That was just about it with Ck. Watching Ck
and Mariana walk away together in that
manner made me want to locate my prince
as soon as possible. Where was he? I had
prayed that he and I get together again
soon. And when we do this time, I won’t let
anything separate us again. I believe I’ve
said enough already to you guys. I was
supposed to tell you about my romance with
my prince charming but I ended up telling
you a whole lot more. I have to stop here
before I tell you about my entire life. Thank
you very much for listening, and I hope
there isn’t anyone here from the press?
Haha, just kidding. Now you’ve heard all
you wanted to hear, can we now continue
with the party?
Yaaayyyy, the listeners responded
Hmm, well, that was all Ogechi had to say
for the night. I was impressed with the kind
of life she had lived all through the years.
There wasn’t any bad record, at least none
that she spoke of except the very personal
details which she refused to be discrete
about. I had waited long enough to reunite
with her and the opportunity finally
presented itself. How do I go about it now
with this disguised look? I asked myself. As
everyone in the VIP section left to continue
partying with the others, I stayed behind
and sought for an opportunity to be alone
with her when all the guests left so that I
could reveal myself to her. But she left
with the last of them. I followed behind her
closely, seeking for an opportune time to
talk to her, possibly in a secluded area of
the house. But there were about five people
with her and were heading outside where
the party really booming. They all chanted
her name the moment they set eyes on her
and it seemed I was never going to get that
opportune time I was waiting for. So I
decided I was going to call on her in the
presence of everyone and reveal myself in
it got to that.
I was set to do it on three counts, so I
started counting down from three, two, one,
and then moved towards her. I had to
squeeze myself to pass between the guests
because their number was like that of the
sand on the sea shore. I got very close to
Ogechi and was like twelve feet away from
her. Finally, I was going to reunite with my
love and end this entire trauma. When I
walked a little more close to her and was
like five steps away, a man walked to her
and greeted her, after which they started
talking. I wasn’t ready to wait anymore for
anyone to finish his or her speech with her
before I approached her. If I wait, I might
never get to her, so I walked all the way to
her and joined those who surrounded her.
They all turned to see who I was and none
of them knew me. Ogechi looked at me and
I said “hi” to her. “Hello” she responded
“What can I do for you?” she asked. “I’d
like to have a word with you in private” I
said. “I’m sorry you can’t get that. As you
can see, I have a lot of people to attend to,
so I’ll let you have a word with me, but it’s
going to be right here” she said. I agreed,
and then she told me to give her a minute
to be done with the man who walked in and
started talking to her before I interrupted.
“I’m sorry for that” Ogechi said to the man.
“I’m sure he’s one of my fans who wants to
have a word with me and probably get an
autograph.”
“That’s alright” the man replied her.
“That’s what you get for being a star”
They all laughed, after which the man
started talking about a music video Ogechi
was about to shoot. I heard him tell her that
the models were ready but that the pay for
them was so high. From their discussion, I
found out that Ogechi wanted to shoot a
music video and needed very pretty models
to feature in the video to boost the
standard of the video. The models were
ready according to the man, who I found
was Ogechi’s manager, the very one she
had been talking about all the while.
“You said the models are ready?” Ogechi
asked her manager.
“Yes there are” he replied.
“Are they here?”
“No they aren’t. But their mistress is here.
She’s here to negotiate the price for them.
Are you ready for her now?”
“C’mon, you are my manager. That’s your
job not mine. Go settle everything with her.
We’ll do the rest the way we’ve been doing
it all along.”
“She’s a top rated model, and demands to
negotiate with the star singer herself. You
know how you celebrities are sometimes,
especially the ladies. I’ll just bring her in
now.”
“Alright then.”
Ogechi’s manager left to bring in the top
rated model in question and Ogechi seized
that opportunity to attend to me, hoping to
be done with me before the model came in.
She took me to a table that hadn’t been
taken by any guests and offered me a sit
there, while she sat opposite me. That
made me remember our first time out
together, that was exactly the position we
took on the table.
“So Mister, It’s nice to have you in my
party. So what do you want to say to me?
Ogechi asked me.
“Can we speak in private?” I asked again.
“There’s something I want to show you”
I told you before Mr., you can’t speak to
me in private. Say all you want to here. And
make it fast because I’m seeing someone
else right away. I wouldn’t want you to
leave without having a word with me as you
have requested to. So can you please get
on with it now?”
I saw that Ogechi wasn’t going to give me
the kind of audience I required, so I just
proceeded to take off the afro hair I had on
my head and the rest of the things I
disguised myself with. But just after took
off the black shades I covered my eyes
with, Ogechi’s manager located us at the
table with the so called top rated model.
She was dressed in pink and was glowing as
though she fell from heaven. Some people
would have mistaken her for a heavenly
being but I knew she was nothing more than
a mere mortal. In fact, she was a lady, born
of another lady. She was cute, adorable,
light skinned and very attractive. To my
utmost amazement, the top rated model
was Cynthia. What???
“Oge, meet Cynthia, one of Regina’s top
models. Cynthia, this is Oge the star singer
from Nigeria.” Oge’s manager introduced.
“Wow! What a coincidence” said Cynthia
with a big smile. I’m from Nigeria too.
“Really?”
“Yeah, really”
“What part of Nigeria?” Oge asked.
“The Eastern part. Imo State to be precise.
Oh my goodness! You are my sister! I’m
from the Eastern part of Nigeria too. Enugu
State.
“Wow! Nice to meet you.
“Nice to meet you too”
They both exchanged pleasantries, after
which Cynthia and Oge’s manager took their
seats on that same table. I felt like
disappearing. I was so shocked on seeing
Cynthia there that I couldn’t move any part
of my body again. It would have been better
if it ended at just seeing her there. The
fact that she and Ogechi had business to
do with each other almost drove me nuts.
And having gotten to know about their
origin, their meeting certainly grew from a
business meeting to a friendly visit. I
couldn’t say a word again. My heart was
pounding seriously and all I wanted to do at
that moment was to leave their presence
immediately. But I remembered again that I
was disguised and couldn’t be recognized
by either of them, so I kept my cool and
hoped that Ogechi would dismiss me soon
enough and focus on Cynthia, whose
presence was of greater importance than
mine. But she didn’t. Instead she started
discussing with her without bothering about
my presence on that table. After all, it was
a party. I just sat there listening to them
talk money and fame.
She and Cynthia got engaged in their talk
about the music video that was to be shot
and the models Cynthia was to make
available for the video. It was about to 2am
as at the time. Cynthia explained to Ogechi
how she had to embark on a journey to
Oklahoma without hesitation in such a short
notice from Ogechi’s manager despite her
tight schedule, stating to her that she did
that because of the fat sum of money she
was hoping to make from the business. But
now that she had found out they were more
like sisters, she was going to give her 20%
discount. They soon concluded on business
talk and proceeded to other personal talks
like that. You know women nah.
Cynthia soon told Oge that she knew
someone who can sing very well but is yet
to come to limelight. She started talking to
Ogechi about getting her and the person in
question to work together. That was when
Ogechi’s manager jumped in and started
telling Cynthia how much it costs to feature
Ogechi in a song. The talk continued until
they all came to a term of agreement, after
which Ogechi enquired to know a little
about the supposed skilled singer. “His
name is JB” Cynthia said. But I call him J
for short. He’s my boyfriend. We’ve been
together for two years now. I would have
come along with him if he was around but
he travelled to……………. That was when
Cynthia suddenly remembered I told her I
was travelling to Oklahoma. “You’re not
gonna believe this.” Cynthia said somewhat
surprise. “He’s here in Oklahoma.” He had
a situation back at Regina where we live
and decided to change environment for a
little bit to try and get himself together.
Barely 24 hours after he left, I got a call
from your manager and here I am. What a
coincidence. I bet he’ll be so surprise if he
finds out I’m in Oklahoma too.
“From the way you’re sounding, seems like
you guys are really into each other” Ogechi
said.
“You can’t imagine how much” Cynthia
replied. We barely stay apart from each
other. As a matter of fact, this is about the
only time we’ve been apart since we met. I
think I better call him up and get him to
meet you. You’ll be so impressed by his
skills that you won’t want to do a single
song with his voice in it.”
“Is he that good” Ogechi asked curiously.
“Yes he is” it’s almost like he’s obsessed
about the whole thing. Besides just loving
music and singers, he also goes ahead to
follow every detail of them like he was a
part of their lives. Sometimes I wish I was
a singer too, that way I wouldn’t have to
worry about contending for his attention
with some female singers.”
“C’mon, don’t sound like that. From what
you’re saying, he wouldn’t trade time with
you for anything in the world, let alone a
mere singer who he only gets to see on TV.
For crying out loud you are a top rated
model every man wants to be with according
to what I’ve heard about you. I’d say he’s
lucky to have you” Ogechi said.
“I really wish he wouldn’t trade time with
me for anything in the world. Not quite long
ago he left me when we were just about to
spend quality time together to watch a TV
interview featuring one singer the presenter
called Oge.”
Cynthia’s countenance changed when she
made that statement and it seemed as
though she was trying to remember
something.
“Wait a minute, you are Oge right? It was
you!” It was you he left me to watch. Yes it
was you that night. GRACIOUS HEAVENS!”
“Wait a minute. Are you sure?” Ogechi
asked. “Think carefully. It could be
someone else who looks like me”
“I’m sure.” It was you. He’s your fan I
believe, though he’s never told me about
you. But I believe he is, judging from the
way he was so bent on watching your
interview that night. Maybe he just
discovered you and wants to get to know
you better. Wow! Everything is just turning
out so well. You and I coming together to
do business only to discover we’re both
from Eastern Nigeria, and now, my
boyfriend who’s also a Nigerian happens to
be your fan. Now you won’t have to charge
me so much to do a song with him. He’s
your brother as well.”
“Honestly, this whole thing is becoming like
a drama to me. Your boyfriend is my fan
and is from Nigeria? I bet he’s from the
east as well, probably my village.” Ogechi
said.
“Haha. That’s funny. Well he’s from the
Niger Delta region. So what’s it gonna be?
Are you doing a song with him or not.”
Cynthia asked.
“I will, but on one condition. Slash your
price for the models to be featured in my
music video by another 20%, making the
total discount 40%”
“Deal?” Ogechi asked
“Deal” Cynthia replied.
Cynthia brought out her phone with
excitement and dialed a number. I didn’t
know it was my number she dialed to break
what she thought was good news to me.
After she dialed the number, she said to
Ogechi; Shhh, I wanna break the good news
to him. And immediately, my phone rang. I
trembled out of fright and immediately
reached for trouser pocket, brought out my
phone and rejected the call. Cynthia got the
busy tone on her phone the moment it
seemed to them like I brought out my phone
and did something with it. They heard my
phone ring. Ogechi and her manager didn’t
notice anything unusual but Cynthia did.
She noticed my sudden frightful reaction
when my phone rang, and also got a busy
tone the moment I brought out my phone
and did whatever I did to it. She wasn’t
sure what I did. Cynthia had her eyes fixed
on me though she couldn’t recognize me,
then she dialed the number again to see if
my phone will ring again. I noticed and
immediately stood up to leave, but the
phone rang before I could do that, and I
reached for it and rejected her call the
second time. Again, she got the busy tone
at that same moment. Cynthia suspected
that something was not right. Immediately,
Cynthia confronted me. “Hey mister, who
are you?” she asked me.
To be continued.
