Twenty-three | Reconciliation

There is no love without forgiveness and
There's no forgiveness without love— Bryant H. McGill

~•~

Kemi walked up to the security guard at the apartment gate and relayed her personal details. He returned her smile and led her into the reception hall. Kemi sat on a row of co-joined blue seats as she watched the burly middle-aged security man speak to the pretty receptionist. After a few minutes, the both of them looked up at Kemi who gave them a shaky smile from the corner where she sat.

The receptionist who was wearing a white shirt over a black pencil skirt and black flats walked towards Kemi and smiled. Kemi could not help but admire the blond wig that suited her fair skin perfectly.

"Good afternoon ma'am," blondie smiled cheerfully. Kemi noticed the tag on her breast that read Lola, she looked back at her and responded.

"Good afternoon to you too. Is he ermm..."

"He has been expecting you, right this way please," Lola said leading her to an elevator that stood out by the corner of the small reception. Kemi took a deep breath as she watched Lola punch some buttons that would probably led them to his flat. The receptionist didn't try to start a conversation and that was fine with Kemi who needed space to think.

She had called Kelechi yesterday and requested to meet with him. Kelechi had been surprised because earlier this year, she had stopped by the office to drop her resignation letter. She had thought it was the best thing to do then, the farther away from Nnamdi she was the better right?

Wrong!

Kemi had been miserable for the past two months. Working for her mother had turned out to be a great distraction but her life had been monotonous. Kemi woke up everyday feeling incomplete—like if she was missing something.

Sharing her feelings with her mom had helped, the woman was the reason she was trying to make up with Nnamdi. As expected she was frightened, feeling bad about how she had pushed him away every time he asked to speak with her so she had decided to ask Kelechi for help. Kelechi had been more than happy to help her out and requested to see her in his house.

So here she was, stepping out of the elevator and walking towards his apartment with legs that felt like jelly.

"Here we are!" Lola said with that same cheerful voice. Kemi nodded her thanks and stared at the apartment door reading the numbers 205 over and over again.

When she realized that Lola was still standing beside her, Kemi smiled and said, "I'll let myself in. Thank you."

Lola turned and headed towards the elevator. Looking over her shoulders, she smiled and mouthed the words 'Good luck' obviously noticing Kemi's anxiety.

Kemi laughed and waved at her as the elevator doors slid shut. Then she wondered why she was nervous, it wasn't as if it was Nnamdi that she was coming to meet. With that in mind, she raised her knuckles and knocked on the door moving back a little when it pushed open.

"So it wasn't locked," she muttered. Kemi ran her hands through her shoulder length hair and adjusted her pink skirt.
Hoping that she wasn't overdressed in her white satin blouse over her baby pink flared skirt, she pushed the door open and stepped inside.

Kemi mouth fell open at the Peruvian decor in the living room. From the black leather couches in the living room and large fur carpet in the living room, to the  black marble topped counters in the kitchen. The door to the kitchen was slightly open so Kemi could see it's exquisite design from her position at the front door.

Kelechi apartment was a typical bachelor's crib although he wasn't going to remain one for long as he was getting married in the first week of April.

Kemi ran her hands on the sleek carton brown walls as she headed towards the dinning room wondering if she should call out to him or just send him a message that she had arrived. She also wondered if Kelechi told Nnamdi about her asking to see him.

Speaking of the devil, Kemi gasped when she saw Nnamdi sitting on the marble topped dinning table. He looked like if he was in deep thought as his eyes were drawn together in a cute frown as he fiddled with his phone.

Kemi didn't wait for long as she turned hoping to get to the door before he noticed her. She wasn't ready to see him, what was Kelechi thinking by bringing him here? Where was Kelechi? Numerous questions ran through her mind as she took quick calculated steps away from dinning area.

"Kemi."

The firm husky voice stopped Kemi dead in her tracks. Withdrawing her hand from it's place on the door handle, she turned slowly towards him

"Nnamdi," she said hoping her voice did not project her nervousness.

Nnamdi was leaning on the wall with his hands in the pockets of his washed blue jeans as he looked at her intently with unmasked interest.

"I didn't know you were here," Kemi said using the tip of her pink flats to draw on the tiled floor.

"Neither did I," he said watching her with amusement. He crossed his arms across his chest over the maroon shirt and looked away from her fixing his eyes on the lava lamp by the balcony door.

Kemi used the opportunity to study his face realizing how much she had missed the sight of him. She looked away quickly when he turned towards her. "I was just leaving."

"Don't go," he simply said. When she pouted with her face towards the door he added, "please."

She turned towards him and sighed. "Nnamdi you confuse me you know. One moment you're cold the next you're I don't know, warm? I'm sorry I didn't listen to you, I'm sorry I kept pushing you away but I still have doubts. A lot of..."

"Then let me make them disappear," he pleaded.

"How?" Kemi asked and shuddered when he took a step towards her. She closed her eyes briefly wishing that he was right in front of her.

Nnamdi looked at her tentatively. "I'm sorry Kemi. I truly am. I wish I could take back those words I said that night..."

"Which night?"

"Both... Both nights," he added quickly and kept his eyes trained on her as she moved back towards the love seat. He followed suit keeping a little distance between them as he sat on the single settee opposite her.

"I'm sorry." He said breaking the one minute silence between them.

"Stop saying that," she grumbled

"I'm... I mean, okay."

Kemi played with the hem of her skirt, she felt jittery under his intense gaze. She hadn't planned for this, it was Kelechi she had come to see. This was wrong on so many levels and she prayed that it wouldn't end badly.

Kemi jumped when she felt his hands on her face. She looked at his eyes as he squatted in front of her, stretching her right hand forward she ran her fingers through his hair.

He chuckled softly and took her hands and kissed them slowly. Kemi blinked back the tears that threatened to fall.

"I lied Kemi," he mumbled against her hands.

"Huh?"

"I lied when I said that I wouldn't bother you anymore."

"Figures," she said rolling her eyes.

Nnamdi smiled. "And I lied when I said I was just lusting after you." When she remained mute, he took her face in his rough hands and grazed his thumb against her plump lips. Nnamdi swallowed and took a deep breath.

"I love you Kemi."

Kemi felt her heart stop as her brain registered what he had just said.

I love you Kemi.

Did he even know the gravity of those words?

Emotions coursed through her like a raging tornado—Surprise, fear, doubt then mortification. Reflexes kicked in and she pushed him away from her, grabbing her black hand bag she leaped towards the exit.

"Kemi wait! Please!" Nnamdi yelled getting up from the floor

"Why should I? Tell me?! What do you want me to do? I don't understand you Nnamdi and I don't understand myself when I'm around you. I've always thought about the time you would say those words to me but hearing you say it now... I don't know..." Her body racked from the force of her tears.

"Kemi," he whispered softly. "Stop crying." He wrapped his hands around her and drew her towards him rubbing his hands on her back as she sobbed into his chest.

"What do you feel for me Nnamdi?" She mumbled against his tear soaked shirt.

"I love you," he said without missing a beat.

She drew back as if stung by a bee. "You're lying!" she exclaimed.

"Why do you think so?" Nnamdi asked in a calm voice.

"I don't know maybe because someone told me that I can't force a man to love me. Oh wait, those were your words Nnamdi," Kemi spat making him flinch.

"And I said that I'm sorry Kemi. I'm sorry for all the times that I made you cry. I'm sorry for lying because I wasn't sure of my feelings. I hurt you and..." He rubbed his face and looked away, "I hurt myself."

Kemi's eyes softened as she looked at the man standing in front of her—his insecurity tugged at her heart.

"I'm the worst when it comes to love but I'm willing to try if you let me," he searched her eyes for answers. "Kemi you've been in my thoughts everyday since that day I let you go. I kept thinking about that day you said that you loved me. I thought you said those words because you pitied me, I didn't think I deserved love."

"Why would you think that?" she asked in a soft voice.

"I don't know. Experience, I guess." He rubbed his hands nervously. "I'm not really good at relationships Kemi but one thing I'm sure of is that..." His voice trailed off as he wrapped his hands around her waist and drew her closer to him. "Is that I've never loved anyone like I love you."

"Are you sure about that?" Kemi asked, her doubts washing over her like a wave on full tide.

"I've never been sure about anything in my whole life," he reassured her watching her face for her reaction. His relief knew no bounds when he felt her relax aganist him.

"I still need some answers though," she started. "About your parents." Kemi noticed something flash in his eyes.

"I don't know much about them. While growing up, I heard that they left the village leaving me behind with my grandma. I was always taunted because of it. Everyone said that they didn't want me."

Kemi stroked his face slowly, feeling for the little boy in him who grew up thinking that he didn't deserve love. Her heart swelled with love for him when he told her about the only time he had opened his heart to love and had ended up dejected.

"You know what I think? I think that your ex doesn't deserve you one bit. You're gold and well she's useless."

Nnamdi laughed and drew her closer.

"You love your grandma, don't you?"

"Yes but I always felt—I always felt that she wasn't enough."

"Why?" Kemi asked pursing her lips. Nnamdi shrugged.

"Do you know what I want Nnamdi?" He responded in the negative. "All I want is us, Nnamdi. The both of us. No doubts, no fears. Just us."

This time around, he responded by pressing his lips against hers softly and biting down on her lips when she moaned. They drew apart when they were out of breath and Kemi smiled at him shyly when she noticed his swollen lips. She tilted her head to the side when he began placing butterfly kisses on her neck and moaned in satisfaction when he kissed her earlobes.

Nnamdi led her to the love seat and drew her down to sit on his laps, by then Kemi had stopped wondering where Kelechi was. She knew that he must have planned this—bringing them together to solve their issues—and was glad it turned out great.

She rested her head on Nnamdi chest and smiled brightly at their entwined fingers.

"You know, that day you came to my house," Nnamdi said kissing the top of her head. "It took all my restraint not to take you into my room and ravish your beautiful body."

Kemi bent her head so he wouldn't see her smiling face then she looked up and said, "And you're telling me, why?"

He smirked and shrugged. "Just so you know."

Kemi laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck then she suddenly sat up straight as if remembering something.
"What's wrong?" Nnamdi asked her, his eyebrows drawn in concern.

"I started getting letters when came to your house that day," she said looking away from him.

He looked at her, his confusion visible on his handsome face. "What letters?"

So....

Our ship has sailed! 🚢💨 *Tickets please* 👮

So I've been having a little problem with Wattpad. I'll see notifications about comments, but I won't actually know the exact place you dropped that particular inline comment.

Or I'll see votes on my story but it won't reflect in my notifications so I wouldn't know who and who voted. It's frustrating!

Any hoo, thank you so much for voting and commenting. I really appreciate it! ❤❤❤

So if you liked this chapter, you could leave a comment or two...

Three chapters and an epilogue left, I think?

Much love,
Sky_teddy✌