Chapter 2
1712 Words
The wind blew playfully through her light weight clothes, it was warm but breezy, Jumoke regretted picking this location for her shoot as dust had covered the scene and now Ike had to shield his fiancé's white dress every time mother-nature whistled, Esther didn't mind the dust at all, she thinks it'll add more aesthetic drama to her pre-wedding shoot. Ike was as red as a tomato. Jumoke stood bent while looking through her camera "Ok Ike I want you put your hand softly on Esther's hip, pulling her closer to you and Esther put your right hand around his neck and pull back a bit to look like you're falling" Jumoke directed, the breeze blew making the train of Esther's dress dance behind her. Esther's dress had sleeves like swelling dough and the perfect cinch of the dress to her waist made the bucket look of the skirt of her short dress like that of a cupcake, Jumoke looked at the screen on her camera, smiling "Ok can you stand side by side holding han—" Jumoke was interrupted by a phone call "Excuse me please" she drew out her phone from her back pocket she let go of her camera allowing it to hang on her neck, she looked at her phone screen 'unknown caller' she picked up anyway ready to cliché "Sorry this is a wrong number" line
"Hello? Sorry this is-“
"Jumoke?" Strange, this voice didn't sound familiar is anyway and he knew her name
"Who's asking" Jumoke dragged
"I'm Bode from House of David Parish" Jumoke's eyes widened, that's her mother's church
"How did you get this number?" She was already getting hot inside
"The head usher from church, Mr Tobi, he gave me your number at a meeting" a meeting?! Her mother
really called a meeting, she sighed
"Uhmm. Bunmi, right"
"Bode" he corrected
"Yeah, I'm really busy right now. How about we pick this up later, much later. Thank you” without
waiting for his response Jumoke ended the call and blocked the number. Turning to her couple she saw them seated on a rock. Ike had taken off his jacket so Esther would have somewhere clean to sit, they were both so invested in their conversation that they didn't realize Jumoke had finished her call, "ok guys, it's getting too sunny so let's wrap it up!" she gave them a minute to get themselves together "Stand side by side holding hands, Esther hold on to your train" Click! Click! Click!
"When you're done cleaning the table, wash these cups" Jumoke pointed at the coffee mugs that had been sitting on her table for only God knows when "then dust the foot mat at the door" Rayna nodded at every request
"You don't have mouth to speak?"
"Yes ma"
"Yes ma, you don't have mouth to speak or?"
"No No, Yes ma, I’ll do them"
"Them? What's them" hassling Rayna was like fuel for Jumoke, it gave her joy on the inside when Rayna was inconvenienced
"The things you said I should do" Rayna shivered
Deji watched in silence, jaw dropped as Rayna continued to clean the with her head bowed, waiting for her to leave
"Like I was saying, my mother has started—"
"Wait wait wait, I don't want to hear anything first. What was that?"
"What was what?" It was obvious what it was but Jumoke just wanted to prove tough skull
"It's not fair what you're doing, for no reason at all you can't just stress someone"
"Abegi, no be just jokes? She'll be fine" Jumoke brushed it aside "Like I was saying. Don't interrupt me again" Deij threw his hands in the air
"I really don't get my mother, pushing for me to get married is one thing but now throwing men into my life is another. Imagine, a meeting—“
Jumoke's phone interrupts her rant, she picks it up unknown number' she turned her phone to Deji "This is probably another person"
"Hello?"
"Hello, is this Ms. Jumoke?"
"Who's asking?"
"I'm calling from legit logistics and I have a package to be delivered to you"
"A package? From who?"
"The sender wasn't disclosed, but everything has been paid for, all we need is your address" Jumoke
was perplexed, she looked at Deji who was struggling to listen to the conversation
"Should I give him?" she whispered
"Give him what?"
"the office address"
"Who is he?" Deji looked like he took a sip of lime juice
"A despatch rider and he has a package for me?"
"From who?"
Rayna walked in to pick up the dirty mugs in a tray and walked out quietly
"He didn't say"
Deji opened his mouth in a silent AHHH
"Should I?" Jumoke was growing impatient, she didn't wait for Deji's consent before spelling out her office address in detail. Let's see what curiosity does to this cat
It wasn't up to half a minute before another call came in, another unknown caller
"Hello?"
"Hi, Good afternoon" This unknown caller had a strong raspy voice, he sounded playful and warm
"Afternoon" Jumoke straightened on her seat
"Am I speaking with Jumoke Adejumo?" Jumoke's cheeks turned red, it was the way he said her name, who was this person
"Who's asking?"
"Tony's asking" was he flirting with her? Did she flirt first? What's going on? Why was she smiling? She didn't even know him, Jumoke felt light headed trying to get herself together
"I know you're wondering how I got your number, I got it from Mr Tobi at church, the head usher, I'm
not sure if you know him"
"I do, I know him" Jumoke caught herself smiling, Deji looked at her with squinted eyes like he was
studying an ant under a microscope wondering she was so invested in the call.
After what seemed to be the longest 2 minutes of Deji's life Jumoke finally got off the phone, her eyes looking sparkly
"Who was that?" Deji was ready for the gist
"Tony, he goes to my mom's church and he speaks so well, I lost my head for a minute" Deji concurred
"And what else?" He raised his eyebrow
"'Nothing, I just blocked his number" Jumoke looked as serious as Sylvester Stallone in Rambo
Rayna walked back into the office holding a tray of clean coffee mugs, wet patches on her carton
coloured skirt, Jumoke eyed her "Did you bathe as you were washing the mugs?"
“No ma" Rayna looked confused
"Then why is your skirt wet?" Jumoke looked at her like a child looks at vegetables
"I cleaned my hands on my skirt after washing" Rayna looked like she wanted the ground to swallow her she wanted to be anywhere but anywhere Jumoke was. She dropped the tray on the table and on her way out to picked up the foot mat
"NOT THERE NOW!! Hey God!" Jumoke exclaimed as Rayna was about to hit the mat against the wall, Rayna froze
"Are you high? Why would you want to dust the mat there?!" Rayna had tears in her eyes
"Rayna just go, take the mat and dust it outside, ok?" Deji intervened calmly trying to avoid Jumoke from devouring her.
"Excuse me ma, a package just arrived for you" Rayna peeked through the door
"Ah yes, bring it in"
"Ma, it's a big hamper I don't think I can carry it on my own"
"So? You want me to come and carry it my—“
"Don't worry I’ll help you" Deji interrupted, shooting darts at Jumoke as he left the office.
Moments later Deji walks in cradling a huge hamper in his arms allowing him to flex his muscles through his shirt
"Oyah let's see what it is" Jumoke rushed over as Deji placed the hamper on the floor. Grabbing the red ribbon that held the red mesh fabric that held the basket together Jumoke yanked it out of the way and hurriedly untied the nut pulling the fabric away, she gasped with her eyes wide open, packs of sweet, a box of perfume, giant scented candles, a bracelet with her name on it, two huge box of chocolates, Skin 101 skin
care products. Scared, Jumoke stood up she looked at Deji "this is scary, how did this person know my favorite everything"
"What do you mean?" Deji bent to look into the basket "it is weird" he straightened
The day passed and it was time to stretch on the couch but Jumoke had something to do first, she took out her phone from her bag, dropping the bag on the floor beside the already opened hamper she dragged in, she dialled, shifting the plates she used to eat breakfast she sat on the centre table in her living room
"'Hello? Good evening mom" Jumoke flung her shoes off her feet
"Jummy Jummy, Good evening" Her mother was in a good mood
"Mom it has come to my attention that you organise an audition show at your church with Mr Tobi"
"Audition show? What do you mean?"
"I had random men call me while I was at work saying that Mr Tobi gave them my number"
"And so?" her mother wasn't remorseful in the slightest way
"'And so? Mom we spoke about this, I don't need you pressuring me into a relationship. I'm a grown
woman and I know when I need something and when I don't"
"'I am your mother and I know you more than you know yourself, when you need something and when you don't. You need a man" her mother was surprisingly calm, she sighed
"Jumoke, I know you think you don't need one but I can see through you, you're lonely"
"Lonely" Jumoke scoffed "I'm not lonely"
"If you say so" Mrs Adejumo wasn't ready for a fight
"Did you get the gifts?"
"Gifts? Who told you about any gifts" Jumoke asked suspiciously as she looked at the hamper sitting on the floor beside her bag
"Do you want to know who sent it?" Her mother was baiting her
"if I say yes will you tell me?"
"He told me not to say anything"
"Mom! You know this person?"
"Yes, and one thing I can say is that he's perfect"
- Writer
