Written by Fleau
The weeks that followed Lanre’s death were tough. I wasn’t sure of which hurt more between his death, the guilt I felt or the message he left behind.
I was struggling to live, struggling to comprehend what went wrong and why life had dished me such a terrible meal despite my innocence. Work wasn’t helping me neither was Isaac, my mother kept calling like the calls were going to make the pain go away. At least I understood my mother’s calls it was Isaac’s calls I really didn’t understand. The man won’t just let me be. I told him about Lanre’s death and why I didn’t need all his patronage.
He apologized after which he sent me flowers the next day with a message that read
“Please accept my deepest condolence, and know that no matter how long it takes I will wait for you till you get over this pain”, like I needed this.
My mum’s case was a special one. Apparently, Bola had called her after the accident. I wasn’t sure why Bola even called her. The girl was just being forward.
My mum never met Lanre in person but she spoke to him once over the phone. I had told her about how Lanre forcefully bought me a car and on several occasions she had tried to convince me to bring him to the house to meet her.
I wasn’t sure if that was necessary but on every occasion I always came up with the perfect excuse on why he won’t be able to see her. She had however collected his number. She eventually called him and Lanre told me how she thanked him for the car like it was a gift that was given to save a life.
He told me how long she prayed for him, my mother and her long prayers, it was her signature.
After the prayers she asked him how he got such wealth to buy a car for a girl he only started dating 3months ago. He laughed it off and told her not to be scared as he had worked hard for the money. I was a bit ashamed when he told me about the phone call. I literally wanted to cry from shame and I remember calling her later to ask why she had chosen to disgrace me.
The woman only hissed after which she said “ehn so you expect me to sit down here and watch them use my daughter for money ritual, you think I don’t know what all these small-small Lagos boys now do for money”
“No one is going to use anyone for ritual” I had replied with anger after which I dropped the phone. My mother was a drama queen and her drama had extended to this period, a drama I really didn’t want to earn a role in.
On the day she came to see me she came with bowls of soup. I wasn’t sure why she came with all the bowls of soup. She however told me I needed to eat to survive the period and I needed good food to replace the tears that was leaving my body. She said it was the same thing she had done after my father died. She had filled her system with a lot of good food that made her forget her pain. But I guess she forgot to mention the fact that it made her gain almost 30kg extra in the months that followed my dad’s death.
Work was killing me or should I say I had chosen to bury myself in work to kill the pain and time. Seyi had even complained that I was over working and asked Bola to speak to me not to kill myself. Seyi somehow remained a darling all through the period, for someone with so much craze I wasn’t expecting some special kind of treatment instead she had shocked me and chosen to be a true companion.
Bola surprised me with her constant complains and screams at me to grow up. However, following Seyi’s complain about my new work attitude Bola had insisted that we all hang out so they can speak some sense into my head.
Bola had chosen a restaurant for us to eat, a restaurant that didn’t remind me of Lanre as I had turned down the first 3 restaurants she had picked saying it reminded me of him. We had barely settled down at the restaurant when one of Lanre’s favourite songs came up on the tv and I started crying. Bola looked at me in anger before saying
“What is wrong with you now, why are you doing all this in public”
Seyi had cautioned her by asking if she had lost a boyfriend.
Bola ignored her before turning to me to say “stop crying like a baby; You!! what you need?
“What” I said with a breaking voice
“A new man or a brief vacation” she replied
I hadn’t exactly thought about finding a new man anytime soon but I had considered taking a trip. Isaac had even mentioned it once that if I needed to clear my head I could try out his family beach house in Accra. An offer I wasn’t too keen on taking.
“When did the man die that you want her to get a new man?, you this girl!!! you sure say you get conscience so?” Seyi said
For the second time Bola ignored her comment before saying
“I think I know the perfect man that would help you get over this pain sharply, I mean it’s being nearly 5 months. You only knew the man for barely 7months so what’s all this one for now, abeg you gats move on”
I wasn’t so sure if meeting someone new was a better idea than going to Isaac’s family beach house to clear my head. But for sure I knew I had to do something about my situation as friends like Bola were beginning to complain asking me to grow up and quit being a wimp
Seyi seemed upset with Bola I could tell by her look that she felt this was a terrible idea left to her I needed as much time as I wanted to mourn Lanre. As we left the restaurant I thought of so many things I could do.
The next day was a Saturday and I had decided to stay in, not like I had anywhere to go to. I was laying on my bed reading a magazine when Bola walked in. she seemed really happy
“abeg stand up from that bed and go and brush your hair well” she said
I wasn’t sure of what that was for. I looked at her with confusion before saying “what”
“My friend you have a guest and I can’t allow you to go out there looking like what the cat rejected” she replied
“What guest? I am not expecting anyone” I said
“God!!!! you sabi ask question” she said as she pulled me out of the bed after which she handed me my hair brush.
I started to brush my hair slowly. She stood there looking at me like what I was doing was some fascinating act.
“Madam hurry up with that hair now” bola said impatiently
I wondered who this almighty guest was that Bola won’t let me rest this Saturday morning. For a second, I thought to myself what if it was Isaac. Well, that won’t be possible as the man doesn’t know my house, but who am I deceiving seeing how desperate he had been lately I won’t be shocked if he had contacted my office to find out my house address not like I expected them to give him the address but I am pretty sure he would have been able to squeeze out the address somehow from them.
“Madam abeg who be this person wey you no go let me rest” I asked
“Don’t worry when you meet him, you would thank me for the rest of your life” she replied
I stepped out to the living room to see only Bola’s boyfriend watching tv. Was this a joke or what? Bola didn’t just come all the way to disturb me to come and see her boyfriend. As if she knew what I was thinking. I heard her ask boyfriend where my supposedly guest went to. Her boyfriend told her he had gone to the restroom.
I heaved a sigh of relief at the sound of that
“Temi, how have you being now” Bola’s boyfriend asked me.
“Fine” I answered with a smile
“It’s good to see you looking this good again “ he quickly added
I smiled and said nothing as I tried to take a seat.
“Oh! Here he is ‘ that was Bola
I turned to see a beautiful young man “in my own words”
I wasn’t exactly sure where Bola got this one from but wherever she got him from must have been a good place. I mean I only see this type of men on tv and in magazines. Bola really did a good job with this one. I tried to adjust a little on my seat. I quickly used my hand to arrange the tank top I was wearing before running my hand through my hair to make sure the hair was intact. It’s a good thing Bola had asked me to brush my hair. I wished she had asked me to wear some make up and probably change my clothes if possible and not to come out in this jeans and tank top looking like somebody’s side chic.
“Temi, meet your guest” that was Bola with a huge smile
He stretched out his hand for a handshake I jumped up and stretched mine back to him. His hand felt so soft and warm I couldn’t imagine this hand hitting a woman. This hand would truly work magic on any woman that was for sure.
“Hi Temi, I am Andrew, I have heard so much about you, but Bola forgot to mention how beautiful you are in your natural state”
I stuttered a bit before mumbling something that was meant to be my response, something I myself couldn’t event pick out properly I wasn’t sure he heard me but he smiled anyway while Bola had a look that said “what are you saying”
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