Paper Hearts | ✓

✍ Chapter Twenty-one✍

Twenty-one | Letting go

If you love someone, set them free.
If they come back they are yours; if they don't they never were— George Sand

~•~

Nnamdi turned off the ignition as he approached the big black gate and sighed as he raked his fingers through his dense hair—a habit he was fond of these days. Getting out of his car, he got the package from his backseat, he took long strides towards the gate and knocked anxiously. He hadn't seen her since the party which was expected because it was the holidays.

It was just four days to the new year and Nnamdi decided that it was time to let go of the past and make new decisions.

New year new life right?

Wrong!

Nnamdi was as anxious as hell. He could vividly remember the night he told her that he wouldn't bother her anymore. Well he was doing the opposite of 'not bothering her' now.

Nnamdi raised up his knuckles to rap at the gate again before the small square by the gate squeaked open.

"Ah Oga nah you? (Oh Sir it's you?)" Ahmed asked as he peered through the square hole.

No it's my ghost, Nnamdi thought as he forced a smile.

"Is Kemi in?"

"She dey (she is)," The gate man answered as he opened the small gate allowing Nnamdi to enter the large compound.

If he was feeling anxious before, Nnamdi didn't know what he felt now as he stood in awe of the beautiful compound. Flower pots placed at strategic positions adorned the sides of the walls. The big gate did a very good job of hiding the beautiful green and cream duplex from the outside world.

As he followed Ahmed to the glass house in front of the duplex, he couldn't help but admire the exquisitely designed interlocks on the ground. His heart dropped when he noticed that there were three cars in parked in the compound. Maybe her parents were around, he thought.

Nnamdi wondered how he would introduce himself as he didn't meet up to Engr. Femi's standard.

Yes, he had done a quick background check and Kemi hadn't told him half of what her family was that day at the cafeteria. Engr. Femi Bankole was stinkingly rich, the Gormet magazine had described him as an icon thriving in a foreign land—he being a Yoruba man living in Enugu. The familiar feeling of low self-esteem unnerved Nnamdi.

Ahmed turned to him as they reached the front door. "Big madam dey oh but Oga no dey. Him travel. (Madam is in but her husband isn't as he travelled)," he said as if he had read Nnamdi's mind. Nnamdi nodded slowly.

"Oga, madam Kemi no dey happy at all this holiday. She just dey fake smile I no know wetin cause am but if nah you, better do something oh. (Sir, Kemi has not been very happy this holiday. If you caused it please try and do something about it)"

"What do you mean?" Nnamdi asked the gate man, his confusion visible on his face.

"You no understand? Okay make I speak English. (You don't understand me? Let me speak English.)"

Nnamdi laughed wondering how Ahmed planned to do so. "It's fine just continue. I understood what you meant." The gate man heaved a sigh of relief as he had been trying to construct a proper sentence in his head.

"Oga, white man dey say time and tide no dey wait for any man. That means if you want something eeh better do get am now oh. You no know wetin tomorrow go bring. (Sir there is a saying that time and tide waits for no one. If you want something do all you can to get it.)"