TICKING

2

Thanks to everyone who read the previous chapter. I really appreciate and love you guys.

I walked fast to open the front door for Efe who had been knocking non stop, She had just finished a meeting with some big tech guys who wanted to develop an aproko blog for the people of Rivers State where every matter concerning the state would be published; the government, family life of the people, their food and the latest gossip of the Rivers people. She was recommended because she already ran a successful blog.

"How far" I greeted her.

"I dey o, life is not easy at all" she said as she walked past me and slouched on the sofa. She scrunched her nose to sniff the house "I perceive food." She said as she reveled in the aroma.

Oh my!

The chicken I'm frying!

I strode to the kitchen immediately to check, thankfully I was just in time to remove that set and put another in the mini deep fryer. Efe had followed me into the kitchen to check what I was preparing.

"This our business is booming o. Who are you cooking for this time?"

I use to work in a Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) firm, I had been working there for four years in their Human Resources Department. Few months ago, the Department was dissolved. The CEO said he wanted to save cost and decided to outsource the HR department to an outsourcing company. He did this without any prior notice and rendered all of us in the department jobless.

It was devastating and frustrating at the same time, one day you have a well paying job and the next, you are jobless. It was my first time and it was frustrating as hell, it took me weeks to accept the fact that I was jobless and decided to start something so I can earn money while I was searching for a new job.

I decided to start cooking on orders for people, I called all my contacts here in Port Harcourt to let them know this was what I was into for the mean time. At first I didn't get much order, but the first few people who patronized me were satisfied and with word of mouth, the business began to grow. It was only recently I realized that I had stopped submitting CVs.

"It's Osas. He's having his friends over today, like a guys time out you know, so he wanted me to supply lunch." Osas is my cousin, when I first got my job here, it was his family house I stayed until I was able to rent my own apartment. He's now independent and lives on his own too.

"Ok. Hope you're not packaging everything Sha. Because I need to have a taste of one of those crispy chicken" she said licking her lips.

"Foodie! I hail o" even if Efe eats all the food in the world, it is only channeled to the right places.

"Stop please" she said with a formed British accent while batting her long lashes.

When I was done cooking, I served the jollof rice in one cooler and put the fried chicken I had sauced in another then dished for Efe and I to eat in one plate.

"Babes o, why haven't you and Jamie uploaded anything concerning your engagement on social media?" I asked her with my voice unclear after I had cut a large chunk of chicken in my mouth.

"Hmm?" She asked with a confused expression. I repeated my self and she mouthed an O in realization when she heard me clearly.

"We want to keep it on the low first, after family introduction, we will let the world know." She replied.

"Hmm, you still haven't told me how it happened o. I only know you went to Lagos to see bae. The next thing I heard is that you were engaged. Give me gist na, you be my person o." I love love stories and I'm more interested in this one because it's that of my friend.

Efe blushed as she dropped her spoon.

"Well, the night before I came back, we had dinner with his close friends, he wanted to introduce me to them."
She picked up the chicken and began to skin but by bit while smiling sheepishly. Oh my! See what love can do.

"I never expected it though." She continued "After we all ate, we were talking when he stood up and said he wanted to say something. He gave a long speech of how we met, what I meant to him and before I knew it, he knelt down to propose."

"Ahhhhhhh!" I screamed. "Tell me, how did you feel?"

"I was shocked. For like thirty seconds, I couldn't comprehend what just happened, when I regained my self, I heard lots of awwwns and say yes. I said yes!" She said as she stretched her fingers to me to give me a better view of the diamond ring with a rose-gold jewel mounted as the head. This was the first time I was seeing it live and direct.

God when! I pleaded in my head.

"I'm happy for you dear. But don't you think it's too soon? I mean you people have not been dating for long. It's not even up to a year, just months." I asked her.

"Does it matter? What matters is that we love each other and we want to spend the rest of our lives together. People have met in lesser times and loved each other till death." She answered in a rush, like she was trying so hard to defend her actions.

"Cool. I'm happy for you both." I said. I didn't want to push further so she wouldn't think I wasn't happy for her genuinely.

"Thanks my love. What you should worry about now, is you. You don't even have a boyfriend to call your own and you're in your thirties already."

"Ehn!?" Did I hear her correct?

"Yes na, you're the only single one in our group. Ronke is married, Ada is married, I'm engaged and Omotola has a serious boyfriend. Act sharp sharp o."

"So Efe, marriage is now a competition right?" I asked her as I dropped my spoon. I had lost all my appetite.

Is this what they all think of me?

"No it is not, but it comes with respect my dear, if I were you, I would act fast if not, a time would come when you would not be able to relate to conversations o. Everything will be married women talk." She paused to take a spoon of rice and after chewing, she continued "My husband this, my husband that then my child this, when I was pregnant that. You won't be able to contribute because you cannot relate. Try to marry before Omotola so you don't become the last person in our group to get married."

"Is that the reason you accepted Jamie's proposal? Even when you know that you people haven't been dating for long?" I asked her.

"No. Jamie and I love each other. But nowadays, most people don't marry for love, they marry who is ready. Do what works for you. The clock is ticking."

At this moment, I had lost my mood. I wasn't even in the mood to go out and deliver the food I had prepared.

I knew I was long behind the marriage schedule but I didn't realize I was way behind.

Glossary:

Aproko - Gossip or a gossiper.

I dey o - I'm fine o or I'm around o.

Na - Please

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