Diary of a 9-5ver ( Episode 12)

                         

Cherry heaved a sigh of relief as she raced through her street towards home. Running was good for clearing her head but this morning, she simply ran out of habit.

"Mama," the most important voice in her life called out

"Hey baby, why are you on the porch? Where’s Aunty Tonia?" Antonia was her baby sitter. Why she would allow a three year old out on her own baffled her

"She went there..." Lisa pointed eastward

Cherry shook her head and lifted her daughter off the porch. This was the love seed between her and Greg. Oh Gregory, he was a good man. Far better than anyone she had been with. Unfortunately, she had only learned this from kissing several frogs after him.

"Mama, phone..." Lisa muttered incoherently

Having checked the phone, Cherry dropped her daughter on the sofa in the living room and rushed off to get her computer. The notification on her phone was an email from Gregory.

They hadn't spoken in 10 months. After the divorce 2 years ago, he had struggled to keep in touch while in prison. Since his release 10 months ago, he had deliberately stayed away for reasons unknown to her. Inspite of his absence, he had never failed to send upkeep money for his daughter. Oh, that man was good.

She fidgeted as she read the email - Scott was off his medications again and there was impending doom.

“Lisa, Mama has got to go see Aunt Jacinta” she tickled the little kid’s nose.

“Moron?” Lisa mouthed with surprising coherence.

“Who taught you that? Where did you learn the curse word from?” a baffled cherry inquired

“Aunt To!” her daughter replied with her version of the baby sitter’s name.

“Never! Don’t call her, or anyone else that” she scolded wearily. Her brother and some lunatic had put her in that state. Jacinta was her cross to bear - punishment for her foolishness.

“Now go get your boots, mama needs to go out”

She scribbled a brief note to leave at the door for the baby sitter. “Don’t bother coming in tomorrow or ever, I detest seeing Lisa on her own by the door and hearing her use the word ‘moron’ gets me really angry. Good bye.”

 That was enough to let her know her services were no longer needed.

***************

Tolu shifted in her seat, whatever Odetola had to say, she was going to hear it. Odetola was the divorcee her friend Eno met at the wedding. Luckily for Jayson, he had the charm and looks... Eno had fallen for him instead of Odetola.

“Okay go on, I can hear you”

“errrm, I’m so sorry I’m reaching out to you in this manner, I got your number from Folusho”

“Folusho Akanbi?” Tolu asked

“Yes, he's a family friend plus he told me you are Eno's closest ally”

Tolu rolled her eyes. Folusho had enough time to be handing her phone number out to random strangers but he couldn’t put a call through to her.

“So Tola, how may I help you?” she asked

“I thought Eno and I had a connection but lately she’s been avoiding me.”

“So what do you want me to do?” she asked coldly

“I just want you to speak with her on my behalf. I really do like her and I’ll love for us to be together.”

If Folusho knew her well, he would know she hated these kinds of things. “Odetola, Eno is a grown woman who has a mind of her own. Besides, why would you think she’s not already in a relationship?”

“Folusho said she wasn't”

Oh damn Folusho! She cursed in her mind “Tola, I can’t help you, Eno wouldn’t like that.”

“Please, Tolu Just help set a date with her please, that’s all I ask” he persisted

Tolu looked at her screen, Eno's call was waiting

“I’ll try...” She replied dryly

“Okay thank you, four points by Sheraton. 5pm on Tuesday you can come with her if you like”

“Okay bye! She said as she ended his call to take Eno's call

“Hey chic!” Eno's cheerful voice filtered from the other end

“Hey babe!” Tolu replied 

“I’m ten minutes from yours...”

“Oh that’s great. I was hoping you'd make dinner when you come?”

“Tee, you didn’t even know I’ll be at yours until now. Why the dinner plans?”

“Yea. I had you in mind when I went shopping.” Tolu chuckled

“Silly Ass. Greg would be joining if you don't mind”

“Oh no, not at all, I also have something to talk to you about”

“Okay then... See you in ten”

************

Gregory found a parking space by the road. He had asked Eno to wait for him at her junction. This get-together was slated for yesterday but as usual, she had been occupied with Jayson Emele.

 "Hello Calabarian" Gregory greeted

"Igbo...I’m Igbo"

"Oh sorry my bad. How are you?"

"Good...Greg I’m so sorry I blew you off yesterday. Jayson called me last minute"

“I figured but always remember that your friends are as important as Jayson, even more"

Eno felt a pang of pain in her chest. "I'm sorry" she tried to stroke his chin

He pulled away sharply

"What was that for? Why are you acting like a eunuch?"

"Well, maybe I am" he replied calmly

"You should loosen up mister, it'll do you some good"

"I'm sure it will" he replied.

"You promised to tell me everything I needed to know about you today I hope that hasn't changed"

"With you, nothing has changed" he replied smiling

"Well, so you know, I prefer your company to that of Jayson"

"That’s hard to believe"

'It's true, you're my friend"

There we go again. He thought to himself. "I'll stop at the closest mall to get some drinks, we don't have to talk on an empty belly"

"Okay, I might have to drop at the estate gate, Tolu mentioned earlier that she wanted me to cook for us."

 'I'll just get the drinks and we will get going.'

"The house is the first in the estate. That one with the black gate."

"Oh okay, the place looks like a hotel though"

"It's not, that's a serviced apartment" she replied as she alighted the car

Gregory watched her walk towards the estate gate. She was so beautiful and innocent. She didn't deserve to go through this entire drama, no one did.  If he could make the threat messages stop, he would in seconds. His phone beeped as cherry’s message came in.

"I got your message, please find a way to stop him. I can’t live with another horror. Thanks for checking in, it’s been a long time.

Lisa says Hi, Just found out Jacinta passed on two days ago from liver complications."

Gregory parked by the supermarket. He lowered his head and cried. Jacinta had been wasted, cut short in her prime. This wouldn't happen to Eno. Never 

To be continued............