Waiting for a new dawn #ProjectNigeria

Chapter 19

If there was one person Barbara loved, it was Folakemi. She was actually getting to like and trust her better than her best friend, Lilian. She was missing home, including her father, but she just wanted to get away from her past. Thankfully, Folakemi was here to make her laugh when she was down.

"Barbara, please I want to go to mama put," Folakemi said as she entered the living room.

"You know I don't want you going out alone," Barbara said sternly as she tidied up the room.

"That's why I need you to follow," Folakemi said as she took out her savings under the rug.

"I just want to sleep," Barbara said feigning a yawn.
"Where did you get that money?" Barbara asked with a frown.

"I used to save the little money I had with me," Folakemi explained.

"Oh."

"So are you going?"

"No," Barbara answered.

"Pay me back the money I used to buy the akara," Folakemi said with a frown as she crossed her arms across her chest.

"What! You're not a good person," Barbara said with a light chuckle.

***

"Ire, how have you been?" Iya Bose asked as she shook her breast in Ire's face.

"Please, just serve my food," Ire said irritably.

"Don't say you don't like what you see," the woman said as she pinched Ire's cheeks.

"Aren't you too old for this child's play," Ire said as he stood up.

"It's not your fault. How will you marry when you send all the girls away," the woman said with a hiss.

Why can't he get the peace he wants, ever since the fight with Chinedu and Tobi, he hasn't been himself. Just then, he heard the last person's voice he wanted to hear.

"Folakemi, you know I don't like eating at local places," Barbara said as they entered the small shop. "At least, this one is clean."

"Ah! Oyinbo wa," the owner said with a smile.

"Do I know her?" Barbara asked Folakemi in a whisper.

"No, you're just very popular in this city," Folakemi answered.

As the woman got to them, she asked with a smile," what do you want to eat? You can have anything you want."

"Iyan and egusi," Folakemi said as she saw Ire.

"Ire!" Folakemi called out as she went to meet him.

With a groan, Ire looked up to see Abike's closest company.
"Folakemi, how have you been?"

"I'm good. I came along with a friend," Folakemi said as she pointed at Barbara. "Barbara, come here," she said with a sly grin.

As soon as Barbara got to look at Ire, she looked at Folakemi with a frown on her face.

"Can I help you?" Ire asked with a scoff.

"I can see the both of you're getting along very well," Folakemi said with a laugh. "I'll be back."

"Are you not going to tell me to sit?" Barbara asked.

"I didn't bring you here, so," Ire said with a snort.

"Uh!" Barbara said as she took her seat with a huff.

Looking at Ire surreptitiously, she smiled at the fact that he didn't look at her the way others did.