Secrets

Chapter 3

"Welcome, Nneka and Damian," Dubem said, his voice warm and inviting. "It's great to be here." Damian smiled and thanked him, but his eyes were restless, scanning the room. "Where is everyone?" he asked. "They're upstairs," Dubem replied. "They wanted to freshen up after their journey. They'll be down shortly." He gestured for them to sit on the comfortable couch in the living room, and they did so, settling in to wait for the others to arrive.

"Did Ama make it?" Nneka asked, excitement bubbling up in her voice. Dubem nodded, a knowing smile on his face. "She's here," he said. Nneka couldn't help but feel a sense of glee at the thought of seeing Ama again. She couldn't wait to tell her the news, to see the look on her face when she found out about her pregnancy and marriage. She knew it would make Ama miserable, and she couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction at the thought.

"Why don't you freshen up and join the others for dinner?" Dubem suggested, gesturing to the stairs. Nneka gave dubem a quick hug as she and Damian headed upstairs to get ready. 

******************************************************************

They were seated around the dinner table, about to enjoy a meal together. "So glad to see you, Ama," Nneka said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Ama raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed by Nneka's feigned enthusiasm. "I'm happy to see you, too," she said, her tone equally insincere. Nneka felt a flash of anger, but she knew better than to start a fight. "Well, let's get some food!" she said, forcing a cheerful tone. Ama just rolled her eyes and followed her to the dining room.

"I'm so happy you're here, Nneka!" Busola said, giving her a hug. Nneka returned the hug, but she felt an undercurrent of tension in the air. She knew that Aikita didn't totally like her. Aikita turned to Nneka with a thin smile. "You look lovely, Nneka," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Aikita didn't dislike Nneka, but she did find her a bit insufferable. She thought Nneka was always trying to outshine everyone else, and she found it tiresome. Still, she tried to be polite and friendly, even though she was secretly rolling her eyes at Nneka's constant attempts to be the center of attention.

Aikita wasn't sure what to make of Nneka. On the one hand, she seemed like a kind and caring person. On the other hand, she often seemed to crave attention, and she could be a bit dramatic. Aikita wasn't sure if it was intentional or not, but it was a bit much at times. Still, she hoped that Nneka would tone it down a bit.

"I have some wonderful news!" Nneka announced, her voice filled with excitement. "I'm pregnant! And I'm also getting married!" She beamed at everyone, clearly thrilled with the changes that were coming her way. There was a moment of stunned silence, before Dubem spoke up. "Wow, Nneka," he said, a hint of sarcasm in his tone. "Congratulations on your ticket to luxury." Nneka ignored the sarcasm, too caught up in her own happiness to notice, plus she couldn't reply dubem he was untouchable.

"That's wonderful news, Nneka!" Busola said, a genuine smile on her face. "I'm so happy for you!" Aikita echoed the sentiment, although her voice was a bit cooler. "Congratulations," she said, her tone more reserved than Busola's. Nneka smiled at them both, oblivious to the difference in their reactions. She was too caught up in her own joy to notice anything else.

Nneka's mood suddenly turned sour. "I can't believe you haven't congratulated me!" she snapped at Ama. "What's the matter, jealous that Damian picked me over you?" Ama's eyes widened in surprise. 

Ama laughed, but there was an edge of bitterness to her laughter. "You really think I'm jealous of you?" she asked, her voice incredulous. "I have better things to worry about than who Damian chose. And trust me, I'm not jealous of you." She gave Nneka a look that was both pitiful and smug. "If you think I'm jealous, you're even more deluded than I thought."

Damian's eyes flashed with anger as he stepped in front of Nneka, as if to protect her from Ama's words. "Don't talk to my fiancée like that!" he said, his voice raised in anger. 

"You have no right to raise your voice at Ama!" Dubem said, his own anger flaring up in response to Damian's outburst. "You may be her fianceé, but that doesn't give you the right to shout at Ama like that. Ama is our friend, and I will not allow you to disrespect her in my house." Damian took a step back, looking taken aback by Dubem's reaction. "I'm sorry," he said, his voice now quiet and subdued. "I didn't mean to upset anyone."

Damian's mind was racing as he sat at the table. He was fuming at Dubem for scolding him in front of everyone. He thought to himself, "How dare he speak to me like that! Who does he think he is?" He tried to keep his anger in check, but he could feel it bubbling just below the surface, ready to burst out at any moment.

As much as Damian was angry at Dubem, he knew that he had to keep the peace. Their company was in need of Dubem's father's support, and he didn't want to risk jeopardizing that by causing a scene. He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself, reminding himself that the bigger picture was more important than his own personal feelings.

Ama

How dare you speak to me like that!" I yelled at Nneka, my voice shaking with rage."I'm going to fucking kill you" I took a step towards her, my fists clenched at my sides.

Before I could do anything else, I felt holding hands, trying to stop me. I turned to see Dubem standing behind me, his eyes full of concern.

The dinner table was a tense and awkward place to be. Harry, Aikita, and Busola were all staring at Ama, who was still trembling with emotion. They had no idea what had happened, and Ama didn't seem to be able to explain herself. The silence was deafening, broken only by the sound of Ama's shallow breathing.

Finally, Busola spoke up. "I think we all need to take a minute to calm down," she said, her voice gentle but firm.

As Dubem placed his hand on Ama's shoulder and led her to her room, she wanted to yell at him, to demand to know what he was doing. But then he turned to her and kissed her, and her anger melted away in an instant. The kiss was soft and tender, and she felt herself relax into his embrace. But then he pulled away and left the room, leaving her standing there in stunned silence.

She touched her lips, feeling the lingering warmth of his kiss.