The harmattan that came with the month of January always made one parky, getting up from bed every morning becomes difficult cos of fear of having to take a cold morning bath.
Ben was already used to getting up very early in the morning when she was in Kano, just a night she arrived back at Lagos, she was feeling too lazy to wake up early and the harmattan breeze that blew didn't help it sent her back to bed.
She curled up in bed, covering herself up with her duvet. The cold was killing her and she wasn't ready to get out of bed yet.
Then, her phone beeped. It was a call Roshan, she beamed - she's been expecting the call since the previous day.
"Roshan, I was worried." She groaned.
"I'm sorry, I was busy." He told her, she knew being busy would be his excuse. She sighed and didn't nag further about it. "Did you sleep well?" He asked.
"Not at all." She replied, flickering h
In the evening of that day, her father arrived. Ben was seated on her favorite couch in the living room - placed at the window side, she loved it there.She was seeing a soap opera when her father barged into the house, she stood up and quickly went on her knees to greet him.He acknowledged her and went into the room, her mother also came in after her father did."Welcome mom, did you guys plan it?" She smiled at her mother."Plan what?" She looked befuddled."Dad just came in and you did too." She said and her mother smiled."Good, where is Ademide. Has she eaten yet?" Her mother asked."She hasn't come out of that room since you left for work in the morning." Ben told her.Her mother sighed deeply, she dropped her bag and flopped tiredly on the couch. "I've tried, I even transfered her to a boarding school so she could mix with other ch
After the church service on Sunday afternoon.The Olayiwolas were back to their house.Ben and Ademide were busy in the kitchen - about to prepare a meal of fried rice and chicken, they were back to how they used to be - all grudges buried, lost love found.Ademide laughed as Ben told her about the Hausa people and how it was difficult for them to pronounce some words. - words like People, the, and how they used the letter 'F' in place of 'P'."Oh my God! That's hilarious." She laughed harder. "I didn't know that stuff was true." She said - she had heard people complain about the Hausa people's intonation but she felt it was just a normal talk to criticize them."They are good people though, very good and hardworking." Ben said."Do you like any of them?" Ademide asked teasingly, Ben looked at her sister and smiled.She had really gro
Ben was the only at home - Ademide had gone to school and her parents were off to work, she decided to do a general cleaning of the house since she was idle.She already held the broom in her hand and was about to start sweeping when her phone beeped, she reached for it where she kept it on the stool."Toba!" She screamed, been a while she heard from him - been four days already."How have you been, Ben?" He asked."Very well and you?""I'm fine too, how's everyone at home?" Ben noticed his voice was not really bright."They're all fine, Toba whats wrong with you?" She asked."I'm okay." He said but she didn't believe him."The Toba I know would have look for ways to insult me first before any conversation at all and here you're just calm. Did anyone offend you? Who's that person that doesn't know you have a hefty friend like me?" Be
At exactly six 0'clock in the evening, Ben was relaxed on her bed.She had been anticipating a call from Roshan but none came, she checked her phone occasionally for missed calls but none was there.Beep beepIt eventually rang, she knew he was the caller even without checking for confirmation."Roshan." She mumbled. "She was mad at him, she needed him to create more time for them but he was always busy. "In fact, I don't know what to say.""Ben..." He hesitated. "I know you're mad at me." He whispered gently. "I've been busy, so busy with work.""I know you're always busy but it's not fair, I believe if two people care about each other they will always make out time out of no time to talk." She ranted. "You just don't care!" She blurted angrily."Of course, I do care." He grumbled."You don't, to be sincere." She sniffed. "
Back to Kano, it felt different as she walked elegantly towards her office. Her table was clean - she was thankful to whoever managed her desk in the last two weeks while she was away. She sat back on her chair and swiveled it around, she missed doing that.She went through the files on her table, some were still from the time she left the office, she finished up with the ones she understood and left the rest to be explained to her later."Good to be back here." She muttered.She hadn't seen the director since she got back. "Good morning miss Ben." The head of director of the welfare department, Mr Kay walked into her office and acknowledged her."Good morning sir." She was familiar with him."You've resumed work already? I was about to call you and explain your work descriptions to you." He said to her."Sir, have you forgotten I was th
As she sat on the chair, her mind drifted back to Aisha.Something wasn't right about her or was she the one thinking of different things? She picked the first file and went through it.She heaved a sigh as she glanced at the files, her phone rang. She fumbled her hand in her bag to bring the phone out.She picked the call. "Ademide, how are you?" She smiled."Ben, I'm fine." She mumbled from the other side."Where are you?" She asked since it was a school day and she was calling that early."I'm at home." She told Ben."But why?" She inquired. "Why didn't you go to school?""Today is teacher's day Ben, we don't go to school on teacher's day." She told her sister."Ooh, that's true." She reminisced back to when she was in secondary school, they always stay back at home on days like that. "What are you up to this morning?"
It's been over a month she got back to Kano, work hadn't been the same with Aisha's presence - she was a pest in human form always making sure she heckled her at any chance she got.The constant glares and mockery she got from her got on Ben's nerves daily - she was certain she had a motive in the office but it was indecipherable.Reporting to Roshan would only escalate things since his parents sent Aisha to work for him for a reason - she knew they would have her back.She walked into Roshan's office and there, Aisha was seated on a chair with her legs crossed, she barely wore a hijab even though she claimed to be a Muslim.Aisha turned to face Ben and immediately she spoke. "Courtesy demands you knock at the door before barging in." She told Ben with a Sly smile on her face.Ben ignored her and went to where Roshan was seated. "Sir, I need more papers to type on. We've run out of stationeries
"Thanks for coming." She muttered as she sat close to him. "And welcome here, this is the first time you'd be entering into my apartment. " She smiled. "What should I offer you?" She asked."Nothing." He retorted. "Your apartment is beautiful and portable." He said as his eyes roam the small living room. "Can you get me something eatable?" He changed his mind when she shot him a glare."Something like what?" She asked again, almost regretting why she asked him what to offer - she wasn't ready to cook yet, but she'd cook anyway if he demanded for food."You always ask if I've eaten or not." He smiled sheepishly. "I haven't had anything to eat since yesterday cos I was anticipating today, I want to eat in your house." He said."What do you want to eat?" She asked."Anything you make for me, beautiful." He replied."You have to choose, Roshan." She smiled shyly.