Fetch a perfect dew drop of water, gathered and rounded up from the moist morning air. This tired worker ant gathers and rounds up, miniscule dew in the air repeatedly. Until alas, it starts to settle around my spiny forelimbs. Then I do what I must, raise the ball of water up high, heavy now with the an equivalent pail of water that I must take back home to the thirsty lot. I taste the rust sipping through the air, old and timeless. The air that has traveled and gone with the wind, yet this land remains here. I, like my siblings have defied the odds. Thrived and survived admist pain and suffering. Survived, when we were expected to cave in and disappear. I miss the sound of the rusted wheels striking the age old rail tracks. I miss the hooting sound of the trains, announcing there will be plenty to do. The silence haunts me and my clan, but it does not dampen our spirits. A generation that has grown and multiplied just as time has. I do not cry for my father, he is one that has made history. Not one that built a monument or left a business legacy. No, at 93 he Died, 103 Widows he left, 203 Children Wept And The Whirlwind Begins. I do not cry because I am sad. Instead I cry because of all the sadness in the air. The man gave me precious moments I will forever Cherish. But his time is up and mine has just begun. I wonder why unlike him, I don't have seven children already. That is at my age, that's how many he had already. His children too are like him, averaging ten children each already. I envy them, but I'm also scared I will end up like him. Her sweet smile catches me and distracts me from my goal. And I almost dropped the dew drop I have gathered all morning. I put on a straight strict face and look away. I want a different path for me. I don't want to spend my life grooming children. But alas, I am in serious denial. The truth is that I am already raising children, my brother's and sisters. And the one growing inside her, bulging out and popping out any minute now. Like my family, hers is plagued with multiple births. So I expect at least two from our frolicking together under the Oyinbo, Idi Oro moon light. Isn't life ironic.....
Sticky situations attracts all sorts of drama. And this one is no different. The picture of the old bicycle like railwheel attract more likes than I ever imagined. It's the alert on my phone that got me back on my Facebook page. A close look reveals that my date is all wrong. It must have happened when my battery fell out of my phone. But shouldn't WhatsApp have alerted me. Just then the icon appears and I quickly correct the date on my phone to fifteenth of April this Saturday morning.
That is Samedi, quinze le Avril deux mille dix-sept.
I had to try out my French, you know. Right now I'm on a break, after my exams but I am still going back to finish it and get a diploma in French. I can't wait.
Ajoke shoved me a little and I looked up from my smart phone.
'Nnoye is crying'
The way she whispered the words annoyed me. But I knew I had to try.
'Let's all go', I announced.
Bala cracks the pincers on a lobster and it made me chuckle. Around all this seriousness, he is just been himself.
'Bala, Abeg please go and knock some sense into your friend Daniel'
'In a minute', Bala adds sucking the juice from the lobster.
In the room, Nnoye starts to remove the new earrings Daniel gave her.
'Nnoye, please don't tell me you are that dumb', Ajoke grumbled and stands at akimbo.
'Is it by diamond earrings, he can afford to buy me a diamond boutique', Nnoye screamed.
'Not really, it's a lot of investment. He can get financing for it and pay back when.....'
Celine did not let me land, she pinched me hard to silence me. And it worked.
'So he is too poor to get me a proper business', Nnoye snapped at me.
'I thought you wanted a fashion business', I said a lot confused.
'Ade that's not the point', she snapped at me.
I rolled my eyes at her.
'That's why you didn't go with Frank, all the baby drama...', Nnoye says.
I turned to her and clapped my hands three times.
'How did this become about Frank?'
'The baby drama situation....'
'I am pregnant for Henrik, or did you forget?'
'No, what I mean is...'
'Unlike you, I won't ever get pregnant for a man I don't love'
'Meaning what?', Nnoye asked in shock.
'Dont you ever, link my life to a dead past. A forced situation, if he keeps popping back into my life, it has nothing to do with me wanting that fool around'
'So you are in touch, holier than thou Ade has skeleton..'
'Nnoye stop it, Frank and his girlfriend attacked us. Ade has and will never encourage a stalker to return to her life'
'Sorry, I didn't know'
'Did you care to ask? All that matters is you and your image's, I snapped at Nnoye.
'I'm sorry, you know I've always wanted your perfect life. Even the man I want to marry wants you'
'Nnoye, he does not want me. He wants how happy I am with Henrik. And I'm happy because I am not in denial about my relationship. We have problems but I won't dwell on problems, I focus on solutions. And I love him unconditionally....'
The look on Celine's face, made me stop talking and look at the door behind me.
Daniel and Henrik were watching me and Daniel walks away, Bala has a fresh lobster inside a bowl and he is shaking his head. And then goes after his friends.
Awkward on all levels, this Nnoye just knows how to make things worse.
Nnoye sighs and crashed backwards into the bed in her room in Daniel's house.
'At least now he knows that I know', Nnoye whispers.
'Just calm down and focus on solutions', I add and go straight to the kitchen.
The chef just made fresh lobsters and I hand him my bowl.
'The way Bala has been devouring them and the drama in this house... Please let me eat this and just enjoy your special cooking'
I sit down and finish the succulent Lobster in peace. Then have a Greek salad, the cheese is delicious and the greens fresh and succulent. I was afraid I would be disturbed but no one came. I had a fresh delicious meal and then Bala shows up.
'So this is where you are"
'Yes, are they looking for me?'
'They figured you need a break'
'How is Henrik?'
'Good, trying to calm Opeyemi and Daniel is sober'
'Isn't he always'
'He is his father's son'
'A convenient excuse'
'The pressure he feels is real and you are wise to note that he admires you and that it is not love'
'Tell Nnoye that'
'It's envious to watch, she has every reason to be jealous'
'But it's useless to be jealous'
'Says the woman who easily gets attention'
Bala's words makes me think and I take a sip from the freshly squeezed orange juice.
'How is Henrik taking it?'
'Well, he understands'
'If only Nnoye could understand'
'She does'
'Did Ajoke send you to me?'
'No, I'm here for the lobsters '
We both laugh.
'Opeyemi wants to see you'
I drop my glass and sigh.
'That's what been friends with Daniel feels like', Bala adds.
In the living room, Henrik tries to calm Opeyemi. She is shaking and I could see the baby was distraught and moving erratically in her womb.
'Calm down'
'Is this what Daniel wants?'
'In his own naive way, no. He wants to be happy and when he is not, he manufactures happiness'
'With me?'
'With everyone'
'So I'm not enough for him'
'I doubt if any one person can ever be en. It's not about you, it's about him'
'Ade, That's why I want to leave'
'Running away won't help'
'Do I not deserve a break?'
'You do'
'So let me go, all of you', Opeyemi screamed.
'You cannot leave with my baby'
'You have another upstairs'
'Daniel, you can't imprison her'
'I don't want to'
'Then let her go'
'I deserve to be in MY child's life'
'And she deserves to be sane, to be free to be happy'
The silence in the room lingers and I heard Daniel sigh out loud.
'You are right, Opeyemi I sorry'
They hug and I could feel the affection they shared.
'Daniel, be happy, marry her,God knows Nnoye loves you. I will be out for a year. Come and visit when our child is born but not before then'
It was sad Watching them say goodbye and watching her walk away.
'She's right,Nnoye deserves to be happy'
Daniel brings out the same engagement ring and just as Nnoye storms in. He kneels and proposes. If I did not see it, I would not have believed it.
Nnoye screeched and accepted and they sealed it with a kiss and Ajoke and Celine pinched me. I winced and eyed them and they hugged me.
'Ade you know what this means', Celine announced.
'No, tell me'
'You are the latest brides maid in town', Ajoke adds.
'Chief brides maid of course, we have a wedding to plan'
Celine adds.
'Work to distract me from all these chaos', she whispered.
I watched him slip the engagement ring that Opeyemi once proudly wore. Not too long ago.
This is going to be an epic Easter holiday, at least I get to earn on this glorious union of two of my troubled friends.
**Season 2, Episode 18**
*"ADE'S JOURNAL", 18, COPYRIGHT 2017*
**BUSOLA ELEGBEDE, COPYRIGHT 2017**
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