Chapter 30: Chapter 30

It was past nine, Uyai observed as she glanced at Presh phone. Already a handful of events had transpired; now everyone knew that Affiong was pregnant and the baby daddy was somewhere out there. Uyai stubbornly refused to give out any information regarding that matter. The pregnancy, they found out on their. Raina specifically the observer, had seen the little signs as she would call it, and those signs included Affiong's overwhelming urge to empty her stomach by releasing it's contents via the mouth. Thankfully, before that had occurred sister had held it in with a red face and had dashed out of the parlour in haste.

Mr. Ekpenyong had come to meet the guest and Mrs. Ekpenyong had seen to it that he had eaten. Surprisingly he had requested for a bowl of garri and not the kind you would expect; It's contents was rich, consisting of spoonfuls of powdered milk, a lot of sugar unsuitable for his age, chilled water and of course a bottle of groundnut, Gift had called it peanut. He quietly sat in the dinning just across from them and devoured the meal like it was the last on earth. They all watched him as he gulped down spoonfuls leaving some to trail the sides of his lips.

Gift had gone to join him accompanied with Freddy who she now attempted to feed. Apparently the bird was quite selective seeing he refused the meal by upturning it's beak or moving it to the side in avoidance.

Gift sighed in frustration, dropped the spoon in a clank and gave Mr. Ekpenyong a worried look. "Grandpa It's high time Freddy was given a drug, he's now becoming a bore, he refuses to talk and now he selects the kind of food he eats."

Mr. Ekpenyong perused the bird with keen eyes. "He doesn't need medicine, he looks just fine to me."

"He does." she insisted and turned to the direction of Mrs. Ekpenyong who was discussing different brands of cosmetics with Mrs. Chance. "Grandma don't you think Freddy needs medicine?"

She glanced up and met her granddaughter's worried gaze "Perhaps what he needs is a little love and attention and am sure he'll talk in no time." She said with a little smile.

"Okay." Gift smiled happily in return.

"Mum I think it's best if don't give her high hopes." Peter threw his mum a shrewd look.

Uyai totally agreed with him. She knew Gift was wise enough to use it to her advantage.

"What? That's why I crossed my fingers. How could you buy a parrot that's non talking?" she hissed and shot him an accusing look.

"I told you before I didn't know." he said in a hushed tone and deftly glanced behind him towards the dinning to where Gift sat to see if she heard them.

Thankfully she wasn't looking their way.

Gift who was still thinking about what her grandmother had said turned to her again and said "Grandma does that mean no more paracetamol again whenever I am unwell?"

Uyai was right. The little girl didn't disappoint and surely used it to her advantage.

"Caro, I won't advice you to agree with that." Mrs Chance spoke worriedly to Mrs. Ekpenyong as she glanced at the little girl who had on a hopeful look.

"Eh? Err...perhaps." Mrs. Ekpenyong stuttered a reply

"Thank God!" Gift exclaimed happily and started whistling a happy tune.

"She'd gone and done it." Mrs. Chance shook her head in resolution.

"Mum what have you done? You do realize she's going to refuse every drug you give her except love and attention right?" Peter looked pointedly at his mother.

"It'll sure be fun to try and watch her forcefully shove a drug down her throat." Raina commented throatily and Presh nudged her to be quiet while holding back an amused smile.

"That's a very potent cure." Mrs. Ekpenyong defended herself.

"That has less than fifty percent fruitily." he made sure to tell her.

"It is something isn't it." His mother shrugged in uncertainty.

"You're in for a lot of trouble wife and please when that time comes, don't complain." Mr. Ekpenyong said having heard them knowing his granddaughter was stubborn to a fault and would refuse any medicine thrown her way if it wasn't love and attention.

Peter shot his mother a look that said 'I told you so.'

Mr. Ekpenyong left the dinning and came to where the ladies sat. He walked briskly to his wife and bent his shoulders to plant a slight kiss on her cheeks "Thanks for the food darling," he whispered softly to her ear and proceeded to tell her his thoughts concerning Gift. "I hope you have a lot of love and attention that could raise the dead if not I'm afraid love and attention can't cure malaria." He wasn't surprised when she shot him a glare instead of returning his kiss with a smile as usual.

Mr. Ekpenyong only chuckled softly at his wife's reaction and righted himself.

"Ladies I'm off. Have a splendid day." he said and strode off from their midst.

"Uyai please clear the dining and please go to the door. I think I hear someone." Mrs. Ekpenyong called her.

Uyai went to do as she was told. After washing the plate in the kitchen. She poured the leftover groundnuts into her hand and downed them at once into her mouths. With mouthful of the slightly crunchy and pasty nut she walked to the door to front door to check on whoever was knocking. But Glory the maid already beat her to it and had the door already ajar. Uyai looked from atop her shoulder to view the visitor and saw the one person she had managed to get close to during the hot quest for her sister's hand before everything went downhill.

"Yes, may I help you?" Glory had started out rudely but stopped midway when she view the face of the handsome young man that stood on the door way.

"Yes you may. I'm a family friend. My name is Effiong, may I come in?" He asked politely.

"Let him in." Uyai said from behind and they both jumped startled at her voice. "Hello Effiong." Uyai greeted with a small smile.

"Uyai! Hello." Effiong's eyes lit up when Glory moved back a bit enabling him to view Uyai completely. His primary purpose for being there.

"Come in." Glory said, watching the two with suspicious eyes.

Effiong didn't wait for another second and went inside until he stood almost toe to toe to Uyai. He felt sudden urge to pull her in for a long hug. He couldn't believe it, but he missed her and wished for the times they used to talk without a hint of awkwardness as he could perceive now. But this time he didn't want them to be talking about Affiong, he wanted to talk about her and frighteningly about them; the two of them together.

He didn't realize he had spaced out until a rude cough broke through his musings pulling him out of his reverie.

"I presume you're looking for Peter. He's in the parlour." Uyai told him.

Effiong wanted to tell her no. It wasn't Peter he was here for but her. He just came to make sure Peter hadn't used his charms on her and that she had not like other girls fallen for his. The thought drove him mad with jealousy.

"Yes." He said instead.

Glory who had been watching the two frowned when she noticed the Effiong guy give Uyai a lingering and longing look. It appeared the young man was in love. She also scrutinized Uyai's expression, to see if it mirrored his. She just saw recognition and a friendly face. It was probably a one sided love.

Uyai sure was one lucky bitch for a village girl no doubt.

Effiong followed Uyai to the parlour all the while watching her move, there was a slight sway to her hips that was never there before when she walked. Uyai that he knew had walked carelessly, no hint of finesse in her gait as a lady should. Now he was beginning to notice the littlest things about her, from her smooth chocolate skin, to her hair which appeared longer and was tied behind her in an unruly fashion, still holding appeal; her red dress molded deliciously to her curves making him to swallow hard. He never knew she could look so so womanly and he cursed himself for being blind to her traits. He would've courted her instead of pursuing the other sister. Again who could blame him, she never acted like a woman and she sure hid herself in overly large clothing which he had noticed she'd always folded to fit.

"Effiong! You came and you didn't call." Again Effiong was pulled off his musings and located his friend who sat in between the two girls they had met with Uyai. His friend was eyeing him suspiciously but Effiong dutifully ignored him and went on to greet Mrs. Ekpenyong.

"Auntie good morning." he greeted, Mrs. Ekpenyong

"Good morning Ma." he greeted the woman close to her whom he also recognised.

"Good morning." she replied with a nod of acknowledgment.

"Welcome dear. How have you being?"

"I've been good auntie." he smiled

"Good have a seat."

"Thank you." he moved to sit beside Uyai who sat on a stool.

"Uyai go get drinks and--" Mrs. Ekoenyong began to send Uyai but was interrupted by Effiong who held up his hand in a wave.

"Auntie don't bother. I ate enough, thank you ." he told Mrs. Ekpenyong not wanting Uyai to leave her spot, he wanted her to remain right where she was, beside him.

"Ok o" Mrs. Ekpenyong nodded in understanding and turned back to Mrs. Chance to continue their conversation about Uyai's chances of partaking and moreover winning the beauty contest.

"Hi." Effiong whispered to Uyai.

"Effiong." She whispered back. She didn't know why they were whispering but she imdulged him.

"How have you been?" He asked again in a whisper.

"Good." She gave him a one worded reply.

Effiong wasn't satisfied with her answer. He wanted to hear more about herself and not the one worded reply she gave him.

"Where's Affiong?" He asked out of curiosity. He hadn't seen her for a while.

"You want to see her? let me call her." she said with a smirk and began to stand.

Effiong winced immediately he stopped with an almost loud "No!"

"What are you sure? I'm sure she would like to see you." Uyai asked him with daringly raised brows

"Who are these ladies and why were you with them?" He queried in an attempt to deviate her question and also out of curiosity.

"They're models, and I am too." She added the last bit shyly.

Effiong didn't know if he was shocked or not. He definitely didn't expect her to be a model, but then again she had the looks for it, so it was hardly a surprise.

"What kind of models?" he couldn't help but ask. He hoped it wasn't one of those bikini models that made most of new aged magazines.

"We model wears made by fashion designers, like Mrs. Chance. She's a fashion designer and also she owns an agency and we all work under her." Uyai told him.

Effiong hummed as he thought over what she said. Quite frankly, he missed her. He missed her little quirks and humor and he couldn't help but voice it. "I missed you." he said. He turned sideways to view her reaction and he wasn't surprised by what he saw there. Her mouth was slightly ajar, but then she recovered and curled a side of her lips in a sad smile. "Me too." she said.

Effiong's eyes widened and he felt his heart skip a beat at her reply. He didn't know that he had released a full blown smile.

She missed him.

She did miss him and by God he couldn't feel any happier. It was like he was granted his greatest desire. Now how in the world was he going to tell her that he was beginning to like her; to develop feelings for her.

He knew he could do it, but he feared rejection. There was every possibility she didn't return his feelings and only saw him as her sister's former suitor or worse a brother. He didn't think of her as a sister. At least not anymore.

"Do you think, we--" he began but was cut short by his friends annoying voice just when--

"What are you guys whispering about?" A curious Peter came to stand before them, his gaze inquiring as he observed the proximity between the two.

"Nothing." Uyai said, the same time Effiong said, "None of your business."

Peter frowned at his friend's rude tone. He seemed he had interrupted a very important discussion and hell, he was curious to know what it was about. Instead he held in his urge to pry.

"Uyai I heard you come from the same village with this goof." he pointed to Effiong who pierced him with an annoyed glare.

Uyai nodded.

"Did I ever tell you that I love your name?" He asked flirtatiously while looking at Effiong from one side of his eyes to see his friend who sat up straight alert and shot him a suspicious look.

Uyai shook her head, confusion marred her face.

"Well I do and it suits you so well." He smirked. "Uyai..." he said as if tasting the name on his tongue.

"Thank you." Uyai gave him a nervous smile.

"It's my pleasure." he winked and she blinked taken aback.

Effiong looked at his friend pissed, his hands fisted besides him . What was Peter trying to achieve by turning up his charm like that?

"How long have you been around?" Peter asked.

"About a month." Uyai replied.

"Are you familiar with this place?" Peter inquired.

"Not really." Uyai shook her head, wondering why he was asking her these questions.

"Perfect then. Would you like me to show you around the city?" Peter asked hopefully but Uyai's reply was interjected by Effiong's annoyed voice.

"She won't be doing that." He said with a glare aimed at Peter, who raised one challenging eyebrow.

"Er..." Uyai was confused as she looked between the two who were glaring quite intimidatingly at each other.

"And why is that?" Peter asked with folded arms.

"Because I would show her around. I was just about to ask her that when you rudely interrupted." Effiong hissed.

Peter scoffed. "It doesn't matter. She can decide who she wants to go with." he said and turned to Uyai with one of his charming smiles and drew in a lot of women. He just had to find out if Uyai was one of them and would fall for his charms.

Uyai giggled nervously, and sought their eyes, each of them, one by one. "I would love to see the City and familiarise myself with her, but--" Uyai paused and briefly glanced to where Mrs. Ekpenyong and Mrs. Chance sat still involved in a chat.

They followed the direction of her gaze and immediately understood her reservation.

But they could still make it work, they both thought.

Meanwhile, The other models kept shooting them curious glances. Presh more so, Catherine and Isabelle more of jealousy and envy as they watched the newbie get all the attention from the two gorgeous guys. Raina could care less.