He Was a Good Egg -Part Two

I wasn’t dating him but I don’t think I would have borne the idea of him dating someone else. Confession, last year in December, I watched every female he had invited to his graduation party. There was this particular girl he had invited from the place where he had done his internship. I kept eyeing her suspiciously until somewhere in her conversation when she mentioned having a boyfriend. Only then did I sigh with relief. But why did I care? This was crazy because I didn’t have feelings for Brandon. Later when I admitted my concern, I wondered if I would have been jealous if Brandon got a girlfriend.

Catch Part One, linked here, in case you missed it.

Still on that day, the News Room Editor invited from that television station made some revelations in her speech. She said that one week after Brandon was accepted at their media house for internship, he approached her and said, “I am not asking for money, facilitation or special treatment, I only have one favor to ask; my friend is looking for a place of internship. I’m requesting that you please take her on”.
The editor added that at the time they took Brandon on, they were not accepting any Interns. Yet even with that in mind, he was bold and selfless enough to request that they take me on as well. The editor was both surprised and touched by his concern for someone else.

She gave him my letter of acceptance. Her reason, ‘because Brandon was a good boy’.
Brandon called me that very day and informed me that my application was accepted-and that I should start the following day. What he didn’t tell me was that he had pleaded for me to be accepted.

Later as she concluded her speech, the Editor highlighted that on the day Brandon approached her, she knew that I was very special to him.

In April 2022, Brandon returned to Uganda. It was exactly one week after I had found out that my ex had gotten married a month back without my knowledge. I was still in denial, not wanting to face my emotions. I used to sleep and wake up with very loud music on just so I couldn’t think about anything. Some guy with a nice name had sent me 22GB for the month and I was burning a whole GB daily on just social media. I was on the verge of depression. There’s a day when I woke up at 8:00am to open for the painter at the gate then went back to bed and didn’t wake up until 4pm in the evening, then slept again in the night. Every area of my life was affected even when I didn’t want to admit it. I was at a point when I just didn’t care. I was just going through the motions. And that’s the time Brandon chose to return to Uganda.

On his arrival, he passed by my place that evening. I recall he asked me whether he should stay in Uganda or return to Rwandan. I told him to do whatever he wanted. My friends were later disappointed with my response when I told them. They had wanted me to tell him to stay.

But I didn’t want that burden on my shoulders, -in case I asked him to stay and things didn’t work out for him. That’s why I had told him to decide on whatever he wanted to do. He also told me that his mom had asked about me because his WhatsApp profile picture was a photo of him and I from our graduation photoshoot.
“What did you tell her,” I inquired.

He said that he had told her I was just a friend. I cooked for him that day. However, I was incredibly quiet and distant. We didn’t speak much and eventually he left.

The following month on May 19, 2022; Brandon called me about thrice first thing in the morning. I kept hanging up because he was asking me annoying questions. However, he called back again each time.

On the fourth time, I picked up and asked, “What do you want?” He told me he was coming over in the evening. I told him it was alright. That day, I didn’t cook. I had made plans with some guy but he hadn’t yet called to confirm if we were still going to the movie theater. The fact that he had promised to call and didn’t had put me in a foul mood. What exactly is wrong with men?
Angrily, I blocked him and deleted his contact. By the time Brandon came, I was at the height of my agitation. Plus I didn’t have money, so I couldn’t even prepare for him his favorite meal. So I just didn’t cook at all.

Brandon showed up. He called when he reached the gate and I went to open for him. However, I ignored him the entire time. I gave all my attention to my phone. He tried speaking to me but all he got was either one-word sentences or silence. Eventually, he stopped trying and just sat there. Suddenly, he opened his bag and pulled out the things he had brought for me: he had done shopping for me, and everything he bought had the capacity of lasting two to three months. I thanked him but stuck to my phone.

He sat for a few more minutes and then bid me farewell. I did not even offer him a glass of water. Shame on me indeed. That day, I believe that Brandon had seen the worst side of me. Even more puzzling, I don’t entirely know what was wrong with me- other than the reasons I have already highlighted.

We stayed in touch but eventually, he got distant as well. At some point he invited me to Rwanda for his graduation party-(which hadn’t yet happened six months after our graduation)- but I failed to go because it was on such short notice: he told me on Thursday when the event was on Saturday.

That was not time enough for me to pack, give my boss a notice; plus I was not vaccinated and it was the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) week, hosted in Rwanda. Crossing the border would have been close to impossible. We later agreed that I should just record my speech and send it-and I did, for which he was grateful.

We didn’t say much after that. Matter of fact, it has been nearly a month or two since we last said anything to each other. I think I lost him -forever.

The End.

Disclaimer: The names that feature in this story are fictitious. They were made up to protect the identity and privacy of those involved.

We would love to hear from you. Write to us: echoesovercoffee@gmail.com