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Got home feeling tired and drained to my bone, I was numbed and couldn’t quite bring myself to process all that happened today, still felt like a dream.
My phone has been ringing since I left the party but I didn’t want to speak with anyone especially not Becky for that matter, I was just not in the mood for any talk that revolved around what had happened tonight.
I took off my gown and put it in the heap of clothes piled up in the laundry basket, my shoes came off next and I placed them on the shoe rack and went on to the bathroom, took a long cold bath, washing, and scrubbing as though I’m trying to scrub all the memories away
After my bath, I climbed onto my bed prepared for a good night’s rest when my phone rang again, I checked to see the caller and it was my dad, sighing deeply I picked it up and connected…
“Hey Baby, How are you?” came his voice
“Hi Dad, I’m fine, Good evening” I replied sounding unenthusiastic.
“I’ve been trying to reach you all day but your number kept diverting”
“Maybe it was the network”
“I guess it should be the network, You sound dull, are you okay?”
“No, I mean Yes dad” “I’m fine, just a bit tired”
“What have you been up to baby?” he asked suspiciously
“I’ve just been painting some junks and stuff”
“I’ve told you, there is no future in this painting of a thing, especially not in Nigeria, nobody looks at them” he disapproved
“I’ve told you to get a good job, you read Mass communications in school, there are lots of jobs you can take on that will suit you”
“Okay dad, I’ve heard you” I sighed deeply wary at the discussion
“ Take a look at your friend Rebecca, she doesn’t have two heads and you graduated with a first-class while she had a second class, but she has had many jobs than you have ever had”
“Uh, here we go again dad, it’s always about comparing” Rolling my eyes
“This is Nigeria, works don’t come so easily like that, besides every one of us are not equal, what worked for Becky might not work for me,” I said as respectfully as I can.
“Spare me the nonsense about equality and inequality” he retorted
“Anyway I just called to inform you that I told a friend of mine whose son has moved back from the United States to preside over a radio station in Lagos that you are looking for a job, and he asked me to send your Curriculum vitae, so I’ve sent the one I had with me to him, Interview is on Monday, dress your very best and make me proud”
“Dad! That’s two days away, why didn’t you call me to inform me of this sooner”
“Call you that what?” “Do you have anything better to do except to waste your time drawing some useless caricature or amoeba at home”
“Dad it’s Art, not useless drawings”
“That is your problem o” he grumbled with a voice that sounds irritated
“Just go for the Interview on Monday, I’ll send the address to your phone, and please don’t embarrass me when you get there, I spoke so highly of you, so make me proud”
“Okay I’ve heard you, dad, I’ll make you proud”
“That’s better, you just said what I wanted to hear”
“By the way, If you mess this up, you will be leaving my house”
“Your mum and I, are returning from the village next week and we’ve had a long talk that maybe because you are eating free food, paying no rent and collecting a monthly stipend from us, that’s why you are not bothered about finding a real job”
“Dad!” I muttered in disbelief
“Don’t Dad me, we are cutting it out, You need to be more responsible, so there will be changes when we get back” Then he disconnected.
I gaped in surprise and amazement at the phone, I couldn’t believe this was happening to me again Tonight after the kind of evening I had. My dad is a person that does not give an empty threat, he never had, nor do I think he will start now.
I stared dejectedly at my phone, switched it off, thinking about so much for wanting a good night’s sleep, I scrambled up on it, wrapped my body with my blanket, and forced myself to sleep.
The next morning, a bright Sunday, I woke up to the sound of cars moving and the noises of hawkers selling their various stuff.
I got off the bed, went to the bathroom tub to brush my teeth, then moved on to clean the house and do some laundry.
Then I remembered my phone, I walked into my room to check if I had some missed calls when I remembered I had switched it off the previous night,
I pressed the button and as soon as it turned on, it suddenly began to ring, I knew the caller even before I saw the name, so it was not surprising to know it was Becky.
I connected the call, and I heard her melodious voice on the other end
“Hey Girlfriend, I was so worried about you, I have been calling your number like forever and it’s been switched off, are you okay?”
“Hi Becky, I’m perfectly fine, I just had a flat battery, that was all” I lied.
“I was worried when left abruptly yesterday after Lara announced her engagement”
“There’s nothing to worry about, I just felt sleepy, that’s all”
“You know you don’t have to lie about it dear, I know how you felt about Richard and I’m sorry you had to go through all that, if I had known that it was he and Lara’s engagement party yesterday, I won’t have let you come,” she said with a strain apology in her voice
“Becky, it’s completely fine, I know you won’t have invited me, if you knew about it, although I was shocked, it’s nothing serious”
“Girlfriend, I know it was a major crush on you, I wanted to come to your place so we could talk about it, but I have a lot of contents on my desk that I have to submit tomorrow, I’m sure I can’t be there with you” she regretted
“Becky I’m not a kid, I’m twenty-three years old, I can take care of myself, I’ve slept it all off, I feel much better than I felt yesterday”
“Are you sure?” She asked, sounding concerned
“Of course I am, just work on your content and don’t worry, I’ll be fine,” I said reassuring her “Okay love, Take care, I’ll talk to you later”
We said our goodbyes, I dropped the phone on the bed and thought about why Lara invited us to the party, I reminisced about the times we were good friends and roommates she had been cool-headed and fun to be with.
I wondered what had happened to have caused such a drastic change, I had never known she would have resolved into something so deceitful and she even went as far as involving Bimpe in it.
I shook my head and forced the thoughts to the back of my mind and got out of the room to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. …. Read the next chapter here!
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