Ever wondered which side you would end up on if you travelled back in time? Say... In a ground breaking event that changed the world forever. Let me start with the one grand event.....
Of course the great flood, a constant downpour for forty days and forty nights. The sheer amount of water all around and the constant stream of heavy downpour from a raging sky. The one major question I would like the answer to has haunted my dreams and plagued my very imaginative mind. Will this event have a happy ending or consume you completely. Are you going to be safe inside the ark or drowning outside in a tsunami higher than anyone has ever lived to tell or film. For a long time, I dreamt that I was safely inside the ark with the good and noble men and women of that time. Running around with little children on the massive ark, from the slow tortoise and the graceful gazelle and watching the black widow spin her massive web and the grand African King Cobra raise itself high up as I skip by unafraid. I am only anxious about the days and I could not wait until the rain stops falling and my bare feet soaks in muddy banks.
That was then when I was young and blameless, unbiased and gregarious. Now I look at the person approaching me and think, why is his hand in his pocket. Is he alone or are his gang members lurking in the shadows. And when I see her give me a second look, I ponder and ask. Is she scrutinizing me to see if I have cash in my bag or worth attacking. Yes I am no longer innocent, I have been sexually harassed and blamed for it. I have had my documents seized for no reason and asked what I was wearing, been chased and ran as fast as I can. And then blamed for been afraid. So do I trust people? No. What about my thought pattern, I hold back when I can and try to answer only what I've been told. The result... I'm too quiet. So you understand why I'm paranoid and skeptical about everything and everyone. I do not beat my chest and brag to be one of those on the ark and I also do not think I am one of those drowning outside in the flood. I seriously feel like I am a conflicted whole and my destination depends on when and what trials and tribulations I am facing. I hope that when the ark comes that I am calm and not hateful. I pray that o have hope and I am prepared and if I am caught unawares... I am ready to build my ark and rise above all and every challenge I face.
Even the simple task of filling up my journal and cataloguing my journey, trials and triumphs is becoming really hard.
As you must have guessed, I dreamt of the great flood and I experienced it all. I walked with the animals and insects and stretched my hand in the turgid waters with the sea creatures. I did get on the ark but I was still afraid.
It feels like when I have a very steep deadline and I want to meet it in less than twelve hours. My heart is racing and my head is becoming full and my eyes float and sway as I hold my breath and try to remain calm. The old me would have stopped and taken a break but instead I did something a little shameful. I popped a pill, it's actually allergy pills but they slow and calm me and that's the reason I did. I think of my liver as I do and promise not to repeat this again. But it works, my heart is now steady and so are my fingers and I see and complete my task in America time.
See wahala.
That is not even the Koko, the main gist is Henrik. Remember I was with my friends when he rushed in looking dazed and scared. He hugs me and searches my face as if I was lost and found.
'Sweetheart, what is it?'
He says nothing and touched my producing belly and feels for the twins. They kick with excitement and then he hugs me as if I just got back from a long trip. Ajoke and her twins watch us and Nnoye nudged her to try to get gist.
'Na oyinbo way, him dey miss him wife'
Ajoke tried to justify the crazy scene by insinuating it had to do with the fact that Henrik was American.
'Henrik are you okay?', I was beginning to get scared.
He rocks me and then runs his hands through his jet black hair and then let's down the bun on top of my head that I suffered to get into the perfect look. I know I am always complaining about hair drama. About how annoying it is that we have to braid, weave, three strand twist, dreadlock, stretch and perm our hair. And then I ended up relaxing and putting it into a knot on top of my head. Well I blame how beautiful it looks and then I want the look too. Yes, my husband was acting strange and I was not sure how to handle it and the reaction of our audience.
'I dreamt I lost you...'
I giggle and touch his rough unshaved face, I did not let him shave because I like these look.
'Im here, it was probably a dream...'
He grabs my hand as if to stop me and make me take him more seriously.
'Ade, the twins And I were were searching for you'
I stare at him and squint, one thing you need to know about my husband is that he can be superstitious. And this dream to him was a sign. Especially since he hardly ever did, like my friend Ajoke.
'Where were you?'
'It looked like my mum's house and we could not find you'
'So three of you were in America and I was....'
From the tone of my voice I was not happy, how dare they leave without me.
'That dream can't happen because there's no way I let my twins out if my sight and let you all travel without me...'
'That's why I'm it was scary'
'Lets pray'
That is all I could say because I kind of got a chill in the air and all this started to feel and look very premonition-ish.
We shut our eyes, locked fingers and prayed. I cup my belly with one hand and prayed. Tears ran down from the corner of my eyes and when we had casted out demons, protected our family with the blood of Jesus and accepted that God Almighty had so much more for us all to do. We stand and Henrik pulls me to his lap and hugs me from behind.
'Ajoke had finished her large chunk of cake and was staring at the cake and I signal to her that it is alright to take out of my piece.
'Ade, let me call you back later', Celine adds still on the WhatsApp call with us all.
Nnoye was staring at me and then walks closer to us.
'Henrik hi'
He acknowledged her and rests his head on my back and shut his eyes. He looks tired and I changed position, I sit on the long couch and he rests his head on my lap.
'Ade, should I be worried?', Nnoye whispered.
'He hardly ever dreams so it felt real, he will be fine'
'Thanks God, but... Daniel'
I look up at her and realize she was talking about Daniel Ojora all along.
'You got pregnant for the city playboy, he got another lady Opeyemi pregnant, he is chasing me and God knows who else...'
I was angry at her for not showing compassion to what just happened. Ajoke kneels beside me and squeezed my hand and made me stop talking. And just in time too because I would have said my church mind.
'So I'm a lost cause', Nnoye adds and slumps in the couch beside me.
I rolled my eyes at her and smiled when I hear Henrik snore gently. My darling was relaxed and back asleep and I watched him.
'What Ade is trying to say is that we can hope for the best but a leopard can't erase it's spots'
'Is this reality show going to crush me or put my name out there and increase my brand?'
I was no longer interested in what she had to say, it was all about her. I too rest my back and shut my eyes.
'Bad news travels fast and on TV, faster. Let it all happen organically...', Ajoke advices Nnoye.
'Ade, e bi like say you go bake another cake oooo. See my twins'
I open my eyes to the twins munching on the piece I saved for Henrik and I.
'Hassana and Hussein... Bad children... Aunt Ade won't bake cake when we visit again'
They were giggling and shove too much in their tiny mouths. Ajoke grabs the rest in their hands and pop them in her own mouth.
'So Bala isn't getting any', I state.
'Next time', Ajoke adds and finished the last of it.
'When is he back?'
'Bala is in tomorrow and Nnoye... Are we still meeting Mr. H's friend at your place?'
'On Wednesday, Ade are you baking?'
I stare at Nnoye and then the twins that are using the cake crumbs to clean my clean table. Ajoke stops them and drags them into the kitchen to clean their I hands and returns to clean the table.
'Makes sure you have everything ready, I'm baking at yours'
I did not want to have to take a cake there so the idea of baking there was better.
'Nnoye doesn't have an oven', Ajoke reminds me.
'Ajoke let's go and get one and the twins can have ice cream on me'
'Sounds great, let's let Henrik and Ade Bond', Ajoke winked at me.
'Meanwhile, what are you going to do about Frank?'
Ajoke was referring to the man I used to be engaged to and neglected to tell me he was already married. The same man now engaged to an unstable woman, the same man that wrote an article about Nnoye and my upcoming reality show'
I ponder on what to say and then smile.
'Nothing, he is trying to get on the show but there's no room for him or his kind. I have enough real drama in my life. There's no room for forced drama'
Ajoke and Nnoye cheer and prompt the twins to cheer on. Henrik raised his head, half awake and then hugs me as he continues to sleep.
Quietly and whispering, 'ssshhhh'
My dear friends exit and I smile and wave goodbye. Hassan runs back into the house, climbs Henrik and hugs me. Such a sweet soul, you won't believe that Henrik did not wake up.
Shaaa, I get the inflatable mattress and nudge him on it and we both lie down and start to snooze off.
I see a familiar number on my old phone but have no time for rubbish. It's Khadijatu, she too must have heard about my upcoming show.
Right now all I'm looking forward to is meeting Nnoye's new man. I wonder how Daniel will take this news?
He always feels like he has the last word, but Nnoye is a perfect match for him. The girl has got game...
**"ADE'S JOURNAL", Season 2, Episode 76**
*"ADE'S JOURNAL", 76, COPYRIGHT 2017*
**BUSOLA ELEGBEDE, COPYRIGHT 2017**
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