In The Dark-Season 2 Episode 1

The man incharge of my department NYSC call up letter was an elderly man, he adjusted his glasses every five minutes and this made the process slow and exhausting.
While waiting for my name to be called i looked back at my past experience in life. From my dad’s death, to my sixteenth birthday, my mom’s death, then the unforgettable act of betrayal i witnessed which led to me loosing kelvin till date and lastly the suffering i went through with my uncle and his wife before mi mom and mi dad took me in. All i could say was “life is full of ups and down but what cant kill you,will only make you stronger”. Out of all my trials, I came out better,happier and stronger.
I felt proud of myself and greatful to those that stood by me during my days of trial. The love and happiness i had during the past five years made me forget my suffering. I was proudly a twenty one years graduate of Journalism and a owner of a beautiful beautiful ride. (courtesy of mi dad), He gave me the ride as a gift during my 18th birthday. Mi mom and mi dad are so proud of me and i know Wherever my parents are,they are also proud of me!
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‘Williams Nancy’ The man incharge called my name and i walked toward him as i collected my files from my bag. I presented the files to him and he slowly went through it one after the other.
Mi dad had already assured me that i would be posted to a federal television station in Ilorin because he did not want me out of sight, but i was still anxious to know my place of service. The old man sluggishness increased my anxiety. “Sign here” he finally said as he gave me my call up letter. I hurriedly signed and left the place for the next person in line. I rushed to my car and opened the letter. Just as dad said i was posted to ‘Kwara state’. I was of mixed feelings, a part of me was happy dad’s wish was fulfilled but a part of me was sad because secretly, i hoped to move out of ilorin. I had spent twenty one good years of my life in Ilorin. All in all i was happy to be a graduate and serving my father land was a dream come through. I started the engine and left for home.
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Khole now works in a bank and she does’nt stay with us anymore. She comes over whenever there is an important meeting or celebration. Happily she is still with josh and they are planning on getting married soonest.
Immediately i got home, i rushed at mi dad and mi mom who were in the living room, watching the afternoon news update. Dad asked me to sit beside him and he said “My angel, am waiting for the news, share it while its hot!” I frowned and i told dad i was posted to kano. Dad asked if i was joking and i told him no, he then stood from his sit and angrily said “How can that be? I called the man incharge myself. What rubbish? My own daughter going to kano? You are not going there, they should eat there service if you can’t serve here in ilorin, dont worry dear” Mi dad turned back and myself and mi mom burst into laughter. I already messaged mi mom about my place of service before so we decided to play a fast one on mi dad. “The soldier dad! Dont give yourself hypertension oo” Mi mom playfully said to mi dad.
Mi dad hit mi mom and i playfully before breathing a sigh of relief. Words could not express how happy i was, having a family that treated me like their child.
Mi dad instructed mi mom to call khole and Josh over for dinner.(Khole already introduced Josh to the family) He also invited few friends over to celebrate my success before i would leave for camp.
I left for my room as the old couples were bussy making phone calls.
I called some of the friends i made during my days in school to know if any of them was posted to kwara. They all replied no and i invited them over for dinner. I did not really have a close or favourite friend over the years so, i was not really sad none of my casual friends was serving in kwara.I took my bath and tossed on my bed till i slept off.
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“So the celebrant is still sleeping. Wake up sleepy head” Khole said as pushed me to the other side of the bed in a bid to wake me up. I slowly opened my eyes and checked the time 7:00PM. I could hear voices outside so i hurriedly peeped from my window. There were cars everywhere and lots of guests. “OMG mi dad told me it will be a small dinner with friends, who invited all this people” i said as i rushed to the bathroom nude. I could hear khole’s laughter as i closed the door.
I wore a sexy dinner gown after taking my bath and left for the living room with khole.
Most of the guest called me and prayed for me as i greeted them, they all wished me the best in life and a good job.
I felt happy been celebrated but” I would’nt have worth been celebrated without the lovly family that took me in”
The party ended by 9:00PM and i retired to my room to make preparation for camp after seeing Josh and khole off.
I prepared all i thought i would be needing for the camp and retired to my bed after the party, i was not feeling slipy so i called khole. Khole told me alot of interesting things about the NYSC camp and my anxiety increased, all in all i could not wait to wear the NYSC uniform, it will be a dream come through. I ended the call after a long talk with khole and i laid on my bed with my face up. Ever since my parents died, i never dreamt of them. I really wished they could appear to me just like i watch in movies, or they could even come to me in dreams but they never did.
I know they are happy with the way my life turned out anywhere they are but, i really wanted them to show me a sign that i was doing well.
I was greatful to mi mom and mi dad for all they had done for me but my late parents are irreplaceable (blood is thicker than water). I was lost in thought about my late parent throughout the night, but slowly and unconsciously i fell into the beautiful hands of sleep.
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I woke up happy the following morning, i said my prayer and had my bath before going to mi mom and mi dad’s room. I met dad bussy with his phone on bed while mom was reading from her bible. I greeted the dual and sat between them and waited for mi mom to finishup with her prayer. When mi mom was done, I thanked them for the party and mi mom pulled mi into her arms and said “Jadesola mi, you don’t have to thank us, we performed our parental duty and we are proud of you dear” I gushed at mi mom calling me by my yoruba name, only my dad calls me by that name, but ever since he died, i almost forgot i still bear a yoruba name. Dad pulled me closer to his arms and he patted me on the back. He smelt like my dad and that made me wanted to remain in his arm forever. ” Young lady why are you inhaling my saint like that?” dad said and that was when i realised i was making my like for his saint obvious. I gently pulled away from mi dad and i smilled. Mi mom told me we would be going for shopping to get the things i would be needing in camp and i told her i had everything already but she insisted and i agreed. Dad said he would deposit into my account in case i would be out of cash. At that moment i had more than five hundred thousand naira in my account and he was still talking about me going brooke. I gave mi dad and mi mom a quick peck in appreciation and i left for my room.
Later in the day i shopped excessively with mi mom and i packed more than enough for the camp. I wanted to arrive camp on time for early and easier registration so i left the following day with mi dad. He personally wanted to drop me off. I wished this beautiful love i received will never die.
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“mom………..dad, am home” i shouted immediately i entered the house. Its been three week without this guys but it felt like ten year. Over the years it been everyday with them but i had to stay without them for three weeks cos of camp. “Oh my angel, look at you………… You look lean, you did not feed well? Look at your skin, did mosquitoes bite you?” mi mom welcomed me with questions as she turned me around as if she was looking for a pin on me, i only smilled and told her i was fine. Mi dad hugged me and said “Dont mind her, she takes you for a baby” we all laughed and mi mom said i was her baby. I argued against been a baby and paraded my self as a full grown lady. We all laughed and i excused myself to my room. “Come for lunch on time dear, i made your favourite for lunch, there is enough to feed the whole nation” mi mom said has i was about climbing the stairs. I laughed and said ok.
I entered my room and it was like it been a year i last used the room. I walked round the room to notice if there was any changes but there was none. “Its so good to be home” i said to myself as i undressed to take my bath.
Mom made a delicious meal of coconut rice and turkey for lunch. She also baked a welcome cake for me. I had the best lunch ever with family. After lunch i called khole to inform her of my arrival, she told me she would come over and i ended the call. I missed my sleep due to the camp stress so i had a long nap.
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The following morning, dad took me to the television station i was posted personally and he handed me over to the managing director before taking his leave. He was scheduled to go on a bussiness trip that day so he had to run along. I was required to work as a journalist under the supervision of my department head. I was assigned the duty of collecting tangible and confirmed news to be broadcasted. This requires travelling to the point of incident and it sure will be time demanding but i was ready to work tirelessly. This had been my passion ever since i was a child.
Immediately i resumed work i was assigned an official duty. I was assigned with a group of journalist to collect and submit report based on an overhead bridge been constructed along the post office road in Ilorin, the state capital.
We gathered the compulsory materials we would be needing and took off in an official car.
Under the scorching sun, we tour the area of construction over and over again, to get tangible informations. We video recorded the site and interviewed workers and passerby concerning the work at hand. After the whole interviewing and necessary jottings, we took pictures of the site before leaving for the office. My group members were not really hardworking and their reaction to the supervisor whenever he urge them to work harder was rude most especially a guy called Dtobs.
Lunch was provided by the company but i did not have lunch. Interviewing people, gathering information and doing my work was really overwhelming for me. Minutes later, We got to the office and tendered our report for the news crew. Every member of our group was free to retire for the day since we already performed the duty assigned to us. I was packing my bag when the supervisor a middle age man with an average height came into the space given to me and said “Hello” i turned back and respond to his greetings, he then adjusted his glasses and said “I can see you will become a hardworking journalist, be careful cos there is more to this work than passion, and if you continue to work hard like you have started, you might be assigned to some important assignment before your service year will come to an end” i smilled and thanked him for his advice and compliments. “By the way, i am Larry and i love hard working girls like you” the supervisor said and walked out. I stopped to pack my bag and sat on my table, i tried to think about his words and figure out the meaning for it. I was still thinking about larry’s words when my phone started to ring. The caller I.D was mi mom, i accepted the call and she sounded happy from the other end. Mi mom told me she would be travelling to Dubai to retrieve some long expected goods, she told me i could stay with khole if i would feel lonely at home since Mi dad was absent and she promised to come back on time. Sadly i ended the call and packed my bag, i got ready to leave for my empty house.
I got out of the building, saying hello to people here and there, i was almost at my car when i heard someone say “Nancy” i was new at the television station and most of the people were yet to know my name but that particular voice sounded familiar. Could it be kelvin? I thought as i continued to walk slowly, waiting for the person to call me again. “Nancy, its me” the person said again and this time around instead of walking away slowly i turned and saw the shock of my life.
Standing infront of me was Jordan, could this be a dream or my imagination? I asked myself as i stood fix looking at him. “Hi” he said with a smile and waved into my face. This must be a joke or something i said. “No its no joke i am for real” he said again with the same charming smile he had five years ago. I was lost at what to do a part of me wanted to slap him or spite into his face or probably push him to the floor so hard that he will land on his bare a-s but a part of me wanted to be mature as well, i did not want to cause a scene on my first day at work but Jordan made me want to go crazy. “This was the same guy i fell for and gave my heart and love to. This was the same guy that stood by me during my mom’s burial but this was also the same guy that betrayed me and cheated on me with a friend i could call a sister. All in all this was the same guy that left without saying sorry five years ago and he has the guts to appear in my face with a smille, pretending to be a friend” as all this thought was going on in my head, my anger increased. I did not want to create a scene or cause a drama, i decided to walk away. I hurried my step to my ride and Jordan followed closely behind saying “Please give me the chance to explain Nancy, just give me a minute” i paid no attention to his words and got into my car. I started my engine and zoomed off, creating enough dust to make him turn brown.
On my way home, i noticed a car was following me, at first i was not bothered but when the vehicle took the same turn i took, i become worried. I horned when i got to my gate and the gate was opened, that was when the driver of the car parked and alighted. It was Jordan, he was following me, i got into my compound, thinking he was gone but when i alighted i saw him right behind me. I transfered my aggression on the gate man and i told him to throw Jordan out of the house but Before the man could react, jordan waved him to stop and said”No matter what you do Nancy, am clearing myself today and i wont leave until i do that”.I rushed into the house in shock and he followed me…
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To be continued