#PR_EPISODE25
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That was how the atmosphere
graduated into a romantic one. I wish I
could let the cat out of the bag that
moment, but it will be a decision made
out of emotion and not proper thought,
besides she’s still driving. As I was
thinking about this, two messages
entered my phone in succession, the
second one is from Janet. I had to read it
with code so that Funmi won’t guess the
message is from her. I just speak out
“This network people and their rubbish
messages”. Her message read “Hello Will,
I tried calling you but wasn’t going, I
guess you are already on the road.
Please let me know when you get home.
Love you, take care”. I quickly went to
options and delete the message before
Funmi could sight foul play if she checks
my phone. But her message brought my
confusion back for a moment. Janet is
no longer engaged and Funmi is back,
though I’ve not asked her about her
new guy but she has not receive nor
make any call since the journey started
and might mean they are not dating
indeed. I decided to hold my plan for
now to ascertain if I know what I’m
doing.
Few minutes later, we got to our
destination and she offered to drop me
at home but I declined and decided to
take bike down. It will not be sweet for
her to know my house like that, mum
might see her and like her immediately,
and I know what that means. While
waiting for bike, I put a call through to
Temmy and then Janet telling them I’m
home. Funmi also called to tell me she
has seen her dad while I was on bike
going home.
I met a rather changed house I almost
did not recognize, as the fence has been
raised round the house which is now
beautifully painted. Before I could knock
on the gate, my younger sister Deborah
(I call her Debby) sighted me and rushed
down to open the gate. She’s my only
sibling and the only biological child of
my step father. She’s already in 300 level
studying computer science in another
school. It’s been very long since we last
see each other, because I did not come
home after first semesters’ break for my
project. “My BB is here” she shouted. She
calls me BB or MBB meaning big brother
or my big brother. I could sight two cars
packed right in the compound, both of
them very new and beautiful. A black
Lexus Jeep and a blue Toyota cienna.
Debby: BB I’ve missed you a lot (She
hugs me while collecting my bag)
Me: I’ve missed you too Debby. Why is it
you don’t call at all?
Debby: I do call now
Me: and when I call you don’t pick nor
return the calls.
Debby: My phone screen got spoilt so I
couldn’t see anything on it.
Me: That new phone?
Debby: It’s no more new BB, it’s over
eight months. I’ve gotten another one
Me: Who bought it for you?
Debby: Mum sent me some then I added
the remaining
Me: Where did you get the remaining?
Debby: hmm BB, we’ll talk about that
later
Me: Where is mum?
Debby: she’s in the kitchen
Me: She said she wanted me to meet
someone. Who is the person?
Debby: He’s inside, he came with this
cars
Me: Is he selling cars?
Debby: I’m not sure, I think he bought
that cienna for mum. Let’s go inside.
We entered the sitting room and met a
guy wearing a blue Chelsea long-sleeved
Jersey on a blue Jean. Well it’s good he’s
a Chelsea fan, at least we have a
common ground even if we eventually
disagree on other things. Sighting me,
he stood up and shook my hand with a
big smile.
Guy: So this is Opeyemi, I’ve seen your
pictures and heard a lot about you. How
was your journey?
Debby: Yes he’s my first love. It’s only
mum that calls him by that name. You
can call him William or better still, Will as
his friends do call him. To me exclusively,
he’s my BB
Guy: Like Blackberry?
Debby: (we all laughed) it’s means my
Big Brother
Guy: Nice meeting you BB Will
Me: (smiling) Nice meeting you and you
are?
Guy: Daniel, call me Dan
Me: Alright Dan Up Chelsea
Dan: For life bro. You are a Chelsea fan?
Me: Till death and to be continued in
heaven (we both laughed)
Dan: That’s cool, you watch the last
match?
Me: No I couldn’t, I’ve got books to cover
for my exams then, though I was
following it online. I read Hazard scored
two
Dan: Yeah, you needed to see his first
goal. Dude went through like the whole
team, I was like who is this guy?
Debby: We have started o. Football every
time every where. (we both laughed)
Me: Don’t mind her we’ll talk about the
match later. Where is my mother?
I could hear her singing from the
kitchen. She’s obviously happy as she
always sing when she’s in that mood. I
went to her to greet her and discovered
she was frying meat and of course even
she knows I must taste it by taking one.
After that, she proceed to make a
wonderful pounded yam with the help
of Debby while I discuss Chelsea and
soccer in general with Dan.
After dinner, my mums phone rang and I
think it’s daddy Orire. They spoke for a
while and I could hear her saying “he’s
around” before she handed the phone
over to me saying he wanted to speak to
me.
Me: Hello Sir
Orire: Hello Yemi, I heard you are done
with your papers
Me: Yes sir, I’m only left with project
defense
Orire: That’s good. Let me know when
you are about to be mobilize for NYSC so
we can work it where one of our
company’s branch is.
Me: (Though I’ll love my freedom during
service but it’s not a bad idea if the
company is in the East or South-South
part of the country) Okay Sir
Orire: My daughter Lola is here, I will like
the two of you to meet but we, the
officials of my place of work are going
for a conference tomorrow and will not
be back till next week Tuesday which
means I won’t be around till then.
Me: I would have gone back by then sir.
Orire: She’s even going back to Lagos
tomorrow but you can speak with her
now.
He was calling his daughter and I could
hear the daughter protesting she
doesn’t want to but her father’s wish
prevailed.
Lola: Hello Yemi
Me: Lola right? How are you doing
Lola: I’m fine and you?
Me: I’m okay, how is life treating you?
Lola: Life is good. I heard you just
traveled down, how was your journey?
Me: It was a great one. Thanks. I wish
you safe journey tomorrow
Lola: Thanks. Guess we’ll see later
Me: Yeah, I think so
Orire: You’ll definitely see, soonest self
(he took over the phone). Yemi can you
drive?
Me: Very well sir, but I don’t have drivers
license
Orire: Why? Go and get one now, I’ll
send you money now, go and get it
tomorrow
Me: Tomorrow is Saturday sir, I’m not
sure they’ll do it and I heard the process
is longer than it used to be
Orire: They will do it and you should get
it by Monday. Go to their office
tomorrow, the commander here is my
very good friend. I’ll call him now so you
won’t spend much time there.
Me: Okay sir
Orire: You are going to be needing it
soon. When I come back we’ll see how
we’ll go about it.
Me: Okay sir, thank you sir.
Orire: Give the phone to your mother
My mum collect the phone and they
continue their discussion. Talking about
drivers license, is he planning to get me
a car? that will be so cool. But it will raise
a question, why do the man love me that
much? Hope it’s not because of his
daughter he’s trying to hook me with,
because that is likely going hit a dead
end. By the way, his daughter seems
cool from her speech and has a sweet
voice, very similar to that of Funmi, but
I’m not going to fall for that, this is 21st
century, not their time when they can
easily matchmake. I’ll love to meet and
see how she look though.
Mum: Opeyemi you spoke with his
daughter right?
Me: Yeah, she sound nice
Mum: I know you’ll like her. You guys will
meet later
Me: I did not say I like her mum, I said
she sound nice
Mum: I know, but you’ll like her
Debby: BB don’t you have a girlfriend?
Me: Not official
Debby: Why not?
Me: It’s complicated
Debby: That’s why mum is trying to
matchmake you. You better bring her
home on time.
Mum: It doesn’t concern you Deborah.
Hope you all enjoy the meal.
Dan: It’s fantastic. It’s been long I eat
home made pounded yam like this. They
sell it over there at Nigerian restaurants
but it wasn’t made with mortar like this
and that’s the difference.
Me: You seem to like pounded yam a lot
Dan: Very much, it’s my best.
Me: We seem to have a lot in common.
Mum: I’m happy you both get along
easily. I want you guys to listen to all I’m
about to say. Some of it you know, but
majority you don’t. And you my dear
Opeyemi, I want you to know nothing
has change and nothing will change
okay?
Me: Okay Ma (my heart started racing)
Mum: When I was 22 years old and I’ve
got nobody to help me further my
education, because my father was
sacked from work and as you know, my
mother only sells bread. I started
working in the bread factory where my
mother used to buy bread to sell. The
factory was owned by your father
(Pointing to to Dan) and that’s where I
met your father (pointing to Deborah).
Your father proposed marriage to me
but I was already in love with the factory
owner not knowing he’s married and
they were having child delay. The wife
doesn’t stay in town then and by the
time I discovered he’s married, I was
already six months pregnant for him
and to my greatest surprise, his wife
accepted me. I had vowed before then
never to be second wife of any man and
insisted on that even though I am
already pregnant. The factory owner
accepted my stance not knowing he had
other plans with his wife. When my time
came, I delivered a wonderful baby boy
which is you (pointing to Dan) the same
day and at the same hospital where you
and your twin sister were born
(pointing to me)
* *
*
This issue is getting real and at this
point the strands of hair on my head all
stood up as my heart continue to beat
faster.
***
Mum: Your father (pointing to Deborah)
was there in the hospital with the
mother of the twins. The father of the
twins was his own elder brother which I
don’t recognize or ever met before. His
brother ran away to Ghana with his
Ghanaian friend the moment the woman
got pregnant.
Debby: So what happened mum?
Exchange of child?
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TBC
