Chapter 20: Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

*****

A wife beater, an abusive husband?!...

I had begun to wonder if it was some sort of deja vu. Our mum had had to endure all of that during our childhood years and it was happening again to my only sister.

"Has anyone of them contacted you concerning my whereabouts?" Laila asked in panic. I shook my head in the negative, I hadn't received any calls to ask about her location but I knew it wasn't far fetched.

My phone buzzed just a few minutes later, it was my mum. I picked up immediately and placed it on loud speaker.

"Titilola" She half yelled, sounding distraugh .

"Mummy happy Sunday" I answered trying to sound as cheery as I could.

"Lola there's nothing happy about this Sunday o. Have you heard from your sister?" She asked.

I stared at the two ladies in the room,not knowing how to reply, Tana mouthed a no,as Laila shook her head vigorously and I answered the same.

"No mummy, is there something wrong?"

"Ah!" She yelled.

"Tolani has finished me!!"

"Mummy you still haven't told me what the matter is" I stated calmly.

"It's her husband o, he said she has been acting up since they got married five months ago,and today happened to be the worst of it all. He told your father and I that, she had been taking contraceptives without his knowledge and when he tried to talk to her about it, she flared up and injured him badly, she even locked him up in the bathroom, after which she ran out of the house, taking some of her belongings with her " Mum narrated much to my consternation. That guy was audacious enough to formulate such a false accusation against my sister despite all he had done. It took a lot of will power to not disclose the actual truth, that,would had involved risking Laila's safety.

Tana was in shock while Laila let out a humorless chuckle.

"Mummy are you sure about this?" I asked skeptically.

"Of course nau, would my in-law lie to me?" She said trying to sound convinced, I knew she wasn't.

"I don't know o, but I'll try to reach her and when I do, I'll let you know. Just keep praying for her return" I tried to placate her, we said our goodbyes and she hung up soon after.

"That bastard!!!" Tana growled in anger.

"Tolani you're not leaving this place till further notice" She said swiftly.

"Of course she can stay but it's only a matter of time before they find out she's with us" I said trying to not sound like a pessimist.

"Yes Lola,you're right, but she can't go back in this state"

"I know that, but what are we even going to do about this?! " I asked in confusion

"She's getting a divorce, what else do you expect?!!"

"Just five months into the marriage?!" I yelled back.

"So what? Do you want her dead body parceled back to us first, before you realize that this marriage isn't worth it?!" She was fuming. That was enough to knock some sense into me. Although I was somewhat opposed to divorce, I didn't want my sister to die in the hands of that monstrosity of a husband.

"No I don't want her dead, but mom and dad have been married for years, he hits her sometimes but they're still together, right?"

Tana looked bewildered at  what I had just said. "Do you think she's happy? That's not even the point, did your dad marry her because of money to pay off some stupid debt? How can't you see this marriage had failed from the very start!!!"

"Can you both stop talking about me like I'm not sitting right in front of you?!" Laila butted in, seemingly apprehensive.

"Sorry" We said in unison as I heaved a sigh.

"What do we do?" I mumbled, ruffling braids with both hands.

"Honestly I don't know, I guess we just have to lay low for a while. Hope you had your line switched off?" Tana said, her worried gaze settling on Laila.

"Yes I did, I broke the sim card actually"

"We'll have to get you a new one, just in case we have to contact you at any point"

"I just got one a few days ago so I'll hand it over to you" I stood up to go get it but stopped immediately remembering something .

"Tolani lemme have your phone"

"Why?"

"He could be tracking you"

"You're so right" Tana whispered in thoughtfulness.

"We have to flash that phone ASAP, and I mean right now" She got up immediately.

Thankfully there was a neighbor two flats away that could help us out with it. He did so in no time and we heaved momentary sighs of relief.

******

I was at the shop one Wednesday afternoon, looking through a few designs for a customer who had insisted, I choose any style that would suit her figure. Then, a very good looking young man stepped into the shop, the aura of his presence had everyone at a standstill. His three piece suit was well ironed with no creases, his Valentino shoes glistened in the light and his cologne represented charisma. Brown skinned with a neat haircut and sideburns that made him look irresistibly handsome. He searched the place with his eyes and they landed on Bisola who was standing very close to him, she was already batting her fake lashes at the young man. I almost face palmed in vicarious embarrassment, as he walked past her like she wasn't there in the first place.

"Baby!!!" A little girl called from behind him and he turned around with a sweet smile flashing his cute dimples that almost had me drooling. He stretched his left arm for the little girl who looked only a little over four years of age.

"Baby you left me behind" She pouted as she looked up at him holding on tightly to his palm.

Wait, did she just call him baby? That had to be a nickname right?

I felt a tinge of disappointment at the thought of him being married with a kid.

"Sorry baby, where's your mummy?" He asked looking back at the entrance briefly.

"She's coming" The little girl answered quickly. She then told him to come close because she wanted to tell him something. He picked her up like she was a quill feather and placed her on his hip as she whispered a few things to him, it was at that moment I realized that I had been staring for too long as his eyes met mine,almost immediately I turned away and he walked towards me slowly.

Oh my!

"Hello miss" He said in a sweet baritone voice. "Hi, how may I help you?" I turned back to him with a professional smile plastered on my face.

"I..." He started and I waited eagerly to hear what he had to say but just then, a plump, heavily pregnant woman came into the shop.

"Baby square, you found someone already?" She half yelled as she traipsed through the room, and her husband went to help her out.

"Good afternoon ma'am" I greeted cordially.

"Good afternoon my dear, please can I get a seat? I'm exhausted" She said with a sigh that showed discomfort  and with a quick nod, I got a seat for her which she sat on with a grateful sigh.

"So what can I do for you?" I asked as I stared at all three of them.

"Mirabel bring the bag" She gestured to the little girl who took a polythene bag from underneath her mother's seat and handed it over to me.

I opened it and brought out a very colourful Ankara fabric, twelve yards in total.

"So it's for my baby shower in a few weeks and I want a very nice dress that I can wear even after dropping my bundle of joy" She said meekly with a dreamy look. She seemed elated about her new baby.

"I also want one for my baby girl here, same design, I'd love for us to be twinning that day. You'll have to cut out ours so we can give the rest to my husband,he's out of town for now"  She gushed, gesturing with her hands for emphasis. I stood still at the last statement, so the guy next to her wasn't her husband? Who was he then?

"Uhh okay, do you have any design in mind?" I asked brushing the fabric softly with my hands.

"I'm not good with these stuff, you should know what to do, something eye catching should be your catch phrase for this outfit. You'll figure it out right?" She said without a pause.

What was it with customers making me choose designs, I had only been allowed to handle customers earlier that month and even if I had been a fast learner, I still could not call myself perfect.

"Yes ma'am, Is it okay for me to do something that would show off your legs , like a dress that is shorter in front and has a long trail behind you?" I asked wanting to be sure about her choices to avoid stories in future.

"Of course darling, don't worry about the bill, I'll pay any amount as long as you get it done in a week, and beautifully so. Alright?"

"Yes ma'am, let's take your measurements, shall we?" I asked and she stood up as we proceeded to do the needful, same with Mirabel, while the young man who's name I did not know just continued typing on his phone.

"Okay we're done here" I sighed after writing the last figure in my notebook."I'll see you next week unfailingly" I smiled.

"Okay... Oh I left my phone in the car, Baby could you please take her number?" She said to him.

"Alright" He stretched his phone out and I typed my number quickly

"Name?" He asked

"Titilola" I said barely above a whisper .

"I'm David" He stretched out his huge palm for a hand shake and I did same, his seemingly gargantuan hand enveloping my small, slender one. He was tall alright...

"Nice meeting you David"

"Same here" He gave a small smile and he went out swiftly, still turning heads as he walked, majestically.

"And I'm Mrs Rebecca Nnadi, by the way" The woman said and I replied with a smile as she went out of the shop with her daughter far ahead of her.

"Na wa o" I heard some of my fellow apprentices say, sounded a lot like envy but, I simply feigned ignorance.

Amara scurried over to my side, with a pack of biscuits in one hand and a bottle of soft drink on the other.

"That guy is so fine... Damn!" She wolf whistled and I threw her a glare.

"Language please" I mumbled as I turned to start my work immediately. Her baby shower would be of good use to me, so I had to utilize the opportunity, and make her proud of my services which would possibly incur new customers and of course someone that would patronize me regularly.

"See you, I saw you staring, don't deny it" She teased.

"Amara leave me o, lemme do what I'm doing, I'm supposed to be lovestruck because a fine client came over abi?" I said feigning annoyance.

"He came back?" She said wide eyed and I froze on the spot, turning around slowly, but there wasn't anyone in sight. She laughed boisterously and continued to tease me about having a crush on him, till I chased her out of my space with a pair of scissors.

****

I got home exhausted from the day's work and, Tana was home early, she had been doing that since Laila came to join us. Laila hadn't stepped out of the house ever since she came in, few days earlier. She was in a better mood and she would smile and laugh with us but I could tell she was far from happy. I had brought the clothes I had to finish over to the house as I had a sewing machine courtesy of Tana and Tunji, they had surprised me with it for my birthday the previous month. My day was very dry and uneventful until I walked into the house that evening and received their present complemented by a cake and some fine wine, mum had called along with my siblings but as expected, dad didn't. I was overjoyed, as the sewing machine relieved me from lots of stress, I could bring clothes from the shop and finish them at home, it was indeed very helpful.

I saw Tana and Laila sprawled over the couch watching TV, as usual. "Hey ladies" I greeted casually as I dropped my bags on the couch, removing my shoes , I hopped on the seat nearest to them.

"How was your day?" I asked no one in particular.

"Mine was stressful, the contest is coming up soon, and we don't even have a consistent designer for the dresses the contestants are supposed to be wearing" Tana grumbled.

"I could help, but you're going to have to bring the materials and do well to promote my brand. I could give a huge discount on the workmanship fee if it works out fine" I suggested with alacrity.

"We'll discuss that tomorrow, but it's a great idea though" She commended.

"What about you Tolani?" I asked staring absentmindedly at the plush carpet.

"I was isolated in this house, how did you expect my day to be?" She replied coldly. That came as a shock to me, but I could understand her plight, she would gradually slip into depression if we left her this way.

"I'm sorry, maybe we should just tell mum and dad about this, they would know what to do" I suggested, unsure about how she would take it. We were walking on egg shells around her, within the last few days. I missed my fun, caring, sweetheart of a sister. She had withdrawn into her shell and I didn't enjoy seeing her that way.

"Maybe we should, so they could send me back to my lovely husband. Oh how I miss him" She said derisively.

Okay I had had enough. I stood up abruptly, and almost lunged at her but for the fact that Tana held me back.

"I know you have issues but don't take it out on me, I'm having a hard time too!" I yelled so much I knew that my voice would be croaky by the next morning.

"You're having a hard time?! At least you aren't anyone's punching bag, you weren't sold off, you didn't fall head over heels for a monster, you didn't have to endure having sex with someone that didn't care one bit about you. You don't know the things I know, so don't say things are hard for you too" She yelled pointing straight at me, her hard gaze, unwavering. I saw through her, she was broken, not beyond repair, but it was going to be a herculean task to pick up those broken pieces and put them back together.

"That's not enough reason to take it out on me, that's why we have God to listen to us, to cast our worries at his feet and not take it out on people who love you and are only trying to help you" I said through gritted teeth as I roughly wiped the tears on my face, picked up my stuff and marched to the  bedroom we shared. She didn't say anything back, but sat in a corner and sobbed as Tana stood still in the middle of the living room obviously at loss of what to do.

I checked my phone and saw that there were several missed calls, mostly from Tunji  and then an unknown number. I dialed the former's number first.

"Hey cupcake" He sang into the phone. I wanted to smile,but I couldn't bring myself to do so,at that point.

"Hi" I said after clearing my throat from the clogginess I felt.

"How are you doing?"He asked

" I'm fine... How are you?"

"I'm sorry, I haven't called all week, I've been so busy"

"It's alright"

"Are you okay?" He asked, concern lacing his tone

"I guess so" My voice betrayed me, as a sob escaped my lips. I knew he was going to pry so I spoke up before he could say anything else.

"Don't ask, I can't tell you anything yet"

"Fine then, just take care of yourself" He replied and ended the call. I know I sounded cold, and I felt awful that I had acted that way, when he wanted to have a conversation with me for the first time that week.

My sister's situation had begun to take a toll on me and I had to do something about it. We couldn't keep on running away from the reality.

***

The weekend came before I knew it, and a single knock on the door, changed the course of things in our lives. That afternoon, I was busy cutting out the fabric Mrs Nnadi had given me, I was done with that of her daughter's. Tana was busy cleaning up her bedroom, while Laila was engrossed in her cell phone and I of course was situated in the living room.

Knock knock

"Hold on, I'm coming" I yelled wondering if Tana was expecting anyone. I opened the door without thinking and the face I saw had me thrown back in shock.

"Jesus! What are you doing here?!" I yelled without thinking.

"Is that how you greet now?"

***