Chapter 84

The movie seemed to work its own magic, Olivia's behaviour towards Brains had a little shift from the strange status it was to friendliness. She became free in conversation and got closer to the extent of allowing Brains to hold her. Brains felt it might be the effect of the movie. It was not as if they chose the movie, which would have been a suspicious act on the side of Brains, but the coincidence worked to his advantage. It was as if the movie captured most part of their present experience. Olivia was paid apt attention to the movie from beginning to the end. She at some point lean her head on Brains shoulder, this had an impact on Brains who felt like holding her closer, but he refused to go that way, instead he made up his mind to patiently and gradually follow her up until she wouldn't have any other option than to totally submit to him. The movie was about a young guy who fell in love with a lady in the month of November and after their first meeting, he never saw her again. He didn't even know her name because he never asked as he was carried away by her beauty. This made him name her sweet November. While they were watching, Olivia could feel the impact of her absence on Brains as related to how the man felt when the lady left. She would look at Brains secretly to see how he was feeling, but there was no sign to show anything. It was at the point that the guy set of on a journey to search for his sweet November, that Brains adjusted himself on his seat. This made Olivia feel guilty. The rest of the movie, though interesting, kept them moody. Olivia couldn't wait for the movie to end as she was almost at a breaking point. Tears were already gathering in her eyes, she managed to keep up the blinking of her eyes. 

All these while, Lucy wasn't aware of what was going on. She was much more captivated by the movie, she was more interested in knowing how the guy would find the lady. She felt like having such an experience whereby a man would love her to that point. The rest of the movie gave her a wonderful memory. They left the cinema, and headed back to the Hotel. At the reception desk, the receptionist handed over a note to Brains, which he took and continued on his way to the lift. It was when he got to his room that he opened it and saw the note came from Philip. He wanted to tear the note, but held his anger. He threw it on the table near his bed and lay on the bed. Philip wrote to him asking him to meet him up at the hospital. This he seemed not to likes, as he had tried to show him he was not ready to have any discussion about Mike nor with Mike at the moment. His interest and time was already devoted to winning back Olivia's heart. 

When Olivia and Lucy got into the room, they were already tired, Olivia sat on the chair near y bed, she occupied herself with her iPad, while Lucy lay on the bed, by then, they had removed all their clothes, and were on their panties and bra. It didn't take time for Lucy to doze off. On her sleep, she had a dream. She saw herself in a bus, filled with people, she couldn't identify any of them, all of a sudden, she saw Mike sitting alone. She wanted to go to him, but there were alot of people standing between then. She was contemplating on how to find her way to him, when she saw Olivia walk down from the back to where he was seated and sat beside him. Lucy wondered where Olivia would have come from, she was not happy that Olivia took the space she wanted to occupy. While she was thinking of the next move, the bus came to a stop and both Mike and Olivia stepped down leaving her alone in the bus, as the bus took off again. She felt so sad in the dream that she suddenly woke up. She wondered what the dream might mean, she wouldn't accept any interpretation that would make her a loser, she already knew it would be said that Olivia would take away mike, buy that would be the news or interpretation she would hate to hear. She stretched and turned on the bed, all of a sudden, she slept off again. Again she had another dream, this time, she was in a church auditorium, wearing a wedding gown, the auditorium was filled with a lot of people. She was standing alone with the pastor, covered with a veil, when the pastor asked where the husband to be was, everyone looked at her, but there was no man standing around them. Then out of no where, all of a sudden, Mike walked into the auditorium in a black suit, well dressed. He matched majestic all through the aisle, attracting people's attention towards him with the sound of the sole of his shoes. When he got to the front, he moved closer to her and stood facing her. Then he responded to the earlier questions on who and where the husband was. 

I am here, he said.

Lucy was surprised, she had to raise the veil up a little to make sure her eyes weren't deceiving her. When she was sure he was the one, she was so happy. Them the priest started the marriage rituals after which Mike was asked to kiss his bride. Mike's lips was almost touching hers, when she felt the tapping of Olivia's hand on her body, them she woke up. She couldn't hide the anger she felt, as it was obvious on his face. Olivia sensed that she must have been on a dream, so she apologized to her but made her know she was saying some funny things in her dream, then she saw her holding the pillow so tight and pushing her lips and mouth so close to the pillow as if she was about to kiss someone. Lucy got herself together when she heard that, she never knew it was all a dream, it was a moment she cherished so much, though it was a dream. She wished she could get back to that dream and continue from where she stopped. Again, she wondered why the two dreams were centered on same person, Mike. Lucy began to compare the two dreams, the first, she lost Mike, while in the second seem, she almost got him to kiss her. She thought about them for a while, then concluded that it was her choice to either fight for Mike or forget him. 

Olivia returned quickly to her work on the iPad, she never bothered to ask what dream Lucy was having that would get her to kiss the pillow. Little did she know, that Mike was the reason for that. She felt it would too quick to ask Lucy questions on that's, she would wait for her to be fully awake. She concentrated on her work, answering some calls at intervals. That was when she got a call from LOGISTICS company. The director called to inform them that they would be allowed to inspect their goods the next day. When Lucy finally woke you, Olivia was done with what she was doing. She then asked Lucy who she was trying to kiss in the dream, Lucy who didn't know she got to that point in the real life, denied that such a thing happened. This made Olivia laugh, she immediate switched the topic to the invitation from the Procurement director LOGISTICS. Lucy became excited from the news, she would at least be rounding up the main thing that brought her to the US. The excitement did not live long, because her heart switched back to the dreams she had, she was curious to know what they meant. Her human intelligence wouldn't give her the real interpretation, all she need was some one who understood dream and interpret them accurately. She would have preferred it to be only the second dream, and would have love to see the end after the kiss. Now that she did not kiss Mike, she wouldn't know what it meant, she felt it would have been a good omen for them to have successful married in that dream, who knows, it could become a reality. As for the first dream, she never wanted to think about it, so long as she was concerned, it meant a bad omen and she forbids it from coming to pass.

Philip spent a lot of time in the hospital, he discussed at length a lot of things, ranging from Mike's condition, to Brains attitude towards them. At this point, Mike who understood what was the main issues, felt there was no need to bother himself with whatever attitude Brains had decided to put up, rather he was more concerned with leaving the hospital and possibly regaining his voice. While they were at there discussion, Pat was ready to leave for the hotel to see Olivia. She had earlier informed Mike of her plan and the nurse was placed on notice. She had taken he bath and dressed up, the she took her handbag, excused herself from the two men and left for the car park where she got a cab for her journey to the hotel. 

Pat was a novice, a total stranger when it comes to the environment, so she totally relied on the driver for direction to the place. The driver being a jovial man, chatted with her although the trip, making her not to feel bored until they got to the Hotel. Pat got down very quickly, she was about to ask questions before she heard her name and recognized the voice as that of Olivia. She turned and saw her standing at the entrance of the Hotel. Pat paid the driver and hurried to Pat, both of them hugged and held each other with excitement. It was obvious that they had missed each other for sometime, Olivia didn't waste time, she asked that they move up to her room. When they got to the room, Lucy was in the restroom, Olivia asked Pat to make herself comfortable, so Pat sat on the bed, facing her. Olivia was the first to initiate a conversation, being a smart lady, she took Pat's mind to their discussions at the hospital regarding the job offer by her sister Mira. She asked Pat if she was comfortable with the offer. Pat hesitated a little, then she replied her, by telling her she already accepted the offer. Lucy walked out of the restroom, greeted Pat, and sat down on the chair. Olivia dropped her iPad, turned to both ladies and did a formal introduction. It was the first time Pat was meeting Lucy, but she had the feeling that she had some things ulterior wise, up her sleeves. She couldn't go beyond the exchange of pleasantries with her. She turned back to Olivia and gave her the piece of her mind. She told her how angry she has been since she walked out of the hospital, how she never expected her to behave in such a manner. She mentioned that she was disappointed with her, being that she had entrusted Mike to her as a better person than herself, and expected her to treat him better. What she had seen her do, shows that she would likely abandoned him somehow, she said. While she spoke, Olivia kept mute, she knew there was truth and sense on what Pat was saying, she need not interrupt her, so as  not to provoke her the more, rather she chose to allow her exhaust whatever she had in her mind. When Pat had finished talking, Olivia apologized to her, and this weakened Pat, but she told Pat that shé wasn't going to visit the hospital, adding that Mike took her for granted by embarrassing her in the hospital. The discussion that started quietly and friendly, gradually got into an argument and subsequently a heated one, this made Pat to get angry, she then stood up, opened the door and walked away. Olivia who was angry too, was not moved, she allowed her leave and felt there wasn't any need stopping her. This wasn't the first, neither was it the second time they were having issues as friends, they had severals of it while in school, but this was it's first time at this mature stage of their life. Lucy who was watching both ladies as they argued, tried stopping them, but none of them listened, she left them, when Pat had left, and everywhere became quiet, she couldn't believe what happened. She was seeing that part of Olivia for the very first time since she knew her. She couldn't understand how Mike came to be at the centre of all that happened. From what she heard Pat say, she was able to understand that she was even supporting whatever Olivia was having with Mike. This made everything confusing to her. Of truly Pat had something to do with Mike, she thought, she wouldn't have sounded the way she was, it would have been a quarrel based on who was Mike's and who wasn't. As soon as Pat walked out of the door, she hurried to the lift and down the ground floor, where she got a cab and headed back to the hospital. While in the car, she had a lot to think, she thought of discussing what happened with Mike, but felt he might misunderstood her, reason being that he might think she wanted him to accept him back, thereby running Olivia down. Secondly, she felt it wasn't the right thing to do, as Mike's mind  was already occupied with a lot of issues. Adding this to it would be disastrous to his health. So she decided to keep it to herself. When she got to the hospital, she was surprised to see that Philip was still there, and when and how she walked, was noticeable to Philip. He called her attention and asked her what happened from where she was coming from. Pat tried every way she could to cover up the incidents, but Philip didn't accept what she said, although he couldn't place what it was that happening, he was sure that something went wrong or probably someone must have hurt her feelings. Mike who also noticed her mood, having known the kind of person she was, who she went to see, and the events sorrounding them, knew that the two friends must have had a big issue. He felt it would be better to allow her time to cool down her temper, by then Philip would have left, then he will ask her about it. Pat dropped her handbag and went outside where she sat under a tree in a small garden. There she began to analyze all that happened, she knew that Olivia and herself were hot tempered, and she was always guarding against whatever would trigger such argument between them, what she wouldn't say or understand was why she didn't see it coming. She began to ask herself several questions; did she overreact? Was it her fault? Why did Olivia not see reasons with what she said? Would this be the end of their long built relationship? These and many more were questions that she would have to sought for the answers before everything goes wrong.