Facade (Romola 1)

45: Parents

Romola held her tongue till Olumide sat in the driver seat. As he drove out of the car park, she fiddled with the seatbelt. In what way would she ask him about his parents? Why had his countenance changed? The old man that opened the gate waved to them as the car tires kissed the black tar of the main street.

She buckled her seatbelt and cast him a sidelong glance, watching his jaw tighten. "I don't have to meet your parents."

She waited for a reply. His lips remained pressed in a thin line. She pressed on. "Why is Yetunde so concerned about them?"

"I don't want to talk about them."

"I only-"

"I said, I don't want to talk about it."

His fingers gripped the steering wheel so tight that his knuckles jutted. He stepped on the break, hurtling the car. She jerked, her head swaying till it hit the top of the door and bounced. She heard him use the harsh tone he had used on Yetude. Her shoulders bent under the weight of the pain in her mind.

She forced her gaze to remain stuck on the outside world, ignoring the sting at the side of her head and watching the roads pass by and fade from dirty narrow roads to clean tarred wide roads as the houses grew in size and elegance.

"We'll be at my house soon. Do you want to eat anything?"

She kept her gaze locked on a beautiful house, trying to force the tight feeling in her throat to disappear with the swallows she took. It was better not to provoke him.

"Romola?"

She turned to him, watching his left brow rise. Yetunde's words danced in her mind. Thoughts about her and Olumide kept churning in her mind. "Is it true nobody knows me? Dami went to my street."

"I think he went to the wrong street. Tomorrow, We'll go to your street."

She clasped her hands in her laps. "How do you know my street? Shouldn't Yetunde know it?"

"Yetunde doesn't know your street." The corner of Olumide's mouth rose. "I'll personally find your home tomorrow okay."

She nodded at his words and pulled out her android phone. Scrolling through the phone, she found 15 names on the contact list. None of the names looked like they belonged to someone in her family. Each name had a label attached to it. Like school, church, club, and dance.

She scrolled up again and clicked on the number labelled 'mom', placing the phone against her ears and listening to the ringtone.

A clear computerized voice replied. "The number you just dialled does not exist. Please check the number and try again."

She placed the phone on her laps. How could her mother's number not be on her phone? She tried the number and got the same reply three more times.

"Whose number are you dialing?" Olumide glanced at her. The car had stopped right in front of a large intricately designed gate.

"My mom. I'm worried."

"We'll sort all of this out tomorrow. Don't worry."

The car slowed to a crawl in front of a black gate that held two grey walls together. A semi circle marble balcony overlooked the compound. Olumide honked and the gate parted. A slim dark man with a bulge on his hairless scalp pushed the other side of the gate wide open.

"Welcome to my house."

Romola chose to forget about the stinging pain on the side of her head or the fact that she was still mified at Olumide. Her eyes picked the trimmed green shrub that ran around the black brick walls as their point of target. This contrasted with the white paint of the ground floor. "Your house? Asin, your own house?"

"Well, it was Muyi's before..." Olumide's voice trailed off.

She bit the inner part of her lips, grateful that he didn't finish his words. What would she have said to console him? She couldn't remember what it was like to lose someone. Had she lost someone? Was someone looking for her right now? She pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind and reached for Olumide's hand on the steering wheel. She linked her fingers through his and gave him a small smile, hoping he would see that she meant it as a comforting glance not a pitiable glance.

He snatched his hand out of hers.

Her jaw slackened.

His hands flew towards her face and he cupped her cheeks, allowing his thumb to caress the area on her head that stung. "Shoot, you are bleeding."

"It's just a little wound."

"I'm really sorry. I just.. Whenever I think of my parents..."

Romola scooted closer to him, placing her hands on his shoulder and searching for the depth of his eyes. "It's okay. Just, don't drive like that next time."

She hated to think what would happen if Olumide pulled that stunt on a narrow road.

"I'll try Romola. But I'm not making any promises."

ATTENTION:

Romola will be getting a new cover. I will also be changing the book name soon. I hope you like this chapter. I want to know what you think of the book so far.