Manda walked up the steps to Lisa's house. Lisa had called her, apparently called all of them, saying she wanted them to meet up at her house at 6pm.

As she got there, she opened the door. It was unlocked. And stepped in, heading straight to Lisa's room.

Soon enough she got there. Beatrice, Lisa, and Daniel Lisa's husband, were seated down already.

"Finally. Thought you were never going to show up" Bea piped in, as soon as she walked through the doors.

"Well, I'm here now, aren't I?" Manda retorted snidely, eyeing Bea from the corner of her eye, but at the same time noticing the countenance of Lisa. This was not business as usual, and this was not like any other of their meetings, if not Daniel her husband wouldn't be here. No, something was terribly wrong.

"Hey Dan. It's been long. How's work?"

"Work's fine Manda. How's dancing?"

"Going as well as it should" Manda smiled, and took her seat

And Lisa started speaking.
"Alright, now that Manda's here, and the pleasantries are over, I called you all here, to give an important announcement, as the three of you are the closest persons to me. Daniel my husband, and my two best friends. I went to meet the doctor few days ago, and I was given the result of a test I ran... I'm dying. I have cancer. And in some sick, fucked-up way, I'm also pregnant" Lisa said, finally breaking down. The change was so instantaneous. From calm, to shattered and broken. This was her friend. The wisest one in their trio. In all the years they'd known, Manda had never seen her this broken.

"What do you mean dying?" Bea asked, shocked

"Honey, what's going on? Your dying and pregnant? How does that even mix up?" Daniel sputtered

"Lisa are you alright?" Manda finally asked, with worry evident on her features

Lisa picked that one, to answer on

"Alright? How can I be alright? I just told you I have cancer, and I'm dying, and you ask if I'm alright?"

"I don't know what to say. You're my friend, and I don't know what to do, to ease your pain, or suffering" Manda was at a loss for words

"There is nothing you or anyone can do. This is me saying my goodbye. I could fall down and die any minute. Daniel, I'm going to leave it in your hands, to explain to our daughter, why her mom would not be around for her next birthday"

"But honey, are you sure there's nothing else we can do? Let's go see a doctor. Let's get another test result from a specialist. We can't just give up hope like that."

"No, we're not... I'm not giving up hope. I'm just being realistic, that this is the beginning of the end. Apparently, I have a really silent form of breast cancer, that affects just five percent of breast cancer patients. No symptoms, no hair falling, just occasional headaches here and there, and haemorrhaging, it's why I've still been seeing my monthly, even when I'm pregnant."

Manda and Bea moved to hug her.

"I'm so sorry Lisa. We're here for you. We're always here for you. Anything you need."

"Does that mean you would be leaving the dance crew? You won't be joining us to dance for Nationals?"

"Yes Manda, that's exactly what it means. I need someone to take my part. Also I need someone to break the news to Nonso. I don't think he'd be very happy about it. I planned a meeting with him by 7pm, at The Mirage. And it's almost time..."

"Don't worry Lisa. I'll go for the meeting with Nonso, and tell him all about it. You just stay with your family and rest at home. With this few precious moments you have left with them, they need you more than ever" Manda said consoling

"Thank you Manda, Bea, Daniel my ever loving husband. I always knew I could rely on you guys"

"Yeah we love you too Bea. We are however not giving up hope too Soon. We're going to go on more and more appointments, and start you up on aggressive treatments, to combact it. And I dare say the crew members are going to want to meet up with you, when they hear..." Bea said

"Which is why they won't hear"  Lisa cut her off

"What?" Bea was confused

"Honestly, I really don't need the crowd. All the crew will know is that I quit, and decided not to dance again" Lisa said, in a firm resolve

"Alright dear. Whatever you wish" Bea replied, understandingly.

And then Manda got up.

"I'm goin to rush to that meeting with Nonso, to break the news to him and then swear him to a code of secrecy. I'd be back as soon as I can"

    ».    ~|•     ~|•     ~|•     ~|•    .«

"Hey" Nonso rasped, as soon as she got there.

"Hey" she acknowledged, taking a seat beside him

"What are you doing here? I was supposed to be meeting with Lisa"

"Yeah about that.... She has cancer. She can't dance anymore. And you're not supposed to tell anyone"

"Wait...hold on! What? Wha... what's going on? Slow down a second, and start again" Nonso was confused

And so Manda started again, explaining everything to him well, and why her dear friend Lisa, could never dance again.

     •♦|~     •♦|~     •♦|~

The Next Day...

Manda woke up with a start from the bed. Oh Gosh! Was that a bad dream? She thought, balancing her head with her hands, the signs of a headache beginning to appear.

She suddenly lifted her head and looked at her surroundings. Oh my! She shifted back with a start. Where was she? Where is this? What am I doing here? She was naked for crying out loud!

Just then, Nonso walked through the doors, her boss and dance choreographer. He was tying a towel around his waist.

“Nonso, what? Where? How? Why are we here? What are we doing here?”

“Good morning dear. Wow! What? You don’t remember? Was I that bad in bed?” He asked jokingly.

“What bed? Nonso, I’m married! What happened? What did we do?” she asked aghast

“Wow. The drug must have taken a stronger toll on you than I realized.”

“What drug? What did you do? I’m married you asshole, you drugged me?” She asked getting up from the bed, not caring that she was still naked.

“Wow. You’re married you say, are you really? Then would you care to enlighten me as to why a married woman is still a virgin?”

"That is absolutely none of your goddamn business! Nonso I'm married."

"Alright! Alright! Slow down. Stop shouting at me like I raped you. Wear your clothes and let me wear mine, then we'll talk."

"So what happened?" Manda asked, few minutes later

"Well, where do you remember to? Or which parts do you remember?"

"I remember walking into the Mirage to see you and tell you about Lisa's news, and you asking what I was doing there. And then I told you about it, and got up and left. That's all I remember. Why are we together at a hotel right now, if I left Nonso? Did you kidnap me?" She asked baffled

"Calm down. You're flaring up again. No I did not kidnap you. Now these are the parts you don't remember. When you entered your car,I knocked on the car door before you drove off, and you let me in. I brought out opium, I'd bought some from the guy at the club, along with a bottle of champagne, and two cups. You were a bit reluctant at first, but seeing that we were both miserable because of what had happened to us so far, we drank it, mixing the opium in the champagne. And one thing led to another, you drove us to a hotel, you came on me, and frankly I didn't have the strength to push you away. We got a hotel room, and fucked, and well, here we are now."

Oh my god. She definitely remembered now. Everything. She'd practically begged Nonso to fuck her.

"My god. Fuck. I do remember. Oh my gosh. This is bad"

"There is nothing bad about this. You're a grown up woman Manda. You don't have to tell your husband every little thing"

She didn't deign to reply that

"I'm sure you've finished asking yours. Now on to my own questions. Why is a married woman still a virgin? You've been married a month Manda. Heck! You even went on your honeymoon. You want to tell me you and Nonso never got around to sleeping with each other, because from what I can remember, that is usually the purpose of a Honeymoon" He cocked a brow

"Bill can't perform" she said matter-of-factly

"Pardon?" Nonso asked confused

"You heard me. I said Bill can't perform."

     AUTHOR'S NOTE

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