Loving Bad

Episode 40

one year later

Matt: so how are you
Nkem: am good, when are you starting your exams

Matt: in three weeks time
Nkem: so you are graduating
Matt: yes baby

Nkem: when people dey get better papa I no know where I dey o, no be I for dey graduate now?, I still love him sha

Matt: you are going to get something better in six months time

Nkem: I hear
Matt: you and pidgin English, change o
Nkem: abeg shift

Matt: how was Trini’s birthday party
Nkem: bad, they should have thought about the consequences before inviting my mum and dad, mum almost pulled down the building

Matt: that’s natural, guess what
Nkem: Patty finally dumped your sorry a-s
Matt: in your dreams, am finally going to be someone’s big brother at 24, and you my darling will be a big sis soon
Nkem: who is pregnant
Matt: my mom

Nkem: ewwwww, how can she be pregnant she should be fifty by now
Matt: shut up my mum is 40, she had me when she was in high school, then she and dad got married when she graduated from unilag

Nkem: to me 40 is still too old to give birth
Matt: suit yourself am happy to be a big brother

Nkem: that child can pass as yours you know that right?

Matt: who cares
Nkem: tell your mum I said congrats
Matt: you can call your dad
Nkem: whatever

Matt: so how are things with your mum and brothers

Nkem: am staying with Derrick now, mavin and Eric had plans to travel to other countries but they stayed back in US for reasons best known to them, I talk to my mum now, and I feel guilty that I love my dad more because he wasn’t there when we were growing up, mum went through all the stress alone and all I should love her more even though she didn’t treat me the way she treated my brothers, she still kept me alive so I should love her more

Matt: it’s not your fault she should have treated you better,

Nkem: I will be going to Nigeria next week, miss. mell wants to see me she is really sick
Matt: call me when you get to the airport I will pick you up,

Nkem: ain’t you going back to school?
Matt: in two weeks time
Nkem: see you then I need to go and see Nate, he’s not feeling well
Matt: the bad boy gets sick
Nkem: Nate is not a bad boy
Matt: tell me about it
Nkem: suit yourself
Matt: your boyfriend is part of a gang
Nkem: was

Matt: he is still a bad boy
Nkem: f–k you
Matt: love you too. hangs up

---

Nathan’s family house
Nkem: good evening aunt Trini
Trini: how are you my dear
Nkem: am OK

Trini: Nathan should be in his room
Nkem: is he feeling better?
Trini: I don’t know he is not opening up for any body

Nkem: sorry about that, i will check on him
Trini: OK dear

Nkem: I will get back to you knocks on Nathan’s door*. Babe open up, Nate!!!!!

Nathan: coming door opens*
Nkem: why did you lock yourself in, aunt Trini was worried, sits on the bed*, are you going to talk to me?

Nathan: ignores her while lying down

Nkem: are you seriously not going to talk to me?

Nathan: snores lightly*
Nkem: great now he is sleeping texts jasmine. jas are you not done sU-Cking Derrick’s face?
jasmine: nop

Nkem: your brother is sick
jasmine: i know, and you are his girl so take care of him

Nkem: he is not talking to me
jasmine: he is angry you left last night, you shouldn’t have left your sick boyfriend
Nkem: it wasn’t serious then , and beside I needed to cook for Derrick I didn’t know you guys got back together, beside your cooking sU-Cks I don’t want my brother eating that
jasmine: geez thanks, just pet him a little he will come around, and am sure he hasn’t had anything to eat since morning, so take care of my brother while I take care of yours
Nkem: I packed him dinner and Derrick is not sick

jasmine: he has other needs
Nkem: ewwww, disgusting, I hardly slept last light

Jasmine: you can feel the pain now, you and Nate frustrated me

Nkem: matt’s mum is prego
jasmine: what? at sixty?
Nkem: she’s forty ?

Jasmine: still old?
Nkem: bye ???

Jasmine: bye goodluck with your bipolar boyfriend

Nkem: my boyfriend is not bipolar
Jasmine: he acts like one
Nkem: get out

jasmine: love you too, bye ???
Nkem: crazy

---

two hours later
Nkem: you still don’t want to talk to me?, am sorry i left last night. “am sure this one is not talking anytime soon”. OK I will stay here with you till I leave for Nigeria next week
Nathan: sure?

Nkem: yeah
Nathan: I missed you snuggles closer to her

Nkem: sorry I had to make something for Derrick

Nathan: jas was there
Nkem: I didn’t know they were back together, how are you feeling
Nathan: am hungry
Nkem: I packed something for you to eat Mac and cheese, and your favorite
Nathan: fried chicken?
Nkem: yeah

Nathan: I will eat later, right now this is what I need starts kissing her**

Nkem: pulls away hmmmm, you are sick

Nathan: I just have a bad headache, nothing contagious

Nkem: whatever, guess what
Nathan: you are moving in with me
Nkem: yeah

Nathan: really?
Nkem: in your dreams
Nathan: what then

Nkem: matt’s mum is pregnant
Nathan: how old is she
Nkem: why does everyone keep asking that, non of your business
Nathan: can I kiss you now?
Nkem: no

Nathan: shut up
Nkem: I wouldn’t say that if I were you
Nathan: you still need to earn my forgiveness
Nkem: you are talking to me already
Nathan: that can change
Nkem: you are such a baby
Nathan: am just your baby
Nkem: better, am going to kill you if you dare to cheat on me

Nathan: I will never do that to us “starts kissing her***

one week later Lagos, Nigeria
Nkem: ” waoh it feels like ages, I can’t believe I miss home, am heading to my dad’s place at Akure first, then I can head back to PH tomorrow, why is Matt not here yet, I will just call him with the public phone ** dials matt’s number*

*on the phone
Matt: hey , am coming
Nkem: I thought you slept in Lagos
Matt: yeah am at the airport, OK hang up I see you now

Nkem: fine come get me* hangs up. ” I should call Nathan later with matt’s phone”. Matt!!!!!!! runs over to him

Matt: your patient level is zero
Nkem: you brought patty, why did you leave her

Matt: she couldn’t run along so I left her
patty: breaths heavily**, geeez girl its nice to see you

Nkem: same here stranger
Patty: sorry I didn’t call a lot was going on
Nkem: its fine, all road leads to Akure
Matt: crazy girl
Nkem: so how is Becky
Patty: she is OK, she is in Akure, Jackson and Fred are around

Nkem: nawa o, its full house at your place
Patty: we are all staying at matt’s
Nkem: ahhhh, facing you is enough do I have to face all of them again?
Matt: it’s just for a night opens the car
Nkem: drive like a human being
Patty: Matt your phone
Matt: hello, oh yeah Nkem it’s for you
Nkem: hello, baby?

Nathan: why didn’t you call me
Nkem: how did you get matt’s number
Nathan: I asked Derrick to call your dad
Nkem: you should have waited for me to call you

Nathan: how was your trip
Nkem: it was OK, we are heading to Akure now, I will go to ph tomorrow
Nathan: OK, call me when you get there
Nkem: I will do that * hangs up**

**30 minutes later

Matt: on the phone, OK I will do just that
patty: any problem?

Matt: somehow, Nkem that was Derrick, your mum said you need to get down to port Harcourt today

Nkem: how many hours drive
Matt: about 9hours
Nkem: waoh, can you do that?

Matt:yeah
Nkem: patty?
Patty: I will tag along
Nkem: I think miss. mell got worst
Matt: I will call your dad

hours later

Nkem: where are we now
Matt: Benin bye pass
Nkem: can you drive faster?

Matt: calm down and quit crying she is not dead

Nkem: I have always been prepared to face every other thing but seeing the person I love most in this world die was never part of it
Patty: calm down, she will be fine
Nkem: I hope so

few hours later
Matt: trans amadi umuola road
Nkem: umurola
Matt: whatever
Nkem: head straight to save a life hospital please

Matt: OK ma
Patty: she will be OK
Nkem: I hope so.