHope, darling, this is another friend of your mommyβs. Could you say hi to him?β
Hope gave a wave and a smile.
βHeβs Uncle Khalid,β Mrs. Tunji introduced. βKhalid, meet Hope.β
At first Khalid was unable to say a word. He was not so good with kids and this one in particular, was making him feel all sorts of emotions, mostly happy ones. He felt like he was staring back at Monet and into a past that had meant something in his life. There was an instant connection with the child.
βHi, Hope.β He finally greeted. βHow are you?β
βGood,β she answered non-hesitantly. The paleness and deathly look she carried a week before wereΒ gone. She was lively and the fact that she was leaning on crutches made no difference to him. There was a stylish beanie cap over her head that matched pink diamond studs on her ears and a bracelet around her wrist. She was wearing a blue dress for the occasion. It was Mrs. Tunjiβs birthday and Khalid had offered to make dinner. The other guys were somewhere else in the house.
Hope tapped Mrs. Tunji and the woman lowered her ear to the girlβs lips. After a few seconds she burst out laughing. Khalid was curious to know what the joke was all about.
βOkay Hope, thatβs enough. Go and stay with Uncle Guru.β
Hope waved at Khalid and made her exit.
βSilly child,β Mrs. Tunji said, going for a drink of water from the fridge. βShe was telling me her mommy had a lot of boyfriends.β
Khalid hauled up his brows. βShe knows about boyfriends at her age?β
βOf course. Kids will surprise you with what they know.β
βYeah, jet age.β
βAbout Monet, I think she was merely referring to the number of platonic male friends that came to the house. There were hardly any females visiting, so to the child it simply meant her mother had so many boyfriends.β
Khalid didnβt need Mrs. Tunji making excuses for Monet. He knew she had lived her life like one big party and held no apologies for it. He didnβt judge her then and he wasnβt going to do so now.
As for Mrs. Tunji, he was beginning to love her company and wasnβt shaken by her outward stoniness, which he had seen crumbling before him over the past weeks. She was different with him and took to him like a mother would her favorite son. He didnβt know why but suspected it was because he was more mature than the other guys and was never intimidated by her ways.
βSo tell me about you and Monet,β he dared as he stared a pot over the stove. βWhat were you to her?β
Mrs. Tunji took a seat before the kitchen table.
βI was her fatherβs ex-girlfriend. He and I met so many years ago, before he left the shores of Nigeria. We reunited after her motherβs death but I was merely friends with him and the family. By then I was married and Monet was close friends with my first son. They even dated off and on until she died.β
Khalid stopped what he was doing and looked at Mrs. Tunji. βBut really, how many men did that Monet date that you knew of?β
Mrs. Tunji gave a shrug. βMonet was simply what she was.β
βAnd that was?β
βA cheerful giver.β
The words had been said with a bit of bitterness.
βAnd you didnβt approve?β Khalid carried a board of chopped onions and green pepper to a cooking pot.
βAbdul Khalid, I am all for women emancipation but please, the vagina needs no emancipating.β
Khalid laughed.
βBut you know Monetβ¦ she loved life. Not even death could rob her of her will to live.β
A sad smile visited Khalidβs lips.
βShe told me your relationship with her was something deep,β Mrs. Tunji mentioned. Khalid turned to her.
βShe said you loved her.β
βI guess. And Iβm thinkingβ¦ Hope might be mine.β
βDonβt tow that line, Khalid.β
βShe has my nose. Didnβt you the similarties when she was here?β
βNo.β
βOh well, a DNA test will tell.β
βYou wouldnβt dare.β
Khalid simply smiled. He was doing the test and didnβt care that he had signed an agreement not to.
βHope seems fine to me.β He changed the course of discussion. βYou think the cancer will come back again?β he asked.
βThey say sheβs okay. Letβs just pray God keeps her going. Weβll be taking it one day at a time, a miracle every day.β
Khalid went back to his pot on fire.
βMonet didnβt treat her cancer,β Mrs. Tunji revealed. Khalid turned around again.
βWhich was painfully and annoyingly ironic because she loved life so much and yet wanted to die.β
Khalid crossed his arms in bewilderment. βWhy?β
βI donβt know. I still ask myself why she did what she did. Hope needed her, I needed her, G&M needed her but she didnβt need anyone. Death to her was like one of her spontaneous, unplanned trips to someplace new. Itβs like she just wanted to taste the afterlife, to know what it felt like to die.β
Khalid shook his head in disagreement. βNot Monet. Not the woman I knew.β
βYeah, I thought I knew her too. Well, she left some videos for Hope, to be given to her only on her eighteenth birthday. Iβm guessing the answers to everyoneβs questions are in those recordings.β
Khalid added that to the list of things he had to cross. He would get his hands on those videos at all cost. Monet died leaving a lot of questions unanswered. He hated being left in the dark.
Dinner was served some fifteen minutes later. Hope kept the table alive with unbridled chatter despite Mrs. Tunjiβs disapproval. At some point, she let her be; no one else seemed to mind.
βUncle Khalid, what happened to your neck?β Hope asked out of the blue as dinner almost came to an end. A brief silence followed her question as all eyes turned to Khalid. Not dressed in a shirt as he usually did, a scar on the side of his neck was made prominent. He touched it.
βErmβ¦I got in a fight when I was a little boy with my neighbor and he cut me,β he lied.
βWith a knife?β Hope sat up, eyes darting out in interest.
βNo, with a sharp metal.β
βDid it hurt?β
βYeah.β
βAnd you went to the hospital?β
βYeah.β
βAnd the doctor stitched it?β
βYeah.β
βDid the doctor tell you it wonβt hurt and it still did?β
βYeahβ¦he did.β Khalid found himself smiling.
She shook her head. βThey all do that.β
Everyone laughed.
Hope moved to another topic and it was directed at Guru. For the rest of the dinner, she kept them busy with either questions or stories about her friends in school back in the UK. They all forgot about her condition as she brought life to their presence and revived memories of Monet in their hearts. It was difficult not to fall in love with her; she was infectious and even Guru who never as much as kissed Monet, wished Hope was his daughter.
However, Madu remained aloof. He blamed his mood on a fever and was the first to leave the house when the dinner was over.
Khalid didnβt want to say goodnight to Hope. There was a strong urge to possess her completely. The feeling was nothing like he had felt before. It was pure and cleansing. It made him feel virtuous.
βUncle Khalid, will you come to church with us tomorrow?β
Khalid was cornered. He had been to church only thrice in his life, to exchange vows in the presence of God and his wives, only to break them later without remorse.
βYou want me to come to church with you?β
βYes.β
βYouβd really like that?β
βYep!β
βOkay, itβs a date, then.β
Hope grinned and gave him a goodbye hug. He drove home in a high spirit.
Later at night when he lay in bed beside Uju, he pinged Sachi just to check up on her, something he normally wouldnβt do. She called him back immediately and he took her call in the bathroom. They didnβt have anything much to say to each other and he felt silly for attempting to be nice to her for no reason.
βI love you,β she said to him as he was about hanging up. He paused, listening to her silence, knowing she was waiting for him to say the same words back to her.
But it was all futile. His love died a long time ago.
βGoodnight,β was all he could say. He went back to bed and woke up the next morning, eager to fulfill his promise to Hope. Uju watched in curious fascination as he got ready and went about the house in a charming manner. She didnβt interrupt him. A happy Khalid meant good times for her ahead.
**************
Beatrice was seated on the steps leading into Bankoleβs house. The noonday sun was shining hazardously above her and her face was buried in a handkerchief. She didnβt hear the car that pulled up in front of the house until a door slammed and the gate creaked open.
She looked up through swollen eyes and saw Bankole heading towards her. She shifted away from his path but remained seated.
He walked up to her and stood. For a while he said nothing as he locked her eyes in his.
βWhy wonβt you just go away, Bea?β
She had an answer for that question but was too tired to utter it.
βItβs over. Donβt you get that?β Bankole ran his eyes over her boxes of clothes neatly arranged at the verandah. βPlease, go to the man who knocked you up.β
βBanky, hear me out nau. Why are you doing like this?β
Bankole, for a moment, looked like he was going to refuse her request but her present state gave him a bit of concern. She looked exhausted and sunburnt.
βFive minutes. Thatβs all Iβm giving you to explain yourself. Five minutes.β
Light filled her eyes and she stood to her feet. Bankole unlocked the door. They went into the house.
βSit,β he pointed at a sofa and turned on the air conditioners. Beatrice sat down and waited as he went for a drink of water from the dispenser. She was thirsty but was too afraid to ask for a drink. Bankole, however, surprised her when he returned with a glass of water.
She looked into his eyes as she took it from him. She saw nothing to indicate he had forgiven her.
Bankole picked the couch farthest from her and sat, waiting for her to be through. He didnβt know why he was still sympathetic towards her after all she had done or why he couldnβt stand firm on his decision to cut her off from his life completely. He had broken up with her and kicked her out of the house earlier that morning. At that time he had been extremely angry and unbendable, and he could swear that something akin to hate for her had fueled his actions. Now, he was calm, and although, he still didnβt want her back in his life, he felt he needed to hear her speak, at least.
First, she needed to explain where she had been all through Friday to Sunday. And second, come clean about the pregnancy.
βIβm listening.β He urged her to speak.
Beatrice wasted no seconds as she began by telling him she had been summoned by her parents to her hometown for a crucial family meeting. It was to settle the case between her and Paul. Both families were going to be present and they wanted Beatrice to confirm that she was indeed done with Paul.
She explained that she tried calling Bankole to inform him of her trip but couldnβt reach his phone as it has been switched off.
βI was busy all day,β he informed her. βBesides, I was in a bad mood. Paul already called and told me everything you did. But let me not interrupt you. Continue.β
Beatrice narrated further that the journey to her village was an unpleasant one. From the moment she arrived, she was faced with insults from her parents, siblings and relatives. And the ill-treatment was carried over to the next day when Paul and his family visited. They held a long meeting of which Beatriceβs father who had benefited financially from Paul over the months tried everything to restore their relationship, promising Paul that Beatrice will get rid of the bastard she was carrying and swear an oath to be faithful to him all her life. But neither Beatrice nor Paul were interested. Watching the entire spectacle through tearful eyes, she now saw how her family had been principally instrumental in her ill-advised actions against Bankole in the past. This made her more resolute on her stance. Nothing was ever going to separate her from him.
At the close of the meeting, her father grudgingly paid back her dowry and she returned Paulβs ring. The moment Paul and his entourage left, she faced the worst verbal abuse and name-calling from her people. She took the humiliation with tears of silence. She knew she deserved everything she got and although it hurt terribly, she was relieved that she was no longer tied to a man she didnβt love.
Without saying a word to them, she entered her fatherβs house, picked her overnight case and informed them she was returning to Lagos. No one bade her goodbye nor cared that she was leaving at dark. In fact, it wouldnβt have been strange if they chased her away with sticks and stones. She was officially a disgrace to them. How easily her parents forgot the financial assistance she offered them through the years. How badly it hurt that they saw her only as a means to better themselves. She was broken that her own life had been a reflection of their ways.
She was lucky to find a night bus to Lagos but due to mechanical constraints, they left quite late, arriving at Lagos just as the sun was rising. She hired a cab straight to Bankoleβs and was shocked when she saw her belongings waiting outside the door.
βWhat were you expecting, Bea?β Bankole cut her off at this point. βYou lied to me about Paul. You told me you never slept with him. And now, youβre carrying a child that belongs to God-knows-who. That baby is not mine.β
βItβs yours, Banky mi. I swear.β
βCan you stop lying?β
βIβm not lying.β
Bankole leaned forward. βWhen last did we have sex?β
She sighed.
βAnswer me.β
βThird of January.β
βAnd how many weeks is this pregnancy?β
βSeven weeks.β
βSo how is it mine?β Bankole threw out his hands.
βItβs yoursβ¦β
βWhy canβt you just stop lying and come clean?β
Beatrice lowered her head as she saw that they were going to start all over again with the back-and-forth that had him kicking her out of the house earlier. She didnβt want to get him to that point where he would repeat his actions, so she held her emotions, composed herself and looked at him.
βI said I was here to explain about the pregnancyβ¦β
βOya nauβ¦β
βWhen Paul and I went to the clinic for the tests and the results came out I was very shocked,β she explained with a shaky voice. βThe last time I had sex with Paul was in November and we used a condom and I swear there was no one else. Me, I felt like the test result was wrong, so I did another test in a clinic in Calabar and still it said the same thing. I now asked a nurse there who explained to me that they start counting from the first day of a womanβs last period and my last period was on the sixteenth of December. If you add that to the time we had sex, itβs seven weeks.β
βLies.β Bankole stood his ground.
βItβs not lies. Google it. You can even calculate it online and it will tell you when the baby was conceivedβ¦β
βAbeg, get out!β
Beatrice flinched at his tone. It was the first time he was raising his voice since morning. He was never known to shout, no matter how angry he was.
She was weighed by crushing guilt and broken over how she had hurt him. She hated herself that she started feeling regret over her actions only after he told her he had hit it big. She hated herself more for not dumping Paul at that point and going back to him when he offered forgiveness. But she hated herself mostly because it took a pregnancy test and a peep into a disastrous future with Paul for her to realize she needed him back in her life. It was never her intention to keep the truth away from him this long. She had planned to open her heart to him but each time she tried, the words hung heavy on her lips. Now that it was out, she didnβt feel any better. She knew Bankole more than anyone else in the world. Beneath his handsome face and calm persona was an unforgiving spirit she was familiar with.
She didnβt want to lose him. She loved him more now and thought he looked more gorgeous than when they first met. That day she had been struck by his unassuming looks. It was difficult to see a guy so good-looking and yet so nonchalant about it. She was at a friendβs wedding and he was there as a freelance photographer, one of those guys who took photos of ladies at such events and sold them to smalltime style magazines. He had set his camera on her and a couple of friends as they were approaching the venue, but had let it down slowly to gaze on her face. Their eyes locked and she gave him a good look before turning away. He was dressed a tad shabbily. The sun and the stress of his job had him sweating, soaking his faded t-shirt at the armpits. On a good day that would have been a turnoff but somehow she didnβt mind. Weirdly, he didnβt follow her and her friends in and weirdly she couldnβt stop thinking about him. She saw him around the reception ground a good number of times and though their eyes met severally, he still wouldnβt walk up to her. Known to always go for what intrigued her, Beatrice sought for him towards the end of the ceremony and found him eating outside the venue where the caterers mounted their station. She thought it was cute the way he tore at the drumstick in his hand.
βHi.β She gave one of her shy smiles just to make him feel at ease. He stared back, not hiding his surprise.
βAm I that ugly that you wonβt snap me?β
Bankole put down his chicken and wiped the sides of his lips. He raised well-formed but full eyebrows at her.
βMy name is Beatrice.β
He continued his silence as he slowly chewed the chicken in his mouth.
βMe and my friends want to snap sha, thatβs why I came.β
He kept on chewing. She loved the way his inviting lips moved and made the thin stretch of moustache over his mouth more defined. She also loved his tranquil eyes.
βIβm Bankole,β he finally said after the chicken was watered down by a gulp of malt drink. And of course, she loved his voice too. It was deep.
βSo why have you been avoiding me all day?β Beatrice asked. βIβll catch you looking at me and then youβll throw your eyes away. Why?β
βMaybe because I like you?β
His answer made her smile.
βAnd maybe because I think youβre too beautiful to be single and to bother about a guy like me?β
She blushed deeper.
βAnd maybe because I was still going to corner you on your way home and ask for your number?β
And that became the beginning of a four-year relationship that Beatrice had hoped someday would end in marriage. But conditions stood as barriers between them and ultimately tore them apart. However, she believed she could still get them back to the way they were, if only Bankole would give her another chance.
βI told you to believe that things would get better, Bea.β He was speaking to her now. She easily read the pain in his eyes. βBut you were dissatisfied with the way things were. You wanted to live in a two-bedroom apartment just so you could compete with your friends. You bought clothes you couldnβt afford. You lived in debt and constantly made me feel like a loser. I begged you to trust God, I told you to hold on but you wouldnβt listen. Then you went behind my back to sleep with someone else just because of money? When did the woman I know become that type of person?β
βIβm sorry.β
βI donβt even know you again.β
Tears she thought she had run out of spilled down her cheeks. She lowered her head in shame.
βNow, God has blessed me and Iβm comfortable and you want to hang on my neck and put another manβs burden on me?β
βIβm sorry.β She went on her knees. βI donβt want to lose you, Banky mi, and itβs not about the money.β
Bankole had heard enough. He pushed his feet into a pair of pam slippers and stood up.
βWhen youβre through with your fake tears, leave the house.β
He walked to his bedroom and locked himself in. There, his conscience ate him and pushed him to the internet, where he confirmed her words, using four different conception calculators to calculate her pregnancy date. The results were the same, telling him the baby was probably conceived on the same day they made love. But there was that tiny chance that she could have slept with someone else earlier and conceived for that person about the same time.
Bankole was restless. He still loved her. Having now heard her full story and listened to her relate in wretchedness how her family had treated her, he felt some pity for her.
Yet he doubted her.
He paced around for a while, listening to her cry outside his door. Finally, he walked into his bathroom and dialed her elder sisterβs number. He wanted to be sure the story she shared about the village trip was true.
βHi Sharon.β
There was a long hiss before the woman on the line asked him what he wanted. When he didnβt answer as quickly as she had expected, she went off in anger, telling him how it was his fault that her sister brought their familyβs name to shame.
βI hope youβre happy! All your own is to fuck and sit on your lazy ass! God will punish you and Bea and that bastard you put inside her! You will never see the riches you denied her and youβll die in your poverty! Dirty beggar!β
She cut off the line and he stared at his phone in annoyance which quickly dissolved to compassion for Beatrice. He had always known her family members were about the money but he didnβt know it was this bad. He quickly forgot his own pain as he imagined what she had suffered in their hands during the weekend.
Sparing his logical mind no thoughts, he walked to his bedroom door and opened it. He found her seated outside.
βWhy didnβt you tell your family that I have money now, that I can take care of you?β
βI did but they didnβt believe me. They said I was lying. Nobody believes me.β
She wanted to break down again but he gave her a hand and drew her into the bedroom.
βI think you should stop crying now.β
His words seemed to only make things worse. She buried her face in his neck and cried. He didnβt want to hold her at first but when she wouldnβt stop, he put his arms around her, rubbing her back. It took a while to stop the tears and this he did by soaking her in a cool bath. He had never enjoyed seeing her cry and this was her worst episode yet. Her entire face was swollen and he worried that she might fall ill afterwards.
βSo are we back together?β she asked.
His answer was yes but it came out of his lips with a price. He still didnβt believe that the baby was his. However he couldnβt dump her like everyone else had and he couldnβt see himself building a new relationship with another woman. She had always been the one. She was in possession of his mumu button.
βBefore I left on Friday I made goat meat peppersoup for you,β she told him. βDid you see it?β
He had seen it in a bowl in the freezer with a sticky note on it, on which she had written: enjoy, baale mi. And then she added pint-sized hearts beneath as her signature. It was those little things she did that made it difficult for him to want to leave her. Would he find someone else who would adore him that way?
βI think I just peed in this water,β she confessed. Bankole didnβt want to laugh but the look on her face forced him to. He felt some form of relief afterwards and helped her into a G&M bathrobe.
They walked out to the sitting room, microwaved the peppersoup and feasted on it with some sliced bread. It was something they always did back in the day but now, to both of them it was more than a meal to satisfy hunger. It was a moment of reconnection.
βWill you ever forgive me, Banky?β
She was lying on a couch, head rested on her hands. He shoved the last piece of meat in her mouth as he had always done and chose not to answer her question.
βBankyβ¦β
βEat your meat abeg.β He stood up. βIf I havenβt forgiven you will we be doing all this one?β he asked, walking into kitchen with the empty peppersoup bowl. He usually didnβt do the dishes but because he didnβt want her to read him, he took his time washing the bowl and spoons used before returning to the sitting room.
βBoo-boo, you didnβt answer my question.β
βYou sef your wahala is too much,β he said. βAbeg, shift.β
Beatrice made little space for him on the couch but when he lowered himself to lie down, she turned and lay on her back, spreading her legs open.
βWhatβs your problem?β
βLie down nau.β She smiled seductively.
He was being bribed with sex. It was typical Beatrice behavior. Many times she had glossed over her misconducts by just going naked before him. She knew his weaknesses and had never hesitated in using them to win him over.
He was planning to pick another couch to lie on and scold her for always using sex to have her way but she grabbed his hand and hauled him over her. When her lips touched his, he altogether forgot what he wanted to say.
βThis is me telling you Iβm sorry for everything I did to hurt you,β she whispered as she unbuckled his belt. βIβll make it up to you, every second, every minute, every day, for the rest of my life.β
βJust shut up.β
He didnβt want to think about them and all that had transpired or else he might change his mind. He just wanted the good old times back. Making love to her was the closest he could get to that. He feared for what lay ahead; he didnβt see a good ending.
When he slid into her, he found her pristine as he had always known. She felt good and snug, a perfect fit. He told himself her body was meant for him alone.
βPromise me you wonβt sleep with another man again.β
βI promise.β
βYou wonβt even talk to any man I donβt know.β
βI promise.β
βAnd youβll dump all those your friends that twisted your mind against me?β
βI promise.β
βYouβll hang out with only the type of people I approve?β
He was teasing but he saw her eyes water.
βI promise.β
βAnd youβll stay home like a faithful wife until the baby is born?β
He wasnβt teasing this time and her tears had increased, now spilling to the sides of her face. Somehow it gave him pleasure.
βI promise, Bankyβ she added. βPlease, believe me.β
He pushed himself deeper into her and began gentle motions.
He didnβt believe her and he doubted that he would ever trust her.
So what are your thoughts on this? Do you think Beatrice will remain faithful to Bankole? Do you think heβll ever trust her? Do you think they will last?
Nope, Beatrice and Bankole cannot last, doubt and insecurity has eaten deep into that relationship.. It’s khalid and sanchi all over again
you think so? well, let’s see.
thank you!
They will last. the foundation is not as faulty as khalid and sachi’s. they are just being tested. all love must be tested and i feel they will last. i so love the couple. remind me of mahmud and wura, and dominic and genesis and kyenpia and leo…
sigh…
sally, you claim no to know how to write romance but your couples are just amazing. may God give me my own bankole and domi and james and butter babe o
Yea, not forgetting Uyi and dat aje butter spoilt brat, what’s her name again? Tho Banky and Bea have trust issues but they will last. At the end love is all dat matters
The name you forgot is Dami
Love you for remembering these characters. Makes me feel like I’m doing something good
Thanks dear!
lol! amen, Rida. You will get your own.
thanks a lot
i know she will forever remain faithful but once trust is broken it can never be gotten back to normal.. i doubt banky will ever trust beatrice
thanks you, Esson
These ones won’t last abeg! Too much distrust. I so love Hope. Sweet girl π . Thank you Sally for this episode.
my pleasure, Olamide. thanks for reading
With God all things r possible. But Bea’s sis is right about bankole. Na only to f**k hin sabi and I suspect he will do more outside out of revenge. I hate him already!
Hey sally, how about madu. I’m beginning to like his xter o
And that hope girl reminds me of my niece
Toodles!
you hate banky? *surprised face*
Thanks, ND.
They might last if they both commit to the relationship. Hello Sally! God bless you dearie……
God bless you too, Mariam
Thanks a million Sally.
Banky & Bea might not last cos men hardly 4giv deir babe cheat on dem,hope is a smart lil girl.tanx 4 ds piece sally baby
my pleasure, Debbie
They would last. Banky just needs time, and Bea knows him more than he knows himself. See how my heart melted for Bea, you this sally eh you can make someone feel all types of ways for you characters. Love today, hate tomorrow… I’ve learnt to not jump to conclusion with you. #blessup
haha! Lola, i didn’t mean to make you fall in love with Bea o.
let’s see if you’ll still melt for her in subsequent episodes. Thanks for reading. checking out your blog now
Honestly, I think they can last. Sometimes, it takes this kind of slip to create something worthwhile. That’s only if Bankole really loved her. But it will take ages to rebuild the trust.
yes, it would. Thanks Phortunate
Banky & Bea might not last cos men hardly 4giv deir babe wen dey cheat on dem,hope is a smart lil girl.tanx 4 ds piece sally baby
i was arguing with my husband on this men and forgiveness thing. thank God i’m not the only one who thinks so
thanks, Debbie
Dere relationship won’t last jor,awwwww hope iz a sweetie
Thanks, MZ π
They will last as long as Bea is telling the truth
Let’s hope she is
I don’t see them lasting but wat can I say…beatrice may work on the trust issue between them by making sure dey do a DNA test jst so banky’s mind fit rest dats if he is truly d fada oooo.
Thanks< Kenny
There is dis yoruba adage dat say imi tintin ni leti awo gbegiri ti oju ba kuro okan o le kuro that is to say no matter how strong their love are anytime banky remember dat scenario of paul nd bea his fuse go spark
I had to read the adage in Yoruba over and over again to see if my Yoruba is cool but no fam, it sucks. *sigh*
i’ll keep trying
Bejide, thanks
Hmmmmmmmmmm……..on these two, my fingers are crossed. But if we are to believe Beatrice’s tale, she was misled by friends and family. Beneath that is a good lady I hope.
Wonderful Epi as usual, please keep it up…
Yes family and friends wahala. a lot of people are swayed by them. Sometimes it’s good. Other times…
I think Beatrice has really learnt her lesson and would remain faithful to Bankole. I also think they can last if they’ll just put the past behind them and forge ahead. Trust is a very important aspect of any relationship.
*Fingers crossed for your valentine’s special* π
Keep up the good work!
I will do my best, Fola.
Thanks muchos!
Everything is possible in love and war.
You can say that again
When there is a will every obstacle can be overcome even with the odds,i think Beatrice is willing to fight for her love and i do hope she is truthful with the preggy,Bankole loves her and that could help them stay together
Sally thanks for your boredom killer
Hahaha! boredom killer indeed. who will come and kill my own boredom?
Speaking for self. I’d forgive her only when the baby is born and the DNA test confirmes its mine.
But as for trust…it will be based on believe. π I hardly trust people esp women..so If a woman batrays my trust for once. Its gonna take ages for me to trust her again.
You men are so difficult and cherish trust so much
Thanks for contributing, Dan Auta
I belive their love is true i belive mistakes r made i also believe they last cos dey ve more to give each other dan they think … trust will build bt it ll take a while
Yes, most great relationships always have one issue or another. I hope they last
Nope! It takes a second to destroy trust built over a long time. Theirs has been broken for sometime… I don’t blame Banky though
Yeah, me too. Bea no try
I think the question of them lasting depends on both persons if they want it to work. Generally, men find it harder to trust after being betrayed. Let’s remember that Domi and Genesis, Wura and Mymood were before the ladies got involved with them. As for Butter babe and Kyen, it was Leo that had issues not Kyen. Women by nature are expected to be monogamous as sexist as it sounds I agree, not like I expect a man to cock around. On the issue of Bea’s friends, I believe she has issues, we women are strong willed we don’t do anything except we really want to. Hope is bae! Nice work Sal.
Deep analysis of the situation. Yeah, men find it harder to forgive.
Thanks for sharing dear
Hmmmmm Cheat & Forgiveness….only God can help one. My fingers are crossed, don’t forget Banky too is sleeping with a married woman. Would only say something the day Bea finds out.
Great job Sally dearie….xoxo.
Yes o, Banky has his own dirty baggage to deal with
Kisses and hugs, AOS
Bankole jst disappointed me,he didnt even punish her small.anyways i know its not gonna last,banky will not trust her again.
Oh well…she opened those legs. Whatever is there must have held him for a long time. Lol!
Thanks for reading
Although Beatrice eff up in large proporations, I feel her remorse. I just hope Banky loves her enough to give her a chance to make up for the errors. N hope ? live her aidy.
Yeah, everyone loves Hope π
Their lasting or not depends on dos 2, dey gotta deal wt their insecurities b4 dey. Can last
Thanks for contributing, Ola
They might last but Bankole will always doubt the sincerity of her actions.
Thank you, Nwanne
Beatrice will remain true, but Banky will never trust her again, Sally Pls make them last because Banky will never find another girl like Beatrice and I know with time he will come to accept her and forgive her completely …… beautiful episode as usual
Awwww, you’re rooting for their love. π
Ummm there’s is a tiny hope for their relationship but banky’s mistake wit that married woman will come back to hunt him n that will surely bring a strain to their relationship but I’m sure beatrice will keep to her promise regardless.goodjob sally.na u biko
π
I’m grateful
I personally think they will last! Love is all that matters and from the look of things,they love each other dearly! Thanks Sally, you sure know how to make me fall in love with your stories over and over again! You are the best!
Thanks, Luv! You’re awesome!
i hate it when women tries to bribe men with sex…..see a chick wey fuck up big time and banky just fall 4 dat trick,sally if u ask me,i believe dis relationship wont work again,bea cant be trusted and i believe banky one night stand with dat model go still cause wahala later
i hate it when women tries to bribe men with sex……see a chick wey fuck up big time and banky just fall 4 dat trick,sally if u ask me,i believe dis relationship wont work again,bea cant be trusted and i believe banky one night stand with dat model go still cause wahala later
Thanks, Promise.
I hope Banky doesn’t have the same weakness he has with Bea outside
Banky and Bea’s relationship may not last cos trust is the bedrock of any relationship and he seems to have lost his trust in her. Bea will need extra effort to change his mind.
The lord will help her
Wow!I love dis…ddnt see it comin lyk dz oo…seriously,bt banky rily loves bea o..tz rare 4 a guy 2 b able 2 accept a gurl lyk her back and wanna build a family wv er,wen tz not lyk tz bf n gf’s thing….nawa 4 bea o she fuck up big time..n as 4 khalid I think e shd b more careful n shdnt go beyond ez boundaries o ehnehn…good work sally!!!u wud forever be my favourite writer!!am in love with all ur books!
Awww, dear, thanks so much. Muah!
I’m not sure about Beatrice. I’m really not.
Something about her just doesn’t sit right with me.
Like I’m trying to not be judgmental or harsh but mehn. She seems like someone who is confused and not really certain of what she wants. All it takes is a flash of money for her to decide on who to be with. I dunno sha.
I think Khalid has a crush on Mrs. Tunji.
And Hope? I adore her already.
We dey here Sal. Keep writing!
Khalid crushing on Mrs Tunji? That would be something, wouldn’t it? Hmmmm
Thanks babe
hmmmmmm. never ever judge. no matter how bad you feel the crime is. Beatrice i sure hope you have been telling the truth. its good that you chose to come clean about all. and dnt worry too much about your family, blood is always blood. shaaaaa….be careful. khalid, finally a good side of you,albeit a very impatient one. already planning to do things. hope is such a bubbly spirit! she is what they all need. noiceee
Yes, she is. Thanks dear
I think Bea will remain faithful. That trust will take time, but I think they’ll work (mumu button tinz). Thanks Sally, great read.
Glad to have you here, Bman
Agreeing with previous commenters, I strongly believe the ball is in their court, jointly. Work on it and it’ll last, otherwise… Great work Sally. Cheers!
Thanks, Haleemah!
now I feel for Bea,family members can be cruel a times,I strongly feel they’ll last she’s willing to do anything to get banky back he still loves her also and yea hope is extremely adorable, who wuldnt love her,tanx sal
Yes, family can be so much of a burden and not everyone can stand firm against them
Let’s see how Bea does
I think they are going to last if they really want to. Thanks muchos aunt Sally 4 dz sweet episode π
You’re welcome, dear π
I hate to say it would have been better of they didn’t get back together bc the weight of the relationship will be more on Bae who will constantly want to win him back and most tyms it will pass off as tho she is doing it bc of the money. I smell bankole getting even.
Me too, I smell him getting even…
Cos she knew his weaknesses,she commits gross mistakes and believes she can walk in and out of Banky’s life anytime she wants. Na wa for this ‘BEATRICKS’!
I see Banky going on a cheating revenge for Beatrice to see how it feels. I hope she stands this test of times.I believe that she will remain faithful.
Thinking if banky will ever come to trust her again? Until Beatrice gives birth to the baby and the DNA tests confirm its Banky.
Cos she knew his weaknesses,she commits gross mistakes and believes she can walk in-GO NAKED BEFORE HIM- and out of Banky’s life anytime she wants. Na wa for this ‘BEATRICKS’!
I see Banky going on a cheating revenge for Beatrice to see how it feels. I hope she stands this test of times.I believe that she will remain faithful.
Thinking if banky will ever come to trust her again? Until Beatrice gives birth to the baby and the DNA tests confirm its Banky.
Thanks for your angle on this, Leon
sally iyaf kimmee o! sally i love dis story o.I just can’t afford to be a ghost reader anymore. Banky and Bea will last jor but twould take time. . . Sally ya just too much. Can’t wait for saturday o.
*dusting my vuvuzela*
Welcome aboard Jumes!
Wait, lemme bring you malt…
They could last but only time will tell + there will always be doubts. We were introduced to Bea as a woman who loved him, but her (family’s) money hungry ways were running her so her actions are consistent. Bankole wants to believe but the final straw rests on the baby’s arrival.
Hope seems like a darling, but she’s no pushover.
I like the direction the story is going as more of the depth of the characters is revealed.
Thanks a lot, Zee!
Bankole has too much of an unforgiving spirit in him ΟΜ o let go n as for beatrice her waka kno too pure.
Madu is going ΟΜ o be a big problem
Khalid’s curiousity n impatience will get him into trouble
Thanks for reading!
Banky is 4givin her, wen banky turns cum she should not hold back. As 4 khalid, dat guy is all weda Oo. He is just changing everyday, Hope is a dearie, I hope she find peace 1 day. And 4 u SALLY, dat valentine special should b a gud suprise oo. Thou u neva dissapoint sha.
I pray I don’t. Have a blessed week!
Nah… Banky doesn’t love her anymore, he just pities her situation but hasn’t realized it. And Beatrice is cruelly experiencing the saying “you never know what you’ve got till its gone”, Banky’s demons are about to take centerstage, what with the whole attention he’s now getting from women, Beatrice better be gearing up to enter Sachi mode cos there are some things even Kamasutra positions aren’t capable of erasing from a guy’s mind.
I’ve still got my eyes on Mrs Tunji; Monet’s father’s ex, she’s definitely hiding something big.
I so love your angle on this. It’s different. And also the way you look beyond the surface.
Thanks, Anthony
It will work if Bea keeps 2 Banky’s rules and proves she is worth taking back, it will just take some time. There is nothing true love doesn’t resolve unless its fake from the beginning. Thanks Sally , God bless.
And bless you dear. my love to your fam!
Aunty Sally aunty Sally….you sef ehn.youre gifted with words o.theres no week I don’t look forward to your stories.well,ad for banky and bea,it wouldn’t be so easy for the love they once shared to be as it was b4 o.Hope is such a darling and I’m worried for her sha…I eagerly await the next episode.God bless you and your family real good.Amen
Thanks for all you’re uplifting words and for reading.
Heaven bless you!
This is a road I’ve traveled, and I know how much it messes with one’s head and sense of judgment.
That part where Banky was thinking no woman would stir what Bea stirred in her especially is what some of us think when we should let go of a partnership. The fear or thought that no one can be like the one who obviously isn’t good enough.
As it is, trust is eroded. Once doubt sets in, it’s difficult getting that trust again. On the strength of that, it’ll take loads of effort for Bea and Banky to last
I feel very sorry for Banky, really. This is not a good place to be at. He’s been betrayed and he will never be able to get over it. Poor lad. Anyways, going to read the next episode! Yay!!
well well well, d chord ws broken d 1st time, it may happen again, it may nt last
I knw beatrice is ready to change bkos Bankole is a rich guy nw. I also feel despite d trust issues bankole is having, he will come around
Good work thumbs up