Ada
Chapter One
The girl hardly knew why the boy kept following her. How could she even explain the way she had felt when his hands brushed hers when they bumped into each other as they made a rush out of the lecture hall after afternoon class? It was crazy. Really crazy! Her mum would totally flip out. She had specifically told her not to ever get close to any boy. Now she knew she was doomed. 'It was just a bump for God's sake.' Her mind kept telling her. 'What's in a bump?'
Ada increased her pace a bit. She cast a quick glance over her shoulder one more time. The boy had also increased his pace. He had even started smiling. Gosh! He was so handsome.
Ada was just seventeen. She knew life still lay in a long stretch before her. Coming to Brosli University had been a dream come true for her. They barely had enough to eat. Her mum had scrapped every last penny just to make sure her dreams of being a medical doctor came true. She had also told her never to get close to boys. Ever! She said they used you and dumped you. She also said they made you lose focus... Her mum must have studied boy psychology or something.
The boy was now so close. Just as Ada turned to enter her hostel block she felt a hand on her shoulder. Head pounding, blood racing, heart in her mouth, she halted and turned around, slowly.
"You're Ada, right?" Ovie had to be sure. He had heard someone call the girl's name earlier in the lecture hall. "I'm Ovie. Ovie Ebosele."
Ada was still trying to control her racing heart. She made sure her face was expressionless. "Well... Ovie. Do I know you?"
"I guess not. See, pardon me please. I don't usually barge in on people this way..."
"Could you please hurry up?" Ada was not about to let him know she wanted to stay right there. "I do have to rest."
"Oh sorry, again." Ovie smiled. I'm really sorry. Please don't get mad or anything. You should go get that rest. I will just walk back to my hostel. Thanks for even paying me any mind."
Ada's heart sank. What kind of boy was this? He was just going to give up? Was he not supposed to insist or something? Was he not supposed to sweet talk her or delay her or...
"Ada!"
She turned around again.
"So it's Ada then?"
The girl nodded, smiling.
"You have a rare smile. Reminds me of my mum. By the way, you still haven't moved into your hostel."
"What? Oh yes! I really should get going." Did he have to point that out? Didn't she know she was still standing outside?
"Ada!"
"Oh please! What now?" She didn't even bother to stop or turn around.
"Don't you even want to know why I followed you all the way down here?"
Ada stopped short. She waited a bit and turned around yet again. But the boy was nowhere in sight. It was as though he had disappeared into thin air.
***
The food tasted like sawdust in his mouth. Ovie could not even remember making the eba. He was distracted; lost in thought. Try as he might, he could not forget Ada's face. She looked so much like Esele - the oval shaped face, the smile, the boy like hair cut, even the way she moved... The resemblance was just too striking.
Ovie stared at his unfinished food. He knew he had to eat, but his appetite had gone out the window. He got up from his bed, walked straight into the kitchen, and emptied what was left of the eba and egusi soup into the dusbin. Then he did the dishes and returned to the bed, lost in thought…
... It had been the year before, and Esele had gone to her school which was not too far from their house. She had been preparing to write her WAEC exams the following week. So when she didn't return home early that day they had naturally assumed that she had stayed back for extra lessons. The phone call came much later - just before 7pm. His mother had gone hysterical. Esele had been knocked down by a hit and run driver. She was dead even before they could get her to the hospital. Her body had been barely recognisable. He had held the bruised body of her younger sister in his arms willing and hoping she'd live again. The pain had not been anything he was used to. It was a deep void - an emptiness he could not explain. He had just held that fragile frame close to his heart, wishing someone would wake him up from the nightmare. She would have been seventeen the following month...
... Ovie was still crying when he fell asleep. He was not to know that at that same hour, Ada was tossing about on her bed four blocks away, unable to sleep...
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Ada
Chapter Two
It has been several days since Ada last saw Ovie. She didn't know where the young man stayed on campus. After that first day she had been so keen on seeing him again. She would deliberately come very early to lectures, and sit in spots where anyone entering the hall could be clearly seen. She kept looking over her shoulders whenever she went to the library, or some other public place on campus. Just yesterday, she had finally decided to let it go...
"Hello Ada!"
Ada jumped up from the wooden chair she had been sitting on. People didn't come here at this time of day.
"Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you."
Ovie walked around Ada and sat on the chair opposite her. The canteen was empty, but for both of them. Ovie had in fact chosen this hour because he knew the place would be less busy.
"Have you been following me?" Ada could not think of a better question to ask. She sat down again, slightly embarrassed.
"No? I haven't. To be frank, I've been doing my best to avoid you."
Ada didn't know what to make of that last remark. Why would he be trying to avoid her? "And why would you do that?" She asked.
Ovie was silent. He bowed his head and cracked his knuckles repeatedly. Then he signaled to the waitress. She came over to them. "Could you give me water please?" The waitress went off to get the water.
Ada cleared her throat. "So if you've been avoiding me why come sit with me then? Why didn't you just walk out the moment you saw me here?"
Ovie looked at Ada, and for the first time their eyes met. He quickly looked away. There were too many memories. He knew he didn't want to be reminded of Esele all over again. Yet he knew he needed to hold on to something. He was confused, and it showed.
"What!" Ada threw her hands into the air in exasperation. "Do I remind you of someone? An ex-girlfriend?"
Ovie looked down again. How was he to tell her? He couldn't find the words to explain what he felt.
Ada looked at the boy carefully. He probably was not more than twenty one. He had an athletic build - very good looking muscular frame, carefully cut hair, a handsome face, strong jawline, and he was immaculately dressed. Phew! He looked like someone very responsible. But she also noticed he had sad eyes.
"Well, I couldn't stay here forever even if I wanted to. I'll be seeing you around." Ada got up and pushed back her seat.
"Please wait", Ovie finally managed. He brought his right hand in and out of his breast pocket. Then he got up and stretched a picture toward her.
Ada reached for the picture. Why would he be showing her the picture of his ex girlfriend? Some guys just acted weird. Then she looked at the portrait and froze. "What in heaven's name?"
***
The soul that sinneth shall die! The soul that sinneth shall die!" Ubuane yelled repeatedly. He was carrying out his 'morning cry' exercise. Personally he didn't believe anyone listened to him at that early hour of the morning. The cocks had not even started crowing. The birds must have been amazed that a human being was 'crowing' before they even had the time to begin.
"The soul that sinneth shall die. Make sure you go to Church today. Children of God o. Today is Sunday o. Repent, go to Church, for the soul that sinneth shall D I E !" Ubuane added for emphasis. Then he opened the gate and went back into his hostel. He had done his part. At least he could tell his pastor he eventually preached to some persons. Even though they were all still dreaming at the time.
Ubuane came back into the room, switched on the lights, and roused Ovie from sleep. "O boy, wake up jor! You no hear me dey hala for the other side just now?"
Ovie rolled over on his side. His head ached. It was as though someone was pounding yam in there. He squinted at his roommate through eye lids that were weighed down with sleep.
"Weytin be dat?" Ovie managed to ask.
"I say make you wake up. Today na Sunday. No Church?"
Ovie could not believe this roommate of his. "Na the same Church we dey go?" He reached for his bedside clock. "It's just 5:am na. Haba! Which one be your own sef?"
"You miss my guy. I wake up by 3:30 am today na. I dey preach round campus since."
Ovie drew the blanket over his face in time to avoid the mosquito that hovered lower toward his nose. He hated mosquitoes. But he probably hated his roommate more. "Please try to make less noise as you prepare for that church of yours. Mine is at nine today."
The next minute, he was fast asleep.
***
Ada heard the shouts over and over again. Why won't they let someone sleep in this campus, eh? Why would someone be shouting at her window as though she were the sinner? She knew it was Sunday. She didn't need some insensitive student preacher to remind her. She was angry. She got up from the bed and went to the window. Her roommate was still fast sleep.
The events of the evening before came flooding back...
Ada was still trying to get over the image she had seen yesterday. It was like staring at the mirror. She could have sworn the girl on the picture was her. Wonders shall never end. She had stood transfixed as Ovie told her all about Esele. In the end, she had not even been able to utter a word. Why had he told her? Because they looked identical? How was it even possible that she looked exactly like Esele? It was only in novels and movies that such things happened. This was reality, and these things weren't supposed to happen. Ada sat on the window sill, completely lost in thought. She must have been so engrossed in her reverie she didn't realise that she had let go of the window pane. The sudden weightlessness jolted her back to the present. She could feel the morning breeze on her face as she fell out the window...

Ada
Chapter Three
Ubuane took the short cut to the hall which was used as a church by his denomination. He didn't want his pastor to get there before him. Today was his day. It was his turn to lead Sunday service; which was why it had been necessary to carry out the morning cry exercise. The last time he had been chosen to lead Sunday service didn't quite go well. He had gone to bed late the Saturday before, only to wake up an hour into the service. His roommate, Ovie, who should have woken him up in such eventualities was a notorious late riser... A rat rushed across the path and scurried into the undergrowth. Ubuane leapt high into the air. Then he quickly looked around to ensure that none had seen him leap that high into space because of a common rat. He tried to control his racing heart.
'Na wao!' He said to himself.'Imagine!'
He rounded the corner behind the female hostel and finally cleared the bushes. He could see the silhouette of the hall in the distance.
"Kpum!"
Something had fallen down from one of the windows of the second floor of the female hostel. It landed some few paces behind him. Before Ubuane could make out what it was, sharp feminine screams pierced the quiet of the early morning...
***
... Ovie was having the nightmare all over again. There was blood everywhere. He was holding that fragile frame all over again, trying to will life into the mangled body. Then he started shouting "Esele! Esele! Please wake up. Esele please. Don't do this to me please..." The tears streamed down his face...
... "Ovie! Ovie!" The hand shook him more firmly. Ovie sat up in shock. He had been having a nightmare. He quickly rubbed away the tears as soon as consciousness came flooding in.
"O boy! Na wao!" Ubuane was staring at his roommate in disbelief. It had been three days. Three whole days and his friend was still by this lady's side? "Come! You no go leave this girl come back school? Haba! You never still fit reach any of her relations?"
Ovie shook his head in dismay. He didn't know where to begin from. When his roommate had come back into the room an hour later that Sunday morning, he had been shocked. He knew how much Ubuane loved Sunday services. Halfway into the story, and Ovie knew his roommate had to be talking about Ada. He hadn't waited to hear the full account. The fear that gripped his heart had thrown him into a sprint toward Ada's hostel. But she wasn't there. Her stunned roommate Bridget, hadn't been able to find words to explain the situation to him either. He had later found out that she had been taken to the specialist hospital close to the university... That had been three days ago, and Ada was still in a coma. She had hit her head so hard against the ground, it was a miracle she survived...
"Awwwwwww!" The soft moan broke into Ovie's thoughts. Ovie, Ubuane and Bridget came closer to the lady on the bed.
"Awwww!" The moan was even softer this time.
Bridget was overjoyed that her roommate was finally coming around. She rushed out of the hospital ward shouting "Doctor! Doctor! She's awake.."
***
... Ada was inside the burning house. It was hot and damp - as though someone were boiling water in a large open pot. She tried to control the beads of sweat from dripping into her eyes. She could hear her heart beating within her fragile frame. She looked round the house yet again. There was disorder everywhere. She could see scattered bits of furniture on fire, there was not enough space to walk about freely. She tried to move away from the glare of the bright red flames. As she ducked, a curtain pole crashed down rapidly, unto her skull...
Ada opened her eyes slowly. The throbbing pain inside her head was still there. But this was not the burning house. That was weird. She was just there moments ago. How had she gotten into this brightly lit room? She tried to focus, but everything was hazy. She could make out tall figures; they were like angels, in large white garments. Maybe she was dead. But when did she die? Ada could not remember dieing. Why had she died? She could not remember that either. She tried to see past the searing pain in her eyes, but to no avail. She closed her tired eyelids and gave in to the darkness...

Ada
Chapter Four
The doctor, a light skinned middle-aged woman, checked Ada again. Her vital signs were normal. Her pulse was a little weak, but it was nothing to worry about. The concussion had not done any substantial damage either. There was no internal bleeding or any such serious issues. But she had a fracture on her left forearm. The young lady may have tried to break her fall with that arm. An examination of her X-ray results earlier revealed the extent of the damage. The Plaster of Paris cast she now had on would fix that. The doctor took some notes, and gave Ada's file to one of the two nurses that stood dutifully at her side. Then she removed the stethoscopes from her ears and let them drop around her neck. This patient was a lucky one. "Make sure you continue to monitor her," She said to the male nurse. "Let me know if anything changes."
"Yes Doctor."
Ovie had been watching the whole scene with interest. "How is she doctor?" He finally asked.
"Oh, your friend is fine my dear. Don't worry about it. She only went into shock. She's fallen into very normal sleep now. Her body needs the rest you know?"
Ovie nodded. "What about the arm?" He pressed further.
"I believe it'll get better," she said. "You see, she may have tried to break her fall with her left arm outstretched. You know the forearm contains two bones, right?"
Ovie nodded even though he had no idea what the doctor was talking about.
"Only the radius was affected. Her ulna is intact. And thank goodness it's not an open fracture. So we don't have to worry about infection and all that."
Ovie looked lost.
The doctor smiled and continued. "The radius is on the same side of the arm as the thumb, but the ulna is on the side of the little finger. You see, when the forearm is fractured, either the radius or ulna may be fractured alone, or both bones may be broken. In her case, only the radius was affected. The hand will be good as new in about four weeks?"
"Four weeks?" Ovie exclaimed. "That's a month o."
The doctor smiled. "Yes I know young man. But that doesn't mean she'll be here the whole time."
"Thank God, Bridget said. "At least she can come and continue with school o."
"Yes she can. I'll prescribe some calcium and vitamin D supplements. She'll be fine. Don't worry."
Ovie nodded at Bridget as they both exchanged reassuring glances. The doctor excused them and went out of the room, accompanied by the nurses.
Ovie looked at Bridget again. Apart from knowing her name, he'd never really met her before now. She was not pretty as such. Bridget looked like those wild campus girls - from the way she dressed to the manner she carried herself. But he could see she cared so much about Ada. Ovie didn't know one could still find such committed roommates. As he continued pondering, the girl looked up and their eyes met. Ovie looked away quickly. Unknown to Ovie, Bridget was at that very moment nursing thoughts about him.
***
Ada was a very lucky girl. She knew her roommate didn't talk much. But she certainly should have told her about this handsome and very caring young man. From the moment the boy rushed into their room that fateful Sunday morning till the present, it had been one surprise after another. He looked after Ada with so much affection. Maybe they were siblings. There was a striking resemblance between them both. He was tall, dark complexioned and handsome; not like the other boy that had been coming to see Ada also. Bridget smiled to herself. Maybe the ugly boy was Ada's boyfriend and this handsome one was her brother. Bridget blushed. This was hardly the time to notice such things. In her heart, she prayed this boy would turn out to be Ada's elder brother. He didn't look older than twenty. He had to be her brother. He had to be.
"So are you her brother?" Bridget asked eventually.
"What?" Ovie had been carried away by his own thoughts.
"My roommate. Are you her brother?"
"Oh, no. I'm not." Ovie smiled.
"You look alike. I could have sworn you're siblings."
Ovie continued smiling. He didn't say a word.
"You don't talk much yourself, do you?"
'I talk a lot my dear. But not with people like you sha.' Ovie suppressed the mischievous voice inside his head. "No dear. I'm not much of a talker." He continued smiling. 'Kai, liar!' His inner voice screamed at him again.
"So you're her friend then?" Bridget asked again, careful not to add 'boy' to the friend.
Ovie got really amused. "Yes I'm her friend."
"Ada didn't mention she had such a handsome friend o. So my roomie caught a boo and kept it a secret."
"Well, that's because we just met a few days ago. We barely know each other sef."
"Good!" Bridget exclaimed in genuine relief.
Ovie gave her a surprised glance.
"Erm, I mean it's good you just met. You can get to know each other better. I'm Bridget by the way."
'I know your name jor,' Ovie's inner voice intruded again. "Ovie is my name." Ovie said in the most patient tone he could mange.
"Hmmm! Ovhiedo kpataki."
Ovie smiled again. Bridget was making him very uncomfortable as the seconds rolled by...

Ada
Chapter Five
The woman sitting astride a tree stump under her thatched roofed kitchen was not a young woman by any standard. She was busy breaking seeds of Ogbono; a task she had to complete before her children woke up. Beads of sweat gathered on her forehead. She would have been a beautiful woman. But the perpetual frown etched on those middle-aged features had driven the last traces of beauty off her face. She wiped her brow with one loose edge of the wrapper she tied loosely around her waist, and continued the arduous task. This was how she made her living. She hoped the prices would go up today being market day.
Since her husband died, it had been hell trying to bring up the children all by herself. Adaugo had gotten her way into University. She had been lucky with that one. But she constantly worried about Emeka, Amarachi and Ijeoma? Who would pay their fees now that Ada had gone all the way to Edo State? She had many reasons to stay worried. Her most recent worry now was Ada. She had not called her in four days. The old phone Ada bought her years ago lay silent. No other person called her as much as she did. What had happened to her?
"Vunnnnnn!" The woman jumped off the tree stump. "Chineke!" What was that?
"Vunnnnnn!" The phone danced around, and fell off the stool, beside the smoke darkened lantern.
"Vunnnnnn!" The woman quickly picked it up. She was sure Emeka had been playing with her phone again. How come it was no longer singing as it used to do?
"Hallo!" The woman spoke cautiously. It was still very early in the morning and she didn't want to disturb anyone.
"Hello, Good day ma!" The voice on the other side was that of a boy. The woman removed the phone from her ear and eyed it suspiciously. Since the other person continued talking, she put it back against her left sweaty cheek with her freer arm. "Hallo my son! Ogini?"
"It's your daughter ma. Erm... she has been a little sick. She is only just getting stronger..." The woman could not understand all the grammar. But she knew something was wrong. It was time for a more learned person to handle the phone. Panic rose within her. She ran out of the kitchen shouting, "Emeka! Emeka ooo! Bia, biko. Biko... Emeka ooooo!"
***
Emeka rubbed his eyes. "Nne what na? I'm still sleeping o!" He however sat up on the bed and took the phone from his mother. One reddish cockroach chose that moment to fly noisily towards the lantern the woman had picked from the corner of the room as soon as she entered. She swapped at it with the loose edge of her wrapper. The cockroach landed on the floor. Before it could run, the woman's barefoot squashed the life out of it in seconds.
"Nne, reduce your noise na. Bikonu. I'm trying to talk here." Emeka could hear the voice at the other end clearly. After a while, he brought down the phone and looked straight at his mother. The sleep had gone out of his eyes...
***
Ada still felt very sore though the pain inside her head had subsided. She had finally woken up at midnight on Wednesday morning. The hospital ward had seemed so strange but for Ovie, who sat by her side and kept reassuring her. She had been surprised to see her arm in a solid cast, but Ovie had explained it all, pressuring her to relax and not worry about anything. She had had no idea she had been sleeping for three days, which explains why she had instantly gotten worried about her mum. But Ovie had insisted they waited till morning before calling her family.
When it was dawn, she had handed the phone to Ovie insisting that he made the call. It had seemed like a great idea since she didn't want her mum to notice the weakness of her voice.
"Were you able to reach her?" Ada asked as soon as Ovie dropped the call, her voice barely a whisper.
"Yes. I think I got through to your mum. But she probably didn't quite understand me. So I ended up speaking with a little boy." Ovie still held Ada's phone.
"Emeka!"Ada gathered her breath. "He's my little brother." She looked round again. She wasn't used to being inside a hospital ward. "Hope he didn't react too strongly?"
"Well..." Ovie didn't want to lie. He didn't know why Ada hadn't spoken to her mum herself. The woman would have felt better at least "...The boy didn't react at all..." Ovie put the phone inside his right trouser pocket. "He probably wasn't ready for this kind of news this early in the morning.
"Don't worry," Ada whispered. "He's a smart boy, he'll explain everything to my mum."
"I hope so." Ovie said with a tone etched with disbelief.
"Vuuuuun! Ovie felt the vibration. He brought the phone out and looked at it. It was the same number he had just dialled. He looked at Ada and made a face. The girl rolled her eyes.
"Should I pick again?"
"Yes na."
"Hello...!" Ovie waited to hear the voice at the other end before saying anything else.
"Hallo...?"
Ovie covered the mouth piece with his hand. "It's your mum's voice o!"
"Hallo? Ogini? You this boy, give my daughter phone, biko..."
"She said I should give you the phone," Ovie said, stretching the phone towards Ada."
Ada took the phone from Ovie with shaky hands. She knew her mum would begin her long sermon again. Her numb brain couldn't even begin to process what she would tell her mum.
"Hello? Nne! It's me Ada..."
'Hallo! Ada. Obun nwam o! Heo! What happened? You are well?"
"Yes ma'am." Ada looked wryly at Ovie.
"They said you're in hospital?"
"Yes ma'am. But the doctor said there is nothing to worry about?"
"Ogini? Eh? What happened? Heo! Tell me, tell me, biko."
"Oooo Nne, it's a long story. I am not strong."
"You will be fine o? My enemies will not kill me. The devil is a liar. Ekwensu is a liar ooo? Biko, tell me what happened. I have time o? Manage, manage to tell me ngwanu, o?"
Ada rolled her eyes and bagan the long tale; at least, the much of it she remembered...

Ada
Chapter Six
Ada had her right hand round Amarachi's shoulder as they silently walked along the relatively wide path leading to the river, just before dawn. The sound of cocks crowing from neighbours backyards at different intervals carried to her ears. She smiled. Here in Umuchi village, where she was from, it was a common sight to see people going to and from the river to get water just before dawn. It was still dark by anyone's standard though they could see where they placed their feet. That was not a problem at all since she had been to the river on much darker days. The moon had not risen till just before midnight the previous day which was why it still hung in the skies like a lazy woman, it's rays barely touching the dry reddish earth.
Ada looked at her mum as she strode purposefully ahead, hands swaying gracefully at her side without caring to hold the large basin balanced firmly on her head. Her mum was a strong woman; the more reason Ada was determined to keep using her broken hand. She instinctively rubbed what was left of the cast on her left forearm. Most of it was now gone, thanks to her chores. Apart from the fact that Ijeoma her seven year old younger sister had turned the cast to some sort of writing material, too much water contact had left it in very bad shape. It now looked like it would fall off at the slightest chance. Ada didn't care much. She knew she wasn't supposed to use her right arm; the doctor had been quite clear about that. But as soon as she got home for the Christmas holidays, it was obvious she had no choice but to ignore the doctor's warning. There had been too much to do.
Amarachi, who was only twelve, had gotten used to being the 'woman' of the house during her absence. The way she held both their empty gallons as they continued down the path, convinced Ada that her younger sister had long left childhood behind. Hardship quickly turned children to adults. Ada heard the sound of the water before she saw it. Amazi river was the only water source of her community. It was a large body of water that stayed full throughout the year. Her mum sold fish from this river to neighbouring villages when the tide was high, and sold other things during the drier seasons. As they rounded the bend, Amazi river rose into her line of sight, silvery ripples extending down the horizon, as far as the eye could see. Amarachi broke loose and ran forward, gallons raised high above her head. Ada smiled again. Some things never changed.
***
"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost, but now I am found, was blind, but now I see. Amazing Grace..." Ovie struggled out of sleep. He tried to reach for his phone with eyes tightly shut. He wanted to be able to go right back to sleep as soon as the call ended.
"Hello..." Ovie hadn't bothered to look at the caller ID.
"Hello, Ovie, Oh my God..."
"Ada?"
"Yes... It's my mum... God! It's my mum oh... Please help me... Help me..."
Ovie jumped out of bed instantly, phone held tightly to his ear. "What happened. Calm down na... Are you crying? What happened to your mum? Talk to me. Talk to me Ada... Ada! Ada!" The line went dead.
Ovie looked at his phone screen. He needed to be sure it was Ada that had called him. But he had spoken with her just the day before, and she had said they were all fine. What was happening? He dialled her number.
"Hello...Ada..."
"I'm sorry. I ran out of airtime."
"Never mind. What's wrong with your mum?"
"She... She slumped just after we got back from the river this morning... We don't know what is wrong with her. Now she isn't talking. Ovie, my mum isn't talking to me o. She's just here..."
"Where? Are you in a hospital?"
"No. Not yet... We're still at home o..."
Ovie could hear voices at the background. "Are there persons there with you?"
"Yes... Some of our neighbours... They want to help us take her to the hospital here in Umuchi. Please help me..."
"Don't worry Ada. I will come. I promise. I will come down to Umuchi. Be strong, okay?"
"Okay.... Thanks a lot..."
The line went dead again. Ovie continued staring at his phone as though it could somehow ease the pain and confusion he felt.
"Mum! Mum!" He kept calling as he ran out of his room.
***
Ovie had had to drive nearly four hours to get to Umuchi village from Benin City. He had taken his mum's car. He had nearly started World War Three when his mum initially refused to let him travel. When she saw that she couldn't talk him out of it she had then warned him to drive carefully, since it was just two days before Christmas and the roads would be busy. After series of wrong turns, Ovie had finally arrived at the hospital late in the afternoon. He had looked at Ada's mum and concluded the woman needed to be taken to a better hospital. What Umuchi called a hospital was an old dilapidated structure that looked like it had survived the Biafran War. Worse still, the nurses there barely understood English language. There was no medical Doctor in sight, and no one seemed to know when one would come. Ovie sat inside the hospital ward with Ada and her siblings. Different odours carried to his nostrils, from Izal to rotten flesh. He was getting sick. His mind reeled as he wondered what to do.
***
Somewhere inside a brightly lit warehouse, a phone shrilled continuously. One of the sales girls picked the phone and ran to her madam who was busy trying to sell fifty bags of rice to a customer.
"Thank you Osasumwen... Hello?"
"Hello, mummy!"
"Ah, Osaruese o! Omon, hope you're fine o?"
Ovie rolled his eyes. He was twenty two for goodness sake. He was no longer a baby. "Yes ma'am. Erm... Mummy o?"
"How was your journey? Hope the road wasn't too bad?"
"The road was fine mummy. Ehn mummy o?"
"Have you eaten? It's almost evening o. Aren't you coming back today?"
"Mummy... I have eaten. Erm... The woman is in very bad shape o. This place is not a good hospital, they don't even know what is wrong with her sef."
"So? What are you saying?"
"I was wondering if I should bring her to Benin?"
"Osanudazi!" The woman exclaimed. "You want to drive a sick woman all the way to Benin? What if something happens to her on the way?"
"Mum, if I leave this woman here, she's as good as dead... I have spoken with her family people, they say it's fine..."
Mrs Omoruyi paused. She made a sign to her customer, and went inside the warehouse.
"Mum?"
"Are you a doctor? How can you take care of a sick woman?"
" I was thinking we'll take her to UBTH na."
"We? You and who?"
"Me and you na. Haba!"
"What about her bills? Who will pay?"
"You na, see o. Am I working?"
The woman rolled her eyes and made an exaggerated sign of frustration for the benefit of her sales girls. "Okay, bring her down. But not today o. It's already late."
"Thanks mum. You're my Bae of life." Ovie dropped the call.
Mrs Omoruyi smiled and gave the phone back to her salesgirl. girlhaley

Ada
Chapter Seven
Mrs Omoruyi drove the car to the car park and found a space. She had had to leave the warehouse when Ovie called to inform her he had driven straight to the hospital. She was lucky traffic was light at that time of day, so getting to University of Bini Teaching Hospital was not as tedious as she had feared. She paused for a moment as soon as she came out of the car. The sights and sounds of hospitals always reminded her of Esele her baby. She was only here because Ovie had a knack for not minding his business; a tendency she knew he had inherited from her. She knew she had a very soft spot for people in whatever kind of need. Mrs Omoruyi tried to shut out the smells of the one environment she had prayed never to step foot in ever again. Steeling her resolve, she checked her handbag to ascertain there was enough money inside it. Then she walked determinedly towards the Accident and Emergency Ward.
***
Ada watched helplessly as her mum was strapped onto a stretcher and rushed into the ward. Emeka had remained at home to look after Amarachi and Ijeoma. She could barely think straight as she followed Ovie and the nurses into the 'A&E'. Throughout the night and all through their journey to Benin her mum had barely said a word, and hardly ate any food. Though she was conscious, she seemed too weak to do much of anything. Young student doctors gathered round the stretcher as soon as they got in. They took blood samples amidst so much chatter, that Ada wondered if they knew what they were doing.
"Don't worry," Ovie said, reading her thoughts. "It's a teaching hospital, so it's normal to see such a scurry of activity. Some times these students are even better than the so-called consultants o." Ovie lowered his voice to a whisper. "But they also make terrible mistakes sha o."
"Oh my goodness!" Ada screamed.
"Only sometimes na. Haba! Thank God there's so much noise. Do you want them to hear what I just told you?"
"What happened?" One young doctor asked Ada. He had left the others and was standing very close to her and Ovie. "Are you her children."
"Yes doctor!" Ada responded. She looked at Ovie, surprised he had said the exact same thing.
"Okay." The doctor said.
Ada thought he looked too young to be a doctor.
The doctor smiled. "I'm not as young as I look, trust me."
Ada was embarrassed. Was she so transparent? Why was everyone reading her mind?
"What happened to her?" The doctor asked again.
"She suddenly slumped." Ovie answered.
"Yes?" The doctor was taking notes.
"Just as we were going to the river yesterday morning, she fainted." Ada added.
"Is she diabetic?"
Ada looked at Ovie. "Yes, I think so."
"Okay, you're not sure?"
"Not really doctor." Ada replied. She was getting embarrassed again. She knew her mum didn't even know what diabetes was. But there was a time one village chemist close to their house had suggested she might be diabetic since she was always complaining of being dizzy and tired.
"Does she eat well?"
"Not really doctor." Ada said. "My mum is always busy, she hardly has time to eat well." She didn't want the doctor to know there were times it was difficult for them to afford good food.
"So she's always busy then?"
"Yes doctor. Always; even when she should be resting."
"Okay, don't worry. Just go pay the bills as we await the test results. Please excuse me." The doctor went back to his colleagues.
***
Why wasn't Ovie taking his calls? Mrs Omoruyi dialled her son's number yet again. This time he picked.
"Hello...mummy?"
"Don't mummy me jor. Did you not say you're in A&E?"
"Mummy relax. I can see you already. Look straight..."
The woman directed her gaze properly and yes, her boy was waving at her at the other end of the Ward. She drooped the call and walked towards them. As she got closer, she froze..."
***
Ovie had been waiting for this moment. He saw his mum look from him to Ada and back to him "Omon..." Her voice was filled with emotion. Tears came to her eyes.
"Mummy, meet Ada." Ovie was enjoying the moment, not minding that people in various stages of serious ailments were groaning all around them. "Ada, my mum."
"Good afternoon ma'am." Ada greeted the woman. The introductions had been unnecessary. The woman looked exactly like Ovie. She was tall, dark and astonishingly beautiful for her age. Ada guessed she wouldn't be more than forty.
***
Mrs Omoruyi hadn't heard the greeting. She was looking at her daughter Esele, caught up in a state of emotional confusion. "Oh my God! Esele!" The woman didn't realise her hands had gone up to her head. She had a shocked expression on her face, like she was seeing a ghost.
"No mum. This is Ada. Her mum is sick. That's why we are here. Remember?"
"You're Ada?"
"Yes ma'am," Ada replied.
"Did he tell you..." Her voice trailed off.
"Yes ma'am. He did." Seeing the tears in the woman's eyes, Ada didn't know when her own eyes filled up.
"Ah! Osanobua!" The woman exclaimed. "How is this even possible?"
Ada didn't have an answer to that.
"Mummy, I have spent all my money o. Let's go and pay for the other things."
"Gbunuen! Can't you see I'm trying to process this whole thing you're putting me through?"
"Hah, mummy? Am I the one that made her like Esele?"
"Now I see why my son is crazy about you. Iye!"
Again, Ada had no response. She was now crying freely.
"Awwwww. Don't cry my baby. Come here."
Ada went to the woman and buried her head in her bosom. All the pain she'd been nurturing washed over her. Here in the arms of a woman she barely knew, she cried out her heart.
Mrs Omoruyi couldn't stop her own flow of tears. She wept for her Esele and for this broken Ada who reminded her so much of her dead baby...
To be continued...

WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The story is out of this world. Just how i like it. More grease to your elbow.

nice one pls more update

Ada
Chapter Eight
Emeka rose to the sound of crowing cocks. He rubbed his eyes and gingerly got up from the foam that had seen better days. These days, only his mind convinced him it wasn't a mat. The thing lay flat, having completely lost its foamness. Emeka didn't want to wake Ijeoma, it was too early in the morning. Besides, he was tired of her incessant cries. Amarachi understood perfectly that Nne was seriously sick. But Ijeoma? She kept asking after Nne as though he had her hidden somewhere inside his shorts. Emeka hadn't bothered to explain further to her. After all she had seen Nne in that helpless state herself. What more was there to explain? Emeka tiptoed to one corner of the room, put on his farm clothes and swung a small hoe over his shoulder. He would try to dig up a tuber or two of yams from their farm, which was not too far from the river. There was nothing else to eat. He went over to Amarachi and shook her softly, "Amara!"
Amarachi turned noisily and continued sleeping.
"Amara, wake upu! Hia!" Emeka shook his sister again.
This time Amarachi sat up and looked directly at Emeka for some seconds. As she was about going back to sleep, Emeka placed his left palm on the back of her neck and shook her gently, but firmly.
"Ewooo!" Amarachi screamed into wakefulness.
"Reduce your voiceee." Emeka whispered. "Do you want to wake Ijeoma up?"
Amarachi got up from the bed, raised her arms into the air like a slender gymnast and stretched noiselessly. Then she wrapped one of her mom's old wrappers around her waist and knotted it around her neck. She knew it was time for her morning ritual. Both children left their compound and joined the sparse traffic of villagers already on their way to the farm or to the river. Inside the house, Ijeoma slept on, oblivious to the world around her.
***
Somewhere in Benin, later that morning, Ovie packed a cooler of food and rushed out of the house.
"Omon!"
"Mummy!"
"So early?"
"Hah," Ovie came back into the sitting room. He hadn't realised she was already up and about, "mummy. It's almost 7:am. I'm sure Ada will be hungry already. That girl can eat for Africa."
"Eat for Africa? How?"
"It's a manner of speaking mom," Ovie explained. "It just means she can eat very well."
"Oh! Okay." The woman got up from the sofa. "Be careful okay? I'll come by much later. Keep me updated."
"No worries ma. Take your time," Ovie said over his shoulder as he rushed out again.
***
"Where's your brother?"
Ada looked up and saw the young doctor of yesterday smiling at her. "Oh, he went to get food."
"I'm Joe by the way." He stretched out his hand.
"I'm Ada." Ada shook his hand.
"Ada as in..."
"Ada as in Adaugo!"
"You're Igbo?"
"Yes Doctor."
"Just call me Joe please."
Ada smiled. "Okay doctor Joe."
"Just Joe."
"Okay doctor." Ada couldn't help it.
Joe threw his hands into the air. "Okay, I give up." He cleared his throat and put his professional face back on. "We have the results for your mom's situation, erm.., I was hoping your brother would get here before I explain the details to you..."
"Well I'm here now..." Ovie had a big smile on his face. He passed the cooler of food to Ada.
Joe smiled. "Good! Your mom was very restless yesterday, so we gave her a very light sedative, just to make her rest. That's why she's been sleeping."
"Has she eaten anything this morning?" Ovie asked Ada.
"No, not yet." She answered.
"As I was saying," Joe continued. "your mom suffered from a condition known as Hypoglycemia."
"Hypo what?" Ovie had never heard anything like it before.
Ada was silent. She hoped it wasn't a terminal disease.
"Hypoglycemia." Joe repeated. "It simply refers to a shortage of blood glucose."
"Oh!" Ovie exclaimed, relief washing over him.
Ada still held her breath.
"You see, most people feel symptoms of hypoglycemia when their blood sugar is 70 milligrams per deciliter or lower."
Ovie rolled his eyes.
Ada clasped her hands together in silent prayer.
"You see, I asked if your mom was diabetic earlier. That's because diabetic persons may have different symptoms of hypoglycemia like dizziness, confusion, constant headaches, pounding heart, and so on. Without treatment, the symptoms can get worse. One could pass out, have terrible nightmares, or even go comatose."
"Whoa!" Ovie exclaimed.
"Yes." Joe said.
"So what caused this doctor?" Ada finally asked.
"Too much insulin in her system, skipping meals, eating too late... Many factors could be responsible. But you see, your mom is diabetic. The tests confirmed it. And she's not been managing it at all. That's pretty risky."
"But diabetes is excess sugar na? At least I know that one. How can one with excess sugar have low blood sugar again?" Ovie was getting confused.
Joe laughed out loud. "I understand your confusion my man. But you see, it's not just about excess sugar. Diabetes is actually a metabolism disorder. What that means is that Diabetes distorts the normal way the body digests food for growth and energy. When the body breaks food into glucose, the pancreas should produce a hormone called insulin, which enables our bodies to recognise the glucose in the bloodstream and use it. In this case, your mom has Diabetes type 2. That means her body either does not produce enough insulin for proper function, or the cells in her system have become insulin resistant. Given this condition one could have hyperglycemia, which is too much glucose, or hypoglycemia, which is too less glucose.
"Chineke! Ada exclaimed.
"Don't worry about it." Joe reassured them. "With proper medication, diet and exercise, she'll be fine."
"Thank God!" Ovie was getting tired of the medical jargon.
"But she'll be fine, right?" Ada asked for emphasis.
"Oh absolutely!" Joe answered with a big smile. "But you'll have to make sure her sugar level is constantly monitored.
"Ada? Ada... Is that you? Biko... Where am I?"
All three of them turned. The woman on the bed was awake...

Ada
Chapter Nine
Ada's mom got down from the car, holding on to Ovie tightly. She had come to see the boy as her own son. His willingness to help her and Ada was something she never thought she'd live to witness. Over the past five days she'd been hospitalised, her health had improved greatly - thanks to the young boy her daughter had found. She didn't know where Ada met him , but she wanted her to marry him as soon as possible. The boy was not only rich, it was clear he had much love for them. He was complete husband material. This had been her prayer since she was discharged from hospital the day before. Passing one night at his house had convinced her further that God had finally smiled on their situation. She had never been in such a big house, neither had she ever slept on such a soft bed her entire life. She was saddened to know that Ovie's father had passed on just like her husband. And that his younger sister had died just a year ago. They kept talking about how much her Ada looked like the Esele they had lost. Her heart went out to Ovie's mother; a very kind and wonderful woman. She knew it must be very lonely for her to live in such a big house without a husband and only one child, who was hardly at home. Thank God she was a busy woman. Ada's mother had to admit that she was envious of them. Why was life so wicked? She was killing herself to take care of her children and here was another woman who had all the money but only one child? She wished they were that comfortable too.
"Mama take it easy o." Ovie said as he led Ada's mom into the old house, down the corridor towards the compound behind. It was clear she was distracted.
"Chidalu, dalu nwam, o? Thank you my pikin. God bless you for me."
"Thank you ma'am. God bless you too for me."
The woman smiled as she let herself be led. It was obvious she was enjoying all the attention.
***
Ada gathered her mom's things and took them out of the car before locking the door. For a second, she fantasied about being Mrs Omoruyi. She smiled and dismissed the thought to the back of her mind. How can a year one student be thinking of marriage? She had felt very proud though when neighbours stared at them continuously as they got down from the Toyota Hillux. She had felt like one madam coming home for the New Year celebrations. She pressed the remote control button marked with the 'lock' symbol. The Van beeped and blinked twice as the doors automatically locked. As she got close to their doorway, she pressed the button one more time. The car beeped again. Satisfied, she went into the house, feeling like the Lolo of Umuchi community.
***
Ada held Ijeoma as she told her stories. She occasionally smiled at Amarachi who sat cross-legged close to them, pretending not to be interested in children stories. Ovie had returned almost immediately. He had even called to tell her he was home. He must have driven at top speed. Ada glanced at her mom. She lay on a mat close to the fire they had made just outside their kitchen. Her new found peace radiated all around them.
"...So the tortoise went to the King and said he would want to run in the competition," Ada continued.
"Nwa nem? Can tortoise run?" Amarachi asked.
"Hia! I thought you're not interested in children's stories o. Ntoooor."
Amarachi smiled like a big girl. "I just asked na. Your story is jumping into my ears small small."
"Well, in this story eh? Tortoise wanted to run."
"Nwa nem?" It was Ijeoma's shrill voice.
"Yes?"
"Tortoise can run. Emeka has seen a running tortoise before." Ijeoma's small finger pointed at Emeka who was busy carving a stick with a small knife at the other end of the fire.
"Ijeoma you can lie?" Emeka retorted.
"Is it not you that said one tortoise like that was running in your school?" Ijeoma was not about to give up.
"Hia!" Emeka stopped what he was doing. "Was it not inside reader?"
"Oya, all of you go and sleep, biko. You can talk all this talk tomorrow. I want to talk to your sister."
Amarachi and Ijeoma got up and went inside the house. They were obviously not happy at their mom's tyrannical commands, but they knew better than to argue with Nne. Emeka however kept carving his stick. He knew he was exempted from those kind of instructions. He slept whenever he liked.
"My daughter, has Ovie asked you to marry him yet?"
"Hah! Nne! No na? We're just friends o."
"Come, biko. Do you think I am a fool? Chineke mee! Is it not this two breasts that you sucked?"
Ada almost laughed. "Mama, there is no day you'll not tell me I sucked your breasts. I know."
"Even me o!" Emeka shouted. "Nne came back today o. Today! And she has already reminded me twice, twice o, that I sucked her breasts, as if I don't know."
"Taa! Me chie onu! What do you two know?"
"Mama. Ovie is different." Ada tried to explain. "He is not like other boys. He has not even called me his girlfriend once sef. I think he sees me as his sister or something!"
"Me chie onu! Sister ke? Mbanu! Tell him you're not his sister o. You're not his sister."
"Mama calm down na. We're just starting school. I'm in 100 level and he's in 200. Marriage is still far."
"Adaugo!"
"Ma?"
"Adaugo!"
"Ma?"
"Adaugoooo!"
"Oooooo na. Mama? Hia!"
"How many times..."
"Three times mama." Ada knew there was no point in letting her finish.
"I have said my own o. Kachifo."
The woman rose from her mat and went inside the house.
Emeka came towards Ada. "Nwa nem? Don't listen to mama o. Nne is old school. Follow your heart."
"Thank you Emeka."
"Mention my dear. Mention!"
"Go jor." Ada laughed.
Emeka gathered his instruments and went inside.
Ada stretched out on her mat, looking at the twinkling stars galaxies away. She thought about what her mom had said. She knew her mom had a point. But it wasn't her fault. If only Ovie would become a bit more romantic. She knew he loved her. But she feared he was trying to replace his late sister with her. She didn't want to be just his sister. She wanted so much more...

Ada
Chapter Ten
Ada walked towards the common room on the ground floor of her hostel. She had got a call from Ovie saying he was coming over. He wanted to tell her something very important and he didn't want to say it over the phone. Ada was overjoyed. She knew Ovie eventually wanted to make their relationship official. And he was busy forming all this while. She thought he'd never ask. Throughout the holidays they had talked and joked about everything. His calls were so frequent and consistent, everyone felt something was amiss the only day he had called her later than usual. Even Ijeoma had walked up to her one day demanding that she helped loosen her hair before Uncle Ovie called. The little girl knew that once Ovie called, that would be the end of her elder sister's activities till much later when she dropped the call. Ada waved at one of her classmates at the other end of the hostel.
"Where you dey go?" Her friend shouted across at her.
"Common room!" Ada shouted back.
"Any gbedu?"
Ada laughed. "For common room? No jor. I just wan see my friend."
"No lie o."
"No be lie jor."
Ada was already on the ground floor of the hostel.
One student opened her room door, poked her head out, and looked at Ada angrily. "Come, why una dey shout like dat na? Exams don dey use style come o. Girls are not smiling."
Ada covered her mouth immediately. "Oh sweerrie! No vex. No mind Bola. Na she cause am." Ada grinned in her mind. Students were yet to resume and someone was reading already? Wonders will never end.
"Who be that? Kilonsoro?" Bola shouted again. She was straining her neck to see who was distracting Ada in the middle of their conversation.
Ada made a sign with her hands, urging Bola to bring down her voice. She didn't want to continue shouting back and forth.
"Ewo, if you wan read you no know road to library? Kilode?" Bola shouted again. She could see someone's head.
The student looked at Ada, then at Bola. Her gaze came back to rest on Ada. She shook her head slowly, went back into her room and locked the door with a bang. Ada couldn't hold back her laughter. The whole scenario was so funny. How had Bola guessed what it was all about though?
"Babe no mind that one. Na she read pass? Who dey read by this time? Abi na sleep she dey sleep sef? Abeg, if show dey holla at your girl o."
"Trust me," Ada called back, trying to reduce the volume of her voice. She quickly walked past the room. Bola was the type of girl that everyone knew in a day. She was as noisy as she was rude, probably because she was born and raised in the less urban areas of Lagos. She had 'street' written all over her, and she never cared to hide it. Most people just either agreed with whatever she said or totally avoided her. Getting into a quarrel with Bola was like jumping into a swimming pool without knowing how to swim. Ada turned into the corridor that led directly to the common room, thoughts of Ovie filling her heart.
***
Ovie stopped at the canteen and got two cones of ice cream for Ada. He had never met anyone with such an appetite for ice cream before. He glanced at his watch and increased his pace. He had returned from Christmas break the day before, since Ada wouldn't stop nagging him. He didn't know why she had resumed that early though. No one resumed the first week of resumption. Not even the new students. He knew the school would be empty. His roommate Ubuane hadn't even resumed. Ovie smiled as he got close to the female hostel. It was then it occurred to him that Ada might have resumed that early because she had missed him.
***
Ada was silent. It felt like a knife had been plunged into her heart. What was wrong with Ovie?
"You're not saying anything." Ovie asked. He was getting worried. He hadn't exactly expected Ada to jump up with joy but he certainly hadn't expected this extreme coldness either.
Ada remained quiet. There was nothing to say. She needed time to process this. She had been such a fool. How come she never saw it coming? Not once had he ever called her sweet names. Not once did he ever say one romantic word. And she had been here like a chicken tied to a leash, thinking he'd get into a relationship with her. Oh dear! This was so wrong.
"Ada? Please say something!"
Ada stood up from the sofa. She needed to go back to her room. In fact, she needed to go back home.
"Ada? Where are you going? You haven't even told me what you think. I really need to get your opinion." Ovie pleaded.
Ada walked towards the door but paused just before reaching it. She needed to say something. Otherwise her heart would shatter into many tiny pieces. "Ovie, you are wicked!"
Ovie recoiled as the impact her words hit him.
"How could you?" The tears rushed down Ada's cheeks. "How could you bring me into your life, introduce me to your family, give everyone in my house hope and then come up with this story? Are you for real?" "Ada please..."
"Oh shut up." Ada cut in. "Don't you know I'm a human being with feelings? How could you play ludo with my heart like this? It's over. You hear me? It's over between us. I don't ever want to see you again." Ada walked out without so much as a backward glance.
***
Ovie was confused. What was over? He wasn't even in a relationship with her, was he? In fact, he had made sure he never gave her that impression. He had only taken her as his own sister. Had he done wrong by being nice? He couldn't understand it. He had always felt a call to the priesthood, but his mom had kept pushing him to University, hoping he'd get over it. Now that he had finally made up his mind to go to the seminary he had thought it wise to tell his sister first. What was so wrong about that?

Ada
Chapter Eleven
Try as she might, Ada could not push Ovie out of her mind. For three whole weeks she refused to see him nor take his calls. She blocked him on WhatsApp and deleted his text messages anytime they came in, without bothering to read them. She didn't want to be cornered into changing her mind. She went as far as making sure their paths never crossed. Ovie had even come to her common room more than thrice, hoping she'd come downstairs to see him. He would send a message as soon as he arrived, wait for hours, and send another message whenever he finally left. Since those were usually brief messages, Ada got to read them without meaning to. Even Bridget had gotten suspicious. She couldn't understand what was going on between them. "But you said he's your boyfriend na?" Bridget had asked her on one occasion, as they were returning from lectures. "Are you guys having issues? The guy has been scarce o"
Ada had mumbled something about Ovie's recent busy schedule. The excuse had sounded pretty lame to her own eyes, but it had been the first thing that popped into her head that day. She had told Bridget Ovie was her boyfriend because she knew her roommate had predatory tendencies, and something in her wanted to protect Ovie from the negative tentacles of such a person. Bridget was a great friend, no doubt. But she had a weakness for handsome boys...
Ada's phone vibrated. She wasn't ready to take calls from anyone. She was trying to sleep. The phone kept vibrating. Frustrated, Ada picked it up and looked at the screen. It was Ovie. Although she had deleted his number from her phone, the digits were ingrained in her memory. What was the point of picking up the call today, after three weeks? She rolled on her bed and ignored the phone. Just as she was about to finally get some sleep, her phone vibrated once more. It was obviously a text message. Ada picked up her phone again. It was a very short message, "I'll be leaving tomorrow. Ovie." Ada's thumb froze. Now he was leaving? To where? For how long? Was he coming back? Tears rolling down her cheeks she frantically scrolled down to a number and hit the 'dial' button.
"Hello, mommy..."
"Hello my dear, how are you?"
As soon as Ada heard the woman's voice, she broke down completely.
"Oh dear, he told you. Didn't he? This boy will not kill me. Osanobua!"
Ada nodded as though the woman at the other end could see her. "Now he says he's leaving... Mommy..."
***
Ovie read his admission letter for the tenth time. It was from the Provincial of the Jesuits for the North West Africa Province, comprising Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra-Leone and the Gambia. He had been assigned to the Novice Master in Ugbekun, Benin City. Finally, the process he had begun over a year ago had matured. Ovie had always loved the Jesuits. They were the ones in charge of their parish in Benin. Growing up, he remembered he always fancied a long beard, like that of the Jesuit brothers and Fathers. He had become a mass server for the sole reason that he wanted to be close to them. He still recalled how he would take biscuits and celebrate mass, with Esele being his only congregation. Esele had always wanted him to be a priest, even though his mom was totally against the idea. When Esele died, something in him had died as well. But he had begun talking with his parish priest about his vocation a year ago. That was when he had started reading everything about the Jesuits. He came to realise that he loved their apostolate. He wanted to be able to travel to different places, preaching and teaching. He particularly loved the fact that he would be trained to give retreats and reflections to people. When he finally made the decision to apply online, he hadn't told anyone about it, not even his mom. He hadn't been sure he'd be taken. But he got a reply afterwards. Then he was officially assigned to his parish priest as his Jesuit companion. Next he was invited for an interview, where he had to face a panel of six Jesuit priests. He had been so nervous. When he was invited for the candidacy programme, he knew he had to tell his mom about it. There was no way he could be absent from school for two whole weeks without his mom getting to know. It was there he met other candidates from different countries. That was also when he met with the Provincial of the North West Africa Province one on one. The day after he returned to school had coincidentally been the exact day he met Ada about ten weeks ago. Three weeks ago, he had been about to resume from Christmas holidays when he got the letter informing him he'd been successful. He was to resume Novitiate in a month. He had first told his mom about it. After the shouts and cries, she had agreed, as Ovie knew she would. Ovie was certain his mom had somehow hoped Ada would change his mind. He had been encouraged by his mom's change of heart, which was why he had decided to share the news with Ada as well...
Ovie heard the knock a second time.
"Who be dat?" Ubuane shouted. He was at his reading desk.
"It's me." A feminine voice answered.
"Who be me?" Ubuane quickly grabbed his t-shirt and threw it on.
"Ada."
Ubuane paused. Then he did a break dance across the room towards his roommate. "She's here!" He whispered to Ovie, who was lying down on his bed. "I said it!"
Ovie had heard Ada's voice quite alright. But he couldn't believe it. Ubuane had pressured Ovie into sending that brief text message. Ubuane had told him earlier that Ada would come if she knew he was leaving. Ovie had wanted to leave quietly, since all his attempts to see Ada had been futile. Ovie rushed to the door and threw it open...
***
Night came swiftly as both of them held hands under the bright rays of the moon. Ada and Ovie had been at the lawn tennis court for close to an hour, talking and laughing and crying. Now that Ada had finally given Ovie a chance to explain, she felt a little relief. She was still heartbroken, and no manner of explaining could change that. But she also realised she had been a little selfish, trying to steal someone else's destiny from him. So although it hurt like hell, and although what she wanted to do was hold him and never let go, she was ready to give him a chance to pursue his own dreams. She loved him that much. "I remember how my mom would tell us stories under moonlit nights like this." Ada said after a long pause, trying to lighten the mood.
"Well, my mom never had time to tell us that many stories. She was always in the market."
"I can imagine. Business mogul that she is. But you see, Umuchi is very different from Benin."
"Like I don't know."
"Seriously Ovie, you broke my heart, and if your mom hadn't talked some sense to me moments ago. I'm not sure I would have been able to come say goodbye."
Ovie sighed. "I'm so sorry Adaugo."
Ada looked at Ovie. It was the first time he was calling her full name since they met about nine weeks ago.
" I've been saying that for many weeks now." Ovie continued. I never knew I was playing with your emotions. Trust me. You know, one thing led to another." Ovie paused. "First you fell out the window and broke an arm, then hospital, then your mom... We thank God sha."
"How often can we get to see you?"
"Well, I'll be in Benin for two years for the Novitiate. I'm sure I'll come for holidays after a year."
"Altar a year? Jesus Christ!" Ada screamed. "I am going to miss you."
Ovie looked Ada in the eye. "I missed you these past weeks. I will continue to miss you. You're like a sister to me. Knowing you has brought joy back to my life, and whether you know it or not, you have helped me make this decision. I wanted us to make the most of these last days. I really did. But you..."
"I know, I know..." Ada fought the tears. His words stung her like sharp needles. "How long till you become this priest?"
"Twelve, thirteen... Maybe fourteen years. It depends really."
"Hmmm!" Ada sighed. "Are you serious about leaving tomorrow though?"
"Unfortunately, yes!"
"Promise you won't forget me?" Ada could no longer hold back the tears.
"You're my blood Ada. This vocation was as much mine as it was Esele's. I kind of hoped you'd encourage me as I go along. Besides, my mom needs you. Did she tell you?"
"Yes, she did." Ada blew her nose noisily. "She wants me to come to Benin during the holidays with my siblings anytime I want."
"No na. Not that."
"Did she tell you anything about your education?"
"No? She did say you are very stupid for choosing the priesthood over me. And she begged me to forgive you." Ada tried to smile through the tears.
Ovie smiled as well. That was typical of his mom. "So she didn't tell you she has decided to train you and all your siblings in school?"
Ada couldn't believe her ears. She opened her mouth to say something, but finding no words, she closed it again.
"She said since I have thrown everything she's laboured for away, she'd spend it on those who'll appreciate it."
Ada broke down again...
To be continued...

Ada
Chapter Twelve
Epilogue
"Come let's go honey". Ada called to Ubuane, who was busy lacing his shoes in the sitting room of their bungalow, along Airport Road, Benin City. "With the way you're going, we'll be late for Rev. Ovie's ordination."
"Relax my dear." Ubuane stood up and looked at his reflection in the mirror. He had donned his most expensive suit for the occasion. "That guy was a perpetual late comer back in the day na. E no tell you say na me dey always wake am up? I'll not be surprised if he comes late for his own ordination. Besides, St Paul's is not even far from here."
Ada smiled. She carried their seven-month old son in her bosom." Richard their first son was running all over the place as usual, shouting like his father. One would hardly guess he was only four. Ada had come to love Ubuane over the years. He was the most understanding person she had come to know. Today she was happy; happy that such a loving husband had been by her side all the way. She was also happy that her best friend and brother was being ordained. She knew she owed what she had become to the Omoruyi's. She could now boast of being a renowned medical practitioner, advancing well beyond the colleagues in her field.
"You're thinking about your first love, bah?" Ubuane was set.
Ada came back to the present. She smiled shyly and hit her husband lovingly. "Who told you he's my first love? Go away jor."
Ubuane laughed our loud. "How did you know who I was talking about?"
"Me, did I mention any name?" It was Ada's turn to laugh.
"You forget that I was his roommate in the Uni. I know every o. Dey there na. While you were busy loving a Fada, me I was busy loving you..."
"You were a bad boy, loving your friend's friend. Thank God I made you Catholic."
"C'mon. I was in love with my friend's sister, no be friend. And by the way, it was Ovie's decision to go and become Fada that started changing my perspective small small o. No be you."
"Let's go jor." Ada was getting emotional. She wiped off a tear.
"Honey, you have too much water in your eyes," Ubuane said as he reached for his car keys.
"You, you have sand in your eyes, abi?" Ada retorted.
"Richard!" Ubuane had the door open.
The four year old turned towards them, and without waiting for any instructions, ran out the door, shouting incomprehensible words...
"Is he singing?" Ubuane asked Ada.
"Ask me again," Ada said as she walked out the door as well.
Ubuane threw his hands into the air, a feigned look of frustration on his face.
***
Ovie was amazed at the turnout during his reception. Many of those he knew back in Brosli University had come to wish him well, not to mention the many Jesuits that had come from Liberia, Sierra-Leone, Gambia, and Ghana. He had pulled such a large crowd, he was totally overwhelmed. When he was asked to make opening remarks, he took the microphone, looked from one point of the filled hall to the other and smiled broadly.
"I thank God for this day, and for giving me such a wonderful family. My mom, God bless you so much. My second mom, Nnonu, Dalu. God bless you as well. My siblings Esele, God rest her soul, Ada, Emeka, Amarachi, and Ijeoma. Today is as much a big day for me as it is for my best friends Ubuane and Ada. It's their fifth wedding anniversary today. Please put your hands together. You may be wondering how come my siblings are all Igbo, and I'm Bini. But that's a story for another day...
***
Ada smiled as Ovie continued his speech. Deep within, she knew her husband had been right. This priest had indeed been her first love.
THE END

INTRESTING STORY BRO

Awwwn, this story is dope and has a rare storyline.You write so well Mr collins.Thanks for sharing and more grace!
#Loyal follower#

Girlyy :
Awwwn, this story is dope and has a rare storyline.You write so well Mr collins.Thanks for sharing and more grace!
#Loyal follower#

thanks sis
I appreciate

#SOA