More than a Chance

Episode 16 - Disparity

“Don't you think, you need to check on Aaliyah this weekend to see if she's alright?” Murphy asked Adewale.

“You're right. I hope she's good,” he replied then he packed some of his files on the table and put in his office bag. Someone knocked on the door.

“Yes, who is it?" Adewale asked.

“Is Tola sir,” the receptionist responded. “Okay, come on in.”

“The boss is calling the two of you sir,” said the receptionist.

Danny has thought of putting Murphy in charge of the production unit in other to ease Adewale from work load.

“Adewale, show him around and introduce him officially to the workers. I hope his letter would be ready before the end of the week,” Danny told him.

“Thank you sir,” Murphy prostrated for Danny and he hugged Adewale.

“Please make sure not to disappoint your friend nor the company, he has spoken highly of you. And I will like you to do your job diligently,” Danny added.

“Alright sir,” he said.

Adewale showed him around the factory. He introduced him to the workers over there. Adewale and Murphy waved Kaze. He's the new brick molding machine operator. He bowed to greet them from afar, the noise of the machine wouldn't let them hear anything.

“Thank you Adewale, I appreciate you my friend,” he said. “Don't mention, we're brothers.”

Adewale yawned widely with a loud roar while he's driving back home. “Easy bro, don't swallow me now,” Murphy said jokingly. And they laughed over it.

“Don't mind me bro, I'm frazzled. I need some rest this weekend,” Adewale said. Murphy raised an eyebrow. “Yes, we need rest but I think you need it more,” Murphy told him.

“But come to think of it, I thought you said we are going to see Aaliyah “the goddess of beauty” this weekend,” Murphy added. “Did I tell you that?” He queried.

“Yeah, you said there's a need for you to check on her and see how she's faring.” “But I didn't promise you a specific time, the last time I checked. Adewale said.

“Yes, I agree with you but who knows if she's ill and she needed help. Remembered Kaze told us, she hasn't come around for over a month now,” Murphy coaxed him.

“Yes, you are right. Though you are not as enthusiastic as I wanted to see Aaliyah,” He told Murphy.

“Then if you're eager, prove it. Action speaks louder than words,” Murphy added. Adewale peeked at him with amazement. “Where's this verve coming from lately?” He asked.

“Leave that one, are we making the trip or not?” Murphy asked. Adewale sighed and said, “It's not as easy as it seems, if not for brother Danny that'd warned me. I guess you'd have met Aaliyah a long time ago,” Adewale replied. “This weekend isn't too late to meet her,” Murphy told him. Adewale kept looking at him with amazement.

“At least he didn't say, you shouldn't see her again but not to cross the line. Wait are you going to give her that “Angelica” poem?” he added. “You just reminded me, Danny asked me not to cross that line. Don't you think spilling that endearment is a way of violating his warning?” And besides, I don't plan to give her,” he added.

“But why? I thought you wrote it for her,” Murphy said. “Three reasons might not want me to give her. I think, I just mentioned one to you.”

“The second reason is “ her beauty is stupefying so I don't want to intoxicate her with it” it might sit in her head.”

“Aaliyah doesn't need a guy to come and start telling her how enthralling she's,” Adewale said.

And what's the third reason? Murphy asked.

“Most of Nigerian women don't fancy poems, and it would hurt me if she doesn't appreciate it because I put all my heart in writing it. After all, it was straight from there. Who knows how many love letters she'd have received? Most of the endearment might be stale lines to her,” Adewale answered. Murphy sighed, and there was a moment of silence.

Adijah was sitting quietly at one side of her spot. It's Friday evening, she watched how scanty her spot was. She remembered how this place used to be especially on days like this. She missed how Aaliyah used to make this place jolly with her presence.

She also thought of how the colonel used to buy drinks for people once in a while. New faces would troop in and sometimes the space won't be enough for customers to sit. Last weekend she has to do pro bono of pepper soup when it almost got spoiled.

She saw the two soldiers drinking at one corner standing at alert. She looked back and saw the colonel coming behind her. They haven't seen each other since the last incident. She tried to compose herself in other not to give any sign of suspiciousness.

She compelled a smile, “good evening colonel, did you travel?” she asked. He smiled back. “No I was busy with official duties,” he replied. Her waitress brought a chair for the colonel near Adijah. She shifted a bit from him, at least ample one.

“You are the one who's beginning to act strangely, at least before the last time, we used to sit close comfortably without worries,” he whispered. “But that was when I used to think your mind was clean,” she whispered back.

“Common don't say that, do you know you're insulting me already?” he whispered to her again. “Please can we stop this whispering discussion?” she almost raised her voice. The two officers had noticed them already. And they'd begun to wonder.

“Okay, good!” The colonel said loudly. Adijah looked surprise.

“Tunde has been worrying me about Aaliyah lately. He sent her a letter last week and she's yet to receive it because she refused to come home,” Colonel said.

Now he noticed, he'd gotten her hundred percent attention. “I'm worried about her, I know, I infuriated her in our last meeting but I never knew it was this bad. She added.

“I hope you're not thinking that I will take the letter to her like I did the last time,” he said. Adijah shook her head pitifully. “Or what do you want me to do now?” he asked. She was sober. “I'm confused right now, I just pray she's alright," she added.

“If not that someone is keeping her company over there. Why would she stay away from here for over a month? Even when the schools' were on holiday, she refused to come home,” he said.

“I don't think she will do anything stupid to jeopardize her relationship with Tunde,” she said.

“So the one she's doing now will build the relationship stronger. Since the landline has been installed, Tunde has been zealous to speak to her. This week would be the sixth week you have last set your eyes on her,” The colonel's beginning to sound indignant.

“Please I need your intervention,” she pled. “I don't think that would be possible this time around,” he told her. Her face down, she was buried in deep thought. The colonel was enjoying his palm wine and the bush meat pepper soup subtly and feeling unconcerned.

“I can see you're now taking me for granted, she told him. He gulped a mouthful of palm wine to wash down the pepper before he said a word. “How am I taking you for granted? Please let me know,” the colonel said.

“As you can see that Aaliyah's disappearance on me is a pressing issue for me but you seemed to be unconcerned,” she said.

“No, don't get me wrong. I came here to refresh myself but you're the one putting on attitude and now you said I'm taking you for a ride,” he added. Adijah watched him confusedly.

“I hope isn't because I refused to take the letter to Aaliyah this time around. Is that why you are accusing me?” The colonel asked. “Hadn't been you're the one in this standpoint, and we're talking about Tunde. How would you feel if I don't show any iota of concern?” She asked.

“But we're talking about Aaliyah who refuses to come home because he's having a great time with someone else,” The colonel said it angrily. He stood up without finishing his meat and drink. She was surprised, she looked speechless. “I just lost my appetite, please excuse me,” He said and left.

She felt miserable, she wanted to call him back but she held back. The colonel walked away angrily. When he got to his car, he slammed the door. The orderly and the driver could feel the heat. They jerked when the door slammed.

The driver was waiting for his order before he would ignite the car. There was an intense silence in the car for over five minutes. The colonel was in deep thought and I think he's beginning to feel bad about the way he had reacted to the whole situation. He sighed heavily.

“Go and tell Adijah, “I'm sorry and I will like to apologize to her,” he told his orderly.

“Okay sir!” The orderly responded. He left immediately, when he got to her shop. She had already told all the customers she wanted to close for the evening. The few customers on ground were surprised but had no choice.

The orderly closed her up. “I'm closed for the day,” she said to him without looking at the person talking to her. “I'm the one ma,” the orderly told her. “Oh I'm sorry,” she apologized. “No offense taken ma, the colonel sent his apology to you ma.” “I don't think he meant it because if he did, he should be the one telling me this right now, right here,” she said.

“Is that what I should tell him?” the orderly asked. “Yes, tell him like that,” she said, and the orderly left immediately.