Chapter 21: Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty one

******

"Sorry,good day ma" I genuflected, immediately regaining my composure. She nodded in response, her eyes glued to the door handle that I unconsciously held tightly, suddenly nervous as a long tailed cat in a room of rocking chairs.

"Uhh... Come in" I moved a bit as she side tracked me, and entered the living room. I slowly shut the door behind me as I watched her take in the room with her eyes. It had been a while since she came over here and I was wondering how she remembered the place.

"Nice place, she has here" She commended obviously impressed by the decor of the room.

"Indeed" I muttered in response, wiggling my toes, and starting to rack my head for possible reasons why she would be here.

"Where's Tana?" She asked softly as she took a seat.

"She's..." I was saying, just then I heard a door open, and a pair of slippers kissing the tiles.

"Lola you need to see this outfit, I'm wondering if you can design it for one of my girls" She said, without looking up from her phone. I didn't respond immediately and she looked up. Confoundment clouded her features as she stared at our unexpected guest.

"Good afternoon ma" She greeted, almost stuttering as the panic was beginning to set in. We couldn't let her see Laila.

"Tana dear, how are you?" My mum said sweetly spreading her arms for a hug which Tana went into staring straight at me, in question. I shrugged, unbeknownst of the purpose for my mum's visit.

Oh God let your will be done today

I muttered in prayer. "What can we offer you mum?" I butted in as she released Tana from her embrace.

"Water would be fine" I turned to go get it but Tana beat me to it.

"I'll go get it" She gave me a knowing look. We had to stop Laila from coming out somehow. I had to distract my mother while she did the needful.

"Here's your water" She said dropping it on the stool placed in front of my mum.

"Thank you dear"

"I need to use the restroom quickly, I'll be with you shortly" She said, and scurried inside before my mum could answer.

"I see you've been busy" She turned to me, and back at the sewing machine with Mrs Nnadi's fabric sprawled on it. "That fabric looks nice though" She commented casually and I nodded in response.

"So how have you been coping?" She asked again. Heightening my nervousness. Was she here to just ask questions concerning my well being?! Impossible!

"We thank God for everything"

"Hmm" She hummed taking a sip from her glass again.

"Where is she?"

Uh oh

"Where's who?" I feigned perplexion.

"You know who I'm talking about Lola, where's your sister?" She said sternly, her glare almost making me flinch but regaining my composure, I kept mute, still.

"It's been a week,Titilola, no trace of her, we couldn't get through to her phones, and you of all people, you're not fussing about it, you have got to know something" She stated in factualism. My eyes were on everywhere but her. I'm such a bad liar.

"Young lady, I'm talking to you. Answer me" She gave a frustrated sigh when I didn't reply her.

"What do you want her to say?!" I turned swiftly at the sound of the voice.

No, no, no, this cannot be happening!

*******

"Oh my goodness!" She screamed in shock.

"He lied to us" She yelled again in realisation. "I knew something was amiss" She almost whispered as she sat down again, her hands clutching her chest.

Mum was frantic when Laila came into the living room. She was freaking out over the fact that we kept her in our custody without informing anyone. Laila with all the rage she'd had in herself within the past few months poured out her feelings and told our mother everything from start to finish, making her realize her mistake in judging us so quickly.

"I'm so sorry, my baby" She apologized in tears to Laila who turned away from her. She couldn't even cry anymore .

"Apologies won't fix anything mother" She replied coldly. My mother was obviously taken aback by her statement.

"You know this isn't my fault Tolani" My mum said pleadingly.

"Of course not, but you were still a party to it, selling me off to some brute" Laila muttered spitefully.

"We didn't think it would turn out like this. Arranged marriages don't usually go this way"  I groaned in response.

"Mum, this is real life, not some cliche movie or novel" I retorted , she turned to me, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"But they were so in love by the time they got married, I didn't expect it to be this way"

"Neither did we" All three of us chorused in unison. Despite the tension in the atmosphere, we all chuckled at that, we were still the three Musketeers no matter what the situation was. I'm sure my mum felt it too, as a thoughtful smile found it's way to her face.

"So what do we do?" I asked again.

"We have to take her to your father, he'll have the final say" Mum said, fidgeting a little.

"No way" Tana spoke up

"She's divorcing that bastard" She turned to Laila, "Your dad is only going to make you go back to him"

"I'm not going to back to that monster, until he amends his ways" She declared in finality.

"Amends which ways? Once an abusive husband, always an abusive husband" I said folding my arms across my chest in irritation.

"He needs therapy"Laila whispered, we barely heard her.

"What?" We chorused .

"He has bipolar disorder, manic depression" She spoke up as we all gasped in shock.

"How sure are you?"

"When did you find out?"

"Why didn't you tell us?" We bombarded her with questions.

"I saw him taking some meds a few times, more like on a regular basis, whenever I asked, he would shrug it off with the excuse of a migraine or something else. He hid them from me, until when I cleaned up his closet and found them, I did research and found out what the drugs were meant for. He even had to take some shots, to keep him calm whenever the migraines came, I saw him inject himself sometimes after hitting me. It seemed like that was what kept him in control" She rambled and we all sat listening, mouth agape. I felt terrible about what my parents had subjected her to, in what could have been a blissful marriage. Even when I really wanted to, I couldn't cry, I had to be strong for my sister.

"I think we should go and meet your father, the earlier we settle this, the better for us" Mum said again.

"Mum she needs time"

"She can't stay locked in here for much longer, Lola"

"Few more days?Please ..."

She groaned at my insistence.

"Fine" "I'll take my leave now, you girls take care of yourselves, be careful" She said emphatically,we responded, then I walked her to the door, where she handed me some wads of naira for our upkeep.

"Mum , a hundred and fifty thousand?" My jaw almost dropped when she informed me of the amount in my hands.

"Thank you" I gave a bone a crushing hug in appreciation.

"It's alright, be good okay?" I nodded enthusiastically, too excited to use my words...

I bade her goodbye and went in to meet the girls.

"One fifty!" I squeaked the moment I sat down. Tana turned to me, trying to raise a brow

"A hundred and fifty naira?"

"Don't be silly"

"Thousand??!"

"Uh huh"

I had to shut my ears with both palms as the shrieks tumbled out of their mouths. My mother had always been generous but this was different. We were kinda broke already, so that amount meant a lot to us.

"Oya let's share it" Laila suggested

"As the eldest, I get the lion share" She sat cross legged like some clairvoyant queen. I almost scoffed at how ludicrous she sounded, Tana didn't fail to help me out in that aspect.

"We're sharing it equally" I stated.

"See this last born" They both said sneeringly.

"I'm a good older sister so I'll be lenient... I'll take sixty, Tana, fifty and of course Lola you take the rest" I laughed at her frivolous division. These girls were trying to cheat me...

The power of money!!!

"Not a chance, we share it equally or there's no sharing at all" I said stomping my feet in finality.

"Ugh" They groaned.

"Someone cannot exercise seniority again" Laila muttered

"No you can't, you're only two years older" I stuck my tongue at her, earning chuckles from her. That warmed my heart.

We did the needful, after which I went back to work.

*****

"Tunji's coming to pick us up after church o" I announced as I dropped the call and went back to wearing my shoes. A black long sleeved polo shirt tucked into a coral coloured flay belly skirt, was what I had on, I knew wearing heels was going to be stressful but I had to complete the look. The thought of wearing sandals with that outfit gave me shudders.

"For what again?" Tana groaned with puckered lips after applying her lipstick. She turned to me and hummed in askance, concerning her makeup, I gave her a thumbs up confirming that it was alright.

"The get together his friends organised to congratulate him on being the incumbent CEO of his father's company" I said in a duh tone.

"Oh right" She nodded, and turned to Laila. "Would you like to come along?".

"Nah, I'd rather stay home and watch movies" She said wearing her fancy pink sandals I had planned to steal. She made me get new stuff for her the previous day, from the money mum had given us. I would've bought the pair for myself but it wasn't in my budget. The black body con dress I had lent to her, looked much better on her than it did me.

"Okay, if you say so, we're running late , let's go" I said hurriedly.

"Chill Mother Theresa, we have like thirty minutes before service starts" Tana rolled her eyes at me as she retorted.

"Whatever let's go"

We were on our way before I knew it.

The church service turned out nice, the ride back was pretty much uneventful.

****

"Hey Tee" I squealed giving him a hug as he came in. I saw a glint of hurt flash through Tana's eyes but it was gone as soon as it came.

"Hey you, you look beautiful, as always" He smirked as he complimented.

"Awww thank you" I feigned an act of a blushing girlfriend, fanning my face in coyness. He laughed, and just when his eyes fell on Tana, his laughter faded into a smile.

"Hi Tana" He said without showing any emotion. She just had to return the same energy as she replied with a simple "Hello".

Awkward...

I had no idea they were still fighting over God knows what! The air stilled for what seemed like hours as we stood in awkward silence. But my sister swooped in to save the day.

"Oh hi Tunji, it's been a while o" She said as she stepped into the living room with a warm smile on her face, she gave him a friendly hug as soon as she got close.

"Yes o Mrs, you just abandoned us after your wedding" He teased as he was oblivious to the latest happenings. I saw Laila try to guise the sadness in her eyes at the mention of her marriage, with a sweet smile.

"Don't mind me jor" She said "How have you been?"

"Oh I'm alright, all thanks to the Almighty"

"Thank God" She replied

"This one you came to visit... Hmmm" He teased again and we all laughed. He stopped like he  had remembered something.

"How's your husband by the way?" He asked, Laila gulped, she would usually cringe at the mention of Yemi.

"He's..." She was hesitating and that would have raised his suspicions so I butted in.

"That brother in law of mine is alright jare, let's come and be going before they finish all the party rice" I replied trying to pull him with me. Laila laughed nervously as Tunji chuckled.

"You aren't coming along with us Laila?" He asked again.

What's with this guy and questions sef?

"Nah, you guys have fun" She playfully pushed us out of the house and shut the door behind us. Tana was outside already.

I walked over to her, she was standing by her car.

"Babes let's go, Tunji is taking us"

"No Lola, you ride with him, I don't want to be a third wheel" And before I could correct her impression...

"Plus I might leave early to run some errands, so I'll need my car"

"Hmmm" I didn't believe her, I thought it had everything to do with their fight but I didn't push it.

"Okay see ya at the party" I waved slightly at her and walked over to Tunji who was waiting for me already. I got in without a word.

We stayed in silence for a while till he asked why I was silent.

"I'm just wondering why you and Tana are still at loggerheads"

"Don't worry about it"

"I told you to fix it, it's been a week bro" I scowled.

"If you guys are dating? Just tell me, so I can help fix this" I said, my voice a bit higher than I'd planned for it to be. I just didn't like the awkward air around them and I was stuck in the middle of it. He looked at me like I'd grown horns.

"Jeez Lola, no, we're not dating, as I said don't worry about it, we'll fix it" He said conclusively and drove on in silence till we got to where we were headed. We were at a pub, a very fancy one, what was I expecting from rich people?

"Tunji, remember I don't drink" I said as I got down from the vehicle, he nodded.

"Plus I don't want anyone spiking my drink or that of my best friend" I warned.

"And I hope your friends aren't perverts?" I was never comfortable in such places, I was only there because of Tunji.

"Chai Titilola chill out, would I bring to a place where I know harm would come to you?" He sighed with his hands on his hips. I shrugged, still insecure and when he glared at me, I shook my head.

"Trust me" He said as he spun me around with both hands on my shoulders. Tana drove in just then, we waited for her to park, then come up to us before walking in.

His friends were inside already, about seven guys along with their dates, we were a total of seventeen in the exquisite lounge excluding the staff present. The ladies there looked decent, like actual girlfriends not 'runs babes', thankfully. The moment Tunji stepped into the place, the uproar from the guys was overwhelming. They shook hands, gave bro hugs and fist bumps while we, the ladies looked on.

They finally acknowledged our presence when one of his friends, I got to know was Raymond called out to Tunji.

"Guy won't you acquaint us with the ladies that came in with you?" His voice sounded gruff, he had a gentleman's outlook with the way he was casually dressed, trousers-not sagging- and all  but he sounded pretty much like a stereotypical gangster. Still he was handsome, his beards, neatly trimmed, you'd almost want to feel them. TDH, I tell you. His girl clung to him like a leech but who wouldn't? A fine man with a good bank account? Not a very common combination in these parts, forget cliche novels and movies for a moment.

"Sorry. Guys meet my friends, Lola Gregg... " He held my hand and then gestured at Tana "and Tana Davis"

"Hi guys" We said in unison as I waved and Tana gave a tight smile.

"Let the party begin" Another one of his bubbly friends yelled and indeed it began, after a congratulatory speech to Tunji BTW.

Dancing, dining and mostly drinking were in order. I was astonished at how much alcohol Tunji downed in such a short amount of time, who would've thought? He was having a good time, too good if I must say. I barely stood up from my seat even when Tana was having fun, parties had never been my thing. I watched as she took Tunji to a corner where they discussed for a while, it seemed like they were arguing at some point but I let them be, they had to settle their scores. I was getting bored and felt like the third wheel, more like the seventeenth wheel, how odd could one be?

I looked away from them and fixed my gaze on the door that opened to reveal a familiar face. He was looking around the room till his gaze fell on me and I saw a glint of familiarity flash across his eyes, my heart thumped excessively as he flashed me a smile which I returned before turning to the celebrant who was still engrossed in the conversation with my best friend.

They fist bumped and he shook hands with Tana, then he turned back to Tunji, they spoke for a few seconds before he went over to the other guys and another uproar came up. I flinched the moment they yelled like their lives depended on it, the barman laughed at that and I chuckled nervously.

Guys and their constant bellows !

I continued playing Candy Crush on my phone, completely zoning out of my surroundings when I felt a presence around me. I turned around to see him seated beside me.

"Hey" He greeted licking his lips, I swear he didn't know how good he looked doing that.

"Hi..." I replied coyly.