More than a Chance

Episode 14- Another anticipation

Aaliyah's beginning to feel better after she had taken some drugs. She's lost her appetite to eat. It's been two weeks, since she saw Adewale. She curled herself under the duvet, she's weak. Her mind drifted to what the colonel told her about Tunde's home coming. She wondered why he didn't mention it to her in the letter.

“I have kept myself for him all this while, but I hope he's not up to something terrible,” she thought.

Funke traveled back to Lagos the following day because she has to go to work on Monday. Adewale and Murphy were sitting in the living room. He could noticed Adewale's not in a good mood. So he decided not to guess whether he's missing Funke already.

“What happened bro? You don't look happy,” Murphy said.

“Yes, I am not happy,” he replied. Murphy looked worried. “I hope you are not missing Funke so soon," he asked.

“Well, I could say that but the mood is beyond that,” he replied.

“Then tell me what the problem is, a problem shared is half solved," he persuaded him. Adewale sighed.

He cleared his throat, “there's been a lot going on lately. I haven't told you about Aaliyah.” Murphy's surprised. “Who's Aaliyah again?” he asked.

”It's a long story but I will fill you in later. But the major issue there is that , I promised to teach her how to drive and be there for her. And we're beginning to have this strange feeling for each other.”

“No wait, I don't understand you bro. Murphy cut in. Are you saying Funke is not the one?”

“No I'm not saying that,” Adewale replied. “Okay I'm listening,” said Murphy.

“My mum don't want me to marry her. And Danny don't want me to get too close to Aaliyah. And now I guess she'd think of me as an unreliable friend.”

“She might not be thinking of you as hard as you're taking her seriously. Let me tell you one short experience of one lady, I met in a club in Kaduna two years ago, Murphy said.

“Ok, I'm all ears," said Adewale.

“The DJ left the perfect selection of music in the air. We're dancing together and the music really helped to set the mood right. I let her float in the mood for a while and then I whispered into her ear in a mellow voice. You looked more beautiful with the way you whirl to the music. She didn't say anything but she danced on. She looked at me with a grin and then I gave some time to tick. What would you call love at the first sight? I asked her.

Maybe, I should save you from the stress, I added. Some people call it lust, while some say is infatuation. To me I believe they're all speaking English. When I saw you this afternoon, it was far from these two. I don't mean dirty, so please don't get me wrong. She shut me up by putting her finger on my lips.

And then she asked me, want do I really want from her? I was shocked to be candid, said Murphy. I can't imagine taking it slowly and she just arrived at the end abruptly.

I thought maybe she's testing me. She told me to be honest because she could read my mind under the disco ball. I knew she was just trying to scope me. So I told her we could start up from somewhere and let's see where it leads to.

She smiled and then she told me I was a funny guy. Then I whispered in her ear, can I show you how funny I could be? She smiled with a nod and I took it for affirmative. We became friends, I fell for her and I never knew she was just using me to keep her company. Boom! When his boyfriend came back from traveling, I became history in her life.”

Adewale was dumbfounded as he listened to him.

“Don't take Aaliyah's matter too seriously so you don't lose yourself and your Funke. A bird in hand is worth a thousand in the bush” Murphy said.

Adewale watched him quietly. He doesn't want to hurt Funke, he wished he had the gut to tell her about the situation of things. But whenever he tells her, there's something he wanted her to know.

She's always apprehensive to hear it but he changes the topic. “But how long am I going to hide the subject of my mother not wanting her in the family?” He thought.

“Thank you Murphy for sharing your experience. I appreciate you. Though you might be right or wrong about situations like this but trust me it's not always the same in every case. I have a thing for Aaliyah no doubt but I respect she's in a relationship. But I don't know if it's complicated as mine. I guess she doesn't want to tell me much about it.” Murphy could read the feelings in Adewale's words as he spoke.

“Wait don't tell me, you're in love with two women at the same time," Murphy said and Adewale laughed. His mood swung, and Murphy was keen to hear his answers.

“Common man, why are you like this?” He told Murphy.

“Like how? Just answer my question first. Don't answer my question with a question,” Murphy said jokingly.

“I just told you, I have a thing for her. See, let me tell you the truth. Aaliyah is the kind of lady that's capable of encroaching on your heart if you have a discerning eye for beauty,” Adewale told him. (Aaliyah does have an appraisal of at least 365 toasters in a year) There are days she gets up to two toasters.

“She didn't want to tell me this but I had to persuade her to say it. She says she gets up to five toasters whenever she attends a ceremony some times, especially a wedding. So I asked her how she handles it," Adewale added.

“What did she say?” Murphy asked.

“I am accustomed to it because it has become the norm. I don't give them much time to express themselves. So I decided to become a snub," she told me.

Adewale just inflicted Murphy with a spirit of anticipation. (Now he wants to see Aaliyah, he wishes he could see her now or at least a picture of her.)

“Do you have her picture?”

“No, I don't,” I thought of taking some photo shots with her the next time I visit her, Adewale added.

“So when is that?” Murphy asked anxiously. Adewale gave him a look and a smile. “Why the sudden eagerness?” He asked. “I think, you caused it,” Murphy replied.

“I'm sorry about that, there's a poem I wrote for her the night after I saw her.” “Have you given it to her?”

“No, I haven't even told her about it.”

“So that means you still have the poem with you,” Murphy added.

“Yes, I still have it with me.”

“Can I read it?”

“Sure, there's no problem with that,” Adewale answered. He stood up and went to his room to bring the poem.

Aaliyah couldn't finish her meal. The half food was left on her plate. She stares at it in front of her. He leaned her back on a small sofa in her room. “How could Adewale just disappear on me like that? I thought he was a friend, I could count on.

Maybe I made a mistake thinking he's different. If you're difficult to guys seeking friendship, people would say you're proud. If you let them in easily, they'd say you're cheap. This life is not balanced, the best thing to do is to find your happiness and peace within yourself. Who's to blame? If not for Tunde, who chose to stay away this long.

Anyways the feeling I have for Adewale no strings attached,” she thought.

(I don't think she's sure about the feeling things, she just said that to console herself, I guess)

“But Adewale disappointed me because I owe him high esteem. It's high time I got rid of him on my mind and in my head. Thank God I haven't let him in my heart,” she thought aloud.

Adewale came out of his room with a piece of paper in his hand. He wore a bright smile as he stares at the content on it. Murphy stared at him amazingly. “How many times do you want to read it?” Murphy asked.

Adewale smiles back, “maybe a thousand times.” Murphy snatched it from him and it was torn into two.

“Oops! I'm sorry” Murphy apologized.

“No, it's okay. I will rewrite it.” The upper part of the poem was with Murphy so he began to read it. (“Angelica” was the title of the poem.) Murphy read every word aloud.