“Tobi is in love with you Melanie, you don’t see it and he probably doesn’t see it but that’s what’s happening” “Mother, you can’t allege something this huge…what’s wrong with you” “I wish I was just alleging Fina, that man is in love with you and it’s obvious in each and everything he does, how he looks at you and pays attention to you” “Don’t also forget that he was also the very person who saw me at my worse and weakest moment, he helped me and he continues to do so” she begins to walk away “Yes but he fell in love in the process please I beg of you, listen to me” “What you’re saying is rubbish” Mel enters her room but her Mum is still not done with her “Listen…. has he ever talked about a woman in his life?….. has he ever introduced her to you, have you seen him having another free time he spends doing something else, if not being with you that’s when he’s not working” Mel is beginning to think her mother is right somehow “I don’t want whatever happened with Ronald to happen again, this time around you’re pregnant with another man’s baby and he’s only feeling pity for you, I can tell you men are not easily understood…..don’t lead him on, don’t give the wrong impression to him and it would be better if you keep a distance from him, let him have his life and live it I’m sure no mother would want her son to have anything to do with us again” Mel knows her mother is right “I’m going to talk to him” “About what……. that’s not the best thing you can do, the best would be keeping your distance from him and reject that job offer” “I will think about it but I need a job”…….. Tobi on arriving home hits the gym, it has been a long time since the last time he ever hit the gym….for as long as he can remember, he had no reason to keep fit but now it feels like he had every reason to look good and he doesn’t even know why, he was in there for a long hour and comes out, he heads straight to the shower, he enters the bathtub and posses to think, he doesn’t know and understand what’s happening to himself, but his thoughts, his mind is all on Melanie, everything about him just shouts and wants to be with her, he gets out after the shower and gets his phone and dials a number ” Hello…..can I make an appointment with you for this week………..OK fine….thank you” he ends the call and scrolls through the gallery, he looks at her pictures he had taken without her notice, he zooms it and sees how beautiful she looks pregnant, he touches her tummy in the picture and smiles “Melanie…… Melanie you have me captivated and enticed, we met in the worst scenario possible but I just want to be with you….. could it be I’m so falling for you?…. is that how being in love feelshe kisses the picture and puts the phone down, he heads downstairs for dinner…………. Melanie lies down on her bed and contemplated on what her mother just told her earlier she doesn’t know what to make of it but she knows only one thing, she loves being around him and there is a way she feels when he’s around, she doesn’t know what that means but if what her mother said is anything to go by, she’s equally falling for him and she’s scared about that…..she picks her cellphone and dials her counsellors number at this point she’s the only one who can help her understand “Hello Melanie how are you is everything right” “Fine Miss….. can we make our session tomorrow” “Is there something wrong?” “I don’t know, I need someone to talk to, there is something I’m not understanding” “It’s OK…. I will make some time for you and give you a call, are you coming with Tobi” “No….I’m coming alone, I don’t think he should know about this”……her next call is to Tobi, the phone rings and rings but no one answer, she decides to come out for food and promises to give him a call when she’s done…….. Tobi came back to his room and finds he has missed calls, on checking who has been calling, he is surprised to see it’s Mel, he wonders what happened and decides to give her a call ” Hello” “Is everything alright with you….I just found your missed calls” “Yes….I just wanted to let you know that I accept the job offer but I need this week to get ready” “What’s there to prepare for” “You don’t need to know it” “It’s OK but can I pass by to check up on you tomorrow on my way to the office” “That’s not possible, I have somewhere to go to so you won’t find me at home even if you come” “That’s even better, I can give you a lift before proceeding to the officehe kisses the picture and puts the phone down, he heads downstairs for dinner…………. Melanie lies down on her bed and contemplated on what her mother just told her earlier she doesn’t know what to make of it but she knows only one thing, she loves being around him and there is a way she feels when he’s around, she doesn’t know what that means but if what her mother said is anything to go by, she’s equally falling for him and she’s scared about that…..she picks her cellphone and dials her counsellors number at this point she’s the only one who can help her understand “Hello Melanie how are you is everything right” “Fine Miss….. can we make our session tomorrow” “Is there something wrong?” “I don’t know, I need someone to talk to, there is something I’m not understanding” “It’s OK…. I will make some time for you and give you a call, are you coming with Tobi” “No….I’m coming alone, I don’t think he should know about this”……her next call is to Tobi, the phone rings and rings but no one answer, she decides to come out for food and promises to give him a call when she’s done…….. Tobi came back to his room and finds he has missed calls, on checking who has been calling, he is surprised to see it’s Mel, he wonders what happened and decides to give her a call ” Hello” “Is everything alright with you….I just found your missed calls” “Yes….I just wanted to let you know that I accept the job offer but I need this week to get ready” “What’s there to prepare for” “You don’t need to know it” “It’s OK but can I pass by to check up on you tomorrow on my way to the office” “That’s not possible, I have somewhere to go to so you won’t find me at home even if you come” “That’s even better, I can give you a lift before proceeding to the officehe kisses the picture and puts the phone down, he heads downstairs for dinner…………. Melanie lies down on her bed and contemplated on what her mother just told her earlier she doesn’t know what to make of it but she knows only one thing, she loves being around him and there is a way she feels when he’s around, she doesn’t know what that means but if what her mother said is anything to go by, she’s equally falling for him and she’s scared about that…..she picks her cellphone and dials her counsellors number at this point she’s the only one who can help her understand “Hello Melanie how are you is everything right” “Fine Miss….. can we make our session tomorrow” “Is there something wrong?” “I don’t know, I need someone to talk to, there is something I’m not understanding” “It’s OK…. I will make some time for you and give you a call, are you coming with Tobi” “No….I’m coming alone, I don’t think he should know about this”……her next call is to Tobi, the phone rings and rings but no one answer, she decides to come out for food and promises to give him a call when she’s done…….. Tobi came back to his room and finds he has missed calls, on checking who has been calling, he is surprised to see it’s Mel, he wonders what happened and decides to give her a call ” Hello” “Is everything alright with you….I just found your missed calls” “Yes….I just wanted to let you know that I accept the job offer but I need this week to get ready” “What’s there to prepare for” “You don’t need to know it” “It’s OK but can I pass by to check up on you tomorrow on my way to the office” “That’s not possible, I have somewhere to go to so you won’t find me at home even if you come” “That’s even better, I can give you a lift before proceeding to the officeNo no….don’t worry about that…. but you can pass by in the evening if you have the time” “I will….take care”………… The next day in the morning, Mel wakes up and gets ready to visit the counsellor, she never told her mum and aunt where she was headed to but she lets them know she won’t take long……she takes a bike and arrives at the office and finds the woman already waiting for her and her secretary lets her in ” Good morning miss” “Hey Mel….. you’re just right on time…have a seat” “Thank you” the woman studies her face and can tell she’s very happy and she likes this “I was so worried when I got your call, I thought it was something so serious” “It is…..I have a problem, I don’t understand myself anymore…I’m getting so confused” “In what way…I don’t get it” “Is it possible for a victim like me to fall in love again” the counsellor is surprised and interested “Are you falling in love?” “I don’t know….. all I know is it’s not right to feel so comfortable around someone after what happened” “Is it Tobi” “Yes…..I don’t know why but I just love being around him and he makes me feel things I can’t explain, with him my fears disappear” “That’s healing Melanie…. remember he’s Someone who has been there for you in this difficult moment, he has helped you to see that you’re able to get out of this situation…..but I want to know, how do you feel when you’re with him or when he’s not there” “I feel excited and happy, a part of me just wants to be around him and with him, when he’s not there I feel I’m missing something important to me but that’s not enough to fall in love right?”I’m so glad you feel this way about Tobi, he’s a gentleman and he has been there for you, he also has no woman in his life……. You see, people always get it wrong there, they think rape victims can never heal and love a man or a woman like a normal person would but I want to assure you that it’s very possible …….that’s why some victims end up falling for their counsellors, others with who ever has been there for them…..and in this case of yours, I can’t say you’re falling for Tobi because it might be a feeling of gratitude that you’re confusing for love….. remember you have only been in a relationship once so you need to take it slow, discover if your body and mind is truly ready for this because you know what relationship is….giving your heart and giving your body, sometimes it takes for you to want to get intimate that you realize it was never really love….right now think about only you and what you feel for this baby you’re carrying but if there is anything you just call me and I shall help you” Mel is so relived for now but she can’t tell for how long she’s going to be…….
To be continued…
