I can’t be tipsy. I’m going to drive for Pete’s sake and I took just one bottle. She stood
up again and this time the dizziness wasn’t as bad as the first time but she knew she couldn’t
drive herself home in that condition.
She carefully made her way outside the club, searching for Sandra as she went to no avail. It
was like she wasn’t there at all. Sandra couldn’t have left me here, could she? What will I do now?
I can’t very well drive myself home and end up killing some innocent soul on the way.
She suddenly remembered King and decided to call him for help. She quickly took her phone
from her purse and dialed his number. He answered on the first ring.
“Hello Alewa, is everything alright?”
“Hi King. Please, I need your help. Can you come pick me?”
“Pick you? Why? What’s wrong with your car?”
“Nothing. I’ll explain everything when you get here. Can you come please?”
“Alright. Where are you?”
“The Phoenix Club on the mainland. Do you know the place?”
“Yes I do. Lucky for you I’m close by. I’ll be with you shortly.”
“Okay, I’m outside the club. Thank you King.”
“I’ll see you soon.”
King ended the call wondering what Alewa was doing at a night club. She hadn’t struck him
assomeone who enjoys past times like that. In fact, in the time he had known her, he hadn’t seen
her go anywhere else apart from the market and the office. She does not go to church and she
definitely doesn’t go to clubs. He wondered what changed and how she ended up in the club
tonight. He couldn’t wait to hear her explanation. Maybe his perception of her had been wrong
all along.
He picked up his car keys from the centre table in front of him and stood up. “Guys, I have
to leave you now. Something came up.” He addressed his two friends staring at the screen with
all concentration. They didn’t even blink, such was their engrossment.
“Ik, Chidozie, I have to leave.”
Ik turned and observed him incredulously. “Leave? Now? When the game is getting hotter?”
“I’ll have to watch the replay. Something came up.”
“It can’t wait?”
“No, it can’t.”
“Hmm.” Chidozie murmured. “It’s that your new girl right? I heard you talking to her just
now, Alewa right?”
“What new girl?”
“Come on man. You’ve been acting strange and all secrecy for the past month, disappearing
at odd hours of the day. I barely saw you throughout your annual leave and we live together. So
what gives?”
“She’s a dear friend of mine and she’s waiting for me, so I really have to go.”
“Hmm dear friend. Na from there e dey start.”
Ik laughed. “Na so my guy.”
“You guys are so not serious. I go call una later.”
“Okay guy. Greet the lady of the hour now.”
King just waved to them and disappeared into the night.
Alewa saw a car pull up to the front of the club and on closer inspection saw that it was King
at the wheel. She waved and carefully traced her steps to avoid toppling over in her heels towards
him. He opened the passenger door for her from the inside and she climbed in.
“Thank you so much for coming. I really appreciate it.”
“My pleasure.” King replied as he concentrated on reversing out of the building.
“This is not the jeep you usually bring to my place.”
“Oh yeah. This is just a smaller car I use for errands. The jeep I use when I want to impress
someone.”
“Really? Don’t tell me you wanted to impress little old me?”
“Oh yes I did, big time.”
“I find that hard to believe. There was nothing impressive about me when we met.”
“If you think so, then you don’t know yourself very well. Believe me, I was very impressed.
There was just something about you that called to me; that still calls to me.” he looked at her
briefly before turning back to the road. “So what happened to your car?” he asked instead of
asking the question really burning in him which was why she was there at all.
“Oh this is embarrassing but let me start at the beginning. So, a colleague of mine at work,
Sandra invited me to hang out with her and some other guys immediately after work. I agreed to
go since I promised you two weeks ago that I’ll go out and mingle more.”
He smiled at her. “So, it’s my fault that you’re stranded out here tonight? Oh how bad of
me.”
She laughed. “Noooo. Let me finish my story jor.”
“Okay go ahead.”
“As I was saying, I went along with Sandra and we ended up in this club. In the spirit of trying
new things, I ordered for Smirnoff Ice even though I had never taken alcohol in my life….”
“So in the spirit of trying new things, you decided to try a spirit?
Alewa punched him in the arm. “Go jor. Besides, Smirnoff is not a spirit.”
“But it’s still in the spirit.”
She laughed again. “King, will you allow me finish my story?”
“I’m just doing my job ma’am. I promised to try my best to always make you laugh, didn’t I?”
“Yes, you did. And you’re doing a very good job.” She smiled at him. “Can I finish my story
now?”
“Alright.”
“So, I was taking my drink and gisting with Sandra when a guy asked her to dance. She didn’t
even look at me as she accepted, leaving me all alone to fend for myself. Then, one of my
colleagues from the office got a little too friendly and I had to punch him to escape his clutches.
It was when I stood up to leave that I discovered how tipsy and out of balance I was, I knew I
couldn’t drive myself home. Hence, my call to you. End of story.”
“Hmm some story. This colleague you talked about, what did he do to you.”
“Oh, he was just trying to feel me up when I didn’t ask for it. I took care of him though.”
“So you’re okay? All together? No broken parts or cut-off pieces?”
“I’m whole and complete, thank you.”
By this time they’ve arrived at her place and King parked the car by the curb.
“I just hope nothing will happen to my car before morning.”
“I’m sure it will be safe. Lots of people probably get inebriated and have to be put into cabs
all the time leaving their cars behind.”
“Yes, that’s true. I’ll go pick it in the morning.”
“I’ll like you to go to church with me on Sunday.” He abruptly changed the topic
“Woah, where did that come from? I’m sorry King but I don’t do church.”
“Why not?”
“I just don’t believe in a God who allows so much wickedness in the world and does nothing
about it. Sorry.”
“You’ll have to have a deeper understanding about God to even begin to understand that.
Sometimes, I still have doubts too.”
“You? Doubt God? I don’t think so. You are so earnest in your belief of Him.”
“Trust me, I’m not all that. Unbelief can beset the best of us at anytime.”
“That’s curious. What made you lose your trust?”
“That’s a story for another day dear. Next time we see, if it’s not Sunday, remind me and I’ll
tell you all about it.”
“Alright. Thank you so much for tonight King. I don’t know what I would have done if you
weren’t there.”
“It was a pleasure dear.”
“Good night.” She got out of the car.
“Good night. I’ll see you soon.” She gave a little wave as he pulled away.
King drove off wondering what to make of what Alewa just told him that night. She had been
at a club because he told her to get out more and she almost got into trouble. When he told her
that, he had not envisioned her going off on her own. He wanted her to see herself hanging out
with him more; he had said it out of his own selfish interests.
Alewa is a very beautiful woman and numerous men will see her beauty and would want to
take advantage of her naiveté. He wondered not for the first time how a beautiful woman in her
early twenties could be so sheltered and inexperienced. He wondered what could have happened
to her in her young life to make her so introverted. She had not been forthcoming all those times
they’ve spent together but whatever it is, King had a feeling it was very damaging.
Maybe she’ll open up to me when I tell her my story. I could only hope, he thought.
