Fem: Bidemi! are you there?
Bidemi: emmm… Yes!
Femi: It’s been a while i just thought i should call you and say hello…
Bidemi: emmm… how are you?
Femi: Well… I’m ok dear…but…. I miss you
Bidemi: Emmm.. Okay…
Femi: You’ve been saying “emmm” alot
Bidemi: because i have nothing to say Femi, i thought i was done with you
Femi: Everything that happened was a mistake
Bidemi: Sleeping with my sister was a mistake? Femi! A mistake is when you accidentally drop a cup, a mistake is when you type a wrong word, a mistake is when you say good morning when it’s 12:05pm…. Having sex with the sister of a girl you claim to love? No that’s not a mistake, that’s you making a decision to do something wrong!
Femi: you’ll need to forgive sometime
Bidemi: I’ve forgiven you, i just don’t want to have anything to do with you
Femi: I know i messed up, i hurt you, i was wrong. i love you but i was silly enough to hurt you but now i know better, i know there’s no one i want more than you and i don’t care what i have to say or do, i don’t care how long it takes but I’ll make you mine again Bidemi because i love you!
She drops the call, she couldn’t take it anymore, she couldn’t afford to hear the sadness in his voice. she buried her face in her palm and couldn’t stop the tears that streamed down her face.
****************
It’s the seventh number I’m trying now and so far, i had spoken with 4 hausa guys, 2 people with a language i didn’t understand and an irate lady who called me a 419er. I tried this time and i got lucky…
voice: Hello
Me: ( i recognized the voice) Hello Bidemi… It’s Dolapo!
Bidemi: hmmm… smart guy. so you got the 11th number
Me: Yes! after speaking with different people who practically cursed me
Bidemi: Hahaha.. Good! Sorry sha
Me: Thanks jare but i know it’s worth it.
Bidemi: Ok o
Me: So….. i was hoping if you aren’t too busy today, you and i could go somewhere together.
Bidemi: Really?? why would i want to go anywhere with you
Me:emmm…. because I’m begging?
Bidemi: (laughs) thats not a good reason to go
Me: I’m just hoping you and I can spend sometime together
Bidemi: You don’t even know me
Me: on her contrary, i know you more than you think
Bidemi: Really? What’s my Surname?
Me: Adegboye Bidemi: (surprised ) what’s my birthday date
Me: August 18, you threw a party
Bidemi: Uhmmm… what else do you know?
Me: You like staying indoors, your favourite colour is Purple, you have alot or purple tops, you prefer flat shoes to heel ones and they are always white…. you always pack and style your hair in ponytail and you prefer to braid them. You have a spanish tone voice which is low and solemn and when you smile, you have a dimple on both cheeks…. should i go on?
Bidemi: huh.. emmmm… well…No
Me: I told you i know you
Bidemi: I’m impressed and i want to know how you know me so well.
Me: 6pm this evening?
Bidemi: I don’t stay out late, can we make it 5pm?
Me: Yes, anything for you
Bidemi: (blushing ) where are we going?
Me:It’s a secret… i promise you’d like it
Bidemi: Ok then
Me: I’ll call you. Takia
Bidemi: Bye
I dropped the call and immediately jumped on my feet, i kept throwing my fist at an imaginary punching bag, i was close to the room entrance door , the cotton was down, my eyes were closed so i didn’t see when when Wale entered and peeped into the room, head first while i was still punching the air and….. Gbosa! i hit him on the jaw. He shouted!
Wale: Yeeeeeeey!!! Mama Dolapo!! Your son has gone mad again o
Wale has the habit of calling Mom “mama dolapo” cause he says I’m her favorite. After the punch, i wanted to apologize but his screams were so loud i couldn’t help but to laugh.. Mom came rushing in..
Mom: Kilo sele?? (What happened )
Wale: Dolapo has finally been attacked by the witches in our village I laughed and Mom did too
Me: E ma da lohun (Don’t mind him) i mistakenly used my hand to hit his jaw ni
Mom: Wale, Omo mi, pele (sorry, my son)
Wale: Pele? Mom you’re saying pele… you better let us take him to Pastor T B Joshua for deliverance now o
Mom laughed ) Shut up, nothing is wrong with my son
Wale: i have said my own, maybe next time it’s you he’ll punch
Mom laughed and left us both in the room.
Me: Sorry bro! mi o ri e ni ( i didn’t see you)
Wale: why were you so excited sef
Me: Bidemi and I are going on a date
Wale: na lie joor
Me: I swear bro
Wale : Wetin you tell am? you jazz am ni?
Me: abegi… the girl is feeling the boy
Wale: Gerarahie mehn!!!
Me: Whollop… Whollop
Wale: na which day?
Me: Today
Wale: you’re kidding me? where are you taking her?
Me: To the park
Wale: Car park?? You dey travel ni?
Me: Car park ko! i mean Amusement park
Wale: Go do wetin?
Me: To sit and talk na, there are flowers there, it’s beautiful
Wale: Aye mi o (My life) Where are you from? You want to take a Nigerian girl to a park? to go and do what? Eat flowers?
Me: It’s romantic now
Wale: shut up there! Nigerian girl don’t know romance abeg. To them there’s nothing as romantic has you buying recharge cards, paying bills, giving cash and buying ice cream and meat-pie
Me: But i don’t have such money
Wale: then don’t date! you wan take her go park, beside flowers where mosquitoes go chop am finish and do festival on top her leg shey?
Me: emmm… i don’t know o. Come, how do you know all this? have you been spending money on girls?
Wale: Forget that side
Me: Bidemi is a rich girl, She’s probably used to eatery and buying stuffs. i want to do something special
Wale: Love… Romance…something special? not here in Lagos
Me: I’ll take my chances I got a call and it was Bidemi
Me: Hello
Bidemi: Sorry Dolapo can we make it 4pm? Something came up and i have to be home early
Me: Sure 4pm is ok by me
Bidemi: Ok… till then
I was relieved, i thought she had changed her mind. The joy i felt made me jump on my feet and starts throwing punches in the air again. Wale screamed, this time even louder than the previous
Wale: Mama Dolapo!!! Those witches are back again oooo!
*************
She changed her outfit 3 times already before she finally decided to wear this one. she had no idea why she wanted to look this good for a guy she just met and hardly know. But he’s a cool guy and seems responsible. No guy has ever paid so much attention to her.
Femi doesn’t even know her best colour and they practically grew up together, it’s hard to believe he ever loved her. His call had made her cry and sad but thanks to Dolapo’s call which lightened her heart.
They are going on a date, She’s been on alot of dates at different eateries, cinemas, concerts and shows. So She’s sure this is one of those and she definitely needs to get her mind off Femi, even if it’s for a few hours. It’s 3:47pm already and She’s still trying to wear her make-up, she has to look good.
Femi’s words kept ringing in her ears and there was nothing she could do to stop it, what if he has changed? Does he now love her? it’s been 2 months that he has left, it was supposed to the six weeks but after his GCE exam he decided to stay with his grandma to look after her for a while, Femi being caring, he’s thinking about someone else other than himself for the first time since ever. He’ll be home next month and next month is just less than a week away. He says he still loves her but he slept with Kikelomo, her sister. The tears streamed down, ruining her make-up.
*********
I wore my best round necked top and a jacket , i always looked good in it anytime, any day and anywhere. I tucked 1500 naira in my back pocket, the 500 naira Wale lent me was in my chest pocket plus the 350 naira that was already in there . I have 2350 nairas with me, going on a date. If what Wale said was anything to go by, then I’m in trouble.
I got out of the house, walked to Bidemi’s house and dialled her number.
Bidemi: Hello
Me: Hello Bidemi, I’m outside, in front of your gate
Bidemi: Ok. I’m coming
It took up to 10 minutes before she finally opened the gate and stepped out. My mouth became dry as i swallowed hard. She wore a sleeveless pink top, black legging trouser with a jean bump-short or whatever they call it, A small purse with a chain extension was hanged on her left shoulder. The shoe was a flat but high-soled, Her hair was packed backwards in a ponytail with a pink ribbon… she was the cutest beautiful thing I’ve seen in a while. i forced myself to say….
Me: Wow…. you are..
Bidemi: (cuts in) Don’t say it! shall we??
Me:Yea sure
We walked in silence as i gathered the little confidence i had
Me: Thank you so much for agreeing to see me. You have no idea how lucky i feel right now
Bidemi: It’s nothing really. It’s only cause you asked nicely (smiling )
Me: I just think i got lucky
Bidemi: Yes! you are lucky
Me: (laughed… clears throat) uhm… We’d get a bike, i hope you don’t mind
Bidemi: No i don’t, it’s fine! We stopped a bike and finding a 2nd bike seemed to take forever.
Bikeman: Why both of you no kuku climb my own? Me looking at bidemi) haaa…i dont think….
Bidemi: it’s Okay, let’s take same bike
She got on top of the bike and moved in so i could do the same. my legs became heavy but joined her as the bike moved on. This will be a moment I’ll cherish forever.
THe fragrance from her hair filled up nostrils, i closed my eyes to savage every moment of it. The wind blew her hair as it massaged my cheek, she noticed it and looked back, Our eyes met as she smiled and i did the same. I didn’t want this to end but we got to the amusement park way too fast. I paid the bike man and we went in. The entry tickets were 500 naira each, i bought Popcorn and a drink for the both us, i was left with #550. We found a spot and sat, it was quiet as the breeze blew. The flowers hung around just as i had expected. Bidemi broke the silence
Bidemi: so tell me, how do you know all those things about me?
Me: I hope i won’t sound like a stalker but the thing is, I’ve got my eyes on you. I used to walk around the street just so i could see you
Bidemi: but you never say anything, why?
Me: i couldn’t. i was scared of been rejected or ignored
Bidemi: So what made you walk up to me and talk last week
Me: i decided i couldn’t take it anymore, i know i might lose contact with you anytime or a guy might steal your heart away and I’ll spend the rest of my life regretting
Bidemi: (smiled) What makes you think a guy hasn’t stolen my heart already??
Me: Well… I’ll say he is the luckiest guy in the world
Bidemi: (blushing ) hmmmm
Me: (smiling ) then I’ll pray and fast daily so his head gets big & he’ll become ugly so you won’t like him again
Bidemi: Hahahaha… funny guy. So you like me ehn.. what should i do about it
Me: nothing actually
Bidemi: Really?
Me: Yes but I’ll wait around and hope you feel the same way about me
Bidemi: hmmm but that might take years to come true or never come true
Me: No problem. For you, i can wait forever
She smiled. We talked as we ate the popcorn and sipped our drinks, everything about bidemi was beautiful, even her life, her childhood. We talked about our family, friends, school and everything we could think of.
I told her about Wale and Ada’s fone call and we both laughed about it as she placed her hands on the chair and i made a move to hold her. She didn’t take her hands so i held her palm in my hands a little tighter. Bidemi.looked at her wristwatch and exclaimed, its 25 minutes to 6pm already and that we had to leave.
As we made our way out the park i noticed she shivered a little so i took off my jacket and placed it on her shoulders. The park guard saw us hold hands and jokingly told me “Bros! your girlfriend fine die o, You be lucky guy” We all laughed at the joke and i silently prayed that, that dream come true.
We got to Bidemi’s house gate by 6:03pm
Me: Thank you soooo much again for spending time with me
Bidemi: (smiling ) It’s all good. I had a great time and enjoyed your company
Me:I’m glad you did…. and i hope to see you again
Bidemi: I’m still here and you’re already planning on seeing me again
Me: That’s because i can’t get bored of seeing you
Bidemi: hmmm… now you’re making me blush
Me: Hahaha… so will i see you again sometime soon
Bidemi: let’s see if you are lucky again
We laughed and hugged Goodbye. The hug was quite long before we let eachother go and she went in .
I was singing hallelujah chorus all the way home. I got home and met Wale on the chair, his eyes widened as he asked;
Wale: Dolly P! where is your jacket?? Oh! I had forgotten it with Bidemi. Neither of us remembered and that thought brought Smiles on my face as i looked up to the ceiling. Wale saw it as me smiling at some imaginary spirits who were up. He screamed as usual;
Wale: Mama Dolapo!!! The Witches from the village have taken his jacket now o!!! ~
To be Continued tomorrow
