Hi, guys hope you are all fine ♥️. I am sorry for taking long in posting episode seven. I hope you enjoy reading. To my new readers, hello and welcome to the family??. I hope you really enjoy your stay. Holy Ground episode seven…cheers?

 

Episode 7- Just Friends

Yooku went to his office, seeing Esaba that way hurt him. He wondered who the guy was, the way he saw her hugging him seemed like he was something more than a friend. 

Yet, she is the one going on about how I keep holding her hand and leading her on,” he thought 

Esaba, are you okay? Who was that? ” Jeremy asked.

“ That’s Yooku,”

“ The rude lawyer? ”

Esaba didn’t answer and sat behind her desk. 

Jeremy noticed she didn’t want to talk about it so he changed the subject. 

So what did you do for your birthday? 

Esaba smiled

Nothing actually but I went for a birthday party on that day ”

“ Really? Do you share the same birthday with someone here? ”

“Yep. One of the little girls in my class ” 

“ I see. But I still think you should have celebrated it ”

“ You know I am not big on birthdays, Jeremy. I am okay ”

Jeremy shrugged.

Well, it’s one of the reasons I came here. I wanted to give you a very late birthday gift”

“ Aww really?”

“ Yes.. that and I wanted to see Cape coast as well. I already like it here”

“ How long are you planning on staying here?” she asked.

Oh, I would leave tomorrow. I have to go back to Accra to visit my mother”

“Aww your mother, how is she doing?”

“She is fine, I know she would be better the moment she sees me. I wanted to visit her before I made the trip here, but I knew she wouldn’t let me out of her sight so I decided to come here first” 

Esaba chuckled.

It’s really nice of you, so where are you staying?”

“ I am yet to find a guest house”

“You could stay with us on campus”

“Oh no. I wouldn’t want to intrude. I really appreciate the offer but I don’t want to inconvenience anyone” 

“You wouldn’t be intruding”  

Jeremy smiled and stood up.

“I know if I don’t leave now you would talk me into it”

They both laughed.

Okay. I would see you off”

Mandy and a few other nurses saw Esaba and Jeremy walking to the car park. Jeremy hugged her again.

Call me when you find a guest house,” Esaba said.

Okay I will. Have a good day today”

“Thanks and good luck finding a guest house”

Jeremy chuckled and got into his car, Esaba waved at him and walked back to the hospital but she was startled by Jeremy’s car horn. She turned to look at him and Jeremy asked her to return, he wanted to give her, her belated birthday gift. 

She walked back to his car and saw a cake box in Jeremy’s hand. 

Where did this cake come from Jeremy?” 

He chuckled.

It was at the back seat”

“But I didn’t see it when I sat in the car”

“Because it was on the floor. Esaba Hayford, are you going to take this cake or not?”

Esaba laughed and collected it

“Thanks Jeremy. You know you didn’t have to”

Jeremy smiled.

I would see you after work. Enjoy your cake” he said and drove away. 

Mandy couldn’t keep calm, she had a lot of work to do that Monday morning but with what she had seen, her work could wait. She met Esaba at the front of the hospital with the cake.

Esaba Hayford, I have so many questions

Of course you do Mandy” she said and walked past her.

Wait for me,” she said and tried to catch up with her in her heels.

When they got to Esaba’s office, Mandy helped her with the door

Is today your birthday?” Mandy asked

No. It isn’t. It actually belated”

“When was your birthday?”

“12th May”

“What? Isn’t that Ewurafua’s birthday? Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Come on. I didn’t want to compete with a child on her birthday. I am not even big on birthdays”

“It doesn’t matter at all. It’s still your birthday we have to celebrate it”

“We are in July now Mandy, forget it”

“Anyway, who was that handsome man? Goodness! I couldn’t keep my eyes off him”

“Were you spying on us?”

“Of course I was and it wasn’t just me, a few nurses were spying too. You haven’t answered my question. Who is he?”

“That’s Jeremy; the guy that helped me escape from my ex”

“Wow he is handsome and also a hero”

Esaba laughed.

Mandy are you okay? I need to put the cake in a refrigerator, can you help me?” 

“Sure. I can” Mandy said and took the cake

We are not done talking I have a lot of work to do this morning but would catch you at lunch”

Esaba nodded and Mandy left. 

Jeremy found a decent guest house and texted Esaba, he told her he wanted to take her out for lunch. 

Before she left for lunch, Esaba helped Mandy cut and share the cake with her colleagues. Mandy suggested she take a piece of cake to Yooku but Esaba quickly declined so she begged Mandy to do it instead. 

Yooku saw when Esaba left with Jeremy for lunch, he was looking from his office window. Mandy knocked a few minutes later with a cake for him.

Whose birthday is it?” Yooku asked and tasted the cake.

Esaba’s birthday. It’s a belated birthday actually. Did you know she shares the same birthday as Ewurafua?”

What? Esaba? Are you sure? But she never said anything”

Yes that’s exactly what I asked her but she said she didn’t want to steal the spotlight from Ewurafua”

“I see. I would go and wish her well when she returns” Yooku said and took a bite of the cake

How do you know she isn’t around?”

“I saw her enter her friend’s car. Who is that guy anyway?” Yooku asked

His name is Jeremy. That’s the guy that helped her escape from her ex-boyfriend”

“Ah! How? How is Esaba still friends with him?”

I don’t understand” Mandy said

“Same guy that did nothing and watched on as Esaba was abused for years by his best friend? How is he any better than Senyo? Birds of a feather flock together, Mandy, come on! Is that the guy she was happily hugging all over the place? Wait..don’t tell me he got her this cake?”

“Well he did but I don’t understand why you are so worked up Yooku”

“I don’t expect you to understand Mandy” Yooku said.

He stood up and threw the rest of the cake into his bin

Seriously Yooku!”

“I just lost my appetite” he said

“I don’t know what’s going on between you and Esaba but this right here is you overreacting big time,” Mandy said and left his office.

Esaba spent the whole evening with Jeremy, he went to get her when she closed from work, she introduced him to her Uncle and Auntie and they all had dinner together.

The next day, Esaba couldn’t see Jeremy off but he called her at work before he set off to Accra.  

Yooku was upset about what Mandy had told him about Jeremy. He didn’t understand why Esaba would even do that.

Even though, he didn’t want to see her, he wanted to wish her well for her birthday.

He knocked and opened her door, Esaba wasn’t expecting to see him at all. 

“Good morning Esaba”

“Good morning Yooku”

“I just found out from Mandy that 12th May is your birthday?”

“Yeah it is and I know its also Ewurafua’s birthday”

“So why didn’t you say something then?”

“Why is everyone making it a big deal? It’s only a birthday and I was very happy at Ewurafua’s birthday regardless. No need to worry about it”

“I am not worried about it Esaba I was only asking and I am not making it a big deal” 

“Okay Yooku”

Yooku seemed upset and Esaba understood why so she wanted to explain things to him

Umm… Yooku about what you saw yesterday. He is an old friend of mine. I knew him from Uni”

Yooku wondered why she was leaving the part that he is friends with Senyo out. He just nodded and stood up

“I see. It was nice of him to visit then. Happy Belated Esaba may your new age, bring you more blessings”

Thanks, Yooku”

Yooku nodded and walked out of the office.

Well, that was awkward” Esaba thought

Yooku avoided Esaba that whole week, she liked it when she was the only one mad at Yooku but it seemed like Yooku was also very upset with her.
She thought he was jealous of Jeremy because he hadn’t said anything to her after his visit.

At church, he sent him a message asking him to wait for her when they closed but Yooku didn’t. It wasn’t deliberate, he had a migraine and needed to rest.

He could have explained things to Esaba but he ignored her message and drove home.

Esaba was disappointed when she didn’t find him downstairs but she wanted to speak to him so she decided to visit him. She went home to change and walked to Yooku’s home.

Everyone in the family loved her now, she spent a little time with Yooku’s family before his mother asked Esaba to go see him in his room.

Kukua was shocked, she never thought her mother would ever ask a woman to go to Yooku’s room alone. Ann-Shirley was never given that privilege.  Esaba was a little uncomfortable but Mrs. Solomon insisted

You said you have to talk to him about something important right?” 

“Yes, please. But I can really wait for him to wake up” Esaba said shyly.

Don’t worry. You two can have some privacy in his room to talk about anything. Go upstairs, his room is the second one on your right”

Esaba shyly got up and dropped the throw pillow on the couch, she slowly climbed the stairs and got to the door. She hesitated before, she knocked.

Enter!” Yooku said.

He wasn’t expecting to see Esaba, he was wearing just his boxer shorts.

Oh no! I am sorry!” Esaba said and closed the door.

She was so embarrassed she apologized to his family and run out of the house.
Mrs. Solomon knew what has happened, she knows his son well.
A big part of her wanted Esaba and Yooku to be together, she knew Esaba was a good girl and she felt Yooku hadn’t yet seen what she could see so in her own little way,she was bringing them closer.

Yooku quickly wore a shirt and a pair of trousers and went downstairs.

“Where is Esaba?” he asked.

“She rushed out. What happened?” Mrs Solomon said

“Who showed her my room? I wasn’t appropriately dressed”

“That would be mummy” Kukua quickly answered

“That’s because Auntie Esaba wanted to talk to you and she said it was pretty important so mummy didn’t want her to wait for long” Ewurafua said.

Yooku, could you go after her already? I think she isn’t gone very far” Mrs. Solomon said.

Yooku sighed and rushed out but Esaba wasn’t close to the house, he went to her house to find her but she wasn’t home either. Yooku called her.

Esaba where are you?”

“I am around campus why?’

“Which part of campus?”

“The business school”

“Okay wait there, I  am coming”

When Yooku got to her he was very tired and angry

“Why would you come all the way here Esaba?! You run away from my house and I have to look everywhere for you. I have a migraine and you have me running around looking for you?!” Yooku said angrily

Esaba was surprised Yooku raised his voice at her

Why are you yelling? I didn’t ask you to come to look for me”

Who came looking for who first? You are gradually becoming such a pain Esaba. What do you want from me?! What did you want to talk about?!”

“Yooku, what has gotten into you? Why are you being like this?!” Esaba said and broke into tears.

She hated being yelled at and she was very scared, Senyo used to yell at her a lot and the fears she had in those moments with him were all coming back.

I don’t want to speak to you anymore if you are going to be like this” Esaba said and walked away.

Yooku sighed and caught up with her, he held her by the arm and apologized. Esaba was so sad she cried in his arms. When she was feeling a little better Yooku found a leisure bench close by, where they sat to talk.

What’s the matter Esaba? You have been acting weird lately”

That’s because you have been acting weird too Yooku. You don’t talk to me anymore”

But if my memory serves me right, you were the one not speaking to me. You said you don’t like my pity friendship”

“I know but-“

-but what Esaba? You made it look like I was leading you on and giving you certain signals but I was just being nice to you. When I saw you hugging your friend from University I thought maybe you needed to be happy with whoever you wanted. All I want is for you to be happy honestly. I was happy for you until I found out who he is. He is best friends with Senyo, he is the one that helped you escape from Senyo, he’s from your very dark past. When I found out, it made me wonder probably you aren’t as hurt and damaged like you claim to be. No girl in her right mind would still entertain the friend of a guy who raped her, verbally and emotionally abused her like you told Mandy. You probably lied to us for attention. You are a liar, you are lying to us and also lying to yourself. This guy is exactly like Senyo”

Stop saying thatYou don’t know Jeremy. He is nothing like Senyo”

I don’t need to know him Esaba. A guy who sits back and does nothing for years about abuse condones it. Whatever you don’t change, you like. Do you know the number of girls Senyo had abused before you? Do you know how long I have been hearing stories about Senyo? I am sure Jeremy was with him all these years and did nothing. So don’t be fooled because he helped you escape, it automatically makes him a good person”

Esaba started to cry and as much as she wanted to disagree with what Yooku was saying a part of her knew he was right.

You should know better. What are you teaching your kids at Sunday school then? What are you teaching my little sister, now she looks up to you. What are you teaching her? How to be a weak victim of abuse and still remain friends with people from your dark past?” 

Esaba was upset, Yooku had hit her where it hurts, she angrily stood up and walked away. Yooku immediately regretted his words and went after her.

Esaba I am sorry. I am this mad at you because I care about you. Seeing you with that guy made me mad”

“Why were you mad Yooku?”

“I don’t know. I just know I didn’t like seeing you that way with him. You, in his arms and all”

What are you saying? You confuse me Yooku. One time you are holding my hand being all nice and sweet. And when I tell you how much I like it, you then turn and tell me you were doing it out of pity and that you are with Ann-Shirley. I hug an old friend you get this upset, if I didn’t know better I would think you are jealous Yooku. It is confusing and upsetting. I don’t want to be the one to confuse you and bring problems between you and Ann-Shirley. I suggest we handle all these feelings we have for each other as adults and just be friends. Just friends Yooku”

How can I want to be just friends with you now that I know seeing you with some guy drives me nuts Esaba? How?” 

Esaba sighed and wiped her eyes.

I don’t know but we can try. I still have a lot of things to deal with, I have no business catching feelings for you. You belong to someone el-“

Yooku kissed her and Esaba kissed him back, their lips synchronized as if they had kissed each other before. Yooku had wanted to kiss her all evening, she looked so beautiful even with her buffy eyes after crying.

Esaba broke off the kiss.

I can’t do this. We can’t do this Yooku. You have a girlfriend. Let’s just be friends please” she said and left his side.

Yooku watched as she walked away, he was falling for her and there was nothing he could do about it.

 

I hope you enjoyed reading it..?. See you soon lovely readers with the next episode. Have a good night ❤️