More than a Chance

Anticipation enkindled

The situation began to infuriate the Colonel when they met Aaliyah's absence. She had packed from this apartment, and Adijah was unaware of it. She had forgotten to tell her about it. Moreover, she never knew her mother would be visiting her unannounced. The colonel wasn't happy about the situation of things.

“How on earth would her mother not know about her relocation?" he thought.

The colonel asked the driver to start the car and leave. Her mother was sad, she could see that the colonel was angry. They left the premises after Adijah had asked one of her neighbors about Aaliyah's new place but she doesn't know it. The driver was about to zoom off to the express road when Adijah saw one of Aaliyah's friends, Nike alighting from a taxi.

“Please pull over the car,” she told the driver. “Why?” the colonel asked with a cold voice.

“That's one of Aaliyah's friend. I trust she'd know her new place,” she said.

Nike had recognized Adijah since he sighted her at the back seat, she greeted her and Colonel. She told them, she knows Aaliyah's new apartment.

“Please come on in, take us there," she opened the door and shifted for Nike.

Aliyah was lying on the bed listening to music from her jam box. She had a stressful night reviewing her students' homework. She felt disturbed when she heard a knock on the door.

“Who is at the door?” she asked reluctantly. “I'm the one,” Nike responded.

Aliyah got up in her nigh ties to open the door. But to her utmost surprise, she saw her mother behind Nike. She just left the door wide open for them in, she felt unexcited. When her mother told her colonel's outside, she's shocked. (She intentionally stayed away from her mother because of what happened the other night.)

Her mother brushed through the memories she'd tried to obliterate, and it hurts her. But due to her mother's bashing nature she'd always bring it up over and over. (Maybe her conscience won't let her be or she's trying to convince her daughter to believe the side of her story.)

Aaliyah left the door ajar and rushed to the room to look for a cloth to put on. Colonel was waiting outside in the car.

Aaliyah came out, she compelled out a smile despite her state of mind. To be honest she wasn't happy to see her mother. Her mother importuned her that night, and it irritates her up till this moment. She had told her mother on several occasion not to go that lane of discussion.

“How are you my dear?” Colonel asked while he patted her at the back.

“I'm fine sir," she bowed.

“You've been far away from us, hope everything is okay?” he asked. “Everything's fine sir, except that work has been tedious these past weeks.”

“We missed you, in fact Tunde mailed a letter last weekend,” Colonel gave her the envelope in his hand. Everyone around felt the eruption of happiness in her eyes.

She collected the envelope, she kissed it and shut her eyes gently then inhaled it heavily. When she exhaled, it was accompanied by a subtle smile. Then she hugged the envelope, she held it tightly to her bosom. Everyone around felt love but the ones with a discerning eye see loneliness too.

“Thank you sir,” Aaliyah said.

“Anytime, my dear,” Colonel replied.

She wore a witty smile that represent a familiar virtue incarnating an irrefutable idea of beauty, a powerful one with unthreatening sensuality.

The Colonel had no choice, he hugged her. Her unpacked bosoms under the T-shirt were nestled to his chest. He felt the softness, and it prickled his heart. He whispered into her ear “We love you profoundly” and he patted her back softly like a newborn baby.

He ordered his orderly to open the trunk to bring out the packages for Aaliyah. Inside the fiance's package are (chocolates, cosmetics, wrist-watch, clothes and underwear.) And then he pointed to the other one which contained provisions and food stuff. “That's from me to you,” Colonel said jokingly.

He asked the orderly to take the packages inside for her. “Thank you very much sir, I'm grateful,” she bowed.

“Anytime my dear,” Colonel assured her and she smiled

“Should we be expecting you next weekend?” he asked her.

“By the special grace of God, I would come over,” Aaliyah swore. Adijah who has been dumbfounded ever since Aaliyah wore that potent smile, knew her daughter's upset with her.

Adewale is known to executes things in a snazzy way especially when it comes to the ones that are dear to his heart. He'd put everything in it to get results. He'd taken meeting Aaliyah as a puzzle that must be deciphered. He can be pragmatic like his eldest brother, Danny oftentimes.

Danny has made the sight of Aaliyah evoke thirstiness in Adewale's heart. Now there's nothing more important to him than quenching it so as to maintain his sanity. (Has it gotten to that? If you know how much Adewale wants to see her. Then you will know it has gotten past that).

Danny has told him that if he doesn't get any headway this weekend he should abort the plan. Next weekend becomes his last chance but lucky him, Aaliyah had promised the colonel and her mother she'd be coming over.

Adewale had mapped out his plan over the nights. He's just willing to give it one last shot which must count or else he's on his own.

The following day on Sunday Adewale drove to the barrack in his 504 Peugeot car around 2:00 p.m. He parked his car at another spot, he hopped out looking around in his casual wear. He walked towards a joint not too far from where he parked. He saw a guy probably in his early twenties.

The young guy kept a beard. He got the inkling that he was not a soldier. Adewale sat near him at the same table. The guy bowed his head a bit to greet him. He smiled back at him with a handshake.

The guy was only smoking a cigarette. Though Adewale detests the smell of it but he refused to stand up because he thinks the guy can be instrumental to his plan. Adewale ordered a bottle of beer and asked if the guy's keen on a drink.

“Yes, thank you, bro,” he replied

“Don't mention, we're together," he replied.

Adewale asked the bartender to serve the guy a bottle of his choice.

“This could be the right guy for the job,” he thought.

The guy became more loyal after Adewale asked the bartender to give him the second bottle of beer. He didn't discuss anything about his plan with him as the place became gradually occupied by other customers.

It's fifteen minutes after the hour of four, Adewale realized his mission had to be accomplished. He brought out his wallet, he footed the bill after they had taken two bottles and a plate of pepper soup each.

Adewale stood up to take his leave, he then excused the guy. He introduced himself casually.

“That's my car over there. Do you live on the barrack?” Adewale asked.

“Yes, I was born and bred here. My father is a soldier,” he replied.

“That means you know the peripheral of this place,” he teased him.

“Yes, my name's Kaze,” he said.

“ I need a favor from you. I don't know if you'd be able to render it to me,” Adewale told him.

Kaze became curious, “What kind of favor bro? he asked.

“It's a simple request,” Adewale assured him. “Okay, I'm listening,” he said.

“Do you know a lady called Aaliyah around here?” he asked

“Yeah! Yeah!! I know her, a man who doesn't know her here on the barrack is still a child,” he replied with a smile after he had licked his lips.

“Angelica!” Kaze hailed her with appetite.

“Is Angelica her second name?” he asked.

“No, but every man that is born of a woman must appreciate God's creativity if you see her. Though, we've never talked because she's older than me and besides I'm not close to her league.” Adewale nodded.

"So, tell me about Aaliyah. What is she like?" he asked Kaze.

Kaze took a deep breath and looked up at the sky before replying, "Aaliyah is unlike anyone I've ever met. She is not just beautiful, but there is something extraordinary about her. When she walks, it's like she's gliding on air. Her eyes are like the deep blue sea, and they sparkle when she smiles. And her smile, bro, it can light up the darkest of places."

Adewale listened intently as Kaze continued, "And her voice, oh, her voice is like music. It's so soft and soothing, yet so powerful. When she speaks, it's like you want to listen to her forever."

Adewale was awestruck by Kaze's description of Aaliyah. "She sounds amazing. I can't wait to meet her, but I thought you said you'd never spoken to her before. How come you know so much about her voice?" he asked.

Kaze smiled and said, "She is amazing, my brother. You will see for yourself when you meet her, I used to go to her mother's spot on weekends to drink palm wine."

Adewale nodded and scratched his head with his car keys.

“But she can be pugnacious most times to guys,” Kaze added.

The anticipation and the anxiety Adewale had been able to put under check after all these weeks had just been enkindled. He thought “I think this is the right person for the job.” He made up his mind because it seemed to him that Kaze knew much already.

The thirst and the urge to see her was evoked again with no time. He wondered why the adjective keeps coming to everybody that depicts her. “Most ladies are beautiful, why is hers emphasized?” he thought.

(At least he knows Danny's wife is beautiful and his elder brother has an eye for beauty, this is the more reason why he wants to see this Aaliyah and put this whole madness to rest.)