Test of Time

Test of Time

Episode 4

(Meanwhile Mark had also invited a friend of his who later met up with him at Bimbo's house. He came along bringing Bimbo a Victoria's Secret collection for her birthday present.

Before Bimbo enters into the sitting Annette does the introduction....)

ANNET : hi everyone, I'm sorry we kinda took a while to show up, I mean, you know how we ladies can be when it comes to dressing up... So let's get to it. We're here for a special person, at least to me, I don't know about you, but, she's my best friend ever since college. She's an epitome of beauty, a diva in her own world and a beautiful personality to reckon with. She's no other person than Bimbo Camson...

(Everybody claps as Bimbo shows up looking dazzling...)

HYKE : hmm....(Clapping, he whispers to Mark)....she looks stunning!

MARK : you can say that again...(Clapping)

HYKE : did she like the stuffs you ordered for her?

MARK : which girl won't? A full collection of D&G? Come on....

HYKE : (smiles) you can say that again...

(Meanwhile at Yomi's corner)

LANRE : is that her?

YOMI : yes nau...

LANRE : she's not bad.

YOMI : you can do better than that....she's beautiful.

LANRE : she's okay.

YOMI : oh please Lanre... She is beautiful. 

LANRE : (smiles at Yomi)....hmm.

(Bimbo goes round exchanging hugs and handshakes. When she got to Mark's seat....)

MARK : this is my friend Hyke.

HYKE : hi

BIMBO : we've met before... You were once at the office.

MARK : oh that's true...

HYKE : well, then, I didn't know how important you were to my friend. I just came and met all his colleagues at work.

BIMBO : that's true.

HYKE : happy birthday.

BIMBO : thanks!

HYKE : here's my little gift....(Handing out the package)

BIMBO : oh thanks!...(Collecting it) please enjoy yourself...(She goes to greet someone else)

(Back at Yomi's corner)

LANRE : so what's the plan? When do you want to do it?

YOMI : soon. After she introduces me.

LANRE : okay...(He sees Bimbo walking up to him)

BIMBO : Yomi, have you had something to eat?

YOMI : no....come here Baby, come and meet my friend and colleague...

BIMBO : okay (looking at Lanre)

YOMI : this is Lanre Alade...(Turns to Lanre) and Lanre, here's my heartbeat.

BIMBO : hi...

LANRE : hi, happy birthday.

BIMBO : thanks.

LANRE : I've heard so much about you.

BIMBO : hmm...(Turns to Yomi) sorry dear, I'll be back. Let me attend to other guests.

YOMI : okay.

(Then seeing she's gone around, Annette speaks to the guests...)

ANNET : so please let's get to know each other by introducing ourselves...(She looks at a guy from the other end and points at him)..please let's start from you...(The introduction goes on...)

MARK : (Standing up)...I'm Mark Denton, the branch Manager of Phinix Bank, a colleague of the celebrant...(Stands up)

HYKE : (Standing up)...I'm Hyke Chukwuka, CEO Chux group of companies Nigeria and UK.

(It goes on and on....)

LANRE : (Standing up)...I'm Lanre Alade, Architect at Lionel's...(Sits down)

YOMI : (Standing up) Yomi Coker, an Architect at Lionel's.... (Sits down)

(And the introduction continues while Bimbo ensures the food is being passed round. At her corner Chioma whispers to her, looking at Yomi and Lanre whispering to each other..)

CHIOMA : ain't you going to introduce your boyfriend? He's expecting you to do that...

BIMBO : oh you mean Yomi?

CHIOMA : yes nau!

BIMBO : please don't push it. He has not proven himself worthy of that.

CHIOMA : Bimbo...

BIMBO : what? Its not like I'm breaking up, is it?....(She walks away)

(At Yomi's corner, Lanre notices his mood...)

LANRE : Yomi, I advice you go ahead with your plans no matter what.

YOMI : my plans?

LANRE : yes. Were you not going to propose? Don't change your mind. That's what some of these girls wait for before they claim ownership.

YOMI : you think so?

LANRE : of course nau...wait, were you about changing your mind?

YOMI : yes. Was thinking maybe I should postpone it or something.

LANRE : oh, well, that's up to you then. Follow your heart...

YOMI : (sits back thinking about it for a while)...I'll make up my mind on it...

 

(Few minutes after the food has been passed round, Yomi drops his plate without touching the food and goes straight to his car, picks up the flowers, checks if the engagement ring is still intact and goes inside. Immediately he enters with the flowers he announces himself...)

 

YOMI : (clearing his throat)...excuse me ladies and gentlemen...may I have your attention please?

(Chioma taps Bimbo while Annette walks up to her)

CHIOMA : what's he doing?

BIMBO : (shocked at Yomi's action)...what's he doing?

ANNET : Babe your boyfriend...

(Back to Yomi.....)

YOMI : (he walks up to Bimbo and pulls her to the middle of the sitting room)...sweetheart...

BIMBO : (feeling embarrassed, she whispers to him)....what are you doing?

YOMI : (he gives her the flowers)...happy birthday dear...(He hugs her and withdraws...)

BIMBO : you've said that already...(Showing a fake smile)

YOMI : I want you to know that you are the only woman I think of day in, day out. You fill my heart every moment of the day and this is why I want to....(Was about to kneel down but Bimbo pulled him into the room, as she was doing that, the engagement ring falls off without both of them noticing it...)

BIMBO : what are you doing?....(Enters into the room and closes the door)

YOMI : (shocked)....why did you pull me away?

BIMBO : what were you going to do?

YOMI : why didn't you allow me do it first so you know....

BIMBO : were you going to propose to me?

YOMI : of cousre yes....(Then he remembers the ring)...oh my God, the ring, the ring, he searches inside the flower but couldn't find it there...(He was about going to look for it when Bimbo pulls him back....)

BIMBO : how could you do that to me Yomi?

YOMI : (shocked) do what?

BIMBO : how can you propose without letting me know?

YOMI : but it was supposed to be a surprise and a gift. That engagement ring was your birthday gift...

BIMBO : (cuts in) what can kind of thing is that! How can you make an engagement ring my birthday gift. That's so absurd!

YOMI : absurd? You said absurd! Bimbo?

BIMBO : yes it is. My gift should come in a different place from my engagement ring.

YOMI : is that why you then pulled me away?

BIMBO : (walks away)....well, not just that. Making a proposal now is not in the list of my expectations...

YOMI : oh....you mean you're not ready for any kind of commitment?

BIMBO : not now Yomi.

YOMI : not now? Till when? Is it till you're 35?

BIMBO : oh come on, stop frightening me with that.

YOMI : I'm not frightening you, I'm Just being realistic.

BIMBO : well, it depends... For now I'm not thinking towards marriage just yet.

YOMI : okay. I'm sorry I did that...(He goes towards the door but Bimbo pulls him back)

BIMBO : Yomi...its not like I don't want to marry you, its just that, I still have a lot to acheive first before thinking of that now.

YOMI : its okay. I've heard you...

BIMBO : so we're good right?

YOMI : yes...(He goes back to the sitting)

(Meanwhile everyone in the sitting room had started whispering to each other. At Marks corner...)

HYKE : wait a minute, that guy was about to propose...

MARK : I saw this coming.

HYKE : wow, the girl is something else, she totally embarrassed him, yanking him off to the room.

MARK : we've talked about it before now, she's not ready for any kind of commitment.

HYKE : hmm....too bad.

MARK : (smiles) good for me...

HYKE : I wouldn't forgive any girl that does that to me. 

MARK : you can say that again...anyway, this is an opportunity for me to come in.

HYKE : (smiles) yes... 

(At the Bimbo's friends corner...)

ANNET : oh my God, he was about to propose!

CHIOMA : I suspected as much.

TARA : but Bimbo is not ready for any commitment now.

CHIOMA : how would you know?

TARA : why do you think she pulled him away?

CHIOMA : but that's such a romantic way to propose....

TARA : who would settle for Yomi when there's a guy like Mark?

ANNET : oh come on, its not all about the money.

TARA : a guy that couldn't even get her a birthday gift?

ANNET : I guess the ring was her birthday gift.

CHIOMA : Bimbo is such a bad girl, see the way she pulled the guy away...(Laughing)

TARA : she tried sef, if it was me, I would have said 'No' right there without taking him anywhere.

ANNET : (laughing) crazy girl....

(Meanwhile, Annette, Tara and Choima heads for Bimbo's room seeing Yomi coming out.

As Yomi enters into the room he notices the eyes on his body, he felt very embarrassed as he sits back beside Lanre....)

LANRE : (clears his throat)...I helped you pick up the engagement ring...(Handing it out to him)....here...

YOMI : please hold it, I'll collect it back later....

LANRE : (seeing that Yomi did not touch his food)....are you not going to eat?

YOMI : I've lost my appetite. 

LANRE : tell me when you're ready to go.

YOMI : once you finish your food we'll leave.

LANRE : its okay, we can go now If you don't feel too comfortable being here any more...(Dropping his food)

YOMI : let's go....(He stands up and they leave for the car)

(Meanwhile, in Bimbo's room...)

TARA : Babe, I love your swag...

ANNET : hmm....Bimbo, bad girl...

BIMBO : the guy wan commit.

CHIOMA : you don't abi?

TARA : hmm....you're not ready or you have someone else in mind?

BIMBO : I'm not ready for marriage just yet.

ANNET : but wait its not like once he proposes, you guys will have to get married the next day nau. You may not even get married till the next 2 years if you like.

BIMBO : collecting the ring means I'm glued to him...

TARA : I said it! (Laughing)....don't be if you're not sure enough o.

CHIOMA : you don't love him enough abi?

BIMBO : I'm not sure of what I feel for him yet.

ANNET : enough of all that for now, let's go back to our guests.

CHIOMA : that's true.

(They all go back to the sitting room. Immediately they entered Mark walks up to Bimbo....)

MARK : hope you're alright?

BIMBO : hmm...

MARK : or do you want to talk about it?

BIMBO : may be later...

MARK : after the party?

BIMBO : okay. 

(Meanwhile, Yomi is on his way home with Lanre...)

LANRE : do you wish to talk about it?

YOMI : I can't believe she rejected me before everybody....

LANRE : she may have a good reason for doing so.

YOMI : what reason could she possibly have? What reason? I thought all girls look forward to the day their man will propose to them, why not her?

LANRE : it is well.

YOMI : I can't believe that happened to me, I still feel like I'm dreaming! The embarrassment. Everyone was just staring at me like I'm a fool...

LANRE : just take it easy.

YOMI : may be she doesn't even love me enough to be my wife.

LANRE : or may be she's afriad of marriage...

YOMI : why would she be afriad of marriage? That's absurd!

LANRE : have you spoken to her about it?

YOMI : of course we did. She had nothing important to say. She just said she's not ready for a commitment.

LANRE : oh...maybe she feels she's still too young to get married?

YOMI : she's 27 for God's sakes!

LANRE : really?

YOMI : yes.

LANRE : that's gross! I mean she doesn't look it.

YOMI : oh well....

LANRE : may be you guys should still settle down and talk about it more calmly.

YOMI : I don't even know any more.

.................................................................. 

(After the party at Bimbo's house, she and Mark went to a calm place to talk. Mark drives to an open space and parks there. They sit in the car to talk....)

MARK : (holding her hand)...Bimbo, talk to me..

BIMBO : I feel he's rushing me.

MARK : how long have you being dating?

BIMBO : about 11 months...

MARK : hmm...and you told him you're not ready?

BIMBO : yeah.

MARK : and how did he take it?

BIMBO : he left almost immediately, so, what do you think?

MARK : so where do you go from here?

BIMBO : sincerely, I don't know. I was thinking I'd have the best birthday I ever imagined...but look at how it ended?

MARK : (pulls her close)...Bimbo, remember I'm here in case you need someone you can talk to.

BIMBO : (she hugs him) thanks...(Withdraws and looks at his face) thanks for everything...

MARK : I've told you how much I want you. I'm ready to do anything for you. Anything you want, just name it. I've hastened my transfer just for you..

BIMBO : Mark...

MARK : (cuts in, placing his hand on her lips)....sshh...you don't have to say anything... (Holds her hand again)...Bimbo, even though getting a transfer means not seeing you as often as I'd wish to, I'm ready to do it just to be with you. I love you, I'm crazy about you. I've never felt this way about any girl before...(Seeing she's melting in his arms, he moves closer to her)...your beauty intoxicates me, and today, with that dress you wore, you got me sinking in my chair. You look so beautiful, I wish I could have you all to myself. If only you can see my heart, you'd know how much I crave for you...

BIMBO : (cuts in)...oh Mark...

MARK : sshh...(Placing his hand on her lips again)  Let me express what I feel for you, I've not being able to do that because of the office environment but now I'm here, alone with you, this beautiful night, I'll love to explore it. Look at your eyes, more beautiful in the dark, (he runs his hand round her face)... it sparkles with love, your lips all luscious and captivating (running his hands down her chin....he kisses her passionately and she responds to his kisses...)

To be continued....