"What do you mean by you just said?" Aminat had a puzzled look on her face. Aishat shrugged. "That was what he said."
"He is definitely wrong. Cynthia is one of the nicest girls to me in school and Sharon can't even hurt a fly. She is too timid." Aminat exclaimed, throwing a pillow across the room.
"Well, timid chameleons eat flies, Aishat 'yar'uwar" Aishat said, shrugging again.
"We need to tell this to father." Aminat said. A hurt look had replaced the puzzled look on her face. Aishat nodded and they both left the room.
Aishat recounted all what Bingo had told her.
Bingo had taken her to school garden and explained all he needed to. "I overheard Cynthia and Sharon discussing you and your sister yesterday. They were also paying off a junior boy telling to shut his mouth. But they never said anything about the letter." Bingo had said.
Aishat was stunned for a minute. She knew the Cynthia girl. Always sneaking around her sister and was nice and all. Too nice and Aishat could not stand her. It was a kind of niceness she could see through.
"Are you sure about this?" Aisha had whispered.
Bingo rolled her eyes.
"Are you sure? I know you like Cynthia so I don't understand what this is about."
"Puh-lease. I don't do bitches and creeps... And besides this isn't about what I like but knowing I have the capability of being able to help someone and protecting them." Bingo had said smugly and Aishat rolled her eyes. Protector huh?
"Aishat! Are you sure about this?" Malls Duvet asked, his eyes darting back and front between his two girls.
Aishat nodded eagerly.
"We will talk to your school head tomorrow."
***
The bell rang again and Tinu almost tripped while running down the stairs to get the door. "Jesus Christ! Keep your pants on! This is a home bell not a restaurant bell where you sit in the VIP area and ring the bell anyhow whenever you need attention. Nigerians are so disrespectful. Go to someone's house and ring the bell as if you didn't have toys when little." Tinu grumbled and ranted to herself.
She looked through the peephole and saw flowers. Kileleyi?
Angrily, she opened the door and opened the door and the person behind the flowers carefully lowered the flowers from his face.
It was Lanre.
"Ta-da!"
Tinu did not even smile. What's doing this one?
"Hi tinu!" He greeted cheerfully.
"What do you want?" Tinu asked through gritted teeth. She kept the door close to herself.
"Come on, Atinukeola." Labre Saïd softly.
Ehn?
Tinu looked sideways for who he was talking to. The last time a guy called her name in full, she had been drugged and would have probably been raped.
Tinu smiled sarcastically. "Please leave."
Lanre opened his mouth to speak but Sarah who was coming out of the kitchen to the living area spoke up behind Tinu. "Tinu, who is there?"
"Leave!" She half whispered, half shouted at Lanre who was looking confused at the door and then she turned to her mother and smiled, "no one, mom. Just a rand-" she had not finished talking when Sarah opened the door wide herself. There stood Lanre, eyes wide.
"Yes, good afternoon, who do you seek?" Sarah asked. Shit! Shit! Shit! Tinu grumbled under breath.
"E kasan ma !" Lanre said and prostrated. Tinu glanced at her mother. Her face was graced with smiles.
"I brought this for you ma." Lanre extended the white roses he had brought along to Sarah.
What? Tinu thought, glaring at Lanre.
"Wow, wonderful. Thanks dear. Please excuse my daughter, she can be grumpy. Please come in."
Seething, Tinu closed the door after Lane entered. He and her mother were already engaging in a conversation.
"so what's your name, son?"
"Olanrewaju Olukanni ma," Lanre answered with a wide smile.
"That's a wonderful name. Ola temi na ma re waju o(my own wealth too will be first.)" Sarah said and Lanre replied with an Amen answering Sarah's indication to sit.
Tinu crossed her hand over her chest as she watched Lanre get comfortable and converse with her mom as if they have known each other for ages. Lanre was there telling her mom about his schooling in Canada and Sarah sat there paying the utmost attention to him.
Sarah glanced up at Tinu. "Wait, my dear-" she said to Lanre and turned to Tinu, "Tinuke, go and get some refreshments for our guest." She turned back to Lanre, "my dear, water or drinks?"
"uhm, water is just fine."
"ah, oti o(No o), are you sure?"
"Yes ma'am," he replied.
Sarah turned back to Tinu who was staring daggers at Lanre's skull, wishing her eyes could emit arrows that would pierce his skull through. "Tinu, get the suya I got from Aminu also. Oya, se komo komo(be fast)."
Tinu gasped. She had been asking her mom for it. She grudgingly moved to the kitchen.
Lanre moved to the edge of the chair. He felt uneasy. He felt the beginnings of sweat on his nose. "Ehm...ma... I wanna say something."
"What is it, my dear?"
"I just wanna apologize for my sister's behavior. She was not raised like that. I don't know what came over her. I am really sorry about it ma'am."
Confusion clouded Sarah's features. "What are you talking about?"
Lanre bent his head. "uhm.... Laide.. Ma."
"Laide?"
"One of Tinu's friends that came here the other day." Lanre explained and watched the puzzled look on Sarah's face fade away.
Sarah stood up. "Ehn Ehn." She scanned the living room as if searching for something lost. Lanre stood up as well. She then turned back at him and gave him am eerie smile. She moved closer to him and patted his back. "It's fine. Get out of my house before I call the police"
Lanre opened his mouth to speak but no words emerged. Tinu came into the room, carrying a tray. She dropped it and turned to her mother and Lanre. "What is going on here?"
Sarah turned to her daughter, looked at her as if inspecting every part of her and pulled her to herself.
"Leave." She said to Lanre again and Tinu watched as Lanre made his way to the door, looking dejected. What had happened in the space of time she had been in the kitchen?
Lanre closed the door behind him and Sarah detangled herself from Tinu. Without looking at her daughter, she ordered, "Go to your room."
Tinu looked at her mother as if she had grown two heads She was still standing there when Sarah went up the stairs while muttering, "I need a paracetamol."
***
"Goodnight, Marian." Kemi said as Marian, her agent made her way out of the studio. They had been together for the past few days, painting and talking. Kemi will leave home as early as 6:30am and begin to paint and it also helped that she had been blessed with great bouts of creativity.
Kemi made finishing touches to the artwork she had been painting. It was an oil painting of a crying and smiling pregnant woman. She sighed as she dropped her paint brush and checked the time. It was 8:30pm already.
She packed her bag and made her way outside to her car. Just as she was about to drive into Raul Street, she changed her mind and drove past it, stopping at Octave, a popular club/bar in that area. She made her way to the front and ordered for some alcoholic drinks. She sat and watch as early clubbers dance to the music booming from the speakers. Though she felt choked at the place, she didn't want to go home because she knows it would be more choking.
Her drinks arrived and a glass became two, two became four and four uncountable. Kemi said her swimming head on the table and began to doze. She was already entering dreamland when her phone rang.
Kemi sighed and walked out of the club. She didn't even bother checking the caller ID before picking up the call.
"Yes?" she slurred.
"Oh God, Kemi. Where are you? I have been trying to reach you!" It was Peter.
Kemi rolled her eyes before replying. "W.. What is it to you? Why do you bother? Bossy, bossy! Bossy!" She spat.
Peter sighed, saying some things Kemi could not hear. "Kemi, this is almost 11:30 PM. How could be so irresponsible ?"
"Who are you calling irresponsible ?" Kemi replied angrily. She held on to the car side mirror for balance.
"Where are you please?" Peter said softly.
"I'm at October..oh I meant Octave." Kemi slurred.
"Just stay there. I will come get you soon." Peter replied tiredly. "Bossy!" Kemi shouted but he had already hung up. She looked around and saw eyes on her. "What?!" she asked and rolled her eyes. Her phone rang again. It was Sewa this time.
"Hey," she answered.
"Kemi, where are you? Peter had called me various times, asking after you. He was really panicky. Where are you?"
Kemi frowned. "I am not lost."
Sewa sighed. "Kemi, why?"
"W..why? You are asking me why?"
There was silence for a moment. "Kemi, are you drunk?"
Kemi laughed and wiped a lone tear from her face. "Drunk, haha. Maybe, mmm.. Maybe not." She shrugged.
Sewa sighed. "You know you can tell me anything right? You know i love you right?"
"I know." Kemi replied solemnly.
"Just call Peter." Sewa said softly. "Okay," Kemi replied and hung up. She rested her head on her car and just as she closed her eyes, a headlight flashed into her eyes. She opened her eyes and saw Peter's car. He got down, said nothing to her, carried her bag and purse and locked her car.
"Get into the car." He said curtly. "And ...and what about my car?" Kemi questioned.
"None of- I'll send Yusuf to get it now. Just get in the car...please." He said.
Kemi sighed heavily and got in the car. She was hit by his cologne first and then the neatness of the car. Peter treated his cars like babies. She smiled faintly as she recollected the day she ate in his car when they just met. His eyes were darting everywhere. He was trying so hard not to talk. Kemi remembered they later washed the car together and even had water fight.
Peter got into the car and Kemi became conscious of the confines of the car. She rested her head on the headrest and before she knew what was happening, she had dozed off.
Peter glanced at Kemi as he drove. She was looking so pretty and peaceful. She was looking tired even. Staring at her brought back blissful memories he wished he could forget. Peter suddenly wished things were different but he knew he shouldn't wish for that because her happiness comes first and he could not make her happy. She needed someone who has all the confidence in the world, who knew who he was, who was not afraid of what ifs.
He drove into their house and Kemi was still fast asleep. Peter didn't bother her. He carried her in his arms and went inside. Kemi felt a movement but didn't open her eyes, all she was muttering were incoherent words. Peter smiled. He had missed her sleep talking. She would just say random stuff. He found it cute.
She was still talking randomly but Peter heard what she said this time and she said, "I wish I could teach my heart to stop loving you." She whispered sleepily and her breaths evened out. She tightened her hands around his neck and snuggled better into him. Peter stared at her for a moment, not knowing what to do.
He sighed, deliberating on whether he should take her to the room she stays or their matrimonial room.
He chose the latter.
.....
Somebody shout hallelujah. First of all, I would like to say I am deeply sorry for taking this long to update. I resumed uni and I had been so busy plus I had a terrible case of writer's block and it took me weeks to write this chapter. E mabinu. Biko, please. Ejo. Thanks for forgiving me😊😊 and thanks for being patient.
Now to this story, guys I deserve some accolades first. I wrote 2k plus words... Wow... Lol.
So what do you think about the chapter?
Do you think Bingo will be right?
Mm
I particularly found Sarah's attitude to Lanre very very funny. Why do you think Lanre keeps apologising on his sister's behalf? Is there something to it?
And what do you think about Kemi's behavior? Do you feel that there are any changes in Peter? Like at all..
See you guys in the next chapter...
Please remember to vote and comment.
You guys are the best!❤❤❤