The Dice #35

Days blurred into weeks. Then they turned into months. The absence of Moses lingered in Dunni’s life like the slow, painful removal of a bandage from a raw wound. Every word, every moment, was a reminder of him. Moses seemed to be everywhere—his name would pop up in casual updates from Ola. At first, Dunni had taken his calls, but soon she stopped, and Moses, catching on, gradually disappeared until there was nothing left of their connection.

She threw herself into work, continuing her volunteering with young artists, and added volunteering at a women’s shelter she had recently found. Anything to fill the void he had left behind. One would have expected her to make up with Tade, but still, she couldn’t bring herself to answer any of his calls or see him, no matter how many messages he left. Even when she saw Toni at the art club, Dunni ensured she was always occupied with another parent when he showed up. One would think Tade would get the message, but the more she avoided him, the more persistent he became, his calls multiplying as if he could wear her down by sheer insistence.

Dunni tried to rationalize his actions, to understand why he’d hidden his family’s wealth from her. But no explanation eased the sting of betrayal. She had always despised being blindsided, which had shaken her to the core this time. How could she trust Tade again after this?

She reluctantly agreed to dinner with a fellow volunteer from the women’s shelter tonight. She was exhausted, her mind clouded with too much to do, but she had run out of polite excuses to cancel. While waiting for Joy, she distracted herself by scrolling through her phone, aimlessly flipping through old pictures. Then she saw a photo of her, Moses, and Ola taken in their first year together. The three looked so young, confident, and certain they could conquer the world. Her heart clenched painfully at the sight of Moses’ face. What would her life have been like if things had been different?

She dropped her phone on the table, frustrated with herself. Why was she torturing herself like this? For every step she took to push Moses out of her mind, she seemed to take ten steps backwards, dragged back into the aching void he had left behind. She had lost her best friend.

Looking around the restaurant, she saw strangers laughing and smiling, their faces bright with joy. But how many of them, she wondered, were carrying their own silent burdens, masking their pain with laughter and busy schedules?

She sighed, lost in her thoughts, when she suddenly felt a presence beside her. She looked up, and Tade was standing in front of her.

“Can I sit?” he asked.

“I’m expecting someone,” Dunni replied, her tone clipped.

“No worries. I’ll leave as soon as she comes,” Tade said, ignoring the cold edge in her voice.

It was on her lips to ask how he knew her dinner companion was a woman, but she held back. The sooner he left, the better.

“Tade, I don’t want to do this here,” she said, her voice weary.

“I’ve tried so hard to see you, and you’ve made it impossible. I didn’t realize it could be harder to meet you than the governor of Lagos.” He chuckled at his own joke, but Dunni wasn’t amused.

“I can’t be bought,” she said, her tone flat.

“I know,” Tade replied, his voice soft, filled with remorse. “I’m so sorry. Tell me what I can do to make it right.”

“You can’t just walk back into my life, apologize, and expect everything to be fine,” she snapped. “It’s not fine. I almost lost myself in this relationship, only to find out you lied to me.”

“Tade, it’s over. I can’t go back to what I thought we had.”

Tade nodded, his expression one of deep regret. “I understand. I should have told you the moment you said yes. I wanted to, but things kept happening, and then time passed, and I was scared. I could tell you afterwards if we married quickly, but that was wrong. I should never have taken that choice from you—it was yours to make.”

He paused, looking at her with a vulnerability she hadn’t seen before. “All my life, I’ve been judged by my family’s wealth, and I wanted to be known for what I’ve achieved, not for what my mother’s money could buy. I loved that you wanted me for me, not for my status. When I realized you didn’t know who I was, I wanted it to stay that way. Every day, I fell deeper in love with you.”

His sincerity and the raw emotion in his eyes chipped away at the walls Dunni had built around her heart. But she wasn’t ready to let him in. Not yet.

“I don’t know if I can return to what we had,” she whispered.

“Please, just think about it,” Tade pleaded gently. “I’m willing to wait.”

Dunni glanced at her watch, wondering out loud what was keeping Joy.

Tade hesitated, then with a sheepish grin, he confessed, “About that… I kind of arm-twisted Joy into setting this up. She’s my cousin’s best friend.”

Dunni couldn’t help but laugh at his boyish grin. “So, if Mohammed won’t go to the mountain, the mountain comes to Mohammed?”

“Exactly,” Tade said, his grin widening. “So, can I join you for dinner?”

“Do you need to ask, considering you’ve already invited yourself?” Dunni teased, a small smile playing on her lips.

Dinner was surprisingly pleasant. Tade opened up about his family, his upbringing, and how he’d built his hospital after returning from the U.S. He shared stories about his first marriage, the grief of losing his wife, and how he had struggled with widowhood. Despite his wealth and the seemingly perfect life he portrayed, Dunni realized that Tade had faced his own challenges, and things weren’t as glamorous as they appeared from the outside.

They fell into a routine, meeting for dinner once a week and catching up on life. While Tade was still trying to win her back, Dunni had moved on emotionally. She wasn’t interested in rekindling their romance—friendship was all she had to offer now.

During one of their dinners, Dunni ran into Dr. Larry B., the doctor who had delivered her as a baby.

“Good evening, sir,” Dunni said, curtsying like any well-mannered Yoruba girl.

“Ah, Adedunni Adesida! How are you? And how’s your mother? And your siblings?” Dr. Larry B. asked warmly.

“They’re all fine, sir. I thought you were in America?”

“I am, but I’m here for my annual free medical service initiative. How nice to see you!”

Dunni realized she hadn’t introduced Tade as he was about to leave. “Oh, Dr. Larry, meet my friend, Tade Braithwaite.”

Dr. Larry’s interest was immediately piqued. “Braithwaite, from Lagos?”

“Yes,” Tade replied, sensing the curiosity in the doctor’s tone. “My late father was Olanrewaju Braithwaite, and my mother is Molade Thomas. Do you know them?”

Dr. Larry’s face paled as if he’d just seen a ghost.

“Are you alright, sir?” Dunni asked, concerned.

“I… I have to go,” Dr. Larry stammered, his voice shaking. “My guests are waiting.”

And with that, he hurried off, leaving them both in stunned silence.

“I thought that was weird,” Dunni commented, her brow furrowing. “Do you think he knows your parents?”

Tade shrugged, his eyes scanning the bustling restaurant around them. “A lot of people know my family. I hope he isn’t one of those with an axe to grind. The business world can be ruthless, not for the faint-hearted. I didn’t know much about my father, but my mother and grandfather. They were cut from the same cloth—strictly business, no room for sentiments.”

Dunni leaned back in her chair, the candlelight flickering between them. “I’m in the business world too, remember? And it’s not as bleak as you’re making it. Sure, it’s tough, but there is always a way.”

Tade raised an eyebrow. “It depends on what that way is. Try bidding for and executing government contracts. Now, that’s a whole different beast—lucrative, yes, but it’s not just about your expertise. It’s all about connections. Friends and family turn on each other all the time. Betrayal is a currency. Sometimes, people don’t just lose money—they lose their lives. The pressure breaks them, heart attacks, strokes. It’s not uncommon.”

“Our experience at Architex Designs seems to be different.”

“You architects must have it easy. From what you’ve told me, your contracts seem to come purely from recommendations. You don’t have to wade through the murky waters.”

Dunni smirked. “Moses got our first government contract through a recommendation, yes. From a job we did for a bank. Ola and Moses used to handle the contract chasing, but now it’s all on Ola. I keep offering to help, but he always refuses.”

Tade shook his head, his tone serious. “Let him handle that side of things. You might be shocked at what really goes on behind closed doors.”

“If that was supposed to scare me, it hasn’t,” Dunni said, eyes gleaming with challenge. “If anything, you’ve just lit a fire under me. I’m going to ask Ola again.”

Tade groaned, rubbing his temples. “I shouldn’t have said anything. I can see the wheels turning in your head already. I’ve just set you on your next contract mission, haven’t I?”

Dunni bit her lip to keep a straight face, but her mischievous grin broke through.

“I’m not buying that innocent look, Dunni. I know you too well now.”

She laughed, her shoulders shaking. “You’re catching on fast. But seriously, I’ll be in Abuja next week for a conference. Maybe I’ll try my hand at some lobbying while I’m there.”

Tade’s expression shifted, concern clouding his features. “Drop the details of your conference location for security reasons. When do you leave? I’ll get a bracelet sent over, nothing flashy, but something to track your location without drawing attention.”

Dunni tilted her head. “Tade, I’m going to Abuja, not a war zone. Yeah, there’ve been some bomb blasts, but the government has it under control.”

Tade’s eyes narrowed. “What news do you listen to, baby girl? If your government has it as ‘under control’ as you say, we must live in different countries. Wear the bracelet. It’ll help me sleep better at night, knowing I can track your coordinates if anything happens. Phones can be taken or smashed, but no one notices cheap jewellery.”

Her mind flashed back to a memory—Moses had once given her a necklace with a small heart pendant embedded with a chip for emergencies. He was always cautious, especially after the abduction of foreign workers from a construction site in Northern Cameroon a couple of years back. He’d insisted she wear it whenever she travelled, citing incidents of kidnappings by MEND militants in the southern part of the country.

“I actually have something similar,” Dunni said, tapping her chin. “Moses gave me a necklace with a tracker. He was paranoid back then, too, after that kidnapping of the oil workers. It hasn’t left my drawer in years, but I think I’ll take it on this trip.”

Tade nodded approvingly. “Good. Take the necklace, and I’ll send the bracelet as a backup. Wear both.”

Dunni chuckled and raised her hand in a mock salute. “Yes, sir. Anything else, Commander?”

Tade smiled, but his eyes held a seriousness that lingered as they finished their dinner.