I realised after a while that he was only trying to get between my legs under false pretences of trying to help me, I walked out on him. I was running low on funds and meals were far apart, I had already told my parents that I had gotten a job, not because I was a liar, but because I wanted to put them at ease, my mum was worry-wart, I could not risk her getting high blood pressure on my behalf, I was putting up with an old friend from NYSC called Boma, boma was your easy go lucky kind of girl, I knew her from port Harcourt, she had made quite a fortune for herself in Lagos with no feasible source of livelihood, she was home most days and never slept home most nights, on several occasions she had tried talking to me, in her own words "turn the flour mother nature has given you into a big bakery" I knew what she meant, and I assured her I was going to think about it, she would shrug and mumble under her breath, I was worried, this topic was becoming a regular now, I was trying hard, I had been in Lagos for over two months now, I knew in my heart that I had overstayed my welcome, she was basically housing and feeding me now.
I needed respite, her friends were constantly in her house most mornings, they were not my kind of crowd and it was difficult to feel at ease in their presence, I had walked in on them making jokes about me, my hands were tied, I couldn't leave, I had nowhere else to go.
On this particular day, I had walked the length and breath of Ikeja, submitting my resume like a new convert distributing Christian tracts, I was tired, my only consolation was the thought of been emancipated from dependency on Boma. I got back to the house and met the whole crew of Boma's friends. Ronke, the fair busty one, she was a bleached out lady with burnt lips like that of a chronic smoker, everything about her was fake, the British accent, the weaves, her complexion and her looks, she was a washed out lady in her thirties still claiming twenty-four,I detested her the most. She was always chewing a gum that she smacked loudly in a continuous irritating manner, I said hello to them all, they chorused their answers, but Ronke called me back, that I did not greet her, I could smell trouble, so I specifically greeted her again, and resumed my walk into the room, then I heard her say "is that how you greet the person feeding you" that stopped me right in my tracks, my gaze shifted to Boma, she just stared back at me with a slightly confused look, in humiliation I hurried into the room.
A bout of raucous laughter filled up the whole house, they were laughing at me, I couldn't hold back the tears that came streaming down, I heard everything they were saying in between laughs, I did not hear Boma's voice, she neither supported nor stood up for me, I needed air but I couldn't summon the strength to walk by the living room again.
The eery sound of my phone cut through my dilemma, I picked it up staring blankly at the unfamiliar number on the screen and subconsciously wondering who it was, as I pressed the green button, the first sound that filtered through my ears was "please don't hang up" I could recognise that voice any day, any time. I listened carefully to all Adams had to say, he was sorry and needed my forgiveness, in my vulnerable state, I muttered "I forgive you" he immediately detected the sadness in my tone and asked what was wrong with me, he ever was so caring and attentive, it was one of the traits that made me fall helplessly in love with him. I told him I was fine, he asked if he could call again, I reluctantly agreed.
After that call, I did not feel as bad as I felt earlier, as I sat on the bed, a greedy thought crept into my heart, what if I got back with Adams? the advantages were endless, with the amount of connection that his family had, my joblessness would be a thing of the past, I would finally be able to leave this house and spit on that maggot called Ronke, the mere thought of it excited me, I was smiling through my tears, I wiped the tears from the corner of my eyes, Gosh! being a good girl was so boring, besides, I still loved him, so it wasn't so bad, I had been in Lagos for over two months, my parents would think I was an ungrateful daughter who had a good job and wasn't helping out back home, I was desperate.
In that second, I decided to be nice to Adams, when next he called, he was my ticket out of this shameful farce. Deep down I knew Ronke wasn't going to stop, she was trying to humiliate me into leaving Boma's house and in the depth of my heart, I knew Boma was in full support of it, she was a coward using her friends to send me away, rather than tell me herself.
I got up, picked my small purse, put on some mild makeup, straightened my back and I walked out to the living room, I looked Ronke in the eyes and I airily said "see you, girls,later" i took a long walk to clear my head and strategize on my modus operandi of getting Adams back, I saved the number he called me with earlier, just in case he did not call soon enough, I was that desperate. I had just seven days to stay in Boma's house, this had to work.
Join Lilian every weekday, as she relives the good, bad and ugly memoirs of her marriage,love and life.
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