ALMOST A BRIDE: EPISODE 6

Last time on Almost a bride...

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The Red cab was already outside her apartment; the driver offered to help her with her travel bags into the trunk as she struggled with her luggage.

“Thank you”, She replied.

Luckily, she got to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport thirty minutes before her flight with Virgin Airways, after the bout of the heavy traffic she went through, she went through yet another with the necessary and unnecessary protocol at the airport. At last, she was seated at the exact spot she loved, beside the window. She would relax and fantasize looking out the window, however, today, the moment she was seated in the plane, she plugged her ears and played Maxwell's Embrya album on repeat.  

Ihuoma arrived on Sunday afternoon, the one-week public health conference was going be a break for her from all the hurt,and help her focus on herself and her forth-coming examination. The flight was very long and tiring, she staying at the inn at the Greenmarket Square at the heart of Cape Town where she could see the Table Mountain. The surrounding was quiet and beautiful, different especially with their architecture and the buildings which were not close to the road as most Nigerian houses were. Ihuoma jumped into her bed and zoomed off far away into “Sleep Land” never to return until very early the next morning.  

The conference itself was a pleasant avenue to exchange ideas with other professionals. The conference revolved around theuse of mobile phone to promote maternal and child health since almost everyone owned one, even in developing countries. Ihuoma made a few friends from the other countries.

The food was an interesting part of the visit. Being a lover of good food, she could relate very well whenever she travelled.The food at Food Lovers Market in St. Georges Mall was exceptionally beautiful; Ihuoma liked their croissants and coffee. She also tried the sushi at Beluga restaurant and it turned outnice as Dona had described. Ihuoma decided to go to The Backyard Grill and Lounge Friday evening, and she ordered mixed braai platter, salad, corn and potatoes with a glass of wine. The customer service was perfect unlike the one back in Lagos where they treated customers as if they were doing them a favor.  

Ihuoma was on her way back to her table after refilling her glass when she bumped into a young man. The red wine was all over his sparkling white shirt!

“Shit! I’m so sorry, I didn't see you coming”

“It’s okay,” he replied.

She ran to one of the waiters to ask for help with cleaning the young man’s shirt. Surprisingly, they were ready to help. Ihuoma tried apologizing to the young man while they waited for thelaundry, she was feeling horrible already; more issues to make her upset.

“I’m terribly sorry about this."

“It’s okay, it happens. I’m not in a hurry. I am Eniola Cole by the way; can I please know your name?”

Ihuoma’s heart was racing, not after the trauma from the previous month. She felt irritated and annoyed already, but remembering what had just happened between them, she replied smiling, “I am Ihuoma, Ihuoma Nwabuogaranya.”

“That’s a lovely name, I guess you’re Nigerian,” he said as he looked at Ihuoma’s face, searching for some sort of confirmation.

Ihuoma was looking down at her phone, an apology was all she offered this man, and he had better not overstep the boundary. Persistent being that he was, he went on, “are you shy?”

“Yes I am Nigerian and no, I’m not shy, I just don’t like the factthat your shirt is taking forever to dry”

“Guess you’re not enjoying my company”

“No, I am. I’m just not happy that I’m delaying you” she offered.

“Hey, I’m not complaining okay. At least it affords me the opportunity to know you. Can I meet Ihuoma?”

She had to play along, but could not wait to get off his face,plus, she felt indebted to the poor man. “Not after you tell me who you are”

“Alright, I am Cole like I said earlier and I’m a pilot. I’m on leave and that's why I'm here in SA.”

“I’m a doctor, I'm here for a conference,” Ihuoma said as the waiter came with his shirt.

“Finally, he’s here” Ihuoma said with a deep sigh and announced that she was about to leave the lounge. “I’m sorry I have to go now, I want to meet up with a friend.” Cole was about to ask for her contact when she dashed out of the lounge.

Back at the inn, the network in her room had been unstable and it made it difficult for her to make calls. She hadn’t called her friends since she landed in South Africa and it would be the beginning of the third world war if she went back home without doing so.  She dialed Anini’s number and when she heard the beep at the end of the line, she heaved a sigh of relief.

“Hello, Nini”

“Oma is that you, you just forgot us abi? You have found new friends abi? It is well sha!”

“I’m sorry; I just needed to clear my head. How is everyone doing and how is the wedding preparation?” Anini was getting married very soon to her boyfriend of five solid years, five good years without marriage was not one thing Ihuoma would take, but with the way things were going, she would do anything to keep a man beside her for that long… so much for clearing her head.

“Very well dear, we thank God. Do and come back so you can help out.”

“I will be with you soon, don’t worry. Regards to everyone, tell them I called.” And the line dropped.

Saturday was the last and only free day she had to herself in SA, Ihuoma decided to go to the mall. The queue at the cashier’s was long. Ihuoma took her spot on the line and mentally did a rain check of the things she needed to buy; this was the last opportunity she had to shop before going back to Nigeria. The chocolates available at the mall were white chocolates and she had to make do with them. Dark chocolates became Lala's favorite ever since she watched a TV advert about how healthythey were. The ODLR something blue perfumes and Ruby Woo lipsticks would make the girls happy. Of all the gifts she bought, the Victoria’s Secret provocative panty and unlined bra would make a perfect wedding gift for Anini. It was her turn at the counter, she checked in her goods and she was off to the inn.

Ihuoma really felt relieved and refreshed returning to Nigeria, she definitely missed her friends and was sure they missed her too. She arrived Murtala Muhammed International airport, Ikeja, Lagos, some minutes before 6 p.m. giving her enough time to rest and recover from jet lag. Her cab driver was waiting for her. He put her boxes in the car and they were off to her house. She got to her apartment and sent a voice message to her friends informing them she was back.

The sound of the doorbell woke Ihuoma from sleep and she sluggishly went to open the door. They all hugged her and had a long chat about her trip and the conference. Ihuoma was not really interested in all the stories and it was obvious in her countenance.

“What’s wrong dear, you know you can talk to us,” Lala asked as she made her way towards Ihuoma’s seat.

“Are you still angry about the guy…?” Dona said as Ihuoma cut in.

“Please nobody should talk about any man here, I have myself to love and my primaries to prepare for and that’s all that matters to me now. It's a new year and i certainly do not need these distractions. It's because of all this unnecessary pressure I get myself in stupid dramas all the time. Must something be wrong because I'm twenty eight and single?”

Ihuoma bounced to the kitchen leaving the speechless girls. The girls knew they sure had to help their friend.

P.S: watch this space people, expect the unexpected for the holidays :) 

A SEPTEMBER TO REMEMBER

Dear diary, 

The 'ember months are here!!! It's the season of months that end with 'ember (except for October of course). A lot of superstitions, stories and myths trail these months but like the good book says, be it unto you according to your faith. With the number of things that happened this month; the good, the bad and the ugly, September is definitely a month to remember. Do sit back on your couch, cross your legs on the table and grab your popcorn as we reminisce the month of September.

THE GOOD:

The award winning series: ALMOST A BRIDE, started on the first day of September. You know that feeling mothers get when they see their new born child, that's how we felt when we pushed the first Episode out.

A lot of reactions have followed it and I'm loving the feedback. A new episode is released every Monday at exactly 12:00 pm, if you haven't been following join the series now: Almost a bride.

Ebola has been contained in Nigeria. This has to be the best news in recent times for Nigerians. We've faced so much damage this year, that the Ebola scare was just too much for us to handle. All those that were in quarantine have been released and there has been no new case. We lost some people in the fight to contain it but we are also thankful for the ones that survived it. May God comfort the bereaved families and keep us from such occurrence again. 

Tinsel actor Chris attoh and fiancée, Damilola Adegbite welcomed their son this month. TV/Movie producer Tyler Perry a.k.a Madea, is expecting a baby with his Ethiopian model girlfriend Gelila Bekele. Inasmuch as this has been given a lot of his fans (imaginary girlfriends) sleepless nights, we are very happy for him. Nigerian musician Flavour and his girlfriend, Sandra Okagbue have welcomed their first child together. Former US president, Bill Clinton and wife Hilary, welcomed their first grandchild this month. What a babyful month!

Hollywood actor, George Clooney, married his British lawyer girlfriend Amal Alamuddin in a 4 day wedding ceremony.

We finally have a winner for the MTN project fame show season 7. Geoffrey Oji emerged winner of this season out of thousands that came for the audition. Congratulations Geoffrey!

Apple released the iPhone 6 and 6plus this month after much waiting. It is the eight generation of the iPhone to be released. What are you waiting for? Go get yours now!

THE BAD:

American model, Amber Rose has filed for a divorce from her musician husband, Wiz Khalifa. According to her, Wiz cheated on her. Also, Jason Derulo and longtime girlfriend, Jordin sparks have called it quits. Jason said he felt "pressured to marry" and so he opted out. 

THE UGLY:

FashionPolice crooner Joan Rivers died at age 81 after she suffered cardiac arrest during a surgical procedure. She looked so full of life that no one expected it. While she means a lot of things to different people, she'll always be remembered as the lady that left an indelible mark on the fashion police show and the world at large.

The Vice chairman of Sun Newspapers in Nigeria, Dimgba Igwe was killed while jogging on a Saturday morning. He was knocked down by a vehicle. It was really sad hearing about this because I grew up reading his articles. He died at the age of 58. May he gentle soul rest in peace.

The Synagogue church of all nations building in Lagos, Nigeria, collapsed sometime this month killing about 115 people. Controversies have continued to trail the issue and a lot of accusing fingers are being pointed. People are playing the blame game forgetting that people, human beings not just numbers lost their lives in the collapse. 

THE INDIFFERENT

South African athlete, Oscar Pistorius has been cleared of both premeditated and second degree murder of his girlfriend Reeva SteenKamp. A lot of mixed feelings from different corners of the world.

American Musician Ciara, returned  her 15-carat emerald engagement ring to her baby daddy. She had a baby for him but she was cheated on so the union was dissolved. Again yours truly is indifferent about this. Meanwhile, would you return your engagement ring if you and your partner break up?

The 2015 general elections are almost here. Our celebrities have started showing their interest and have started vying for different positions. The likes of Tony Tetuila, Desmond Elliot, 9ice have all indicated their interest to vie for certain positions.

The Chibok girls are still missing even though we heard rumors of their release. It's been over 4 months since their abduction. The MH370 plane and it's passengers are still missing.

To all those that celebrated birthdays, got married, gave birth to babies, got promoted at the office, graduated from school or even did something spectacular this month, I celebrate with you. October can only be better, I wish you all the best in the coming month.

HAPPY NEW MONTH!

ALMOST A BRIDE: EPISODE 5

Last time on Almost a bride...

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His large brown eyes left her with questions she wanted answers to. As he said the grace, his baritone voice made the hair on her skin rise. Their hands were still locked together and even when she reluctantly tried to break free, he held onto them. Ihuoma didn't force it. Whenever Mr-Brown-eyes was ready to let go, she would be fine with it.

He finally let go and she was brought back to reality. Ihuoma waited for him to provide answers to her unbeknownst questions.

"Hello"  

"Hi", Ihuoma replied.

"Are you new here? I haven't seen you before"

"Nah, I’m a regular but I don't stay back to fraternize with people after church"

By this time Ihuoma was grinning from ear to ear. She wanted this one and she was going to have him. By the time they had talked at length, he dipped his hand into his breast pocket,brought out a yellow coloured business card and placed it in her palm.

"This is to make sure you stay back next week to chat with me".

"Alright then, we'll see"

Ihuoma wasn't going to play hard to get this time around. She would just let it flow at its own pace. She wasn't a regular church goer but that Sunday, she decided to go to church and a miracle was bestowed on her. She had heard of the Church and how it manufactured Husbands for single ladies, so she came expectant and she wasn't disappointed. The card read, Olalekan DaSilva, IT Consultant for Avirat Communications. Ihuoma was impressed. She wasn't going to sit around waiting for him to call her after all she didn't even give him her number. She sent him a text message immediately she got home;

"Hi, I hope you got home safely.

Hope to see you on Sunday. Have a nice week ahead. IHUOMA"

Ihuoma hadn't made a midnight call in about 3 years but that night she spoke with Lekan till about 3 a.m. He asked her about everything and she told him all he wanted to know. There was a kind of peace and calm that she felt as she talked with him. She laughed like a hyena from time to time. She wasn't sure if the jokes were that funny but she laughed all the same. They said their goodbyes for the night and Ihuoma went to bed feeling like a princess.

The calls became more frequent. From twice a day to about 8 times a day, but hey, who's counting? They talked about everything and anything. Her friends became his friends and his friends became her friends. They became closer and closer. He always made her laugh. He always looked forward to the end of work each day, where he would tell her about frustrating clients who weren't sure of what they wanted. She had her own stories to tell from the hospital but she preferred to listen to him as he poured out his heart to her. While they were saying their goodbye's on one of such evenings, he promised her a suprise during the week. He always threw surprises at her and that endeared him to her. The first time he surprised her she was swooning in excitement for the greater part of the day. The flowers he sent practically blocked the entrance into her office. She wondered who would make such mistake of dropping a huge bouquet in front of her office. She saw the card on it and it read thus;

"Roses are red, violets are blue

I look at the sky and all i see is you."

​

There was no name on the card but she knew who it was. He promised to surprise her and that was exactly what he did. She hadn't received flowers in forever and here was this bouquet, obstructing her way. She raised her eyes to the ceiling and muttered words in appreciation to her maker for a blessing like Lekan Dasilva.

Lekan's office was as busy as a beehive on Tuesdays; it was something he had gotten used to with time. He was expecting one of his frustrating clients and he couldn't wait to get the contract over and done with. This particular client, Chief Eze, wore trouble on his head like a helmet and everybody avoided him like a plague. Why he always wanted Lekan to handle his deals for him, remained the 8th wonder of the world to Lekan.

"Mr Lekan, how are you na? This one that you don't pick my calls again, hope no problem," Mr Eze said as he pushed himself and his pot belly into Lekan's office.

Lekan tried to sugar coat his reasons for not picking the calls but Mr Eze couldn't be bothered about it. Mr Eze went straight to the point and told Lekan about the 100 million dollar contract that he had just secured. He wanted Lekan to execute it and his cut would be 40%. Lekan was ecstatic, he couldn’t believe it. He called up Ihuoma to share the good news with her but she was sounding laid back and tired.

"I'm just bored! Patients aren't really coming in, Clinic flow today is really slow", she replied

"What are you doing this evening? Stop over at my house on your way from work, let me make dinner to cheer you up."

She could point out the many reasons why she loved Lekan but not a single reason to hate him. He always made her happy. All the guys she had dated before were charming and handsome but not one of them gave her so much joy, effortlessly. She couldn't wait for the close of work so she could have a taste of his cooking.

She smelt the chicken sauce from the door as she made her way into his house. The table was adorned with scented candles and a ravishing centre piece. The rice was garnished with sweet corn and greens. The sauté vegetable by the side was the reason Ihuoma believed most people preferred to die as vegetarians. All that goodness in one plate was enough to convert anybody into a vegan. He ushered her into a seat and they wined and dined through the night.

As much as she wanted to go home, Lekan wouldn't let her go. He was vehemently against women driving at the night and so he asked her to stay behind. After dinner, they got into a play fight over who should hold the remote control to the TV. She finally got hold of it and he started chasing her around the house. He carried her in the air a couple of times and she kept screaming like a little child. His energy was amazing and she liked it. He chased her a few more times then suddenly, his mood changed. He dropped her on the couch and sat still starring into space. She tried to nudge him back to reality but he started shouting at her, asking why she was in his house and who invited her. Ihuoma found it amusing; after all, he was the one who invited her. She laughed it off and gave him the side eye. All the wine that night had filled Ihuoma's bladder. She ran off to the bathroom to empty it. By the time she returned, he had entered his study room. He always went there when he had some important work to do so Ihuoma didn’t bother to go there. Sheslotted in the House of cards DVD she saw on the table and tried to catch up on the episodes she had missed. Lekan came out at midnight to find her sleeping on the couch. He put off the TV and carried her into the room. Like the gentleman that he was, he allowed her to sleep in his master bedroom while he managed to get a shutter eye in the guest room.

Ihuoma heard the door creak but she wasn’t sure if it was in her dream or a reality. She confirmed it was reality when Lekan returned a few minutes past 7 a.m. He made it a duty to jog every morning and Ihuoma didn't see the need for it. His physique was okay and he wasn't over weight. She would never understand his obsession with jogging. Even in moments of severe illness, he still found time and energy to make the rounds. She looked into his wardrobe searching for one of his rumpled shirts so she could throw it on. She noticed that her clothes were slowly taking residence in his wardrobe and she didn’t mind. He always had new clothes for her whenever she visited so there was no need to take her old clothes back home. She quickly made breakfast for both of them and headed off to work. She would return to his house by weekend.

Apart from her beauty, her food could soften a heart of stone. They were hosting their friends to dinner that weekend so Ihuoma had to make dinner for all. After everyone had eaten their fill and taken their leave, Ihuoma cleared up and prepared for bed. She had a splitting headache and as much as she hated drugs, she knew she had to take something before the headache turned into a migraine.  Lekan was already deep asleep and she didn’t know where he kept his painkillers. Her search for a pain reliever led her to the cabinet in the bathroom that had a mirror as a door. She opened the cabinet and the amount of drugs there could be mistaken for that of a shelf in a pharmacy.

She was surprised at the drugs she found in the cabinet; Depakote, Stavsor and Topamax. They were not the regular over the counter drugs. These were drugs she had prescribed for patients before. They were half empty. Ihuoma closed the cabinet and sat on the toilet seat. They were drugs used in the management of bipolar disorder.

Just like everyone trying to get their life together, she was quite surprised that regardless of his cheerful nature, he was managing a condition. It all made sense now; the clowning moments and the sudden mood swings, it was a classic case. She didn’t have a problem with it but the fact that he kept it away from her was what exasperated her. His explanation even did more damage than good,

“I thought you would leave me if you knew about it and I don’t want to lose you.”

That was the response she got when she confronted him about it. She expected it but it wasn’t good enough. She was determined to make the relationship work so she put it behind her and moved on with the relationship. She tried to help him and encourage him through it but he wasn't cooperative. He developed a nonchalant attitude over the next few weeks and it wasn’t helping the matter at hand. He always killed her efforts at showing him love and it weighed her down emotionally. She was hurting herself in the process of taking care of him and she wouldn't have it. He abused her emotionally and psychologically. He urged her to leave him alone and when she couldn’t take it anymore, she decided to leave.

”Leave me alone! Get out. I don't want anybody around me. I don't need your pity or fake love. Leave me! I hate you and everything you stand for. Get out of my life!" he screamed at her one evening.

Ihuoma felt numb and starred at him. She had gotten so used to defending her love for him that it no longer made sense to her.She took one look at him and shook her head. She was not sure if he was depressed or in his normal state of mind, she no longer cared. She knew she wasn't ready for the relationship. She hadn't fully recovered from the heart blow Chinedu dealt her before she delved into this but she took the risk. Her boxes were packed already, she was leaving. She didn't realise how much of her stuff she had at Lekan's apartment. She thought she had found the one, apparently the one was still caught up in traffic somewhere, probably a long way from home.

As she dragged the boxes out the doorway, she remembered the words of the pastor on the pulpit the morning she met Lekan. They resounded in her ears:

"...let go of all that tried to weigh you down in the previous year. Deal with every hurt before it makes you a bitter person..."

ALMOST A BRIDE: EPISODE 4

Last time on Almost a bride...

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"Please don’t break my door biko! Handle my door with care.” she shouted as Lala resorted to opening the door with the spare key. Ihuoma had given her a key in case of any emergency. Certain Ihuoma was indoors, they rang the doorbell for thirty minutes straight with no response. Clearly, that was an emergency. Lala opened the door and entered the house. Anini and Dona followed after her. Ihuoma ignored their greetings and continued mixing the flour in the bowl. Ihuoma had refused every advice to go into professional catering despite her love for baking and cooking. She did not bake on a regular basis but whenever she was heartbroken, that was her stress reliever and she was an expert at it.

The three friends were clueless on what to do next since Ihuoma,the noise maker had gone cold on them. They hated to be in such an awkward situation. They tried to assure their friend that everything would be fine at the end and that, if it wasn’t fine, it was not the end.

“…there is light at the end of the tunnel, everything will be fine Oma” Lala concluded.

It was as if Lala opened Ihuoma’s talk tank as words gushed out of her mouth nonstop. The three friends looked on in surprise as Ihuoma recounted her experience with Chinedu amidst tears flowing from her eyes. They gathered around her and hugged her warmly.

“We’re always here for you Oma, you will be fine” Anini whispered.

It was only after they broke the ice that Dona had a chance to admire Ihuoma’s apartment. It was her first visit and she was impressed. The sitting room was painted yellow and pastel green.The white floral patterned curtains that adorned the window stretched full length. They slowly swayed and caressed the floor as the breeze came in. It helped to relieve the once tense air in the moderately spacious living room. The flat screen TV that hung on the wall was showing Django Unchained. Her eyes drifted to the bookshelf with medical books, novels, magazines and DVD's well arranged in different sections. Dona picked two throw pillows to provide space for her to settle into the orange leather sofa which had a table on each side of it.

“This is a beautiful apartment. Ihuoma’s face hasn’t really changed, she still has her pointed nose”, Dona told Anini as she admired Ihuoma’s induction and NYSC pictures that hung on her wall. Her love for the arts was obvious with the oil painting abstract art that hung on her wall amongst other art pieces.

“The cookies are ready”, Ihuoma called out to them. 

“Please get the Chamdor in my fridge, the wine glass is inside the cupboard where I keep the breakables.”

Lala made her way to the kitchen to get the wine. They all settled in and started gisting.

"...my dear, I am tired of this country. No light, no good roads, nothing! Everything that can possibly go wrong in a country, is happening here", Ihuoma lamented.

“It is only God that can deliver us in this country. If it gets worse than it is, my dear, I’m porting to greener pastures. Corruption has eaten deep into the fabric of our nation. The annoying thing is people are too quick to judge the President, they forget to remove the speck in their own eyes before pointing fingers. Even the basic social unit we call the family has failed! I believe for us to move forward we need a re-orientation jare.” Dona added.

“True talk!” Anini and Lala echoed.

“Let’s leave this naija talk for another day because if we start, we wouldn’t finish”, Ihuoma said as she sipped her wine.

“How are you ladies coping with this Ebola news, attending to patients and all?” Dona asked.

“Sister, extra extra precaution o, hmm, every fever is not Ebola but we’ve been very cautious in handling our clients than ever before. Educating the masses through social and mass media has been very effective in curtailing it. Thanks to that Ebola alert group, Nigerians are also taking responsibility for their health” Anini responded.

“This work ehn, it’s God that is protecting us, how has work been for you Dona?” Ihuoma asked.

“You know how the corporate world is, work has been alright though, except for this silly dude in my office, he is looking for wife to marry"

“Tell us more sister...” Ihuoma added as Dona gave her an uninterested look.

“Dona, you better stop joking around, you’re not getting any younger o, if the guy is godly, focused and loves you what next? Lest I forget, you all, Omotola is getting married next month and her aso-ebi is twenty thousand naira.” Lala said.

“We’ll discuss that later, besides, you’re in charge of all our aso-ebi matters, you that ditched medicine for fashion. Just remind us, when it's time. It’s getting late, you ladies should be on your way. I don't want you people driving late in the night. Thanks for dropping by, for the listening ears and the support, guys will not break your hearts like mine o", Ihuoma laughed. Lala, regards to Fikunmi, and Ani what’s that your boo’s name again?”

“His name is Nonso, you are always forgetting", Anini replied rolling her eyes at her.

“sorry na, regards to him too", Ihuoma said as she walked the ladies to their cars.

“Goodnight” they said and hugged her one after the other.

Ihuoma shut the door after her and sank into the sofa in the palour. She was grateful for her friends, they always made themselves available for her when she needed them. Their visit that day helped to clear her head from the emotional drama she had been dealing with. She had been too busy thinking about rerelationships without focusing on her forthcoming exams. "It’s high time I start preparing for my primaries”, she said to herself as she cleared the table.

Ihuoma was on night call the next day, so she decided to spend the day with her mum. She called her mother to tell her she would be visiting in the afternoon; she needed to get away from all the men trouble she was in. Mrs. Nwabuogaranya was more than excited about Ihuoma's visit. She prepared her daughter’s favourite dish; Ogbono soup and yellow eba without letting the househelp partake in the activities.

“Adanma, I am happy to see you, how’s work? Hope this Ebola did not reach your side? biko, egovim, be careful oh.”

She didn’t know which question to answer first, “Mum, I’m fine, I’m also taking necessary precautions. Besides, they’re making progress with finding a cure to the virus, hope you also wash your hands often mum?”

“I do. Ihuoma, my beautiful daughter, hope you’re enjoying the meal?"

“Yes mum, thank you.”

“Hmm...", Ihuoma's mother said as she cleared her throat.Ihuoma, my daughter, you know you’re my first child. I love you very much, you know. You’re now a full-grown woman, I just want to know how you are doing. Hope you’re fine? I’m your mother and you should be able to talk to me anytime, I was very happy when you said you were coming.” 

"Mum, go straight to the point. what is the problem?”

“Hmm… you’ve never brought or talked about any man you like, you know you can talk to me anytime. Time is going and you know you’re a woman. At your age. I had married your father, infact, I had been delivered of you. What is the problem nne'm?”

“Mum, there's no problem. I came here to relax not to listen to sermon about how my biological clock is ticking, please cut me some slack here. Infact, where is dad?”, Ihuoma snapped at her mother as she carried her dish to the kitchen.

“He went to see Engr. Akpabio; he will be back at night”, her mother replied looking sober.

Ihuoma ignored her and changed the topic, "How is Somtochukwu doing, have they started their Junior WAEC?”

“Yes, he has a paper today, he should be back soon. Akachukwu came home over the weekend, she is adjusting to the university environment well and being in the same school with Uchenna is an added advantage.”

“Yes, that's true. Besides, Unilag is not far, she can always come home if she has any problem. Uchenna on the other hand won't stop disturbing me with calls. Is he the first person to carry out a project in that his architecture department?"

“That is exactly the same way he disturbs me and your father. He loves money.”

They talked about her mother’s pharmacy growth, plans for the forthcoming christmas holidays and all other things that were of no importance to Ihuoma. She only listened to please her mother.

On Sunday morning, Ihuoma dressed her best. She wore a white chiffon dress with her black pump heels and carried the Chanel bag Femi Roberts bought for her. She let her sleek hair flow and put on a red lipstick. She woke up happy that morning and decided to remain so regardless of the troubles she was having. The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Liberty Court was a walking distance from her apartment and she was determined to attend the New Year thanksgiving service. The service was awesome, it was as if the pastor knew exactly what Ihuoma was going through regardless of the palpable high spirit that could be felt in the atmosphere. The sermon was titled; Letting Go of the Hurt in Our Past.

The closing words of the pastor were “It’s a new year, let go of all that tried to weigh you down in the previous year. Deal with every hurt before it makes you a bitter person. Be thankful and prepared for all God has in store for you. Happy New Year!”

She was greatly blessed. Throughout the service, she could feel the darting eyes of her neighbor on her and their eyes met a few times.This made her uncomfortable for a while but she soon forgot about it. It was the close of service and the minister that took the closing prayer asked everyone to hold hands, Ihuoma felt striped, the staring dude next to her finally had the chance to hold her hands. The choir started the song “ I need you, you need me…” They held hands with Ihuoma not looking at him. As they got to the last line of the song, "I love you, I need you to survive”, the pastor complicated the situation by saying, “Look at your neighbor, eyeball to eyeball and sing....” This made Ihuoma furious, but then his gentle smile washed away all the anger...