"I'm so sorry Steph. I just wanted to surprise you two." James was having a hard time pacifying Steph after she went out. She was on the brink of tears, and they started pouring when Henry came out with the girls. Ellen had brushed past him, and he also had to explain he wasn't paying attention to his surroundings when he got there. "Okay, if you say so. How do you know Steph?" She said and asked. "Oh, she and I go way back. We were childhood friends. Haven't spoken in three years though. Where did she go anyway?" Henry explained in the simplest and shortest way. "How exactly were you two friends? She almost slapped you, and you called her baby with another name." Abby asked curiously as they packed the clothes they chose on the counter to pay. "Yeah. She left almost in tears. Wait a minute, she's your ex, isn't she?" Kelly added together and pointed out. Abby stretched to pay but Henry beat her to it. "Allow me please." He pleaded, Ellen looking aside in a solemn mood. 'Could Henry be the guy dad was teasing Steph about? Is that why Aunt Isabella asked if I was close to Henry?' Ellen thought as she looked aside. Henry intentionally avoided answering the question. He noticed Ellen was getting uncomfortable and had to do something about it. He had to admit he wasn't expecting to see her here, and she had grown stunningly beautiful in the last week. "How do you girls know Naa, I mean Stephanie?" He asked instead. "She's a family friend." Abby answered when she realized Ellen had still not told Henry about her family. She gave her a look and she shook her head, understanding the question behind it. They got out of the boutique to see James trying to ease Stephanie, who started crying when her eyes fell on Henry. She left in the direction of the exit and James was going to follow her, but Henry stopped him. "I'll go." He said and gave the bags to James, leaving after looking at Ellen. "Hi, James." "Ellen, Abigail, Kelly." The girls introduced as well. "Do you know what the deal is between them?" Kelly asked. "Um, how do I put this? Let's go sit and talk." James answered, leading them to the KFC store before them. They placed orders, since it was passed lunchtime, and gave their attention to James. "They were friends who dated, then broke up three years ago. I brought Henry here thinking I'd surprise both of them, but somehow it backfired. Steph won't even look at me, she's upset. I didn't think seeing him would bring out this reaction." James explained and whispered the last sentence to himself, but the girls heard it. "Who broke up with who?" Ellen felt she had to ask. "Come on Elle, what do you think?" Kelly answered. "Um Henry did. Stephanie doesn't really stay in Ghana; she comes and goes. Guess it wasn't working, but they are each other's first though." James propounded in response to Ellen's question. "Each other's first as in…" Abby begun. "First love, kiss, everything, till Henry called it quits for his Pastor's daughter." James completed the sentence.
***
"Naa wait!" Henry called after her, and she halted from boarding the awaiting car. "Stop calling me that!" She fumed. "Okay, I will. Just hear me out." Henry raised his hand in surrender. "I don't want to talk to you." She retorted, crossing her arms over her chest. "Come on baby, please. You know I don't like drama, let's talk please. I don't remember the last time you called me Kobby; I must admit, it felt nostalgic. Take this." Henry said, drawing close to her in calculated steps. He offered his handkerchief when he was just a foot away from her, and she scoffed at his words, rolling her eyes. Henry wiped her face when she refused to take the handkerchief. Steph wanted to push him away, but she couldn't, so she just stood with her arms still on her chest. "Wow, it's been a long time. I didn't think I'd ever see you again. Chris gets upset when I ask him about you." Henry began, backing the car she was standing by. "You ask about me?" She asked in surprise. "I do. Your plane left before I got to the airport three years ago, I wanted to see you off, and apologize, but I was delayed by traffic. I've been asking about you ever since. He once punched me at a Christmas party because of it." Henry explained. "Apologize?! For what? You must have really seen me as a little fool back then. You apologize, I fall back in your arms, then all would be well with the world, was that it? And why would you ask about me? Aren't I too little for you to care about? He should have killed you. Why must you insist on hurting me Kobby? What did I ever do to you?" Steph asked, hurt in her voice, and tears coming out again. "Nothing! You did nothing to me Naa. I'm a jerk and you deserved better." Henry replied, head bowed. "Oh, don't give me that cliché crap." Steph rebutted, rolling her eyes. "Okay fine, don't believe me. All I know is, I couldn't stand you looking at me the way you did, when Priscilla told you about us. I cheated on you Naa, and I regretted that, but I overcame it, because I'm my father's son. I had to let you go somehow, and that was the only way. Baby I …" He stretched to hold her, but she; (*slap*) slapped him instead. This time he didn't stop her. Steph started sobbing and he drew her in for a hug. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, forgive me please. Believe it or not I miss you, and I will do anything to have you in my life again. I'm sorry baby." Henry felt like crying too, he was feeling miserable like never before, and it pricked him. This was his baby Naa, his friend, and love. He admits what he did was wrong, and rude, but truth is, he used to miss her too much, when she went to school, that he was going mad. Nobody knew what he was going through with the long-distance relationship, and gave in to the attention and time, he began getting from Priscilla, that he became infatuated with her. The girl went to brag to his girlfriend, Henry was now hers, and made Steph come back to question him. He remembered seeing the hurt in her eyes and decided he had to let her go for both their sanity. He didn't think it would affect Steph and their family the way it did, but the harm had already been done. He decided not to go down the feelings path again, till he met Ellen. Ellen! They were still inside. "Stephanie. Can we call it a truce?" He whispered, pushing her out gently and wiping her tears with his thumbs, forehead to forehead. "I kept thinking what I did wrong. I would stare at the candy ring and wonder if it was all just a game. I still have it; I threw it away so many times but kept going back for it. I told myself this would remind me not to trust any guy, no matter how sweet or sincere he may seem, because I've seen all that before." Steph said amidst snivels, holding onto him. Everyone who passed looked at them like a romancing couple, some with annoyance or disgust, and the rest with admiration. "Where is it?" Henry asked. "It's in Canada. I've hidden it. Do you know I had to see a child psychologist? (Henry widens his eyes in shock and looks down in shame) Yeah, and for me to move on, I had to forgive you. So, Dr. Stan made me talk to you through the ring you gave me for closure. I've forgiven you Kobby, I just didn't forget. I suppressed my memory instead, and though I've lived out meeting you again in my head, today was just overwhelming for me. I guess what I needed was for me to talk to you like this and vent, I must admit it felt great to slap you, jerk. (she smiled for the first time after meeting him today) I forgive you, not because you are asking for it, but for my own peace of mind." Steph said and Henry hugged her, this time with joy, putting in all his missing her in the hug. "I really missed you Naa, and I'm sorry I put you through all that. I needed this too, closure." Henry said. "Did you ever love me?" Steph asked out of the blue, startling him. "I bought a ring Naa, candy or not. That was a freaking marriage proposal you know. I was so nervous that day because I didn't know if you felt the same way about me. You were this princess in my eyes, and I felt like a servant. Fuck, thinking back on it I really made a fool of myself. I had never loved anyone before, and you drove me insane. Damn it, I still do, and I'm realizing that after seeing you again. You were such a bad girl from having friends abroad. I used to wait anxiously for vacation because I barely heard from you during school period. You neglected your baby here you know." Henry answered with a pout, and deep emotion, taking Steph aback, but she regained her composure. "Oh, I see. So, I drove you to cheat on me huh! I was prepared to forgive you jerk, because you were mine. Instead of talking to me, or even trying to defend yourself, you broke up with me so cruelly." Steph complained, hitting his shoulder. "It's my fault for not being matured enough to handle a distance relationship. It's all my fault baby; I just made up my mind to not go through that again." He coaxed. "So did I. I've not been in a love relationship after you. And I still love you too, I always will. You are my first love, and I strove to keep those feelings away, because I'd rather my father spent his money on me than give it to a psychologist." Steph said and they laughed. "I missed you, Naa." "I'm getting tired of hearing you say that jerk. I missed you too Kobby." She said with a blush. Henry was not thinking straight, when he placed his lips on hers, and Steph was not bothered, as she let go of her sense of judgement and responded to his kiss, making them publicly display affection. God knew they both needed that. It was the closure they both needed, but Steph broke it off first, when she remembered her emotions were getting all over the place, and Henry remembered he had a girl waiting for him inside. "By the way, who has been taking care of you? You are looking more gorgeous than you did when we were together." Henry asked teasingly to break the ice, after that passionate last kiss. "God and my dad please. You were hindering my beauty." Steph replied, after gaining her posture, and they laughed. "Sorry I did that; I just had to. I still can't believe you are in my arms again." Henry addressed what just happened. No girl drove him crazy like she did. So far, the only girl he could compare to her was Ellen, but he isn't as intimate with her, as he is with Steph. "It's fine, you'd think I learnt a lesson to not get involved with you again. I'm just glad we are out in the open, and not in private. I don't want to play bunny with you anymore. Let's just forget about it." Steph said with seriousness, a flash of hurt passing Henry's eyes for a split second at her words. But he understood her. "I understand, just do me a favor and don't tell, please." Henry replied with a pleading look. "I see you haven't changed much, but please, I don't kiss and tell." Steph said with an eye roll, and Henry laughed. As much as he missed and loved Steph, he didn't want Ellen finding out about what just happened. The last thing he needed was her backing more and more away from him, and his plans. She was still in his embrace as they talked, when someone spoke behind them. "Did a miracle happen here, and I missed or something? How are you two laughing right now?" James commented with disbelief. Henry was focused on Steph, and did not see him coming. He was relieved to know he didn't see them kiss, by the tone of his voice, and his countenance. "Man, I'm glad I brought you two together today, but there are other people waiting for you two. Ellen wants to leave, in fact." James said and Henry's expression changed, holding Stephanie by the hand, and taking the lead back into the mall.