nice 1

If is not one of my fav writers,read your other story "unfulfiled promises" as a guest on nairaland and when i finally registered you went AWOL. I'm so happy to have you back here and please help me and beg your friend repogirl to try and create out time to update her story.
Beautiful story you have going,weldone ma'm. Love you scarrer

AudreyTimms:

Please which book are you referring to?

the both of ur recent stories

@uniquebandi, thanks dear

@Izzyblaze, thanks dear. Love you too. repogirl will post when she's good and ready.

@kingphilip, Letting go is an ongoing story. You need to dwonload the okadabooks app from google play store. Then fund your account with two hundred naira worth of etisalat recharge card. Search for the book to purchase it or follow this link- http://okadabooks.com/book/about/10290

If you still have problems getting it, please send me a mail at audreytimms83@gmail.com. Thanks

Beautiful people, update coming up in the evening. I'm very busy right now.

Thanking you.

AudreyTimms:
@uniquebandi, thanks dear

@Izzyblaze, thanks dear. Love you too. repogirl will post when she's good and ready.

@kingphilip, Letting go is an ongoing story. You need to dwonload the okadabooks app from google play store. Then fund your account with two hundred naira worth of etisalat recharge card. Search for the book to purchase it or follow this link- http://okadabooks.com/book/about/10290

If you still have problems getting it, please send me a mail at audreytimms83@gmail.com. Thanks

It costs just 200naira?? I'll mail u den


if its possible lemme make the payment directly to you and you'll please mail me the piece i'll really appreciate because i've been finding it really difficult to make use of the okada books app on my phone

kingphilip:
It costs just 200naira?? I'll mail u den
if its possible lemme make the payment directly to you and you'll please mail me the piece i'll really appreciate because i've been finding it really difficult to make use of the okada books app on my phone

seconded...I'm unable to download the app.

Where's the update na, am getting impatient

kingphilip:
It costs just 200naira?? I'll mail u den


if its possible lemme make the payment directly to you and you'll please mail me the piece i'll really appreciate because i've been finding it really difficult to make use of the okada books app on my phone

Okay. Yep, just 200 naira. I'll be expecting the mail. Thanks.

heemah:

seconded...I'm unable to download the app.

Please send me a mail. audreytimms83@gmail.com. Thanks

Jonathan2787:
Where's the update na, am getting impatient

Chill. It's coming.

Episode 8

There’s an important difference between giving up and letting go.
–Jessica Hatchigan

Nkiru smiled as she folded her mother's wrappers into a colorful Ghana-must-go bag beside the wooden bed. She put some inside her mother's big box (Apati). It felt so good to be home. Despite the fact that the luxuries she enjoyed in school were absent in her house, it didn't make it less welcoming. She didn't even feel like going to Lagos for her Industrial Training. She wanted to stay at home to help her father with farm work and her mother with her small shop. She wished for the umpteenth time that her village had good opportunities for a Computer Science student to carry out her IT. She was however glad that one of her father's friend who owned an I.T. firm in Lagos had accepted her offer of learning from him.

The young lady finished folding the clothes and decided to go and stay with her mother in her provision shop since she was footloose and fancy-free. She walked out of the four-bedroom bungalow to the shop which was placed adjacent to the house. She was grateful to God that her father had had the wisdom to build a house in the village. Though the house needed some repairs, it was big enough to house everyone. She opened and closed the black gate and walked noiselessly to her mother's shop. She entered through the back door and watched as her mother sold a hundred naira loaf of bread, and small sachets of milo and peak milk for a little boy. 

Mrs. Chikwendu moved to take her seat but paused to study her daughter. She accessed her daughter's white sleeveless blouse and faded blue jean skirt with a critical eye. She was a sucker for decent dressing. 

"Nne, your bra strap is showing. Fix it properly," Her mother, a tall and robust woman with a stern face but a kind heart instructed her first daughter. It galled her to think of how girls of nowadays practically went n.aked all in the name of fashion. The no-nonsense woman had embarrassed a girl in the market a few days back. Feeling fly, the girl had been dressed to kill in a mini off-shoulder dress which poured forth her mammary glands. Irritated beyond reasoning, Nkiru's mother had hit the girl soundly on the bum when the tramp had bent to view some onions spread on a tray unaware of the shameful fact that her panties were in full display and her breasts were almost popping out of her tight dress. She'd abused the life out of Nkiru's mother for hitting her which had caused a scene. Women had called the girl names and she'd been booed out of the market. Nkiru's mother had talked the ears off her two daughters that day. Nkechi and Njideka, in annoyance at the never-ending talk, had offered to always go to the market for her in order to avoid her epistle next time.

Nkiru bit her buttom lip to keep from smiling. She was used to such. She adjusted the bra strap and sat on the small stool beside her mother's chair.

She scrutinized the shop with sad eyes. Some of the wooden planks fixed to the wall were totally empty. It was obvious the shop was doing poorly. All that her mum had on sale were a few items. Gone where the days when the shop was filled to capacity and customers queued to buy stuff. A couple of months after their migration from Lagos, their dad had built the shop for their mother and she'd put on sale some quality stuff from her defunct supermarket which she'd brought along with her. So a good number of people had come from far and wide to patronize her. But that wasn't the case anymore. No condintion is indeed permanent.

"Mummy, how is market?" she however asked after they'd sat in companionable silence for a few minutes.

"Hmm...my dear, I really don't know what to say. Last month, Mama Emeka opened her own provision shop. Now all the people from this side," she indicated by pointing to her left. "now go and buy from her. Two weeks ago, Mama Ndidi opened her own too. She has converted the people who usually come from this other side to her shop. All I have left is people around us and some people who don't get what they want to buy from them."

Nkiru stared at the bare ground with pain. 

"Mummy, don't worry. Things will get better."

"I know, my dear. It's just that when I remember my supermarket in Lagos sometimes, I can't help..." her mother drifted off as a wistful look came into her eyes.

With a light shrug, she picked up her tray of melon seeds and started breaking them. Nkiru joined her.

"Ebuka came to ask of you yesterday," her mother informed her some minutes later.

Nkiru made a face and her mother laughed.

"Why don't you like Ebuka?"

"It's not as if I don't like him but he's a student like me na!"

Her mother laughed again.

"You kids of nowadays. Or is it that there is someone else?"

"No! My education is of paramount importance to me right now." 

"Don't carry education on your head, my daughter. The surface of the water is beautiful, but it is not good to sleep on. Well, I wouldn't mind if there was someone else though. You're not getting any younger, you know. After your IT you will be in your final year."

"Mummy! I'm just nineteen o!"

"I know that but i got married at that age." Her mother looked at her intently. "Why don't you want to give Ebuka a chance? Is it because he's still a student?"

Nkiru dropped the melon seed in her hand and used the hand to rub the back of her neck in an embarrassed gesture. Such conversations made her uncomfortable. Her mother didn't attend the university. Left for her, it was a waste of time. She felt Nkiru should be in her husband's house by now. Nkiru on the other hand didn't want to get married until she was good and ready which to her estimation was after getting a good job when she must have been through with her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme. Only her immediate younger sister, Nkechi knew of her plans. If her mother dare knew, she was sure the determined woman would have her married before her six-month industrial training was over. Had her mother had her way, Nkiru believed her mother would have married her off even when she was still in her womb. How was she going to reply her now? Fielding her mother's difficult questions was always a herculean task.

"Err...not really but I..."

"Bring me my bible on that shelf," her mother cut in.

Heyoooo! Nkiru exclaimed inwardly. She didn't like it when her mother was in her 'Preacher's wife' mood. Bad market! She should have gone to Nkechi's salon to keep her company.

She got up and picked the well-read King James bible from the shelf that contained exercise books. She handed it to her mother who had already dropped the melon seeds in her hand and reached for her glasses. She perched them on her nose--a pert nose her daughter had inherited from her--and began flipping through the pages of the holy book. Nkiru watched her intently.

"Ah ha! Here it is. Proverbs 18: 22. 'Whoso findeth a wife, findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord.' Beautiful!" She snapped the bible shut and fixed her gaze on her daughter.

"You kids of nowadays get it all wrong. A man mustn't have gold and silver before he's eligible for marriage. You girls don't know you're the favour of the men. If a man finds a wife, he finds a good thing and obtains favour from the Lord, meaning when a man finds a good woman, not all these useless girls around, God blesses him. She comes with favour to him.

'You father didn't have anything when I married him, not even a bicycle. He hadn't finished serving his master then and was yet to set up his own spare parts shop but when I came into his life, things turned around for him. The same thing happened to my two sisters and their husbands, even some of my friends. So, my dear, don't look down on a man because of his position today. You don't know what you can help him become tomorrow. The saying that behind every successful man is a woman is not just talk. It's her favour, the one she's naturally endowed with from God that makes the man successful."

"Then what happened, Mummy? How come we are now like this?" Nkiru needed to know. If her mother was really her father's favour, then what happened? Her favour ran out or what?

Mrs. Chikwendu sighed. "My dear, who can question God? He knows best. I know when money came, we lost focus. We pushed him into the back seat of our lives and focused on our wealth. We had faith in our wealth not in our God who gave us the wealth in the first place.

'I particularly blame myself because I'm the home maker. I should have noticed that we replaced God with wealth. It's quite funny how we humans behave sometimes. When we have nothing, God is our everything but when God gives us everything, He becomes nothing to us. 

'We have learnt from our mistakes though. We will get back to our previous status, even above that. Rain beats a leopard’s skin, but it does not wash out the spots. When God lifts us up again which He will surely do, we won't abandon Him again."

Nkiru could only nod her head. Yes, it was true. They had indeed lost focus. They had stopped going to church, even stopped morning and evening devotions because their father was always at his shops supervising things and her mother had made her supermarket her permanent abode while she and her siblings had spent their entire time after school watching movies. Nnamdi, her elder brother had been their parent then. He had shouldered their responsibilities.

"I understand, Mummy." she finally said after pushing back the memories into the recesses of her mind.

She stood up to sell biscuits and sweets for the small children who were on break and had snuck out of the school close to the house to buy snacks that their school didn't have for sale. When they were gone, she sat back and continued breaking the melon seeds.

"Nne, please when you go to stay with your uncle in Lagos next week, don't do anything to annoy him. Be the good child you've always been. A bad name is like a stigma. You know they're barely making ends meet like us, so please don't look down on them. Always be grateful for whatever they have to offer you. Whenever you're free, join his wife in the market to sell her wares. Enugo?"

"Yes, Mummy. I've heard you."

"Don't allow any boy or man deceive you. Instruction in youth is like engraving in stone."

"Haba Mummy!"

"Haba," Her mother mimicked. "Hassana has hausanized you." She chuckled. "It either ba, tor, wallahi or haba you say these days. How is she by the way?"

Nkiru giggled a little before replying. She too had noticed her words these days were strewn with Hausa words. Hassana was teaching her how to speak the language. She realized a long time ago that she fancied the language, having heard her roommate speak it on the phone numerous times. She felt the language was sexy.

"She's fine, Mummy. She's visiting relatives in Dubai before she joins her brother in India where she intends doing her IT."

"Milk and honey have different colors, but they share the same house peacefully," was all her mother said.

Her daughter quickly bit her tongue to keep from bursting into laughter. Between her and Nkechi, they'd nicknamed their mother, 'The Proverbial Mama'. Mrs. Chiwendu's tongue was filled with proverbs. Probably due to the fact that she'd been orphaned at birth and had had to be brought up by her grandparents. Her father had met his untimely death at the hands of a motorcycle rider who had made a wrong turn and crashed them into an incoming trailer when he was on his way to the hospital with baby things. Her mother had given up the ghost an hour after birthing her. Her grandparents--peasant farmers--had struggled to put her through primary school before they'd kicked their respective buckets and she'd had to go and live with a distant relative. She'd also struggled to put herself through junior secondary school and that had been it for her. No wonder education didn't mean anything to her especially when she couldn't even get a measly paying job with her certificate then and had resorted to petty trading to keep body and soul together before she met Nkiru's father. Even Nkiru's father didn't speak half the proverbs his wife spoke.

"Mummy, please don't worry about me. You know I've always tried my best to be a good child and not cause you and Daddy worry. I will never have cause to do anything to embarrass you or disappoint you. I will make you all very proud of me," Nkiru assured her mother with a straight face.

"Good. Thank you very much, my child. God will continue to bless you."

"Amen and you too, Mummy."

Mrs. Chikwendu smiled. What wonderful children God had blessed her with. To think she and her husband had abandoned them in the quest to make more money. Thank God He had brought them back to their senses before it became too late.

**********

Senator Chukwuma Ekwe stared at his son and wondered for the umpteenth time how he was going to get through to him. The once loving and jovial son of his had become an icicle. He gazed at Gateno, his other son and Fiorella, his only daughter and her two friends who couldn't keep their eyes off Giovanni while pretending to watch the programme going on on television.

Whenever he was home, he made sure every member of his family ate at the dining table with him and sat down with him in the living room to watch television afterwards till 9pm when they would be allowed to retire to their respective rooms. His late wife, bless her lovely soul, had made the rule then in order for the kids to get to know their father whenever he was around. It used to be a lively affair then which had always made him move mountains to come home in the past but these days, his home was more or less a graveyard. 

His kids along with Fiorella's friends had arrived home two days ago for their various holidays when he was out of Abuja on official assignment. Gaetano had already been home for a week before his siblings arrived, much to his joy. He stared at Gio again who was at his far right and Gateno who was at his far left. Only Fiorella and her friend's sat close to him on the thick taupe leather couch. He couldn't blame them though, the living room was large with a high ceiling and very long rich-textured, gold flaked curtains. The living room was elegant, a mixture of soft creams and beige contrasted with deep-cushioned sofas in taupe leather, and the artwork on the walls were genuine. The whole ambience was one of understated elegance and serious money.

The house was large. The senator had wanted it built like an Italian castle or a hacienda but in the end, it had seemed too big for his family of six then and much bigger for his family of four now. So he'd opted for a simple house with different wings for his family. He and his late wife had shared a wing at the eastern part of the house, his boys had the north wing to themselves which was situated in the middle of the house while Fiorella's was to the west. He'd wanted Fiorella in the wing close to his but his wife had insisted on him giving it to their boys. She knew boys would be boys but she wasn't going to tolerate them having girls in their rooms. She had to keep them close to monitor them. Fiorella she knew wouldn't dare bring a boy into her room. Senator Ekwe had bowed in deference to his wife's reasons.

The senator cleared his throat.

"Giovanni, have you booked your flight to London?" he asked his son.

"Yes." His son didn't even bother withdrawing his gaze from the television.

"When are you leaving?"

"Next week."

His father was surprised.

"Why next week? But your IT doesn't begin till two weeks from now."

"I've got some stuff to do over there," came the blunt reply. Had his dad known his initial plan from school was to leave the following day on arriving home after Fiorella told him she was coming home with friends, he would be grateful he was even going to spend a week here. He'd changed his mind on meeting Tano at home. He missed the kiddo and wanted to keep the lonely child company. He did have stuff to do over there in London though.

Senator Ekwe wanted to say more about the journey but decided to let it go. He had gotten the approval of a London research institute for Gio to carry out his industrial training. He would be staying with his brother's son, Richard who was schooling there.

"I believe I don't need to tell you how to behave when you get there."

"You don't." Another blunt reply.

His father let out a deep breath. There were days he felt like slapping the cold mask off his son's face. Would Gio ever forgive him for the mistake he made? He hadn't understood the situation then. Fear clutched his heart when he remembered Gio had just four years to go before claiming his inheritance. If only there was something he could do to make his son continue needing him, continue depending on him. He was afraid he'd lose his son permanently when Gio came into his inheritance. And now that the money was meant for him alone, it would have yielded a lot of interest. He cursed his late father-in-law again. Why couldnt he have just given his money to charity instead of his grandsons? It was all so frustrating!

"Gaetano, when are you resuming school?"

Gaetano removed his eyes from the television and focused on his handsome father, an older version of his elder brother.

"Next month."

"Make sure you present the list of everything you need for school early this time around."

"Yes, Dad."

"Third term, right?"

"Yes."

"Hmm...you're becoming a big boy," he teased and was glad when his last child smiled happily. "It's J.S.S. 3 next, right?"

"Yes, Dad."

"Okay. Keep studying hard. I'm very proud of you."

Gaetano was all smiles from ear to ear.

"Thanks, Dad."

"You're welcome, Son."

The senator turned to his daughter, the favourite of his children. "Fi, how are your studies?"

Fi, with a bright smile on her face, scooted closer to him and laid her head on his shoulder. He put a strong arm around her shoulders.

"Fine, Daddy. It's coming along just fine. I can't wait to graduate though." She pouted prettily.

Her father laughed. 

"You still have two more years to go."

Fi groaned. "I know. I hate thinking of it. I wish I were Gio right now," she chirped and cast a look of longing at her elder brother who was gazing intently at the television. Fi sighed. She knew her brother wasn't a fan of Nigerian movies. He was only fronting with what seemed like utmost concentration. His body language showed he really didn't want to be there. He was only with them on sufferance and compulsion.

"Don't worry, my darling. You will get there soon."

Gio rose, his movements fluid and beautiful to watch. Fiorella's friends were mesmerized.

"May I be excused? It's 9pm." He looked straight at his dad while Fi lifted her head from his shoulder. It was a usual routine. She pleaded with cat eyes for her father to do something to make Gio stay longer with them even though he didn't even acknowledge their presence.

Her father conceded. "Why don't you stay a bit longer? It's still pretty early."

Gio put his hands in the pockets of his slacks.

"I've got some packing to do." The excuse was flimsy, even to his ears, but he was in no mood for playing happy family.

Fi jerked upright. "I'll help you pack. I promise." 

The frozen expression on his face didn't change. "Thanks, but no thanks, Fi. The last time you helped me pack for school, you left half my belongings behind."

Fi broke out in giggles. "I just assumed that those things were unnecessary."

Her heart leapt for joy when she thought she caught a glimpse of the beginning of a smile on his face but it was so brief she wasn't sure. 

"May I be excused?" he asked again. His sister's shameless friends were almost peeling the skin off his body with their intense scrutiny.

His father shrugged.

"Sure but be down for breakfast tomorrow."

"Fine," he replied and walked briskly out of the room with all eyes on him.

Fi pouted and snuggled close to her father again.

"Don't worry, princess. Someday, he will return back to how he used to be. Let sleepings dogs lie for now. "

"But when? When we've all left this house?"

"No. I think when he meets his Mrs. Right."

Fi chuckled.

"That's so unlikely. You know he hates girls."

"I bet you he won't be able to resist his special one," he said with certainty.

Fi giggled again. "I really can't imagine Gio in love. It would be hilarious."

Her father laughed. A very rich laugh that attracted the attention of the other females in the room. Since the middle-aged man had passed on his gorgeous gene to his son and also looked far younger than his age, they drooled at his handsome face and athletic physique.

"May I be excused too?" Gaetano put in as he rose from the golden brown leather armchair.

"Why?" Fi asked.

"I need to ask Gio some questions."

"Good luck with that." Fi inserted and Gaetano smiled. His elder sister was jealous of his relationship with their elder brother. He was the only one Gio really talked to in the house. Not all the time but most times which was something.

"Alright, Tano but I expect you to come down for breakfast early tomorrow morning."

Gaetano smiled again. Everyone knew he loved his beauty sleep expecially on holidays and weekends.

"Good night, Dad. Good night, Fi. Good night, Jessica and Yemisi."

They all bade him goodnight. 

Gaetano climbed the spiral steps that led to his own part of the house with Gio. He went to his room, quickly had his night bath, put on his olive green cotton PJs and went to his brother's room. He knocked briskly on the door. Gio, on black silk designer boxers opened the door. He opened it wider for his younger brother to come in.

Gio went to the king-sized bed he had shared with Giordano, picked up his gamepad and continued the NFS (Need For Speed) Nitro game he was playing on his laptop before his brother's knock. Their late mother had insisted that there would be no televisions in the rooms so they could all gather as a family in the living room to watch television. 

Gaetano who was a miniature of Giovanni and his father, was tall for his age and already a darling amongst girls his age and above. He looked around the spacious room at the pictures of different classic houses. Gio wasn't supposed to be studying mathematics in the university but architecture. Gio loved houses. Gaetano remembered with a smile that Gio had loved to come here with their dad when the house was being built. He even had his own model of the house and as a kid, he'd designed and built models of houses with matchsticks and empty boxes. That seemed like aeons ago.

Gaetano sat on one of the grey cushioned chairs and stared at his brother. He had redecorated his room after Dano died. He had removed the bright colors and replaced them with black and grey, from the curtains to the chairs, to the wall paper.

Was Fi right? Gaetano thought. Did Gio hate girls? But he could still remember the time Gio and Dano would discuss girls non-stop. He'd felt the height of frustration at such times. He remembered girls would see his elder brothers home from school every weekday and stay for awhile before they went home. Their birthday parties had more girls than guys and he'd once caught Gio in a compromising situation with a girl before. What really happened to put Gio off girls? Maybe some girl had broken his heart. He had a feeling he would never know.

Gio paused the game and viewed his brother's solemn disposition.

"What is it, Tano? You're usually not this quiet."

"I've been meaning to discuss this with you since you came back home two days ago. It's..." He faltered and looked at Dano's picture on the wall.

Gio hid a smile. 

"It's...it's about this girl in my class. Her name is Lucy and she..." He stopped abruptly when he noticed his elder brother was frowning.

"How old are you?" Gio asked him.

Gaetano's palm slippers became interesting to look at.

"Eleven," he replied in a small voice. 

"Eleven and you're already into girls? Is that what they teach you guys at Loyola?" Gio sternly questioned his kid brother.

Gaetano felt like crying. Gio really did hate girls now. For him to ask such a question when in his days at Loyola, he and Dano had always been flavours of months to girls then meant he wouldn't understand.

Pushing himself to his feet, "I'm so...sorry," he stammered and rushed to the door. Gio waited for him to get to the door before saying,

"Come back here, dude. I'm not through with you yet."

Gaetano slowly walked back to the chair and sat down without sparing his brother a glance.

Gio stared at his brother, smiling. He finally broke the silence.

"Lucy, right? Tell me about her."

Gaetano's head shot up so sharply, it was a wonder he didn't sprain his neck muscles. He smiled when he noticed Gio was smiling. His brother had only been pulling his legs. He grinned. This was what the old Gio used to do.

"Lucy Igbinoba. She's like an angel. Tall, dark skinned with a shape to die for. I have a crush on her the size of Nigeria," Tano blurted out. Gio chuckled.

"But the problem is, I don't know how to tell her I like her. Boys are always around her," he relayed in a forlorn manner.

"Are you asking me for a strategy?"

"Yeah."

"When was the last time you saw me with a girl?"

Gaetano scratched his clean shaven head. 

"Ahhh...I can't really remember."

"Listen to me carefully, Tano. I swore off girls for a reason. I'm not asking you to do the same thing. In all sincerity, you're really too young to be talking about girls. While I can understand your feelings for this girl, I'm not going to encourage you to pursue it. Just try to be friends with her. Don't tell her you like her or anything, then see if your crush survives. If it doesn't fade away after awhile, then you can do something about it. But that should be when you get to senior secondary."

Gaetano was crushed and he sulked.

"What if someone else gets her? She has refused advances from other guys but doesn't mind being my friend."

"See, she likes you!" Gio inserted. "Develop your friendship with her first. By the time you have a strong friendship, no boy will come in between the two of you."

"And you're sure she won't call me a loser for not asking her out?"

Gio laughed. "Nope. If she really likes you, she might even make the first move."

Gaetano finally smiled.

"That would be swell. Thanks, Gio. I feel good now. I'll call her tomorrow just to say hi."

"That's the spirit."

Gaetano smiled and yawned. He stood up. "I want to go to bed."

"Yeah, sleeping beauty." Gio teased but both of them tensed. 

That had been their mother's nickname for him because he loved sleeping. Tears gathered in Tano's eyes. He missed his mother so much.

Gio saw them, raised a hand to touch his kid brother but dropped it again. The gesture would only make Tano cry.

"Good night," Tano whispered and hurriedly left the room.

Gio debated within himself and argued with Dano for five minutes before he got up and went to Tano's room.

What he saw when he opened the door to his kid brother's room broke his heart. Tano was seated on the bed with their mother's portrait on his laps and tears streaming profusely from his eyes. Gio shut the door, walked slowly to his brother and sat beside him. He put his arm around his shoulder but couldn't find the words to comfort him. Tano leant on him.

"I miss her so much," he wailed. "Why did she die? Why did she leave us? Why did God take her away? It's so unfair."

Gio just allowed him cry. He didn't know what to say. Should he tell him that God--if He was truly in existence--was partial, only up there for a selected few? He didn't know what to say because he hadn't been the one to comfort him when he had been told the news of his mother's demise. Dano had been the one there for him, while Gio had shut himself in his room in deep mourning during that painful period.

He looked at Dano for help but his late twin shook his head sadly and disappeared.

He gazed down at the framed photograph of his mother. She had been a very beautiful woman. An African queen with a darkness that shone. She had once told him that she had modeled for a while in her youthful days. She had a figure that would rival Naomi Campbell's anyday. So full of life, she had been his best friend after Dano. The best mother in the world hade made her children feel loved.

"It's okay, Tano. I'm here for you. I'll always be here for you," he finally said.

He waited for Tano to fall asleep and then covered him with the beddings before he left the room. As he came out of the room, he met one of Fiorella's house guest in a pink-tulip, sexy translucent lingerie that left nothing to the imagination.

Gio sent a glittering look of derision over her. He didn't feel anything but irritation. What was she doing here? This was the boys' wing.

He made to pass but she stopped him with a slim hand on his arm.

"I'm so sorry. I seem to have lost my way. This house is so big. I'm trying to find my way downstairs to have a drink. Emmm...care to join me?" Jessica said in a sultry voice.

Gio didn't spare her a glance again. He shook her arm off his, strolled to his room down the corridor and shut the door quietly.

Jessica fumed. This Gio was really a stubborn goat! She had been trying her best to get his attention since they got here two days ago and now the b*stard was planning on leaving in a few days. If she had known all her plans would fail, she would have gone to Chris's place in Port Harcourt instead of withstanding this sexual frustration.

She hissed and walked slowly down the stairs to girls' wing. She was definitely chasing her tail.

**********

The amused guy on the bed watched with enjoyment the two ladies quarreling heatedly in his room at his hostel, Our Saviour's Meridian. This was the same reason he'd left his former lodges, Uncle Sam and St. Georges. Now the same thing was happening again. His hostel mates had already come and gone to find out what was going on in his room. Some of them had even put off their deafening music just to hear the words being exchanged by the shameless girls. Busybodies!

The two girls didn't even realize they were making spectacles of themselves. They blistered each other's ears with insults that would shock even a dockyard LovePeddler. They also washed their dirty linens in his presence. He got to know who had an abortion last month, who slept with her lecturer and who stole underwear from a boutique.

This was definitely the end of his association with them. He didn't however mind having a one-off night with one of them. One of the ladies he'd been eyeing before the strike action. The first runner up in the school's beauty pageant- Miss Delsu. The girl had a body to die for. Creamy skin, svelte shape, long legs and a poise befitting a queen.

After finally succeeding in getting her to his room and wooing her with a honey-coated tongue, her dang ugly best friend had happened on them. He hadn't even known they were friends let alone best of friends. What business hath light with darkness? The said best friend was nothing to write home about. She'd been chasing him all over campus since they resumed after the long strike was over.

He felt it was an insult that an ugly person would chase him. What the heck? Fine boy, no pimples like him being seen around an ugly bird. A girl so ugly that ugliness had gone on retirement when she was born. To add insult to injury, she was dark skinned. He wasn't attracted to dark-skinned girls being dark skinned himself. How would their children look? Like roasted corn?

He was always flattered when beautiful girls hung around him. As a rule he never dated anyone. He kept them as friends and bedmates. Why tie yourself to one girl when you weren't ready for marriage? Why start eating egusi soup at such a young age when there were varieties of soups with enough garnishing to make one salivate? He could even manage okro soup once in a while than having to eat egusi soup everyday. Rubbish! There was no girl who would tie him down before he was ready.

Felix removed his gaze from the girls throwing saliva at each other and focused it on his wall clock. He had a lecture by 2pm and these ladies looked as if they'd keep having a go at each other till the following day. It was time to end the show.

He cleared his throat loudly and sat up. He cleared it again but since the quarrel was still heated, the ladies who'd graduated into abusing each other's parents didn't hear him.

"Ladies! Ladies!" The disgusted guy yelled at the top of his voice. Almost-beauty queen paused to cast beautiful eyes at him while Miss Uglitude continued talking. Indeed, empty vessels made the most noise.

"Shut up, B*tch!" Felix curtly demanded. That got her attention. She frowned heavily and worsened her facial features by that act.

Felix quickly moved his gaze to the beautiful girl staring at him with hurt in her eyes.

"I have to be in Campus Three for a lecture. You two should leave," He delivered bluntly.

Of course it was the ugly girl who retaliated while the beautiful one only dealt him an incredulous look.

"Are you asking me to leave your room?" she echoed in ringing disbelief.

Felix felt a sudden upsurge of rage.

"You see question mark for my talk? Who dey ask you? My friend, gerrout of my room!" He was on his feet by now with a murderous look in his eyes.

She confounded things by suddenly bursting into tears. "Felix, what you're doing isn't fair. Remember what goes around comes around. How dare you treat me like this? After everything I've bought for you. Why did you approach my best friend? Is it because she's finer than me? But I didn't create myself, did I? Am I God?"

Of course you no be God. God no ugly. Na devil you be. Felix said within himself.

The beautiful girl with a hand on her waist and a sassy look on her face decided to concur with her friend. "Felix, I does not like what you did too. Why didn't you told me that you have speak to Gina? Now it looks as if I want to thief you from her. I never knows you...is...are the one she always said about. Why Felix? Fine boy like you does this bad thing."

Someone, please shoot me in the head. Jesu! Now he knew why Efe--the beautiful lady--always replied him in monosyllables. No wonder she'd replied all her friend's insults in pidgin English. In the heat of the moment, she must have forgotten to speak her trademark pidgin english. A final year student of pyschology! Moses sandals! How had she answered her questions during the pageant? She probably knew the questions she was going to be asked and had crammed the answers before hand. Fake a** pageant! Imagine introducing such a girl to his friends. She would drown him in a sea of shame.

What to do now? He pondered. Omo, na to put on his legendary charm. Having to listen to such bad grammar again might cause him to suffer a bout of migraine.

Getting them to leave his room peacefully and quietly was going to be like herding cats but he had to try. He turned on his world class charm.

"Ladies, I'm so sorry about the way things turned out. I promise you we will sort things out when I come back from lectures. I'll call both of you to come over. But please do me a favour; stop quarelling. Sensational ladies like you shouldn't quarrel. Have you ever heard of African queens quarreling?" He purred, tongue in cheek.

Efe smiled shyly but Gina wasn't moved. Her big eyes narrowed to pinpoints. Felix had always treated her like garbage. Why was he being sweet all of a sudden?

Wetin dey worry dis ojuju sef? Felix demanded inwardly when he noticed his charm had failed to work on her.

Fortunately for him, his friend, Oghenero burst into his room just then like a vampire trying to hide from the sun. His eyes were bloodshot and his countenance that of one ready to fight the devil in the deepest of seas. The girls got the message when he cast a look of pure irritation at them. They quietly headed for the door but not before Gina had made a gesture with her little finger and fore finger against her ear indicating that Felix should call her. The poor thing had no idea that the handsome philanderer didn't save her number in his phone. There was not a dog's chance of him calling her.

Felix watched as Oghenero paced his room, back and forth. He'd obviously had another fight with his father. They were like fuel and fire. The old man refused renting a place for his son away from home yet taunted the poor boy at every turn in his house. Felix had done his best to calm his friend down whenever he was like this but he knew something was different. Even his friend's disheveled appearance showed more than a quarrel had taken place in that battlefield he called his home.

"Guy, abeg eye don dey turn me with this your movement. What happened again?" Felix asked when he couldn't take the suspense anymore.

Oghenero stilled and faced his friend.

"My father is in the hospital," he quietly said.

Felix's jaw dropped. The man always looked as fit as a fiddle to him. Indeed the saying, even though the old man is strong and hearty, he will not live forever was true.

"Eiya. What happened? Na stroke?" Felix queried, still finding it hard to believe that a man who looked as healthy as a horse and didn't joke with his health was in the hospital

"Save your pity. I put him there," Oghenero slotted in drily.

Felix's jaw dropped again. His friend went on to recount what transpired between them. He'd never told Felix before that his father always hit his mother at the slightest provocation. He was ashamed of such an act. His father had hit her again that afternoon over something as trivial as her not putting his shirt in the right place. Totally frustrated, he'd confronted his father and a quarrel had ensued. Before he knew what he was doing, he'd decked the old man a blow so forceful, his father had landed on the floor in a dead faint. They'd rushed him to the hospital, afraid the worst had happened but the doctor had assured them that he would be alright.

"The most painful thing is that my mother accussed me of trying to kill her husband. With her bottom lip still bleeding from his blow, she told me to mind my business. Imagine!"

Felix couldn't hold it in anymore. He burst into a fit of laughter. The tale sounded hilarious to him. The shock the man must have felt at such a blow. And Oghenero was left-handed! What a blow it must have been! Dare he ask his friend what part of his father's body the blow had landed on? Oh, how he'd love to see the once sturdy man on his hospital bed, probably with a black eye. He still didn't understand why men beat up women. They were such delicate creatures. Granted, they could drive one mad with their tongues but better to leave the house or place for them like his father always did whenever his mother was on the warpath than to use them for wrestling practice. It was quite unfair.

"But guy, you shouldn't have punched him na. Do you know there's every likelihood that your son might do the same thing to you in future?"

Oghenero waved a hand in anger. "I don't care. I have never hit a girl in my life and I never will, not after seeing the pain and humiliation my mother has endured in the hands of my wicked father. I was just sick and tired of watching her cry and try to hide her bruises from us. It so shameful. How can a man prefer talking with his fist than his mouth? Did God make fists for talking?"

Felix nodded in agreement. "That one dey sha. But your mother didn't thank you for it na."

Oghenero hissed. "I don't blame her though. I believe she just didn't want our village people to accuse her of killing her husband. I saw her smiling a little when I stood up for her. It was just the fear that I'd killed my father and would probably end up in jail that frightened her."

Felix went through the scene in his mind's eye and wondered if he'd ever raise a hand to his father. Granted, his father could be the most annoying man on earth at times and he always felt like knocking his blocks off but he knew he'd never hit the man. Ingrained respect would not let him. He'd feel he'd committed a sacrilege and would have to make sacrifices with outrageous things such as the toe nail of a chicken born blind, the left eye of an octopus, the very first poo of a frog, whiskers of a six-month-old puppy and all that.

His gaze fell on his friend who'd taken a seat at his reading table and brought out a wrap, and was now in search of a match box on the table.

"Guy, wetin be that? You wan high? Na helicopter be this abi na skyscraper? Abeg go smoke that thing for another place jor," Felix told him squarely.

"Dude, please understand. I need to cool down," His friend pleaded.

"Then go look for deep freezer make you sleep inside," Felix slammed back.

Oghenero hissed. "You don't get it. You don't understand what weed can do for you. You don't know what you're missing."

Felix wasn't convinced. "I know. The first time I tried it out of curiosity in my first year here, I slept naked inside the boot of a car. I no do again. If to say everybody be like me, all these weed dealers, breweries, Benson and Hedges them, they for don close down by now. Na only c.ondom factory for they exist. That's the way I roll."

Oghenero grinned and respected his friend's wishes by tucking the wrap into his trouser pocket.

"Guy, come do movement. I get lecture for Campus Three." Felix moved to his wooden hanger on the wall and started looking for a shirt to put on.

"Me too. Let's go together."

"No problemo."

*To be continued*

CHAPTER FOUR

Episode 9

Letting go means to come to the realization that some people are a part of your history, but not a part of your destiny.
—Steve Maraboli

Six Months Later...

2010

TOSIN scratched his head as he searched his brain for a perfect plan. He watched his friend talk to himself as usual. He was trying to play Cupid. It was so obvious to him that Gio liked that Nkiru girl. Gio had done everything possible to avoid her. He stopped attending the same lectures with her before they had gone for their IT for six months. 

They were back now and preparing to defend their Siwes report. He had thought in the six months of their abscence in school, Gio would have forgotten her but that wasn't the case. While telling him the juicy stories of his IT, he'd noticed Gio's attention had been captured elsewhere. He'd watched with astonishment and faint amusement as Gio had followed Nkiru's movement with those dark eyes of his when she passed by. The same thing had happened some days later when they were having lunch in their favorite restaurant and Nkiru had passed by again with that beautiful Hausa friend of hers. Neither lacking perception or native wit, he'd made friends with Hassana and gotten Nkiru's mobile phone number from her.

Something had changed in Gio. He was still as cold as ice but there was something different about him. It was as if one of the masks he wore had melted off his face. Had he done his IT in the sunny terrain of any of the South American countries, it would have been plausible but he'd worked in London, a naturally cold place. Something must have happened there. He was still trying to get his head around it. Tosin wasn't a fan of foreign countries. He'd only gone abroad once in his entire life and that had been at the insistence of his father to see if anything could be done about his limp. He felt there were a lot of places to explore in Nigeria and wasn't attracted to foreign girls one bit. He stayed away from them.

As a good friend, he had to do something to get Gio together with his crush. He would not let the grass grow under his feet concerning this. It was time to put on his thinking cap. An idea unexpectedly popped in his brain like a light bulb being switched on.

"Gio, please borrow me your phone. I'm out of air time," he said quietly to his friend who was surfing the net with his laptop.

"Knock yourself out." Gio passed him the phone without looking up.

Tosin smiled as he took the phone. He searched his own phone for Nkiru's number and sent her a text message through Gio's phone. it read,

"Hi Nkiru. It's Giovanni Ekwe. Please, I'd love for us to meet at my reading section inside Mary Slessor's hall tomorrow afternoon after lectures. I have something to discuss with you. Please be there. Ciao."

He made sure the message showed delivered before deleting it. He quickly flashed the number in order for her to check her phone in case she intended replying. When she didn't send a reply after he'd waited ten minutes, he returned the phone to its owner.

"You didn't make the call?" Gio asked him when he placed the phone beside his laptop.

"Unavailable," Tosin fielded as he went back to his reading table.

Gio shook his head with a smile etched on his face. "Ruined plans for tonight, huh?"

Tosin grinned. "Nope. The appointment is for tomorrow afternoon," he informed him and under his breath murmured, "And it's yours."

"Pardon?"

"Nothing. Go ahead and continue talking to yourself or your imaginary late twin. I'm off to dinner." Tosin took brisk steps to the door.

Gio's eyes narrowed as he watched his friend leave the room. Dano came to sit beside him on the bed.

"That your friend is very mischievous." He grinned.

"I wonder how mischievous he'd be when he discovers you're real," Gio commented, smiling mischeivously.

"Probably run out of the room naked," Dano inserted drily.

Gio burst out laughing.

"Please show yourself to him even if it's just your finger. Please."

Dano grimaced. "You know I can't do that. I don't want you bombarded by psychologists again. This time around, I believe Dad will have you committed for life."

Gio's mouth tightened at the reminder of what he had gone through.

Dano stood up ."You can't continue hating him, Gio. He's still our father."

"I don't want to talk about it." His twin stressed in an undertone and kept his eyes on the screen of his laptop.

"You always don't want to talk about it," Dano complained as he stood before him, right through the mattress.

"Knock it off," His living twin warned sternly.

"We have to talk about it sometime." Dano pressed.

"Let it go, Dano," Gio coldly remarked.

"Gio, I..."

".ammit Dano! I said let it go." Gio rose from the bed angrily. He went to his wardrobe to put on a Marks and Spencer shirt and Levi jeans. His feet were slotted hurriedly into his palm slippers.

"Where are you off to?"

"Outside. With people; where I don't have to see or listen to you," he informed his brother surly.

Dano chuckled. "You know you can't hide from me. We're always together. I'm you and you're me."

Gio hissed and left the room after buttoning his shirt.

He left the hostel environment and continued walking. He ignored the fact that his twin was walking right beside him; albeit silently. He continued walking amidst the busy school. It was dinner time and the best time for males and females to intermingle before 9pm when they would part company. They usually made the most of the little time they had to spend together. The restaurants were bustling with students and hit songs blared from speakers. Suya joints were crowded. The beer joints were equally filled. He passed by students discussing the soon-to-held world cup in South Africa and placing bets on the country that would carry the day. Had he been a gambler, he would have placed his bet on Spain. That was the country currently with bragging rights. Some were planning on getting tickets to go watch the final. He loved football but he wasn't that crazy as to leave school and head to South Africa just to watch whichever country lift the prestigious cup. He'd however do anything to go and watch his favourite club, Barcelona do their thing.

Gio walked past them to a lonely place. It was a place filled with stone benches were people came to relax and escape from the noisy atmosphere of the school whenever they wanted peace and quiet to think. It was dimly lit with ancient chinese lamps. He sat on one of the benches. He however got irritated and had to change seats when the guy beside him lit a cigarette. He moved again when a girl kept humming the lyrics of 'Young Forever' by Jay Z featuring Mr. Hudson which she was listening on her phone. Finally, he found a secluded place and sat down at the edge of the next stone bench, a few feet away from someone.

He was just getting lost in thoughts when he heard a gasp and a sweet voice say,

"Are you stalking me now?"


WTF! He scrutinized the person's face in the dim light and of course who would be there besides his Achilles heel, Nkiru Chiwendu?

"Why are you stalking me?" she questioned again.

Gio shot her a look of comical confusion.

"Stalking you? What the h.ell are you talking about?"

"Please stop playing games. Ever since you came back from your IT, I've been seeing you everywhere. I keep finding you wherever I am," Nkiru accussed curtly.

Gio craned his neck sideways and backwards to see if she was talking to someone else. There was no one there. He looked at her hands to see of she was holding a phone and talking on it through an ear piece or blue tooth but her lovely hands were bare.

His lack of understanding reflected on his face. "Excuse me. I don't know what you're talking about."

"Please don't play dumb with me," Nkiru retorted sharply.

Gio was dumbfounded. No one had ever used that tone of voice with him except his late mother.

"You want to deny you didn't send a message to me requesting we meet tomorrow in Mary Slessor's hall?"

Gio closed his eyes. This was a dream. After arguing with Dano, he had probably fallen asleep. 

He opened his eyes again and saw those deep hazel eyes staring at him angrily.

"Dano, is this your doing?"

"What did you say?" Nkiru demanded.

He turned around looking for his twin but didn't see him. He pulled himself together. There was definitely a mistake made somewhere. His brilliant gaze had narrowed to piercing pin-points of light, arrowing over her shabbily-dressed figure and the hazel eyes dominating her round face.

"Please, may I see the message?"

"What's that supposed to mean? Are you pretending you didn't send it to me?" Her hazel eyes glowed in anger. Gio got mesmerized by the beautiful sight but hastily shook himself off it.

"Please," he firmly said. "Let me see it."

She glared at him for a few minutes before picking the hand bag beside her and rummaging through it. She brought out a Nokia phone and operated it. She thrust the phone at him.

Geez, did such phones still exist? It was among the first set of Nokia phones to flood Nigeria at the inception of GSM in the country. He couldn't even remember the model.

Gio's dark eyes widened. It was his number alright. But how?

"That damn meddler!" he furiously whispered when he remembered Tosin had collected his phone earlier.

He heaved a sigh of disappointmemt.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't send you this message. My roommate did. He's a meddler and an apprentice matchmaker."

Nkiru didn't believe him. "Why would he do that?"

"You're the first female I've spoke to apart from my sister and cousins in a long time. Naturally, he assumed something was going on."

"But I've only spoken to you once when you came to ask me for my notebook."

"Twice," he corrected with a quirk in his mouth.

"Yeah, I remember, twice. The second being when you rudely walked away from me while I was still talking," Nkiru concurred with a pointed glance.

Gio opened his mouth to defend himself but thought against it and closed it. He lifted one broad shoulder in a slight fluid shrug that was the very essence of supreme cool.

"Well, I'm not interested!" Nkiru held her phone and started playing with it.

"I'm not also!" he stated firmly and made to stand up when she murmured, "well, we all know why you're not interested."

Gio froze. What did she mean?

"Kindly tell me why I'm not interested in a relationship with you."

Nkiru shrugged. "You play for the other team."

"Play for..." Gio was repeating her words, before the meaning dawned on him. He flung his head back and laughter bubbled from his chest.

Nkiru, with surprise in her eyes watched the wonderful picture of Gio laughing. Gio laughing? It was a mirage! His laughter was quite deep and rich.

"While I don't care what you or anyone think of me, I can assure you that I'm not gay," The handsome guy countered with hilarity.

Nkiru shrugged again. "That's your business. Please stop stalking me and do you mind moving to another bench? I really would like to be alone."

Just for a moment she thought she saw a flash of anger deep in the unrevealing coal-black eyes, but then it was gone, or perhaps it had never been, she decided as his habitually bland expression gazed straight back at her.

Gio felt as if he had been slapped. She was quite haughty yet he couldn't stop the attraction that drew him to her.

"Nope. Go and find yourself another seat." He stretched his legs before him and smiled, his tone one of casual dismissal.

Nkiru stood up. "I can see your mother raised a gentleman."

In response to that scornful comment, Gio shot her a seething appraisal, his dark eyes flaming like hot coals. He quickly got up and held her hand firmly. "Don't you ever talk about my mother again!"

Time stood still as they stared into each other's eyes. Gio felt a stirring in his loins and his eyes widened. He hastily dropped her hand as if it had caught fire and rushed out of the place. Nkiru stood there, numb. She couldn't explain the bolts of electricity that had passed through her body when she and Gio had engaged in a staring contest. Her stomach felt as if fluttering things were moving all over it. She sat down heavily on the stone bench. What just happened?

**********

Gio wandered around the school trying to put his thoughts in order. What just happened? What were the things that moved all over his body while he held and stared at Nkiru. He shook his head and put his hands in his pockets. No! He knew he felt attracted to her but not this strongly. He couldn't afford to have anything to do with any female. She had felt it too 'cause her eyes had widened also. He sighed. He really needed to start avoiding her again. What was it with her anyway? She wasn't beautiful, she dressed horribly and was actually beneath his status. He shook his head again. He needed to get even with Tosin for setting him up. His friend needed to be taught a lesson for trying to play Cupid. How would he do that, he pondered. He was close to the microbiology lab and it gave him an idea. He walked towards the back of the lab to look for a spider. Tosin was scared of spiders. That would be the perfect revenge. He was so lost in thought that he didn't notice the couple making out at the back of the building. He was almost upon them before he noticed their presence. The guy quickly withdrew and drew up his trouser while the girl who was bent over with her hands on the wall, brought down her mini skirt and straightened her body. He would have walked away without caring had the girl not turned to face him, causing the moonlight to illuminate her face. He came face to face with Fiorella's best friend. What was her name again? He didn't even know.

He retraced his steps without uttering a word. Jessica ran after him.

"Gio please. Please don't tell Fi," she pleaded as she walked with him. "She doesn't know anything about this. Please don't tell her. Please."

She stopped walking when Gio continued to ignore her and walk rapidly.

D.amn! What was she going to do? Jessica kicked sand off the ground with her heeled shoe. She couldn't lose Fi as her friend, having invested so much in their relationship. She couldn't lose the things she gained from her. And then again, there was Gio and her plans to marry him. D.amn! Hope she hadn't missed the boat of snagging him with this action. She hit her hand on her head in self recrimination. What had he been doing there anyway? Well, she shrugged, she might as well go back and finish what she'd started. After all, she was unsatiated and still had to pay Chris. Tomorrow would take care of itself.

Gio resumed his quest for a spider behind the physics lab and got a big one. He put it in his breast pocket and watched it carefully, making sure it didn't escape. He pinged Fi and asked her to see him after lectures the following day. He got to his hostel room and smiled. Tosin was already asleep on his bed. He probably intended waking up later in the night to hit his books. Gio turned off the lights and put on the flash light. He brought out the spider and approached Tosin's bed. He sat down beside his friend and gently tapped him awake. Tosin who had been lying on his side turned to face Gio. The light from the torch captured the big, black spider and Tosin's eyes bulged out of its sockets.

"You set me up with Nkiru, right?" Gio smirked.

"Gi...Gi...Gio" Tosin stammered and swallowed heavily. He was visibly shaking.

Dano suddenly materialized beside Gio.

"Gio, stop it. You're scaring him."

"No, Dano. He started it. This would teach him to meddle in my affairs." 

Tosin looked in the direction that Gio was looking and talking. There was only darkness.

"Who are you talking to, Gio?"

"Who says I'm Gio? I'm Dano and I'm talking to Gio. And no, I don't conjure him in my mind to talk to him. He's actually standing beside us right now. Gio, show yourself," His roommate said with relish.

Tosin fearfully looked into the darkness again and gulped heavily. The grip of fear released him and with a shout, he leapt from the bed in his boxers.

"Blood of Jesus! Blood of Jesus!" He stumbled and fell but picked himself again and rushed out of the room still trying to conjure the blood of his savior from heaven.

Gio laughed uncontrollably. He put on the light and laid on his bed with his hands beneath his head, staring at the ceiling. Dano stood beside him.

"That was very naughty of you, Gio. You've just put yourself into trouble by employing that old trick we used back in the days," Dano castigated, knowing his twin had bitten more than he could chew.

Gio shook his head. "Nah! He'll come back. It was the spider that scared him."

Dano stared at his living twin. "Gio, haven't you ever wondered why I'm still here? Why you can still see me and talk to me after four years of my demise?"

Gio moved his head to look at him and smiled. "Are you dead?" 

Dano shook his head in sorrow. "I'm here for a reason. You have to..."

Gio cut in. "That reminds me. Why weren't you there when I was with Nkiru?"

Dano shook his head sorrowfully again. "You still don't get it."

"Get what?"

Dano was about replying when the door burst open and some students rushed into the room. Gio calmly surveyed them. He heard Tosin's voice from outside the door telling the students to help him with his T-shirt and beddings.

"Is it true, Gio? Are you losing it?" One of the students boldly questioned. Gio gave him a bright smile. 

One of the other students took the beddings and shirt and they all walked out of the room without a single sound. Gio smiled but Dano shook his head. 

Gio woke up early the following day and prepared for lectures. Tosin was still not back. He tried calling him but the latter kept rejecting his calls. Resigned, Gio sent him a message apologizing for what he did the previous night and that it had been a crude joke on his part. Tosin didn't reply. 

Gio noticed the weird looks he got when he went for his first lectures but ignored them. He also ignored the whispers but couldn't ignore the sad look on Dano's face. By mid-day, the secretary to the dean of student affairs for males came to his class. He was being summoned for a meeting. He got to the richly furnished office and met Tosin and the students who came to his room the night before already there. 

Mr. Obiora, the dean of student affairs for the male students with his grey hair and pot belly motioned for him to sit beside Tosin on one of the empty wooden chairs before him. Tosin rapidly stood when Gio came closer. Gio was alarmed inwardly but his face was a cold mask. He shrugged and sat down while Tosin remained standing.

Mr. Obiora, known for his shrewdness, placed his spectacles on his large nose and peered at Gio.

"I'm not going to patronize you so I'll go straight to the point. Did you or did you not scare your roommate with a spider and your late twin last night?"

"I did," was the solemn reply he got.

Mr. Obiora relaxed back in his swivel black leather chair and studied Gio. 

"Why did you do that?"

"It was a joke. More like a pay-back prank."

"Payback?" The dean's bushy eyebrow lifted.

Gio stared at the numerous files on the table. He really didn't want to be here. Tosin had taken things too far.

"He set me up on a date with a girl without my knowledge. I found out and decided to play a prank on him. There was nothing to it. It was harmless."

"Harmless enough for him to want to change rooms desperately?"

Gio was shocked but didn't show it.

The elderly man surveyed his student for a moment. 

"I went through your file. It appears you've been under psychological evaluation before. So instead of informing your father which I should rightly do, I've decided to let it go seeing that boys will be boys but I don't want a repeat of this incidence. Ever." 

His words landed with a thud.

Gio nodded slowly.

"In the mean time, I've booked an appointment for you with the school's therapist. Go to her after your lectures today. Am I clear?"

"Yes sir." 

"You've lost yourself a roommate but another will be assigned to your room soon. You're free to go."

Gio got up, carried his bag and left the office. "Thanks sir." He didn't spare the remaining occupants in the room a glance. Tosin, with sad eyes watched him leave the office.

Tosin moved towards the dean.

"Sir, please I don't want to change rooms again. I understand why he did what he did. I caused it," he eagerly pleaded with the bearded man.

The dean didn't conceed. "No. Not until he has been evaluated by the therapist. I've also heard rumors that he's gay."

"He's not!" Tosin defended vehemently.

Mr. Obiora smiled. "That will be all for now. Go and meet your porter and have him assign a room to you and document it."

Tosin with his head bowed, walked out of the room. He felt like a betrayer, a back-stabber. He knew now that Gio had been kidding. He hadn't wanted to report him but the other students had feared for their safety and had gone to report the incident to Mr. Obiora with him mentioned as their witness. What a mess! He should have thought of another way of bringing Gio and Nkiru together. Now Gio would never trust him again or anyone else for that matter. He'd learnt his lesson. It is the fool’s sheep that breaks loose twice. It was time to go back to the drawing board. Dialing his ex-roommate's number immediately he left the office, he prayed Gio would listen to him but his line was unavailable.

By evening, the rumor had gone round the whole school that not only was Gio mentally unbalanced, he was gay as well. That was why his roommate, Tosin had left his room. Tosin had tried to tell them it wasn't true but no one believed him. Wood already touched by fire is not hard to set alight. Fiorella wept like a baby in the arms of a smug-looking Jessica. No way was Gio going to tell on her now. 

He who earns calamity, eats it with his family.

**********

The handsome guy pushed away the book he was solving algebraic equations in. He was tired of studying. His eyes flickered closed. He missed Tosin terribly. The latter had a way of encouraging him. It was just two weeks after his departure but it felt like two months. The one guy he had allowed to get close to him had failed him woefully and now he was branded insane and gay. A close friend can become a close enemy. Despite the fact that the therapist's evaluation had put him in the clear, the rumor had stuck. It however didn't stop shameless girls from trying to talk to him but guys avoided him like a plague. He really didn't care but Dano kept pestering him to do something about it. He felt the rumor might affect him in future. Gio wasn't bothered but he was beginning to get lonely for the first time in four years. Dano wanted him to get close to Nkiru to dispel the rumors since she was the only girl he liked but he didn't want that kind of complication.

He was still pondering on what to do when he heard a gentle knock on the door. He was amazed. No one visited his room these days, besides it was pretty late in the day for visiting. The person opened the door and quickly entered the room. Gio had seen the guy around once or twice but he didn't really know him. The guy was short, slim and fair-skinned. He sat beside the owner of the room on his bed and admitted he just came to say hello. Gio rose and went to offer the guy a drink from the mini fridge. He sat beside him with his own drink and they got talking. They talked for about thirty minutes on the school, politics and football. Gio was glad he had made a friend. Silence fell between them at last. 

Gio wondered if it was his eyes or had Nonso just moved closer to him? He knew he wasn't dreaming when his visitor placed a hand on his exposed thigh and lightly caressed it. He had only a white singlet and grey silk boxers on. Nonso worked his hand under his boxers while he was still thinking he was hallucinating.

WTF!

Gio shot up immediately! His eyes narrowed to slits as they settled on the guy who looked as if the ground should open and swallow him.

"Your'e barking up the wrong tree, Mister. I'm not gay. It was just a distasteful rumor." Gio moved away from him.

Nonso didn't know what to do. He kept looking all over the room. He felt like dying. He quietly got up and faced Gio. 

"Please," he gulped. "Please don't tell anybody. Please."

Gio nodded. "I'm not homophobic but please don't come back here again."

"I understand. I'm sorry. I thought..." He shrugged and sadly left the room.

"Jesus!" Gio muttered when the door closed. He urgently needed to do something about his status. This was the last straw. He angrily eyed Dano who was laughing hysterically.

He knew what he had to do. Drastic times call for drastic measures.

**********

Nkiru wondered for the umpteenth time if she was doing the right thing. She kept hitting her fingers together in nervousness as she approached the darkly handsome guy. Well, it was said that if you wanted to be successful in life, you had to be willing to go the extra mile, the whole nine yards. Doing this was the right thing. Thirty marks were at stake here. Her eyes moved around the small hall to see if anyone was watching her but they all had their heads bent in rapt attention in their books. She made sure her steps were light and noiseless. She peered over his shoulder and saw him rapidly solving sums from a textbook. His handwriting was quite legible with light strokes.

Gio felt a presence behind him and turned. Lo and behold, it was Miss Hazel Eyes. The girl who'd never left his thought since the incident with Nonso in his room and the girl he was too cowardly to approach.

She bit her bottom lip and then the finger nails of her right hand and allowed her gaze to fall everywhere but him.

"Can I help you?" Gio finally questioned.

"I...please I need your help," she blurted out.

His facial expression showed that of amazement before breaking out in a smile.

"I..." Nkiru quickly sat beside him to the left on the wooden bench. She dropped her brown bag which had lost its original color of coffee brown beside her and brought out a text book. Gio dropped his pen, put an elbow on the table and lent his face on it, studying her. She put on her glasses and smiled nervously at him like a shy bride on her wedding night.

"I'm having problems proving this equation and we have to submit the assignment tomorrow. The assignment is our test and is worth thirty marks. No one has been able to solve it so far. While trying my best not to look like an eager beaver, I can't afford to lose thirty marks. I heard you're very good in your field and..." Nkiru suddenly realised that she had been rambling. She gave him an apologetic smile.

"And also that I'm insane and gay." Gio lazily concluded her statement.

Nkiru's eyebrows almost hit her hairline. She focused her gaze on her textbook instead of his handsome face with a sardonic smile on it. She swallowed deeply. What was she going to do now? She'd heard the rumors which weren't true of course. She could testify to that. She had felt something at his touch that night and knew he had felt something too. Hassana had been bummed to hear the rumor. Her roommate had come to their room with a drawn face and had narrated the rumour to her. She, of course had brushed it aside without telling her roommate why she didn't believe the story. Constantly pushing the thought of that night to the dark recesses of her mind always gave her peace. There was no way she was going to analyze what transpired between her and this handsome devil. She'd even developed the act of changing courses whenever she saw him coming her way.

She swallowed deeply and opened her mouth to say something.

"I..." She began but Gio cut her off by pulling her textbook closer to him. 

"What page?"

Eager eyes studied him. "Sixty-four. Question number four." 

Gio lazily flipped through the pages. He looked at the examples given and studied them.

Nkiru couldn't help staring at Gio who behaved as if she wasn't there. He raised his head all of a sudden and looked to his right and then to his left, past her. He searched behind him also before muttering. He muttered again but this time, his words were laced with anger.

"Goddammit, where are you?" Gio whispered fiercely, the faintest crease drawing his ebony brows together. Dano who had been seated beside him before Nkiru's presence was nowhere to be found.

"You're fond of disappearing when you're needed." he muttered in anger again.

Nkiru grew alarmed. Ah! This guy dey true true kolo o! She wondered if she should tell him to forget about it. She scratched her head. But he was the only one who could help her. She had met some of his course mates and they had all referred him to her. And here he was muttering to himself like a madman in a market place. Was this why he had been tagged crazy? Or was it that he was solving the maths in his head and unconsciously muttering it. Maybe. She decided to go with that logic else she'd pick up her bag and run out of the silent hall screaming like a banshee. She relaxed as her brain accepted that simple reasoning.

"Piece of cake." He finally lifted his head from the book and his eyes roamed her face. Nkiru lowered her eyes at the direct gaze. He took his former stance with his elbow on the table, his face in one hand and watched her steadily.

"I was actually coming to look for you but I chickened out."

Nkiru's hazel eyes met his black ones in bewilderment. The question was in her eyes but she didn't ask.

"I have a proposition for you or to be aptly put, trade by barter."

*To be continued*

*Continuation of Episode 9*


Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.
—Oprah Winfrey


Nkiru's eyes widened and she swallowed but for the life of her, she couldn't bring herself to say anything. When Gio continued to stare at her, she knew he was waiting for her to say something. She opened her mouth but nothing came out. She cleared her throat and tried again.

"What...what is it?" Nkiru queried, the words slurring together on a tongue that suddenly felt too clumsy to vocalise words.

Gio smiled.

Her heartbeat quickened, her chest tightened, her mouth ran dry, symptoms that always assailed her when Gio was in view or even within hearing these days. Oh, God, this guy fine sha! Nkiru allowed her gaze to wander to the students seated around them.

He touched her lightly on the arm to gain her attention. She willed her eyes to direct its gaze to him.

"I want you to be my girlfriend. A pretend girlfriend...or like an arm candy. Ahh...not really arm candy since you're not..." Gio paused and looked at her textbook on the table. He frowned a little before fixing his gaze on her again.

"Let me make myself crystal clear. You must have heard the rumors making the rounds about me. I'm not insane, neither am I gay. My bro..I mean I thought about it and decided that such malicious rumor could affect my future. So I need to have it dispelled. Just for this semester. I need a sane and heterosexual person around me, preferably a female to help dispel those rumors."

"I'd sooner be dead!" was almost what Nkiru blurted out.

Whatever she might have expected it had not been that. Not in her wildest dreams had she imagined that Gio would make such an outrageous demand and actually ask her to be his girlfriend. Astounded by his request and conscious of his hard scrutiny, she concentrated fiercely on keeping her face bland and uninformative. But her heart was pounding crazily in her eardrums and shock was reverberating through her in waves.

Wow! What was she going to do? This was practically every girl's dream on campus. Well, excluding her obviously. They would kill to be in her shoes right now. She hadn't bargained for this. She had come to have her problem solved not solve his.

She cleared her throat again. 

"Why didn't you choose one of the numerous girls stalking you?"

Gio actually rolled his eyes in disgust.

"Those desperadoes?" He sneered with disdain. "My cover wouldn't be convincing seeing that they'd do anything to get me to date them."

"Well, I'd be accused of being a gold digger. I'm not exactly rolling in money," Nkiru spelt out thickly.

He smiled. "I assure you, no one will think such. You haven't done anything whatsoever to indicate that you're a gold digger. You haven't been seen with any of the wealthy guys in school. You wear..." His gaze flickered to the black blouse and faded blue denim skirt covering her body and amended his statement. "You dress as if you don't care what people say about you. You even have tutorials to make money which I admire a lot about you. You're not afraid to work hard just to make it in life." His voice was tinged with admiration.

Nkiru was dazed. Stalker alert!

"I bet you have a dossier on me," she teased.

He laughed. "Ahh...I must confess that after that first time you asked a question in Professor Laroche's class, my interest in you was piqued."

Her face brightened with a smile.

"So what do you say? It would probably be for this second semester only or might lead to first semester in our final year, depending on the state of the rumor then and I'm prepared to help you with your studies."

Uncertainty reflected in Nkiru's hazel eyes.

"I'll pay you of course," Gio inserted.

"Don't insult me." Anger replaced uncertainty.

Gio was amazed to notice that her eyes glowed when she was angry. Wow! It actually made her look...pretty.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to insult you. I'm kinda desperate."

Nkiru maintained silence at that. She stared at her teeth-bitten nails. Could she? Could she, really? She was tempted. Very tempted. She was still trying to decide when Gio whispered passionately,

"Please."

That broke her. For such an arrogant guy to beg, she knew she had to do it. Her parents had always told her to offer help whenever someone was in need especially if it was within her power. Besides, she had a personal motto. WWJD- What Would Jesus Do? Not that she followed it all the time but it came in handy sometimes. But she really had to think of the pros and cons involved with such an offer. She'd maintained a low profile in the school so far and wouldn't want to have it smeared. She'd be at the receiving end of mean innuendoes by the desperate girls Gio had shunned over the years. Hassana! She'd to inform Hassana about it. It wouldn't be fair on her friend to hear the rumor that she was dating her crush outside.

Woah! Wasn't she getting ahead of herself here? She hadn't even agreed, yet she was making plans. 

"Can I think of it?" She pleaded with her eyes.

Relief flooded his face. His tightened features softened. "Yeah, sure. I'll work on your assignment in my room tonight. When will I have my answer?"

"When I come here for my assignment tomorrow."

"Sounds fair." He smiled.

Nkiru rose sluggishly and made to leave after carrying her hand bag but she stopped and looked at him. The question just had to be asked.

"If you aren't insane or gay, why did your roommate change rooms?"

Gio smiled again. "I pranked him. I made him think I could see and talk to my brother's ghost because of how he set me up with you."

Nkiru nodded slowly as if she understood when she clearly didn't. "Your brother's ghost?"

"Story for another day."

"Alright. See ya."

"Bye."

Nkiru walked out into the hot afternoon sun outside the hall, oblivious of the fact that Gio's eyes were trailing her.


**********


At the end of that semester, everyone knew something was going on between Gio and Nkiru. Jaws literally dropped when the rumour went round. Gio would wait for Nkiru outside the female hostels and they'd walk to their lecture halls together. After their lectures, they'd go for lunch together in the cafeteria Nkiru favoured before retiring to Gio's favorite reading hall to read. After reading, they'd have dinner before saying goodnight to each other. That wasn't really what amazed people. What amazed them was the fact that they held hands while walking, were forever talking and more scary was the fact that Gio was always smiling. He still shunned girls but was more opened to guys. Everyone attributed that miracle to Nkiru's presence in his life. Whenever they passed by, students would turn back to look at them. It was like a lamborghini and a bicycle to them. Beautiful girls who had been chasing Gio felt betrayed that of all the beautiful girls in the school, Gio had to pick the plain, church rat, scholarship student to date. They were however satisfied with the fact that Nkiru didn't dress better. She still wore cheap clothes and continued her tutorials. Maybe Gio was a stingy a**.

**********

Nkiru waved Gio good night in front of the female hostels and walked slowly into the brown four-storey building, ignoring the eyes of disgust that followed her. She walked slowly up the stairs and returned the greetings of students who greeted her. It was comforting to note that not all the girls in the school despised her. She got to her room and went directly to her well-made bed. She laid on it and stared at the white ceiling. Turning on her side with a smile lighting her face, she placed a hand on her flushed cheek.

Gosh! She was gradually falling in love Gio, falling like a brick from the top of a high building, her feelings rushing faster and faster as she headed for sure and certain devastation when she hit the ground. Who could have thought the ice man wasn't all ice after all? After she had thought about his proposal and informed Hassana who had eagerly told her to agree, she had decided to say yes to him. It had been awkward at first, walking, eating and reading with him but with time she had found it easy. Gio was an easy guy to get along with once you got to know him. He never really talked about himself but from his silence and snippets, she began to understand him. She knew first hand that Gio had psychological problems. He wasn't crazy but he unconsciously talked to himself sometimes and that endeared him to her. He was so handsome! She hadn't been moved by his masculine beauty at first but looking at him and being with him everyday made her realize how gorgeous he really was. He was perfection personified. She'd looked for faults in his physique but surprisingly didn't find any, well, except for his dentition which were unevenly shaped, though she wasn't bothered about it. Hassana however didn't like them when she noticed their imperfection as she got talking with him. Whenever he grinned, she felt tension break out all over her like porcupine quills. God had blessed him with brains also. What a combination! Nkiru had however asked Tosin what he knew his friends flaws to be. Tosin had grudgingly replied that Gio was an arrogant snob and was quite untidy. He never returned things back to the where he took them. He wasn't dirty; he had good personal hygiene, did his laundry, washed the bathroom and all that but when he wasn't in the mood of arranging his stuff, his side of the room always looked as if a hurricane passed through it. After several snide remarks from his friend, Tosin however stopped cleaning up after him. Gio never appreciated it and had told Tosin it made him feel like a kid. At such times, Gio would get up himself and tidy everywhere. No perfect human in this world.

She'd been at the receiving end of malicious gossip and treatment by some losers but she had taken it in her stride. They felt she was poor, unbeautiful and not in Gio's class. Those three facts were like three big extra nails being hammered into her coffin. The powers-that-be had decided that she was an unfit girlfriend and would soon be dumped by Gio when he came to his senses. She was beginning to get used to the name calling and side talks whenever she passed a group of bitter girls. She loved it though 'cause she knew her silence and refusal to reply them really got them mad and the fact that she alone had Gio's attention. Their facial expressions whenever she and Gio passed by or entered somewhere together holding hands was priceless. Their disapproval always made her hold back laughter and she knew Gio did the same too. A cat may look at a king.

Nkiru was enjoying the arrangement thus far except for Gio's sister, Fiorella. Fi saw her as a gold digger despite the fact that she'd not gotten a single dime from Gio. He didn't even pay for her meals not to talk of buying her something. Fi always looked at her like something nasty that just crawled out from under a rock. It hurt her because she wanted to be friends with the beautiful girl. She didn't mind the fact that Gio never paid her bills nor buy her anything since they started their pretend dating two months back. She didn't know why but she accepted it long ago even though Hassana wasn't comfortable with it.

The forlorn girl closed her eyes. Why not get out now before it was too late? From her conversations with Gio, it was obvious there was not a stroke of chance of him making her his real girlfriend. Her feelings were all over the place. Could she renege on her promise? They had about a month or so before the end of the semester. Could she continue falling like a sky-diver from a plane without a parachute, not knowing what the ground had in store for her with a guy who had bricks for a heart? Oh. God, how had she gotten herself in this mess? Hassana, having told her to agree to help Gio had also warned her not to fall in love with him. She'd been annoyed with her friend for saying such a sacrilegious thing, pushing back the thought of that night at the stone bench from her mind. Who had she been kidding? That night had shown her that shockingly, she was attracted to Gio. Maybe because he was so gorgeous. After reading about quick-fire, electrifying attraction in the novels she enjoyed reading, she still couldn't believe she was experiencing it. Was Gio experiencing it too? Did the volts which went up her body anytime they bumped into each accidentally also go through his as well? Did he feel the tingles whenever they held hands? It had been his idea holding hands when he noticed with enjoyment the stares they got wherever they went. Maybe it was all a sick joke to him. Maybe she was just making a classic fool of herself.

Oh, love, why are you knocking on my door with the wrong person at the other side of it? She sadly asked the greatest thing in life.

**********

Gio made his way to his room. He unlocked his door with the keys he'd brought out of his pocket and closed it behind him. After he'd dropped his bag on the bed and removed his shoes, he went to bathroom to wash his hands. His mind went over his whole day and he found himself smiling. His heart was definitely softening towards Nkiru. She wasn't only brilliant, she was witty and funny as well. He had to remind himself most times that their relationship wasn't real and would end soon. Dano had told him a million times to make it real. The said ghost appeared by the tiled wall beside him and stared at him. Gio ignored him. He had noticed that Dano was never around whenever Nkiru was with him. He had asked him countless times why he disappeared whenever Nkiru was nearby and the latter had told him to figure it out himself. Gio had assumed he didn't want him talking to him so as to not look insane before Nkiru. He didn't care though because he knew she must have noticed him doing that sometimes since he still spoke to the absent Dano out of habit. 

The young man wondered how long he would continue to hold himself back from showering her with gifts. He so wanted to buy her the world but he knew he would be playing into the hands of their enemies if he did that. He'd heard of the malicious talk that she was a gold digger. His female cousins had made it their point of duty to tell him but it had only made his heart soften towards Nkiru the more because she took it in her stride and never showed nor complained to him about it. Fi on the other hand was a problem. He'd tried his best to get her to get to know Nkiru but his little sister had been adamant that she and Nkiru had nothing in common. Gio had pointed out the fact that Nkiru could hold a decent conversation with all the rich snobs in the school owing to the fact that she'd once been a rich snob too but Fi had called them fabricated stories. He knew it was jealousy eating Fi up but decided to give her time to get over it. Girls! They had so much issues!

Dano drew closer with a stupid smile on his face while his brother wiped his hands on the red towel on the hangar and of course he left the towel in the sink instead of putting it back on the steel-plated hangar. Dano was seated on his bed still smiling so Gio made for his chair. He sat on it and stared at his twin. Dano was grinning like a ninny now. Gio forced his mouth not to open to say anything to his twin brother. He knew why the idio.t was smiling. He knew Dano could feel the walls around his heart falling piece by piece with just a word written on his heart-- Nkiru. He closed his eyes tightly and visioned Nkiru as he'd seen her that day. Gosh! She could talk a dumb guy into talking. She was so gay and carefree. She made him smile and laugh a lot. His face had naturally softened because of her. Nkiru Chikwendu was something else!

He had built a barrier of ice against any possible threat. The cold place he had constructed had protected him until now, but he knew that somewhere inside him the thaw had begun. The sunlight Nkiru had brought into his life was having an insidious effect. Gio craved her warmth, yet he feared it. He knew there was a very real possibility that if the ice inside him was completely destroyed he might discover that there was nothing at all left to fill up the empty space because they were only dating under false pretenses. Yet even as he feared the dark nothingness that might be waiting where the cold was now, he ached to know what Nkiru was feeling for him. He needed to know if she was drawn to him by anything deeper than mutual interests and arrangement.

Were all those smiles and slight touches just pretense as well? He was scared he was just like a stray dog or cat to her. She had a good heart and he'd seen it so many times when she helped others out of difficulty, often going out of her way to do it and even at her own inconvenience. Did she view him as a lost and lonely boy who needed a girl in his life? How embarrassing that would be! Dano had told him countless times that she truly liked him but he'd like to hear it straight from the horse's mouth. An acid test was what he'd use to determine if her friendship was genuine or not. He was prepared to explore all avenues in trying to decipher if she felt for him what he felt for her.

He came back to earth to hear a soft knock on the door. He groaned and his gaze moved to Dano who gave him a light shrug. Gio rose and walked slowly to the door. Tosin, with his bag and baggage stood at the other side of the door with an uncertain smile on his face.

**********

Felix wondered again what he was doing in church. The priest-exchange programme to him was a flop. The octogenarian priest delivering his sermon had slowly but surely put half of his congregation to sleep. The boring sermon began almost an hour ago yet the old man was still saying he hadn't gotten to the main sermon yet. Which thick village had they brought him from? He missed their parish priest. The man's sermons were usually thought-provoking and made everyone strive to serve God better and love his or her neighbours.

Had he known the exchange programme was slated for that Sunday, he wouldn't have bothered coming to church. He would have stolen his mother's hot water bottle and placed it close to his neck in order to pretend he was running temperature, thereby getting his mother off his back. Having just returned home after their short semester due to the strike, he'd decided to give up fronting with the church warden group. He'd sampled practically almost all the girls he lusted after and wasn't in any way interested in the rest.

He was beginning to get bored with life. He needed a new challenge. After the quarrel in his room months back, he'd made up his mind to stay off new girls. They brought too much trouble. His regular lays knew where they stood with him unlike the newbies who wanted him to date them at all cost. He hissed. As if dating them would fetch him a billion dollars.

The handsome guy moved his gaze round the back pews which were his favourite and hissed again. No knew faces. Had he known, he would have gone to the 9am mass but after a nice time with his mother the day before, he'd decided to come with her to the 6am mass when she knocked gently on his door that morning. He really couldn't deny his mother anything, well, except his frivolous lifestyle.

He looked at his friends who resided in the village as well and were his schoolmates also, and his mouth quirked. Ose and Kenneth were busy playing games on their phones. Whenever they saw any of the church wardens coming, they quickly put away their phones and made faces of intense concentration. A dirty look was sent to him by the leader of the church wardens when he'd been unable to get his friends playing with their phones for the sixth time. Felix didn't blame him. He ought to caution his friends but he just wasn't in the mood. Besides, he'd resigned from the group but was yet to make it known to the leader. Good riddance even. The man was like the devil with a pitch fork. He was discipline personified! One was made to kneel if one came late to meetings and a fine paid for lateness to mass. Being seen with a member of the opposite sex was an abomination to him and he had the tendency of having apoplexy whenver he saw any one of his six daughters with a boy. He didn't know Felix had ridden three of them before losing interest.

Finally, the valium-filled sermon was over. He told his friends to put away their phones as they all stood to sing, 'The Creed'. Felix smoothened down his blood red tie hung over his cream shirt teamed with black trousers and black Italian shoes which had caused him a fortune. His bored expression didn't change as the prayer of the faithful went on. He was already making plans in his head on how he'd go back to school before their two weeks break was over. He couldn't stand the boredom. His mother would probably declare war on him but he didn't care.

It was time for offertory; Felix's favorite part of the mass. It was time to appraise girls and how they were dressed as they went to place their offerings in the offering box and went back to their seats. Today was unusual though. He wasn't excited by the thought. It was same old, same old. Nothing new to catch his fancy. He was even contemplating telling Ose to place his money in the box on his behalf even though it would seem to all and sundry that he didn't have any money. He couldn't care less.

Something however happened to brighten his day. It was the walking steps of a girl in very high heels. She walked like an astronaut in space. At the way she was walking, one could see that she was praying inwardly not to fall. Ose and Kenneth were already asking if it was by force to wear heels. Felix wondered the same because the girl couldn't be called short, she couldn't be called beautiful either but her beautifully-tailored azure blue lace dress fit her like a glove and her braids bounced on her shoulder.

And then it happened! She probably missed a step from all the eyes watching her and before she could stop herself from falling, she found herself on the back of the person in front of her. A chain reaction began. Loud murmurings began as a mass of tangled bodies, clothes, undies and shoes graced the marbled floor. Even the choir stopped singing to see what was going on towards the back of the church. Felix's friends laughed themselves silly but their friend who was standing by them was like a statue.

I have seen the girl of my dreams, Felix said inwardly. Surely she must be an angel sent to save the situation. His gaze was screwed on tight to a girl who was helping people up. Her gold sequin midi dress caressed her wonderful figure, her slim, straight and lovely legs made him imagine where he'd love them to be. Slim and sexy, that was how he would describe her with a beautiful angelic face to die for. Her skin was so fair and creamy he thought she must be an albino escapee. She was just the way he'd dreamed of his future wife if he ever found the courage to settle down. Gobsmacked, he never knew she existed in flesh and blood.

He found himself drawn to her like a bee to nectar. Like one sleep-walking, he made his way to the place of chaos. He stood beside her and pretended to help by picking up a non-existent thing on the floor. Oh, she smelt good! She made him remember roses a friend's mother grew when he'd visited them in Jos.

Ivie lifted her head and collided with very black eyes set between incredibly luxuriant ebony lashes and felt oddly dizzy for a split-second. She called herself tall, standing at five feet eight but here was this guy towering over her like a storey-building, casting a long, dark shadow.

Drop-dead gorgeous was an understatement. That lean, taut bone-structure, composed of flaring dark brows, proud cheekbones, wide narrow mouth and assertive jaw-line, was the very essence of raw masculinity. As she encountered his stunning dark eyes her mouth ran dry, her colour heightened. Who was he?

Felix went back to his seat at the command of the church wardens who'd come to handle the situation after he'd shared that blazing look with the queen of his dreams. His friends cast a wary expression on him. They knew their friend wasn't himself. They'd seen the way he'd walked like a zombie towards that innocent looking girl. They knew for sure that their friend wasn't himself throughout the mass when he kept straining his neck to see if he could catch a glimpse of the angel.

Abi na ghost? Felix asked himself as announcements were being made signifying that the mass was about to come to an end. The girl had suddenly disappeared into thin air. His neck ached from trying to discover her whereabouts. After going back to his seat, he's turned and realised she was no longer there. He'd even gone outside to search for her, assuming she'd left for home. As the priest said the final blessings, he made arrangements with his friends. They were to rush out of the church the moment the priest and his entourage left. Ose would cover the small gate while he and Kenneth would handle the big gate. He could trust his friends. They were always on the ball. After all, they'd done this a number of times. The innocent angel must be found at all cost.

Felix turned himself into a gateman as he stood by the gate and watched out for the girl of his dreams. He looked into every car driving out in case she'd come with someone. People wondered what was wrong with him as he behaved like a cocaine sniffer eager for his next dose. He kept mute to girls trying to chat him up as he stood there but however shook hands with and spoke to guys. He didn't have the time nor the patience for his old flames.

A huge smile crossed his handsome face when he saw her walking towards the dwindling crowd pushing themselves out of the compound. Oh, such rare beauty. He took a step towards her, forgetting to tell his friend who was standing at the other side of the gate that their quest was over.

Just as he drew close to the girl, his mother's nosy friend from h.ell saw him and came closer.

"Felixi, uweh suwa? (Felix, you came home?)" The woman inquired.

Oh, God, how this old bat take see me na. Felix's distress however didn't show on his face. He smiled disarmingly in case his innocent angel was looking at him. No need to burn his bridges this early.

"Yes ma. Na ojie. (Good morning)" He smiled.

"Wheh whele? (Have you slept?)" The woman went on with the customary greeting in the village.

No, I no sleep. Your owl cry no lemme sleep for night.

"Yes ma." Still all smiles

"Wheh horhaa? (Have you taken your bath?)"

No, come baf me na make you see wetin you dey look for since.

"Yes ma." Still all smiles.

"Wheh leh ebie? (Have you eaten?)"

No, I dey wait make you cook your potty first. Oh, God, who ever invented such a greeting that asked one stupid questions?

"Yes ma." His smile was reducing in intensity.

"Edia Wheh vhare? (When did you come?)" The woman asked on.

Oooooh! Which one concern you? Wetin be dis woman own na? Dem send you come? Which kain thing be dis?

"Nodeh ma. (yesterday)" He almost shouted the reply as he saw from the corner of his eye, his girl was almost at the gate.

"Boshan (welcome). Oni schooli? (How's school?)" The woman asked on.

Which kain thing be dis? Na dis woman dey write questions for jamb? Why she dey worry my life with questions like dis?

"Fine ma. Please ma, I need to see the catechist to book mass for tomorrow," He lied through his teeth but unfortunately for him, the woman was going that way as well. That was how he found himself booking mass to thank God for journey mercies from Abraka to Ubiaja.

His friends laughed him to scorn when he resurfaced. They eventually gave him the good news. Ose and Kenneth had delivered the goods. Leading one of the girls aside who'd been walking with the angel, they'd questioned her about her new friend. They could practically open a file on her. Felix clamped his hands on their shoulders, congratulating them for a job well done. Indeed, a small house will hold a hundred friends.

Ivie, here I come, Felix said to himself.

"Felixi, Felixi, mudia. (wait)" Felix heard behind him as he moved out of the compund with his friends. That woman again!

"Oh, Jesus please have mercy on me," the exhausted guy moaned.



It takes a whole village to raise a child.



*To be continued*

Alright Folks. See you all tomorrow. Thanking you.

....And this is what I call an udate.
Audrey, the storyteller. You are too good with words.
Thanks for the free read.

Such a beautiful narration with a well outlined plot, kudos.

waiting patiently for today's dish, thanks

Hey hey hey! I'm loving this, Audrey! Can't wait for more...

heemah:

seconded...I'm unable to download the app.

I've downloaded n even refilled my account de Said I should wait for 24hrs

Hw have u been dear
Hit me on whatsapp please let's talk

AudreyTimms:

Okay. Yep, just 200 naira. I'll be expecting the mail. Thanks.

refilled my account already

Later today I'll get it
Thanks dear

Missmossy:
Such a beautiful narration with a well outlined plot, kudos.

I'm tempted to get the rest piece to finish devouring it in one piece

She's so so good
AudreyTimms thanks for sharing.. Will surely get the rest though

Ds is d first tym am commenting on any of ur stories bt I just had to see you are d bomb Kai c update I read am tire
More grease to ur elbow u r rily appreciated

Please I can't find episode 10 on ur Facebook page what happened

@tijehi, lol. I'd written all these awhile back. All I do for now is copy and paste while I continue writing. Thanks dear. And you're welcome.


@Missmossy, thanks dear. At least my short online courses weren't for nothing. Now to work on description.


@adefunke62, you're welcome. Update comes up later in the day.


@ChidiGodwin01, thanks dear. More coming up later in the day.


@kingphilip, okay. Please leave a review when you are through. Thanks for your patronage. And thanks for the compliment.


@Amuj, lol. Thanks dear.


@comfortsunday, abeg leave Facebook matter for Facebook. I don't know where it disappeared to. I'm going to post it here today. You can start following the story from here. Thanks.

Good morning, folks. I hope we had a good night. Update coming up later in the day. I have major laundry to do this morning. Thanks for your comments and also for following. See ya later.