Jangolova (Part V)

October 4, 2013

She bolted out of her seat and hastened towards her as she stepped away from the stage.
When she was within reach, she cut through the crowd of admirer’s, pressmen and colleagues that had begun to gather around her, dragged her to the side and flung her arms around her. “That was a beautiful reading sweetie! Although I assumed when you sent me that ‘everything is going to be alright’ text last night you had removed the bit about the lady’s parents. They seem too much like your father and I and you know people, they like to talk.” She hugged her back and giggled. “Mother you worry too much. You are nothing like the bitter evil woman in my book, you and father settled your differences a long time ago and are a happily married couple!” She looked over her mothers shoulder at the man seated by himself away from the crowd, pulled her lips into a pout and batted her lashes. “Mother dearest, please could you go seat with Jason for a bit? He looks so lonely.” Her mother turned her head and looked to his direction. She made a face and spoke snootily. “I do not understand what you see in that man though, he doesn’t deserve you. Isn’t twenty-eight years and above too old to be playing boyfriend and girlfriend? I have told him several times that my daughter is a big photographer that travels around the world. If he does not want to marry you-.” Ivie raised her left hand halting her mothers nagging.
There was a huge engagement ring on her finger.
Her mother let out a squeak and grabbed her hand, inspecting the ring and surveying her with skepticism. “When?” Ivie giggled. “This morning, before my reading.” Her mother dropped her hand, straightened the folds of her dress and turned in Jason’s direction.
With a smile on her face, she tut-tutted in disapproval and she lamented loud enough for passers by to hear. “Look at my poor son in-law, sitting all by himself.”

Isioma opened her eyes and found herself looking into the eyes of a familiar little girl watching her with concern.
She blinked and sat up.
She was on a king-sized bed.
The girl moved closer, stretched out her little hand and touched her forehead with the back of her right palm. “Mummy are you okay?” She jerked her head back and stared at the girl. “Mummy?” The girl laughed. “Why are you copying me?” There was a slight knock at the door before it swung open.
A man with a little boy straddled on his shoulders with arms wrapped around his neck entered the room.
Isioma cocked her head to the side, squeezed her eyebrows in concentration and stuttered. “Se– Sesan?” He chuckled threw the boy on the bed beside her and sat down ruffling her hair as he did so. “Who were you expecting? Santa Claus? Its your birthday not Christmas sleepyhead. I don’t know how you manage to balance going up and down ladders in peoples houses with taking care of these little demons.” He caught the two children in each of his hands and wrestled with them. They squealed in delight. She ignored them and mumbled inaudibly. “Up and down ladders, mummy, Sesan?” She questioned tentatively. “Sesan, are we married?” He stopped playing with the kids, sat down and looked at her quizzically. “Are you okay honey?” he touched her forehead to check if she had a temperature. “That’s it, no more experimenting with different drinks for you. Yes my dear, we are married and have been so for close to nine years. This is our beautiful baby girl Yinka who thinks I don’t know she wants the new Wii for her ninth birthday in December and our little rascal” He grabbed the boy’s leg as he tried to crawl out of reach. “Junior.” He wiggled out of his hold and bounced up and down the bed. “My name is Izu! Mummy calls me Izu!” Sesan rolled his eyes in mock disgust. “Because your mummy named you after her boyfriend doesn’t mean I have to accept it,” he caught Izu mid bounce and lifted him off the bed. “Come lets leave the ladies alone and go and do manly things.” Izu chuckled. “I am only four daddy, I am not a man!” He stopped at the door and looked at her, concern lining his brows. “Are you sure you are okay dear? Your sister is coming to take the kids by 3pm and our flight is for six.” She reached for Yinka who crawled obediently towards her and rested her head on her laps. The last memory she had was of her in braids, wearing a pink tank top with matching sneakers and newly bereft of her nokia 3310. She was fresh faced from crying over her decision to walk out on Sesan and trying to stop an ‘okada’. Now she was in a bed, had beautifully manicured nails (they caught her attention when she reached for Yinka) with two beautiful children and apparently happily married to Sesan. She smiled at him. “I’m okay dear. Where are we going?” He responded slowly trying to gauge if she was really okay or pretending to be. “That wildlife photographer; Ivie Aghede wrote a book. She is doing a public reading and launch today. She invited us for a private reception in Edo state. I thought it was weird but you said to accept. If you’ve changed your mind, I’d be only too happy to call your sis and cancel.” She shook her head. “No don’t cancel I’m fine.” She tapped Yinka. “Baby go help your brother get ready okay?” Yinka got up sluggishly from the bed and padded towards her father.

The flight surprisingly kept to schedule and in less than 2hrs they were being ushered into the hotel by Ivie’s aids. When she spotted them, she excused herself from the group around her and ran to meet them. She threw her hands around Isioma and enveloped her in a bear hug. “You came!” Isioma tentatively hugged her back while Sesan did his best not to looked disturbed by the complete stranger attempting to squeeze the life out of his dear wife. Isioma patted her back. “Yes, we came.” Ivie released Isioma and let out an embarrassed laugh. “It’s been so long since we saw, that’s my fiancé over there.” She pointed and continued without stopping. “This might sound weird but there is somewhere I’d like to take you to. We’d be gone only a little while, I’d tell you about it on the way.” Isioma and Sesan exchanged puzzled glances. When Sesan nodded Isioma spoke. “Okay, shall we?” Ivie wove to the man she called her fiancé signaling she would be back in a little while then led them out of the building to a waiting vehicle. While they rode, she told them a crazy story of how they had met before in an alternate life on their birthday 10 years ago, saved a gypsy woman and were quite miserable until 2 days ago (a different one) when she (the gypsy) reunited them and gave them a choice for another chance. She was so caught up with making a difference and positive change that did not pay much attention to their new lives. She missed Isioma’s passing out ceremony because she went to the states the next year for a certificate course. When she got back, she learned they were married and Isioma was creating a name for herself in interior decoration. She had tried to get hold of her on several occasions but she was either in one part of the country working on a project or the whole family had gone overseas for some holiday or the other. With her own career and stabs at novel writing, she too was busy until she met Jason (her fiancé) the second time and realized she was beginning to forget their story. Last year, she began writing what she remembered of their story (the book she launched today) and decided to wait until the anniversary of the change to bring them all together again! When she finished talking she looked at both Sesan and Isioma. They were staring at her as if she had sprouted horns, spat fire and claimed she was a fairy. She pursed her lips realized what she had asked them to believe then covered her face in embarrassment. “You two think I am insane right?” Sesan cleared his throat and snaked his arm protectively around Isioma. The car stopped moving. Isioma threw up her hands in relief and rolled down the window. “We are here!” Then added doubtfully. “Where ever here is.” The car had stopped in front of a gate. There were chains around the bars and a huge padlock in front. Ivie got out and walked briskly to the gate. “It is locked.” She sounded disappointed. Isioma came down from the car and Sesan followed suit mumbling something under his breath that sounded like “that’s a surprise.” Ivie shook her head in amazement. “You two will really think I am mad now. Dragging you across the country, telling you an incredible tale and bringing you to a rundown- locked shanty.” Sesan used his body to shield Isioma and looked through the gate. She placed her left thumb in her mouth, nibbled her fingernail and snapped the fingers of her right hand trying to bring back a memory. Sesan spoke first. “I remember this place. ” He turned slightly and looked down at Isioma. “I came here looking for you but was told you had left. Your roommate was frantic because she said she tried calling you from several payphones but your number was unavailable. I searched all over town for you in places I recalled you usually favored. That was the scariest day of my life. When I finally found you,” he rolled his eyes. “You were sleeping in the reading room in Hall 1! I made you promise never to leave me like that again.” He covered her elbows with his hands and rubbed them, smiling at her as he continued. “So far so good, you have kept that promise.” He leaned down and covered her mouth in a sensual kiss.
An old lady walked up to the gate from the other side.
Using her walking cane as a tool, she banged at the gate getting their attention.
Isioma and Sesan jumped apart like two children caught in the act.
The old woman eyed the three of them with suspicion. “Yes? ‘I fit help unna’?” Isioma cleared her throat. “We are erm asking about the joint that was here, an open bar with a building behind.” The woman placed her cane in front of her, balanced her weight on it, leaned forward and responded haughtily. “Na me get this dormot. It is under new management, when e open again, unna go know.” Isioma surveyed her with a piercing look. As she turned to leave, she noticed a familiar twinkle in her eyes. She called out. “Wait! You seem like someone I know. Have we met before?” The woman smiled, muttered something under her breathe and shuffled into the darkness.

Ivie kept repeating what the woman said, trying to make sense of it. Sesan pieced the words together and repeated it aloud. “The eyes see only what they want to see?” Ivie turned sharply to him. “What did you say?” he shrugged his shoulders and threw his hands open. “I only repeated what the woman said.” Ivie pumped her fist in the air, ran to the car and got out a copy of her book. She flipped open a page, threw it at him and did a jig. “ I knew I wasn’t going insane.” While Sesan read, she linked her hands in Isioma’s own and chattered lively. “You might not remember this but me and you were best of friends. Now that we are speaking again, I intend to remain in your life for a long-long time.” She called over her shoulder. “Hey book worm! Get into the car. We have a party to attend. One that’s been in the making for the past ten years.” Sesan closed the book, and got into the car behind the two ladies. The driver started the engine and turned to Ivie. “Where to madam?” She leaned back in her seat and smiled. “To beautiful tomorrows and more.” She looked at Isioma and Sesan, they were happy. She was happy.

The End!