More than a Chance

Episode 19 - Mood swing

“Why are you on your knees?” The colonel asked. “I came to apologize for what happened the other time,” she replied. “Stand up please, it's not your fault. She had made her choice so there's nothing you can do about it.” He told Adijah. But she remained on her knees. “You can only force a horse to the river but you can't orce it to drink water.” he added. She lowered her head.

“Please sit down, you don't have to bother yourself too much.” “I won't stand up if my apology isn't accepted,” she insisted. “Okay, your apology is accepted and I hope mine too is accepted as well,” he asked as he raised his eyebrow. She looked a bit confused, she winced at him. “I'm sorry for driving out on you, I was so infuriated that the best thing is to leave the premises,” he apologized and she sighed.

“I'm not angry with you colonel, almost every person would do what you did. No offense taken,” she said and he smiled. “Okay, thank you for your understanding,” he told her. Adijah scratched her head shyly. “Please, I hope you haven't told Tunde about what happened in Lagos,” she asked.

“Not just yet but eventually, I will tell him after our meeting,” he answered her. “Don't you think that could ruin their relationship?” she said. ”Aaliyah had ruined it already, don't you think?” He responded. “No, she hasn't, those guys are just her casual friends,” she said. Colonel laughed boisterously, hmmm! That setting doesn't look like is casual ma,” The colonel said and she exhaled heavily

It's 1:02 a.m., and Aaliyah's fully awake. She picked the letter, and for the first time she was about to read it.

Dear love,

I'm writing you this letter with enthusiasm and I hope it meets you in high spirits. It's been a while since I read from you and is eating me up.

I can't think of you without being eaten up by worries especially when my dad told me it's been a long time since you visited Abeokuta. I hope everything is going well with you my love.

I have been anticipating hearing your sonorous voice since the telephone was installed in my dad's quarter. I don't want to write much but to tell you more when we speak. Talk to you soon honey.

Always remember to stay Classic

Collected

Charming

Yours affectionate,

Tunde Kolawole

Aaliyah exhaled after reading it. (The letter is three weeks old, that means Tunde has been waiting to speak with her for some weeks now)

“Well, I guess there's no need for us to talk about anything again than you're breaking up with me,” she thought. (By now, she believed the colonel has told Tunde about the last incident.)

She rolled over on her bed trying to catch a sleep but it wasn't forth coming. Many thoughts ran over her mind and she almost lost it. She broke into tears, when she remembered how she'd tried to survive these past few weeks. At last, the incessant crowing of the roosters finally lured her to sleep when it's almost dawn. (She needed that sleep to clear her head.)

Around five in the morning, when the first call to prayer was made. Adijah quickly woke Colonel up. “Please, I would like you to take me to my house before everyone is up.” The colonel had a prolonged yawn while he wiped the cold of his eyes and it began to irritate her.

The colonel shifted closer to her and tried to touch her by the arm but she hit it. “Don't touch me,” she said. “Why are you acting like this? he asked her. She got out of bed and hurriedly put her clothes on.

“Please let the driver take you,” he said. “Don't even bother yourself telling any driver to take me if you can't,” she said. “Okay, so what are going to do?” he asked. “I would rather trek to the gate of the barrack and get a taxi cab,” she replied. “But it's far,” he told her.

“Oh, so you know that. You promised to take me home very early before I agreed to sleep over,” she told him. “But you too aren't keeping the side of your promise,” he told her. “How do you mean, I'm not keeping mine? Don't we have an agreement?” she asked. He kept quiet.

“Which of the agreement am I violating?” she asked. “But you just hit my gentle warm hand away not quite long," The colonel replied. “Why won't I hit it away? At least I have pleased you twice before now,” she added.

“ It's okay, even though you're giving me a cold shoulder, I can still feel your warm embrace,” he said. She looked away and she hissed. The colonel sat upright on the bed. He removed the cover from his body. “Why did you hiss at me?" He asked furiously.

“You're delaying me, is this the right time for that? We had an agreement that I will please you twenty-one times a month before they get married. Do you want the twenty-one times a day?” she asked and he didn't say anything.

She picked up her bag angrily and she was about to leave before he cleared his throat and she paused to listen. “I want you to know that if Aaliyah doesn't come to Abeokuta two weeks from now, I won't have a choice but to tell my son about it. That would mean she'd moved on and she's not remorseful about it. And you must not travel nor send anyone to tell her about the implication if she doesn't come. I would be having someone watching out for you,” he added. She immediately became sober and she dropped her bag.

“So what do you want me to do now? To wait around till the day break and people would see me coming out of your quarter early in the morning,” she said. “No, I will drop you at your place by myself right now," he said and she sighed. Adijah picked up her bag when she saw him take his car keys.

He drove her in his private car. And when they got to her place, she thought he'd leave immediately. “Can I come in for a hot cup of tea at least?” he asked. It was freezing that morning and she knew how much he loves to take tea in the morning. She was left with no choice, even though she wanted him to leave immediately. “Just hot tea?” she asked. “When did you start to answer a question with a question?” he asked. “But did you realize you just answered my question too with a question?” she asked and he chuckled. “Is this becoming a game or what?” he asked.

She opened the car door and got down. When she was about to close the door she peeked at him. “You can come and have your hot tea,” she said and he turned off the engine. He got out of the car. “Why is she not happy about everything? After all, she's the one that asked me. What can she do for me to conceal Aaliyah's dirt from Tunde,” he thought.

He followed her in closely when she opened the door. She looked at him with a light frown and he asked her. “Why are you not happy about anything I tried to do for you lately?” He asked. But she kept quiet and went to the kitchen to boil some water to make tea for him.

After a few moments, she dropped the cup and the flask of hot water on the table. “I don't have coffee except for Lipton," she told him. “Okay, you can give me any thing available,” he replied and she put a tea bag in his cup and she helped him pour water from the flask. “Thank you!” And she didn't respond.

She sat in the living room, waiting impatiently on him to finish his tea and leave. But he stared at the tea without taking a sip. After some minutes, she asked him. “Why ain't you drinking the tea?”

“When I was a kid my mother used to tell me that, whenever anyone gives me something to either eat or drink without joy in their eyes, should be forbidden for me to put it in my mouth,” he replied.

“Do you mean I want to poison you or what?” she asked. “I'm not saying that,” he replied and he pushed the cup of tea to one side of the table. It pricked her. “Why did you tell me to make tea for you when you know you won't be drinking it?” she asked. “I never knew you would serve it to me without delight," he replied.

He saw her peeked at the wall clock. “Oh, don't worry, I'm leaving already. I felt undesirable in your eyes the moment I asked for a cup of tea,” he said and picked up his car keys. He stood up and she didn't say anything. When he got to the door, he looked back.

“I think we should dissolve the agreement between us, maybe you'd find happiness again,” He said and she rushed to him. “Please don't tell Tunde. I don't want Aaliyah heartbroken.” “I have no choice," he said and she touched his chest and stroked it down.