Desperate Moves

5

5

Returning home was not something I particularly looked forward to. Since it was a Saturday, most of my neighbors were home and they came out to welcome me. I smiled weakly to each of them and eventually, they all left. Tosin also left to freshen up and also to give me some time alone. For close to an hour or even more, I sat exactly where they left me. Even when I heard a knock on my door, I still sat there and only said in a low voice

“Come in.”

Cynthia came in with a bowl of soup, placed it by my side and then sat next to me.

“How are you holding up?” she inquired.

“I don’t know.” I said truthfully. I really could not tell how I was feeling at the moment. Anger, frustration, regret and pain were all battling in my mind.

“I brought you soup, if you want, I can make semovita for you.” She said after a long moment of awkward silence.

“Thank you very much.” I said, and then added, “Don’t worry; I’m not ready to eat just yet, but thank you all the same for the soup.”

Just then, Tosin came in. he didn’t bother to wait for a response; he just knocked briefly and then came in, obviously because he knew Cynthia was in there.

“I had expected you to be sleeping.” He said questioningly.

“I couldn’t sleep.” I responded knowing the question was directed to me.

“You couldn’t sleep or you didn’t want to sleep?” he had a hint of annoyance in his voice.

I knew he had a point; I hadn’t even tried to sleep because of the nightmares. He came closer to me and then said,

“You cannot continue like this; you’ve barely slept at all for two days now. You need to look at yourself in the mirror. You have dark circles around your eyes and you look very pale. You will break down if you continue like this. Edi please, at least for the sake of those that care about you, just try. Sam is on his way here, he will not be happy seeing you like this!” he said all in one breath, his voice laden with concern.

“Who is Sam?”Cynthia asked, furrowing her forehead.

Tosin knew I was not up to answering the question, so he took up the responsibility.

“Sam is her fiancé.”

I could see a flicker of realization on her face, and the corner of her lips turn up in a slight smile, then almost suddenly, I saw a note of sadness across her face, but it left almost as soon as it came and the bright tint returned to her eyes.

“So you are engaged?” she asked, looking flustered, obviously directing the question to me.

“Yeah!” I responded, nodding in the process, but not sure of what to make of her reaction.

Cynthia left my room shortly after. She looked uncomfortable after the conversation that led to her discovery that I was engaged. I brushed off the thought as my imagination playing tricks on me or just a little feeling of jealousy on her part that I was engaged and she was not. Tosin stayed with me a little longer, all the while trying to get me to sleep. He prepared semovita for me and almost had to feed me when I kept protesting. Eventually, I ate a little from the food and then lied down. I eventually fell asleep.

I woke up about an hour later with a start. My phone was ringing! The caller ID showed it was Sam calling. I reluctantly picked the call.

“Hello!” I mumbled into the phone.

“Good afternoon dear.” He replied and then asked, “Were you sleeping?”

“Yes.”

“Oh! Sorry to wake you.”

“It’s ok! Have you arrived yet?”

“Yes, I’m at the junction leading to your house.”

“Which of the junctions? How could you possibly locate that place?” I asked surprised seeing he has never been to my place. We had been trying to make arrangements for him to come and spend a few days with me, so he could know where I was and get to meet some of my friends, but it had not worked out because of his job. He was an accountant for a growing pharmaceutical company and worked Mondays to Fridays. He was entitled to just three days of break and that could only be by December.

“I asked the driver of the bus I boarded for directions.”

“Please give me a few minutes, I’ll come and pick you.”

“Can’t I just pick a bike down there?” he asked.

“Typical of Sam not to want to stress me!” I thought, rolling my eyes.

“The place will not be easy to locate. Don’t worry, I’ll come get you.” I said trying to sound stronger than I really was.

“Ok, I’ll wait.” He said and then hung up.

I quickly changed into something presentable, picked up my phone and key and stepped out. As I made to lock the door, Tosin who was seated outside asked,

“Where to?”

“I want to pick up Sam. He is at the junction.” I responded simply.

“Go back inside, I’ll pick him up.” He said calmly.

“What! I can pick him up.” Although, I didn’t feel like going out because I was sure half of the street had heard what happened and may have their eyes feasted on me or try to show pity - the last thing I needed, I was not comfortable with the idea of a total stranger picking up my fiancé who was visiting me for the first time in another town.

“Edidiong, must you argue about everything? I know you really don’t want to go out and I know Sam will understand. Just let me go and pick him up.” He said pleadingly.

Just then, Cynthia came out from her room, rubbing her eyes, obviously just waking from sleep. As soon as she saw me dressed, with my keys in my hand, she also asked the same question Tosin had asked.

“Where are you going to?”

Before I could bring myself to respond to her question, Tosin volunteered.

“She wants to go and pick up Sam. I have asked her to let me do that, but typical of her, she is arguing about it.”

“Edi, don’t worry, I’m sure your boyfriend will understand when he gets to know what had happened. I will go with Tosin to pick him up.”

I had to restrain myself from rolling my eyes. There was no way Cynthia was not going to support Tosin. She literally adores him.

I was not sure what to feel exactly: relief or fear! After contemplating for a few seconds, I reluctantly agreed to let them go.

Sam’s call made me realize we had spent considerable amount of time arguing. I took the call, apologized for the delay and told him that I was sending people to pick him up instead. When I said that, the line went silent for close to ten seconds.

“Hello!” I called into the speaker. I was about concluding that probably reception was poor when his voice came through.

“Dee girl, what is going on?” he asked, softly.

It was my turn to keep mute. I knew I could not be silent forever, so I simply said,

“They’ll soon be there to pick you up.”

He simply heaved a heavy sigh and then hung up.

Tears streamed down my face again, for the umpteenth time, since the dastardly act by those cowards. A question that had been plaguing my mind for the past two nights popped up again. “Were those men sent? By whom?” when I was given my cell phone that night and was informed that they never picked anything in my room and never entered any other room, I recalled something the men had said the night they attacked me. They had said, “na she!” meaning, they had particularly come for me and they were sent by someone or by people. I opened the door to my room, entered and slouched on the bed weeping. I frantically searched my mind for anyone I had offended that could have possibly decided that the best way of revenge was r**e.