Coming from someone i know very well, this is quite impressive.
But i gat some few ish with some of the character development and the setting in the story but all in all, nice story and i know with all sincerirty that ur next story is ganna be one of the best ever writing by a nairalander.



Keep making me proud little bro

Lemme join the bandwagon and ask the op to do the needful by "updating" and fast

Emperortj93:
Coming from someone i know very well, this is quite impressive.
But i gat some few ish with some of the character development and the setting in the story but all in all, nice story and i know with all sincerirty that ur next story is ganna be one of the best ever writing by a nairalander.



Keep making me proud little bro

*with a swollen head*
thank you very much bro

Op pls do us a solid this xmas by dropping more update

CHAPTER TWELVE
Musty air hung about as dusk approached, and Oluchi could hear the sibilant hisses of the wind from the back seat of her father's car. Ahmed had covered the 513km to Lagos under the space of 8 hours - Ore had as always been problematic.

He must have thought she was mad, Ahmed. He occasionally looked at her through the rear-view mirror as if to make sure she had not tousled her hair and jumped out through the window. She was beginning to believe it too. She must be crazy, crazily in love.

It had only been several hours since she made that call to The Informant. But now it seemed like years ago, many, many years ago.

Lanre was going abroad and he hadn't even told her. Maybe, he'd wanted to. She tried to remember any signs he'd given to show he'd be living soon, but none came to mind. She had not suspected a thing. For pity's sake, she still found it hard to believe it was true.

The very moment she ended the call, everything went topsy-turvy in her mind and she'd known she couldn't live with herself, if she didn't bring a closure to the whole episode. So she'd embarked on an obviously stupid, impromptu journey to Lagos, specifically the Lagos Airport, to find Lanre. She still didn't know what she would do when she saw him, but seeing him had been her only purpose; only drive, in life from that moment.

''Ahmed, find a hotel near the airport, I want to be early tomorrow. ''

''The airport bah? ''

''Yeah. ''

''Okay you wan to tell am sai anjuma, kwa? ''

Oluchi thought about this, if and when she saw him, then what? '' Yeah something like that. ''


* * * * * * *


Morning came painstakingly. And Oluchi had not had even a moment of shut eye, she tossed and turned all night. She threw two tablets of panadol into her mouth and flush it down her throat with the bottled water they'd bought in the previous day's traffic.

She couldn't live in Lagos. Not for her this hectic busy Lagosian life, where things didn't wait for you, and you would always have to catch up ; always feel a step behind.

This morning, Oluchi sat in the back as usual and she and Ahmed reached the Airport car park 9am on the dot. Oluchi respired continuously as though she was taking her last breath, and Ahmed threw her a concerned look.

''I'm fine, '' she said, answering his unvoiced question.

''I de follow, kwa? '' Ahmed asked, and although it was a question, she saw the resolution in his eyes - it irritated her. She wasn't going off to war, for pity 's sake,. She was only finishing incomplete business.

''No, you can go wherever you like, I'll call you if I need you.''

Ahmed looked as though what she'd said was incredulous.

'' But I nor fit leave you for Lagos alone, walahi, Oga nor go like am at all. ''

''Ahmed, you'll go back to the hotel, when I need you, I'll call. And my dad will never learn of this journey, okay? ''

Ahmed shrugged, as if to say a stupid spoilt girl will always be a stupid spoilt girl.

She took the big bus - the one even bigger than the Comrade Bus - to the airport building. She wasn't sure how things went in the airport, but she carried her bag stuffed with clothes from home, just in case.

As she walked toward the entrance, after alighting from the drop-off bus, she noticed the security men looking suspiciously at her. She had hoped to look older, for that reason, she'd worn a Dorothy Perkins trousers suit- the only suit she'd ever thought to own. It was black and serious, and she hoped she looked liked she was in her twenties.

"Madam, how far?" one of the security men said as she got near. She didn't quite know what 'how far?' meant, were they asking for her purpose?

"I'm here to pick up my dad, " she immediately wished she'd said 'business partner' or something more mature. They'd called her Madam after all.

The security men looked amused, it was none of their business what anyone came to do in the airport. She wasn't sure they'd even be moved if she had told them she was wearing a bomb.

"Madam, na weekend o," the same security man said, he reminded her of her Literature teacher with his fat pimply face and bulging stomach. She knew what they wanted now.

Oluchi dug into her bag and found a bundle of crisp one thousand naira notes her father had given her for upkeep. She plucked a note off the stack, "here," she said, giving the tubby guard.

"Madam, you do well, " they chorused.
Oluchi walked into the large hall that was reminiscent of grand shopping malls. Her shoes made the 'kpor' 'kpor' as she walked briskly on the marble floor. The space was peopled with a seething mass of hurrying people, all looking purposefully as though they'd be programmed, for some reason, it made Oluchi slightly afraid.

No college-hopeful looking for an ex around, she thought.

The receptionist was a slim lady with a serious hairstyle and gaudy glasses. She clicked away as Oluchi spoke. Oluchi had chosen to speak with her, rather than the other receptionist because she seemed friendlier, less likely to bite.

Her lenses glittered as Oluchi repeated herself, "my friend is travelling and I'm supposed to meet him some where around here, I wonder if you can show me where to start?"

The fingers of the receptionist lady kept tapping, but she raised her head to Oluchi and smiled," good day dear, you should check the gates, upstairs, where's he flying to?" She had an accent, but didn't everyone, these days?

"Canada, " Oluchi said, relieved her intuition had been right. She was sure the plump, irritable-looking receptionist talking on the phone, would have had her for lunch.

" Ontario terminal, it is then, " the receptionist said, tapping away and not bothering to look at Oluchi a second time. And for the first time since she'd journeyed to Lagos, she felt normal. There was something in the receptionist's voice that said she did this everyday, gave instructions to wandering people; perhaps one of those people had been like her.

Oluchi hurried toward the lift feeling like an outlander. She didn't know how the lifts worked, she had never had to use one personally before. She just jumped in with someone else usually.

As she dithered on what to press, a voice said from behind her, "don't bother, that one hasn't worked for a while."

She turned to see a tall, athletically built man with a wild afro. He was in a cleaner's uniform.

"Advice, use the stairs, they'll save you a lot of trouble. "

" Thank you, " Oluchi said, wondering what a handsome man who spoke such good English could be doing as a cleaner in the airport and how much it could possibly cost the airport authorities to put an 'Out of Bound' sign on the lifts.

She bounded up the stairs, asking directions from anyone she thought would know.

Momentarily, she was at the Ontario Gate; a waiting area for anyone desiring to catch a flight to Canada. She scanned the crowd hoping to see Lanre, perhaps reading a book.

At first, she'd thought she'd seen Lanre ; a tall boy with an afro in an ugly shirt. But when she tapped him, excitedly screaming his name, it turned out to be another person.

That explains the shirt, she thought. Disappointed, to say the least.

Oluchi soon began to see him everywhere, until she sat down and relaxed. For all she knew, he could be running late. Or his flight wasn't even in the morning. She was however determined to stay till all the flights to Canada left.

When hours went by without a glimpse of Lanre, Oluchi got up and strolled over to the officials at the gates. She once again studied the group for the less 'volatile' one, because there was all likelihood the officials would be rude. Everyone knew Nigerians in public service could be shockingly discourteous. It was that no one in Nigeria wanted to be a servant, much less a public one.

"Hello, good afternoon Sir, " she said, to a young bespectacled, nerdy looking man. His demeanour spoke of one who couldn't hurt a fly.

" Oh, how can I help you? ' a stupid smile was plastered on his face.

"Em, my brother is supposed to fly today and I wanted to say goodbye, but it seems he's not here, " she didn't know when exactly she'd made it all up it was between when he asked the question and when she opened her mouth to speak.

" Hmm, what's his name, describe him please. "

" Lanre, he's tall, dark with bushy hair, quite handsome, "

" I may have... I think I've seen somebody like that, he may well be at the restaurant. "

" Thank you, " Oluchi didn't bother to ask for directions from him.

She found the restaurant in no time and began her search once again. Everyone in the restaurant seemed to eat slowly, she guessed they wanted to savour their last or first Nigerian meal. The restaurant possessed a blend of both worlds, sort of a homely foreignness with a menu consisting of native and intercontinental delicacies. Oluchi rounded all the tables, sighting their haute cuisine and moreish looking food, that looked like art more than actual eatable; like something you ordered, smelled, photographed and left alone.

She ordered meatpie and malt, more as a guise to sit and wait than hunger sake. Oluchi chose a table with a view of the entrance on the off chance that Lanre would breeze in for a quick snack before going abroad.

Hours hurried by, Oluchi wasn't sure anymore if it was correct or just her wristwatch moving its hour-hand to trick her. Her over strained hope gave in and she broke down, a huge lump gathered at her throat as she thought about not seeing him again and the profligacy of coming to Lagos, this was an all time worst decision.

She hated Richard, it was all his fault. He came into her life, took away her innocence and returned yet again to take the best thing that had ever happened to her.

She hated herself for being such a fool. It seemed so obvious now in hindsight ; that beast couldn't love anybody. How could she destroy something so special? Perhaps one of those family witches her, father was so paranoid about had, spirited away her senses of reasoning and feeling.

Sadness chocked her, and she felt like she couldn't breathe. She remembered the way Lanre looked at her; how he protected her with his every move. She remembered those little things that weren't at all little. And it made her want to cry.

I don't want to lose you, she thought, I don't want us to end like this.

The waiting area seemed the same when she returned. There were new faces but none was Lanre's. The needy official, who she bet had taken a liking to her, waved her his way. Wondering if Lanre had left already, Oluchi braced and padded toward him.

"Your brother, I've kept a look out for him, I haven't seen any so far. "

Oluchi thought she saw suspicion in his eyes.
" Thank you sir."

"I'll suggest you call him, he may have cancelled or rescheduled. "

Oluchi saw her tomfoolery so glaringly, she gasped.

" I don't know, he's supposed to be here. And he's not reachable. Lanre's number had not been available since that incident at her house.

"You must really want to see him then, I suppose you haven't seen him in a while? "

Oluchi didn't appreciate his questions," can you possibly check your records for his name? "

" Oh dear, of course, " the official checked his computer after she gave him his full name.

" Miss Adeshina? " he asked wryly, and Oluchi realised he had not bought her story after all," I'm sorry but there's no Lanre Adeshina in my records, we have no record of anybody with that name.

"Thank you," she said too animatedly.

But her frustrated look gave her away, as did her dejected steps. She walked out of the airport accepting fate. Fate, in its infinite wisdom, had decided Lanre would not be hers because she was unworthy; didn't deserve a second chance.


* * * * * * * *

Watch out for Part B

Nicholausian when is the part B coming out?

In the evening, the deserted white mansion took on a glow as the last of daylight caressed its aged body and the branches of its surrounding trees waved like arms in a D'banj concert. And when it rained, the least likely place to get soaked was the umbrella shades of the trees; not the gazebo; not the flooded house with its sunken roof.

Oluchi knew all these from the four days of coming here. She was comfortable on the bough of her favourite tree, the very one she and Lanre had sat on over a month ago, although it seemed like years now. She sought comfort in this sylvan paradise that reminded her so much of Lanre.

Everyday, from four days ago, she had grown fonder of this place, and his presence seemed to grow here at the same pace too. It felt as though he were here watching her and she swore if she would put her mind to it, she would find his footprint somewhere around.

Had it been days? Weeks? Months? Since he travelled? Since he left, days seemed to crawl into nights and time itself bundled into an infinite timelessness. If time, as they say, heal all wounds, then time was inexistent in her case, because she still felt the huge loss now, as she had in the airport.

It wasn't the fact that she let him go that hurt her, it was the way she let him go. If she had been in 'good terms' with him, it would have been less painful because then, she would have nursed the hope that when he came back they could continue from where they left off; that there could be a future for them. But now... there was no use anyway, what was done was done. Fact remained that she would not find another person like him.

Oluchi heard the thunder claps, felt the blustery wind and saw the sky turn from its azure to a worrying grey. It sure was going to rain. She knew from experience it was better to run into the grove of umbrella trees.

"It's going to rain soon, " a voice Oluchi wasn't imagining said from below her; behind her.

It startled Oluchi, not just because someone had been there with her all this while, but because it sounded like the voice of...

Lanre came into view as she turned her head. He had a shaven head - she couldn't possibly be imagining that. The sun suddenly decided it wanted to shine some more. It made the vision of him, in radiant blue heavy wool sweater and milk khaki trousers, dreamy.

"Lanre!" she shrieked.

In a swift, practiced movement, she swung down from the tree and flung her arms around him.

He groaned, "you might want to loosen your grip, my ribs are still healing."

"Lanre, what are you doing here? " he smelled of antiseptic and looked frail.

" I heard a lot from your sister, apparently you've not been very fine."

"My sister? Nnedi?
"
" Yeah, I needed to see you, still don't know why, but I went to your house and I met your sister... "

" You're supposed to have gone to Canada, since last week. "

" Yeah, actually that was a joke between me and my mum, she decided she would tell everyone who came asking for me that I was going to Canada, I didn't know she'd go that far to give them a date. "

" I called Osas, he said you were... "

Lanre shrugged, "he must have fallen for the joke."

"So you weren't planning any Canada trip, it was all a joke? " Oluchi said this with mixed feelings.

" No, I was going to Canada to study but then I'd have to do the SATs first, apply for a visa, there are procedures involved, you don't just go to Canada. "

They stood in one spot, breathing each other's air, as they spoke.

" Oh, so you are still going to Canada, then," her disappointment was obvious.

"Oluchi, " he said solemnly," I missed my SAT, I have been in the hospital all this while, "his tone was devoid of blame or anger but Oluchi felt culpable anyway.

This information shocked her. There she was thinking he'd left for Canada without telling her while in reality, he was suffering and battling for his life in a hospital all because of her. She had never really thought he could still be in hospital, confined to a sick bed for so long as a month. The thought overwhelmed her, he could have died and all because of her.

"How... how are you? I didn't know, I would have come but I thought... I thought you'd be angry "

"It's okay, I'm fine, the doctor said I was very lucky, I'm okay now "

"I'm so sorry, Lanre," she said tearfully.

"It's okay, maybe I really shouldn't go to Canada, maybe it's God's way of saying it."

"No, I don't mean just that, I betrayed your trust, endangered your life, ruined everything, I'm such a destroyer." Reservoir of tears flowed down her cheeks, and unlike before, it didn't choke her but released her, like she was letting go of something heavy.

"You're not a destroyer, Oluchi, everything that's happened is for a reason." His sincerity and calmness made her cry the more.

"God Lanre, please forgive me, you may not give me a second chance, I don't deserve it but just forgive me, eventually. "

"Oluchi, please stop it, I cannot ever hold a grudge against you, I cannot be bitter, not when it concerns you. I love you Oluchi, with all my life."

'I don't deserve you."

"That's what I tell myself everyday when I wake up, 'I don't deserve Oluchi' but I'm glad I have you. "

" So you're just going to take me back after all I have done? " she was abashed with guilt and shame.

" Of course, I'm not just going to take you back, " Lanre said," I'm going to kiss you... "

They made out, using the tree as support. Oluchi lost her mind, her guilt, her shame and her breath in the passionate kiss. As they kissed, she finally understood what it meant to love someone, and she was sure it was love she felt for Lanre.

* * * * * * * * * * *

They climbed the tree together, Lanre taking a little more time and Oluchi teasing him about how the tides had turned.

Momentarily, they were face to face talking and kissing some more, just like old times, the tension between them was gone.

"So what are you going to do with this year, I mean you missed your SAT and that'll mean you are not going to Canada this year anymore, right? " Oluchi asked, truly concerned.

" Right, " Lanre's response held a suspense," I think we should start house-hunting in the BDPA or Ekosodi area, you know we can't be going to school from home. "

" But you didn't buy the forms and it has expired, exams are starting next week. "

" Well, guess who did a last minute grab for a certain Federal University post you and me form? " Lanre tried to keep a straight face.

" Oh my God! Lanre, you registered? We are going to be together? " Oluchi excitement broke her face into a sincere smile, it took all of Lanre's strength to hold her from falling off the tree.

" Yeah, so is it BDPA or Ekosodi? "

BDPA of course... I still can't believe it, how did you do it?" she was overwhelmed with joy.

"Well, when my dad saw that I wasn't going to sit for the SAT due to my health he bought the Post UME form... "

They talked on and on till the sun got ready for the journey below the horizon.

The couple, silhouetted over a background of the descending sun, arms across each other's backs, walked out into the calm GRA street.

" Lanre, " Oluchi said, and it echoed all over the surrounding silence.

" Yeah? "

" Promise me one thing. "

" Anything, sweetheart. "

She giggled, "when we are married, we'll buy this house and renovate it as our home."

"If you promise to stop climbing those trees all by yourself."

" Okay?"

"And if we'll do family nights at the gazebo."

"Yeah?"

"Well, it may not be possible seeing that the house may have been sold, destroyed, by then, not to mention... "

" Lanre, just say you will don't spoil the moment. "
" Okay, I will."

"We'll have two kids right? "

" No, seven, a big family. "

" Ah ahn? You'll give birth to them yourself then. "

Their silhouette had become a blurry figure on the landscape as they turned into yonder street.

" Lanre, I love you. "

" I love you more. "



THE END.

I hate fairytale ending

[color=#000099][/color] interesting story[b]interesting story[/b]interesting story

Since 2015? Time consuming hope u go places with this talent #MuchLove #NoHomo

Very Interesting.....i enjoyed every bit of it.....thanking you for sharing this but is this a true life story Mr nicholausian?

Hmmmmmm, following all through, Nice write you, have a wonderful descriptive skills like hardly chase, it almost seems to me I am reading a true life story.

Saw it on front page and I couldn't just stop till I finished it. Good one bro. Thumbs up.

gameboy727:
Saw it on front page and I couldn't just stop till I finished it. Good one bro. Thumbs up.

Wow what a story I saw it today on FP
Nicholausian Thumbs up

Bro,this has to be the best story have read on nairaland ever, the grammar,use of words,the characters,mehnnn i so much enjoyed it. Also,thanks for finishing what you started unlike most writers on here,God bless you bro and may this talent take you places.

Front page? Wow, this is overwhelming!

I don't know what to say, or who to say it to, for that matter.

I have since finished the story and considered it a done deal.

I'm however glad that many more people got to read this story.

Imoletide it may please you to know that I'm encouraged by your kind words, thank you.

Kayzybaba gameboy727, thank you very much, I write for you - people who are very appreciative of my work, and ever ready to thumbs me up, lol.

Cyrilfosy I appreciate the comparison, thank you

Maryclaire1 thank you, no, it's not, although I'm flattered you'd even ask.

Atoleybaba I continued writing because I loved the story, thanks.

Frankharry I'm glad you found it interesting, thank you.

Thanks to everyone who has, at one time or the other, commented on this thread. I appreciate all the thoughtful comments - would appreciate more, in fact. I set out to prove to myself, that it wasn't just in my head - the fact that I could write, and I know now.

fuck_ this shii. Lanre ain't a real nigga at all. Great story anyway, the ending just pisses me off

Emperortj93:
I hate fairytale ending

babygoat:
fuck_ this shii. Lanre ain't a real nigga at all.
Great story anyway, the ending just pisses me off

word ...
Good story tho, thumbs up brah.

Emperortj93:
I hate fairytale ending

babygoat:
fuck_ this shii. Lanre ain't a real nigga at all.
Great story anyway, the ending just pisses me off

word ...fairytale ending sucks, life is in no way a fairytale... Life is more on the horror story side.

Good story tho, thumbs up brah.

Laurence1 I more than agree with your view of life, but perhaps you're more focused on the end, that you've ignored all the suffering they'd had to go through to get there.
It's like saying a story about someone getting a new job is a fairytale (I don't even know what you mean by fairytale) even though, that someone had worked for it.
I agree, the end was a bit Romantic, but poo to it all.
I'm glad you agree it's a good story, thanks.

Babygoat you'll find that there aren't any real 'niggas' when we fall in love and have to shed our masculine bravado. Perhaps, you're suggesting there's no such thing as love, in which case...
Thank you for commenting.

nicholausian:
Front page? Wow, this is overwhelming!

I don't know what to say, or who to say it to, for that matter.

I have since finished the story and considered it a done deal.

I'm however glad that many more people got to read this story.

Imoletide it may please you to know that I'm encouraged by your kind words, thank you.

Kayzybaba gameboy727, thank you very much, I write for you - people who are very appreciative of my work, and ever ready to thumbs me up, lol.

Cyrilfosy I appreciate the comparison, thank you

Maryclaire1 thank you, no, it's not, although I'm flattered you'd even ask.

Atoleybaba I continued writing because I loved the story, thanks.

Frankharry I'm glad you found it interesting, thank you.

Thanks to everyone who has, at one time or the other, commented on this thread. I appreciate all the thoughtful comments - would appreciate more, in fact. I set out to prove to myself, that it wasn't just in my head - the fact that I could write, and I know now.

My pleasure sir,i was expecting it to be lengthy tho and since u dedicated it to priscilla i was assuming u might be the lanre itz kinder hard to see a forgiving guy like lanre so i thought just may be it could be a true life story all the same its amazing!!! Expecting to read other stories from u.

This is so wonderful. Diction...check. Plot...Check. Suspence...check. Characterisation...check. Everything..check. I want to see more frome you, bro! Well done!

nikolakris:
This is so wonderful. Diction...check. Plot...Check. Suspence...check. Characterisation...check. Everything..check. I want to see more frome you, bro! Well done!

Thank you very much, expect more from me. I am, with all certainty, going to post another story soon.

Maryclaire1:
My pleasure sir,i was expecting it to be lengthy tho and since u dedicated it to priscilla i was assuming u might be the lanre itz kinder hard to see a forgiving guy like lanre so i thought just may be it could be a true life story all the same its amazing!!! Expecting to read other stories from u.

Thank you, the story decided its length, lol.
I can see now how you could think it was a true life story, putting 1and 2 together, it does seem so. I'm glad you didn't relegate the chances of seeing a 'forgiving guy' in real life.

amazing story! the end kinda pissed me off. Oluchi was forgiven too easily and like someone rightly inferred in an earlier post, second chances are rare in real life so in as much as fairytale endings are nice its sometimes a lot more vivid for us readers to have a semblance of a realistic end. this has been justified by timeless classics like Romeo and Juliet, titanic, etc. they all ended not‘sadly’ but the way they should have ended. endings of such classics keeps readers wondering what could have been.

nicholausian:
Laurence1 I more than agree with your view of life, but perhaps you're more focused on the end, that you've ignored all the suffering they'd had to go through to get there.
It's like saying a story about someone getting a new job is a fairytale (I don't even know what you mean by fairytale) even though, that someone had worked for it.
I agree, the end was a bit Romantic, but poo to it all.
I'm glad you agree it's a good story, thanks.

Babygoat you'll find that there aren't any real 'niggas' when we fall in love and have to shed our masculine bravado. Perhaps, you're suggesting there's no such thing as love, in which case...
Thank you for commenting.

appreciate your choice of words used to reply me...thanks for not using this as a medium to pour out hidden frustrations on innocent reader like me,i hide behind the term creatve criticism..lol

buh you kinda agreed with me, @the bolded