Deborah

Episode 15

Glad that morning had come after all her tossing and turning on the bed, she rose and peered outside…Was she doing the right thing? She was suddenly consumed by guilt…was running from her family the best she could do?

The phone he’d gotten her was really beautiful but she wasn’t in need of it… it was too expensive for her kind of person and what kind of impression was her employer going to have about her….

‘Are you sure you are ready to do this’ Sara asked from behind….unlike her friend, she still had to hawk….

‘ I’m confused’ she shivered….

Sara walked closer and gripped her firmly by the shoulder…

‘As I said earlier, if you miss this opportunity….then your life is over. Look at the table, look at what Andy is offering…a job and I’m quite sure you will be well paid. Start getting your things ready’

Deborah was speechless…her friend was right, she needed to do this but she still had one stone left unturned….her mother and sister needed money, especially now Eno was pregnant.

‘Do me a favor’ she handed the phone to Sara ;‘sell this to one of those your boys….give the money to mama….if she asks you about me, don’t divulge any information’….

Sara was stunned….what could’ve really happened between Debo and her mother? ‘I can’t do this, I don’t want to get involved’ she shook her head….

‘I beg you…you just have to’
just then the phone rang….

‘its him’ Sara gave her friend a knowing look, Andy was probably around the corner…

‘hello’ Deborah greeted him…he sounded excited…

‘I hope you’re ready… I am picking you up in twenty minutes because you really need to see my aunt’

She nodded …. ‘Yes I’m ready…meet me by the roadside’

That was that, now she turned to face her friend, did she really mean it

‘What you’re asking is quite difficult….besides how do I get to contact you when you’re gone’ ‘oh!’ Debo gasped….that was something….maybe she was wrong.

‘Just do take care of yourself….call me okay? And visit anytime you have the chance’
Sara felt like crying but she held herself…

It wasn’t as if they were never going to see each other, she would miss her friend dearly…but it was for the best.

‘I promise not to forget you’ Deborah whispered as she hugged her friend…

‘Remember me always ….sweet chocolate o’…

‘Where’s Andy’ Mrs Briggas searched the table but her husband’s nephew wasn’t seated….that boy could make her worry….

‘He left to fetch the girl’ Clara chipped in as she struggled to swallow the salty fried eggs… ‘this food is really bad’ she continued….they really needed a help.

‘Well if your cousin is right about the girl, then our troubles would soon be over’ her mother replied….

Ekanem Briggas observed Ani carefully….he’d been acting strange since the previous day, why was he so against the idea of a new maid? Was there something she didn’t know about?

‘Aniebiet what’s going on with you’
He couldn’t answer….he didn’t understand it himself and he was slowly turning to a stranger….

Something else had come up, Morganna had texted him…. She was pregnant…

‘ I’m fine mom, just stress….’ He picked at his food…. It only meant one thing, the wedding had to be done as fast as possible.

‘I got us tickets for the house of Moqums fashion show….it’s going down next week’ Seline announced excitedly….

‘I already know that….am a model, remember’? Clara rolled her eyes….

‘Not funny’ Seline ignored her….the little creep was quite annoying…

‘Wow…. I guess we are all going …Ani you should call Morganna’ Mrs Briggas suggested….

‘Yes…you should call her, she’s deep into fashion and she would learn from this’ Seline smiled secretly.

She adored her sister in-law to be. She was beautiful, classy and very intelligent, but it hurt her deeply that she couldn’t have her ….she was her brother’s.

That thought ruined most of her mornings as she usually woke with Morganna on her mind, her beautiful face….her frame…everything about her was captivating.

‘I shall inform her’ Ani rose up and left the table.

Ani was restless, she was coming home soon, to haunt him again. No matter how much he forced her out of his mind, she still came back….he wondered briefly if she felt the same way about him.

‘To what end’? he grunted… Morganna was carrying his baby…that made her special.
He was lost, totally lost in a sea of endless torment……he just couldn’t define it…he was going crazy.

There was nothing he could do to stop it now, his mother had bought the whole idea and he had no other option but to adjust.

‘Is that all’? Andy asked bewildered by the size of her luggage…. She carried a small box and held a polythene bag containing other things…

Deborah nodded not quite understanding his question….

‘Stay safe, make sure you call me’ Sara whispered and hugged her.

‘I will I promise’ went Deborah
Andy watched the emotional display between the two and wondered where her family could be.

He placed her belongings in the back of the car and motioned her to the front seat….she acted like a cat who was being ushered into a cage.

After some minutes of driving …the fuel tank glittered red, that would slow him down.

‘So what did you have for breakfast’? he tried breaking the silence that hung over the car….gosh! was she this reserved…

Deborah blinked back to reality, her mind was far off….she was thinking about him.

Andy had spoken to her, she was sure about that but she hadn’t heard a word.

She felt bad, that was kind of rude…but she couldn’t help it…she didn’t even know his name but he was always on her mind…

‘ I’m sorry I didn’t hear you’ she went.

Andy observed her for a while; she seemed lost…like something disturbed her, if only she confided in him, he was ready to do anything. Anything that would bring a smile to her beautiful lips…

‘I asked if you have eaten?
She licked her lips at the thought of food, she had been too nervous to think about it, now he asked, she sure felt hungry.

‘No’ she shook her head and looked down.

He seemed like a nice person, he was! She decided but she still felt unsafe around him. Like he was a preactor of some sort…

‘Okay then, we will stop and eat briefly before heading home’ he turned into the nearest fuel station.

‘Thank you very much for all your kindness’ she didn’t know how to appreciate him enough…

‘Don’t mention it dear…..’ if only she had any idea about the way his heart cried out to her, the way his limbs went numb just staring into her eyes…

Fueling the car wasn’t that difficult a task, luckily….there was a restaurant around, so they quickly moved in….

‘What would you like to eat’? he beckoned to the waiter…

‘Anything’ she felt different being in such an expensive place….this wasn’t her life…all what she knew was penury.

This life he was trying to bring her in was a fool’s paradise which she wouldn’t revel in.

‘Anything is nothing’ he teased and for the first time she smiled…..

‘Okay, I would have tea and bread’

‘Seriously’? this girl was d–n funny….

‘Sorry…I think I prefer your first choice…. ‘anything’ and they both laughe; for the first time she felt at ease in his presence, she was relaxed and that made him happier.

He really wanted her to think of the best about him…he didn’t bite….

Just as the waiter approached, he was surprised to see her…. This time, she looked more confident as she took dedicated steps towards him….

‘good morning Andy, I’m sure you remember me’ Morganna smiled…. There was something about Ani’s cousin….she had a deep talk with herself and she remembered everything but it was a long time ago.

Would he remember that night? Did he remember her?