The truth, Tessy has a huge problem. I thought she claimed her parents could sponsor her through her education, and she never acted as a sister to Oleng; she never liked her. She brought this on herself, Oleng did not do anything to her. Any ways, Oleng is a fighter. She'll survive, I know.

Incredibleme: that was very bad of tessy she was the author of her own story and not oleng, she also contributed to oleng's misfortune.

Man! Keep up the gud work nd more grease to your elbow.

. Yeah, I agree with u. Tanx a million

morsadh: The truth, Tessy has a huge problem. I thought she claimed her parents could sponsor her through her education, and she never acted as a sister to Oleng; she never liked her. She brought this on herself, Oleng did not do anything to her. Any ways, Oleng is a fighter. She'll survive, I know.

. Hmm. I luv ur analysis. Yep, Oleng is a fighter indeed!

Op we need an update oh,we are hungry for more

Sorry 4d slow update guys. Hd a problem with my phone. I'l continue shortly

If a pin had been dropped at that particular moment in the restaurant, it would have been heard. While talking, Tessy had unconsciously raised her voice and everyone in the restaurant had listened with rapt attention.

For the first time in her life, Oleng knew the true meaning of the words 'I wish the ground would open up and swallow me.' She just stood transfixed as the world stared at her. Some pitifully, some jeeringly and her friends with shock and bewilderment.

She got a grip of herself, carefully picked up her hand bag and walked quietly out of the place with all eyes on her. She controlled herself in the bus on the way home but immediately she got home, she ran past her aunt who opened the door, went to her room, threw her hand bag on the floor, jumped on her bed and burst into uncontrollable tears. Her aunt found her like that on the bed weeping bitterly. Her aunt asked her continuously what the problem was before she finally turned to look at her with tears still dipping profusely down her lovely face.

“Am I the first teenager to get pregnant? Will my past hunt me for the rest of my life?” she cried out.

Aunt Vien was bewildered. Then Oleng told her in between tears what transpired between her and Tessy at the restaurant.

Aunt Vien shook her head profusely.
“No. Tessy shouldn’t have done that. The fact that she’s suffering now is entirely not your fault. Afterall, if she had been the companion she was supposed to be to you, you probably wouldn’t have gotten pregnant in the first place and she would still be living with your mum. Don’t mind her, my dear.” She consoled her niece.

“Aunty, the most painful aspect is that she had to embarrass me like that in front of my friends. I don’t mind the strangers, after all I don’t know them but before my very own friends that I didn’t tell a word about it is totally unforgivable. How am I going to face them now? How am I going to face the whole school because other students were there? I feel like dying!”

“Don’t talk like that my dear. There’s nothing you can do about it. Call your friends and tell them everything. As for the students, people must surely talk. If you’re in this world and people don’t talk about you, know that there’s something wrong because people even talk about the dead. Don’t mind them. Just put up a bold front. If they laugh at you, ignore them. If they confront you, tell them you are better than them who have committed countless abortions or given their girlfriends money to do so. In everything, ignore them.” she advised.

“That’s so easy to say but not so easy to do.” she told her aunt sadly “Eric, I’ll never forgive you.” she declared and started crying again.

Jenny and Debbie called her continuously but she refused to answer their calls. They both sent text messages telling her they hold no grudge against her whatsoever and Francis and Mark made sure Tessy was sacked. They pleaded with her not to cry. She ignored the messages and continued being moody the whole weekend.

When they didn’t see her in school on Monday, they went to visit her. They were surprised to see her still crying. They comforted her and told her they understood what happened. She told them everything that happened. They felt sorry for her the more.

“Remember I told you to be careful what you wished for when you girls wished to have my mother as yours. My mother is a nightmare to have. I only see her once a year. That’s if she’s chanced to come and spend Christmas here with us. She leaves a day or two after Christmas. So you can see,” she spread out her hands as she explained to them. “I might be the most beautiful and the best dressed in our department as I was awarded but it doesn’t mean I don’t have wounds from yesteryears. When people tell me they envy me because I have beauty, brains, wealth, substance etc. I just smile because they don’t know the burden I carry within me. They don’t know my inner pain” Tears dropped from her eyes again.

Her friends consoled her. They encouraged her to come to school the following day. She refused at first but after much coaxing, she agreed.

When she got to school the following day, she thought people would point and laugh at her but no one took notice of her. Everything was the same. She however saw some people staring at her in an unusual manner and realized that some of them had been at the restaurant that particular day. She nearly died of shame. When she got to her department, people greeted her in their normal way but some stared also. She heaved a sigh of relief. She had thought that her department would be worse.

After classes, she went to sit alone in the restaurant sipping a drink, waiting for her friends. She noticed that some people stared at her and she caught a few girls giggling. She took her Aunt’s advice and ignored them.

Collins came to sit astride a chair facing her and looked at her in an odd manner. She and Collins had become friends even though it didn’t work out between him and Jenny.

“Hi Collins.” she smiled at him but he just stared at her making her alarmed. Had he heard?

“Is it true?” he finally asked.

“What?” she fearfully asked.

“What happened on Friday afternoon at Flavor? Is it true?” he asked with disbelief.

Oleng lowered her head and nodded. “Yes, but I guess you heard an adulterated version of the event.”

After a while, Collins said, “Please tell me what actually happened.”

Oleng took a deep breath and told him everything, the story of her life. He was silent for a long time when she was through.

“When my cousin told me the girl I said must be my future wife is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, I didn’t believe him.” he informed her as if he was in great pain.

She was shocked at the wife bit.

“Yes. I know I have hidden it well but I’ve been in love with you all this while. Jenny was just a cover up. I used her to get close to you. I was prepared to wait for you. I was prepared to wait for you to get out of your shell,” he went on, “I thought you were pure, innocent…….priceless. I kept day dreaming of our wedding. I made a bet around me that you’d be my wife in future because I was prepared to wait for you.” he lamented bringing tears to her eyes.

“But I guess I’ve lost my bet. You’re indeed a wolf in sheep’s clothing….O God! Are there no more virgins above the age of ten?” he cried to himself and stood up.

He bent so he was at her eye level. “I’m one, that was why I was so happy when I thought you were also. I guessed wrong.”

With that, he walked away leaving her in so much pain.

She had to use all her strength to control her tears. She couldn’t cry in public which would only make matters worse. She pulled herself together and left the restaurant. She knew she had lost a good friend. Collins had helped her in so many ways. He pulled a lot of strings for her in the department and she liked him. She never knew his feelings for her ran so deep. She was sorry she had hurt him but that had all been in her past. Didn’t he realize that? She shrugged and quietly walked into the busy road.

Life was so unfair to her. Would she carry this burden for the rest of her life? She wondered.

Would she get married? She had to admit that the ache was still there and was even greater now that it had been reopened. Losing both Erics still haunted her. She literally shook herself. She had to pull herself together and get on with life or it would pass her by. With that thought, she pushed the thought of both Erics to the bottomless pit in her heart. She would live her life without him.

Poor Oleng.I really didnt xpect that from Collins. Kinda disappointed at his reaction.

estellar12: Poor Oleng.I really didnt xpect that from Collins. Kinda disappointed at his reaction.

. Hmmm. I guess he ws hurt and disappointed.

CHAPTER SIX

Oleng looked at the bank manager who to her was smiling foolish, not smugly like he thought he was and thanked him. She quietly got up from her seat and walked away with her head held high. That was the last time she would visit the office. She had come there for materials for her project but the bank manager insisted on going out with her first which would of course end in a hotel room but she refused. To hell with him, she said inwardly.

When she got to the banking hall, she thanked the customer care officer who had been of immense help to her. She ignored the others who probably thought she intended going out with their boss. Well, it was their own headache. She knew she was looking good in her corporate shirt and skirt with high heels so she was not surprised when both, male and female customers stared at her instead of filling their slips. She cat walked her way out of the bank. She was almost at the gate when she heard her name. She wondered if the bank manger had changed his mind.

“God! Is this really you?” she heard behind her.

When she turned around, she screamed. Standing before her looking handsome even in his youth corps member uniform was Dave. Not minding that customers pouring out of the bank and security men were staring at them, she hugged him.

“My God! Is this really you?” he said again and she laughed.

“I can’t believe my eyes also.” she said happily.

“What are you doing here? Where have you been? Where did you disappear to?” he enquired all at once.

She laughed. “One at a time, Dave.”

“You can’t blame me. I haven’t seen you in six years.”

“I know.”

“Can we go somewhere to talk?”

She shrugged. “No problem. Are you through here?”

“Forget here. It’s no longer important. You are much more important.”

She laughed. “Lead the way.”

“Sure.”

wow, dave the old secret admirer is back in the scene. Interesting!

Dave! WOW! This just got interesting. I don't know where this is going, but I'm sure it's going to leave me...

u cld imagine dave axin her out,make i begin dance skelewu,audrey d update short na

Sorry guys. Bin crazy busy all day

They went to a restaurant close by. They sat down and Dave ordered drinks for them

“So tell me. What happened?”

“It’s a long story.”

“It always is. I’m all ears.”

“Well, to cut it short, my mum woke up one morning and decided I needed to relocate here. She seized my phone and laptop so I couldn’t tell any one I was leaving. When I got here, I sat for my exams and made all of them. I got admission into the university here to study banking and finance. I’m in my final year. I went to that bank to search for project materials.”

“Didn’t you think of us? Didn’t you even think to come and look for us?”

“I tried. Believe me I did. I tried, but my mum would hear nothing of it. I had already made up my mind that when I graduate, I would go back to look for all of you.”

“I still can’t believe I’m seated before you. When my friend in the bank said, ‘Damn, look at that gorgeous babe’, I looked up and was shocked to see you looking drop dead gorgeous and leaving the bank. I had to follow you to make sure. I knew you were going to be beautiful but I never envisaged that you would be this gorgeous.” he complimented her grinning while she smiled shyly.

“You’re not looking bad yourself.”

“Really? “He laughed. “O Oleng! I’m so glad to see you. I, Zinny, Marvy even Eddy called your number to no avail. We tried finding you on facebook but you were not there. Even messages to your yahoomail kept coming back undelivered. We even went to your house but we were told you no longer resided there. We missed you. We all missed you. I missed you. I thought your mum sent you to school in Saudi Arabia. I thought one of her customers probably told her to bring you there. I never knew you were just a few hours away. Calabar for that matter where I was posted to. How come I didn’t set my eyes on you all these months I’ve been here?”

“I don’t know. Maybe its fate. Maybe this is the best time to meet.”

“When I have just two months to leave? I’ll be leaving here by July.”

“Then we have to make the most of it.” she grinned but became serious again.
“Do you still communicate with the others?”

He shook his head sorrowfully. “Not really. Eddy schooled in Lagos. He studied Geology. I think he just started working in an oil company in Delta state. Zinny is in her final year in a private university studying Nursing. Marvy is also there studying Pharmacy. She’s also in her final year.”

“What about you?”

“I studied petroleum engineering in Uniport. And as you already know, I was posted here last year June. I’m serving in an oil company here through my uncle's connections.”

“Big boy.” she teased and he laughed.

“Oleng,” he solemnly called and she knew what was coming.

“Yes,” she answered in a small voice not looking at him. Her drink suddenly became very interesting to look at.

“What happened between you and Eric?”

She shook her head as tears gathered in her eyes. She couldn’t believe the thought of Eric still made her cry. She took deep breadths to gain control of herself.

“Eric is a forgotten issue.” she finally told him quite firmly.

“That can’t be. You guys were just too close. I was shocked when I heard you had broken up. We all asked what could have destroyed the friendship we all called made in heaven.”

“Dave, Eric hurt me. He broke my heart. He abandoned me when I needed him most. He broke all the promises we made to each other.” She raised her head to look at him and he saw the unshed tears there. He was sorry to have made her cry.

He shook his head. “I’m sorry. Eric seemed too nice to actually abandon you.”

“Are you calling me a liar? Did he tell you something else? What did he tell you?” she angrily asked.

“He didn’t tell me anything. Eddy told me he came to Nigeria for his parents' anniversary. I wasn’t around then. I wished I had seen him then, maybe I would have heard his own side of the story.”

“I don’t care about his own side of the story.” she vehemently said shocking him.

“Oleng, I sincerely think that if given the opportunity, you guys can resolve your differences. I really would like to see both of you back together again.”

“That’s a tall order so don’t count on it.” she solemnly told him, keeping him quiet for a while.

He smiled. “Does it mean I can’t call you Erica again?” he teased hoping to soften her heart but he was dead wrong.

“Yes! Please don’t ever call me that awful name again. My name is Oleng. If you ever call me that name again, I’ll never speak to you again.” she declared robbing him of words again.

He stared at her. He wondered for the umpteenth time what had destroyed the two love birds. It was a shame because he had already day dreamt of how their wedding would be.

He stared at the girl he once and truth be told still had a crush on. She was more beautiful than ever. Her skin shone with a glossy silkiness. Seeing her again had stirred the old feelings he had for her.

Over the years, she had always been in his mind even though he had had girlfriends. He wondered what she would say if he told her of his feelings. Probably pick her hand bag and run away, never to speak to him again. It was just too soon to do that.

“Why’re you looking at me like that?” she asked uneasily.

“I was just reminiscing good times. Remember ‘Eric’s not just my bestfriend, he’s my life’?” Dave threw at her but regretted doing so when he saw tears well up in her eyes.

“I’m sorry.” he quickly said.

She shook her head. “It’s okay. Yes, I admit it. He was my life but not anymore.”

“So, someone else is your life right now?” he innocently asked but was amazed when she smiled.

“Is that a subtle way of asking me if I have a boyfriend?”

He had to smile at that.

“No. I don’t have a boyfriend.”

“Why?”

“Well, I haven’t seen anyone who has appealed to me yet.”

“In the whole of Calabar?”

“Yes, in the whole of Calabar. What about you? I know girls would have fought themselves naked because of you.”

He laughed heartily. “Me? The introvert?”

“Girls are attracted to gentlemen.”

He shook his head. “Not this one.”

“Really?” she asked in disbelief.

“Alright. I’ve been in one or two relationships but they didn’t work out. I’m free now.”

She laughed. “Still searching for that missing rib, huh?”

He laughed also. “Something like that…..What about you? Don’t tell me you’re also searching for your Mr. Right.”

She shrugged nonchalantly and smiled.

“Or is it that you’re still in love with Eric?” he chipped making her frown.

“You know, if you continue bringing up that guy, this might very well be the last time you’ll set eyes on me.” she firmly told him.

He raised his hands up in mock surrender.

“I’m sorry. It’s just that it’s quite hard to come to terms with the fact that you guys are no longer together.”

“Well, you just have to accept it……..I really have to get going. I have to check out some other banks to find out if I can get any help.’

“You didn’t get any from that bank?”

“Let’s just say the manager was more interested in giving me help in a hotel room.”

Dave chuckled. “Well, I can’t say I blame him. You’re a very beautiful girl.’

“Thanks but if my so-called beauty can’t get me help except via a hotel room, then I prefer to be ugly.”

He chuckled again. “Come off it. Girls are dying to be in your shoes…..Anyway, I have an uncle who is a bank manger here. Why don’t we go and find out if he can help you?”

“Really?” Oleng was all smiles.

“Really.” he replied smiling.

He paid for their drinks and they left the restaurant. Dave took her to his uncle who was of immense help to her. She smiled shyly when his uncle seemed to think she and Dave were going out and told Dave that he hoped she was the one. She had been surprised when instead of Dave to answer in the negative, he smiled and said time would tell.

She had never envisaged going out with Dave. He was a nice guy and a handsome one at that but he was more like a brother to her. She pushed the thought out of her mind saying he had probably been joking.

Dave and Oleng continued seeing each other at weekends. Oleng never knew Dave was so much fun to be with. Growing up had changed him. They went to fun places and tourist centers. They got to know each other better. They missed some weekends when he would be called out to the field; off shore and would be unable to make it. They missed weekends also when she was preparing for her final exams.

Dave was waiting for her when she finished her last paper and took her out. They stayed out very late that day and for the second time in her life, she was not only tipsy but drunk also. She woke up with a hangover the following day but smiled through it when she remembered all the fun she had had the previous day.

It was a sad day when Dave actually completed his youth service and had to leave Calabar. It was also a joyful day when he told her that the company had retained him due to his uncle’s strong connections. She was very happy for him and they went out to celebrate. She finally took him home to meet her aunt who was ecstatic.

“You’re welcome, my dear.” she said beaming from ear to ear. “You said you’re from Bayelsa, right?”

“Yes ma.” Dave politely answered.

“I’ve never been there before. I heard it’s a nice place. I can just imagine. Bayelsa and Cross River. It would be a Niger Delta wedding.”

“Aunty Vien!” Oleng nearly died of embarrassment.

“What?” she sweetly asked. “This is the first guy you’ve brought home. Shouldn’t I think he’s special and he’s the one?”

“Aunty Vien! He was my school mate back in Port Harcourt. He was a close friend.” she explained.

“And an even closer one now.” she winked at her niece who looked at her in exasperation while Dave couldn’t stop smiling. She hit him.

“What?” he feigned innocence.

“Quit that smug look on your face.”

“Alright princess.”

She had to smile at the pet name he had suddenly developed for her. She wondered why guys seemed to think she needed a pet name. She shrugged and tried not to remember the one Eric used to call her.

It had been very hard for her not to remember Eric every time she was with Dave, after all they had been not only classmates but friends as well but Dave’s cheerful nature always made her push the thought of Eric aside. He was really fun to be with.

Dave became a regular visitor in her Aunt’s place which made her Aunt very happy. He had been given one month break by the oil company before coming to work for them. When Oleng finished defending and submitting her project work, she decided to pay a short visit to Port Harcourt to seek her old friends out. Dave decided to go down there also; so they traveled together. Aunt Vien was sorry to see her leave but she promised to come back soon. Aunt Vien had become a mother to her and vice versa.

Dave's just keeping it cool.

morsadh: Dave's just keeping it cool.

. I guess. Lyk most guys do

When they got to their estate, she and Dave parted ways. Oleng marveled at the changes in the estate, after all it had been six whole years since she last saw the place. She almost didn’t remember her house. The taxi had passed the house before she told the driver to stop. She couldn’t help the smile that came to her face when she alighted. It felt good to be home. She tried real hard to forget the circumstances in which she had left the place. It was a new beginning for her so she really didn't want to start thinking of the past.

She was surprised to see a new gate man when the gate was opened after she had knocked. She introduced herself and rolled her box into the compound. The gate man didn’t even offer to help her with it. She wondered what happened to Mr. Andrew. He would have rushed to help her had he been the one. She shrugged and rolled her box towards the house. She noticed that her mum’s car, a peuguot 406 was in the garage and two other cars, a lexus jeep and a Honda civic. She hoped her mum didn’t have visitors. She wasn’t in the mood for pleasantries.

On impulse, she opened the door. She didn’t even think of knocking first. What she saw when she went inside rocked her to her bones. The living room door was opened so from the lobby, she could see inside. There, she saw her mum and a man smooching on the sofa. She slowly walked into the living room as if in a trance. She wanted to make sure it was her mum she was seeing.

“I hope I’m not interrupting anything.” She finally said when she found her voice.

Her mum and the man sprang apart. Guilt was written all over their faces. They both spontaneously stood up and righted their clothes while she just crossed her arms at her chest watching them with disgust.

“Oleng! I wasn’t expecting you.” Her mum finally said smiling sheepishly.

“Obviously.” she replied coldly.

“Vivien told me you would be coming either today or tomorrow. I assumed tomorrow.”

“Well, you assumed wrong.” she said with concealed anger and fixed her stare on the man.

“Yes.” Her mum quietly said and when she saw her looking at the man who was standing beside her, she turned towards him. “This is a friend of mine, Mr. Akinyele. Wale, meet my daughter.”

The man sprang forward. “How are you? I’ve heard so much about you. What’s your name?”

Oleng sized him up, hissed and left the room. She went to get her box and rolled it to her room. She was glad the door was opened. She went into the room and noticed everything was just as she had left it. It would require a lot of cleaning. O well, she didn’t have anything doing at present so she was equal to the task. She walked around the room like a stranger.

“What was the meaning of that?” Her mum angrily asked her as she came into the room.

“Where are my phone and laptop? I need them.” she informed her not even sparing her a glance.

“I’ll not take any form of insolence while you are here!” Mrs. Akpan fumed.

“Then I better leave. Don’t you think so?” she threw at her.

Air seemed to leave her mother at that instant like a deflated balloon. She was silent for a while.

“How was your trip?” she enquired shocking her.

“Fine, thank you.” she answered albeit coldly.

“Congratulations. I wasn’t in the country that very day or I would have sent you congratulatory messages.”

“Thank you. Where’re my phone and laptop?” she inquired again.

“Have you forgotten you spoilt your laptop when you smashed it against the wall? I threw it away. What about the one I sent to you? You have a phone now so what do you want with the old one? Moreover, your sim would be blocked by now.”

“I need the phone numbers inside it.”

“To call Eric? Don’t tell me you still haven’t forgotten him?” her mum sneered.

Oleng counted to ten because she felt like slapping her mother for the question she just asked.

“I need to get in touch with my friends who I left behind.”

“It’s been what?......Six years and you still want to contact them? I would have thought you would have moved on by now. Why don’t you forget about them and start a new life? Who knows, they’ve probably forgotten about you.”

She looked at her mum in bewilderment.

“Forget about the people who stood by me through thick and thin? The people who knew about my condition six years ago yet accepted me as their friend? True friends who have never stopped asking about me?.....When I need your advice about friends, I'll inform you but for now, please just get me my phone. Please.” she told her mum with barely controlled anger.

Mrs. Akpan wanted to say something but thought against it and quietly walked out of the room. She returned with the phone.

“Here you are.”

“Thanks.” she replied and continued looking at the contents of her box so her mum had to drop the phone on the bed.

“I didn’t know you were going to come today. I intended hiring someone to clean up your room tomorrow because I’ve been so busy. Just tidy up a few things. I’ll call the person tomorrow.”

“There’ll be no need for that. I’ll clean it myself. I don’t have anything doing so I might as well do it myself.” She continued checking out the contents of her box.

“I’ll be in the living room if you need me for anything.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t.”

Mrs. Akpan looked amazed then. She walked to the door and came back.

“Oleng?”

“Yes?” She still didn’t look up.

“Believe it or not, I’m happy you’ve come home. I’m happy to see you.” With that, she walked away.

Oleng sat on the floor and burst into tears. She cried profusely yet she didn’t know why. She wished things had been different between her and her mum. She wept for the lack of a mother’s love. She wept for the two Erics she had lost. She couldn’t bring herself to stop weeping.

When she was spent, she laid on the bed and slept off. It was her mum who woke her up to tell her dinner was ready. She thanked her but told her she wasn’t hungry. She got up and tried the numbers of Zinny and Marvy she found in her former phone after changing the battery but they were no longer in use. She decided to go over to their houses the following day.

She wondered if her mum’s lover boy was still around. She didn’t give a hoot. It just shocked her. No wonder she hadn’t seen her mum in a whole year. She hadn’t spent the previous Christmas with them. She hadn’t known she was rollicking with her lover boy or man rather. She had wondered all these years if her mum had a male friend and now that she knew, the shock of it was overwhelming. She wondered if they would get married. She doubted it. They were probably just having an affair. She chuckled. So her mum was getting down with a man. Her always cold looking mum finally attracted a man. Very funny. What about her motto that all men were bastards? Maybe loneliness finally caught up with her.

She continued her musings while she cleaned up her room. When she got hungry, she brought out the snacks Dave had bought for her on their sojourn to Port Harcourt. She ate them with relish thinking how eating them was better than eating her mum’s food.

She got up early the following morning and continued her cleaning. When she was through, she had her bath and decided it was time to go and look for her long lost friends. As she was about leaving the house, she saw her mum entering the compound in her new car or was it that of her man friend, she wondered.

“Where are you off to?” Mrs. Akpan asked as she got down from the lexus jeep.

“To look for my friends.” she said nonchalantly.

“So you’re bent on looking for them.” she replied.

“Yes.” Oleng shortly replied and began walking away.

“Have you eaten?”

“No.” She didn’t bother turning around.

“Are you watching your weight or something?” her mum quizzed.

She turned around then. “No. I usually don’t have an appetite in the morning.”

“Are you all right? Hope you’re not sick.” her mum asked with concern.

Oleng looked at her strangely. What was the caring mother act for? “If you had really known me then, you’d know now that I’ve never been much of an eater. Even while I was pregnant.” she threw at the woman who claimed to be her mother.

She quietly walked away leaving her mother to stare after her. She didn’t care a damn about her feelings. If her mum had been half this caring six years ago, she would have loved her more than life itself but right now, she felt nothing for the woman called Mrs. Linda Akpan. Only an empty void.

She hoped she would be able to remember Zinny’s house. She went the wrong way at first before finally finding the house. When she saw the gateman, she knew she had gotten the exact place. The man didn’t even recognize her. She didn’t blame him though after all, it’s been six years and she hadn’t visited here much before she left. She was glad when he told her that Zinny was at home because she didn’t know much about private universities academic calendar.

She walked up to the house and discovered there were changes here also. Everyone seemed to have moved on. She rang the doorbell and waited. She rang it again before she heard Zinny’s voice saying she was coming. Excitement filled her.

“Yes?” Zinny said as she opened the door. Oleng just stood there smiling.

Zinny screamed when she recognized the person standing there. “It’s a lie! It’s a lie!” she yelled.

Oleng stepped forward and hugged her. They hugged each other fiercely. “It’s a lie. It’s a lie.” Zinny continued ranting.

“It’s true. I’m here with you.” Oleng informed her friend still smiling.

“I can’t believe this!” she screamed and hugged her again. “Oleng! Is this really you?” she cried.

“Yes!”

“Where have you been?”

“It’s a long story.”

“Where’re my manners? Please come in.” she held her friend’s hand and led her in.

“Where’s everyone?”

“They’ve all gone out. I’m alone at home. I was preparing breakfast. Would you like some?”

“Should I call my doctor first?” Oleng asked chuckling. She remembered that Zinny had been a bad cook.

“You’re not serious. I’ll have you know that I’m now the one in charge of the kitchen. My dad even told my mum to relinquish her kitchen duties to me.” she bragged.

“Really? Like washing of plates and pots kind of duties?” Oleng teased.

Zinny eyed her and they both laughed.

Oleng followed her to the kitchen.

“I intend preparing fried eggs and toast. Just sit and tell me every thing that happened… No wait. Let me call Marvy to come over first.” She rushed to pick up her phone.

“Is she around?” Oleng enquired sitting down and facing her friend.

“Yes. We’ll both be resuming by October……'Hello. Come over to my house immediately…..don’t question me. Just come…Propose indeed! I want you to come and see the person who decided to grace my house this morning….not him now! Oooh…..come jor! Wetin dey worry you sef? Please come and make it snappy. Okay..Bye.' I never knew Marvy was so inquisitive.” she grinned as she flipped her phone shut.

She went to hug her friend again. “I really can’t believe you are here. There was a time I thought you were dead. I thought your mother took you for an abortion and you died in the process. I wept myself silly. The gate man wasn’t cooperative either. He kept telling us that you no longer lived there. We even tried to bribe him to tell us if you were dead but he chased us out. We had to give up and told your soul to rest in peace. Any time I dreamt of you, I would cry woefully. I can’t believe you’re here, alive, hale and hearty.” she narrated slowly

“I was in Calabar. My mum woke up one day and told me to get ready for Calabar. I was glad at that particular time to change my abode but she seized my phone and my laptop. So I couldn’t contact you guys to tell you I was leaving. I wanted to come back before now but she wouldn’t hear of it. But now that I have graduated and no long under her wings, I decided to come back here to look for you all.”

“Calabar. Who would have thought you were so close yet so far?......Oleng, what happened to the pregnancy? Did you abort the baby?”

“No.” she shook her head sadly but later smiled. “I gave birth to him. You should have seen him, Zinny. He was so beautiful. I couldn’t help loving him even though he brought me a lot of sorrows. You would have loved him too. He looked exactly like Eric.”

“Where’s he now? Did you bring him along with you? I want to see him.” she said with excitement.

Tears gathered in Oleng’s eyes and she shook her head slowly. “He died a few hours after I gave birth to him. The doctor said a complication of some sort. They killed my baby.” she sadly said.

Zinny held her until she heard her name.

“Zinny. Zinny. Where are you? I don’t have time for your childish games.” Marvy shouted, looking for her at the back of the sofa.

“I dey kitchen.” Zinny said hoarsely and wiped away her tears.

“What are you doing in the kitchen? Didn’t you tell me that………Jesus Christ!.....Oleng!” Marvy screamed as Oleng stood up. After her shock, Marvy ran to embrace her long lost friend.

“Oleng! Oleng! Is this really you?” she yelled.

“Yes. In flesh and blood.” she said smiling.

“Really? My God! We all thought you were dead. Oh! Thank God. Oleng!” she called again in amazement. “Zinny, see Oleng.” she told her friend who had gone to the fridge to bring out eggs.

Zinny chuckled. “I’ve seen her. That was why I called you to come and see her also.”

“This is unbelievable. What a pleasant surprise. Tell me, what happened to you.”
Oleng shrugged and began her story again to the point where she had stopped with Zinny.

“Oh! I’m so sorry.” Marvy shook her head sorrowfully.

Zinny who had finished frying the eggs and was now toasting bread shook her head also.

“I got my acts together, took external exams and got into the university. I finished some weeks ago.”

“Congratulations. Ours is in a few months from now. You know both nursing and pharmacy departments don’t share the same time table with other departments…I’m so happy to see you. Promise me you’ll never leave us again.” Marvy held her hand smiling.

“I promise.” she replied smiling and they hugged again.

“Sorry to ask this question Oleng but what about Eric. Didn’t you tell him about the baby?”

Oleng looked down at her feet. “I told him. I sent messages to his box and phone but he didn’t reply. He was forever offline and his phone was forever switched off or off service area. Then he finally sent me a message to terminate the pregnancy; that’s if it was his, he didn’t want to be saddled with an unwanted baby because he had a bright future ahead of him and to forget about him. He abandoned me.” she narrated with much pain.
She smiled at the look of shock on their faces. Marvy actually had her mouth open.

“Na lie! Eric couldn’t have done that.” Zinny was bamboozled.

“Well, he did.” she said as a matter of fact. “There's no cause for alarm right now because I’ve moved on. I’ve forgotten about him and the baby and moved on.” she shrugged in a manner of indifference.

“But Eddy said you were the one who broke up with him. Eric told him so.” Zinny informed her.

keep it coming, u are doing a good job . interesting story.

So glad they have reunited.

hmmm the story is getting hot! Am guesing the hole break up was a ploy by erick's elder brother. I might be wrong though.

nickilimah: keep it coming, u are doing a good job . interesting story.

. I will. Tanx

estellar12: So glad they have reunited.

. Me too!

Incredibleme: hmmm the story is getting hot! Am guesing the hole break up was a ploy by erick's elder brother. I might be wrong though.

. Hahaha! I hpe u r right cos I smell foul play 2.

Seriously enjoying dis piece. i must confess,u re good

sommyqueen: Seriously enjoying dis piece. i must confess,u re good

. Tanx dear

“Borrowing your phrase, it’s a lie. He probably said that to hide his guilt. Anyway, I don’t care. Let’s forget about him. I have…So tell me, what have you girls been up to? Should I start getting ready to be a maid of honor?” She grinned.

“Indeed!” Marvy laughed. “Are you not the one who has finished school? Shouldn’t we be looking up to you?”

“Me? No way. I still have to get my masters degree and a good job.”

“I wonder what you want us who are still in school to do.”

“Before una start to argue about who go first marry, make we chop.” Zinny admonished them.

“Coming out from the mouth of the person who will marry first, what with her 'Mr. Oil Company' worker and all.” Marvy teased.

“Marvy!” Zinny chided with a warning finger.

“Don’t tell me you and Eddy are still going out?” Oleng asked taking from the pile of toast.

“They’ve broken up twice but they’re back together again. I dare say that this time around they’ll end up at the altar.” Marvy continued after taking a slice of toast.

“Na you get your mouth.” Zinny simply told her but she was grinning. “By the way Oleng, how did you know she was referring to Eddy?”

“I saw Dave in Calabar some months ago.”

“Dave!” they both screamed.

“I haven’t seen that cool guy in ages.”

“How’s he?”

“He was posted to Calabar. We never saw each other until it was just two months for him to leave. We spent those months together and he told me about you all. Luckily for him, he was retained by the company he served in.”

“That’s wonderful. He’ll be a big boy by now.”

“Nah! Dave is still the same cool and quiet guy though he has loosened up a lot. He’s much more fun to be with.”

Zinny turned to look at Marvy in the spacious kitchen. “Tell me Marvy, do you hear wedding bells ringing?” She asked her friend smiling with mischief.

“I certainly do. Dave weds Oleng.” Marvy made a motion with her hands as if she was capturing a headline.

“Stop it you two. Me and Dave? I can’t imagine.” She looked scandalized.

“Ehen? What’s wrong with you and Dave getting married? E make sense die!” Zinny countered.

“Dave is like a brother to me. Like a good friend but certainly not a husband. Moreover, I don’t think he feels that way towards me.”

“Akuko.” Zinny replied taking a sip from her tea. “Dave wey dey trip for you that time?”

“Really?” Oleng was surprised.

“Of course. He hid it very well but we caught him a number of times staring at you when you weren’t looking.” Marvy put in.

“A lot of people stared at me then.” she reminded them with a nonchalant shrug.

“Yes. He stared at you the same way. With longing.” Zinny interjected.

“Yeah.” Marvy concurred.

“I never knew.” Oleng remained surprised.

“That’s because you had eyes for only Eric then.” Zinny observed.

Oleng shook her head sadly. “Well, that’s no longer the case. But shouldn’t I have noticed it by now since we have spent so much time in each other’s company?”

“Knowing you, I’d say no. Because you see him as a brother; you would also think he sees you as a sister.”

“O God! I don’t feel anything for him. He's just a good friend to me. I don’t want to hurt him by not reciprocating his feelings.” She sounded confused.

“He’s a big boy. He ought to understand that you still love Eric.” Zinny told her smiling.

“What?” Oleng couldn't believe her ears. “Me? Still in love with Eric? You’re not serious. I don’t love Eric anymore. I admit I used to but after what he did to me? Certainly not! In fact, I hate him with a passion now.” she passionately acclaimed to their surprise.

“Please can we maintain something here,” she continued. “Please, can we never mention that name whenever I’m around? Please. You girls can discuss about him when I’m not around but please don’t mention him near me ever again. I don’t even want to know if he’s in the country. Please.”

There was a great silence after her outburst. After awhile, Zinny dropped her mug and went to hold her friend’s hands.

“It’s okay, Oleng. I’m sorry I mentioned him. I was just trying to pull your legs. Don’t worry, Marvy and I won’t mention his name near you ever again. Abi Marvy?” Zinny asked her other friend grinning.

“Sure. I promise never to mention him near you again.” Marvy concurred smiling also and they all hugged.

Oleng and Marvy stayed there till Zinny’s siblings came back home. Oleng marveled at how big they had become. Only one of them recognized her. She bade goodbye to her friends and they promised to come to her house the following day; that was after she had assured them that her mum wouldn’t dare to throw them out if she didn’t want the history of her life to be told. They laughed at that.

When Oleng got home, she didn’t see her mum’s new car but she saw the other car, the Honda civic she had seen the day before. She got in and met her mum’s so-called lover in the living room watching television.

“Ah! You’re back.” he hailed when he saw her.

For an answer, she just looked at him with disdain and headed for her room.

“Please wait.” he called and ran after her.

He caught up with her at her door from across the lobby. She folded her hands across her chest and leaned on the door.

“Yes?” she rudely asked.

“What’s your name?”

“Didn’t my mum tell you?”

“I wouldn’t be asking if she did, would I?”

She eyed him before replying knowing he was lying. “Oleng.”

“Oleng. Quite a strange name. What does it mean?”

“Don’t worry.” she flatly replied.

“I don’t understand your attitude towards me. I just asked for the meaning of your name not that I said you should go to bed with me.”

“Which you’d never have the effrontery to do.” she lashed out at him. “Oleng means don’t worry. Now if that is all, I’d like to enter my room now.”

“Is it the Ol or the Eng that means worry? Because if it is, you should be called either Ol or Eng because with such an attitude, a person who comes in contact with you will have cause to worry.” he threw at her.

“Please keep your opinions to yourself.” She turned the key in the lock and opened the door. “Please keep your distance from me also and I’d appreciate it if you don’t speak to me again.” She yanked open the door and slammed it in his smiling face.

He burst into laughter. “It would be very difficult to keep my distance and not to talk to a gorgeous looking thing like you.” he yelled into her key hole before swaggering away.

“Bastard!” Oleng muttered and locked the door with the key.

She went to her bed and laid down. She made sure she stayed in her room till in the evening when her mum came back. When she was sure they had gone out, she tiptoed to the kitchen and prepared a quick dinner for herself.

Wowsome........ Ure really gud...... Pls audrey update nau

i want more, i wanna kw erics side of the story too. am anxious!

almacherish: Wowsome........ Ure really gud...... Pls audrey update nau

. Tanx. Coming.......

nickilimah: i want more, i wanna kw erics side of the story too. am anxious!

. Coming......