THIS IS A STORY ABOUT A YOUNG LADY WHO RAN AWAY ON HER WEDDING DAY, WITHOUT INFORMING ANYONE...WHY DID SHE RUN AWAY?

DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
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She quickly shrugged off her white wedding dress and flung it on the bedside couch, next came the undergarments and all the things
that went with the attire; peeping through the gaping window blinds to see her friends chatting away at the car park. Her best friend who was supposed to be with her; Leah, had been sent off to get a bottle of water she did not need. The makeup artist said she would join them shortly, which means she could arrive any moment. She picked some facial wipes from the box and wiped her face as clean as she could and removed all her hair pins and clips.

Now dressed in a casual jeans and a tank top, Chinwe walked down the passage way of the
hotel, going the opposite direction of her room, she was very sure her other friends that were in the bridal train were still waiting for her to come downstairs before she would be ushered into the reception party; the reception of her wedding to Tokunbo Ajayi.

She rushed through the STAFF ONLY marked door that was at the end of the hall beside the staircase which took her to the ground floor. She walked and took the next turning to her right as she heard the voices of her friends coming from the elevator; she has become very conversant with the areas of the hotel, having deliberately stayed back 2 weeks to survey the area. 2 weeks ago, everything was fine; she wanted to get married to Tokunbo.

All things working well, her escape plan would work. She already called the driver who assured her he was packed at the agreed location to take her to the airport for a flight to.

Chinwe peeped to be sure she was not seen, her friends, Sarah and Leah were chatting as they walked past her at the elevator she was bent over a service trolley, they did not pay her any attention, they were gushing about how the wedding ceremony had lasted the exact time they estimated it to be, thanks to the officiating minister who was known not to ever waste time, he had in time past coordinated wedding between a man and the absent bride, who was shocked to meet the departing guests at her arrival. That particular bride had wanted to look her best and insisted it was “my day and everyone would have to wait for me”.

Well, not Pastor Akintola. Chinwe purposely asked for him, her family had wanted a more ‘senior’ pastor to join their children, offering to have him brought in from the headquarters but she had whined until they agreed to her choice, the only choice she had in the matter, everything else had been her parents’ choice; the venue for the wedding, the colours of the decorations, the wedding gowns, the bridal styles and even the ladies in the bridal train were chosen by her parents.

She was constantly reminded she was the only female child they have and the day must be perfect; perfect in their own definition meant a picture perfect suitable for the newspaper tabloids and the local news; her parents being the well-known socialites in the state.

As she walked briskly towards the end of the hall, she came out at the pool side, the pool was slightly occupied at that time of the day, she took a right turning which led her to the “STAFF ONLY” apartment, a place the staff kept all sorts of pool safety tools, as she searched in a box, she found a jacket that matched the ones the hotel staff wear, she quickly pulled it on and pulled on her glasses as she sashayed boldly past the park joining a couple of guys who were exiting the hotel gate at that time, to her right hand were her friends and some other guests standing with them at the car pack, she walked past them and out of the gate, just holding her purse which had her ATM, her flight schedule and N18,000, walking past her was her makeup artist hurrying to fix her up for the next event; her reception party.

As she walked briskly down the street, she made a sharp turning at the end of the street, she walked the long distance before dashing to the street that cars hardly drive through due to the bad roads, she squinted against the afternoon sun, and to her greatest joy, her escape ride was parked right in front of the tree she asked him to. She would be paying him N2,000 more as she already paid him N3,000 the week before.

“Sister, welcome.”

"Thanks, Hassan, let’s go.”

“Your bag dey inside the booth.”

“Thank you.”

She simply said and she strapped herself in, the driver revved the engine and off they drove towards the airport. Some few minutes down the long road, a couple of police vehicles sped past them, probably on their way to the hotel to look for her, ”they must have known she was missing in her room now.” The reception was supposed to hold in a large hall, at the other street of the hotel.

Her back pack was given to him on Thursday, when she thought she would get a flight out of Lagos but no such luck.

If the driver knew she was running away, he would simply drop her off at the nearest stop, because if he was caught with her, he would
know she was the daughter of one of the richest men in the country, he drove without paying them any mind. She quickly sent a message to the flight attendant she met some days ago, who promised to help her check in online through her phone if she arrives late.

She pressed on the phone, not familiar with the small screen and the tiny buttons on the keyboard, but she managed to send a message across to her that she would be arriving on time for the flight, thanking her for her help.

She already ditched her Samsung Galaxy S7, but not before copying all her contacts on that phone, she bought this new SIM card just
yesterday and was using the other phone she collected from her friend to “play the snake game she missed so much”, the phone can only make calls, send messages and receive messages too, any attempt to use the battery at a long stretch, the battery would flatten out.

“This craze people, see as them dey drive, if na another man now, dey for ask him to park.”

“Don’t mind them.”

“They are always like that, if they should give me a gun, I can kill all of them without shaking, last year, my brother wan join them, dem dey do recruitment, I tell am, if you join them, we don turn enemy be that o.”

"Ah ah” she replied halfheartedly.

“Yes o madam, policemen are crazy people, if you fall for their trap one time, you go know say they no be human at all.”

“I pray you don’t fall in their trap, especially today” she said with a heart of prayer.

“No, me ke? I drive with sense, especially on Saturdays o, any grab they grab today, the person go sleep for cell till Monday, but if they wan craze totally, they pick people randomly so that they can get their weekend tips too.”

“Na wa o.”

They drove some minutes again and Hassan’s eyes caught a boy running after a commercial bus to collect his money.

“These boys, na God dey protect them o, na so one run last week for Ikeja side wey he almost kill himself. The cars coming behind him almost jam him.”

Chinwe listened with feigned interest as he narrated the escape of the poor boy to her, she was shaking and nodding her head as he told the story, but her mind was miles away.

The driver was able to move freely and within 20 minutes, they were at the airport. She counted out some N500 notes and decided to give him extra. She proceeded to the check in point and produced her reservation code, leaving the grinning and satisfied driver behind.

“Ma, do you have a luggage?” asked the airline attendant.

“Just this as a hand luggage.”

“Ok, your ID card please.”

She waited as she was checked in, moved to the departure waiting room awaiting her flight to Akwa Ibom state. As she sat at the waiting room, she wondered what stage of the search they were on now, they probably would be at the point of rushing her mommy to the hospital, and her brother would be trying her number. She snapped back to present environment and moved her legs out of the way for a guy that was pulling his backpack across the spaces in between the rows of chairs.

He took a seat beside her after surveying the other seats that were occupied or with people or objects like their books or bags. As he sat, he put his earpiece in his ears and listened to some music, it was loud enough that she could hear as the jazz master play on; Yanni, she thought to herself. She would miss her Yanni collection on the phone she left behind, she thought.

Track after track she hummed along, the gentle flow of the symphony washing a cool effect all over her, she was in a trance of the beautiful music. She has not always loved music where words were made, but has been able to get attached to jazz; they seem to suit every mood.
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Introducing to you Chinwe Babalola, the only daughter of her parents Dele and Ngozi Babalola; Dele Babalola, a senator from one of the western states of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, an influential man, owner of different businesses in Nigeria and across the borders, married to Ngozi, blessed with 2 children in their marriage and their only daughter just eloped from her wedding
reception and before you chastise her on why she waited this long before taking the bold but crazy steps, well she did not know about him (Tokunbo Ajayi) until 3 days ago. She was not able to get an earlier flight out of Lagos to Uyo. she loved the man she married but
she no longer does, or she could not love him any longer.

To be continued.

Firstly,op welcome back.Secondly,nice story.Thirdly,how do u type dis ur story and post on nairaland because i have some hand written stories but do not know how to post them here

Finnestgreat:
Firstly,op welcome back.Secondly,nice story.Thirdly,how do u type dis ur story and post on nairaland because i have some hand written stories but do not know how to post them here

Thanks sir.

I do a lot keyboarding on my laptop which is one of my skill years back. Besides, it takes about 4hrs or more to type an episode.

So if you have some manuscript as mentioned, try tdevelop the habit of typing them gradually and before you know it, you will be a pro.

EPISODE 2
As she sat there, almost lost in her thoughts, the flight to Uyo was announced, the announcement startled her as she moved quickly and caused the phone of the man beside her to fall to the floor, he reacted by trying frantically to save it but it was an unsuccessful effort.

“What the hell?” he almost shouted at her.

“I am sorry,” Chinwe said as she quickly picked up his phone and tried to see if no permanent damage was done to it, he snatched the phone out of her hand as if she wanted to contaminate it.

“Watch yourself lady,” he hissed as he took a good look at his phone before advancing to the exit door for the boarding pass, but not before giving a hateful look at the
perpetrator.

Chinwe almost poked her tongue at him as she followed him to the exit door. She waited in line till she got to the lady attending to them, who did a quick body search on her and asked her to proceed to the aircraft, at the entrance, Chinwe was met by a very attractive lady who gave her a genuine smile and directed her to her seat after
taking a look at the perforated boarding pass.

“8A ma” pointing to the right side of the aisle

“Thank you” she replied.

As she walked down the aisle, she saw that someone was at the row already and she moved closer, she discovered the person to be the Yanni guy, whose phone she accidentally knocked off his hands.

Chinwe decided to ignore him as she put her backpack in the locker closer to her; she sat down beside him and rested her head backward.

Finally, she thought, finally, she is escaping the life that would drown her if she stayed. She heard and listened faintly to the safety briefing before takeoff and as the engine of the aircraft revved, she took a deep swallow and dug her hand frantically in her jeans pocket to see if she could possibly find a gum; none, she would have to wait for the refreshments to be served and endure the fullness in her ears due to altitude changes.

The aircraft ran along the airway and she watched through the window at the distance they left behind, and before long, they were
airborne.

Chinwe watched as her seat “companion” put his prized phone on the seat in between them. When she saw it, she took a better look at the phone and almost hissed, the phone was cheaper compared with the one she left behind. She looked straight ahead and before long, refreshment was served. She consumed the snacks ravenously because she had little to eat earlier; her friends had mocked her of having knotted stomach because of the events and because of what would happen later in the night. Little did they know she was all strung up because of what her plans were and the fear of it not working out had left her all knotted up inside.

After eating her snacks, she opened the single candy in the pack and plopped it into her mouth. All the while she was eating; she did not notice the man beside her looking closely at her.

He was acknowledging her for the first time since he bumped into her at the departure waiting room. Taking a closer look at her now that her cap is removed she looked to be around 24 or 26, her hair was shiny and very lady like as if she was going for a stage event that would attract lots of audience. Her ear ring seemed very small as if it would go well with a larger piece if she likes. Her nails were well painted too; her feet were covered to the toes with a pair of sandals well embellished in bright white stones. She looked like royalty if one could separate her from the jacket and the white top and a faded pair of jeans and even at that, her face stands out.

She has a small pointed nose well placed at the center of her face, her lips are well proportioned not too full and not too thin either, her eyes are big but not overshadowing or reducing her
beauty, every feature on her seem to compliment the face and yes, she is a looker.

Davis wondered why he never noticed her earlier, she was having a cap on, yes and she appeared to be in a hurry even while she was seated there. Her mind was miles away he could tell, although he noticed her tapping her foot along with the rhythm of the song he was listening to, but he did not care for her interest in music.

Who could blame him, he was also miles away, fuming silently and hoping the flight would be announced soon. He arrived angry and listening to music was the only way he would not be sitting there scowling and scaring people away. He did not know how long he stared at her, but she seemed to be falling asleep, Davis had never
been known to be able to fall asleep on flights, he was always scared of missing the opportunity for escape if there was an emergency.

The flight continued beautifully but on some other occasions, he would have been admiring the clouds out his window, he never got tired of looking at them especially on a bright sunny day as this, but the beauty beside him was taking all his attention. He wondered what her name would be, he found himself giving her different names in his head. Sylvia, Joy, Mercy, Glory, Sandra, Princess, yes, Princess seems more suitable.

His Princess slightly moved her head from side to side, she was coming out of her beauty sleep, but she settled in again and resumed her sleep, she must be very tired to be able to sleep soundly on a plane or she is a good air traveler. Davis wondered how many times she must have taken air trips in her young beautiful life.

After some enchanting moments, the pilot’s voice broke into his thoughts and announced the weather and that they would be arriving Uyo airport in 15 minutes.

Davis simply re- seated himself well so as not to startle the Princess beside him, who was waking up to the announcement. He wondered if he could chat with her as they were preparing to land in Uyo, or if he could charm her to take a ride with him to the city.

Who knows if a convoy is awaiting her at the airport, he thought to himself.

Looking away from her only made him dwell on the thoughts he had been planning to postpone, but there is no getting away from it, his parents were at it again and he will not give in to them this time. He will finish his Master’s degree and advance to do his PhD in any state or part of the world he wants, he is an only son, but he is a full grown man with a mind of his own and they should release their hold on him. He can’t stay with them forever.

As things went on in the plane with the hostesses walking to collect the paper cups and nylons of the snacks, his princess passed hers to them and resumed looking out the window, Davis wished he could look into her eyes and see the colour of her eyes, but he was sure it would be brown, brown not black, black would make her intense, brown would make her…, he stopped musing, he must be going crazy defining her eye colour or whatever it was he was doing.

He should be concentrating on his problems, on how he would survive and make money, prove to his parents that he is grown and that he could take good decisions. He is 27 for God’s sake; he would not continue to work there with his father and made to believe he knows what he’s doing when he knows well they are tolerating him because he’s the CEO’s son, besides, sitting in the room and talking money is not his thing.

His decision to have his Master’s degree was not because he wanted to study but because he needed to be free.

Chinwe woke up and gathered herself into a sitting position, her mind was clearer than it was before she fell asleep, she hoped Clara would be available when she gets to Uyo airport. She found the annoying guy staring at her but she chose to ignore him. She, however, looked from the corner of her eyes to see if she had not mistakenly gathered his stuff with hers in the seat in between them.

She knows he does not recognize her from anywhere; she has always kept a low profile. It is too soon for her pictures to be flying over the internet.

When the announcement to buckle up for landing came, she felt he was still looking at her so she faced him and she caught him off
guard because he almost wanted to look away but must have decided against it, instead of a scowl on his face, he kept staring at her as if he had something to say.

Chinwe was also staring at him as if she wanted to bite his head off but continued to look at him also.

A hostess suddenly appeared beside him and asked him to buckle up and put his seat in an upright position, which must have
broken the spell that was over him because he awkwardly sat up and adjusted his seat.

When the hostess walked away, he turned to her and said;

“How could you manage to sleep
through the entire flight?”

“Did my snore bother you?” she asked rudely.

“No, of course not, I only meant it is a good gift to be able to… you know, and no you did not snore?”

“Hmm” Chinwe said and turned to
look out the window, the view was getting bigger and becoming
clearer, but her mind was on the lady that promised to take her in, her friend from the University days.

As they got off the flight, Chinwe was moving quickly and towards the taxi section, she had no bag to claim at the conveyor, so she did not notice Davis rushing and almost pushing a woman to the floor in order to catch up with her.

“Hey, wait up” he said as he rushed after her.

“Uni-Uyo” Chinwe was already
bargaining with a driver.

On hearing Uni-uyo, Davis was
ecstatic, he was heading the same way to meet with his friend he would be staying with and proceed from there to get an apartment.

‘’Yes, Uni-Uyo gate, the new campus”

The driver mentioned an outrageous price, that gave Davis the opportunity to cut in, he was going the same way and today
would make it the third time he would be going by taxi, he knows the driver was asking for almost twice the price.

“You can’t be serious, the price is half of that, if you would take us say so now before my regular driver comes out” he has no
regular customer of course.

On the other side, Chinwe was asking him with anger “Which ‘Us’ are you referring too?”

“Are you two together?”

“No.”

“Yes” they both answered at the
same time.

“Ok, I understand, oga I will carry you both at that price, but e be like say you don offend your woman o.”

“Don’t worry about us, just bring your car around.”

The driver on hearing this hurried off to get the car.

“I am not taking a cab with you
mister.”

“Why? It would be cheaper we
could split the fare if you don’t feel comfortable about me paying.”

“I don’t want to share a vehicle with you.”

“Ok, but I would love you to, so I can apologize for my behaviour back in Lagos, and sharing with me would reduce the money for me too, I don’t have enough to pay for the trip. Please.”

While he was talking, the driver
pulled up beside them, Chinwe looked at him and opened the door and took her seat, and Davis
clapped his hands excitedly and got in beside her.

“What can I call you please?”

“Nothing”

“Wow,that’s an odd name,nnothing?”

Chinwe picked her phone and dialed Clara’s number, the number was switched off, she was scared already, that was the only contact
person she has in Uyo, she does not
know if she could get a room for the night with the N15,500 with her, and she still has to pay for the driver.

Davis must have noticed her panic.
She dialed again and it was the same response, so she sent a message quickly to her hoping she would put on her phone and call her back before they arrive at the Uni-Uyo gate. She does not know how long the ride would be for, but was scared to ask the person beside her.

Davis also dialed his friend’s number to know his fate; he broke into a wide smile as he heard his friend’s voice at the second ring.

“Guy, how far. I am on my way to the gate; we should be there in the next 30 minutes.”

On hearing 30 minutes, Chinwe dialed again and was disappointed to hear it was still
switched off.

“The number’s not going through?”

“No.”

“Do you know where she stays; we could ask to locate the hostel?”

"She’s not staying in the hostel; we only agreed to meet there.”

"Ok, do you know anyone apart from this person?”

"No”

“She will call as soon as she puts on her phone” she said as prayers.

As they both sat at the back of the car, the driver was looking at them with curious eyes, wondering if he could drive her to someplace safe, boys this age and looks cannot be trusted and the lady looked like she needed protection, although he doesn’t mind offering her a place in his arms, he smiled to himself.

As they drove on, Chinwe kept dialing the number, but the replies were the same; ”switched off.”

“I think you need to stop dialing the number in order to save your battery life, in case she sees your message and decides to call, don’t run out the battery before then.”

As their driver took them through the road, Chinwe’s mind was worlds apart; fear gripped her heart at the thought of Clara not putting on her phone.

At the end of their journey, Chinwe counted half of the money they agreed to pay the driver and handed it over to Davis who added his also, and then gave the notes to the driver.

“Sister, if her number is not going, I know a place that is cheap that you can stay.”

The look in the drivers eyes made Davis stand protectively beside Chinwe and told the driver in no words to be careful;

“She is fine oga, we have paid you.”

“I can give you my number in case you need me to pick you up later.”

The driver ignored Davis as he scribbled his number on a piece of paper he got from his car, Chinwe took it and thanked him, and she shoved the paper at the back of her jeans and pulled her backpack on her shoulders.

“See, my name is Davis and it seems my friend is running late, can we go somewhere and have something to eat while we wait?”

“Chinwe..., where can we wait?”

Davis remembered a small shop he got an envelope from the last time he came to Uyo, he pointed in the direction of the shop and they both walked to the entrance of the University, looking like what the driver initially thought them to be.

Davis asked her to follow him to the snacks joint to the side of the gate, when they sat he placed a call to Joseph, his friend who promised to be out soon to pick him up. He decided not to mention Chinwe yet, in case her friend showed up and took her away before Joseph himself arrives.

As they sat, Davis asked for some biscuits and drinks for the two of them, Chinwe collected them gratefully and opened them to eat slowly; she was worried and calculating how she would spend the night if Clara’s number never got through. She did not know for how long they sat there waiting for either a call from Clara or from
Davis’ friend, but it was beginning to look late, a glance at her cellphone confirmed it was few minutes before 4pm.

Some minutes later, a car came and parked in front of the shop where they sat and a man came out, looking like a DJ, as soon as he saw Davis, he gave a shout.

“Rabbi” Davis shouted as they enveloped themselves in a big hugs full of claps and punches to the shoulder, Chinwe almost
winced on their behalf.

“You must have been sitting for long, no vex.”

“No problem, meet my friend, we arrived together and it seems her friend is also running late”

“Hi, how things?” she greeted him and they shook hand as his eyes grazed over her from the head to the toes and back again.

So what’s happening, can we leave now or…?” he said as he looked back at where Chinwe stood.

“I don’t know if we can wait for her friend.”

Joseph looked his friend over and they started talking about lots of things, they did that for about 30 minutes before the owner of the shop started clearing the goods from outside the shop.

“Why not come with us to my place, not too far from here and when your friend calls, I could drive you back to meet with her. You guys must be tired and to be sincere, I am too” he said to Chinwe in particular.

Chinwe looked at Davis and he shrugged at her as if the decision was left to her.

She stood up and picked up her backpack.

Davis eagerly took it from her and dropped it at the back of the car for her; all the while, “Rabbi” was looking at his friend. He was so sure he was smitten by the beautiful lady.

To be continued.

oluspicy:


Thanks sir.

I do a lot keyboarding on my laptop which is one of my skill years back. Besides, it takes about 4hrs or more to type an episode.

So if you have some manuscript as mentioned, try tdevelop the habit of typing them gradually and before you know it, you will be a pro.

thanks

Nice update in epiode 2

EPISODE 3
The drive to Rabbi’s house was fun and full of laughter, Chinwe could not hold back the laughter most of the times. Rabbi obviously was not from Akwa Ibom and he made sure of mocking everything about them, from the ladies to the housing to the accent and everything else.

Davis made sure to remind him he used to think the same way about him, coming from Abia State himself, they talked and made fun of each other on the short drive.

When they arrived, Davis helped her with her backpack and Rabbi led them to the small apartment at the back of the building they parked in front of, he opened the room and she was surprised at the ambiance and the cool decor. The room was small but had everything in place.

“I know, I arranged everything because I knew you will be coming” he said before Davis could say anything, which made them burst into another bout of laughter.

Obviously, he was not a very tidy person, but he kept everything orderly because of his friend, they must be close, Chinwe thought as she sat on a plastic chair, one of the 2 around a plastic table.

Her eyes traveled to the arranged books in the corner of the room, almost all were computer books, she looked at the TV and the CD collections, all were seasonal movies, all of which Chinwe had watched herself.

They both disappeared through a door at the side of the room; Chinwe pulled out her phone charger and plugged in her phone and rested back on the unusual plastic chair.

When they both came back, Davis had a cup of water in his hands and said they were cooking too.

“What are you guys cooking?”

“Rice I guess,” he said as he sat on the second chair.

“Can I help?”

“Just relax, we got this” he was not sure how to start a conversation with her that could lead to knowing more about her.

“Dave!! Abeg come” Rabbi called from the kitchen. He stood up and she stood up with him, following him to the kitchen. Rabbi was in the process of opening a Geisha can and he had a knife in his hand.

“Babe, don’t worry about a thing, I am still the better cook between the two of us, you have nothing to worry about, oh maybe pepper sha
because I eat a lot of pepper” he laughed jovially again.

“I can’t just sit still, let me do something” Chinwe said as she moved into the tiny kitchen and collected the knife from him, she opened it with ease and poured the content out, before long, she was asking for the next ingredients as both men talked and reminisced about their university days.

They all went back to the room and Davis offered to put on the TV; Chinwe, who knew she could be the topic on the local news, quickly asked for one of the seasonal movies to be played. Rabbi was happy to oblige her.

They watched and she checked the food which was ready, she served the two of them and when she came back, Rabbi had gone out to buy ‘something’, Davis informed her.

She ate slowly and watched the movie while Davis watched her instead.

She was so natural in the kitchen and even though she appeared to be relaxed on the surface, a little bit of tension is still lying on her shoulders, giving her a vulnerable look.

Davis wondered what he could do to help her relax more. He could try reassuring her that she could stay as long as needed, but that would be left for Rabbi to determine, even though he knows Joseph would gladly take her in, but would she be willing to stay?

Rabbi retuned with a pack of orange juice for them and he went in search of glass cups for them to drink it with.

They ate and watched the movie, when they were done eating, Chinwe wanted to pack the plates but they both stood up and asked her to sit, they washed the plates and they returned to join her in front of the TV, with Rabbi sitting on the tiled floor, Chinwe and Davis on the plastic chairs.

Davis looked at her and when he looked up, he saw his friend looking at him with a bemused look on his face, they both laughed softly and Rabbi went into the narration of one of the characters.

Chinwe picked up her phone and called Clara, her number rang this time.

“Hello, Chinwe, I am so sorry, where are you?” she said.

“I am in a guy’s place, where are you?”

“On my way to the place I asked you to wait for me, where is the guy’s place, I could come to pick to pick you there?”

“Hold on, Rabbi, please where is this place?”

“Give me the phone” Chinwe handed the phone to him and listened as he gave a description to his house, they seemed to agree on a place and he handed the phone back to her.

“I will be there shortly, the house he described is not too far from the gate I asked you to wait, and it is not too far from my apartment also.”

She ended the call and thanked Rabbi.

“It is your first time in Uyo, right?” Rabbi asked.

“Yes”

"What have you come to do?”

“I came to look for a job.”

“Ahah, you left Lagos for this place in search of a job, what kind of job are you looking for?”

“Any business management job would be fine” she replied smoothly.

“You read business management?”

"Yeah”

What level?”

"Masters”

“Ahhhh that is big o, Masters. Why did you not stay back in Lagos?”

“I have tried Lagos and nothing came up”

“This friend of yours is she working or something, that is, is she likely to fix you up somewhere?”

“Something like that sha” she lied smoothly.

“Because, ordinarily, you are not from here and unless your father is connected to somevof these big shots, you are banking on the long thing” he said with a smile.

“I know, but hoping is all I am doing at the moment”

“Davis, do you know you guys would be starting lectures soon?” he turned to hisbfriend who could not take his eyes off Chinwe.

“Soon as in when?”

“Soon as in Monday, as I heard”

“No problem, as long as they don’t stress us”

“Is there any university in Nigeria they would not stress you?”

They talked at length about the school system and she came to understand that Davis was in
Uyo for his Master’s degree in some ,computer studies.

Her phone rang and she was glad Clara was outside the apartment waiting for her.

She jumped up and picked up her bag as Rabbi and Davis followed her out.

Davis was !scared he might not see her again and he stayed close to her as Clara stepped out of the tricycle.

They watched as she pulled a young boy by the hand out of the tricycle and Chinwe ran to them and picked the boy up and hugged her friend tightly.

Both guys were however shocked when they both started crying, the tricycle honked for him to get paid, forcing them to let go of each other as Clara paid him off.

Rabbi asked if they would like to come into the apartment for some time, but they declined, she said they would walk to the end of the road where they could get a tricycle to her house.

Rabbi went inside instead and came out with his car keys and Chinwe’s charger in the other hand.
Davis went into the car with them and unconsciously picked up the little boy, who did not seem to mind, both ladies sat at the back of the car, while Davis held Clara’s son at the front seat.

They were not talking, but Chinwe was still sobbing quietly at the back of the car and Clara was also wiping her eyes as she directed Rabbi to her apartment.

Rabbi parked the car well and came to join them at the gate as they were led to the first apartment in the compound.

They followed them in and she offered them refreshments, which they declined. Chinwe went to Davis and thanked him before moving to Rabbi to thank him for his hospitality too.

She asked for their numbers and promised to visit them. Davis was so happy he got her number and asked her to call him anytime she
needed something. After they left, Clara undressed her son and made him something to eat before she asked him to seat in front of the TV to watch his favourite cartoon.

When they eventually had time alone, Clara turned to her friend and asked her solemnly…

“Why did you do it?”

“Why would I not?” she replied with a shocked expression.

“Chinwe…”

“Clara, I did the right thing, I would not be able to look myself in the mirror if I went ahead with it, I only regret I could not get a flight out of there yesterday. I regret saying I do to him in the church” she started crying again.

“I wish I had kept my mouth shut, I swear, I wish I did” Clara said softly wiping her own tears.

“I would have hated you for if you did, you did the right thing.”

To be continued.

Nice update

Finnestgreat:
Nice update

Thanks

EPISODE 4
***********Back in Lagos***********
Senator Babalola hissed as he walked past the nurse attending to his wife, he walked to the sitting room where the Commissioner
of Police sat with Chief Ajayi; his in-law and business partner.

“Any news, Gbade?” He referred to the Commissioner not too politely.

“None yet honorable, and I am afraid the press will start cooking up something soon.”

“Well, don’t make them” he said in an angered tone.

“So what do you want to tell them?” the Commissioner asked calmly.

“That she was kidnapped, I will not be shamed on this day. Tell the newsmen she was kidnapped.”

“But don’t you think that would be unfair?” Chief Ajayi, Tokunbo’s father asked from the corner of the room.

“Ajayi, we are all here and it is clear with the look of things, that daughter of mine ran away, but if you tell the press she did, we might not get any help in finding her. So let’s tell the press she was kidnapped and there would be a reward if there is any information about her whereabouts.” He
explained to the whole room.

At that moment, Tokunbo walked in and heard what they planned to serve the press, he was not ok with the idea but agreed there’s a little sense in it, but he is more worried about his wife’s whereabouts.

He walked back out to the corridor to meet his friend Chris who was also on the phone with someone, on seeing him; Chris ended the call and sat beside Tokunbo.

“What do you want to do now?”

“Nothing, just wait for a call”

“Can I ask you a question?” Chris asked.

“What is it?”

“Do you think she ran away with another guy?”

“I don’t know, but I don’t think so.”

“But you must have seen or heard something from her before now that would have alerted you she would be running away.”

“Chris, she called me on Thursday and asked if she could cancel the date we planned, she said she needed to be somewhere. Each time I called her after that, she replied with a message, she said she was busy and was putting some things in place.”

“And you did not bother to see her yesterday?”

“I did and she seemed different, I just ruled it off to stress from the whole wedding plans.”

“Men! I have never ever seen such in my life, what was she thinking?”

Tokunbo sat back and could remember when she said “I do”, she had paused and looked at him with tears in her eyes and all he could think about was how beautiful she looked and she must have been overwhelmed by the emotions and that was why she hesitated before replying the pastor with her “I do.”

He did not suspect a thing and he did not expect such.

They had met 5 months ago, he was in the US when his father went into a business merger with Chinwe’s father, they had agreed behind them their children would marry and when his father told him so, he had been furious and he reminded him such things happened centuries ago and people have the choice of picking their own spouses in this present age.

His father had listened to his rants and made a deal with him, he should meet with Chinwe and if he does not like her or vice versa, they could do without the wedding. And they met; it was the most exciting and fulfilling moment of his life.

Unconsciously, he had always imagined her to be a bull eyed ugly Betty, but when he met her at the airport, he was blown away by her beauty and he fell for her personality, pure, gentle, calm, funny and everything he had always hoped for in a woman he would marry.

Weeks after meeting, she confessed she felt the same way; they started talking over the phone even after she returned to Nigeria. Their talks were endless; they practically fell asleep on the phone and talked as soon as either of them wakes up.

When he moved to Nigeria two months after, they had become inseparable and their parents had put the wedding plans in gear.

Chinwe started coming to the office and they would pore over the details of the merger with their respective fathers.

He fell in love with her and he could swear she felt the same way. They planned everything together, they picked a house together at Lekki and she had supervised the interior decorations of the house, she had made plans for the staff and had taken everything perfectly, ready to settle into marital bliss with him, or so he thought; till she ran away from the reception of their wedding this afternoon with just a message from the phone she left behind... “I cannot continue with this.”

Tokunbo had not seen the message early enough; he had left his phone with his best friend and best man, Chris, who did not even look at the screen until they were alarmed that she had gone missing from her hotel room where she was supposed to change. It sounded like a movie narration to him when his friend whispered it to his ears, he stood up slowly and followed him to the back room he had changed in. they called the MC, who only God knows how he managed to dismiss the guests.

His father in law had called the police immediately and arrests were made at the hotel; poor staff who probably did not know who they were dealing with. She could not have gotten away without a plan and without help, no, she couldn’t have.

How she sneaked away from the whole bridal train and even the security is a well-planned strategy that made Tokunbo wonder what went wrong between Wednesday and Saturday.

Why did she come for the wedding at all when she knew she would be running away from him?

“Tokunbo, let’s get going, Chris has the car in front for you” his mother called from the balcony door, she was still dressed in her reception
attire.

He stood up from where he sat and picked his phone, the screen saver; Chinwe, was smiling at him brightly, but it looked more like a mockery now. He locked the screen and shoved the phone into his pocket, he walked ahead of his mother and went into the car, and Chris was behind the steering. He drove off without saying a word; he drove him straight to the apartment they were supposed to use for tonight before traveling to Maldives for their honeymoon.

Honeymoon indeed, he felt raw as if someone had cut him open with something sharp, but he cannot tell exactly where the pain is coming from.

Chris handed him a bottle of water already opened, he remembered taking a sip from it and that was the last thing he recalled before sleep took him over. His friend shook his head sadly at his friend, took off his shoes and arranged him well on the bed so he could get some rest.

Drugging him is the best option for now; otherwise, he would not be getting any sleep at all.
*************************************

Honorable Babalola went back into the room where his wife was seated with their son, Nkem.

“Have you seen what your daughter has caused me?” he glared at her menacingly.

Ngozi looked away and focused on the other side of the room, still her husband pressed closer to her threatening to pounce on her.

Nkem stood up and walked to the door, obviously not able to bear the sight any longer. Any attempt to talk sense to his father would only infuriate him more; he likes the attention.

Ngozi could no longer hold back the tears; she stood up gingerly and walked to the dresser table.

“Why did you ask them to say she was kidnapped?”

“Because she was kidnapped, I know you know about her escape and must have helped in one way or the other, but I swear if I find out and it is true, I will make life unbearable for you.”

“You already do, every day when I see you, life is unbearable, what can you do more than living?” she laughed sarcastically.

“You will know soon, pray she comes back soon too” he told her as he went to remove his shoes, discarding them carelessly around the room.

“You will use any means to butter your political ambition would you not, kidnapping would attract sympathy from the people and that would fetch you more votes would it not?” she looked at him with pure disgust.

“Say whatever you please, but pray she comes to her sense soon and returns home, otherwise…”

“You practically forced her into the marriage” she spat back at him.

“She wanted it, you idiot, she was willing even when you were not supportive, do you think I trust Ajayi one bit, if he aims for a bigger political position, the only thing that would stop him from coming after me is the thought that a smear on me would be a smear on him, and Chinwe agreed to marry that son of his, but I should have known you would get to convince her against it eventually” he returned hotly.

“If I had my way, I would have convinced her to leave earlier and not marry anyone connected to you at all, you evil man.”

“Well, she did and she must come back and make me look good and secure my political seat at the senate as well as my interest in this business merger, or the gods help me, heads would roll” he swore as he tossed his agbada angrily at her feet and went into the bathroom.

Ngozi watched him leave, regretting ever marrying him and also not being able to make her daughter confide in her, she knows her daughter is safe, she just could not say for how long.

Dele would secretly turn the ends of every corner he knows to bring her back from whatever she was trying to escape from.

Ngozi sat back on the bed and looked at her phone, totally lost at whom to call, all her friends she knew were at the wedding with them, who she could be staying with?

To be continued.

Nice

EPISODE 5
Davis could not concentrate in class; his thoughts kept wandering back to Chinwe and her friend. They spoke briefly yesterday with
her, thanking him and Joseph for taking her in. She sounded subdued on the phone as if she cried the whole night. Davis could hardly keep himself from going to see her, but Joseph would not have any of it, saying she needed time to sort whatever it was they were both crying about.

As soon as the lecturer left the class, he stood up and went to Joseph’s café, which he runs beside the school campus; he saw his friend with a lady and they seemed to be lost in conversation.

He decided to seat away to allow them the privacy they seemed to need. The café was opened two months ago and with the look of things closing the other café at the center of the state was the right decision.

His phone rang and he hoped it would be Chinwe, but no, it was his mother.

“Mom” he answered blandly.

“How are you Davis?”

“Fine ma”

“Ok and your friend?”

“He’s fine also, with a customer now.”

“Ok o, since you decided to abandon me here in Lagos, I said I should call you and ask how you are.”

“I am doing great” he replied without bothering to deny the abandonment allegation.

“Have you called your father since you left on Saturday?”

“No, is there any problem?”

“There is no problem and there does not have to be before you call him, he’s your father and he wishes the best for you.”

“Hmm”

“Are you there?”

“I am with you ma.”

“Will you at least tell me your friend’s address so we can be at peace that we know your
whereabouts?”

“Okay, I will text it to you.”

“I know you don’t want to associate with anyone now, but be sure we have your best interest at heart when we asked you to take a Master’s degree in business management and it should be in Lagos, leaving the way you did on Friday is what no parent would pray to see, and to make matters worse, you did not even wait for me to return from that wedding on Saturday before taking off, even though…”

“My flight was for 12” Davis cut in impatiently.

“All the same I would have loved to drop you off.”

“I managed on my own.”

“Well, thank God for safe trip, your sister is also here, should I give the phone to her?”

“No, we will chat soon.”

She talked some more and ended the call on a better note, praying for him. Davis loves the woman, but she should understand he’s grown and can make decisions for himself.

Joseph saw him and beckoned on him.

“How far with class, guy?”

“Good o” he replied as he shook his friend’s hand briefly.

“You can go home you know, I will
still stay a while before I close up the café for the night.”

“So what will I be doing at home?”

“Then come inside the admin lounge, you can monitor prohibited sites while I fix the second link that was not working well before you came in.”

Joseph introduced him to two of his staff and led him to a table to monitor the customers.

At the end of the day, they closed the café together and headed home in his car; they talked all the way to the house and arranged for how to get the extra computer systems that were due the following day.
*************************************

Chinwe was indoor all through the day, she however volunteered to pick Henry from school while Clara worked, Henry, such an amiable boy, easy and cool headed, also mature than his 3 years.

He had taken a look at the 2 of them again crying the night before and had gone to the room to get a tissue box, which made both of them laugh and decided to stop crying.

She watched as he ate the yam and eggs she made for him, not a single mess on the floor, he ate so neatly and she wondered if he had
always been like that or was just welcoming her. She picked her phone and saw another message from Davis; he has not stopped texting since they dropped them off on Saturday night.

She quickly replied him that she would be available to see him the following day, before she would go pick up Henry from school. He seems like a nice guy and she really likes his persona, cool and caring, but she would not like to encourage him further than that.

She helped Henry with his home-work and they watched cartoons together, when he fell
asleep. Chinwe skipped to get the news update and was not surprised to hear that she was kidnapped. Trust her father to always choose the dramatic explanation of any scenario that would not make him appear good to the populace.

As she listened to a fake narration of her “kidnap.”

“Chinwe, who was believed to have been threatened to board a car without raising alarm at the hotel was driven away unnoticed by friends and staff some blocks away from her point of abduction”...

Clara came in with a bag of vegetables and she caught the news.

“I am worried, Chinwe, I saw it in the newspapers this morning” she said without any preamble.

“I did not see the papers, but I have heard it on the local news for more than 3 times today already.”

“Henry is asleep right?”

“Yes, after eating and doing his home-work.”

“Don’t you think you need to contact your parents at least to get them off the news?”

“Clara, if I do, my dad would just make a big noise out of it, he might say they are demanding for ransom already and just cook up another story to make him win people’s sympathy, election is just a few months away.”

“But what do you want to do, staying here is not the problem, but I know what your father can do with anyone he finds you with.”

“I know and I am somewhat scared too, but I really don’t know. I am yet to makenup my mind about what the next step would be.”

“What about traveling out of the country, you have enough money don’t you?”

“Money is not the problem, but any application for a ticket in my name now would attract my father and I can assure you he has people looking at that place already.”

“So what do we do?”

“I know I really need to think but I swear, I have not been able to.”

“I am sorry I have caused you all this trouble, I should have just kept quiet” Clara said sadly, placing her hand on her friend’s shoulder.

“And I would have been sorrier if I found out later than this, and I am sorry for the troubles I have caused you, four years ago and now.”

“You know, I thank God for Henry every day, his coming to my life might not have been under the best circumstance but I could not have loved him less.”

“I can imagine, and there’s not a day that goes by that I have not thought it differently, how your life would have been better if not for my stupid lifestyle.”

“Everything is for a reason; God has a reason for everything that happens to us” Clara replied, but Chinwe was in no mood to argue with her about God.

“What would you like to eat, I made yam for Henry?”

“Yam? Nope, I would go with soup and something to swallow.”

She followed her friend into the kitchen where they forgot their problems and concentrated on the meal they were preparing.

Later that night, Davis called Chinwe while she was in the bathroom and she asked Clara
to answer the phone for her, she spoke withnhim like a lost friend and passed the phone to Chinwe when she came out of the bathroom.

He still thinks her name is Ebere, pity.

To be continued.

dope dope dope.... we appreciate. keep it rolling

Nice more mb to your phone

Nice write-up brother. abeg don't leave us hanging just like other authors abeg.

Odoogu:
dope dope dope....
we appreciate.
keep it rolling

Thanks

thatsleepboy1:
Nice write-up brother. abeg don't leave us hanging just like other authors abeg.

Starting to finish is my priority.

Finnestgreat:
Nice more mb to your phone

Amen.

And you too.

EPISODE 6
Tokunbo could not but leave the office earlier than he planned, when he could no longer cope with people staring at him from every side and angle of the office complex.

Most of them had been guests at the wedding and those that were not there must have heard that his wife was kidnapped right before the reception, few minutes away from the venue.

Chris had advised him to stay at home but he could not stay without being buried in his thought, he had thought it back and forth on what could really have been the reason a woman who seemed to be in love with him could run right after saying her vows. Could it be she was actually kidnapped or could it be something he did that made her run?

Chris called him and told him he was downstairs, he did not want him driving himself for fear of losing himself in thought and gets into an accident, so he had taken it upon himself to be his personal chauffeur for the time being, until when they could get him a driver.

“I told you to stay at home” says Chris as Tokunbo got into the car and locked it behind himself.

“Doing what, thinking what the problem is with me or what I probably did wrong” he almost snapped at his friend.

“Well, the office is not the best place to escape to either” Chris replied calmly.

“I know that now” he said tiredly, rubbing his eyes as he slumped back in his seat.

“Why not go to your parents place for a week or so?”

“I don’t want to, they are worried also, and seeing me there would constantly remind them the source of their worry.”

“This is so hard, but you still need to steer clear of the office and your social pages.”

He drove him straight to his new apartment in Lekki and asked him to wait in the car. Chris went upstairs and grabbed some clothes from the wardrobe, some shoes and other necessities, and drove him to his own apartment in Gbagada.

He was sure his sister would be available to keep company when he will be at work.
*************************************

It was Saturday, a week since she had taken flight in the middle of her wedding, she looked outside the window of the café where she sat; Henry was fiddling with her phone beside her. Clara was with Davis, he was setting her up on one of the computers.

When he came back to sit with her, she was lost in thoughts, her staying there would open Clara and her son to some dangers and she could not afford for them to be hurt, not again.

“A penny for your thoughts” Davis said beside her.

“Hmm, I wish I could trade them.”

“You could if you want, I am all ears.”

“Well, I would not want to bore you.”

“Do you think I would ever be bored with you, staring at you all day entertains me?”

“Really, I should start charging you for that then.”

“I mean it, I know you have troubles, but can’t you share them with me?”

“Can we walk outside for some minutes?”

“Why not indeed?”

Chinwe quickly told Clara she would be out with Henry and Davis; she walked towards the back of the café which used to be a generator house, and beside it is a little open field where the young boys earlier played.

The rain that drizzled some minutes before had dispersed them, now the sun is back in the skies.

“Henry, don’t run too far off” she cautioned the little boy as he ran after an insect.

“So, what has been troubling you?”

“I don’t know if I can trust you.”

“Well, I can trust you to try to trust me.”

“I am the daughter of Senator Babalola who was thought to be kidnapped last week at her
wedding” she started simply.

Davis stopped in his tracks and glared at her face, trying to link her with the same person she claimed to be, he has never been the news person, but he has seen different versions of the story on the internet but he never linked them to her.

The pictures he saw were of a well painted lady and her name made it somehow difficult to link, Babalola Chinwe to Ebere? He almost could not believe it.

“So your name is not…”

“My name is Chinwe, not Ebere.”

She sat down on one of the cemented drums used as a goal post, and Davis sat beside her, while they both watched Henry run around in the small field.

“Go on” Davis urged her gently.

“Clara and I were friends back in the university, she was leading the department from the beginning of the set and I became close to her, so as to get academic support from her, she was quite helpful, way helpful. I lived like a crazy person back then and she was the reason I passed most of my papers. We started living together in our final year and we became very close friends. A week to our first semester exams, some of my friends came from the UK and we agreed to have a party, I invited Clara along and she.said no. I practically forced her out of the house to come with me to the party, we were almost graduates anyway and she would still lead the department after the party, so I told her.

She went with me to the party and when we got there, some other people had joined in the party, people we did not know. I quickly mixed with some of my friends and we went different parts of the venue, I left her there alone, hoping she would be fine.

I was apart from her for not up to an hour when we were rounded up by the police, they said there were suspected thieves amongst us and we were all taken to a cell. I called my father from there and was released the following morning, but he refused to get Clara out, saying he would not be smeared with such ill publicity, she was there for 5 days before I could get some friends to help her out.

When she was released, she told me she had been raped at the party, just right before the police took us all to cell, and she had been raped by one of the guys that escaped the police.

The following day we started our exams and we did not suspect anything. In the process of going back and forth to the police station for the daily appearance until the case was dismissed.

Her parents found out she was locked up and her mother took ill, she shuttled between the exams, her mother and the police station, that she forgot to visit the hospital for an after rape treatment and medications.

When we thought about it, a friend suggested a drug to me which I bought for her.and she used it, that was after about 2 weeks. She was fine all through the exams and when the result came out, her result had dropped badly, she was still not bothered, not pointing any accusatory finger at me but we still remained friend. When the second semester exam started, we found out she was pregnant, the drugs she used had been too late I suppose. She fell sick so bad that we were not sure she would be able to make it for the exams but she did.

When she told me about it, I advised she go for an abortion but she was scared and she decided to keep the baby, which she did.” She pointed at Henry who was still trying to catch a grasshopper in the grass.

“She could not graduate as the leading student in the department; she lost the seat to another guy in the department, forfeiting her automatic employment that she would have been entitled to if she had graduated as the best student in the department, a position she would have taken immediately after NYSC.”

To cut the long story short, I practically ruined her life even though she says it is just chance and time. That happened four years ago.

Earlier this year, my father’s company went into a.business merger with another top shot
company, and both men decided to sacrifice their children for the company, asking us to marry so we could hold the company even after they are retired. I was against it, but my father told me point blank it was marriage to his business partner’s son or all hell would be let loose. I agreed to meet the reluctant guy and when
we did, we hit it off straight away, we fell hard and deep for each other, so plans for the wedding began but Clara had moved to Uyo here and said she might not be there for the wedding.

So a few days to the wedding I sent a picture of myself and my husband with his friend to her, that one captured his face, she saw the picture and replied me in a text message the following morning,

“How well do you know this his friend? Because I am dead sure your boyfriend’s friend was the one who raped me...”

I was not sure who she was referring to because, the person next to me in the picture was Chris; my husband’s friend, my husband was at the far end of the picture so I called her to confirm.

She did not want to talk about it until I threatened to come here personally to hear from her. She was apologizing for mentioning it at all and asked me to forget about it, but I could not just let it go.

What I sent as an accompanying message with the picture was “me, my boo and his friend” and she probably took the naming for the way we stood in the picture.

When she told me the guy at the far end of the picture, I was practically paralyzed for minutes; she was referring to my husband to be and not his friend. I had to run, but I wished I knew earlier, I would have been long gone.”

<<<<<To be continued.>>>>>

oshey baddest. ride on baba

Awesome one op

EPISODE 7
Davis could not take his eyes off her when she finally finished her story, but what kept ringing in his heart was the fact that she was married and she is the daughter of a very powerful as well as a wealthy man in their part of the country. His mind weighed each question he would like to ask her but he just could not voice them out.

“But you said you love him, right?”

“I liked him that much to know I could live with him, I agreed to marry him, remember?”

“But did you ask him, as in... did you confront him with this accusation?”

“Clara is not just a random person she could not have made that up.”

“I am not saying she made it up, I am just saying does your guy know what his real sin is?” Not wanting to say the husband.

“Why does he have to know, Clara swore he is the one.”

“Ebe… sorry Chinwe, I think you just made a big mistake.”

“Well, it is my mistake, but if your eyes are actually working well, I would like you to compare the pictures tomorrow, or.wait, let’s compare it now. Wait for me.”

He watched as she stood up fast and went back into the café, Davis does not know why he is defending the guy, but he would love to be given the benefit of doubt if he was found in the same situation.

He watched quietly as Henry ran around the field, obviously enjoying himself and totally unaware of the happenings around him.

When she returned, she showed him a picture of her with two men, probably from a chat history with Clara; she handed the phone to him and went to Henry, pulling the playful boy with her till he was right in front of her.

“Look at him and point to who his father could be in that picture.”

Davis almost rolled his eyes but did as she said, and he was almost shocked out of his.skin at the facial resemblance. The smile on Henry’s face and that on the man in.the picture was 100% alike.

“Well, I must admit that they look alike, but we share resemblances with people we are.not even related with.”

“Very good, look at the forehead of the man in the picture and tell me what is there that Henry also has?”

The birthmark was so obvious, a dark round patch just above the forehead, almost.disappearing into his low cat hair,.looking at Henry, one could see the birthmark very
boldly as he has a lighter skin than the man in the picture.

“Clara and Henry used to live in Lagos and I watched him grow, we have tried everything we possibly heard off to get the mark off his
forehead. I personally followed them to a.doctor to ask what could be done to get rid of it, you know what he told us? He said it was probably genetic. When I met Tokunbo, I remembered asking him if he got the mark on his forehead from an accident and he said he was born with it. His mother testified to it that he had it from birth. I did not really connect the two, why would I, he was in the USA and Henry and Clara here in Nigeria, but it was not a random accusation, how come the same man Clara pointed to has the same mark as the son she has?”

Her story sounded credible enough to Davis,.so he could not dig up any other defense in the man’s favour.

“But, why did you not ask him still, I mean I would have loved to be asked?”

“Would he have said the truth?, well he might, but does that make up for the damages done? Would that wipe away the pains of four years?”

“He could have changed you know?”

“It does not matter now, a rapist is capable of any other murderous act, believe me.” The way she said it almost scared him as if she had
been raped before, he almost asked he if she had been raped before, but he kept quiet and focused on the picture in his hand.

He looked at it and also at Henry and could not but shakes his head.

They sat down there in silence for sometimes and neither of them knowing what else to say.

Chinwe’s mind was torn again as if it was healing and fresh wound was inflicted on it again. Her heart was heavy and she felt it in her breadth.

Davis handed the phone to her and asked calmly…

“So what do you want to… you cannot hide forever, you can’t, not with your father being influential and not with the social media,
sooner or later, someone would identify you.”

“Don’t you think I know that, I fear more for Clara and her son, they don’t deserve to be hurt again, and especially not by me.”

“That is right.”

“I have to just hold on for now, I would handle it when I found out, but I need a low-key job to make me get some money and move out of her house and being seen with her as little as possible.”

“A job is a good idea, but what type of low- key job could you possibly be looking for?”

“I don’t know, all I know is I have to start looking for one.”

“What are you guys doing out here, Henry, drop that right now” Clara called from the back door of the came and walked towards them. She pulled her son from the insect he was holding in his palms and came to where they sat.

“We are just taking fresh air. Are you through with what you are doing?”

Yea, I was able to download some materials for the topic, but I will have to edit them on my phone. Rabbi is having a moment with one of his staff, so I had to leave the room for them.”

“What happened?” Davis asked curiously.

“I don’t know what the guy did to get him so angry, he was practically spitting fire. Thank
God there is a door separating the staff room from the main cafe.”

“Which of the… the tall fair one I guess?”

“Yeah, him.”

“I pray that guy does not push Joseph to the wall.”

“Ehya, can we go back to the house now?,.that mister has not had a time off play today at all.”

“Ok, let’s go.”

She stood up and looked at Davis who it was obvious by the look on his face that he did not want them to go, but he did not say anything,
he simply walked them back to the café, where Rabbi was making a call, obviously still angry. He helped them gather their.stuff and walked with them out of the café. He motioned to him that he wanted to walk them to the road where they would get a tricycle to their house.

They all walked towards the road with Henry taking his hands out of his mother’s so he could walk on his own, which was very amusing to Davis.

He walked back alone to the café when he saw them seated in a tricycle after bargaining with the driver. His mind was filled with different thoughts and he could not help but go to the web to read about the story of her flee.

He was surprised however when he saw instead that the news claimed she was kidnapped which sent a cold sensation down his spine. As much as he would like to feel protective of her, his common sense still told him it would be dangerous for her to be found near anyone with such news flying around especially.

<<<To be continued >>>

What's your take on this?

hmmmmmm

thank u make my day.....happy. val day

Intresting

Dacaller:
thank u make my day.....happy. val day

You're welcome

EPISODE 8
Davis was eating when Joseph came back from the bathroom, he was telling him about the café attendant he was angry with earlier, whom he caught him printing someone’s project with the intention of taking the money. That would be the second time.

The first time he had caught him printing out a large document in several copies for a particular lady, he had asked her to buy reams of papers so Joseph would not suspect a thing. He had placed a call to the friend that introduced him and he promised to warm him.

When he caught him receiving money.from another person yesterday for a completed project work that would have fetched him a lot of money, Joseph knew he had employed the wrong guy and not getting rid of him now would only dug a bigger hole in his pocket but might also influence other workers to take such acts as a norm.

He picked up his plate of food and started eating.

“So what do you want to do about him?”

“Is that not obvious, who knows how many he.must have done that I did not get to know. I will ask him to stop coming on Friday, the only thing stopping me from not asking him to stop now is for him not to hurriedly round up some transactions I suspect he still has.”

“But do you owe them?”

“I don’t, even when sales are low in some months, I would rather pay them than pull out money for myself.”

“That is unfair of him, but he might be splitting the money with others and that is why they cover up for him.”

“Sacking him should get the message across, if any of them is caught, they should be ready to
leave. I am just not ready to start looking for a new person, I will have to start showing the in an out of things here.”

“Chinwe nko?”

“Who is Chinwe?”

“Ebere, her real name is Chinwe.”

“Did she tell you that?”

“Yes and she told me more.”

His friend looked up from his food, waiting to hear what Chinwe had told him.

“She said she did not trust me when I asked her for her name.”

Davis provided the first lie that came to his mind.

“She is not serious, so she now trusts you?”

Joseph said, eyeing him in mock, Davis simply shrugged and continued with his food, hoping Joseph would not ask more questions he would not want to answer.

“She is a master’s degree holder, how much do you think I can pay her?” Joseph shook his head, discarding the idea of having her as his employee.

“The work her friend was trying to source for her might not be coming as fast as they hoped, she said she would be looking for something so as not to be a burden to her friend.”

“I still don’t know.”

“What don’t you know, it is not by force, you offer her a salary and she can either accept or refuse.”

“Well, you are right, if she asks me I will talk with her about it.”

Davis was satisfied that he has spoken to his friend about it and he is willing to consider her.
************************************

The days went fast and Chinwe often visited the café to sit with Joseph and sometimes wait for Davis.

Joseph was already warming up to the idea of having her work there with him. She seems to know a lot about the use of computer and just needed a little putting through as a café operator. They seem to work well too but Joseph must confess he likes having her around so that he could see Clara when she’s returning from work,
with her son sometimes.

He likes her and would like to ask her out properly but he is always careful with women with kids, most of them he believes still have
ties with the father of their kids that would have a great say in their present relationships.

She sometimes would sit with them for a few minutes before they would all leave for her house.

On this particular Saturday, Davis had called him to inform him that his mother would be coming to Uyo from Calabar where she had gone to for a party, she wanted to surprise him but not too familiar with the direction he had send her. Also, he would be tied up in class till some hours after noon and his mother’s flight to Lagos would be the 3:30 flight back to Lagos.

Joseph agreed to pick her up from the park and take her to the house while Chinwe watched the café for him.

When he returned with her to the café, Chinwe came out of the admin room to give Joseph information but was not prepared for the reaction he met from the woman Joseph introduced as Davis’ mother.

“Are you not Chief Babalola’s daughter?” She asked without wasting time.

Joseph was totally lost, looking back and forth between the two women who kept staring at each other, one with a total dumbfounded look and the other in shock and fear.

“Joseph, is she living with you guys?”

“No ma she is a friend.”

Chinwe stared in shock as she recognized the look in the woman’s eyes; she knows her from
somewhere.

“You are Chinwe Babalola, right” she pointed at her with a surprised look on her face.

“No ma, I am...”

Davis chose that moment to walk into the admin room of the café where the whole drama just unfolded.

“Don’t you dare lie to me, you are Chinwe Babalola,” she turned to her son and his friend.

“Do you know who this young woman is, do you know she is on the news and the word out there is that she has been kidnapped?”

She stared at them as they did not give her any answer, neither refuting the claim that they knew who she is.

“Oh my God, did you kidnap her?”

"Of course not” “But…”

“Ma, they did not kidnap me, I came here on my own.”

“And they are housing you?”

“No they are not.”

“Do you know who her father is and what he could do to anyone who he finds her with, or anyone helping to keep her at all?”

“Mom, calm down, she knows what she is doing.”

“Apparently she does, but I don’t think either of you do and would ruin anyone who could be keeping his daughter.”

“Mom, the decision was hers and she should be left to make that decision when she wants to return.”

“You mean to say if?, this lady would put you in trouble.”

“Mom!”

“Don’t you dare mom me, I am telling your father about this, this instant!”

She stood up and walked to where she dropped her bag.

Chinwe stared in shock as Davis hurried after her. Joseph could only stare at her with nothing to say.

Davis collected the phone from his mother and held it away from her.

“Mom!, listen to me, that lady ran away for a reason, she deserves to have a right to make.her decision.”

“Which I perfectly understand, but were you there when the whole situation started? No, you were not, and you don’t have a right to butt in now and act the super man. Let me tell you this, your father secured a contract from her father and the project is about to begin. I was at the wedding when she disappeared and saw how distraught her mother was, I would never want to be in that position, and that would happen if her father finds out she is being helped, especially by you, the son of a man who won a contract from his portfolio, would he not think it is a planned work, that your father knew about it, especially since he could not make the wedding and I was there alone to attend the wedding. Davis, think for goodness sake. ”

“Oh God, but I did not know her, we never met and she’s not staying with me.”

“Who would listen to you then?”

“She’s staying with her friend.”

“With another man?”

“No, a lady, her friend from way back.”

“Davis, give me the phone and let me speak with your father about this, we can find a way around it and not get the police involved, and this is way beyond you. Please, don’t invite the devil to a private dinner, that man; her father would destroy us if he finds out we have a connection to this.”

Davis handed her the phone and walked back to where he left Chinwe and Joseph, they were quiet and looking at him with
curiosity.

Davis shook his head and pulled Chinwe to his arms, and she began to cry.

Joseph walked out of the room to give them space, closing the door quietly behind him.

“My parents work for your father indirectly and if you are found here, they could be accused wrongly for what they know nothing about” he said as he pulled her back and stared at her tear stained face. He held her shoulders tightly and barely could hold back his own tears.

“If you still want to go somewhere else before your father gets here, there is still time, I could help you to do that.”

“No, I guess I have to go back, Clara would be ruined if my father finds out I have been
staying with her.”

They walked back to where Davis’ mother was speaking on the phone as she saw them approach she told the person on the other end of the line.

“Davis is here now” She stretched the phone to him, he asked who it was and when he heard that it was his father, he turned back and pulled Chinwe with him, they walked back to the back of the café, to the field where she had told him everything the week before.

He pulled out his phone and asked her to.speak with Clara.

“Hello Clara, can you help me get my things together?”

“What is the problem, did your father find you?”

“Someone else did, someone who knows him well and she is contacting him soon, I don’t want him to find me with anyone…”

“Oh my God, what do you want to do now, are you going somewhere else or what…?” she was already sobbing from the tone of her voice.

“No, I have to go back, how long can I hide anyway, it was just stupid of me in the first place to think I could run away forever.”

She ended the call and waited for Clara to bring her bag to the café; Davis’ mother came to where they sat, close to the field and sat beside Chinwe.

“My dear, I am sorry I came to spoil your plans, but believe me when I say I am doing this to protect the people I love. I know your father too well to want to get in his path. Whatever your differences are, I.would like you to settle it with him and if it is with the man you married, divorce is an option. But your father would ruin the lives of people who are helping you to escape or hide.”

“Ma, I understand, but just to be clear, your son did not help me escape. We did not know each other till I arrived Uyo here.”

“I understand that now, but I have called my husband and informed him, who in turn has called your father and they are on their way
on a private jet to the airport, I suggest you go to the airport to wait there for them, they will arrive in less than 3 hours.”

On hearing that, Chinwe’s heart went heavy, beating with effort and she became weak, she pulled herself to an upright position and walked back to the café, while Davis watched with sorrow in his heart, especially with the thought of losing the woman he has come to love leaving him.

He knew his father would gladly come with Chinwe’s father, his involvement would put him on the good page with him and that would lead to bigger projects, would it not?

He could not just disown him, because truthfully, he hated the man as much as he loves him
sometimes, but his mother would always want to do what would protect her family.

Clara was paying the keke driver when Chinwe came out of the café, she pulled Henry into her arms and rubbed his head fondly, she would miss the little man who looks like the man she would be returned to.

Davis came out of the café too, his mother and Joseph behind him.

“Let me drop both of you off at the airport.”

Joseph said after lifting Henry in a halfhearted greeting.

“No, I still have the number of the cab man that dropped us off the last time, his car is a taxi, I don’t want to risk the chances of my father already alerting the police and then pick up anyone who drops me off.”

“That is true, although my husband assured me they would be arriving without any police being informed.”

“Give me his number so I could call him then” Davis said.

Chinwe pulled the piece of paper from the small pocket of her back pack and handed to Davis, she listened as the man bargained for the price, claiming he would have to drive from the airport to pick her up.

They all went back into the café while they waited for the taxi, all the while Clara was sobbing quietly, while Joseph tried as much as possible to distract Henry. When the driver arrived, he was surprised to see Chinwe, she dropped her bag in the booth of the car and Davis helped with his mother’s, who climbed in beside Chinwe.

As the car drove off, Clara was weeping loudly now, Joseph had to pull her into the café and Davis watched as she was driven off, holding Henry in his arms.
*********************************************

Should this story continue? Or
do you think it's boring? If you think so, then it won't continue.

what kind of question are you asking us? guy no make me vex o
CONTINUE JOOR

IT'S INTERESTING AND I'M SURE CHINWE WILL FIGHT FOR HER FRIEND
ann2012 coman see ooo

thatsleepboy1:
what kind of question are you asking us? guy no make me vex o

CONTINUE JOOR


IT'S INTERESTING AND I'M SURE CHINWE WILL FIGHT FOR HER FRIEND

ann2012 coman see ooo

Be calming down bros

Please Continue

idmicheal20:
Please Continue

Still cooking. Wait for your share when it's done

thatsleepboy1:
what kind of question are you asking us? guy no make me vex o

CONTINUE JOOR


IT'S INTERESTING AND I'M SURE CHINWE WILL FIGHT FOR HER FRIEND

ann2012 coman see ooo

Please pass me chilled bottle of wine