Lies From Pretty Lips

CHAPTER TEN

IN FLESH

OKIKIOLA

I didn't expect to see Anita at the door that morning, I'd avoided all Arinola's friends after the wedding including Anita and Oluchi and they'd stopped contacting me after a while.

"Anita, what are you doing here?" I asked surprised.

She sighed "Can I come in?" she asked.

"Yes, sure, come in" I let her into the house.

I was alone in the house, Wale hasn't been around for some days now and Emem left early today so maybe Anita's company won't be so bad.

"So, how's Oluchi?" I asked sitting far away from her.

I'm not quite used to being around her or anyone else. I was also a little nervous about talking to her, she could bring up a topic or an issue I knew nothing about and I wouldn't be able to get myself out of that tricky situation.

"Oluchi is fine," She said looking at me strangely. I wondered if something was sticking to my face because her stare was weird.

"You didn't even call to inform me you were coming, I'm surprised you dropped by," I said nervously. I tried not to make eye contact with her.

"You don't answer my calls anymore, but it's fine I understand," she said.

"Uhhh, okay" it was a good thing she wasn't upset about it because I hadn't prepared a list of excuses for this conversation.

"Would you like something to drink then?" I asked.

She shook her head and sighed "I know you're not Arinola. I'm just surprised that you're here and you're still alive" she said surprised.

Alive?  What was she talking about I wondered before her first statement sank into my head.

Wait she knows I'm not Arinola? How?!

"Arinola paid me a visit the other day and she told me the truth," she said as if she was reading my mind.

"Oh" I remained silent. There was no need for pretence anymore and honesty there was nothing for me to say. Arinola had told her everything already.

"I'm sorry that Arinola and your parents did those things to you. You shouldn't allow them to manipulate and use you like this, Kiki you're stronger than this. What happened to the girl who kicks ass on the field, who dealt with school bullies?" she asked.

"I'm not a teenager anymore" I shifted uncomfortably. Besides I left that life behind a long time ago.

"So? I know she is still in there. And she would never manipulate or deceive an innocent man. Wale loves Arinola, and he believes he's married to the love of his life but he's not. And it isn't fair to use him this way Kiki, you have to tell him the truth" Anita said.

Wale loves Arinola, he loves her and not me. He's only with me because he thinks I'm her, but I'm not.

She's right, I shouldn't have gone along with the plan but I'd been an outcast for so long and I was tired of it.

And finally, an opportunity came for me to prove that I deserved to be family, that I was finally going to be accepted, Arinola would be the sister I've always wanted. And I'll be reunited with mum and dad, my days of being an outcast were almost over.

Though it wasn't a good excuse to deceive and use an innocent man, I wanted to please them so badly so I gave in.

"Kiki, you have to tell him. You're not like them, you're different, you're better and you always do the right thing"

"But you don't understand Anita, this is just temporary. By next year I'll be out of his life for good, there won't be any need for pretence anymore" I insisted.

"Kiki the truth could come out at any time, Arinola has already run away. She ran away because she doesn't want to be here when this whole thing blows up. Your parents might already be making plans to leave too. Where does that leave you? Alone and paying for their sins?" she asked.

"Even if I want to tell him, Anita, how do I do it? I don't want to hurt his feelings, I can't face him and tell him something like this, that he's married to an imposter" I shook my head thinking about how Wale would react to my revelation.

"You'll cross that bridge later, you just have to tell him first"

"Alright Anita, maybe you're right. I'll tell him, soon, not now but I'll tell him soon" I accepted after contemplating for a while.

I'll lose my parents and my sister forever this time but at least I won't have to lie to Wale anymore. He doesn't deserve that.

"You shouldn't even be helping them, not after they told everyone you were dead," Anita said.

My eyes snapped up in shock.

"Really, they did?" I asked in disbelief. "In...including Arinola," I stuttered. Anita nodded and my heart fell.

No wonder no one had ever called to ask of me, not that anyone ever cared about me before.

I was the dumb one, Arinola was the good daughter.

Nobody cared that it was because of my dyslexia that I had a tough time in school.

Aunty Moji had discovered it a month after I'd relocated to the States.

She'd taken time and patience to teach me and she'd gotten me all the care, therapy and assistance that I'd needed.

She's the only one I should call mother, not that greedy woman who birthed me.

Aunty Moji had died a year after I finished from high school, After her death, I'd decided to join Uncle Jerry at his auto repair shop as a part-time worker.

The damaged cars actually reminded me of myself.

Used, damaged and abandoned, I'd fixed every one of them.

It didn't matter how long it took, I always put them back in shape.

I even named most of them, they were my babies. I smiled as I thought about the cars, I'd fixed them the way Aunty Moji had fixed me.

Aunty Moji was my angel and I miss her every day. If she were here, she would be so disappointed at me for doing this to Wale.

How could I have fallen prey to my parent's manipulations again?

I broke down and sobbed.

"I'm such a fool," I said. Anita patted my back. "Being a good person doesn't make you a fool Okikiola, they don't deserve your kindness"

"I have to tell Wale the truth" I murmured. That's what Aunty Moji would want me to do now.

"It's the right thing to do" Anita smiled in support.

I nodded and began to brace myself for the conversation that would eventually happen.

"I'll be here for you if you need anything. I'll support you, I promise" Anita said she came closer to me and rubbed my back.

"Thank you so much," I said hugging her.

I dread Wale's reaction.

I dread my parents' anger.

But I'll do it, I'll tell Wale the truth.

He won't forgive me, I know he'll hate me afterwards.

I'll lose him I know, but it's the right thing to do, so I'll do it.