TOLANI
Episode 24
The Dean was already alert.
“ I do not blame the young man, his such a jealous-protective type.” She giggled surprisingly when one of the senior lecturer took Chimaobi out of the office.
I excused myself and went out too. I walked to where the lecturer stood, talking to Chimaobi, while he folded his arms and bent his head.
I stood still looking at Chimaobi as the lecturer calmed him.
I had to understand why Chimaobi was extremely mad with the whole scenario. It had cost him too much trouble. He wouldn’t have been in this if not for me.
Chimaobi had stood up for me without even checking whether it was harmful to him or not. I would be a horrible person if I had judged his person based on all that had happened.
“He just cannot forgive himself for hitting me.” I thought within. The only way for him to let loose of the guilt was, attacking the cause.
I walked up to him, hugged him closely.
He was shocked. For him, hugging him meant I had forgiven. He stretched his arms around me, and buried his head on my shoulders.
“You are such a big baby.” I stroked his head in gentle, smooth motion, so sorry for him going through all the emotional stresses and guilt.
“It’s alright, babie. I understand you perfectly well.” I said to him as he hugged me tightly and refused to let me go.
His body was hot.
“Come here.” I held his hands, went to the school kiosk, bought a cold bottle of water, and a chewing gum. We walked to where he packed his car, brought out my handkerchief, soaking it with water, squeezed out the water and placed the handkerchief on his forehead.
“Your body temperature is high. Please, take it easy on yourself.” I said to him and he nodded.
Afterwards, his body temperature went low, and we were called back by the Dean.
Getting into her office, everywhere was more in a better place and the tension which spread previously was gone.
She started with reprimanding Chimaobi for reacting the way he did and sought for apology.
Chimaobi apologized to everyone in the office, Mr. Ernest inclusive.
Mr. Ernest had been given first aid treatment right in the department, so, there was no need of adjourning the settlement of the issue at hand.
The Dean obliged Mr. Ernest to continue.
He, first of all, stood up from where he was seated next to Chimaobi and went to the senior lecturers’ side in order not to be hit again. It was hilarious, and it got everyone laughing aside Chimaobi and Mr. Ernest himself.
“I started my passes at her again but she was not ready to comply, and I had already used a very good part of the money I was paid. I needed to execute my job, so I used her defense to subdue her into sleeping with me and thereafter, the HOD but I failed.” He kept quiet.
“So, you are telling us that you are not the architect of this whole thing.”
“Yes, ma. I was paid for the job.”
“Very well then, Mr. Anyanwu, we would want to hear from you.”
“Ma, please, forgive me. I have children’s school fees to pay. I have 7 kids, I honestly do not want to lose my…” The HOD begged as the Dean hit the desk.
“Mr. Anyanwu, I would not entertain this. Tell us your part of the deal.”
He bent his head and kept quiet.
“How did you get to know about this young woman?”
“ I was paid.”
“Paid?” Everyone chorused.
“Yes, I was paid.”
“By whom?” I shouted.
“Miss Linda, a young woman who paid me 5 million Naira to have you in the hotel room.”
“I don’t understand. Linda, why? How?” Chimaobi asked.
“I don’t know her reasons. I was paid in full. So, I didn’t do all I did because I wanted to sleep with Tolani. I was paid handsomely to have her in a hotel room. That was my part of the business.” he said.
“Who is Linda? I’m confused.” The Dean hit her head as everyone turned to me.
“Who is Linda, Tolani?” Chimaobi asked me and my heart dropped to death, my mouth turned sour.
“Not Linda back to hunt me.” I resonated, placing my hands on my head.
“Young woman, what is the problem?” The Dean asked.
“Who’s Linda?” Chimaobi asked again, removing my hands from my head.
“My high school mother.”
“Wait a minute, the one we met in Abuja?”
“Yes”
“Why would she do that? Like, what did you do to her for her to pay this amount of money?” Chimaobi asked, but I couldn’t utter a word.
“I can see there’s a lot in this scenario.” The Dean sighed and continued.
“But I think we have done our part. It’s left for you to handle the case in case of privacy. I hope you are with your project work?” She asked me, but I was oblivious of my surrounding.
“Bae!” Chimaobi tapped me as I raised my eyelids.
“Where is your project work?”
“In the car.” I said, faintly.
He looked around, picked up my bag, opened it and removed the three copies of my project work.
“Here, ma.” He handed the copies to her.
She asked Mr. Ernest and the HOD to sign on my copies.
After they were done, the Dean requested Chimaobi to take over the case from there in knowing who Miss. Linda was.
“ I will update your father.” She said, excusing us.
Chimaobi carried my handbag as we walked to his car.
He didn’t talk about that. He drove us to an eatery, bought some food and asked me if I would get home with him and sleep over.
“You have stressed so much, I think you should not be left alone in the house, and you need to be in the right frame of mind, your defense is in 3 days time, okay?” He said to me and I nodded.
My heart pictured all the nasty situations I had with Linda in high school. I couldn’t understand why she could go this length to ruin me.
To be continued!
There’s a lot to come. You all are not ready.
Will Tolani open up to Chimaobi? Why will Linda pay 5 million to have Tolani? Are there no other girls?
©️ Esther Charles (The Storytelling Diva)
