Eebrahym:

Tee, what's happening now This is taking forever dear

Lol. Im sorry. Im trying to make like 2 updates a week. Working on it. Dont worry. It will be up today and il make sure i tag you. Thanks a lot bro.

b]PART 11

A picture is a secret about a secret
The more it tells you, the less you know

I should be comfortable. In sheets of egyptian cotton, Four Squared hotel felt like home. It was already 10pm when I got to my room because the traffic was just as bad as when I left the office with Dennis. I was already exhausted, and after an hour drowning my whole day in a long hot bath, I should be asleep.

But I stayed awake, and tossed and turned in discomfort.
I had seen Jide the moment I walked into that church. He was one of those officials showing people where to seat. There was no way I would have missed him. Seeing him proved to me just how stuck I was. Every where I turned, someone made me sad.

I kept on churning it in my mind. What did he mean by check the scholarship accounts? It was a sick joke we played in school. We would hack the school account and pull up peoples files. It was rather petty, but I liked to know the financial stands of a racist who looked down on me because I was black.

Curiousity got the better part of me, and I soon found myself connecting to the hotel wifi.

"Nice one Jide. You win. What is with the scholarship accounts?" I said, biting my nails. I tasted fresh acrylic and decided against nail biting.

I logged into the schools server, and entered a few bypass codes like Jide taught me.

New students had been admitted for research courses. I pulled up my set. The previous set. I had a feeling i knew what i was looking for. I just didnt know it yet.

After a few minutes of surfing, and pulling up peoples files and memories of brief moments spent with some of them, I noticed Jide wasnt a scholarship student. I dug deeper, and I found right there in black and white, that Jide's fees were paid in full on the same day as mine, by the same sponsor. Mum.

My facebook messenger buzzed and I ignored it.

What did mum have with Jide? Why would she pay his fees? My head was whirring in so many thoughts. She had never seen eye to eye with Jide. How did they cook up the plan to pretend he won a scholarship? How did i start nursing the desire to travel with Jide to Canada? How was it implanted in my head without my knowledge?

Facebook buzzed again and I was forced to check it this time.

I had a message from Anna Banner.

I didnt know who that was or when I accepted her request, but I needed to answer her in order to continue my research.

ANNA BANNER: Hello

ANNA BANNER: Hello

ANNA BANNER: Hey

ANNA BANNER: u der?

SIMS JOHNS : hlo

ANNA BANNER: Its me

SIMS JOHNS : God? or Anna Banner? I dont know either of you

ANNA BANNER: Its Jide. You blocked my fb acct. I created this months ago to talk to you

SIMS JOHNS: This is creepy and desperate. Are you sure new girl keeps you happy?

I wish I could retract that. He would know I'm still hurt. I thought to myself, but Jide sent me a long message, and since I didnt have the chance to cut him short or walk away, I had no choice but to read.

ANNA BANNER: Incase you didn't get me. Incase you forgot the pwrd to Delhousie uni accts. Before you block me after this. Hear me out.
Your mum paid my fees. I wasn't on scholarship like I/we made you believe. She made me sign a contract that i wouldnt come close to you once we cme back.
She paid me to leave you. It was against my will. She has thugs. I couldnt say no. I thought you knew about it until you came to my house. I miss you. Pls say something...

ANNA BANNER: Hey

ANNA BANNER: u der?

I didnt reply. I deactivated my facebook account, and curled up in my bed, counting sheep.
I needed to go to bed because reality was getting scarier than I thought. I had nothing to say to Jide. All his message translated to me, was that I was only worth a few millions to him. And his education meant more to him than I did.

That man never loved me. I was grateful to Dennis for taking me to church.

Stealthideals24:

She is truly a Black Bird. But I keep wondering about which of the birds with 'p' initial she is. Her legendary musings typify a parrot in action; her cunning way of weaving words is like that of a tattling partridge... The partridge says: "What business has the farmer to bring his clothes here?" The farmer says: "How could I go to my farm without my clothes?" Tijehi, that means Teechudleyy won't be able to answer your question until you read her diary.

These known writers are not doing better than this. Great publicity accounts for 60% of a successful story. For instance, I don't think there is more to cherish in Konadu's A Woman in Her Prime. Osofisan's Women of Owu is just access to history on the part of the author. The race, they say, is not to the swift. We pray for Op's access to grace.

Lol. Im just a girl. A black bird that hopes to fly. I dont know if im a parrot. Because i dont talk so much in real life. Im usually the girl sitting alone at a vantage point observing everybody. About publicity, You are right. Ive read many stories and shed tears because i believed i could do better. Amen for this really deep prayer. Im holding onto it with faith. And i pray the same for you because... I see you too

tijehi:
Letting go by Audrey Timms and Black Bird by teechudleyy

Oh wow! Thanks ... iBlush!

PART 10

I like it when you sleep
You are so beautiful
Yet so unaware

I started regretting my choice to got to church, the moment we nosed in on the bumper of the ash colored Toyota avensis in front of us. Dennis was beaming from ear to ear, practically jumping for joy. He kept pointing out how everyone drove carefully around us.

"Nobody wants to graze a mercedes G-Class" he said and I just shook my head. He was acting as if he had never been in a G Class Suv. Who hasn't?

The church was only a little ways down the Herbert Macaulay road, but we wasted 40 minutes meandering till I started getting upset again. I just kept wondering. Would there be an Usher at the enterance, offering me her napkin to cover my hair? I hope not, because she would get it all. Church reminded me of that sunday school teacher who would smack anyone who's hair dared to peek out of their beret.

I had not been to church in a long time, but church was a lot different from what it used to be. Even the usher had her bouncy bohemian curls shining from the freshly applied alma oil.

People seemed overly excited to see one another, and it was amazing to see Dennis completely transformed from a demure wi-fi hogging office assistant, to a bold faced drama co-ordinator.
We were many minutes early , so I just sat in a corner, watching Dennis correct his team members for one thing or the other. He was such a strict and finicky leader. I watched him send someone back home, for wearing a lavender colored shirt instead of pink. Then he walked up to me and asked nicely, if I would like a drink.

Every time I started wondering if I had made a wrong choice coming to church, my phone would buzz frantically. Mum. It was the first taste of a sweet sweet victory, however small. With Tomi out of town, there was nobody else who pushed me out of the house. Mum would be all bent out of shape, wondering where I had been.

The service was just the same as I remembered. I guess just as much as church changed, church remained the same. We sang, we listened to the preacher's effusive sermon. We screamed on top of our voices in prayer(At least many people did), then Dennis and his troupe entertained the congregation and we all gratefully danced and paid the offerings.
I was already itching to leave by the time announcements were being called out over the public adress system, and I didnt budge when the pastor came back and called for first timers despite Dennis urging me to stand up.

I left him behind with a "see you at work", and hurried off to my car, wondering if I should call the front desk at 4-Squared hotels to order dinner or just ask them to get my room ready.

"Hello" He said, emerging from the dark like a marauder in black and white movies.

"What do you wish to steal sir?" I said, stopping in my tracks, while reaching for my car keys.

"Wow." He said. He was obviously attempting to compose a witty response, but he was falling short.

"Listen. Please step away from my car, I have a place to be." Not after all my pent up anger from work. I was in no state to stand for this.

"I was only hoping we could chat" He said. He was so nervous. If I didnt know him, I would say he was someone who had been beaten down by life. His shirt edges were frayed. I hated frayed edges.

"Well, you already did." I snapped, waiting for him to step away from the car so I could get in.

"Listen Simi, I --"

"Please." I cut him short, and motioned for him to step away from the car door. Thankfully, he did. I jumped into my car, and before I slammed the door to zoom off, he told me.

"If you can still log in. Check the students scholarship accounts."

I watched him walk away and muttered to myself "How rude!"

He had just robbed me the joy of zooming off on him. That would have been the icing on my cupcake of 21 missed calls.
But Jide was the king of one minute elevator pitches. He had definitely left me curious. What business did I have with the scholarship accounts in Dalhousie University?

tijehi:
Teechudleyy, I'm suspecting u of being a renowned writer. Abah, this ur writing is too much. It's dem chinue Achibe that writes like this o. Oya, tell us ur real name biko.

Lol! @tijehi amen to that!

Stealthideals24:

Having read Black Bird and this, one will have hard time deciphering what your growing up was like.

Lol! i think thats what writing should be about. The characters should come to life and tell you their story. Thats d only problem i have with Chimamanda's works. You can easily piece two n two and tell her point of view on certain things

Stealthideals24:
"... my dad would go ballistic..."
Editors from reputable publishing houses always delete windy statements like the one you made above.
The last time I used "let fly a volley of gunfire", they replaced it with "shot".
When I used "they waited patiently for the receding humming sound of their attacker's four-wheelers to wane", they replaced it with "they waited for the hoodlums to disappear". Maybe they have their reasons, but I am yet to fathom the reasons.
Also, you have been using "who's" in this work so far; can you tell me what you mean by writing it in full?
For the sake of clarity, I understand that "who's" may mean "who is", but not "whose". Please, tell me what you have in mind by using it.

I mean who is actually. I get a lot of those when i send my work in for editing too. I try to make up to at least 90k words so that by the time its all fleshed out, i still have a reasonable chunk.