Obsession

“Luke! Wait. Where are you going?” She cried.

Luke didn’t wait. He kept running. She could see a car some metres away. He boarded the car and it drove off.

“Oh! Luke. Where have you gone? Please don’t leave me. We need you. I love you.” She knelt on the floor crying.

She opened her tear filled eyes. It was early hours of the morning. She turned. Luke was fast asleep. She pulled herself up to the bathroom. As she washed her face, she wondered what the dream meant. It had been recurrent for the past two weeks. It had come three times the previous week. She had told Luke about the dream. He just dismissed it.

          ******

“Luke, I’m worried. This is the third time I'm having this dream. Everything is the same. No changes. Everything is exactly the same.”

“Come on Sheila. How can you believe in a mere dream? It’s like believing in a fiction.”

“But, Luke sometimes dreams come true. Fiction can become reality.”

“What am I to infer from what you’re saying? Do you mean I would leave you and Cody?”

“No. Come on don't give me that sad look. I’m just worried. It’s recurrent.”

“You don't have to. It’s when you worry about something too much, reality steps in. Your fears become real.”

“Ok. But… Honey, is there something you need to tell me? I'm all ears. I promise I will listen.”

“Mmmm. No. Not all. Everything is fine. Work is fine. If there is, I'll sure let you know.”

“Ok dear. Please just be careful.”

“I'll sure do. I love you.”

“Love you too, honey.”

They embraced each other. Luke set off for work while she got Cody prepared for school.

         *******

She slid back into bed. Luke turned and placed his hand around her.

This is the third time she has had the same dream in that week but this time the car was closer. She could see the silhouette of the driver. It matched that of a female. She had decided not to confront him on the matter anymore.

I know something is wrong. I know Luke has something up his sleeves. But, is he living me for someone else? I'll definitely find out. Oh! God please help me. These were the thoughts running through her mind.

The next morning she made breakfast for him. As he sat to eat, she also sat vis-à-vis him.

“Why the stare?”

“Nothing.”

“Ok.”

“Luke, do you remember the first time we met?”

“Yeah! I do. You almost fell while running down the stairs to catch the bus. I held you and you fell into my arms.”

“No,” she laughed. “That wasn’t the first. That was the second.”

“Ok. When was the first?”

“The first was inside the art exhibition hall. I stood speechless looking at a painting. You came and stood beside me. You asked if I like it and I said I deeply do. You said it looked dreamy and asked what it was all about. I told you it had two meanings. One, it talked about, ‘the heart cry of one for a fallen tomorrow' and two, ‘the decline in the beauty of nature'.”

“Yeah! I can still remember vividly. I got you that painting as a birthday gift.”

“Yeah! That’s the one hanging at the corridor,” she laughed.

“Hmmm. It’s good to go down memory lane a times. You’ve had a good laugh this morning.”

“Oh! That’s true.”

“Hey, I'm late for work. We’ll talk more when I come back.”

“Ok! Don’t stay late.”

“I’ll try.”

He stood up and gave her a kiss on her forehead and left while she got Cody prepared for school.

It was break time at work. Luke’s phone rang. It was Olivia.

Doesn't she have any other thing to do at this time? Must she always call. 

“Hello.”

“Hello! Honey. How are you?”

“I'm fine.”

“Are you sure you are? You sound cold.”

“Olivia, I was just in the middle of something important when you called.”

“So I’m not important?”

“No… you are. I’m just kind of busy.”

“But, I thought you should be on break?”

“Yeah. You’re correct but today I have a spill over. Just need some few minutes to finish up.”

“Ok. No problem.”

“Thank you.”

“Are you coming for dinner tonight?”

“No. I… don’t… think so.”

“But why? You promised. I have got everything ready. I'm preparing your favourite meal.”

“Oh! I’m so sorry. We’ll reschedule another day.”

“When? What other day?”

“Tomorrow. Next. Don't worry, I’ll make it up to you.”

“But, why can’t you make it tonight?”

“Work has been hectic. I have a backlog on ground. Don’t worry, we'll sure have a good time together.”

“Ok honey. Promise me.”

“Yeah. I promise.”

“Love you.”

“I love you too.”

He heaved a sigh when the call ended and shook his head. For some days, he didn’t pick her calls. He also avoided taking the route around her office. He thinks she might keep late to watch him pass.

Luke had gone to work. Unknowing to him that last night he was trailed by Olivia. She was in her car waiting for Sheila to take Cody to school. She followed them behind. She came back to Cody’s school later. He was at the playing field. She took at the gate looking at him. Cody turned and he saw a woman staring at him. She waved to him and he waved back at her. He told his teacher that there was a woman staring at him and he didn’t know her. His teacher alerted the security guards. She told them she was having a view of the surrounding and that she was looking for a new school for her son. She was asked to go in and make enquires which she did.

     *******

“Mum, do you know what happened in school today?”

“Oh! Cody, how do you expect your mum to know if you don’t tell her. Your mum is not telepathic.”

“Ok…”

“She's not Jean Grey,” they said it together and laughed.

“Ok, Cody love, tell me what happened.”

“Mum, when I was on the playing field. I saw a woman staring at me. She waved to me with a smile and I waved back at her. I told my teacher and she alerted the security guards.”

“Then what happened?”

“I saw them talking to her and later she went into the school.”

“Did you see her again?”

“The next time I saw her, she was entering her car. She then drove off.”

“Oh! Cody.”

Luke was back from work. He was having his shower when his phone beeped. It was a message from Olivia. The phone was beside Sheila. She glanced to read the message.

Don't think I don’t know where you live. Don’t think I don’t know your wife and son. I was at his school today. He’s a cute boy. Please… come back home.

“Darling.”

“Yeah! Can we have dinner now?”

“Darling. Who is Olivia?

“She… she’s a colleague. How did you know about her?”

“Please, don’t ask any further. A colleague that went to our son’s school.”

“How did you know?”

“Cody came from school today…, she breathed heavily.”

“Please calm down and talk to me.” He moved close and held her.

She took off his hand. “Cody came from school today. He said he saw a woman staring at him. He said she smiled and waved at him.”

“Oh! My God. Where is he? Where is my son?”

“He’s upstairs sleeping. While you were bathing, your phone beeped. It was right beside me. I glanced and I saw this message.” She handed over the phone to him.

He read It, “What!,” he shouted.

“So all this while you've been having an affair. I have been having the same episode of dreams. I told you about it and you dismissed it. You said they were all fiction. I even told you to confide in me that I was all ears. All you said was that there was nothing to tell.”

“Oh! I’m so sorry. I didn’t know how to tell you. We were friends before I married you. She was out of town for a long time. Then out of the blues, she came back and we got intimate.”

“It seems she’s obsessed with you. I’m no longer safe with you neither is Cody.”

“No you are. I love you. I love Cody. You’re my wife. He’s my son. You two make my world complete. I’ll be lost without you and Cody.”

“But… you've opened a can of worms.”

“Don't worry I’ll close it back. I promise.”

“Ok.”

Luke scheduled a meeting with Olivia. He warned her to stay clear his life and that of his family. She didn’t heed. She kept calling and sending messages even at late night hours. Luke reported to the police. She was given a restraint order. It didn’t slow her down. She devised another means. She knew he liked listening to 10pm news and she also knew the TV station she worked with was his favourite so she lobbied to always read the news. Since she was good at the game, she was granted the offer. They had brought it long before to her doorsteps but she refused so they were glad she finally took the offer. Luke was frustrated. Sheila was fed up with the whole situation.

He had come back from work one day. He noticed Sheila wasn’t lying in the couch reading and waiting for him as she usually does. He called her name but there was no response.

Where is she? Is she in the bathroom? He thought.

When he entered the bedroom. He saw a note lying on the bed. He picked it up and read it.

Twelve Truths About You 

1) You’ve been a wonderful husband.

2) You’ve been so caring.

3) You’ve showed unusual empathy.

4) You dote on me lavishly.

5) You’ve been so supportive of my dreams.

6) You listen to me when I need someone to.

7) You don’t have a big ego.

8) You’ve been a loving father to our son.

9) You’ve always given me a shoulder to lean on.

10) You always had wonderful places in mind for us to go on vacation.

11) Your ideas have been out of the box. 

12) You’re a high flyer. Your ambitions are as high as the mountain. It’s a huge delight.

Thank you for been there for me. Thank you for been there for Cody. We love you. I'll miss you. I know he will too. By the time you’re reading this. We’ll be off in the air. If you want to see me, you know where to find me.

Love,

Sheila.

Luke didn’t wait to change. He dropped his bag, entered his car and sped to the airport. He ran to the counter and asked if any plane had taken off. He was told there had been a bit delay in departure but the plane was about taking off. He thanked the receptionist but before he was allowed access through, the plane had taken off. He stood in the rain, tears streamed down his face.