CHAPTER 36


    I and Karina got home after hours of going around the mall looking for the perfect dress for her


    because she was quit indecisive and we had also stopped by to take ice cream and pizza before


    heading back home. I was d i decided to go out. I loved it and it made me feel so much better.


    I was about going into the bathroom to freshen up since we just got back when I saw my phone ring


    and when I checked the caller I.d I realized that it was Salma. I hadn''t heard from her since the


    wedding. She and khalid had gone on an honeymoon outside the country and I didn''t want to disturb


    her with my issues with Ridwan.


    "Hey dear"


    "Hello, it''s been a while" I said as I sat by the edge of the bed.


    "We just got back from the maldives. How have you been, you didn''t tell me about leaving Abuja"


    Salma said in a low tone.


    "I didn''t want to disturb you with my issues" I said


    "You''re like a sister to me Tes and you know that, you kept everything that was happening away from


    me and couldn''t trust me enough to tell me" Salma said rather sadly than angry.


    "I am sorry about that, I just didn''t know how to"


    "He told me everything and trust me I know he is at fault and I med him alot because i know how


    much you love my brother. But you know how much Ridwan loves you too Tes. You know he does and


    everything he did was out of the fact that he thought he was protecting you but didn''t know how over


    board he had gone" Salma exined.


    "Remember a Sarah I told you about"Salma asked and at first I didn''t remember then I remembered


    the girl in the pictures with both of them and the one Salma had mentioned.


    "Yes I do" I answered.


    "She was our sister, our younger sister" Salma said.


    "Was?" I asked confused


    "Yes, was. She passed away when we were younger and Ridwan still mes himself for what


    happened till date even though we all have tries convincing him that it isn''t his fault" Salma exined


    and then some things became clearer to me.


    "What happened though" I asked curiously.


    "Ridwan loves Sarah alot. Everyone in the house knew they were each others best friend. Our parents


    had taken me to see a dentist out of town one day and had left a 10 year old Ridwan to watch over  a 3


    year old Sarah that particr day. They couldn''t get anyone to babysit or stay with them so they had no


    choice. Ridwan was always so overprotective of Sarah and wouldn''t even let her out of his sight but


    that day, he had slept and didn''t know when sarah went out and before he could realized. She was hit


    by a car and from that day on he has still not forgiven himself for everything that happened" Salma


    exined and I felt pity for Ridwan. He had to go through that at a very young age but I was angry he


    didn''t let me into his world.


    "He mes himself and still mes himself till today, I guess" I said


    "Yes, he does and i think he sees Sarah in you. That same overprotectivness and all. He loves you


    alot and doesn''t want anything to happen to you. He probably wouldn''t forgive himself if anything


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    happened to you and that was his reason for all that"


    "But I can take care of my self and nothing would happen to me. He doesn''t need to babysit me


    every time" I said


    "That''s one thing he didn''t realise and what caused everything that happened. He should have


    understood that he didn''t need to take care of everyone and that you could watch over yourself but he


    couldn''t even do that while ming himself for what happened years ago" Salma said.


    "I know right" I agreed


    "Thanks for telling me all these" I said


    ''Thanks for listening to me and hearing me out. I think you should do the same for Ridwan. He really


    does love you" Salma said before we ended the call.


    I thought about all Salma said through out the night and couldn''t even sleep well. I was frustrated


    that he didn''t trust me enough to share this with me and was sad that he had to go through all that he


    did and deal with all that alone. I wanted to speak to him now but just to talk. I was still thinking about


    that when I suddenly heard my phone ring and it was Ridwan.


    "hey" I said


    "Wow, thank you for answering my call. I thought you wouldn''t. Thank you so much" he said and I could


    sense the relief in his voice.


    "I just wanted to talk to you that all. Please give me a chance to talk and hear me out" Ridwan


    pleaded.


    "Okay" I said


    "Really?" He asked surprised


    "Yes" I answered


    " I am in Lagos right now. Can we see tomorrow" he asked and even though it was nned earlier I


    actually wanted to see him.


    "Okay, no problem. Send me the location and time" I said


    "Thank you so much. I sure will" Ridwan said and I could swear he had a smile pitched on his face. It


    felt like I made his night.