"Naughty girl, you better mind your business. I don't know why I even told you about it"
"You told me because you were so excited and you couldn't keep it to yourself"
"Come on shut up, if you don't want me to send you back to school tonight" Dennis jokingly threatened
"Haha, you can't do that. I'm sure you enjoy my company, if i wasn't here, you'll probably be struggling with your new village wife"
"Oya, go and pack your bags, I'm driving you to school immediately"
"Haha, come carry me o" She said and ran towards her room as he ran after her. He pursued after her to the stairs and went back to sit in the living room.
"Silly girl, make sure you don't come downstairs again"
Janet walked into her room very glad, she had not seen her brother so happy in years. He used to be a very lively and playful person, until their Father died ten years ago. Their father's family members threw them out of the house and seized their father's properties and assets living them grow in penury. Their mother was helpless as non of her family members agreed to help, they were not in consent to her marriage as the couples' families were sworn enemies.
They had no choice than to move in with their mother's friend who was a widow. Their mother who was poorly educated resorted to frying and selling beans cake and yam on the street as a means of survival. She also did some petty manual jobs with Dennis assisting her. This trauma had affected Dennis, so he grew up with an unhappy attitude and barely laughed and joked no matter how funny the situation was. From being lively, he became an unnecessary quiet person always loving to stay on his own because he saw everyone as bad as his father's family members. His perspective of life had only change a little after he met a friend who led him to Christ two years ago
Back in the living room, Dennis and his mum were already engaged in an argument.
"Your wife has been complaining that you've refused to touch her since she came into this house"
"Mum, she's not my wife, I didn't marry her. You brought her here"
"Shut up Dennis" She said angrily "you refused to bring home a wife, now I've brought one home for you and you won't perform your duties"
"I owe her no duty Mum"
"Dennis" she said softly
"Yes"
"I'm your mother, tell me what's on your mind. Do you have any problem with that thing? She asked pointing to his manhood "tell me so we can do something about it quickly"
"Mum, what's all these you are saying? I don't have any problems"
"Then why have you refused to bring home a wife nor touch the one I brought for you"
"I'll bring home a wife very soon"
"That's what you always say"
"Mum, I promise you"
"No need to promise me just accept this one I brought"
"Okay Mum, give me two months and I'll show you the girl I want to marry, if I don't, you can give me anyone you want" he said before he realised the gravity of his words.
"Two months Dennis, Two months. Please let me see my grandchildren before I join my ancestors" she said and walked out of the parlour.
The week rolled out fast and it was Saturday already, Dennis started dressing up for his date by 1pm. Although they agreed to meet by 3pm, he decided to dress up early because he wanted no excuse for going late. He already called her in the morning and she confirmed that she was also looking forward to their meeting. By 1:45pm, he dialled her phone number again, but couldn't reach her due to network failure.
At exactly 2pm, he drove out of the house in his SUV jeep to Circular Restaurant and bar, one of the most expensive restuarants in the city. He got there by twenty minutes past two and settled in the table he already pre-booked. He picked up the phone to call her again but her phone was switched off.
He ordered for a drink to calm himself before her arrival, he assumed that her phone's battery was down.As he took the drink slowly he started thinking of how the date would go, he thought of his mother's reaction when he finally takes Amarachi home, he prayed silently to his creator to make her accept to be his girlfriend .
At three fifteen o'clock, Amarachi was not there yet and calls to her phone number refused to go through. He was almost getting frustrated but comforted himself when he remembered that a friend once told him that girls take so much time before they dress up and some of them always love to keep their guys waiting to see his reaction. Time rolled fast and it was four thirty pm already with no signs of Amarachi, Dennis was already frustrated and sweating profusely though the air conditioners were on.
After he waited till six o'clock, he walked out of the restaurant and drove home sorrowfully.
++++++++++++++++++++++
"Ken, what are you doing here? I thought I made it clear that it is over between us" Bola said as she opened her door and stood at the entrance.
"Come on baby, how can you say it is over between us? After all we've been through together"
"Ken, don't start. I'm not ready for any useless discussion this morning"
"Bola" he called calmly, "would you at least allow me in so we can settle this once and for all"
" There's nothing to settle Ken, I'm done with you", she said leaving the entrance for him to come in.
"Bola, we can work this out", he said getting on his kneels. "I'll make sure things work between us this time"
"You can't, not with your other girlfriends"
"I don't have any other girlfriend, I swear. That girl is just a LovePeddler, she drugged me and I didn't know what was happening when you came to my house that day"
"But what was she doing in your house at first?" She asked giving him a detective look.
"Baby, you you ... you don't understand" He stammered " It was a mistake and I promise you it will never happen again"
"Nonsense! But you don't even know how to treat a Lady" she lamented "you keep beating me up as if I'm your kid Sister or housemaid"
"I'm sorry baby, I will learn how to control my anger. I promise to never lay my hands on you again"
"Hahaha, when will you learn how to control your anger? When you finish killing me?" Don't worry I won't allow that happen" she said and proceeded into her room "please close the door when you leave"
With that she walked into her room and shut the door ignoring his pleading voice at the entrance. She commended herself for her bravery. Prior to this time, she couldn't talk with her ex-boyfriend Ken like that. He always ended up beating her anytime they have a slight argument. The last time he beat her for not knocking his room's door before entering and for shouting at him because she caught him sleeping with another girl , she was placed on drip and hospitalised for three days. Now, he was claiming to have changed and become a saint overnight.
After she was sure he already left her house, she walked out of her room and informed Okon, her new gateman never to allow Ken into the compound anymore.
Amarachi held her weak father's hand beside the hospital bed, she wished to speak with him but he was fast asleep and not to be disturbed according to the doctors.
"Mummy, why didn't you tell me he was sick all these while? Why did you have to wait till it got worst like this?"
"My daughter, I didn't know it will get worse, I didn't want to trouble you, you just left here for the city and I don't want you to start rushing home again" her mum replied her.
"You would have at least informed me "
"No, you just started your job and I want you to focus and make a success of it" She replied smiling "Don't worry, the doctors say your father would be okay very soon"
"Okay, I pray so"
"Ehen, you've not told me how you got the money, you've not worked up to a month so it couldn't have been your salary"
"Mama, I borrowed from my friend, Ini whom I stay with" Amarachi .
"Eh, she is kind o. May God bless her for me. Hope you are not giving her too much stress "
"Haba! Why will I stress her na?" She asked laughing.
"Okay, please thank her for me when you get to the city"
"She will hear".
Earlier in the day, Amarachi was choosing clothes to wear for her date when she got a call from the village that her Father was seriously ill and had been transferred to the general hospital. She was told that seventy thousand naira was needed by the hospital to commence the treatment. She was able to get help from Ini who gave Amarachi her ATM card to withdraw the amount of money she needed which was all she had in that bank account. While rushing to have her bath and journey to the village, she mistakenly dropped her phone into a bucket of water and it refused to come on again. She was lucky to meet a friend of hers who was a nurse in the hospital who helped her locate the ward her father was placed easily.
There was silence for some minutes before Amarachi spoke up again "Mummy, how is Sophia and Femi doing?
"Sophia is doing well, she is at home helping me sew some clothes. She will bring her father's dinner in the evening and wait to stay all night with him so that both of us can go and rest at home. Femi should also be at his Father's shop", she said smiling . You know we have to keep working so money for our upkeep comes in"
"It's okay, very soon Daddy will be alright" Amarachi replied and paused for some seconds. " I think its time for Femi to further with his HND program or with a BSc program if that's what he wants and Sophia should enrol for JAMB lessons so that she can write the exam next year"
"I know my daughter, that's what they are supposed to do, but we were still gathering money when your Father got ill and all the money has gone into it"
"Don't worry Mama, I should be able to send enough money by next month so that Sophia can enrol for lessons and Femi can take the form"
"Eh my daughter o, God bless you o " she said rejoicing and making a dance move.
"It's my duty Ma, it's time you people stop struggling so much." She said rubbing her mother on gently on her cheeks.
TBC....
