It’s been six days now and I haven’t heard from him. I tell myself it’s better this way, afterall I want nothing to do with him, he’s military anyway.
But c’mon, I thought he’ld put in an effort to reach out to me. I thought wrong.
As the days passed, I learned he’s the last born of his family and has spent most of his life in the States, even schooled there before coming back home to join the Nigerian army.
It annoys me that I lapped up any information I could get on him when I’m sure he didn’t even spare me a thought. If he had, wouldn’t he have called me by now? Though I didn’t give him my number. He didn’t even ask for it.
Aargh!
We are through with today’s choir practise and I head home in the black Babyboy car my parents got for me on my graduation day.
I tell myself not to think of golden brown eyes when I prepare myself to sleep. I grab a novel, plug in my earpiece and drown my thoughts in music and inverted reality. It works and soon I fall asleep.
*
It’s sunday and while my people are still in bed, I freshen up and prepare something to eat. By the time I’m done eating my mum has already made her way to the kitchen.
“Good morning!”
“Good morning my dear-” Before she can ask me for a favour, I carry my plate to the sink, kiss her on her cheek and dash out of the house. I can still hear her laughing as I reach the driveway.
It’s what we do on sundays. If she ambush me before I leave, I end up doing something for her, if she doesn’t, I’m free from her ‘favours’.
Starting the car, I smile because it’s nice to hear her laugh.
Throughout the service, I force myself to look away from the military men seated at the second row, in the second column and though I know he’s not there, I still find myself looking in that direction.
“Rebecca’s brother didn’t come today.” Someone whispered in my ear.
“Huh?” I turn away from that direction to look at the whisperer, embarrassed that someone had caught me. It was my friend Chioma.
“You said?” I ask, feigning deaf.
“Rebecca’s brother, Jase, is not around. Only few of the army guys showed up today.” She points out.
“Right. Not that I noticed…..or care.” I say with a straight face.
She smiles. “Of course you didn’t. That’s why you’ve been watching the entrance and that direction.” I look away, not refuting her observation.
“I saw you two the sunday he came. Serious sparks aflying-”
“Shh! Sister Chioma, preaching is going on!” Someone admonished. Chioma winks at me and whispers ‘sorry’ to the person. It only made me more embarrassed.
Immediately the service was over, I made my escape to a side in the church where no one hangs. It has a balcony and from there I look out and release a breath.
This is where I’ll stay till it’s time for choir meeting.
I sit on a bench, plug in my earpiece and remove myself from the things around me. I’m lost in thoughts and in the music, I don’t move the hair the breeze keep pushing to my face, I’m just lost.
I open my eyes as the song ends and right in front of me, like magic, is Jase.
He isn’t dressed in his uniform but casual jean and shirt. His fingers lightly brush my face.
Startled, I lean back, “What are you doing?” This is someone I’ve been looking for and all of a sudden he’s here?
His eyes that always seem to drown me appeared angry.
“You have a beautiful voice. God! It’s a sin to possess voice like that, all soft and….” He sounds accusatory, his eyes watching me. Then he rises and moves away, giving me space. I didn’t know I was holding my breath until he moved away.
I stood and watched him as he paced, his hands in his pockets. What is wrong with me? What is it about him that makes me want to swallow my tongue? Disgusted at my thoughts, I look away and watch the scenery in front of me.
“I told myself to stay away from you. Use this week to find out if I’m attracted to you because you’re the first girl to literally run away from me or because I’m just bored and looking for action” He sounds angry. His eyes fire at me as if daring me to put him in his place- below slime. I say nothing, only look away and wonder what he’s up to and how to get back at him.
“But no more….” I tense up. He’s right behind me. How did he move so fast without me hearing anything?
“You make me crazy, I don’t know what you’re thinking or why you even dislike me or maybe you don’t and that’s your way of….reacting.” His hand is on my neck, moving my hair away but I don’t dare look at him. My system is running haywire.
“I’m coming for you, so you better be ready. I get what I want and I want you?”
“Isn’t that arrogant of you? Do I look like a toy or something you can acquire?” Anger made me forget and I whirled around to cut him down to size.
His hands held me in place while his body caged me. My words died and my body trembled as his fingers went to my lips while his eyes stayed on mine.
“Yes….” He said with a smile, no longer angry and his voice dropped so its husky sound buzzed in my ears and made me shiver, “I will get you.”
I’m home. It’s past 1pm in the afternoon and after chatting with my family, I head upstairs to my room to freshen up and also clear my head of Jase. I head back downstairs for lunch, ready for a good time with my family.
We are in the parlour watching a soap opera when my phone starts ringing. I silence it so it won’t disturb my family and glance at the screen, it’s Jase calling.
It’s just numbers. I didn’t save the number he called me with earlier but if I check, I know it’ll be the same number calling me now.
I don’t answer. I don’t want to speak to him. I react strangely to him and he messes with my head but that’s for me to deal with.
He calls again and this time I switch off my phone.
I look away from my phone to find my family staring at me, questions on their faces. I smile awkwardly.
“It’s nothing.” I say.
They look like they don’t believe me but accept my answer.
I feel someone’s eyes on me and it turns out to be my mum.
I smile reassuringly at her, she nods and smiles back and we go back to watching tv.
It’s evening and my two sisters- Stephanie and Jessica, and I are at the dining room playing Ludo. Our mum comes in carrying a wrapped package, amusement in her eyes. We all stop our game and watch as she drops it beside me, on the table.
“It looks like someone has a gift.” She says, smiling.
My sisters wiggle their eyebrows suggestively and I grin.
“Maybe it’s from Bode.”
Jessica- the youngest, suggests. “And maybe it’s not.” Stephanie shot back at her.
“Alright! Alright, don’t get your panties in a twist. Let’s unfold the mystery.” I say and turn to my mum, “Who’s it from?” I ask.
“A young man, that’s all Joseph was able to tell me.” She looks surprised. We all are.
Considering the kind of people we are in the society, it’s hard for just anything or anyone to get inside our compound and Mr Joseph has been with us since I was a little girl.
“Maybe it’s someone he knows or we know.” Stephanie says reassuringly.
“Just open it, the suspense is killing me.” Jessie snaps. I frown at her, look at my mother, she gave a shrug. Okay!
I unwrap it slowly, anticipation growing and when I’m done we all stare at the gift.
The gift- if it should be called that, is not quite what we expected.
“I don’t get it. Why would someone send a phone?”
Jessie is the first to break the silence. She looks confused.
“A house phone.” She added.
My mum shakes her head and walks in the direction of the study where my dad is.
“Maybe the person doesn’t know that there are enough mobile phones/landlines in this house. What a fool.” Stephanie concludes. Then it struck me out of nowhere. “Ridiculous! This guy is ridiculous. So I don’t pick his calls and the next thing he does is to buy me a telephone-”
I raise the package and scan the body,
“A telephone that has an answering machine, so he can call me whenever and if I don’t pick the call, I’ll still get to hear his voice when he leaves a message behind. Ridiculous! Unbelievable!”
I rise to my feet and start pacing, my head swimming with thoughts, my anger rising.
I stop- physically and mentally. No, he won’t trigger anything in me again. I won’t give him that satisfaction.
My sisters are already looking at me like I’ve lost it but I don’t care.
“He’s forgotten that I can decide not to set it up, I can-”
“Mi, calm down.” My mum says softly as she enters the dining room, coming to me.
“It looks like you know who sent it. Why don’t you go outside and catch a bit of fresh air, we’ll take care of this.” She pats my cheek and nods, silently answering the questions I haven’t even asked.
I leave the dining room to my mum and sisters who are now quiet and do as my mum says.
I don’t know how long I stayed outside, thinking. Thinking of why I was suddenly so scared. Why he bothered me so much and how arrogantly Jase had said he would get me. How he sounded so sure when I didn’t even want to want him back.
The air is chilly now, obviously nature is aware that christmas is near. I go back to the house, up to my room, no one is coming out to speak to me. I guess they are giving me some space.
I enter my room and before I reach my bed, I spot the cordless phone with the answering machine on my dresser, a light blinking from it. With a sigh, I reach the dresser and press the blinking button.
“Hey,” His voice floats out, stilling me, stilling the atmosphere.
“I think I can imagine what’s going through your head, forgive me but I’m a desperate man.
You are always angry with me and you avoid my calls. I know you can decide not to set it up so thank you for this chance. I hope to see you soon and maybe then, you won’t be so angry with me. Stay well and think of me. I’ll be seeing you….soon.”
As if like an afterthought, he added,
“Definitely soon. Goodnight and Merry Christmas.”
*
It’s so strange how he gets me. I wait for the anger to rush back but it doesn’t. I guess I’m tired. From somewhere, I hear the sounds of knockouts.
Oh yeah! Merry frickin’ Christmas.
