Against The Tide

Chapter 5

The atmosphere is clear these days with the air so cold that the nose and the
eyes moist easily especially in the morning due to the harmattan season. It had
stopped raining since late October, the skin dry easily and the lips are easily sore.
The Christmas jingles are songs often played on radio and in streets, commercials of
Father Christmas and Carol has been on since late November. It’s generally a happy
season, December had always been a season of joy, though it is popular because of
the celebration of the birth of Christ by the Christians still it is a season when
everyone come home and bond together irrespective of their religion. It’s the time
of the year, when schools, public and private business companies celebrate end of
the year and exchange gifts to encourage one another. Because the New Year
festival is a week after Christmas it made the whole week from Christmas to New
Year a festive period and luckily for the student, most school are always on break
including the universities at times. It’s ten days to Christmas, the students in Adams
family are home for the first term break and having done so well in school they are
free from studying for most of the holiday period as usual but this particular holiday,
it seems the baby of the house, Peju is only one eager to play all winter. Sarah on the
other hand has her final exams to prepare for and she is much mature to realised it
was going to be the first Christmas they were going to celebrate without their
beloved daddy. Their mother dreads the holiday the most. It was almost certain for
her that she will be miserable, with the loneliness already glaring at her.
Sade Adams walked around the site of installation of the newly purchase
inverter by McDavis Engineering Firm in Ikoyi Lagos. She and her team have made
the journey to Lagos that morning, though her part was in getting client and
negotiation as a marketer and client relations personnel, still she and Ebere had to
join the installation team to Ikoyi to make sure everything went well. It was a deal
they had been working on since October alongside with some other projects. At the
beginning it had seem impossible to break through the stiff competition among the
numerous companies providing same services in Lagos but the final trick was done
in late November when their Managing Director had asked Sade and Ebere to give a further discount of 5% and that has done the trick and thus the reason they are here.
They had been at work since 12:00 noon. They had left Ibadan since 8’O clock in the
morning and got to Lagos around 10:00 however due to traffic they got to McDavis
by 11:30am. Sade had told Sarah to take care of her sister in case she returns home
later than anticipated.
As they move on inspecting, Ebere suggest they take a quick break to grab a
cup of tea and snack, so they head towards the cafeteria where Sade ordered
sausage roll and ice cream since it was 2pm already, too late for tea, however Ebere
still had tea and meat pie. The two women took an empty table for three and settled
down to enjoy their meal. While they eat they discuss the project at hand, the deal
itself and then move on to talk about their plans for the holiday even the firm is
closing on the 23rd December to resume on the 3rd of January.
It was the first Christmas they will be celebrating without Tayo and Sade is
secretly dreading it. But she has to put the kids into consideration on her own she
would have preferred to continue working to keep her mind off Tayo but she is a
mother and has responsibility towards her daughters. So she has decided to work
till 24th of December. It was Sade’s way of escaping to another world. Even the
Christmas they would be spending in Ibadan was so the kids could see their
paternal grandparents. What Sade really wanted was to go far away from Ibadan,
from anywhere that spring up memories that are still so painful. It’s a great relief that
Tayo had good insurance before he died and her salary too is an added advantage
to enable them go for vacation. They are travelling to Port-Harcourt to visit their
uncle, Tayo’s immediate elder brother. And luckily for the kids, they get to play with
their cousins. Sade could only pray it all workout as planned. But first, they have to
get through the Christmas. Sade’s dad, the only surviving grandpa left for the kid
already demanded the kids be brought to his house on the Boxing Day. So Sade had
decided to endure till the 26th and leave for vacation the next day.
She is dealing with her grief as best as she know how to, still there are some
mornings she wish not to wake but to sleep on to oblivion. By now, many would have
expected her to have gotten a little over the death of her husband, Tayo, it’s been
three months now and it is still unbearably hard, Tayo was a wonderful man and arare gem. She had enjoyed almost everything about their marriage even the
occasional slight quarrel. At least now she has started improving a little, she dresses
well now and in the midst of her colleague at work she managed to laugh at jokes,
on their way to Lagos this morning she had made attempt at humour. Her cooking
has improved too. She had pounded yam for the kids last Saturday when Sarah
returned home. The two girls have done exceptionally well at school again in spite
of what they are going through. Especially Sarah, at a point she had been worried
Sarah may have problem but it turn out the young girl had done like her mother and
divert her full concentration to her study. This made Sade really happy that she
cooked vegetable soup with egusi for them with pounded-yam and later that night
she had showed her gratitude to God when they prayed.
In the midst of all these good fortune, the only lapses remain with the girls
going through teenage years and being recalcitrant in taking instruction. Ever since
Sarah came back from school, she complained about almost everything; the church
is boring, the neighbours are bunch of gossip, Peju is disrespectful. The list went on
and on. All she does is clean the house which is her hobby and sit with her mobile
phone all day. Her father had bought her a black berry phone for her fifteenth
birthday but she was not allowed to take it to school since it is prohibited. Now that
she is home she spends the day chatting, browsing and calling. At first Sade was
concern she was talking to a boy but many times she heard her mention ‘Fikayo’ or
‘Lara’ she knew the two girls to be her best friends however there are time she
receives strange phone calls that she stood up to go outside or to her room to pick
such calls. Of all things Sade was going through she wasn’t ready yet to discuss
dating or sex education with her older daughter so she had pretended not to notice.
“Sade, do you even hear what I was saying?” Ebere interrupted her thought. They
had been talking on the present economy of the country before her mind wander
off.
“Sorry dear, I got a little distracted” Sade apologised with a smile. By then they had
finished their brunch, they walked back to where the engineers were still doing the
installation.“Are you okay dear?” Ebere asked concerned about her friend. Looking at her she
wore a black fitted shirt with ash coloured slacks and a black heel, her hair was
fixed neatly in parting style, her makeup was properly done and very subtle making
her look gorgeous. To other people who don’t know her well enough, she is a
beautiful woman without a single worry, but Ebere knew her better and saw the
distant look she had worn few minutes ago as a testimony to it.
“Are you okay, Sade?” she asked again
“I really am” Sade tried lying to her but under the scrutiny of her eyes she decide
otherwise. Ebere is more like a friend to her than a colleague.
“The holiday is just getting to me, that’s all”
“Yeah….it is expected” Ebere paused and held Sade’s hand as they move around
inspecting the work progress.
“It’s going to be the first Christmas without him you know” Sade continued and
Ebere didn’t interrupt, she knew who the ‘him’ was. “I just don’t know what to do.
People are already calling asking if they could come for a visit, if the kids want to
come over, if she would be okay…you know!” she threw up her hand in
exasperation. She was trying hard not to cry so she turned away so the others
working will not see her while Ebere took charge of the situation and told the
technical crew they were going for a walk around the company. She held Sade’s
hand again and led her away to a lonely path which could allow them a little privacy.
Sarah continued talking, she felt totally choked and need to release some of the
emotion she’s been holding back.
“What I want is a lone time to mourn my husband. Places where my children can
play and have no one remind them of their pain” she sneezed into her hankie “you
understand me don’t you?” Sade asked, her friend just nodded and hug her till she
was calm again and they both went to sit at corner.
“Thank you Ebere” she smiled at her friend, she was a good listener, others would
have rubbed salt on her injury by lecturing her on gratitude when sometimes you
only need a listening ear. Even now that she’s thanking Ebere, she only smiled in
acknowledgement.“So how is our Miss adult?” Ebere asked changing the topic and Sade felt grateful
for the digression.
“Oh! That one, she is there acting her age” Sade answered with a smiling thinking of
her older daughter
“Sade, you should take time to be her friend and have her confidence so she can talk
to you” Ebere advised “at that age teenagers want to try everything and with our
today’s world of internet and mobile phones, sweetheart, you have work to do”
“Yeah-yeah you are right. She receive some calls this days and I can’t quiet place a
finger on the callers but dearie, even though I know I should talk to her, I don’t have
the strength nor the will to do it, at least not now.
“I know, but now may be the time she needs it most. We are lucky Sarah is a good
girl, from what I know of her, reading and studying is her passion. So she might not
be so into boys however we don’t want to take chance in case she meets someone
special.” She reasoned with Sade “then she may do something we won’t be proud of
out of ignorance.”
“What do you suggest I do” Sade asked
“For the moment if you don’t mind” Ebere looked at her pointedly “let me come
over and visit then I will find a way and talk to her. When you have gained your
strength back you can continue. But you are the mother, it’s your decision.”
“That would be so great, thank you my friend” Sade hugged Ebere “I don’t know
what I would have done without you?” she looked at her friend with grateful eyes.
“I will come over when you return from Port Harcourt before she returns to school,
just give me a call” Sade could only nod in answer she was too emotional to utter a
word without crying.
****************************************************
Christmas at the Durojaiyes’ was a festival. The atmosphere at home was
better than any other time of the year. Everyone was home, free of their engagements. The children were on holiday; Jed and Tabby came home a week ago
while Nick had arrived two days ago. Their mother was also on holiday been a
teacher, likewise Morakinyo had taken his annual leave in order to join the union. It
was a full house for the Durojaiyes’
Kikelomo had gone with Tabitha to the market the previous day and they had bought
all sought of things from rice to chicken and all sort of spices. They had bought fresh
fish and fried rice ingredient at the urging of Tabitha. Her excuse had been that she
wanted to learn how to cook different dishes since she was a boarding house
student, it’s the little time she spends at home that she could learn to cook. Her
mother had indulged her because it was festive period, for she knew behind the
beautiful reason she gave, she was also craving for sumptuous meals because of the
yuletide period.
Now on morning of Christmas, it was only Tabby and her dad that could go for
service in church, Kikelomo and the boys were too busy helping their mother with
the cooking. Akin had bought a small goat with chicken so there can be enough
meat purposely because his colleague at the firm were coming over to celebrate
Christmas with them and apart from this they usually have a lot of visitor during
festive period. This has kept Nick and Jed very busy till noon. They had killed the
chicken and the goat together, cut, wash and give to their mum who did the cooking
except that Nick had offered to make ‘Asun’ (barbecue) for them while Jed laughed
as he kept his brother’s company while he made his ‘Asun’.
The service in church was brief but by the time Akin and Tabby got home, the
kitchen was already filled with aroma of different meals. Immediately their dad saw
the ‘Asun’ Nick made he opted for it as everyone laughed. He later praised him that
he prepared it well, he had roasted the goat meat in a well seasoned stew and he
had garnished it with spices and onion which gave it the final irresistible aroma.
Since the visitor were yet to come, the family just sat in the living room
watching a home video while chatting along, talking about the members of the
church and the neighbours. Later on, their mum, Kikelomo told them, tales of the act
of teachers in her school, everyone took their turn sharing things and happening in
their school and their work. While they are at this, Kikelomo called her daughter Tabby to join her in serving as they served the prepared fried rice with chicken in
the sitting room.
When it was 2’O clock the first guest from Morakinyo’s firm arrived. While the
adults exchange pleasantries among themselves, the kids excused themselves after
greetings and went to the second sitting room to continue their gist. It was a rare
thing among three siblings but the three of them are very close. Tabby had brought
in some apples and bananas with her and she was biting into one of the apples when
Nick decides to tease on her.
“When did this habit begin, Tabby?” he asked
“What?”Tabby replied looking confused
“Eating fruits after each meal, I have been watching you since I came back. You
have been doing so religiously, it’s like you are forcing it into your pattern” he
grinned at his sister “are you working your way into a guy’s heart? Is that what this is
all about?” he raised his eye brow.
“Nicholas that is not funny!” she fumed at her older brother from her sit. Jed and
Nick just laughed knowing she call the full name whenever she is furious.
“C’mon, we are your brothers, you can always talk to us” Jed added still laughing
“Leave me alone o, I’ll tell daddy about this” she threatened
“Really, so you feel more at ease telling dad about your crush than your brothers?”
Nick asked in mockery, Jed just explode in another round of laughter.
“Nick you are a monster!” Tabby shrieked and throws one banana at him, he caught
it in one grasp, peeled it and starts to eat it.
“Little sis, why are you recently so particular about fruit?” Nick asked
“Since you are supposed to be a lawyer in the making, you probably don’t know
fruit is important source of vitamins. Do you?”
“Enlighten me my sister” Nick teased on“Well well well…” Tabby then saw that Jed all the while had enjoyed the scenario
then she decides to turn the table on him “I was informed by a reliable source, that
an intelligent, beautiful lady who is planning to gain admission into medical school
next year is Jed’s girlfriend” She smiled wickedly at Jed while Nick burst out
laughing.
“Tabby it’s not funny and you know it” Jed frowned at her
“Loosen up bro, the last time I checked she was very pretty” Nick added
“Tabby if I get you!” Jed threatened.
“C’mon dear brother” Tabby winked at Jed “Aren’t you going to call her for
Christmas?” Tabby asked so innocent it may be hard to know she was only teasing.
“You are a spoilt brat, that’s what you are!” Jed replied throwing a sofa’s pillow at
her
“Seriously, let’s call her, I would like to greet her too, and assure her she’s welcome
anytime to visit” Nick chipped in
“Oh! Shut up, thank God she stays right there in IB” Jed rolled his eyes
“Did he just roll his eyes?” Tabby got up to where Nick sat and perched on the hand
of the single sofa he sat on. “You don’t think Jed is growing soft already” she asked
in conspiracy pretending Jed couldn’t hear them
“Now that I look at it closely, I think he is.” Nick laughed thinking Tabby could be a
pain in the neck when she wants to.
“Oh will you two quit this display, acting like am not around.” Jed said rolling his
eyes again.
“Oh! O oh! He did it again Nick!” Tabby cried “he has grown soft, what does that
say?” she asked her older brother
“That he is totally smitten by her” Nick said and this time Jed had to laugh, feeling
his brother and Tabby are been ridiculous“I do have an idea though….”Tabby said and quickly grabbed Jed’s phone from the
centre table where he place it, threw it at Nick who caught it neatly and said “Nick
keep it well, I have Sarah’s number, let me go get it” and she dashed off to her room
to check her phonebook. “Now I know why I miss holidays when everyone is at
home” Nick said, smiling.
“You both are jobless but wait, if Tabby is acting childish, are you not a university
student? Should you not act like an adult?” Jed mocked Nick but the later was
enjoying himself so much that he couldn’t feel offended by Jed’s insult. At that
moment Tabby came back in, grinning from ear to ear.
“I’ve got her number Nick!” she said triumphantly
“Oh! Good, let’s call her.” Nick responded.
Jed made to catch her but failed, so she gave up giving the book to Nick and
call out the number to Nick who dialled the number quickly. The phone rang the first
time there was no response but on the second ring, Sarah came on the line, saying
“Hello”. Nick had put it on speaker for them, immediately Tabby heard her voice
she moved away from Jed, he had been holding her down in punishment but when
he heard Sarah’s voice, he released her and watch while the conversation go on.
“Hi, it’s Tabitha, senior Sarah”
“Wow! How nice of you to call” Sarah replied they could hear the smile from her
voice. “Thanks dear. How is everyone at home, mum, dad, your brothers?”
“They are all very fine. How are you? Merry Christmas” Tabby greeted
“Thanks love”.
The two girls conversed for another two minutes while Nick and Jed just
listened each lost in his own thought. Jed wondered how Christmas was at Sarah’s
end. It was the first one they would be celebrating without her dad. They had talked
about it before they left school and though he had given her two novels she could
read to keep her mind off reality. Naturally for him, it is what he does when he wants
to run from reality, all he does is to pick up a novel and get lost in the story
forgetting his own worry. Nick, on the other hand, thought her to be one of the control freak girls with the way she sounded on phone. She was acting too mature
for her age which he didn’t find very appealing. Just then she asked to speak to Jed
and Tabby handed the phone to him, giving him a thumb up.
“How are you Sarah?” he asked in a soft voice which made the other two siblings to
burst out laughing while he switch the phone from speaker to handset mode before
Sarah could hear them. They talked for another few minutes asking after her general
wellbeing, and then just before the call ended she asked to speak to Nick and the
call ended.
“Oh! She’s not my girlfriend” Nick said mimicking Jed while Tabby laughed out
saying “I told you so”. Before they could continue to torture Jed, their mum came in
to call them for prayers, their pastor had dropped by to greet them and he was
about leaving.
****************************************************
Right on the deck of the ferry conveying the Adams’ back to Port Harcourt
after spending the new year on the Bonny island, the two girls looked back at the
Island where they had had fun and managed to let go of their grief. The vacation,
though short was a soothing healing they all desperately needed. Even the little Peju
felt the absence of her father the more as they wished one another ‘happy new year’.
Their third uncle who worked in Shell on the island had insisted they come over to
the island for a break. Although Sade had her doubt at first but she did agree now
that it had done them good.
They arrived right on the 27th after the awful Christmas. It had started great at
first, they had managed to have their morning devotion with each of them taking
turns to thank God, then they had decided to stay home and not go for service.
However at the dining table when they tried having breakfast that was when Peju
burst into tears. She cried so much that when their mother tried consoling her, and
she asked for her father, the other two joined in the weeping. The day went on
gloomy for them until later when Sarah received call from a school friend who Peju happens to know and reported to their mum as her sister’s boy friend. Ideally Sade
would have been concerned but it did lighten everyone’s mood as Peju teased on
while Sarah denied having a boyfriend and chased her sister around the house.
Their visit to grandpa’s house hadn’t help matter at all. The kids were bored
and Sade was uncomfortable with everyone giving her a kind smile and a knowing
look. She knew they were all trying to help her, still she felt anything but better. She
would have been glad if they would just remember her in prayers instead. Worse
still some of Tayo’s second and third cousin had come too, and instead of distracting
her with happenings and stunts of children like they normally do, they had talked
about her husband all through, his good memories till they wore her out and she
took her kids and left at the point she was about giving in to the flood of tears
brimming at her eyes.
After the previous torture at home it was a relief to walk on the beach in the
island, visit the national museum and sight see at the Nature Park. Bonny Island is
about 48KM from Port Harcourt city, they had travelled by air as a special treat to
make up for the awful Christmas, after which they had taken ferry down to the Bonny
Island –Fininma. They were there in time for the beach carnival. Immediately they
set their feet on the island, their mood changed for better. Their uncle had met them
at the port upon their arrival. They had a quiet dinner with him and went to bed
early.
However, from the second day of their arrival at the island, the children went
to the national museum with their uncle, while Sade said she preferred to walk on
the beach but she promised to go with them to the nature park the following day. At
the Park they saw different unique types of animal like Hippopotamus and Sea
Turtle. Then in the evening time, the two girls would go out and ride bicycle with a
neighbour’s teenage son who obviously had a crush on Sarah. It was obvious to the
two neighbours, though Sarah seems not interested but it was evident she enjoyed
chatting with him and riding bicycle with him. He had been their guide for most of
the days they spent on the Island. At first their mum had wanted to talk to Sarah
about dating and advice her but she was too lost in thought, her only hope is that
Ebere will do justice to it when they get back home. She had called her alreadyinforming her they would be arriving today so she had promised to visit the next
day.
Now as they left for home, Sade just wished the happiness and laughter they
had on the Island would stay with them. She looked at her younger daughter in a
cream gown, knee length with her hair braided and packed into two ponytails at the
nape of her head. She had made their mood lighter on the trip. She had teased her
sister consistently about the boy on the island and when the other guy in school had
called again, Peju had been merciless at teasing Sarah, even she had felt sorry for
her older daughter. But in all they had had a wonderful holiday in spite of
everything. School starts next week and she resumes from her leave at the office that
same week. They have this weekend to tidy up things and it’s still a long journey
home since they are returning to Ibadan by road unlike when they came in via air.
*******************************************
The next day which fell on a Saturday, true to her word, Ebere came to pay
the Adams’ a visit and drove into their compound in her green SUV. She came in
around 12 noon just as they finished with the cleaning of the house and the
surrounding. Sade was relieved to see her come in, she had worn blue jeans and a
pink sweat shirt and had styled her hair in Anita-baker low cut, making her look
younger and different with the new hair style, Sade had commented on her friend’s
new look and teased her about other new year resolution they should be expecting
from her. Sade on the other hand was wearing an old pair of black jeans with a black
tan-top. She still wears widow black when she’s home but she was careful of what
she wear so it won’t be too pronounced and therefore upset the kids. Luckily for
both women they look good and have great figure which they further enhance by
working out at the Gym to burn unnecessary calories in the body so clothes fit them
to perfection.
After the normal pleasantries, the kids went into their rooms doing their own
biddings while the adults stayed in the living room to chat. They talked about the
holiday, the vacation and trips. Ebere had also travelled to Lagos with her husband.
On closer inspection of her friend, Ebere saw that the trip had done her good; she
was looking brighter than she had before the trip and she even smiled often now. Although she still wore the customary black as a sign of deep respect for her
husband, she looks pretty and her dread-lock hair added more personality to her
such that someone who doesn’t know her as a widow may see her as making a
fashion statement. Their discussion went on and on till they finally came to the
purpose of the visit.
“Look, you have work on your hand. She has two boys already calling her on her
mobile, at least two of them that I know of.” Sade said in answer to what Ebere had
asked about Sarah. “I believe one is in the same school with them while the other
live on the Island.”
“How was her behaviour while on the Island? Did you notice anything unbecoming
of her?” Ebere asked further
“Not really. She kept to herself most time unless Peju was there, that’s when we gist
together. At other times she was with Timothy, the boy she met on the Island.”
“I know this maybe hard but do you suspect any intimacy between the two? You
know our generation is different now, strange things happen and we better not
pretend and play coy, what we need is to address the matter to avoid any unpleasant
happenings. How old is this boy we are talking about?” Ebere asked looking at her
friend with compassion. It’s always easier dealing with teenagers other than your
own.
“I didn’t notice any intimacy she was always home early enough to help with the
dinner. And they often went out sightseeing in the company of her little sister. But
emotionally, I think she is drawn to him.”
“Very good, I’ll find out more from her. How old do you think the boy is?”
“Seventeen-eighteen, I think.”
“That’s not so bad at least it is not an adult taking undue advantage of her.” She
paused to think and continued “How about you and Peju go and get snacks and ice
cream for us so we can have the“Sounds good to me.”Sade replied and called out to the two girls, told Peju to go
and get dressed while Sarah should keep the company of Ebere while they are out
to get things for them all.
Sarah in her polka dot pinafore sat on the sofa with Ebere and together they
watched ‘say yes to the dress’ on TLC while they chatted on idle things and argued
on the choice of the dress the bride-to be chose, on the program. They had been
laughing so much that they were both at ease with each other. Sarah complained
about the look of one of the fiancé that had accompanied the bride to choose the
dress and Ebere seized the opportunity to start the conversation, praying that she
would be able to get through to her.
“I don’t see anything wrong with him. What do you see?”
“Aunty Ebere, can’t you see” she exclaimed looking more like the teenager she is.
“The guy is too dry jor, he only like grim-looking dress. Only God knows what
attracted them in the first place.” Ebere just laughed as she listened to the young
girl remembering her own childhood.
“So which guy would you say suits her better?”Ebere asked raising any eye brow.
“A well refined guy with a better sense of dressing”
“So personally if you would choose a spouse when you are much older, you would
consider his dressing?”
“Definitely auntie!”
“Oh dear, you sure know what you want” it was turning to be more humorous for
Ebere as she kept laughing at what the teenage girl was saying.
“I did like him to wear a long sleeve sweat shirt on jeans with a nice foot wear, and if
he’s on cooperate, he should wear shoe…..” she went on describing how she want
her man to dress. Sarah was very comfortable with Ebere, she liked her so much
because she treat her more like an adult than a small girl and she always seem so
interested in her opinion and view on things.
“So are you into anyone of recent” Ebere decide to try a direct approach house to ourselves to talk freely?”“No, ma” Sarah replied instantly feeling shy and embarrassed at the same time.
“Oh c’mon, you were prettier than I was when I was in high school and I had toasters
on a weekly basis” Ebere said it so amusingly that Sarah had to laugh in spite of
herself. “Please gist me, dear. Or are the boys now all focused on books?”
“No auntie, they are as stupid as ever. There are some of them who made advances
but I made them understood I wasn’t interested.”
“Better, I was afraid for you. It is part of the excitement of being young. They are the
things you look back at and you start to laugh till your ribs begin to ache. For
instance I still remember a scenario when I was in senior class and a boy came to
ask me to be his girl friend” she laughed at the thought “ it was so funny dear, I
practically told the boy to spell out the word girlfriend first, when he couldn’t, either
because he didn’t know or due to tension. I then told him to take a look at himself”
she demonstrated “at your age, you can only think of a girl instead of your book,
blah blah blah. Like that o” Sarah laughed with her too.
“Was the boy able to greet you afterward?” Sarah asked
“No, not until our final year in school” Ebere answered with a smile
“In my own case, they are few that did approach me” she volunteered “my friends
said most boys are afraid of me. I don’t care, in fact I like it that way, they are so
stupid sometimes” she paused “except for very few of them”
“Seems you have one of them as friend, to make that exception” Ebere said
intelligently.
“He is decent and we are kind of alike. He’s not into girls, am not into boys. The
friendship suit us well”
“That sounds good…however when I was your age I could say there was someone I
really did like in college”
“I just like to study and discuss something more intelligent not just idle chatters. I
haven’t found anyone till…” she cut herself off.“Please continue Sarah, am to guide you not to judge you or accuse you. We all were
once young” Sarah looked at her saw she meant what she said so she continued
“I met Timothy on the island and I think he’s nice but he’s not my boyfriend, he only
calls once in a while”
“Do you think there is a future for you after college?”
“I really don’t know. Truthfully the day we were leaving the island he asked me to
think about us. Since then he hasn’t mentioned it again, he just calls and we chat
normally but auntie…” she hesitated
“Ask me, please”
“I was wondering if you could help a friend of mine. I believe if she talks to you, she
will change or something”
“What is going on with her?” Ebere asked sensing trouble
“She’s is in a relationship with a twenty-five year old guy and he is making her use
pills with the excuse that they might not always be in control of themselves…” she
looked down feeling embarrassed at what she was telling Ebere.
“Am glad you know, your friend is on the wrong path” Ebere smiled to reassure
Sarah that she had done well to inform her. “I believe you have talked to her about it
and she is not listening” Sarah nodded “there is little we can do if she is already
sleeping with him because sex is addictive. Illicit sex is a strain on relationship
contrary to the general notion that it keeps partner together. That happens only with
married couples, in fact when the relationship is unwholesome that is when you see
ladies break down and feel used when the guy breaks up with them. However in
your friend’s case, if she is yet to sleep with him we can convince her. Why don’t
you both come over to my place tomorrow after church?”
“Thanks auntie” said Sarah and brightens up “but I will be going back to school
tomorrow, though my friend is a day student”
“I will tell your mom to take you on Monday instead. But Sarah, please call me if you
need any advice, we’ll just turn it to gist, you do have my number don’t you?” “Yes I do”
“I’m always here for you.” The young teenager nodded. Just then the horn to their
mother’s car sounded from the gate. “Oh Sade is back!” Ebere announced.
“I’ll go help them with the things they are carrying” Sarah said and went out.