Illusion

******

“Mike where did you say you are going again?” Lola queried, her heart heavy from the news she received early that morning. Mike had called her to inform her about his journey and that they should meet at their usual rendezvous.

“I have a business I need to attend to and it might take a while to complete, it involves me going overseas”. Mike said holding her in his arms looking intently into her eyes.

“But when will you be coming back?” Lola sobbed into his shirt front.

“Sincerely Lola I do not know, Dad just called me to tell me I had to go represent him in an important meeting abroad”.

“That’s not fair, why can’t one of your other siblings attend on his behalf?” she whined.

“I guessed Dad just wants me to be there, for reasons best known to him.”Mike chuckled feeling like is heart is being wrung out. He has never loved anyone so fiercely like he does Lola. Maybe he is afraid of jinxing their chemistry that’s why he is not saying it out loud yet. But he loves her so much that his heartaches from it.

“But I will miss every second away from you Lola.” He said his eyes teary as he looked into her beautiful eyes.

“And I will miss you more and please make sure you keep in touch Mike” she poked him in the side

“You don’t even have to ask me that Lola, of course, I will.” He hugged her tightly. Both lost in each other’s arms. Oblivious to the attention they attract, as they stood in the same position for a long time not minding the boisterousness of their vicinity. They were eventually interrupted by the phone call that put thousands of miles between them. They tearfully and reluctantly sprang apart and bid each other goodbye.

Lola watched him leave as the distance between them grew wider till he vanished and could not be seen. She wept and cried for the love they both knew they shared but not voiced. She stood there as the roar of a thunderstorm approaching interrupted her musings, still, she stood and wept as if she knew in her gut that it might actually be the final time she would see him……….

She was shaken awake by Tracy, her elder sister. “Lola, wake up and stop crying, whatever it was it’s only a dream.” Tracy trying to penetrate her subconsciousness.

She opened her tearful eyes to her sister looking worriedly at her. She looked around and saw the familiar wallpaper that decorated the room she shared with her sister. Thank God it’s only a dream. But it was so real. She could still see every picture in her dreamlike it’s happening in life.

She sprang for her phone to call Mike, but his phone was not going through, she tried over and over still the line was switched off. Her sister kept wondering what the problem was. “Are you going to tell me what the problem is?” she asked anxiously.

“I just had a dream about Mike,” Lola told her sister.

“What about him?” Tracy questioned.

“He told me he is traveling far away and did not know when he will be getting back.”

“Ok! So why so much tears?” Tracy enquired wondering if there was more to the story than she is telling.

“I can’t really tell Tracy, but there was a sense of finality to the whole scene.”

“Don’t worry Lola it’s going to be fine, I don’t think there is anything to be worried about.”

But Lola could not shake the feeling of trouble dangling in a pendulum about to drop. She prayed that all will be well with Mike. Could he really be traveling and not inform her? She is his best friend. They have both become like two peas in a pod since they were introduced by a mutual friend. Their attraction was instant and has gone stronger ever since.

Mike was in a rush, he was kept awake all night, checking out the last details of the new project he is currently handling, he entered into the pouring rain to get to his car and zoomed off, wondering if his team members would be there readily waiting for him or the rain would serve as a good excuse for them to not come early as previously planned.

He is one of the lucky ones; he didn’t have to do so much to secure a good job. Everything about him has always gone as planned. Even his love life. In all his twenty-seven years he has never felt so strongly about anyone as he does Lola. The girl is everything he wants in a woman and then some. He is only waiting for the right time to make his intention known. He has shown her in every way that he loves her, safe saying it out loud to her and he will soon rectify that too, he just needs a little time to settle all distractions.

He was about to navigate a bend, a truck was packed just to the side and in his hurry to get to the meeting he slid off the road and ram forcefully into the parked truck. The last thing he was aware of was the shattering windshield, piercing his forehead before he passed out.

Lola has not still been able to get through and she has developed a mild cold since her dream, and her head was pounding from so much cry. She didn’t feel like seeing or even talking to anybody. She just have that bad premonition that something is wrong. Since her sister left for work in the morning she decided to call in sick. She already developed a cold from so much cry anyway, so technically she won't be telling a lie.

*********

“Lola where are you?” Mike called to her

“I’m here, she answered”. She was hearing his voice but did not know exactly where he was calling from. She turned a corner on the busy street and there he was in a white shirt, his hair still a little wet from just taking a shower and his smile brighter than she has ever seen.

“Where have you been Mike?”

“I’m right here with you where I always belong” he answered.

Why did you leave me? Lola wanted to know

“I never left; I will always be with you”. He picked her up and swung her in the air.

Lola, can I tell you something? He asked when he finally put her down.

Yes, anything!! She answered blissfully.

He held her hands and they looked into each other’s eyes like nothing else existed.

I never said this to anyone……. I … hmm he hesitated, sighed then blurted, “I love you, Lola. I loved you from the first time I saw you I didn’t just know it then.”

Lola was too joyful to speak. She has expected this a long time and here he is confessing his feelings.

She felt like jumping, screaming, and dancing all at the same time.

“I love you too Mike.”

They held hands and strolled and chatted enjoying the beautiful sceneries before them. Then they just silently walked the streets shopping and dining like the new lovers they are. They got to a beautiful park, and then Mike got down on one knee with a beautiful ring in his hands-

“Will you marry me, Lola?”

Hands, on her mouth in surprise and tears in her eyes she shouted “yes Mike I will marry you! Yes, I will marry you.” She kept shouting nonstop, as she beholds the joy that transformed his handsome face. And yet again his phone started ringing……….

The ring of the phone brought Lola back to consciousness from yet another dream but a pleasant one this time. She smiled, rolled to her back, and picked up her ringing phone.

“Hello is this Lola? Sorry to inform you that Mike was involved in an accident”. The male voice said from the other side of the line.

“What!!!”

She jumped up from her bed and went straight to the hospital. She was talking to the receptionist when a young Doctor walked into the reception area.

“Are you Lola?”

“Yes I am”

“Mike was in a critical state when he was rushed in, but he kept calling out for Lola.”

“We were able to get hold of your number to call you, but sorry to inform you that we lost him…… we tried all we could for him but he hit his head hard, and he is gone.”

Gone? How?

Lola was shocked at the Doctor’s announcement. She cried uncontrollably and demanded to see him. She dragged her feet hesitantly to see the lifeless body of his beloved. Sobbing in anguish down the whitewashed wall corridor of the hospital her life-shattering into many pieces before her eyes. She was about to enter into the morgue area when she heard her name.

“Lola”

 She paused, and thought she was daydreaming again because that voice……… she would recognize that voice anywhere, she has heard it many times and even in her sleep. But ………the voice grew closer and louder

“Lola”

She turned slowly afraid of who she might find, and there he was, hand in a cast, head bandaged, but standing right there in the hospital hallway looking like the best thing before Christmas. She screamed and ran into his arms, weeping. Oh!, the tears that she shed since this morning. “I love you Mike and don’t you dare leave me ever again.”

“I love you too Lola. And I am going nowhere”

They stood in the middle of the hospital hugging like long lost lovers they are.

Apparently, his data was mixed with another patient in the hospital. She felt sorry for the dead man but glad her Mike is alive and healthy except for the gash on his head and a broken arm. She lifted her head up and said a prayer of thanks to the one who can kill but then can make alive again.