FICTION — SHORT STORY

The Unsent Letter

We found love in a hopeless state

“Oh boy, how you dey na? What’s up with you? Are you sure we’re in this same Lagos?”

Chez Amour had become a very popular bar/restaurant ever since its opening. It wasn’t too strange that Fola met the best friend he had been avoiding for three years here. He missed him! They were practically brothers.

“Stanley my man!!! How fa na? Where else would I be? You know japa is not for me.”

The two men gushed as they had not set eyes on each other since the incident. Fola moved forward hesitantly to give Stan a man hug, Stan leaned in and the back pats exchanged was the hatchet being buried. Fola waved his hand, signaling Stan to go bring his drink and move over to his side of the bar. As they quietly nursed their beers, Fola wished and prayed his friend would not bring up their only mutual connection, the one who put a huge strain the bond they had. Stan and Fola grew up together and were tighter than thieves. Same secondary school, same University. Well, until she came into the picture. Her beauty was imprinted in his mind. Hers was the face he saw before bed and when he woke up. Whiskey was supposed to work, it didn’t.

After her, he had not been able to open up his heart to anyone else. Just little flings here and there and more alcohol. Nothing filled her space. He was still hurting and barely healing and so it came as a shock to him when he blurted,

"Heard from your cousin lately? As you know it’s been years for us." Fola said, avoiding Stanley’s eyes and fiddling with the rim of his glass. The silence was getting awkward. That was his excuse.

Stanley didn't know what to make of his question. "You didn't know?"

Fola grimaced. His face was a mix of pain and anger. His voice lowered,

"Of course I do. I hope she’s happy with her husband after throwing our 10 years away!"

"I still blame you guy! You introduced us. If not for you, I wouldn’t still be wallowing in pain of having my heartbroken after three years. Three years guy! Your cousin did me dirty and I blame the both of you." he said fighting back the tears that had pooled in his eyes.

Stanley was quiet. He looked quietly at Fola, his eyes full of pity. He knew he hurt his best friend but all he had was good intentions. The attraction between Fola and Esosa was instant and their love made red roses green with envy. Maybe he shouldn’t have encouraged the relationship between his cousin and his best friend but it felt like he would be doing Cupid a disservice to keep them apart. One thing was sure, he would stand by his friend in the face of the turbulence he was about to go through.

"Folax, you were the love of Esosa’s life as much as she was the love of yours. She could never, not in this lifetime have loved another and I think deep down, you know that. She told me she wrote you a letter on the day she moved out of your place. Find the letter."

He looked searchingly into his best friend’s eyes, held him by his shoulders,

"I’m here for you man."

Fola turned his house upside down. He dashed into room where he kept Esosa’s things; the ones she left behind but couldn’t bring himself to dramatically set on fire like they do in the movies. There was no letter. Movie room! Esosa loved watching movies and him, not as much. If she was going to keep something from him, that’d be where it was. He jumped from the sofa and sprinted to the office room she turned into a home cinema. He also left that untouched. It was as though the letter called to him, his eyes went straight to it and even after three years, it smelt like the only woman he had ever truly loved. He opened shakily,

To my darling Fola, my heart beat,

I’m going and by the time you read this, I’ll be gone. There are only two choices and both requires me to break your heart. I’m sorry I am choosing for you, maybe I shouldn’t have. I am choosing the one I believed would hurt you less. If you carry anger for me in your heart but knowledge that I am happily married to another man, I believe it would help you move on. Death however, I do not have the confidence to break your heart with that. It would have wrecked both of us: you watching me die an inevitable death slowly. I can’t bear to imagine you going through that. I hope you never find this letter because then I am scared living would be too hard and I’m not in a hurry to have you join me there. Folawosan Ilesanmi, in the rare case you stop being a hoarder or finally start to really enjoy watching movies, and find this letter, please live. Why that choice you may ask?

You just had your first big break in Nollywood. You were to start writing for your faves and telling those authentic African stories you always gush about. How was I supposed to drag you down with my last stage of cervical cancer? Knowing you, you wouldn’t leave my side and you know it’s not in me to steal such an opportunity from you. That’s why I have to leave you to “marry a rich man”.

Fola, make our story into a movie. I think it’s worth it. We were worth it. We loved harder than anyone I know. I broke your heart and for that I’m so sorry. I do not regret my life nor my death because in this life, I was loved by you; fiercely! My darling, in the rare but not impossible case you find love again, please give her all your love. Immortalize us in a story and give your all to her. I love you soulmate. Always have and always will.

The absolute love of your life,

Esosa.

Fola showed up to Stanley’s house clean shaven. “Come here guy. Cry it out. It’s just us. You loved Esosa, we all did but you more than us and that makes you entitled to grieve in anyway you want to.” Esosa charged him to take care of Fola. He intended to keep his promise to his cousin.

“What happened to your hair?”

“She loved my hair. I’ll grow it back out after I forgive her.”

Thank you for reading!😊

Thank you for reading and supporting The Scriber’s Nook. We publish five days a week — Monday to Friday inclusively 🖋️🌟📚