TOLANI
EPISODE 3
I laid on the bed with a surreptitious smile for almost an hour, recalling again, scene by scene, act by act, everything that had transpired between Chimaobi and me.
It was like a kaleidoscope, every little thing seemed to tumble over in my brain box, initiating new ever more vivid and colourful love patterns in my mind.
My phone ranged and it was Chimaobi.
โBae, I’m home now. I hope you’ve taken your night bath?โ He said.
โNo, just thinking about you. Can’t take off my mind.โ I responded.
โMe too. Please, bath and sleep, so you can go early for your lectures.โ He suggested.
โAlright, I love you.โ I said.
โI love you too.โ He said, hanging the call.
I looked through my phone, clicked on my gallery and changed my phone screen wallpaper to his picture.
I jumped out of the bed immediately and went into the bathroom, singing Reuben Studdard’s I need an angel song. I sang it so loudly.
The next day, I went for lectures in school and I could not concentrate. I was just thinking about Chimaobi.
I was seated at Hall 14, when Ruth, my friend, came in.
โWhat is it? You look so dull. I know it is Tochi again. That fo.ol has beaten you up again?โ I asked her.
โYes, because I confronted him over his WhatsApp message to a lady.โ She said.
โ I have told you to leave that boy. That boy is nothing but a cheat and a monster. He lives in my lodge, I see how he brings different women to his room. Moreover, he’s a small boy in the same level with you in school. Go for serious relationship, Ruth. Why should you allow a man you are not married to, to lay a finger on you? Even if you are married to him, he has no right to beat you.โ I blamed and consoled her at the same time.
After two lectures, I became famished and had missed Chimaobi. I had plans to go to Chimaobi’s place. I hadn’t the patience to wait for him to come pick me up on Friday morning as planned.
I had three lectures that day, but I couldn’t wait for the last lecture.
โRuth, make we go abeg. I am tired.โ I begged Ruth.
โSay you want to go see Chima, no de whine me. I’m staying back for Mr. Ernest’s lectures, I do not want to have attendance issues with him.โ She said.
โAbeg, I no get that patience. I will call you later at night. No forget o, sign for meโ I told her as I walked out of the hall.
I got home, changed into another wear and left for Chimaobi’s apartment, almost immediately.
โTake your YouTube gadgets, so you can make video for your channel during the weekend, nah.โ I resonated, but refused to adhere to the advice.
I only had my handbag, no clothes whatsoever.
โChimaobi’s polo shirt and shorts would do the weekend for me.โ
Before going to Chimaobi’s apartment, I went to Mama Mmesoma’s roadside restaurant, where Chimaobi and I usually buy isiewu. I enjoyed her isiewu, although it was expensive. I wanted to surprise Chimaobi.
โI can’t tell who likes the isiewu more.โ I resonated.
Coming in, Mama Mmesoma was shouting at her daughter to go get a spoon for a customer.
โAnuofia! Go and get him a spoon.โ She shouted at Mmesoma. Mmesoma was also an only girl child, she had many expectations on her, just like me. The differences we share is, my parents are wealthy, and I didn’t have to work, while Mmesoma had to stay in her mom’s shop to survive. I often tried talking to her anytime Chimaobi and me come around.
I could sense she admired everything about me.
โGood afternoon maโ I greeted Mama Mmesoma.
โEhhee Nne mโฆ How are you? You didn’t come with your boyfriend today?โ She asked me with a beautiful smile, revealing her wide diastema, that I wondered if she was really the same person who shouted a second back. How she could switch emotions was quite skillful and worthy to be studied.
โHe is fine, ma.โ I smiled back.
โHahahaโฆ I know is isiewu you want. How many I go put?โ She asked, as she turned to Mmesoma’s direction and shouted at her again.
โWhat are you still doing there? Go and pound that fufu before it gets late. You know you are going to the market today.โ She said to Mmesoma and turned to me, raising her eyebrows.
โThree, ma, I want three.โ I spoke, as she packaged my order.
I walked down to the pedestrian bridge to cross over to the other side of the road, when I saw a man carrying fruit in a wheelbarrow. He wore an up and down Jallabia with a wove hat. I waved at him, but it seemed he didn’t hear me, I waved and called him again, he turned and moved toward my direction.
” Fine pikin, forgive me, the sun is too much walahi. I no hear youโ He said
โSorry about that. โ I said with a warmth smile and continued.
โPut a ball of watermelon, pineapple and 5 apples for me, please. This your banana is not fresh o, but put 2 bunches for me.โ I listed.
โHhhmmn, fine pikin, you fit finish all these, abi na with your boyfriend you want eat am?โ he asked, laughing.
โThe boyfriend wey you give me na.โ I said, giving him his money, as I walked away.
Soon, I was in Chimaobi’s apartment and at the door, I tried my spare key,, but it wasn’t opening.
I decided to use the doorbell.
I stood for what looked like an hour before the door opened.
Shockingly, it was not Chimaobi that opened the door.
It was a lady, dressed in Chimaobi’s polo, a polo I bought for him on last year’s valentine day. Her hair was mercury-red, and it tumbled over her shoulders. She had a honey full sweet lips. They were blossom soft mere looking at it, slender eyebrows, and she had a glossy skin. She was actually beautiful that I could not help but to compare and contrast her beauty with mine out of jealousy. In seconds, I searched for what I was better in, in order to console myself.
A mischievous smile graced my lips when I noticed I had more curvy and fuller buttocks than she had.
โWhat is a woman without a full buttocks like mine?โ I queried myself and got mad at the same time.
โIs this the reason Chimaobi refused to let me stay back yesterday?โ I asked her as I stepped into the sitting-room.
โHello! Who are you?โ The girl asked me, irritated.
โI should be the one asking you that, ugly.โ I blurted.
โAre you mad?โ She asked me, but I walked away from her, threw my handbag and all the goodies I had bought on the floor as I ran upstairs to Chimaobi’s room while the girl followed me, shouting at me to get back, but I didn’t even give her any attention.
I just wanted to see Chimaobi and show him how mad a Yoruba lady could be.
Getting to his door, I banged at his door like a mad woman.
โChimaobi! Chimaobi, come out here!โ I said, screaming so loud with my eyebrows scrunched together, my forehead creased, my lips tightened, my jaws tensed, and my nostrils flared.
I was ever ready to tear Chimaobi into nothing.
To be continuedโฆ
QUESTION
Do you think Chimaobi is really what he claims to be? It seems he is cheating on her, what do you think?
Answer in the comment section below.
