Story by Deborah Paul
“Ever been in love”?
episode 21
I dedicate this episode to my big sister in place of Onoja Charity Eleojo
I want to use this opportunity to thank you for truly being a big sis and a loving guardian all throu-ghthe time I was sick.
God bless you ma.
Clarissa gave what kim said a thought before she got up and went into her kitchen, she took the food meant for Marcel and microwaved it again before she took it to the living room, she went into her bedroom and took her umbrella before she came out and took the food.
Marcel was in his living room playing a Chas-se game on his phone and listening to a loud music from the TV, he heard a knock on the door but he wasn’t sure it was at his door so he ignored, the knock came again so he paused his game and went to check who was knocking
MARCEL
Yes, who is it….
(he said opening the door, he was surprise to see her)
Clarissa?
CLARISSA
look I’m sorry if my words made you mad okay, I know words are something we can not take back…and I swear if I can I will take my words back….you are a friend, I shouldn’t be intruding on your personal life or asking questions that are irrelevant… please I’m sorry.
MARCEL
(he looked at her for a while)
hope my yam is still hot, else you have to bring your apology latter another day
(he teased and they both laughed)
CLARISSA
yeah it’s hot….so I’m I forgiven?
MARCEL
please come inside
he inside he said moving from the way for her to enter, she did and he followed her from behind, shutting the door after them.
CLARISSA
(dropping the food and seating down)
yes? I’m I am?
MARCEL
(He smiled and sat down)
I should be the one apologising, I’m sorry for the way I reacted…what you askeed wasn’t a bad thing but because of the pressure I’m receiving from my family made me to go over the edge and I’m truly sorry.
(he said truthfully )
CLARISSA
let me guess, your family are doing a match make for yout?
MARCEL
(Relaxing on the couch and carrying his food)
yeah, story of my life….they have totally refuse to see my point of view, I have no feelings for Mirabelle.
CLARISSA
Mirabelle…hmm but the lady in question do you think she loves you?
MARCEL
I don’t know, maybe it’s love, maybe infatuation, maybe whatever I do not know….but one sided love doesn’t count for me Rissa….I want to marry a woman that my love for her should be greater, so that nothing can ever separate me from her…
CLARISSA
so why not talk to the lady in question, I’m sure she will un-derstand
MARCEL
(He scoff)
like I haven’t done that before? the most annoying part is she has a way of getting into my mother’s skin….everything is just frustrating to me
CLARISSA
take it easy I’m sure everything will be okay…but wait, if you don’t love Mirabelle who then do you love? or you are single trying to mingle
(she joked and he chuckled)
MARCEL
I have never loved any girl in my entire life
(Rissa gave him this “are you a g@ykind of look)
no, no I know that look, I’m not a g@yokay….God
forbid I just haven’t met that woman that would race my heart beat
CLARISSA
hmmm so tell me what qualify your kind of woman
MARCEL
I will say, intelligent, ha-rd working, beautiful, God fearing…and above all an African woman that represents everything Africa stands for.
CLARISSA
wow, that sounds like a whole deal to me
MARCEL
I’m su’re there is someone out there from me
CLARISSA
Yeah, I’m sure there is…
MARCEL
enough of me, let’s talk about you….are you single or in a private relationship?
CLARISSA
(She sm-irk)
why would you think that? like I’m the private type or what ?
MARCEL
I don’t know, is just that since I moved into this compund I haven’t seen you with any man.
CLARISSA
(She relaxed on the couch)
I was in a relationship a month ago, until my friend had a wedding only for me to show up there and found out she was getting married to my own finacê.
MARCEL
(Shocked)
what? Jesus Christ that must have hurt real bad.
CLARISSA
(She smiled despite the fact pain was written on her face)
story of my Life….you remember the first day you came into this compound? you remembered what happened that day?
MARCEL
Like hell yes, I can never forget that
CLARISSA
That was the day it happened, I had just return from the venue and quietly wanted to end my miserablel life but then you showed up after I had chased two people came saying they came to share the good news of the gospel to me…i had to invert my anger on something or someone and you showed up from God knows where.
MARCEL
I’m so sorry Rissa, no one should every go throu-ghsuch betrayal…but honestly you are a strong woman…it’s so ha-rd to believe that something as great and evil as this happened to you and you quickly snapped out of it.
CLARISSA
what can I do? I have a cousin who cares about me, I have a company to run….sometimes I seat down and wonder that if you had not come that day to save me from killing myself ..what would have happened to the people working for me? their families who are at home waiting for their fathers, uncle’s, anuties, to bring money home for food…my death would have closed down my work because Kim can’t run it…amd that would leave lots of people jobless and back on the street.
Marcel’s mouth was wild open, in his life he has never seen anyone as selfless as Clarissa….even after that day she could still have killed herself, but instead of being selfish, she thought of what her death could course in the lives of people around her….”it takes only someone with a beautifulso to have this compas-sion in them” he said inwardly
MARCEL
You are so selfless Rissa, and very br@ve….honestly your ex did you a big favor by not marrying you….you deservesomeone far better, someone who will treat you right like a princess
CLARISSA
(She smiled)
a princess you said? my father is not even a cheif talk more of a king
MARCEL
your dad doesn’t have to be a king before you can be called a princess….your pure soul has given you that title.
Clarissa couldn’t help but blus-h at his words.
they were queit for sometime before Marcel asked again
MARCEL
what happened to you that night I saw you in the rain and had to bring you over to my place?
CLARISSA
i ran into judge and Kenny at the mall
MARCEL
Who are they?
(he asked confused)
CLARISSA
my supposed ex finacê and my six years best friend…you know it wasn’t that painful seeing them together again…the most annoying part was what they said to me….espcially my friend, she said I couldn’t keep a man and no man can ever stay with me because of the way I dress and all that..she said so many hurtful things that I do not wish to remember again.
MARCEL
I’m so sorry Rissa…..but if I may ask why do you like dressing like this? I mean don’t get me wrong, you are a very pretty lady, and judging from the era we are now….your dressing is totally off from our youth of this days.
he asked honestly and hoping she doesn’t pick offence
story by Deborah paul
ever been in love?
episode 22
Marcel thought clarissa would be mad at him for asking at him for asking such question but to his surprise she just simply said
CLARISSA
I don’t think anything is wrong with my dressing and no I’m not offended
MARCEL
thanks for not picking offense, but honestly there must be a reason why your dressing sense is off.
CLARISSA
since I was a kid I have always like big stuff, I guess I grew up still like big stuff.
MARCEL
that’s your reason? so why did you wear jogger on a native attire earlier? that combination was off
CLARISSA
What? that’s not true….i saw someone dressed like that and I loved it
MARCEL
in this life?
CLARISSA
no, it’s in a movie
(she announce)
Marcel couldn’t help but laugh at what she said
CLARISSA
why are you laughing?
MARCEL
I’m sorry, so you mean you decided to try a dress code you saw in a movie? I’m sure it must be a comic video.
CLARISSA
(started picking offense)
you know what? let’s talk something else
MARCEL
no, let’s talk about this….can I ask you a question?
CLARISSA
what is it ?
CLARISSA
the guys you dated before, what was there excuse for leaving you?
CLARISSA
(She didn’t see that coming but she still answered him)
same old, same old they complain that I’m boring, I don’t dress well, I’m too local, I don’t know how to start or interact in a good conversation.
MARCEL
so if I’m to ask you what you think what will you say…do you think they were right about you? or they are wrong?
CLARISSA
I always did my best to be a good partner, it is them that la k the ability to un-derstand me…any man that loves me will take me as I am.
MARCEL
that means you think they are right but still you wanted them to accept you the way you are.
CLARISSA
can you tell me where all this is headed? because I’m getting bored.
MARCEL
something just crossed my mind
CLARISSA
what is that
MARCEL
give me one month of your time, attention, just one month of everything
CLARISSA
I don’t un-derstand, are you saying we should date for a whole month?
MARCEL
I didn’t think in that direction, what I’m saying is, we can be friends, but for one month you will do only what I say….after then if you don’t like it….then I will also come to accept you for who you are.
CLARISSA
This sound crazy
MARCEL
just say yes please
(he pleaded holding her hands)
CLARISSA
okay, okay fine I agree but you have to promise you won’t push me too ha-rd
MARCEL
really? thank you and I promiseI won’t dare.
CLARISSA
Alright then….so I nee-d to go catch some sleep now
MARCEL
(He checked his wall clock)
it’s almost 11pm
CLARISSA
Yeah, and you know I nee-d to wake up early because of the job I nee-d to start.
MARCEL
yeah, yeah I almost forget….I’m really going to be lonely in this house without you.
CLARISSA
(She smiled)
I’m sure Derrick would come keep you company
MARCEL
I guess so , just that his company can’t be like yours
(he said truthfully)
CLARISSA
I will always call you, and I’m hoping we finish the work before one week
MARCEL
I pray so too
Clarissa got up and Marcel got up too
CLARISSA
So, goodnight
MARCEL
goodnight….thanks for the meal
CLARISSA
you are welcome.
she walked to the door, Marcel followed her and opened the door for her, she took her umbrella and waved at him before she left ….Marcel went back into his room and locked his door.
THE NEXT DAY
As early as 7pm Marcel woke up to ha-rd knock on his door, he sluggishly got up to go see who it was, he opened his door and was surprised to see Clarissa
MARCEL
Rissa
CLARISSA
good morning, sorry for waking you up
MARCEL
no, that’s fine….good morning, please come inside
(he said trying to open the door wilder for her)
CLARISSA
no, I’m fine….I’m already running late, I just say let me drop by and say goodbye before I leave.
MARCEL
I didn’t think you will be leaving this early….
CLARISSA
Early to go, early to finish….I have to run along now
MARCEL
alright, do take care of yourself and make sure you call me once you arrived
CLARISSA
yes boss
(she tease and they both laughed)
she bided him good bye and left for her car, marcel walked to the hatey and helped her open it, he waved at her too and she drove out.
marcel went back inside to sleep.
LATER THAT DAY
Mirabelle walked into Mr Mason’s large living room, her face wasn’t looking bright at all….she greeted Mrs Elizabeth and sat down.
MRS ELIZABETH
my princess, what is wrong with you? why are you looking like someone whose husband has abandoned her.
MIRABELLE
exactly mom, my husband has abandon me
MRS ELIZABETH
(Confuse)
how do you mean my princess
MIRABELLE
since Marcel left for the state, he hasn’t called me, I tried calling him mum but his US number isn’t connecting but the strange thing is that whenever I ca his Nigeria number it keeps ringing and ringing without answer.
MRS ELIZABETH
what? so are you trying to say Marcel has been in this country for close to two months? then where has he been?
MIRABELLE
I don’t know mum, last night I called him again, it rang but he didn’t answer it.
MRS ELIZABETH
This can’t be true….Ugo! Ugo
UGO
(running to her)
yes ma, you called me
MRS ELIZABETH
where is my son?
UGO
He is in his room
MRS ELIZABETH
Go get him for me
Ugo how and quickly ran to Derrick’s room to call him.
not long Derrick appeared before his mum
DERRICK
You called me mum…..Hi Mirabelle
MRS ELIZABETH
where is your brother?
DERRICK
what kind of a question is that? I tbought he told us all he was leaving the country
MRS ELIZABETH
take my phone and call your brother’s number
Derrick hesitated before he collected the phone, he dialled Marcel’s number but lucky the number couldn’t be reached.
DERRICK
(Feeling happy and relax)
I don’t know what Mira told you mum, but I don’t know how you expect my brother’s number to be going trou-ghwhen he is not in the country….i was busy inside when you sent for me.
he said and handed his mother her phone and left.
Mirabelle was short of words, she try to explain but Mrs Elizabeth told her not to worry that Marcel will always he hers no matter what
she was too dumfounded to stay so she took her hand bag and went home….her instinct told her Derrick was lying and she would do everything to prove that.
to be continued