Falcons On A Plane, Satin Sheets All The Way.

"ADE'S JOURNAL", 107

   Slicing the perfect air with an almost invisible clear string, strung  tight and vertical and not horizontal like the common web scattered all  over. This is different, this is special and we have just started. Unique living creatures like ourselves, toil hard and create magic. Breaking boundaries and suspending our fat juicy flesh, we continue to spin and spew out new tension, natural wires. Silk threads, sprout out of us serrated weavers, working hard to form a priceless cocoon. A home and shelter to hide in, fit for the gods and Lords of this universe. The kind of home you hibernate in and morph into a better version of yourself. Spawned out of love and an instinct to survive. A new beginning and a new life, driven by pride. Strands of our silk would go far, and adorn the best of the best runways. Maybe mine would be made into an outfit worn by the Queen. All the dreams and hopes, fuels me and keeps me going. Also, all the movement above, goes unnoticed as a crowd gathered in the sky. In one quick move, I see a shadow cover me. And then, I am pecked and truncated out of existence by a winged champion. I think, please ask. How does this happen? What are these creatures that have wiped us out if existence. they are the new leaders. The preferred, graceful champion's, not fat and robust but fit and firm. Muscled limbs lift them majestic upwards and beautiful wings, spread outward. Creating a beautiful wing span, in flight. Others watch as they fly away, into the arms of people towards hope and freedom. Did I just escape death? I am stuck between the feathers and pruned off. I fall awkwardly off and land hidden and far out of sight. But they are in my line of sight and I am watching them and can't help but describe, what I see.
Locked and Spotty feathers lay flat like domino's, on the backs of the winged champion's defying the norm. Flying in first class and treated like royalty. Falcons On A Plane, Satin Sheets All The Way. Not tomorrow or later but right now. I'm never going to give up my dreams or stop when I want to scream. And then I instinctively start to spin silk, underneath predators. High up in the air and on an airplane. A silent hum resonates as we fly over the Atlantic Ocean...

       Before now, I would have swam in the Atlantic Ocean with my eyes shut. Protected my eyes from the salty sea waters and tiny sharp sand, sw8rling in the foaming waves. Not today, today I am fighting and screaming. I've swallowed water and I've stopped. Many things were in perspective. Distracting me and trying to protect me of my current reality. But when you are drowning, you want to see everything and taste everything. I cough and swim akwardly, trying to rest my dislocated ball and socket joint on the sand bed. The waves conspire with my pain and toss me about like a rag doll. I am screaming and clawing at the sandy shores. And then I feel her warm hands grab at my armpits and the pain escalates. I am fighting her now and feel my tendons try to shift my bone back into place. It failed and I am crying now, and then I recognize her voice.
'Ade talk to me'
'My arm, it's dislocated'
'What can I do?'
 I point at the water and can't speak and Celine turns me to my side and I start to cough out water. She raced back towards the water and dived on. She disappeared into the endless water. I crawled and tried to move, The pain jerks me off balance and I collapsed on the floor and tried to force my arm back into place. It almost works and a large wave covers me and lifts me up. It gracefully pushed me higher up and away from the sea. Celine reemerged, carrying a limp Ajoke. I watch them and say a little prayer. Celine crashed and kneels before me and then starts CPR. She tastes water and turned her to her side. Spewing out water, she coughs and tries to lay flat. Celine helps her to her side until she stops coughing and looks at me. The silly girl starts laughing and I just watch her. She clears up her lungs and points at me. And then, speaks in a husky, unclear voice.
'You should see your face'
 I try to remove the shock and fear on my face, and replace it with a smile. From the look on Ajoke's face, I fail woefully.
Celine looks at me and chucked and crashed to the ground, knee first.
'You two wont kill me', she said.
'What happened?', I asked Ajoke.
 I was trying to understand, why Ajoke was drowning in the first place.
'Muscle pull', her answer was brief.
 Celine stands up and walks towards me.
'No', I protest.
The fear of the pain of fixing my dislocated hand engulfed me.
'Ade, we have to fix it. You are red and shivering'
 I protest further and then think of y unborn child.
  Like a lamb to slaughter, I lay flat. Holding on to my elbows, the one joint that eased my pain. I have no memory of Celine mentioning that she could fix any form of dislocation. My elevated temperature and pain, forced me to trust her.
'Pierre dislocates his arm, every now and then '
 She said, lifting my arm and spinning it very slowly at a very slow pace.
I felt it try to lick into place and jerk me sideways. I tried to stand and escape.
'Relax, sssshhh'
  I shut my eyes and cried quietly, not for the current pain but the one from before. As it lingers and sips between my right arm. It tugs at my chest, as if the edge of the arm was now inside my rib cage. The arm, the ball and socket joint, all reconnect and I feel like the weight has been lifted of me.
 I let out a small but genuine laugh, that make my two friends watch me.
Exhausted, we all lie back into our beach chairs. I was the first to nod off, I think I heard Celine mention a hospital.
 Thank goodness, that is over.
It was Nnoye's call that woke me up, I could not deal.
'Have, we will see later'
 Nnoye had abandoned us for her Oga. The gist was sweet and I know that I would be shocked by it all.
 Celine gingers us up to go home and for once, I was glad I was not driving back home.

   The bond between mother and child is such a beautiful thing to witness. Ajoke was missing and hugging her babies so much and thanking God she made it home. Safe and sound.
 Bala was shrieking and telling her the many ways and reasons, never to go back into the sea. Did she listen? Of course not.
 I am just glad to see Henrik and he drives us back home as we ladies sleep off behind and over each other

  Just another day right? Exactly and the pain was not that much.
'You should have your arm in a along'
 Henrik was worried and I was getting irritated by it.
'No need, I'm going to get it fixed '
'Ade, when?'
 I stop slicing into the watermelon, that smelled like heaven.
'After our baby is born '
 My words sink in deep and he could my face, into his large hand.
The doorbell rings and Henrik escapes far back into our bedroom and locks the door.
 'Not fair', I grumbled.
 And walked with my plate of watermelon on a scene tray,
As I unlock the door , she shrieked and hugged me. I just tried to save my tray and it's content. We both eat and Celine helped too, she came with Cole slaw and freshly squeezed orange's.
'So gist us', Celine encouraged Nnoye.
'It was like a circus, like a campaign trail'
 I was speechless and watched her praise And justify her friend.
'Was he deported?'
'For where! He flew in on a private airplane and all others gingered him to take up a political mantle quickly'
'As what?', I asked not sure I would like the answer.
'President',Celine joked.
'He was convicted for money laundering, how can he want to be a politician?'
 Celine looked genuinely disturbed.
'A senator, I'm sure of it'
 I add and look around .
'So Ibori returns a hero?', Celine says clapping her hands.
 Nnoye laughs at us and shakes her head.
'He reinvests the money back to us his people, we can die for him'
'But I helped get you a job'
 I tried to reason with my friend.
'Until the contract is over and I need ordinary ten thousand Naira, just to feed and search for more jobs'
 Celine shakes her head.
'Ridiculous'
'Too you, baa?'
 It was all messed up, but no matter what. Nnoye would always be a fan of this mysterious man.

 The rain is brief and the sunlight is absent. I am about to call my mum, when her call comes in. I do not want to speak with her or hear her voice. Henrik is watching me closely and I am look at the pike of work waiting for me.
'I will go another time'
'So, you would quit working because I am pregnant?'
'Thats it not what I am saying'
'Celine is here and i work with two other women'
'Have you told her?'
'Not yet'
'Are you going to tell her?'
 I laughed because I did not plan on telling anyone.
'Just stay calm and safe'
'I will'
 The annoying phone call, persists.
'It's my aunt. You better start going, so you can defend properly. If she asks after me'
 We kiss and he steps into his car, his phone rings and he showed me caller I.D. it was my aunt, we laugh and he drives off.

 I am so tired and sleepy Andi take my multivitamins supplements. I can't get any work done at home because, all I want to do is sleep. So I decided to drive to work.
 There I quickly finish my work and  have a delicious lunch.
 The chips, taste like they are organic and I enjoyed Celine's freaky squeezed orange's. She does not want me to drink my beloved fizzy drink. It makes sense and thank God she has time on her hands, for now.
 My phone rings again and it's Celine this time around.
'Hi dear'
'Ade hi, have you had lunch?'
'I'm eating potatoes chips and smoked chicken'
'Wait, I'm coming'
 I looked at my plate and smiled, thank God I made extra.

  I really did not want to share, not today.

 Before I could say, okokomaiko. The babe was here. She washed her hands and joined me. Celine was wolfing down the meal, like it was a competition.
'Ah, ah, don't finish my food'
 I grumbled and watched her continue to eat.
'I just broke my fast'
'Really, didn't think you fasted. Ever'
'I need all the spiritual guidance I can get right now'
 I was looking at my phone, it was on silent, but was flashing lights and indicating a call was coming in. Then it stopped and I received a text and another.
'Who are you dodging? A toaster, an admirer?'
'My Aunt'
'Chai, good luck. That woman is a borderline stalker'

 My P. A. knocks and enters my office and smiled at Celine, who put too many pieces of chips in her mouth.
'Your friend is here'
  She did not need to say who, u knew in the moment.
'Let's her come in'
'Have you had lunch?'
  She started to ask and stopped when she spotted the food.
'We can continue... There at Pearl Garden'
The mention of the Lobster joint made Celine stop eating and start to pack up our plates.
'Ade, oya ya. Let's start going'
 It made my P.A. laugh and help her pack up.
'And the untouched chips and chicken, looks good'
 Her words were pregnant with meaning and I was not a fan of cold, leftover chips.
'Just keep my dish and coolers clear', I add and watch her do a small dance.

  As we settle down and order for lobsters, in my all time favorite restaurant.
Nnoye hands me her phone and I take it.
'Is it a picture?'
 To my horror, I see it's my Aunt's call and the timer is climbing. I covet the mouthpiece and tilt close to my friend.
'Nevergive me calls of relatives I don't want to talk to. I pressed speaker by mistake and we could all hear her talk.
'Hello Ade, ki lo de? Mo tin or re, la ta to ooo'
 I rolled my eyes at hee, even though she was not there. And rest my weight on my elbows. The one with the dislocated shoulder hurts and I squint out tears.
Henrik was right, it should still be in a bandage sling.

'Ade, pray against disaster and the loss of life'

  Her words cut and slice me deep and my left hand craddles my womb. As if there was a bump there. I realized what I did and massage d my thigh.
 You see now, why I was avoiding this prophet of doom. How does someone who claims to know and love God, spread so much fear and discomfort all around her?

 If you are in my shoes, what will you do?






**Season 1, Episode 107**
*"ADE'S JOURNAL",107, COPYRIGHT 2017*
**BUSOLA ELEGBEDE, COPYRIGHT 107**