A Ghost From The Past #13

After the whole Imole drama, I realized that I had it in me to say no, and move on. That I had been pining and waiting for her to show up again in my life so I could end things once and for all with her. I got a burst of courage after asking her to leave my apartment, and it propelled me. So, I did its bidding.

 

Buoyed by the release I got from settling things with Imole, I went in search of Trisha. Her looming threat acknowledged, I wanted out of her game completely.

 

I found her at home, it was a bright Saturday afternoon. And I was ready for any eventuality.

 

She smiled upon seeing me. ‘I knew you’d come around, see things my way.’

 

I shook my head with distate. ‘You are still living in your fools paradise? I didn’t come here to grovel or beg, no. I came here to tell you that I have had enough. Enough of this game you… you are playing with me. I want out.’

 

She sat there on her sofa, smiling sweetly at me. ‘I’ve told you honey, the only way out of this game is if you leave town, vanish from the face of the earth. Or die.’ She was still smiling. ‘Otherwise, come here, lemme massage your stressed out muscles, it’ll be like old days, you rub my back, I rub yours and we do a lot of other things…’ she winked.

 

I stood there stupefied, Imole had been an easy adversary to conquer, it was almost three years. Trisha on the other hand was my immediate past. A familiar evil. I realised then that I was not in any way prepared to take her on; and that too, in her lair.

 

She stretched her hands towards me as she stood. ‘Come darling, did you think I was calling you ‘sugar’ for nought?’ She shook her head making sounds with her tongue as she traced a finger on my shoulder and walked behind me. Her hand started to fall down my spine, tingling my bones as it went.

 

I caught the hand at my waist and turned to face her. I did not realise I had it in me to be that serious, my face was expressionless and hard.

 

‘Sugar!’ She teased and brought her head forward, ready to kiss me. I put up my right hand as a wedge between our lips and pushed her away.

 

‘I want out!’

 

‘Sugar, you still don’t get it do you? You cannot have all the fun as you wanted, run out of town, to evade us, and finally come back demanding your life back. No! See, the way I see it, you’ve had your fun, now is the time for us to enjoy you. And you do know how to pleasure a woman…’ she was stroking my face again, seducing me.

 

I caught her hand and threw it away. ‘No. The way I see it, we all had fun whilst it lasted and now that a party is unwilling to continue, I guess it’s game over. I’ll even concede defeat to you ladies. You taught me a good lesson.’

 

The smile had not left her face, she shook her head slowly and pursed her lips. ‘You really thought I enjoyed sharing you? I wanted you every night, but you were always away, busy with her.’ She suddenly grabbed my polo shirt by the neck with both hands. ‘The only reason, the only way I am ever letting you go, is if you do what you did to Sonia to me.’

 

I was about snapping her hands off my shirt when I stopped, frozen in flight. ‘Sonia? What the hell did I do to Sonia?’ Rage was welling up in me.

 

She felt the negative vibes coursing through my body and stepped back, releasing my shirt. ‘You impregnated her.’

 

She said it in such a nonchalant manner, it was almost unbelievable. I was stupefied and started laughing in a delirious manner. ‘That’s a bad joke, and you know it.’ My face had regained its hardness, this time, I was snarling.

 

Her eye brow arched. ‘It is hardly a joke, she just delivered a cute girl who looks totally like you. You got her pregnant, where her first husband could not, and you say I’m joking?’ It was her turn to glare.

 

It was too much to take. I had sired a daughter? Through Sonia? And now Trisha wanted her exact pound of flesh; who could blame her. Finally I found a seat. I had arrived in hell I thought.

 

Trisha was not having any of my emotional drama, she wanted a child too, preferably a boy. And she wanted me to start working on the bundle of joy right then. She sat astride me on the sofa, her soft perfume taking over my senses, her soft breasts screaming for attention. Then she kissed me.

 

It was hot, rough and passionate. I was a train wreck and she was taking advantage of me. Suffice to say, little me had started a parade and was dishing out all sort of commands. It was like old times, I was rediscovering places I had pushed into the recesses of my mind.

 

We were getting steamy on the sofa, I could tell she wanted this as badly as it now happened that I did too. Then my timer went off.

 

I can’t say I read it anywhere or that it was inspired from heaven. All I knew was that I needed a plan B, in case things didn’t go the way I wanted. So I set my timer for twenty minutes before entering her apartment. I was ready to speed dial Tolu and the gang if need be. What I didn’t prepare for was the news, and her seduction. I pushed her away.

 

‘I can’t do this. No, there’s no way I impregnated Sonia, no way!’ I stood away from her, still desiring her, but I willed my mind to remember. Remember if I was a father truly.

 

She stood up slowly, her hair was a mess, her shirt had slackened in the front and her breasts fought to be completely free of her bra. Yes, it hadn’t taken more than two minutes, but like a true maestro, I had played her keys.

 

She looked at me and shook her head bitterly. ‘If you will not give me what I want, then, you would do well to die today. I will follow you to the ends of the earth, if need be. You have just been bound to me.’ The look on her face changed to distate, ‘now, get out of my house!’

 

I did not need any prodding, I left the apartment with a very angry little man who decided to defy me by continuing his parade. I got in my car, and started driving towards any bar on the Island. See, the ladies lived in Lekki, and I was almost at Victoria Island when it hit me. I hadn’t seen Sonia or her baby, my child.

 

I turned around and placed a call to Sonia. Yes, I should have deleted their numbers, but I wouldn’t know which calls to ignore, so I left both contacts. I learned it was a wise choice.

 

She answered the call, unfortunately her kid had developed something, and whilst she explained it to me, my paternal instincts became activated. She gave me the name of the hospital and I drove like a man chased by the devil himself.

 

I got to the hospital in record time, parked anyhow and ran like a man possessed into the reception. That was where the nurses brought me back to earth.

 

We argued for a while, I told them my daughter was dying and I needed to see her. The older nurse snorted, her eye brow raised, ‘the child’s not in danger of death. It’s just cold.’ Then she ordered the younger nurse to take me to the ward.

 

The last thing I noticed her do before disappearing after the younger nurse into the wards was shake her head in disbelief, clap her hand and say words I was too far to pick up.

 

I was shown the ward, Sonia was slowly rocking the cradle the child slept in. I walked in cautiously and she largely ignored me, though she knew I was in the room.

 

I turned around to have a good look at the baby. In the heat of the moment, I had claimed it as mine, and somewhere deep down, I knew I was not the architect of this life that nestled in the cradle; enjoying it’s life.

 

Trisha was correct, the kid had my features, or was I desperate for it to be true? To know that I was a father? ‘Hi,’ I finally said and before she could either respond or ignore me completely, the doctor backed into the room.

 

‘Okay, so from the scan results we have been able to…’ that was how far she got before she stopped in her tracks, frozen and surprised to see me there.

 

I was already staring at her like a fool. I could not believe my eyes, life was playing a cruel joke on me and the gods must be falling over themselves with laughter at the look on our faces.

 

She recovered first and made to continue her speech as she walked further into the room.

 

‘You, you are a doctor?’ I stammered.

 

She smiled, ‘obviously honey, and if you will excuse me, I’d like to help your ailing daughter.’

 

Something snapped then, ‘no! The child is not mine, and no, this is not my wife.’ I was still stupefied to see her.

 

She shrugged just as she had done when she announced to me that she was married, that I had been her accomplice in adultery. I could not believe my eyes, but standing in front of me, in a doctor’s overall was Mrs Abisogun Leigh.

Review Of ‘I Had A Girl’ By Seun Odukoya

I got my second review today. My pal and bawseman Seun Odukoya

He promised to do this immediately he read the poem and due to his busy schedule, he could not do this on time.

Here’s what he has to say about the poem I Had A Girl

Enjoy…

 

What is poetry? Simply put, poetry is a piece of literary work in which attention is paid to the expression of feelings with the use of rhythm, style and wordplay.
Poetry; in other words, is supposed to be able to take the reader on a journey of ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ without doing nothing more than convey ideas. Mere ideas.
Case in point: the above piece.
Written by Derin Gbadebo and published on his blog a couple of weeks ago, ‘I had a girl’ is a sobering look at the regret that usually accompanies hasty decisions in the relationship context.
Take the opening verse – ‘When loneliness my companion be, days be long with shivering cold’ many a reader will almost automatically reach for their pillow or phone, reliving the memory brought to life by those ‘mere’ lines.
The reader is compelled to walk down memory lane with the writer (which is what any piece of poetry worth it’s place should do) as he reveals; bit by bit why he manages to end up speaking in past tense ‘I had a girl’.
By the time the words have led themselves (and the pliable reader) to the 21st line, the reader is stuck between judging the writer and feeling sorry for him; as the lines ‘So now in the confines of my room, As memories, the walls reveal’ explores a double meaning; he’s stuck in his room with no means to escape and he’s stuck with his memories, no way to escape.
This was written on a rainy day – or at least should be read on one of those days when the noise – both internal and external slow down and you realize that you did let someone go, someone who you really did not have to let go. Someone who you probably never knew just what they meant to you.
The only dull edge to this piece is the suggestion of self-pity that seems to permeate the ambience of the reading experience – because even in the midst of his mourning the writer does not let the reader into exactly how he let her go, why he did and so. All he does is share his regret and hope the reader is not smothered under the weight of his desolation.
Still, this is poetry at it’s most powerful – simple words, powerful message. And because every single person; at least folks above the age of twenty five has probably been in those shoes at one point or the other – it makes for a memory.
And what a memory.
Well done.

 

PS: I would like comments and more reviews, so go through my work critique robustly and I’ll gladly put it up here… meanwhile, your comments…

IMOLE #12

Okay, back up a little bit, in case you missed it, Trisha was fifty per cent of the reason why I left Lagos in the first instance. The other half was Sonia. And there she was, smiling at me, ever so sweetly, my welcoming party.

 

I paused for a few seconds and approached her. ‘Hello,’ it was the most natural thing to say.

 

She tried to hug me, but I stepped back. ‘What are you doing here?’ My face was expressionless.

 

‘I have missed you,’ she explained, approaching me. ‘Besides, we need to talk. There’s an issue that needs your attention.’

 

A dark scowl came over my face. Issue, what issue? Then it occured to me, issue, pregnancy; but she was not the pregnant party, there was no bulge and she was sexy as ever, my little man had started noticing things and was fixing for a salute.

 

‘What are you trying to pin on me?’ My eyebrows were arched and I kept my cool.

 

‘Nothing you didn’t get yourself in initially. You pinned yourself.’ She shook her head sadly, ‘and I thought that maybe you could be the one. The one that I finally made mine, but like the others, you went behind my back and slept with my closest friend.’

 

I smiled. ‘So that’s what this is about?’

 

I didn’t see the slap, her visage did not change yet the delivery was perfect and the sting made me reel. I glared at her.

 

‘Just cause I allowed you carry out my fetish, you thought you had access to her body too? All those nights, all the while when I was craving for you…, and then you left town unceremoniously; did you think, I would not find out?’

 

I was stumped. I just kept glaring at her. The slap still stung. Damn, I never knew Trisha packed such punch.

 

Her features softened and she smiled. ‘This is a friendly warning, leave town and never come back; I may overlook what you did. Stay, and you will understand the true meaning of hell.’

 

She pushed past me and left me standing there wondering how on God‘s earth she had known I was arriving back in Lagos. I stood outside my door for almost ten minutes contemplating going to a hotel to sleep.

 

Finally, I braved it, and put the key in the lock. The door opened and I stepped in. I was finally home.

 

***************************

 

For the first month, I was a fugitive in my own home. Running from and evading an unseen enemy. I kept in touch with Kemi and I made sure we spoke for half an hour at least. I didn’t understand why, but something would not allow me let her go.

 

After one month of playing hide and seek with my imagination, I decided that both girls – Sonia and Trisha – would have to show up and kill me. I was tired of running, so I started living again.

 

At work I had asked that Jane take over completely Sonia’s account, she did not object.

 

I was doing my level best to adapt back to Lagos, but was finding it hard. Work was the only thing that made sense, my house looked bare, everything had lost it colour. And to top it all, there was Trisha’s looming threat.

 

I was a walking corpse in the city I had once ruled, a ticking bomb, ready to self-destruct. Then a couple of notable events happened that showed me the error of my ways.

 

I am a creature of habit; so normally, I followed a set pattern, thus you could monitor me to the minute. But since Trisha’s showing, I had been doing things out of the blue, just going with the moment. So I could evade her imaginary assassins.

 

It was on one of my manoeuvres, that I turned into a shopping mall to window shop and if anything really caught my fancy… I was ready to persuade myself to buy. I had been window shopping for almost ten minutes when it happened.

 

‘Akin,’ is that you?

 

I paused briefly, there must be a lot of Akins in the mall I surmised, I started walking.

 

‘Akin!’ the voice had urgency to it. It was insistent. I stopped, and turned around. In retrospect, I should just have kept walking, pretending I never heard.

 

There, standing a perfect smile on her face was Imole. She was as beautiful as ever and I felt stirrings in my loins. Then she started walking towards me and I swear, the lights in the mall became dim and slowly, Ne-Yo‘s ‘Do You‘ started playing in the background.

 

I stood there watching her come, to me. Then she got to me, stretched out her hand and said, ‘hi, it’s been a really long while’

 

The song stopped abruptly and I realised it had been playing in my head. The lights were back to been bright and sparkly.

 

‘Yeah,’ I said. Feeling stupid and unsure what to say. So I asked what came to mind next. ‘So how are the kids and the husband?’

 

It was a question I should not have asked for she smiled bitterly. Then she launched into a tirade of how unfortunate things had been for her. After a while, I found us seats and we sat there sharing our tales of woes.

 

The dude she left me for was already married with kids. He had done it to become a citizen, secure a better life for himself. He only told her the truth when she started planning their honeymoon and was prepared to go back with him to the States.

 

When she finished her sad tale, she looked me in the eyes then said, ‘I’ve never had a lover like you, you were my very best.’

 

That got to me, my head swollen, my pride stroked and there was the little matter of a saluting soldier. I cannot say how it happened, but I invited her back to my place and she accepted.

 

One thing led to another and like old times, we were rediscovering new places, becoming one and it felt good. Then Imole looked me in the eyes and whispered softly ‘I love you.’

 

I paused momentarily, my hands on her bare chest. ‘What did you just say?’ My voice was husky, overriden with passion.

 

‘I love you.’ She said defiant.

 

I rolled away from her shaking my head. ‘No, no, no!’ I corrected her. ‘You do not love me, matter of fact when I think of it, you didn’t back then, and nope, you definitely do not love me now.’

 

I was looking for my jeans at this point, thankful we hadn’t done the deed when she jarred me backed to reality. Then I remembered Kemi, and I hated the man I had become. I would have just slept with Imole without recourse…

 

‘You have to leave now.’ My voice was stern.

 

She understood, slowly got dressed and walked out of my apartment and life for the second time. The first time, she had the power, and I was a basket of tears. Now, I sat there watching, unmoved as she sent subliminal messages to me. It was over between us, and I had just realized it.

 

I went into the kitchen and fixed myself a glass of juice. I was berating myself for being weak, not the kind of man Kemi deserved. I drank up the contents and smashed the glass. Something had snapped in me. Either the gods released me or like Kratos, I would bring hell to them…

HOMECOMING #11

Heads instantaneously turned towards me as the sound of my goods hitting the ground rang through the market section. The bags gave out on impact, the tear visible for all to see. I was thoroughly embarrassed.

 

Braving the situation, I called for a bag seller to bring bags and transfer my supplies. Thank God I am a firm believer in canned goods, I’d be cursing myself otherwise.

 

I noticed she had been smiling since our eyes met, she couldn’t stop laughing, and in a weirdly insane way, I found it erotic and endearing. I knew then that there was no escaping this, the only impedance to our having a ‘thing’ would be that, she was already married.

 

She strolled over to me when the hullabaloo had calmed and ladies had lost interest in the hapless dude who dropped his goods. Did I say she was prettier than Halle Berry, Beyonce and Zoe Saldana? I did? Well, watching her close the gap between us, striding majestically towards me, it started slowly, but I swear, the musical in Amitabh Bachchan‘s ‘Mard‘ ‘Will you marry me?’ Started replaying in my head. I was a dead man standing.

 

‘Hello!’ She snapped her fingers to get me out of my reverie. ‘Am I the cause of all these, or are u just dramatizing for me? I don’t believe I have that effect on anyone.’ She was still smiling.

 

I saw her lips moving, nodded stupidly, hearing but not understanding a word she had said. When she stopped talking, I could only mutter a weak ‘huh’.

 

She should have gotten irritated, thrown a tantrum or even told me off, yet, she smiled, helped me carry one of my bags to my car. My ego sufficiently dented, I asked for her mobile number just to fulfill all righteousness. She gave it to me and I promised to call.

 

She smiled walked away and called back to me. ‘When you do call, please do not gawk.’ She disappeared into the market.

 

I stood there for a while wondering what I would do about her. I finally got in the car and drove home. Then another weird thing happened, I forgot all about her. Apparently, my mind had me for a fool and was playing pranks on me.

 

It was after a week had elapsed, and I was looking for a friend’s contact that I saw her mobile number sitting quietly on my phone; using up space. I placed a call to her immediately.

 

‘I’m so sorry I’ve not called all these while, I have no excuse other than, I forgot.’ I said apologetic after the initial ‘who are you’ ritual had been passed.

 

She laughed. ‘At least you called. I gave you the number because I wanted to see how long it would take you to call, and if you would call at all. A week, not bad, you’re trying to form gangster for me isn’t it?’

 

Because of her amiable tone, I answered honestly, ‘no, I honestly forgot. I get busy sometimes it makes you wonder. I’m truly sorry.’

 

‘No problem, all is forgiven, and you finally found your voice, cool.’ Her laughter was melodious to the ear, like a soothing accordion. And like that, we became fast friends, after that, I can’t for the life of me say how we started dating. It was a glorious time in Akure.

 

The days floated past, the sun shone brighter and displayed colours I had never seen, the rains brought us closer, and the moon chronicled our days and nights. It was a beautiful time.

 

Then, as abruptly as it had all started, the project was completed, I had spent nine months in all in Akure. Now, it was time to go back home, away from the dreamy life I was living, away from the peace and quiet, the annoyingly hot sunlight and away from Kemi.

 

I was in a pensive mood when I told her. ‘My work in Ondo is done, I have to go back to Lagos next week.’

 

She digested my words slowly, did not hastily respond, then after a few minutes had passed, she shut her eyes, then reopened them, exhaled and looked into my eyes. ‘Stay. Stay with me.’ It was a demand, not a request.

 

I analysed how my life was in Lagos, how I had put it on hold for the past nine months, and though she was the best thing that happened to me in that quiet place, I needed to go back to Lagos. Back to my reality.

 

She nodded through my presentation. Assenting to every point I raised and sometimes expansiating and explaining it back to me to show she understood, when I was done, she said it again, ‘stay. Stay with me.’ This time it was a request.

 

I held on to my resolve, I was on my way back home. Lagos had called, and I could not resist. As an afterthought, I asked her to come with me.

 

She closed her eyes again, then clung onto me as if life was about to end for both of us. When she left me, she silently went into the room and started packing her things. Oh, I forgot! She had been staying with me the last two weeks.

 

I stood there, transfixed, too dazed to move, or stop her. Quietly, she moved all her things into her box, snapped it shut and looked at me one last time.

 

I held her gaze.

 

Then she said the same words the third time. ‘Stay. Stay with me.’

 

I couldn’t bear it any longer, my resolve broke, I looked away from her, hurting that I did not want her to go, eager to be in Lagos. I was torn within myself.

 

Dragging the box behind her, she left. It was the sound of her car that got me out of my inertia. At that time it was too late to do anything but stand still and complain to the walls. I waited almost an hour, then I called to know if she got home safe.

 

She answered on the second ring, answered in the affirmative and asked when I would be leaving Akure. I told her.

 

The days between were long and lonely, my house screamed for her literally and I found myself talking to my walls in the middle of the nights. Then the day came for me to leave.

 

She came. I could not have divined it, after the call I placed to her five days earlier, I had been too stubborn to call her again, she didn’t call either. But there she was, smiling like nothing had happened between us, like I had not acted like a royal fool and broken her heart. She was smiling.

 

When I was about leaving, she came to me and hugged me one last time. Then she bit my left ear playfully as she broke off the long hug. ‘This is how I want you to remember me.’ The smile was fast fading.

 

‘I’m not…’ I tried to explain.

 

‘Go.’ She nudged me, ‘I understand.’

 

I stood there, for a while, our eyes locked, then I got in the car, turned the key and drove out. That time, I left. I failed to see the tears that doubtless flowed down her cheeks. I kept telling myself, our story was not over, she would relocate to Lagos and we would have a glorious life together.

 

Five hours later, I was at Berger, Lagos was just a stone throw, I wound down my side glass and turned off the Air conditioning system. Time to take in the polluted air that was Lagos into my nostrils. It was a ritual I observed without fail everytime I travelled out of the city.

 

When I got to Ojota, as usual, I had to join the long queues of cars. Lagos and traffic. I was back where the hustle was and momentarily, I forgot all about Kemi. I called all my boys, I was back. I was jubilant and happy when I drove into my house on top of the world, I was back home.

 

I got out of the car and strolled majestically towards my apartment, then I got the worst shocker I had gotten in a very long time. Standing outside my apartment, waiting for my return was Trisha!

My First Review For Moradeke…

Hey all, so I got my first review although the reviewer claims it’s an unofficial review, still, I’m ecstatic to get this and though it should be for my eyes only, I’m ‘moved’ to publish it. Maybe others will do things like this and send to me. Maybe.

Not to waste all of your time, please enjoy his review…

 

OBSERVATIONS

HIGH POINTS

 The story is particularly interesting in the choice of subject matter. Good karma story. Randy incestuous daughter and father ends up getting the repercussions for there efforts.  The story also shows the richness of the first person point of view where the depth of the emotions of the storyteller is felt by the reader first hand.

Great combination of wits, sharp sarcastic remarks, long and short sentences, relaxed informal writing are some of the fine points of the work. Even the twist at the end (turning to religion for solution), is quiet impressive.

CRITIC

But again, I think there is a sustained strenuous effort to impress more then there is to express. Explanations are some times lengthy, characters appears and disappear, a few typos here and there. Below are some of the observed….

1. I ended it right there,[.] I cried for days then made up my mind…

 

1. Restructure paragraph 3. The character with the name Dare just dropped from no where. Is he the one in paragraph 2? If yes link them.

 

1. Paragraph 3 line 2, too long sentence: …I had been on too many tours and I was coming back home,[.] unfortunately…

 

1. Paragraph 3 line 2 : “….unfortunately, what I thought and what happened were two different things…”(could read “Unfortunately, home had something else for me.”

 

1. Paragraph 4 Characters Jide and Tomiwa just landed. Who are they?  Especially to the main character.

 

1. Paragraph 5 line 3 “…save for dad and I(me).”

 

1.  [Y]young lady

 

1. just the three of us[.], Abdul – the driver –

 

1. Para 13 “The following day, mum left, dad, though he didn’t really need to went to work and I was left by myself at home.( Unclear. Restructure.)”

 

1. Para 14 – It is said, ‘an idle hand is the devil’s workshop’ [.]

 

1. Para 14 Line3 & 4 “I did,[.]”  “No matter(what), this would be the night”

 

 

Moradeke #2

 

1. Para 7 line 1&3 “I met him focused on the news on CNN,(so) I shook the bottle well”  “…too good,(that) I wanted to make him my lover.”

 

1. walai ….If it is the Hausa word for  “I mean it”, it is spelt Wanlahi.

 

1. Para 18 Mojo means “magic spell”. But I can’t connect how it relates to the “… insatiable taste thing….” Then in the last line, “How do I know?” No answer followed onwards.

 

1. Last para of Moradeke 2 is unclear. E.g “It made sense then, all the while he asked mum to raise her glass and toast something.” What did?

 

1. Who is Tinuke and who is Deke?

 

 

Moradeke #4

 

1. Para 2, “celebrating her fiftieth” what?

 

1. Cele?

 

1. . ‘That one can hear God,(?) (A)abegi!’

 

But in all, this work is a great effort one must commend. Please, write more.

Thanks.

 

Reviewer: George Onunkwo

 

If you haven’t read the story, you can download Moradeke here

Please check it out and do share your views on whether or not this review was good or not…

Denial #10

There is no such thing as love at first sight. No, none. Maybe lust, attraction or even desire: but love, at first sight, I have never believed in that scam. I know it’s a scam, I’ve employed the machinery to some success.

 

Those success stories will not be shared here however, because I digress. Now back to the main story.

 

Two weeks passed without incident. Two agonisingly slow weeks. I was having all sorts of mental attacks daily that I had to overcome. See, when I saw Kemi that Saturday and ran out the restaurant, I didn’t know I was making a huge mistake. Yes o, mistake.

 

Now you’re also confused abi? Well here’s how it went. I left the place, went home and saw football games till late at night. I enjoyed the La Liga games as much as I did the English Premiership. So, I saw football games till 11pm, then I turned off the lights and made for bed. That was when it started.

 

Out of the blue, in the most benign manner, my brain replayed the scene in the restaurant. It froze her smile for me to ponder a little. I smiled, relocated to my bedroom then slept. It was a one off thing, and she really was pretty I surmised.

 

Then I woke up the next morning and whilst still contemplating whether or not to go to church, I saw her face again, I shook my head vigorously. Kilode, haba! Needless to say, I was early for a CAC service near my abode.

 

Unfortunately, the face kept ambushing me, it had started slowly, now I saw her everywhere I went. Kemi’s face replaced all the female faces and I couldn’t concentrate on my work.

 

Then the first week ended, and dreading a repeat the following week, I went to the restaurant and staked it from my car. I waited all day for her to show, nothing.

 

Eventually, at about 7pm I left the place and drove home. It would be a long week I decided. Fortunately for me, the plague reduced and I was able to focus on work. But after the whole seeing of Kemi’s face drama, I began to wonder about the girl.

 

I did not know it at first, but unlike the previous week when all I saw was her smile, the next week was filled with thoughts of her, who she was, what she did, where she stayed, did she have a boyfriend? And some other weird questions I cannot publish.

 

On thursday of the second week, alone in my house, I began to analyse what was wrong with me. Then I recalled an alarming fact. The last time I had thought of a girl that long was when I first met Imole… Imole, I cringed at the thought of her.

 

I tried putting up defensive mechanisms in my mind, but it was too late, Kemi had taken up residence in my mind whilst I slept and was deeply enmeshed, how to get her out?

 

Friday was cool, the few friends I had made wanted me to come out and have fun with them, a sort of boys night out. I was about saying yes when I remembered my crew in Lagos and how I had left them. A pang of guilt swept through me and I declined, promising to make the outing. They shrugged and left me alone.

 

I went home determined to exorcise myself of Kemi and her evil hold on me. Yes, evil. How can I see her once and have my life disrupted by her smile, it was not normal I kept telling myself. I fell asleep trying not to think of her.

 

Then I dreamt of her.

 

I was attending a wedding, the church was packed full, I was late as usual, I get to all these functions late, something to do with African timing in Naija. The minister was speaking, the bride was facing him but there was no groom. I kept walking slowly down the aisle curious and drawn to this weird wedding. As I walked down the aisle, heads turned my way, whispers rang through the congregation and the minister got distracted, he stopped talking and looked into the congregation. Then the bride turned, it was Kemi.

 

I staggered back and fell into the seated crowd, I was helped back to my feet, patted and then pushed forward towards my bride. I looked at the groom’s men closely and saw my boys lined up. The best man was Tolu. Apparently, I had arrived late to my wedding and they were all looking at me in a strange manner, not amused by my antics.

 

I jerked awake. Throwing feet and hands in the air, my duvee had been tossed aside, I was sweating profusely despite the fact that my air conditioning system was working. I checked the time, it was 2am.  I did not sleep again that night, I could not.

 

All morning on saturday, I argued with myself that I would not go for a repeat performance at the restaurant.  I would not stake it, no. It was then I fell asleep on my sofa having seen movies till daybreak.

 

At noon I woke up, hungry and famished, my fridge was bare, and there was no food in the house. So I went to the market to get supplies.

 

I am not a fan of serendipity. Nope, I do not entertain foolish notions, I’m too practical. But as I was about to get out of my car, it flashed that I would see her soon. I discarded the thought and went about my business. I was heading out of the market carrying two large bags in both hands when a lady in a front stall turned.

 

There she was, Kemi! We saw ourselves at the same instant. My mouth opened in a big O and involuntarily, my hands let go of the bags they were holding…

AKURE #9

My first couple of days were quiet. I practically slept through till Monday, then I went to work and introduced myself.

 

I have to say here, been a Lagos bobo and used to the hustle, I woke up at 5 a.m, prepared for work and started pacing my hotel room when I realised cars weren’t moving on the streets – another lesson every Lagosian knows, don’t be the first one on the road early in the morning. What we hadn’t decoded was that those working up country had lesser stress getting to work, it was somewhat a cultural shock.

 

I didn’t leave the hotel room until 6.30a.m, at the ground floor, I asked the concierge for directions to my new office and after driving for almost forty minutes, based on his description, I found the place. The security men at the office complex and I exchanged a few words, then I was admitted into the complex. Unfortunately, I had to wait at the reception, damn!

 

I had been waiting a full two hours before the man I was supposed to report to came in, I mentally scored mr Eugene points for promptness. This dude would be a tardy boss, I surmised.

 

Handshakes and a tour later, I was shown my office, yes office. Not a workstation as Lagos would have provided, an office, phew!

 

I threw myself into work earnestly. Sonia and Trisha had called severally, they both got the same line. I had been transfered out of town indefinitely, for Sonia, Witch – sorry Jane – would liaise with her about her portfolios with the company. I put both ladies behind me, I was determined to get a new lease on life.

 

The company finally got me an apartment three weeks after I got to Akure. I was enjoying the stark contrast to Lagos. The city was dreamy and peaceful, unlike the rush that had become Lagos’ stamp – ‘Gidi.

 

Two months went by without incident, I was no longer drinking, and I had managed to stay off women since stepping into Akure. Believe me when I say this, Akure babes set die! Yet I hadn’t even considered striking a conversation in order to satisfy ‘some’ needs. That was when I let my guard down.

 

I ate at a certain restaurant every Saturday due to the fact that I loved the soup. That fateful Saturday, I had finished eating but was too stuffed to stand, so I sat still and started seeing the musical videos playing on tv. By the time the third video played, I was already bored and wanted out of the place. I hissed unconsciously and said, ‘crap,’ aloud.

 

‘You are not alone.’ A strange but melodious voice answered me.

 

I turned round and noticed a gorgeous looking lady smiling at me. I am not exaggerating, but she was prettier than Halle Berry, Beyonce or even miss World. My eyes literally popped out of their sockets and I knew I was in trouble. I had to get out of there fast.

 

‘Ah, this is a better video,’ she nodded at the tv still smiling.

 

Argh! Shut up! I screamed, mentally. She was getting to me and I could see myself relapsing. Oh God, two whole months and I was about to start again. I managed a smile. ‘Yea, the song’s quite cool.’

 

She pursed her lips, her brow raised, I could see she clearly loved this song, whereas I considered it average. She was battling with herself on whether or not to unleash her scathing remark.

 

I stood up and walked to her table, my hand stretched, I introduced myself. ‘My name is Akin, it was a pleasure to have met you.’

 

She took my hand warily, eyeing me with suspicion. ‘I’m Oluwakemi.’

 

I waited for more, but when it became apparent that we had subconsciously entered into a browbeating game, I dismissed her and started walking away. ‘I’ll see you around,’ those were my last words on our first meeting, if only I knew…, maybe I would have kept mute. But like I said earlier, I was the butt of a cosmic joke. I didn’t have a choice than play along in the sadistic game of the gods…