Chapter 18: Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

******

Same place, different time...

I checked the time and it was about 7:45am.

Not bad.

Tana had dropped me off at the T- junction leading to the place, and I walked the short distance down to the shop. Striding into the dimly lit place, I could barely make out the figures in the room. I'd obviously came in after someone, probably the CEO.

Suddenly the lights came on, and I saw the last person I had hoped to see, the rude lady from the previous day. Ugh.

What a way to start my day. She turned to me with a scowl, I was beginning to wonder if her face was actually like that.

"Good morning" I mumbled trying to force a smile whilst staring at her. She simply glared daggers at me and turned back to whatever she was doing with a hiss. I shrugged off her nastiness and went ahead to ask for the whereabouts of the cleaning equipments I would need.

"It's on my head, come and get it" She replied with so much rancor, I almost lost my cool.

Not today Satan, not today.

I walked out on her, venturing further into the shop to get whatever I needed. Eventually I found them laid in a corner and I went about my duties ignoring the belligerent young lady at the other side of the room.

In a matter of minutes, other apprentices started trooping in and I had to hasten tidying up the place. I exchanged cordial greetings with the rest of them and most of them answered passively, except this plump enthusiastic light skinned lady. She looked a bit older than I was... but one could attribute that fact to her, not so petite size. She was a pretty one, I must say, her gap teeth almost had me yearning for one and her smile was infectious.

"I guess you're new here, I'm Amara" She introduced herself cheerily, stretching her robust hand towards me for a handshake.

"I'm Lola, nice to meet to you Amara" I did my best to return the same energy.

"Same here, I hope you have a swell time during your stay" She said and hopped off giddily, to get a broom. I was halfway through with the sweeping, and she helped with the rest and I was more than grateful.

I sat on a vacant seat, surfing through my phone as I was basically idle. Everyone else had something to fiddle with, or someone to chat with, whereas I was on my own. I felt the atmosphere tense up, as a familiar scent wafted through my nostrils.

Mrs Chidi...

It was her alright. I saw her walking in with such grace and poise that would make any other lady in the room intimidated and that she did. Probably because we were her proteges or because she looked so flawless.

"Good morning ma" Those were the words that rang from all corners. A small smile splayed on her lips as she answered and it grew even wider as her eyes fell on me.

"Lola, how are you dear?" She asked

"I'm fine ma, thank you" I said with a small nod. She gave a curt nod in acknowledgement and turned to the rest people in the room.

"Ladies,this is Titilola our newest addition, please treat her well as she's now a part of this ever growing family" She said sweetly with her arm draped across my shoulder.

"No petty squabbles please" She emphatically stated with her gaze firmly settled on the vexatious Bisola whose eyes were all over the place.

"Alright?" Mrs Chidi enunciated.

"Yes ma" The ladies answered, including Bisola. Mrs Chidi turned to me thereafter.

"Welcome to the family Lola" She gave me a pat on the back before walking towards her office. I let out a breath I didn't notice I was holding.

"Come on Lola, I'll teach you the basics" Amara called out to me. She was sitting by one of the numerous windows in the room with a sewing machine in front of her. I walked over to her, she was grinning as usual.

"What exactly do you know about tailoring or should I say fashion designing?" She teased when I was seated next to her, she was teaching me how to pedal the manual sewing machine before we would move on to the electrical ones and I had great difficulty with it, but it wasn't too bad for a first trial.

"Seriously Amara, mockery isn't gonna help" I said, a little embarrassed by her never ending teases.

"Okay okay, we'll see what we can do about you, I do hope you're a fast learner cause the people here can be very... competitive"she said with concern lacing her tone. She obviously didn't fail to notice the stares the other apprentices were giving me. It seemed as though I was trying to invade their territory and usurp them after they had suffered to acquire influence in their field. Who would have thought that such places were brimming with lethal adversaries?

Jeez, it's not an election!!

****

Tsk tsk tsk...

I sighed over and over again, exhaustion taking over my limbs. This was harder than I thought but I had to tell myself to not give in to the pressure and mocking glares from all corners. Besides, it was just the first day. I was sure Amara must have given up on me, as she left me to myself for a while.

Okay, I was wrong, she had stepped out to fill her 'tank'- her words,not mine. At least one could tell how she came about her robust figure, it wasn't just the genes, I tell you. She was munching on one thing or the other, every hour. From biscuits to sausage rolls(colloquially referred to as 'gala', in this part of the world). Amarachi was one hell of a foodie!

****

It was past 3pm, only a few hours before the shop would close for the day. Customers were all over the place, the noise of the chattering and banters from all sides could drown one's thoughts. Amara had scurried off to attend to a customer who wanted to buy fabrics, so I had been left alone, looking around at anything and everything. On cue, my phone buzzed in my back pocket, I got it out and checked the caller ID. I froze as I saw the name that flashed across my screen,I half ran outside to take it before it could go off.

"Hello" I said quickly after sliding the green icon across the screen.

"Lola..." She said after heaving a sigh.

"Yes mummy" I said tentatively. She sniffed and I was alarmed. Was she okay? Why would she be crying? Those were the questions running through my mind before she spoke up.

"How are you dear?" She asked softly.

"I'm alright, how are you?"

"I'm fine, I..." She hesitated for a second before clearing her throat. "I just wanted to know how you're faring".

"I'm coping mum, how is he?"I asked and I swear I heard her breath hitch over the phone. Something was definitely wrong.

"He's fine, I've been trying to talk to him about you but-"

"Don't bother about it mum, I'm fine, he won't listen to you anyway" I interjected before she could even complete her statement. My mood had gone sour and it was all my fault because I went ahead and mentioned him in the middle of our conversation.

She sighed at the other end. "Have you heard from your siblings?" She changed the topic and I was more than glad.

"Laila called a few days ago, I haven't heard from anyone else" I stated dryly

"It's alright, I'll call to check up on you from time to time, take care of yourself, be good okay?" She sounded like she was talking to a five year old kid but I'm her daughter anyway.

"Yes mum, take care" I was about to end the call when she called out to me again.

"Lola?"

"Yes mum"

"I love you" She said and a sweet smile graced my features. "I love you too mum" I replied and she hung up right after.

To say I was shocked was an understatement of how I felt after hearing those words from my mum. I didn't come from a family that displayed a lot of affection, it was purely based on tough love. My mum saying those words to me for the first time in a very long time was somewhat pleasant and I soon began to ponder on her sudden display of verbal affection. It was so unlike her, she wasn't even a hugger so saying the words must have taken a lot from her.

I walked back into the shop trying not to chew over the phone call I just had.

****

"I'm home!!!" Tana squeaked as she walked through the front door. I threw her a bored expression and turned back to my phone, still seated in a lotus position on the couch.

"Welcome ma!" I gave a mock squeal as she nudged the back of my head with her handbag. She cackled as she sprawled on the seat without taking her shoes off.

"My friend, stand up. Lazy child" I teased as I gave her a playful push which caused her to topple over and fall face flat on the cold tiles.

"You're just wicked" She muttered whilst struggling to get up, and I laughed at her pout like frown. She could not even stand on her own.

"How was your day?" I asked. "The usual, how was yours?"she responded, jumping on the couch again but carefully started taking off her shoes after I gave her a warning glare.

"Oh well, it was uhm..."I was reluctant, I didn't even know how to explain my day. I shrugged before continuing...

"Awkward, I guess"

"Awkward?" Her perfectly shaped brows rose in askance.

"Yeah, mum called, I couldn't pedal the machine properly and then there were these curious stares from fellow apprentices, even customers, it was just so much to take in..." I babbled but Tana was quick to interrupt me.

"Wait, your mum called?" She asked wide eyed. I nodded.

"She did and..." And she interrupted again.

"What did she say?How is she doing?"

"Can you just let me finish?" I said rolling my eyes, slightly annoyed at her incessant interruptions. She paused before saying "Right, sorry"

"Thank you" I replied with a sigh and went on to give her details of the earlier conversation with my mother.

"I think something's wrong" She said in reply.

"Why do you think so?"

"I mean, you said she sounded a little shaken over the phone and then she said 'I love you' for the first time in a very long time, doesn't that seem unusual?" She explained. I actually saw reason with her but I didn't want to make a mountain out of a molehill, so I brushed the negative thoughts aside.

"Perhaps, my being away from her in such an uncouth manner is making her display her affection for me" I said dismissively with a blitheful shrug.

"Okay... If you say so" Tana said picking up her stuff and heading to her bedroom

****

Few months on...

The next few months went by in a whorl, same mundane activities repeating themselves over and over again. Tana would drop me off in the mornings, I would spend the day in the shop learning new things everyday. It was actually turning out real good - better than I expected, in fact.

I had still not heard anything from my family, only my mum and Laila who called once in a while.

"You're kidding right?" I laughed into the phone. Tunji and I had been getting along well within the last few weeks. We used to chat for hours, late into the night, he had become my second best friend and had been really helpful.

"I'm serious, you and Tana should come over, my friends just want to formally congratulate me on becoming the new CEO" He said.

"Okay I'll tell her about it, when is it again?" I asked.

"It's in a week, you can just come over to my place after church and we'll head to the venue from there"

"Okay fine, next Sunday huh? I'll try to be there. No promises" I stated squarely. Going out just wasn't my thing.

"You're coming whether you like it or not, Tana has agreed sef" He retorted, not to my surprise though, all three of us had gotten really close over time.

"I knew it, there always has to be a conspiracy against me, mean people" I said feigning disappointment.

"Na you know, you just have to get out more, stop staying indoors all the time".

Adviser.

"Guy, I'm occupied from Monday till Saturday, Sunday is the only day of the week I have to relax" I said, I knew where the conversation was heading.

"Then make good use of it, in fact we're going out today, dress up" He said. I just knew he was going to do this, it wasn't the first time he would decide to drag me out of the house against my will.

"Tee now?!" I moaned "But I want to sleep" I faked a yawn.

Anything to get me out of this!

"Don't worry, you'll sleep in the car" He said with a chuckle. I frowned. He was well aware of the fact that I was giving excuses. Curse him for knowing me so well...

"But..." I wanted to try another excuse but he hung up before I could say anything else.

"There's no escaping this now" I muttered, getting out of bed to prepare for my outing.

"Tana ooo" I yelled,dragging my feet  into the living room.

"Yes..." She answered inaudibly with a yawn, she was so engrossed in her movie, I had to nudge her head before she could look up at me.

"Where are you going?" She asked lazily, ogling my outfit. I wore black high waist jean trousers, a red long sleeved crop top , and a pair of white sneakers. I let my braids, trail down my back. I didn't have any make up on, just a little lip gloss on my full lips.

"Tunji's taking me out, you coming?"

"Nah, enjoy your date" She declined, turning back to the movie.

"It's not a date, thank you very much" I picked up the throw pillow and smacked her with it.

"Must you find trouble sef?" She mumbled throwing the pillow back to me.

"Why don't you want to come along?" I asked, Tana loved going out of the house much more than I ever did.

"I'm just not in the mood" She answered dismissively.

"Okay, but you'll attend his get together next Sunday right?" I asked again, studying her expression. She seemed angry,at Tunji,maybe.

"Maybe, let's see how it goes" She said with a shrug, her eyes still glued to the screen.

"Tana what's wrong?" I asked with concerning lacing my tone. My brows were furrowed in confusion, Tana was never like this unless she had a fight with her boyfriend and she was single as far as I knew.

"It's just that..." She was saying before a knock came on the door stopped her.

"Who is it?" We said in unison.

"Guess?" The person behind the door said. It was obviously Tunji, that was his response every time.

"I'll get it" I said to Tana who's mood had gotten worse than it was within the last few minutes. It certainly had something to do with Tunji.

I opened the front door and he stepped into the apartment, looking suave as usual.

Givenchy on fleek

Even with a casual outfit, he looked really hot, he sure just had his beards trimmed, they looked really nice...

"Ready?" He asked with a knowing smile, he knew I was staring.

I cleared my throat awkwardly then answered with stutters."uhm... Uh.. yes, yes I am" I nearly face palmed myself at the awkwardness of the situation.

"Hi Tana" He waved awkwardly.

"Hi" She muttered without sparing him a glance. My gaze shifted between both of them severally in a matter of seconds, I didn't want to get involved, I knew they'd sort themselves out in the end.

They're not even a couple and they're doing like this, na wa!

"Okay let's go?" I asked, trying to ease the tension in the room.

"Yeah let's..." He answered with his eyes fixated on Tana who didn't look back even for a second. I picked up my bag and walked over to her, I draped my hand across her shoulder, giving a knowing pat, as a means of calming her down.

"See ya later baby" I said.

"Take care dear" She answered, rubbing my hand on her shoulder.

I walked out with Tunji, who kept staring until I pulled him out of the house. I did not say anything until we got to the car.

"I don't know what's going on between both of you but you had better fix it" I said casually like the stare down didn't just happen. I could tell he was shocked as he froze.

"It's not what you think Lola" He tried to explain further.

"What do you think I'm thinking about?" I countered.

"I don't even want to know, I just don't like seeing my best friend in such a state, fix it" I said with a warning glare which quickly morphed into a smile when he nodded in affirmation.

"Now drive. Where are we heading to?" I asked.

"You'll see" He smirked.

"Mysterious huh? I like it" I mirrored his smirk and he threw his head back in laughter. And off we went.