The room seemed to fall silent for a split second as panic surged through me.
Ella and Ugochi rushed to the handsome stranger’s side to check if he was okay. But my attention remained locked on Rowland, who stood trembling with the remnants of the broken bottle still in his hand.
“What have you done?” I repeated, Rowland’s face twisted with a mix of panic and arrogance, his eyes darting around the room as if searching for an escape route. But his attempts to run away were cut short by the arrival of security personnel, who swiftly apprehended him.
The room began to buzz with a frenzy of activity as concerned onlookers gathered around the injured stranger and the subdued Rowland.
“Somebody help!” Ella shouted looking visibly worried.
As the reality of the situation sunk in, a wave of guilt washed over me. I felt responsible for the chain of events that had unfolded—my past with Rowland, my confrontation with him, and the stranger’s intervention that had turned violent.
In the midst of the commotion, two handsome and muscular men approached the stranger, helping him up. He seemed to recognise them, “Don’t worry David, we’ll get you to the hospital in no time” one of them said as they slowly guided him out of the building.
The handsome stranger’s face haunted my thoughts, I never even got the chance to officially meet him, his presence remained a mystery that demanded to be unravelled.The only things I knew about him was that he was handsome and his name was David.
***
Few days later, while I was lost in thought, a message came in, it was Rowland.
“Hey Chioma, hope you’re doing well. I’ve been thinking a lot about everything that happened. Can we meet? I’d like to talk.” it read.
A part of me resented the intrusion, the audacity that he had to reappear after the pain he’d caused. Yet I was curious to hear what he had to say.
With a huge sigh, I typed out my response, “Rowland, we have nothing to talk about. What’s done is done.”
“Chioma, please. I know I messed up, and I regret it. But I can’t change the past. I just want a chance to explain and maybe make things right.” he replied.
His words tugged at something deep within me, I thought about the love that we once had, the memories we had once shared, the sacrifices I had made for him and how I basically helped him pay his way through school with the pocket money I received from my parents, only for him to turn around and cheat after he landed a job and became financially stable.
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“Rowland, you had your chance. You betrayed my trust, and I deserve better. I’ve moved on.”
I hoped my response would draw a line under the conversation, but his reply was swift:
“I understand if you’re angry, Chioma. But what if I told you there’s more to the story? What if I had reasons for what I did? I want to meet and talk. Just once.”
I was battling with my feelings, a mixture of frustration and apprehension swirled within me. The thought of revisiting the pain was daunting, yet I wanted to have closure so badly.
After a long pause, I replied, “Fine, we can meet. But just know that this doesn’t change anything.”
He responded immediately and we settled on a time and place to meet.
Finally the day arrived, for some strange reason, a part of me had been anticipating this day. I arrived at the restaurant a few minutes earlier, my heart was racing as I waited for Rowland to arrive.
A few minutes later, he walked in, and our eyes locked, I could see a mixture of regret and longing in his eyes. I took a deep breath, preparing myself for a conversation that would either open old wounds or give me the closure that I desired.
The waiter came shortly to take our orders, “I’ll have a glass of wine for now” Rowland said, “and for you ma’am?” the waiter said, turning to face me, “I’ll just have a glass of Chapman” I replied, “ Chapman?” Rowland repeated, “Don’t you want to try some wine?”
“Not today Rowland, you know what happened the last time I tried” I replied. Usually, I’m not one to take alcohol because I don’t tolerate it well.The last time Rownland made me take just a glass of wine, I got drunk and embarrassed myself, so I vowed never to touch it again.
It’s bad enough that my body seems to have the rare auto-brewery syndrome, so I don’t need any extra alcohol, or maybe I’m overexaggerating. You know what auto-brewery syndrome is don’t you? Oops, my bad! I’ll explain.
Auto brewery syndrome, also known as gut fermentation syndrome or drunkenness disease, is a rare condition in which fungi (yeast) in the gut (stomach) rapidly convert carbohydrates into alcohol. People with auto brewery syndrome usually exhibit symptoms such as getting drunk without taking alcohol or getting drunk after taking very little alcohol. Both children and adults can be affected by this syndrome. Auto brewery syndrome happens when there is too much fungi in the gut as a result of certain underlying medical conditions like diabetes, crohn’s disease, or overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestines which can be caused by antibiotic abuse. Symptoms experienced as a result of auto brewery syndrome can be reduced by avoiding carbohydrates and sugar. Treatment with antifungal medication also helps.
“Chapman it is then” the waiter replied, noting down my order, “I will be back to take your order for food shortly” he added walking away with a smile.
“Chioma,” Rowland began, his voice carrying the weight of regret. “I know I hurt you, and I can’t change that. But I need you to know that there’s more to the story than you think.”
I leaned back in my chair, my arms crossed, my guard still firmly in place. “Rowland, what could possibly justify what you did?”
He took a deep breath, his eyes searching for the right words. “I’m not trying to justify it, Chioma. I’m trying to explain. You remember Jemimah, right?”
A bitter taste filled my mouth at the mention of her name. Jemimah, the woman he had cheated on me with—his friend’s girlfriend, someone I had considered a friend. I nodded with my jaw clenched.
Rowland’s gaze didn’t waver as he continued, “Jemimah and I were never just friends, Chioma. We were childhood sweethearts, and when we crossed paths again, old feelings resurfaced. It was wrong of me not to tell you, and I regret that every day.”
His words pierced through my anger, mingling with a surprising sense of empathy. Could it be true? Could there be a side of the story I hadn’t considered?
“Rowland, even if what you’re saying is true, it doesn’t excuse your actions,” I replied, my voice softer than I intended.
“I know,” he said with his gaze dropping to the table. “I messed up, and I lost you. And I’ll always regret that.”
I was torn between lingering pain and a glimmer of understanding, I took a moment to collect my thoughts. “Rowland, I’ve moved on. I can’t go back to the way things were.”
He nodded, his expression a mixture of resignation and acceptance. “I didn’t expect you to. I just wanted to tell you the truth, no matter how late it might be.”
As I looked into his eyes, I saw a complex blend of emotions—regret, longing, and a genuine desire to make amends. It was then that I realised that closure was a two-way street.
Rowland was very handsome with a well built body, he was such a sucker for fitness that he always worked out twice a day in the morning and evenings. I had a thing for good-looking guys, they were my weakness. Honestly, it’s not like Rowland was the worst boyfriend in the world, yeah I admit, he wasn’t the most responsible alcohol drinker out there and he sometimes forgot special days like my birthday or our anniversary. We only dated for a little over two years, by the way. I broke up with him because cheating is such a deal breaker for me, I just can’t see him the same way anymore and I honestly don’t want a relationship where I’d have to deal with trust issues. A part of me was still not over him and that part seemed to be getting the best of me after hearing his explanation.
“Rowland,” I began, my voice softer now, “I appreciate your honesty. I needed to hear this, even if it doesn’t change what happened.”
He nodded as he listened, I could tell that he was hoping to hear me say something positive and I probably might have given him a positive response if I hadn’t spotted something that caught my eye at that moment.
“Are you ok?” Rowland asked, noticing that my expression had suddenly changed. I tried to reply but my lips failed me, my mouth remained closed as I remained transfixed by what my eyes had just seen.
Find out what happens tomorrow in episode 4 #checkwithdoctoro
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