Henry And Kate (a Love Story In Irony) - Literature - Nairaland
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| Henry And Kate (a Love Story In Irony) by Nobody: 3:09pm On Aug 28, 2014 |
Here is a short story. The story brings out the opposite of love...judge it yourself if the opposite of LOVE is actually HATE OR DISLIKE. [b]He saw Ted on the court busy with a game. Although Ted was sweating profusely under the hot sun, yet it seemed he was not going to give up on the demanding task he was performing all alone by himself. When Ted lifted his head and saw his friend walking towards him, he smiled as he waited for him. “Ted, hope you are not going to spend the whole time here playing games.” “And you… over there—” replied Ted pointing toward the school library where his friend had just exited, “studying.” Henry would have him corrected, so he said, “No… reading novels.” “Hmm,” grumbled Ted in disbelief, “I know that’s what you’ll say—always reading novels and scoring millions of A’s, isn’t it?” Henry ignored him, attempting to digress. “Ted have you seen her—today?” “Yeah,” he replied, “She just left the basketball court now, I think with Pete,” said Ted in a way that would upset his friend. Ted never wanted Henry to go after that Chinese girl, Cynthia, but Henry was not ready to give up. He had wanted her by all means, but she had never looked to his side once, preferring Pete instead, because he was a sport person, being one of the key players in the school basketball team... TO BE CONTINUED[/b] |
| Re: Henry And Kate (a Love Story In Irony) by Niwdog(m): 3:11pm On Aug 28, 2014 |
Owk.wating 1 Like |
| Re: Henry And Kate (a Love Story In Irony) by Nobody: 3:13pm On Aug 28, 2014 |
Niwdog: Owk.wating Welcome...  |
| Re: Henry And Kate (a Love Story In Irony) by Nobody: 3:14pm On Aug 28, 2014 |
[b]The two crossed the highway to get taxis to their respective homes, perhaps to go do the weekend. Ted stayed with his Uncle, who was staying single. Willis Brown, Ted’s uncle, had remained celibate since the death of his wife and only daughter in an auto crash some years back. Willis Brown adopted Ted, who was an orphan, thereafter. The man took care of him in-loco-parentis, sending him to all the schools he had attended all his lives. His uncle’s enormous care for him had made him to develop some sorts of stupendous adorations for him, always willing to be home every weekend to help him do one thing or the other, since they had got no maid to assist in the house chores. Being seldom asked who his mentor was, Ted had always said, “Willis Brown”. He had never left them with the clue that he was only talking about his uncle, since he had never discussed his family background with anyone, except Henry. Henry’s case was in direct contrast with that of Ted. He had living parents and a little sister, who never had a bit of respect for him. The combination of the two was typical of a ‘storm in a bottle’. Since growing to the age of accountability, the two had never for once had the same view of anything—always opposite. Her name was Kate. Though talented in fomenting troubles, she had never always gone scot-free, yet she had never given it a thought to try co-operate with her elder brother, who had always been making sure she was punished for every slight offence she had committed. When they were much younger, Mr. and Mrs. White their parents, had never at any time been tempted to take the risk of leaving the children at home to fend for themselves when they were away, not even when they had only gone to work place, to return at noon. Instead, their parents would make sure that they were kept separately under the prying eyes of two different nannies, residing in two different parts of the city. They were always being baby-sat until they got to the age of thirteen and ten respectively, when it was deemed unfit by their parents to continue lavishing their cash unnecessarily on nannies. Those times, their parents would call them together to inculcate in them how good siblings were supposed to conduct themselves. “You both must promise to co-operate now,” Mr. White would say then. Such speech had always been accompanied with exchange of maligning words from the children—each trying to accuse the other of being the one who had brought about all the rancor that had taken place before then. Then the brawl would begin afresh again, right in front of the helpless man who had raised the issue in the first place. Kate had smashed bottles on Henry’s head twice as punitive measures for the pain he had inflicted on her then. Henry had bludgeoned her too, oftentimes, with one particular truncheon their father had always kept inside the storehouse. Mr. White had told them long time ago, the mystery behind the aforesaid truncheon. He had said that he seized the heavy stick from a police officer who had harassed them (himself and two others) unjustly many years ago, but his children would not believe such a lose talk, on the ground that their father wouldn’t have had the mind to do that. Mr. White had to jettison the truncheon secretly one day, fearing that his kids were going to kill each other with it someday, as long as it remained in there. On getting to the University as a freshman, Henry at first had the problem of relating with the opposite sex, probably because of his vendetta for his blood sister who had been with him since childhood, but he never regarded such aberration as a problem at all. He took all females as his sister, thus the hatred for them. Henry’s orientation experienced a revolutionary trend the first time he did set his eyes on Cynthia, during her first year (Henry was in his second year then). There and then, Henry had felt he was going to choose her in place of a million dollar if there was to be any cause to make a choice between the two. He had valued her invaluable and priceless. Henry had felt, oftentimes, that he was going to strangle any male who might want to be with her. Though mindful of the fact that such a one could be Ted, yet Henry was not going to soft-pedal his vow made earlier in time. But Ted wasn’t thinking about her, not even any girl, but sport only. He was the skipper of the volleyball team, playing the striking role. Ted was not good at all in basketball—a novice in soccer too. He had tried at different sports unsuccessfully until finally discovering his talent. It seemed Ted discovered it too late, because his leg had once been broken in the football game while trying a rough tackle at a veteran master dribbler. His teeth, two incisors, one each from the upper and lower jaw, were broken too while dabbling in the hockey game. The metamorphism in his teeth then had resulted accidentally from a blow of the hooked stick owned by an opponent. However, Ted had had those broken teeth artificially shaped up again. Henry was good in divers sports, but had never participated in any since entering the university, so no one knew he could do them. He had always been engaging himself in the reading of books, especially storybooks. He had read most of Chase’s novels and had begun to write his own too, about himself and his sister Kate. In lieu of sporting activities, Henry was academically inclined—always interested in winning competitions; like quizzes, debates, spelling bees—having won all these at one time or the other early in his lifetime. Kate was the exact opposite of Henry in virtually everything—gender, skills, abilities, attributes—lots more. She had always managed to score C’s in her results, frolicking frantically whenever she had such ‘Ceeish’ results. She was not athletic too—unlike Henry. In the high school, Henry represented his house in the relay race competition. Kate was envious, so she asked if she could do the same. Her housemaster doubted her, but eventually agreed to put her to test. She was to contend with some others in the same house. Everyone made fun of her, having known that she was a lazy bone when it comes to athletics, but she summoned courage. That fateful day, the gun was fired and everyone ran with full speed. It was a 200m race. Kate was far behind. All of a sudden, she ran so fast—like a cheetah, overtaking everyone in the race. She won eventually, with a wide gap between the runner-up and herself. It was amazing to everyone watching how she had managed to win the race, but Henry understood everything. Kate had seen a bulldog behind her, which had maneuvered its way unto the track. Since she was allergic to bulldog, she had to run as fast as her legs could afford to avoid it, so she did and won the race. Henry felt bad about this. He told her housemaster his observation, but the man paid no attention to him, having known Henry as Kate’s antagonist. The man, following the suggestion and resolution of Kate, never let her have any further practice, so that she would not sustain injury before the main competition. Kate was in the White house, while Henry was in Black. Initially, the two had incidentally been put in the same house (White), but Henry begged for a change of house—hence the Black House. At the preliminary stage of the competition, Kate contended with many other athletes from different houses. It was a relay race. Having been regarded by all as the best of the racers in her house, she was made the anchor. During the last lap of the race, Kate got the baton a long time before any of her opponents did, but kept a slow pace and was soon overhauled in a short moment by all her contenders. That hectic day, she made a fool of herself before everyone. To make things worst, Kate fell flat on her face to the floor, while already maintaining her last position behind the ‘runner-up’ from the back. To be continued...[/b] |
| Re: Henry And Kate (a Love Story In Irony) by Hameenat94(f): 3:51pm On Aug 28, 2014 |
Interesting story 4rm an intelligent writer... Following already |
| Re: Henry And Kate (a Love Story In Irony) by Aliyuozioma(f): 4:28pm On Aug 28, 2014 |
sweet story n nyc beginin, lukin up to mor update |
| Re: Henry And Kate (a Love Story In Irony) by missuniverse(f): 4:48pm On Aug 28, 2014 |
Sammy is at it again FOLLOWING 1 Like |
| Re: Henry And Kate (a Love Story In Irony) by Nobody: 5:15pm On Aug 28, 2014 |
Continuation [b]Henry’s house swept the board in that competition, winning most of the gold medals. The Black House, also represented the school in the inter-school competition and won the trophy, with Henry regarded as the most colorful participant, having single-handedly won four gold medals in the various sports he had participated in. The fact remained that everyone born to the earth had come with a specific skill—talent—pluperfect ones for that matter, because it appeared Kate had got one too—singing. She was naturally bequeathed with a very sweet voice. Although she had discovered it early enough for her to make it a profession, her parents never wanted her to become a musician. They would prefer to see her turn medical doctor, contrary to her craving. Mr. and Mrs. White had always argued about whom Kate had actually taken after between the two of them. “I think Henry takes after me, but Kate takes after you,” Mr. White would say and his wife would reply, “No, Henry takes after me either, she looks more like you.” They dared not say it to her face, otherwise they had to face the risk of searching for her for the next one week. However, Kate had overheard them twice and had promised to go get drown in the river. Those times they had to beg her for couple of hours before she became calm again. Recently Kate need not eavesdrop anymore, because she had cleverly kept a voice-recording device securely in the well-furnished and gorgeous-looking lounge, noticed by nobody.[/b] To be continued... |
| Re: Henry And Kate (a Love Story In Irony) by Hameenat94(f): 7:32pm On Aug 28, 2014 |
Kate z jst xo impossible |
| Re: Henry And Kate (a Love Story In Irony) by Rilwayne001: 8:25pm On Aug 28, 2014 |
You should continue EBIAG from where you stopped.... why you cum reframe the thing now  We cant read a very long season film from its ab initio again  1 Like |
| Re: Henry And Kate (a Love Story In Irony) by Nobody: 8:50pm On Aug 28, 2014 |
Rilwayne001: You should continue EBIAG from where you stopped.... Haven't you heard? EBIAG is no more free of charge...subscribe to Ebiag stories and get out updates through ebooks on your email address(es) 1 month subscription= #500 2 months subscription = #1,000 3 months subscription = #1,300 6 months subscription = #2,000 1 year subscription = #3,500 You get all updates within the duration of your subscription through email. You also get alerts on your phone. Thanks. Ebiag CEO. |
| Re: Henry And Kate (a Love Story In Irony) by Rilwayne001: 9:29pm On Aug 28, 2014 |
SammyHoe:  |
| Re: Henry And Kate (a Love Story In Irony) by Nobody: 7:14am On Aug 29, 2014 |
Good day Helensharpay Good day EBIAG |
| Re: Henry And Kate (a Love Story In Irony) by Nobody: 7:18am On Aug 29, 2014 |
[b]Mr. and Mrs. White had phobia for magic or magic-related things. They had warned their children oftentimes never to be involved in cultism of any kind. “Listen children, in the Higher Institutions, there are enough bad guys all over there. Please don’t you go with them when you get there. They can kill you,” Gaby, Henry’s father had warned several times before Henry eventually got into the university. “Sure, dad, you know I always won’t have time to make friends—I prefer sleep to making friends,” Henry said. “And you know I prefer singing to—” Kate said too and paused, looking around to see her parent’s face, having realized her mistake. They leered at her, and the expressions on their faces had forced her into modifying her half-baked words instantly. “Ringing I mean,” she said slyly but it won’t suffice to cozen her parents. “Ringing what?” Her mother inquired sharply. “Em—Em—ringing bell,” She said quickly. Henry burst into laughter. “Here you are with your white lies again,” Mr. White said. She was caught red-handed this time. “Kate I’m sure going to disown you should you turn a musician—have you heard?” the man spoke up, pointing cruelly at her face. “Heard,” said Kate disgruntled. Henry was born three years before Kate but they had approximately the same height, though they never heard any semblance whatsoever. Henry was moderate in size, but Kate was a little chubby. He had dimples but all she had were some defacing pimples. Her pimples were the never-to-touch type since they had always culminated into ridiculously round and bulgy boils each time she had attempted to press out the pus in them. She had used almost all the medications meant for pimples in the US, but her pustules had proved immortal. In addition, she had suffered a lot from fraudsters concerning this same issue, getting a sealed powdery charcoal for medication. She was laughed to scorn by Henry while applying it, since it was indirectly his handiwork. “Black American!” yelled Henry mockingly at her. “It’s soon going to be over,” she said somberly, attempting to console herself, but never knowing what sort the medication was. It was April one then, so Henry screamed, “April fool!” Kate, still having strong confidence in the black thing, asked sharply, “What’s the April fool for?” Henry had to take time to explain the mystery behind the ‘black medicine’ in a finicky manner to her. He said, “That was a mixture of charcoal and chilly pepper, concocted by Cypher, my High school friend.” He paused to laugh. “Check it out!” Kate sulked and hung her head in frustration, having realized her mistakes. She was going to start real trouble with the boy, probably taking her friends with her to fight him, but she relented, having had a second thought. However, Henry never went scot-free during that period, because he was paid in his own coin too, before the second half of that same month (April). Some girls, discovered later to be Kate’s buddies, spitefully poured on him, from the second floor of one of the school structures, a pail of green gloss paint, while Henry was trudging away beneath. “Green American!” they chuckled frenetically, but never went unpunished too—by their mistresses. They were all locked up in the school detentions for days.[/b] |
| Re: Henry And Kate (a Love Story In Irony) by Nobody: 7:24am On Aug 29, 2014 |
[b]Henry’s hair was brown but Kate’s own was black and curly. Henry was the replica of his father, but Kate looked more like the relative of the neighbor next door. The two never liked walking or talking together. Their everlasting repugnancy was epitomized in the large framed picture hung in the living room, which had always been classed an eyesore of a picture by family and friends who had come around for visits in the past. In it was Henry, standing very close to his father toward the right side of the photograph, while Kate stuck to her mother—each pair being some quite considerable distances apart. This had resulted due to the never-ending disparity between the kids, forbidding to take photographs together. Visitors never stopped making incessant derogatory comments about the ‘family photograph’, thinking that one day Mr. and Mrs. White’s marital life would break apart and each child would go with the one he or she had held unto in the photograph. Funny enough, Henry had made several attempts to have his surname changed to the direct opposite, Black, some years back when he was still attending the same high school with her, because she had been identified as Henry’s sister then, by the name they had in common—White. Kate had many allies but Henry did not have more than one. His friendship with anyone had never lasted up to a school term, since he never knew how to maintain friendship, since he was a nerd, and so would never have the time to spend having fun with some friends. During Henry’s second year on campus, being on holiday, Henry adjourned to his room to take a nap. Rolling from side to side abed, sleep eluding him, he heard a sound from the door. Henry felt Kate must have returned from school, since father and mother would not be back until evening. “That thing’s back again,” said Henry, face squeezed as if presently perceiving a nauseating odor—probably from fresh fecal matter. Kate was then in her final year in the high school. As Henry had presumed, Kate was the anonymous ‘door-pusher’. With her came three friends—Naomi, Jane and Belinda. Kate was not aware of his presence, so she slotted a cassette, which they had brought with them, into the Video Cassette player in the parlor—music began. Lost in the euphoria, the quartet began to sing loudly, jumping and hopping frantically to the music. “Kate you’ve got a melodious voice,’ said one of her friends. “Why wont I, after such long-lasting period of voice training?” The girls didn’t go to school that particular day, being somewhere rehearsing, though creating false impressions in the minds of their parents that they had been in school since morning. “Hope your dad and mum have stopped disturbing you—” Belinda asked Kate inquisitively. “About what?” “About you not to become a musician.” “They’re going to disown me if they hear this,” she said in a slow manner. “Why?” asked Jane. “They’ve got aversion for music and magic.” she responded, resuming her speech having read the demanding minds of her friends. “Don’t know why?” “When’s our next music practice—you know we’ve got to sing for ‘Paparazzi’ club next week?” Belinda said and received an instant answer. “Let’s make it next two days,” suggested Kate. “We’ll skip some classes.” “It’s okay, but where should we converge?” asked one of them. Immediately after the question, the atmosphere became silent, each trying to figure out a suitable rendezvous. Going by the look of things, it was as if Henry was the one who needed the answer most. He paid rapt attention to every sound he did hear, so he would not miss out some silently spoken salient words. After giving the asked question a serious thought, Naomi said, “At the guest house called Rendezvous—in Jones Street.” Henry smiled belligerently on his bed, but his smile was the ephemeral type, being terminated at the thought that he did not known where the mentioned venue was located. Henry wished sorely that someone would ask where it was and his sister did just that. “Where’s the place?” asked Kate, raising her voice. “Kate, don’t be silly, you know RGH don’t you?” said Jane in a harsh manner, but Kate nodded in the negative. “Then you shouldn’t claim a citizen of the US if—” “Hey, tell me if you want to,” retorted Kate embarrassingly. “My bro. will soon be here. I’m sensing he’s not gone far.” As Kate said that, Henry grinned on bed, muttering words to himself. “Foolish ones! I’m right in here.” “Okay, Jones Street abutting Hilton—or you want to deny knowing Hilton too?” replied Jane, looking serious. “Oh my Jees—!” Kate screamed, “I Know Hilton Street quite well. I’ve been there with my family once, shopping for Christmas—but I never knew that the lane abutting it was Jones.” “Now you know, innit?” Naomi said. “Let’s choose a date—for the training.” Henry cuddled up to his pillow in utmost excitement. That was his usual practice whenever he was extremely excited. He held out his ears, so he could get the last thing he would need—the date and time.[/b] |
| Re: Henry And Kate (a Love Story In Irony) by Nobody: 5:57pm On Aug 29, 2014 |
[b]“Can we make it 2pm? We mustn’t exceed two hours—two o’clock on Monday.” Belinda’s suggestion was unanimously agreed upon without any debate preceding it. Kate saw them off to the motor road outside the house. She waved to them, walking hurriedly back home. She was puzzled, seeing Henry right inside the living room she had just left with her friends. She developed goose pimples immediately as she moved closer to him in apprehension, already having it settled in her mind that Henry had heard every bit of the plan. Kate asked with an edgy voice; “Henry have you heard everything?” “Every what?” yelled Henry at him, faking ignorance. “C’mon don’t pretend as if you’ve not heard all we said,” she added uncertainly, trying to carve a way out of the looming trouble she had insinuated. Her hope was raised when Henry yelled, “Said with whom?” She revealed a dimpleless but bland smile, which made her ugly the more, on hearing Henry’s reply. “Since you’ve not heard, never mind,” Kate said and turned heel to leave his presence, but she became transfixed at a spot by what she heard him say at that moment. “Don’t fool yourself around, I heard it all!” Henry’s confession sent a gush of shocking wave down her spine and rashly she yelled, “Heard what?” “You’ve joined a music club. You brought your friends here, turned the parlor into a disco hall. I heard your voice in the cassette—it was the worst of all,” criticized Henry, sticking out his tongue in order to frustrate her more. “Well, you can make jest of me as you like, as long as you won’t tell mum and dad about it—it’s okay by me. Or—are you going to tell?” she asked diplomatically, heart thumping faster than normal. “Definitely yes!” replied Henry without giving it a second thought. The statement dampened her spirit. Being enervated she said in a minuscule pitch, “You want to let dad disown me—or you’ve forgotten what he said?” “You’re of no use in this family—Kate or caterer—or whatever you call yourself,” slandered Henry, but she managed to swallow it up and kept silent, though peeved at her brother’s insulting speech. “Your absence in this family will enhance the soaring of my pocket money,” Henry continued to dole out the insults to her. Kate knew undoubtedly that Henry was going to tell, no matter what. She felt that she could make Henry change his mind if she could possibly entice him with what she was about to mention—money. She put her clever idea into practice at once. “What about you having my pocket money for the next three months?” “It’s of no use,” replied Henry obstinately. “Okay, what about me doing the house chores alone?” said Kate seriously again, but Henry refused still. In a flash, Kate had developed another idea in her mind, which she ardently believed that Henry was not going to reject, since such had always been acceptable to every mature male she had come across. She was going to test it on Henry too, perhaps he would fall for it. “Em—what about getting you a girlfriend?” she said and raised her head to see his reaction. “Pretty one!” she added when she saw the imperviousness in the comportment of her brother. “Shut it! Don’t need one from you! I’ll tell, no matter how long you badger me!” Henry shouted and banged at the table as if drumming to his speech in order to make it more durable. The two looked disdainfully into each other’s eyeballs, uncouthly, like a hero a villain at the end of a movie, ready to have a mortal contest. She took courage to speak later. “No one’s going to believe you since you’ve got no evidence,” Kate told him point-blank, laughing as she took a brisk walk to her room. Mr. and Mrs. White soon arrived. While they were still behind the door, Henry had reported Kate’s deed to them. This he did within a minute, but his parents were able to grasp the information just as if Henry had spent an hour in relaying it. It seemed as if the ability of Mr. and Mrs. White to do that had been brought about by the fact that what Henry was explaining to them was music-related; something that would catch their interest, since they wouldn’t want to buy the idea of their children involving in it. “Kate! Come over here!” they cried as they stepped into the large lounge that was being aerated by some air-conditioning systems that were put in place around the house long time ago. They were never allergic to cold. “Yes, I’m coming,” she responded from her room. Kate could tell from the way her parent had shouted her name that Henry had informed them about it. She was with them a couple of minutes later. “Why d’you flout our instruction? We said don’t join music club,” her father asked, gazing at her, expecting to hear something. “I didn’t,” she responded without delay, face wrinkled. “Who said I did that?” “Henry,” replied her parents immediately. Henry’s anger was kindled against her sister for the lie she had just told. He tried to suppress the vexation by keeping silent, but the urge to speak made him burst out: “Yes, Kate you brought your friends here and played the music you’ve recorded. Then you danced and danced and—” “Hey—Henry you said you’ll tell lies against me and that’s what you’re doin’ right now.” cried Kate in a convincingly acceptable manner. An outsider would have believed her if one was present at such moment. “Just because we didn’t give you our candies,” she added unscrupulously. “Liar!” cried Henry jerking forward to give her a slap on the cheek, but Mrs. White held his arms back. He wriggled unsuccessfully in her grip, but soon gave up, seeing she would not permit him to do it. “Kate—” said Mr. White. “Candy! Where did you get it from?” Kate’s father had warned her several times against the consumption of candy, fearing tooth decay. Kate had once suffered tooth decay while still very young. Back then, she was always spending all her pocket money on candies, pilfering cash sometimes from her mother’s purse to get the goodies. Kate appeared morose instantly when her dad asked her the question, yet she was only feigning the bad mood. With the way Kate had made her countenance to appear, her father was convinced that she had really taken some candies as she’d confessed, yet that was what Kate wanted him to believe. She never took any candy at all—such display was a mere cant, just to try diverting the reality of the matter. “Kate, did you just say that you took candy?” Mr. White yelled at her in anger. “I’m sorry dad—” she said deceitfully, “It was my friends who brought the candies. We—er—ate them together, Henry begged us to give him some, but we refused. Then—” “She’s lying!” barked Henry furiously, but no one was paying a bit of attention, already engrossed in her sister’s foxy tale. She spoke on: “He threatened to tell a lie against us about joining a music club—” she paused and looked piercingly at her father’s eyeballs, “and that’s exactly what he’s doing now,” concluded Kate slyly. “Liar!” shouted Henry persistently, violently struggling to break loose from her mother’s grip, but the opportunity was not given to him, otherwise, Kate would be in ‘soup’. Their parents made protracted attempts to resolve the issue, telling the two parties to forget about the issue. They assured themselves that the truth would be revealed soonest. Kate made eyes at Henry scornfully, exacerbating Henry’s hatred for her. He felt like gunning her down instantly, damning the consequence. “Lying Kate!” he whispered to her hearing when their parents had left the parlor. Kate replied, “Thank you.” That particular event remained indelible in Henry’s brain. It was from then Henry had begun to tell people he hated liars, having her sister in mind each time he was saying that. For the lie, Henry was sure going to make her suffer. His last hope was to disclose the rendezvous of the Music Practice to his parent. He was going to do that without her knowledge, so she could be caught red-handed while in the rehearsal venue. Henry called his parents while Kate was asleep and told them everything. [/b] |
| Re: Henry And Kate (a Love Story In Irony) by Nobody: 3:16am On Sep 01, 2014 |
[b]He was going to do that without her knowledge, so she could be caught red-handed while in the rehearsal venue. Henry called his parents while Kate was asleep and told them everything. “Dad, Mum—believe me—Kate’s lying,” Henry said in a low tone to avoid waking her sister up, who was having siesta in her room. “You’re not raising that issue again—are you?” asked Mr. White. For an answer Henry said, “Dad, Something for you—here.” He produced a crumpled sheet of paper from the left pocket of his shorts. On it was boldly written, RENDEZVOUS GUEST HOUSE, JONES STREET. Though Henry had written it in a hurry, it was still legible enough for his parents to read. They were confused after reading it. “What for?” questioned Mr. White energetically. “It’s the address—where Kate and friends are meeting,” he said and then added, “for the party.” “How d’you know?” they queried him. “Well—” he smiled visibly. “Got all ears on ground—picked their discussions.” “Where’s this place? Sounds French—or is it Paris?” Mr. White asked, face wrinkled as if annoyed with the word ‘Rendezvous’ he had just read out in the letter, pronouncing it wrongly. “Not at all dad,” said Henry, “Just a stone throw from here.” “You sure? Where’s it?” Mrs. White asked. Henry smirked. “Never worry; it’s the street abutting Hilton, where we went last year shopping for Christmas.” “Oh I remember now!” cried Mr. White with a protruded face. “How could I have forgotten so soon?” “Yeah, so well,” said Mrs. White, remembering it too. “So—you know the place,” Henry said, laughing heartily. “Yeah, that’s where I picked up Sally your mama—” said Henry’s dad genuinely but hilariously, “the first time we met.” Gaby looked at his wife’s face at that instance and saw her put on a disdainful look; serious or unserious he would not tell. Being disinterested in the brisk love play his parents had just entered into, Henry tried to restore the initial matter, calling their attentions to it. He said, “Dad, Mum, it’s serious issue.” “Yeah—Gaby, what d’you have to say?” Mrs. White said, now fleering. “Henry, when’s the meeting?” Gaby asked his son in return. “2pm Monday.” “I’ll be on duty then, else I’d be glad to pay her a surprise visit—there,” said Gaby, shaking his head sorrowfully. “Huh!” Sally said also. “I’m on duty too.” “What the hell!” cried Henry furiously as he envisaged the abortiveness of his plan. “What about skipping work—at least for only that day,” Henry raised a suggestion. Four eyes expanded as Henry ended his advice, but all mouths were mute. Henry waited anxiously to hear a response. Mrs. White later seconded Henry’s idea by saying, “Yes Gaby, I think that was a good suggestion Henry had raised. At least one day out of job won’t change anything.” “Oh, Sally you’re right,” said the man, quickly accepting it, “but I’m suggesting we get to work that day—” Gaby said, resuming his speech after gulping his spittle, “and leave for home by noon,” he concluded. Gaby had always been a studious type of person, so he wouldn’t buy the idea of missing a whole day job. That was exactly the reason he had to modify his wife’s and son’s suggestion. However, Sally agreed with the modified version of the plan. “Oh! It’s great idea,” said Sally, nodding her head slowly, as if choreographing to a music having its source from the huge and old radio set placed on the shelf. “Isn’t it two, Henry?” she asked. “Yeah! 2pm, Monday.” “We should be back by twelve that day,” said Mr. White. “Isn’t it okay by you—Sally?” “Okay,” she replied nodding in approval. “It’s bed-time, goodnight Henry,” said the man, pulling his wife closer to him as they made for their room. Henry was lost in thought, seeing them together. He thought of Cynthia once again before retiring to his room to pernoctate. The thought that grazed his mind that moment was the one of a legitimate blissful connubial relationship with the Chinese campus girl—Cynthia. Next day Henry called Kate and gave her some cakes and chocolates, which she boggled to accept at first. “Kate, take this cake,” Henry had said when trying to give those confectioneries to his sister. She was nursing the thought that it was poisoned, but being a chocoholic, she could not resist the urge to help her stomach with them. Kate had often told friends that the reason she had loved taking chocolates was that they always remained sweet, even while already in her tummy. “It’s like I’ve got a tongue inside of me—” she would say, “when confectioneries are in there.” She would josh often while consuming them in the presence of her buddies. However, she knew Henry was up to something for unwontedly approaching her in such affable manner, on that genially lovely Friday morning while she was preparing for school. It was only two days ago Henry was having a hot brawl with her. Such early dramatic display got her suspicion aroused. She was going to watch out for whatever Henry had got up his sleeves. She’d always been on the alert for any pranks he was going to play on her since that particular April one, when she had used the powdered charcoal to adorn her face in order to get rid of the many stubborn pustules on her face then. Henry said, “Kate, I’m very sorry for telling dad you’ve joined the music club.” “Huh,” she sounded, nonplussed. “It isn’t going to happen again,” he said spuriously. “I promise.” “Big brother, why the sudden change? It’s creepy I mean!” She gave the chocolate a hard bite, chewing it with relish, immediately feeling her appetite whetted by its luscious taste. “Kate, I’m now mature—” said Henry, “and I don’t seem to see any point in having a life-long quarrel with one’s sister anymore.” “But—” she paused, almost falling for it, “when did you come ‘bout this—I mean the thought? You got mature overnight?” Kate said, beaming her eyes in surprises at Henry as she licked her lips, whose bridges the Chocolaty things had smeared. “Yesterday, when I paid Treece a visit,” replied Henry fast, as an answer to her question. Treece was Henry’s friend back in the high school, known to Kate, but she was not aware of whether the two were still having contacts with one another after graduating from there. To Kate, Treece was a good-natured person then, and it could have been possible for such a boy to have taught Henry some good ethics if really Henry’s claim was true. Treece was someone Kate had ever admired, though never approaching him to share her feelings with him all through his time in the school. Treece had three siblings—all females. Being the eldest, his sisters would form clusters around him each time they were walking down to school. Kate had always been jealous, never envisaging that it could be possible for her to have such kind of splendid intimate relationship with Henry, her blood brother one day. With the way it seemed now, Kate’s thought must have turned around, at least after tasting the confectioneries. “How about him?” asked Kate, rather inquisitively, “Did he advise you do this?” “No. I saw him fondly having fun with Betty, his sister.” “And…” “It sent a message to my damn brain instantly.” Henry voiced out captivatingly, displaying a great deal of genuineness, but contrived and superficial, all aimed at misleading her. “We have fun too—isn’t it?” said Kate, “Before now.” She laughed heartily in a silly manner. “Hey, Kate, it isn’t funny!” said Henry, attempting to call back her attention to what he had to say more, but she was impervious to his words, still laughing. “We have fun—a lot of it,” she said stubbornly, amidst laughter, smacking and licking her lips to get rid of the chocolate stuck to them. “Irony!” said Henry, pissed, but not showing it. “Isn’t it fun when you hit that big truncheon on me daily those days, before dad got rid of it?” she lamented and was soon shedding tears—crocodile tears. “I’m sorry,” Henry said. It was the first he would ever say to her, since birth. But right there in the corner of his mind, he had got something else—perhaps to tell her later—if his plan would work out. “Sorry my foot!” that was the thought in his mind. “So what are you going to use to salvage that apology of yours?” she asked. “Only cake and choco—?” “I’m not done yet,” he replied, looking straight into her eyeballs. She was shy. “Listen to me, still on Treece and sister—I saw them hug each other in a mesmerizing love, of the greatest ardor and splendor never once witnessed all my lives.” “And—” she barged in callously, losing patience. “Let me land,” said Henry. He was afforded the silence he needed. Then he said, “That moment, I had to change my orientation concerning how our rapport with each other was supposed to be—like Treece’s and Betty’s.” “Oh!” she exclaimed. “I felt like holding you in my arms right there—in Treece’s lounge.” Henry’s countenance suddenly changed—sniffing morosely —like a baby set to whine. “Really!” she whispered. Seemed Henry had subdued her, making her believe what was not. “Yeah,” he said, tears running down his cheeks. If those tears were literally crocodile tears, maybe Kate would have detected they were fake while mopping it for him with a napkin; at least the texture could have made the difference. “But—It’s not too late.” said Kate. “The hug I mean.” She had said that indirectly, being shy. It was something they had never done; therefore, it was not her fault that she did not know how to ask him for a hug. Nevertheless, Henry understood her. He came closer and hugged her. Still entwined in the embrace, innumerable inimical thoughts of different grievous gravities flipped endlessly through Henry’s brain. Henry had brought to mind the thought of a villain in the movie he had watched while still young, who stabbed his father, a king, with a dagger while in a hug. He also remembered a biblical character, called Joab, who did the same to Abner while embracing too. Figuratively, that was exactly what he was doing with her sister. Tears teemed down their cheeks passionately, with no suspicion of hypocrisy. At last, Henry lifted her up and said, “I love you.” It was a statement Kate had never heard from anyone all her lives. She smiled innocuously in a conspicuous manner and said, “Love you too.” After the scene, Henry retired to his bedchamber, not to sleep, but to release the belligerent laughter he had managed to keep away while with Kate. He had hardly entered when he burst into a loud and long guffaw. He had to sink his face into the pillow to suppress its loudness so Kate would not discover his cant.[/b] |
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LITERATURE SECTIONS' NOMINATION THREAD FOR N.A.I.R.A AWARDS 2015. / Come & See Trouble / Best Friends!
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