Consequences

Chapter 12

Chanel Number 5. The first time I ever used it, was when my dad came back from a business trip to the UK. It was a gift he bought for my mother. When she opened it and sprayed it on her dress, I fell in love with it.

Soon I began sharing it with her so much, she had to hide it. I found this out when I came back home one day. She wasn't in the house, and so I took the opportunity to go into her room. I knew she always kept it on her dressing table.

And so when I opened the door of her room, I went straight to the dressing table. But it wasn't there anymore. I left the room disappointed. Now, sitting beside Lanre, I was about to have my next disappointment.

As much as I loved Chanel, it had given Lanre a clue. It gave him a hint that there was something between me and Ola. Now, I had to unwillingly let him know about how it was with Ola.
"It could be some other woman." I said searching his eyes to see if he believed me or not. But it was evident, he didn't believe a word of what I said.

"Tola?" He sighed, as he looked calculatingly at me.
"I had a discussion with Ola. He told me that I was having too much fun around what belonged to him." He looked at me. " Do you know we've never had such an intense argument like that before?"
I sighed, placing a hand on my jaw.
"I've had the last twenty-four hours to think about what he said, and ask myself what it is that belongs to him."
"Chanel, right? He smelled of Chanel." I took a deep breath. He nodded.
"Tola if there is something I should know, then say it." I kept quiet, and listened to him. "Because you should have seen him. He was trying to make a scene out of it."
"It's complicated, Lanre. I don't even know what we have. I mean, he only saw me once and told me, he knows I am his wife."
"Is that why Nancy told us you've been taken?" I nodded.
"Then I met him a few months ago, shortly after I left you. He came up to me, and told me to stay away from you."
"Okay, that means this is the last time we will ever hangout with each other, right?"
"Why? Because you had a discussion with him? I don't think it means our friendship should end."
"I know. But a simple discussion could turn into a real fight and... " he paused.
"And what?" I asked as he looked at me.
"It may lead to something else. And beside you were not sincere with me." I frowned when he said I wasn't sincere.
"What do you mean I wasn't sincere?"
"If you had been sincere in telling me who it was, all of this wouldn't have happened."
"And how would I have known all of this would happen if somebody didn't go around spreading rumors?" Lanre looked away feeling somewhat guilty. It was as if he knew something. It got me thinking that perhaps he may have started the rumors himself.
"Or is it you Lanre, who went around spreading the rumors?" Lanre got up angry at the question I asked him. I saw how tense he was when I looked at him.
" Look Tola, I've had enough trouble just by being your... "
"Being my what, Lanre? Say it. Go on,say it!" I shouted.
"Look, calm down. I am the one who is supposed to be angry here.."

"Angry? Do you know what I told that bastard of a friend you call Ola, when he told me to stay away from you? I told him I always keep my good friends. I stood up for you, and you can't do the same for me? To hell with you and friend!"

I walked away from him angry as ever. If I had known he was such a coward, I would never have gotten so close to him. He had annoyed me in such a manner that I took the decision to avoid him.

And in fact, that's exactly what I did for a while. But while I was angry with him, he and Ola, not long afterwards were able to settle their differences. I got this information from Nancy, when I paid her a visit.

This was three weeks after my discussion with Lanre. Three weeks, in which I stayed away from Ola's friends. I even avoided Nancy, refusing to take her calls or reply to any of her messages. Her last message however, got me curious to know what was going on between Lanre and Ola. It was here she told me that they had settled their differences.

I wanted to know more, and went over to her house out of curiosity. And besides, I had not heard of Ola. Since he last abandoned me at the restaurant, I didn't care to know about him. But in the three weeks I stayed away from his friends, thoughts of him kept coming to me.

I kept wondering why this was so, in spite of all he did to hurt me. But it was clear, I still had a soft spot for him. Once I got to Nancy's house and she opened the door, she embraced me as I went inside.

"After so many phone calls and text messages, this is when you decide to show up, abi?" This was how Nancy welcomed me in. As I sat down, I looked around the house. It wasn't as inviting as it used to be. The warmth and the hospitality that I felt before,was missing.

Was I over thinking? True, Nancy was my friend. But on the issue between Ola and Lanre, she didn't tell me how it really went. I had to hear the full story from Lanre. This bothered me a lot while I sat.

What else could she tell me that was believable?
"Tola can I get you something to drink?"
"Nancy I'm not in the mood to drink anything. I can do with some water."
"Water, ke? Abeg make you take something chill. Na three weeks I never see you o."
"I dey, my friend. I dey my own o." I replied feeling unrelaxed.
"So how have you been all this time."
"I had a good time relaxing."
"Really?" Nancy looked at me as she sipped her drink.
"Well we missed you, Tola."
"Noo, if it is Anita and Funke, fine. Those two idiots, mschew. In fact, just the mention of their names is enough to get me boiling with anger."
"Abeg make I hear word. You no go shrink if you see Ola?"
"You mean wahala? I dey run from wahala o." Nancy laughed and laughed.
"True o. Dis my skin wey dey shine, wey I dey maintain dey keep am fresh... "
"Yeah, c'mon girl no man should stain it abi?"
"Aha. Wey I dey use Chanel dey smell fine..."
"Oh wait o. Ola that day dey smell of Chanel, I come dey ask myself say, which girl he go carry?"
"Na so Lanre tell me wey I com get to tell am as thing be between me and Ola. Lanre come vex say me I no dey sincere wit am."
"Ah but you sef, Tola, I blame you in a way o.... "Wait o Nancy, why should you blame me? Blame that useless guy who doesn't know how to express himself."
"No, Tola look at it this way. To me sha, as you and Lanre dey close like that, you for still let am know say you get feelings for Ola."

"But him Lanre, tell me say him get woman wey him wan marry?" The discussion over both men, got me and Nancy arguing about my actions.  It was an argument in which I thought Nancy would shed some light on the kind of person Ola was.

But in the three hours we sat talking, she never at any point mentioned anything I could use as information to know who Ola really was. At this point I came to a sudden conclusion. That if I didn't get to know him myself, none of his friends would ever tell me anything; not even Anita and Funke.

The two campus girls, as Nancy called them, were always together. When you see Anita, Funke is not far away from her. And if you went looking for Anita, you just needed to ask Funke.

Their close-knit friendship, gave me the impression, they might have some kind of information I could use. That is, until my parents decided to take me to see Ola's family.

I met them by accident at the campus caffetteria. I had just finished lectures, and waiting for Nancy, I decided to go there. The moment I entered and caught sight of them, I quickly went over to sit with them. I greeted them and sat down smiling. They stared suspiciously at me.
"Na wao dis one wey ona dey look me like dis, e good so?" I asked them
"Mschew." Anita fumed, looking away when she did that. Funke bent over towards me. It felt like a repeat of what Lanre did.
"Na wao, Tola. So na Chanel you take dey collect all de fine, fine boys?" Funke peered into my eyes when she said that.
"Ah, wait o Funke. I no collect anybody from anybody o." I quickly replied
"You no see as Ola life be now? He know no himself again o abi, Anita?" Funke asked Anita.
"He  jam smooth criminal." Was Anita's reply.
"Wait o ladies, let me make it clear... "
"Abeg wetin you wan clarify?" Anita asked interrupting me.
"Shebi you know no wetin you do am?" asked Funke, with seriousness.

My eyes widened in shock when she asked me that question. But equally shocking was hearing what both of them were saying about Ola. That he wasn't with his senses anymore, was quite hard to believe. But I took their words seriously.