11

high walls

chapter 20

Good evening ma, I greeted again with shaky voice, thank you, please is shade there with you,for the past three weeks now she told me she was coming to your place, her line has gone dead, I didn't know when I shouted "what!", no ma ,,,, I mean she came and left the next day, what do mean she left the next day, she told me she will be spending some days with you,what happened?, so her mother even knew about us,kasie what have you done, I said to myself, how do I explain what happened,I am doomed, hello..hello, she was I getting apprehensive over my delay in responding,ma I didn't know that she hasn't gotten home since then,I have called her severally but she never picked my calls,look I don't understand what you are saying,send your address right now I am coming over to your house,if you don't send it this minute I will trace you and I believe you know the consequences,the call ended with my whole body trembling in fear, without wasting time I sent her my address.

Within forty-five minutes,the same 4matic that knocked me down the day I met shade drove into our compound,recognizing the car,I came out knowing that it is Mrs Taiwo,the two front door swung open with two hefty guys stepping out with the one on the front passenger side opening the back door from his side,Mrs Taiwo stepped out,seeing me standing on my door looking at them,she walked straight to me, welcome ma, I greeted, she obviously saw how I was trembling,thank you, can I come in,yes ma, I moved aside,she turned to her guards,wait here,she walked in I followed,inside my room, she looked around before turning to me,young man what did you say happened to my daughter, despite having a bottle of red label on the floor which I have almost taken half of it, fear and trembling could not allow me say anything,surprisingly a voice spoke to me,tell her the truth,I never planned to lie but I didn't just know where to start,ma , shade came here three weeks ago but I offended her and she left the next morning, I have called her several times to say sorry but she never took my calls,I didn't know what was in my explanation but instead of seeing an aggressive mother , I saw a calm and understanding mother, she looked around again this time seeing the hot drink and I know she must have perceived it from my mouth, surprisingly again,she sat down on my bed, now tell me what was the fight all about,as usual I failed to control myself as I knelt down in tears, ma, shade did not do me anything wrong,fear led me into hurting her,I walked out on her, I regret it ma, I have tried to reach and apologize but she doesn't take my calls, Mrs Taiwo kept quiet , while I cried, that's okay, you have to be a man, clean those tears, tell me how it all happened,what were you afraid of, I narrated how we met and how in the process of helping her heal from a heartbreak,fell in love with her but the fear of rejection due to our difference in social status led me into being hostile to her.

After my story, Mrs Taiwo smiled at me, so you think killing yourself with that hot drink will solve the problem, I had no answer to that,having told you who her parents were and yet always comes to stay with you here,where they not enough prof , I felt stupid in all my actions and had to only plead, please ma I am sorry ,who are you telling that,are my shade, it is not just enough to be a nice person because I am sure shade must have seen something good in you to choose you,you need to be strong, strong men get what they want no matter their financial standing,go and look for where ever she is and bring her back, nothing should happen to my daughter, she got up and left.

Mrs Taiwo left me stunned with her words, I guess I have messed up again,the say first impression matters a lot, what imprrssion have I made, a weakling, crying before a woman who may end up being my mother-in-law but that should not bother me for now but to look for shade.

At this moment, I don't know where to start her search,I don't know any of her friends neither do I know any office to go to,why do our ladies hide their feelings to us,why she just tell me she has fallen in with me or at least that her mom is aware of our friendship, now look at what she has led me into,oh Lord I need your help.TBC