Against The Tide

Chapter 6

Along the walk-way, Nick was chatting with one of his colleague from the
same department as they stroll to grab something to eat. They had just finished a
lecture; it was an early lecture which started around seven in the morning. The
lecturer had earlier warned that he shuts the door after he enters the lecture room
and true to his words he came in 7:10, though he had been in the premises before
7am but he gave the student a grace period of 10 minutes, after which he did close
the door and took the attendance. It had been almost a miracle for Nick to meet the
class because he woke up late despite the alert from his alarm clock, but eventually
he managed to enter the class 7:05. If the grace of 10 minutes had not been added,
he would have missed the lecture, he would have felt awful for most of the days
because he finds it easier reading after been taught or if it’s something he had read
ahead of the class, it gives him better understanding when the lecturer explains.
Now in dire need of something to eat, he walk down the walk-way with Jide, a
colleague of his, to buy snack and drink. That’s the only thing they could afford to
eat before the start of the next lecture which is scheduled for 11am. The two men
stopped at a shop where Nick ordered for Coke and scorch-egg while his partner
ordered sausage-roll and Farouz They were eating when a third guy, Williams, from
their department came to join them and they began to gist as they eat.
“Man, that man is too tough, I never eat before coming to class today still na so so
standing for outside I dey, till the end of the class.” Williams lamented
“Bros no be you alone o” Nick responded
“I tire too. Na luck wey carry me and Nick enter sef” Jide added giving Nick a pat on
the back.
“What time did you get to class then?” Williams enquire of Jide
“I got to class 6:45” Jide replied“Really!” Nick gave a surprised look as he burst out laughing while William share
his humour “that the same time Bimpe left my bed for her room”
“You! You are a confirm bad boy anytime any day” William said still laughing. This
time even Jide had to laugh too.
“Guy, you too bad!” Jide said with a grin “only God knows how you manage all that
and still make 7’o clock lecture. Eh? This boy” he said as he wage a finger at Nick.
“Haba now…. guys, I gentle” Nick feign innocence
“Abeeg no bring that look come here, Bimpe no dey here” Williams chided.
“Okay, so this Bimpe, Is she the real thing, right? Your heartthrob?” Jide asked
“Ahhaahahhaahaha…… you guys should seriously stop. She’s special and we are
good together but that’s that o, abeeg. I no dey for attachment at year one” Nick
chided
“But you are almost in 200 level, we are in second semester already” Jide mocked
while Williams just laughed.
“Hey guys, look, here comes clean chicks. Look anticlockwise in 3’o clock
direction.” Williams said looking intently in the direction he described for his
friends
“Williams, you are a sure guy. Kai! Ekun omo o telu!” Jide remarked and watch the
two girls as they make their way towards where they stood, they were young, shy
and attractive; they had sweet innocence hovering around them.
“Wait a minute!” Nick said with a frown staring at the girls as they came closer to
where they stood. “I know one of the girls, really. Now that I see her closely, I know
she is the one. Excuse me boys.” With that he moved toward the girls while his
friends murmur something about him being a bad boy but they managed to keep a
straight face.
Sarah and Fikayo had taken permission from their housemaster to visit
university of Ilorin to check out the school. They had asked their parent to talk to the
school authority for them. Both girls want to attend Unilorin because of what they have heard about their immunity to all forms of strike both internal and external
body associations. The authority had thought it wise and had commended the girls
on their thoughtfulness to go to the University of their choice; check it out before
filling them on their JAMB registration. So Sarah and Fikayo had decided to come on
a Monday because the principal had called someone at the University to meet with
them and show them around. They left the hostel by 6:30am for the park and they
got to the main campus 10 o’clock on the dot. They still had time before their 11
o’clock appointment with the person they were told to meet with. So the two
teenagers decide to wander around the campus pending the scheduled time.
While they walked to check the famous walkway they have heard so much
gist about, as directed, they came across three guys that seem to be staring. All of
sudden one of them was approaching them. Sarah groan inside, wishing they could
be left alone not pestered. It’s Monday morning, for Christ sake!’ she thought to
herself while fuming preparing for a rude comment as the guy approached them.
Nick walked towards the girls and stopped in his track only when he stood three
feet from Sarah. She looked more mature than the first time he had seen her,
probably because then she was on hostel-uniform and now she is on casual-wear;
she wore a short-blue jean skirt and a sleeveless ash colour turtle-neck top. She was
looking beautiful with alluring innocence radiating in her shyness in spite of the
bravery facade she put on. She didn’t recognise him, he suspected as he looked at
her, observing she had weaved her hair stylishly in all back. Then she wore a big
dangling earring which Nick knew is not acceptable in secondary school, she had
worn it probably to feel among, Nick smiled. Even the girl with her had worn a large
oval shaped earring and she also wore a jeans skirt but unlike Sarah, she had on a
black T-shirt with an inscription of ‘I’m a Diva’. They both look cute as Williams had
earlier declared.
“Pardon me miss, I believe you are Sarah right?” Nick asked with a lazy smile. This
statement set Sarah off balance as she looked for what to say. If he had said she
looked like someone he knew, she would have laughed right out and tell him ‘of
course, only in your dreams’. Now she could only looked at him and see if there is any sense of familiarity that can trigger her memory but she felt his face looked
familiar but she still couldn’t identify it with a name, quite unlike her.
“Hi! Yes, am Sarah but I can’t place your face?” she replied and made attempt to
smile to cover up her clumsiness.
“I’m Nicholas Durojaiye, Jedidiah and Tabitha’s brother.”
“Oh! Am so sorry” she managed to say, feeling totally embarrassed because she
had met him not too long ago when he came to see his siblings. She wasn’t really
looking at him that day but notwithstanding she berated herself inwardly for
forgetting the face, she felt like a dummy. “I should have recognised you, am really
sorry”
“Hey! Don’t be so hard on yourself, it’s okay” Nick said, amused to see how
embarrassed she was.
“But you were in our school though, once upon a time.” She smiled “then you came
visiting, we chatted and I spoke to you on phone during the holiday…”she paused
“okay, am rambling. What I wanted to say is am sorry and I won’t forget your face
again”
“Then we are good, as long as you keep to your promise” Nick winked at her, then
turn to Fikayo “how do you do miss?” his playboy tone has become part of him now.
“Hello, senior Nick, how are you?” Fikayo greeted feeling happy that they met at
least someone they know “we are so sorry. I didn’t recognise you either, you have
really changed. I mean in a good way o” she smiled, looking him from the
Timberland footwear, to the pencil jeans and to the fitted stripped shirt he wore with
it, he was really looking like the dashing prince charming with the decent low cut
hair, making him look responsible and attractive .
“Oh please! Don’t flatter me jor.” he grinned at Fikayo “and please, just call me
Nick, will you?” looking from her to Sarah.
“Nick, it is then” Sarah answered for Fikayo feeling all grown up.“As much as I would love to stay and chat with you, I do have a lecture starting soon
and I should be heading back to class. But what brings you girls all the way to Ilorin
and is there someone you want to see?” Nick asked
“Mr Ariyo, a lecturer in the civil engineering department” Fikayo answered
immediately, he wanted Nick to direct them before he leaves.
“Okay, let me see you ladies to where you can find him…”he glanced to where
Williams and Jide had been only to discover that they had left for lecture room
already, leaving him with the chicks. He could only imagine what was running
through their minds. He continued “let’s go while you fill me in on the purpose of
your visit” he gave them his charming smile while he prayed in his heart not to miss
the lecture.
“Oh thanks…” Sarah began to say then asked with concern in her eyes “are you
sure? What about your lecture?”
“No it won’t affect” he lied
“He said it won’t” Fikayo chipped in when she saw that Sarah was hesitant “we’ll
walk fast”
“Then, shall we?” Nick urged with his gentleman’s smile as they turned towards the
faculty of Engineering.
**********************************************************
Sarah kept on thinking and pondering over what she has seen, it had been
worthwhile checking the school before applying. The University was larger than the
description she had heard with the students everywhere with name tag hanging
down their neck. There was the younger generation who wore jeans, skirt and all
funny stuff that seem to being vogue. Also there were older men and women,
probably the lectures or the post-graduate students. They had taken a full tour of the
main campus with the help of Nick at first who directed them to Mr Ariyo’s office
who finally gave them the proper guide and assigned one of his students to take
them to the mini campus where the medical school is. They had finally gone over to their medical college and teaching hospital since she was applying for medicine.
She turns on her bed, secretly grinning at her thought. She knew in her heart of
heart she will be attending University of Ilorin, she doesn’t know how but she felt
connected with the school during the visit. ‘All you have to do is study hard and pass
both UTME and post-UTME’ she told herself. She had filled her JAMB form
immediately she came back from the tour; she had filled in Unilorin as both first and
second choice. For her there is no going back though she knew her mum wants her
to stay right in Ibadan but she had no intention of staying back in Ibadan therefore
University of Ibadan though highly reputable, is not a choice to be considered as far
as she is concern. She has had enough of the fantasy she told herself as she got up
from bed.
Five days have passed now since the visit to Ilorin and it was weekend
already she has to go and read for both UTME and WAEC. With her new resolution
to get into Unilorin in the fall, she head out with her bag pack to the classroom
section. The walk down to the class took her five minutes but instead of reading in
her class she walk into JSS2 class to concentrate better because recently the SS3
class is crowded and noisy; filled with those who want to gist and disturb others
reading. Weekend like this is the worst, with too much time on their hand; students
tend to while away time thinking there is enough time. With Sarah’s new resolution,
she entered the junior class to read instead, at least being a senior and a prefect she
could control the class if it becomes noisy. She walked in without looking up at
anyone, some of the juniors greeted her but she answered with a wave without
making eye contact. She took the last seat in the back row close to the window and
farther from the entrance where she quietly sat, oblivious of the person sitting in
front of her. She brought out her book and began to read.
Her presence is hardly anything to be ignored, not even when she wants to
be unnoticed, one can’t but notice her. When she came in two hours ago, he had
raised his eyes from the textbook and saw her walk in almost soundlessly looking
pretty as always; wearing a knee length gown which is their hostel wear which made
her long legs look longer, and with her hair which she styled in centre-parting
enhance her good looks the more. The girls always look more beautiful on
weekends because they get to lose their hair, style it in all sort of styles before they weaved it back on Sunday for school. Jed was looking good in his house wear which
he wore in three-quarter trouser as approved by the school.
He had wanted to greet Sarah when she pass his seat but thought otherwise
with the way she walked in, it was obvious she doesn’t want to be disturbed so he
had let her read in tranquillity. But two hours has passed since she came in and
dining bell will sound in the next fifteen minutes to eat their lunch. He was bored
with what he was reading already, he had been studying for four straight hours. Jed
had finally understood himself that if he reads over and over again, it sticks better,
hence he reads for longer hours and managed to read every day. Ever since, his
grade has been improving and even when he practice past-questions of JAMB and
WAEC, his scores were commendable.
Jed turned back and looked right at Sarah, she was still intent on her reading,
there are few students who read as much as he does and she is one of them. But
hours have passed so he didn’t feel guilty disturbing her. Moreover he was curious
about her trip to Ilorin, Nick had told him that he had seen her, so he tapped her
table lightly. Though it was a soft tap but enough to irritate Sarah that she looked up,
ready to snap at the intruder only to find him to be Jed who upon seeing the look on
her face gave a broad smile. “Hi” he greeted while Sarah’s frown dissolve in a
smile. They are now friends, they don’t talk all the time but when they do, they go
deep and could talk about anything. So he teased her about being book-worm while
Sarah also accused him of reading in class long before she came in. The word play
continued for a while then he asked her about her visit to Unilorin which she gladly
answered with all enthusiasm. She gave a description of the school starting from
how serene the environment was for learning; how she loved that the school is far
from town to disallow any disturbance whatsoever, she told him that the distance
from the University gate to the main building of the school is appreciably far. She
then went further describing the walk-way, the students how they were dressed so
maturely wearing their ID card on their neck and she described the medical college
and the teaching hospital to him also. Jed just kept mute while she talked for it was
obvious she was enthralled with the school already. Her eyes were all dreamy like
she can’t wait to be in the school already.“Looks like someone is so excited…manage and breathe o” Jed said good
naturedly.
“Oh! You should have seen the school, you will love it!” Sarah insisted
“Yeah, thanks but am not interested”
“So which school did you fill in for JAMB form?”
“First choice; great Ife, Second is Unilag”
“Why is that?”
“I like what I have heard about their Mass Communication department though I
would prefer Unilag except that it’s closer to home however Lagos is big enough to
hide if you must” he said with a wink
“Interesting” Sarah said musing over what he has said, he is a mysterious being. But
at least he is talking more about himself now than when they just became friends.
The dinning bell rang just then and both packed their bags and head out of the class
to go their hostels.
“I heard you met Nick on your visit, why don’t we go to the dining with our bags,
that way I can hear the gist about my brother?” he asked while Sarah nod in
agreement “ I hope he behaved well o, because he’s known for quite a reputation”
Jed chipped in while Sarah laughed.
The two headed towards the dining hall while Sarah recounted her meeting
with his brother; how they met, how he took them to the Engineering department.
She even described what he was wearing at Jed’s request, right from the hair cut he
was wearing, to the fitted shirt, the jeans and the loafers. The fact that she
remembered clearly made Jed raised an eye brow at her and teased her about
taking special interest in his brother which Sarah opposed to, heatedly. Feeling
embarrassed at her description of Nick, wondering if she had said too much
already. Jed could sense her discomfort so he snapped his finger at her to bring her
out her thought back to life and told her, he was only teasing her. She had to smile
knowing that this is one of the reason she liked his company, he is always very
sensitive and considerate unlike most of the clueless guys in the dormitory. They were at the hall by then so Sarah went to sit with the other SS3 student while Jed went
to help with controlling the dining. Although the SS2 are now in-charge of the hostel
and school, allowing their seniors to prepare for their exams. It was Tabby and one
other guy from the SS2 class that are in charge of the dining that very day and Jed
watched with admiration. He was standing with them but only so the student will
cooperate, more like a moral support than controlling the dining itself.
Tabby is really taking up the mantle of leadership very well and the students
are responding well to her, almost like it was Sarah controlling the dinning. With
that thought he looked towards Sarah and found that she was looking at Tabby with
admiration, probably thinking the same thing. Tabby finished giving out
instructions for the lunch then turn to her brother with a conspiracy look and with a
wicked wink, she whispered to him ‘looks like walking down the aisle’. Jed made to
spank her but she ran before he could. Jed understood too well she was referring to
his entrance with Sarah. He hadn’t thought she would notice but then, Tabby had
always been too smart all along.
*******************************************************
Contrary to the gentle breeze in the air and the bright clear sky, as the rain
began to fall regularly, the atmosphere in Durojaiye’s domain became tense. It was
mid-June, only few months after the incident of Akin’s infidelity, it was like a
negative invincible force which compels him to the point where the household
became turmoil. The week had started well; in fact too good that it didn’t prepare
Morakinyo for the shock he had on Thursday morning. He had being in the shower
when his phone beep and it indicated on the screen of his phone that a message had
entered. For Kikelomo, it was more of a reflex that prompts her to check her
husband’s phone when it gave a message alert. So she picked the phone, checked
the notification and replaced it back on the bedside table but picked it up again
after few seconds. It was like she suddenly had the urge to read the message, the
alarm signal in her head went off, so she open the whole message and read it in full.
The message shook her that she sat back on the bed only to stand up again and
move across to the three seater sofa adjacent to dressing mirror. The room had been personally designed by her, using two different shade of green colour of paint with
the wall, ivory-green coloured cotton, and the floor was rugged such that it looked
like a football field. Though Kikelomo has a simple personality but when she is
enthusiastic about something, she does give her best to it, just as she had done to
her bedroom giving it a cosy feeling. She had even gone with the room as far as
displaying different art collections just to give her solace. Now shivering from the
impact of what she had read, she shifts on the sofa uncomfortably. The room in all its
glory could not give her comfort. She thought of praying out of desperation, so she
got on her knee, head buried in the sofa but she couldn’t pray. She began to sob.
Morakinyo opened the bathroom door still in towel dripping in water from
bathing, and saw his wife kneeling on the sofa and he was hearing a soft sob. He was
surprised, wondering what could have put her in such mood. May be she had
received a call from any of the children, he thought. He moved closer to her.
“My dear, Ki lo de? (What happen)” he asked his wife as he made to hold her
shoulder but she break free from him and cried out
“Leave me o Akin. Let me be” she was hysterical
“Whatever is wrong with you, at least let me know. You are going to work and so am
I” he replied sounding impatient
“Work!” she gave a small laugh “You do have meeting also with your colleagues at
the chamber, I guess. Stupid man! Wicked man!” she was mad at him all of a sudden,
throwing fist at him as Akin dogged and held her firm.
“Kike, what is it this morning again” by now Akin had his suspicion of what it might
be.
“Who is Sandra? Tell me, who is she and why is she carrying your baby?” she
snapped the questions at him in fury. Akin felt a cold shiver run through his body as
the meaning of what she was saying began to dawn on him.
“What are you saying?” he tried feigning ignorance but Kike got irritated and pick
up a brush from her dressing mirror, throw it at him.“God will judge you, you this wicked man. I bore you both male and female child, I
have been a good wife to you, even when I had suspicion I did call you and begged
you. But being the wicked person you are, you still kept at it. Cheating on me as you
so desire” she burst out crying again.
“For crying out loud where did you get this false information that you are hurting
yourself over” Akin said stubbornly wanting to argue his way out.
“Oh! Shut up and stop denying her. I saw the message she sent you” she pointed to
the phone on the bed while Akin went to get the phone to read the content of the
message. “How could you, Akin? How could you impregnate a woman” she asked
him furious at him but he only remained muted seeing the content of the message.
The message was simple; AM PREGNANT, WE NEED TO SEE. CALL ME WHEN YOU
GET THIS.
“I don’t know what she’s talking about” Akin said not knowing what else to say.
“Of course you don’t” she snapped at him “you only slept with her, you didn’t ask
her to get pregnant! See Akin, what you don’t realise is that, you can’t be smart all
the time. I begged you to quit seeing these girls, you wouldn’t listen. Now you have
managed to destroy the family you claim to love so much” she rattled on angrily “I’ll
be moving to my room, am hypertensive I don’t want to cause trouble for myself”
she start to pack some few things she might need.
“Oh! For Christ sake! It hasn’t gotten to that. I told you I have no idea what she is
saying. Please, you don’t have to move out of the room. Please don’t blow this out of
proportion.”
“Don’t you dare use your grammar on me!” she made to move out of the room then
stopped as she turn the knob of the door “Please do me a favour, stop at my school
on your way to work, tell them anything you want. I’m not going to school today and
I don’t have the strength to call anybody. Since you are the cause of this, then fix it!”
with that she left the room with a bang on the door.
Akin drop his whole body weight on the bed, to avoid falling and gain some
relief but the weight on his shoulder still felt heavy. He doesn’t know how to bear it
nor does he know if he would be able to bear it. Tears flows from eyes as he realise the mess he has caused the family he loved more than anything. He couldn’t even
begin to anticipate the reaction of his kids when they find out. He picked his phone
to read the text message, he stood up to dress. He decided to see Sandra on his way
home after work, believing the text must have been a mistake or an expensive joke.
When Tabby got back to the hostel, still feeling the uneasiness of what is
transpiring between her parents, she saw Sarah whimpering gently on her bed. She
had gone home for the mid-term break which fell in line with the week end break.
But instead of enjoying her holiday, she had wished she stayed in school. Her parent
were at each other’s throat most of the time and at other times, they didn’t even say
a word to each other. It had drain on Tabby’s emotional and even physical strength;
talking to mum and finding time to gist with dad, when on a normal day she could
gist with both of them together. The only comfort was when Nick came home for
weekend. He had acted mature and play calm, soothing her that their parent’s fight
is a normal quarrel between couples, which will be settled soon. She only hope Nick
is right. She had no other pleasant option than to hope.
Now back in school, seeing her beloved senior crying, doesn’t help matter.
She prays Sarah is fine. If she hadn’t looked directly at her, she wouldn’t have notice
like the rest of the girls in the hostel. Tabby could not think of a thing that made her
to cry when she should be happy that she just finished her secondary school with the
completion of her WAEC. More so because few weeks back she got the result to her
UTME and she had done so well scoring 272 out of the 400mark obtainable. When
Tabby first heard of it, she had danced with joy that her role model had done so well
and her joy had multiply when Jed checked his result to and as it turn out he had
passed too, with a score of 246. Tabby was very relieved for her brother even Nick
had called and the three had laughed together in pure joy.
It was Sarah’s score that had pleased Tabby most. With a score like that she
should be given Medicine at the university. She could only wait for her own turn,
though she wants to read medicine, she preferred to study biochemistry first, and
then she will read medicine as second degree. She had read online on how the
medical school is being run abroad especially in the states and UK. However looking at Sarah now, she could only wonder in her mind the reason for the tears.
And knowing Sarah too well with her independence air, she hesitates but strolled
toward her nonetheless.
Sarah was having one of the bad days when the thought of her dad fill her
mind. She had done very well in her JAMB examination and her mum had been very
proud of her she had even come to school that day with Peju to take her out. Her
mother had taken permission from her house mistress and the three had gone to an
eatery to have a swell time. Sarah had been so happy except that she wishes her dad
was alive to witness this occasion. She had tried her hardest to comport herself in
front of her mum and sister so as not to upset them but when she got back to school
and her mother left with the words ‘your dad would have been so proud of you’ that
sealed it for her. She had lay whimpering on the bed since she got back from outing.
She had prayed no one will disturb her and luckily for her, her friend Fikayo was not
in the hostel at the moment, probably reading in the class area.
As she lay crying, she heard footsteps coming towards her. Her first guess
was Fikayo. So she gently and quietly wiped her tears with her palm, and then used
the edge of her wrapper to wipe her face dry. She hates discussing her grief. But
instead of Fikayo’s normal chatter, she heard someone lay down on Fikayo’s bed
and was looking at her. So she turned and found Tabby staring at her. She wanted to
scold her but she couldn’t. There was something gentle and comforting about the
way she was looking at her, more like she was offering her strength from next bunk
where she lay. So she smiled gratefully at her. Sarah had always had a soft spot for
Tabby. She is a very special, intelligent and mature girl, and very caring too. Their
family upbringing may have something to do with it because she noticed Jed behave
in similar way and so is Nick, their eldest brother. Though she knew little of Nick but
the little time and attention he had given to her and her friend at the university the
other day, has drawn the conclusion for Sarah. So she asked Tabby about her home
trip which she responded to very well; giving her the detail of what she ate, the
church service she attended at home, how the praise and worship section was so
powerful, uplifting and spirit lifting. She told her Nick was home coincidentally too,
the only detail she left out was that of her parent. However, as Tabby saw that Sarah only smiled and nod intermittently at what
she said, she was not ready to tell her why she was crying and Tabby was dying to
know. So she thought maybe she should hint Sarah about her own personal problem
maybe she might finally open up to her about her own. She had read somewhere
that people feel comfortable telling you about their pain if you let them glimpse from
yours, probably to know they are not alone in the struggle. So she told Sarah her
weekend at home was not totally splendid as she had described. She told her of the
tension between her parents but she didn’t mention that her dad was cheating on
her mum. She had came to the conclusion when their heated argument came up
again and her mum shouted saying ‘why don’t you just go and meet your Sandra and
leave me in peace’ she had said some other things which had made Tabby suspect
it’s a case of infidelity. But she told Sarah that her dad always ends up doing things
that makes her mum angry and unhappy.
“It was just tiresome dealing with them. Dad should really learn to behave himself.
Sometimes when he does that I really get so angry at him that I force myself to smile
when greeting him” Tabby complained. More than Tabby let out Sarah saw right
through the story and was able to deduce that their dad was cheating on their mum
or probably abusing her, she doesn’t think it’s the latter thought maybe because Jed
is well brought up and doesn’t look like a guy that would raise a hand on a girl nor
does he allow anyone to do so when he is there.
“I’m sure you hate to see your parents fighting. But don’t waste the time you have
with your dad staying mad at him. At least you still have a dad to play with” Sarah
paused, she had not intended to say that but her grief somehow find a way to
surface. And Tabby saw it too. She was grateful she had brought it up.
“So you miss him?”She asked Sarah gently
“Yes” she answered looking away. No matter how strong she wants to act she is only
fifteen, still a kid with a right to affection.
“When I saw you crying I wanted to know what was going on with you. If I run to
school from home, it is with the hope to see you smiling.”
“Thank you, Tabitha”“You are welcome. So why were you crying I heard you scored 272 in your JAMB,
congratulation by the way. You should be happy and in high spirit”
“Yeah, thanks. I just got back from eatery. Mother and Peju came to take me out to
celebrate. But it just made his absence more evident” she paused, willing the tears
to stop flowing.
“Let it run, don’t stop it. We all need it sometimes” Tabby said
“What?” Sarah asked, confused.
“The tears, I mean. They wash our eyes or something. I read it somewhere that it
makes the eyes clearer.” Tabby said with a smile, and extends her hand to take
Sarah’s. It was a sheer luck no one was watching them.
“I wish dad was there to celebrate with me. He would have been so proud of me. I
know I have a lot to thank God for; my JAMB, my WAEC though the result is not yet
out. I still have NECO examination to prepare for which is starting next week. My
first paper is on Wednesday, you know?”
“Which subject?” Tabby asked knowing, she wanted to change subject.
“Economics”
“Best of luck…God is your strength”
“Thanks”
“Speaking of God” Tabby realised she had never shared her faith with her before
and she’s not quite sure, how into God she really is. So she said “He is the ever
attentive friend I have, always there anytime and every time.
“Okay Tabby, don’t go preaching at me now” Sarah warned but Tabby smiled.
“I’m not preaching but I just want to tell you how I get over my own worries…I asked
him to help me. I say; Father, this is weighing me down, please take this pain away
and give me your peace.”
“And it works?” Sarah asked looking sceptical“Yes. But only because I know the almighty Father and He knows me too. I realise he
loves me and is interested in everything about me. It is an understanding that he
does hear you, that he hears every word you say.” Tabby said looking at Sarah and
willing her to understand. “I’ll leave you to talk to God. You don’t need a pattern,
just express yourself to him and ask him to help you.” With that Tabby left her alone.
Sarah have had people talk about God before, even aunty Ebere had said
something about Jesus but never had she had it this simple. A part of her wants to
embrace the relationship with God but a minute part of her is scared of being
religious all of a sudden with all the ‘thou shall not’ list. In spite of her fears, Tabby’s
words still replayed in her head. It sound so simple and she knew deep down in her
heart that God has been faithful all along. Her mum is doing well now, it seems she
has gotten herself back though she still look distant sometimes still she is more
attentive to her and she laugh often recently. Peju had won the Cowbell mathematics
competition and Sarah had passed her JAMB. There are so many things to thank God
for, now that she thought about it. She realise someone was watching over them like
Tabby had implied. Even her friend, Lara that was misbehaving had turn a new leaf
after aunty Ebere spoke to her. She had told the medical student she couldn’t see
him again after aunty Ebere told her of the implication of an unwholesome
relationship and the need for her to remain focused on her education so as to
become an astounding woman that every decent man will desire to date and marry.
She had said something about God having a better guy prepared for her if only Lara
can wait to meet him and that she did have to live decently to receive all God has
prepared for her. Lara even mentioned to her that she visit aunty Ebere almost
every weekend now, the older woman had volunteered to make time for her so she
won’t feel the break up too much and it had worked. At least from Sarah’s point of
view, Lara looked happier too and she had passed her JAMB she had scored a little
above average. Her mind was so full of thoughts that she drifts off to sleep without
intending to.