FLAMING HEART

EIGHTEEN: BREATHTAKING

"Don't start with me! I'll say it again: it isn't your decision to make, unless you don't want to come." — Sharon

"That's just the way Francis is. This is not the first time he is doing this." — Sharon.

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Some days after the fight, Obioma sat on a chair in Sharon's room; watching her fix what she called Kinky braid on her head. It was a bright Saturday morning and Sharon had decided not to go to her salon that day. According to her, she wasn't feeling too well though she had joined Obioma in cleaning the house that day. It was for this reason Obioma accepted the so called braid on her head.

The house was a bit quiet except for the sound of the television. This time around, it wasn't only Evelyn watching a movie but the entire house mates. They seemed pretty engrossed in the movie when Obioma went to the sitting room to get the hair cream Sharon had left on the table.

"I spoke with my mother some days ago." Obioma began.

"Mmm, that's nice. How is she?" Sharon asked.

"She's very fine. Everyone at home is also fine."

"Praise be to the Almighty God."

"Amen! My mother told me my elder sister has been delivered of a baby."

"Wow! A male or a female?"

"A female."

"That's great news. Thank God for safe delivery."

"Yeah!"

"How many kids does she have now?"

"Four. Three boys and now a beautiful girl."

"That's really a comfort from the stress of male children."

"What are you trying to say? That to raise a boy child is stressful?" Obioma asked already amused.

"Yea. What else?" Sharon shrugged and they both laughed.

"Alright Oby! Take a look at yourself." She announced after a while.

Obioma stared at her reflection on the mirror and gasped at what she saw. "Is this truly me?" She asked and Sharon laughed.

"Dumb question." She said.

"Sharon, this is beautiful. Wow! I can't believe this is me. I look like a princess; an entire different being." Obioma exclaimed.

"I told you, you'd look good on kinky braid. I'm glad I was able to do this for you and if you look like a princess, it's because you're a princess." Sharon patted her shoulder lovingly.

"I'm sure you didn't look at the way I did this." Sharon stated as she kept staring at the beauty of the hair.

"Well! Yes, but I can still learn some other time." Obioma said as Sharon made a face at her.

"Okay, Oby, I have a gift for you." Sharon announced as she walked to her wardrobe and brought out a perfectly wrapped package. She presented it to Obioma and urged her to open it. Obioma stared at her with shock and surprise written all over her face as she accepted the gift.

"What's this for?" Obioma asked quietly.

"Open it first." Sharon urged. Nodding, Obioma carefully unwrapped the package to see a beautiful black stiletto. She gasped as she examined the shoe.

"Sharon!"

Sharon smiled, "do you like it?"

"Of course, I like it, Sharon! Why did you buy this for me?"

Sharon sighed, "Well Oby, I've been watching you and I found out that you only have one shoe which was the wedge Uloma bought for coupled with two slippers you brought from the village. You wear that wedge every Sunday so I bought this for you so you can add this to your collection."

Obioma stared at Sharon with wide eyes. Tears were already forming in her eyes. She couldn't behold the love. "Sharon!"

"This is just the beginning, Oby. More are yet to come. I pray God blesses me so I can buy more things for you. You lack a lot of things ladies need, so stop crying dear."

Obioma held the shoes to her chest and took some steps round the room. "I just can't understand why you people keep surprising me with beautiful gifts like this, a village girl like me."

"Ohhh, stop it, Obioma. Stop it! What village girl? You see, you're actually the reason people look down on you. When you look down on yourself, what do you expect people to do? You're not a village girl. What makes a person a villager? Isn't it because the person lives in the village and because the person isn't advanced in some things? Who do we call city girls? Those that stay in the city and are advanced in some things. You've been in the city for a long time now, how then do you call yourself a village girl? How many years do you intend to stay in the city before you start believing you're not a villager anymore? Look! You're just like Evelyn and every one else in this house so stop looking down on yourself." Sharon scolded.

"But - " Obioma began.

"But what?" Sharon countered. "Please, put on the shoe, let me see how it looks on you, abeg."

Obioma nodded humbly and sat on the bed. This was her first time trying something like this so she needed all the courage she could muster. She gently slipped her feet into the shoes and stood up carefully. It was weird wearing something this high; it felt like she was standing on a stool. Nevertheless, it was very beautiful and perfectly her size. Sharon clapped her hands and cheered as she assessed her.

"Wow! This looks really pretty on you." She smiled.

Obioma stared her in the eyes and asked, "How did you know my shoe size?"

"Someone who is determined to do a thing will surely do it." She grinned.

"You this girl! So you've been checking my shoe size?" Obioma asked playfully and Sharon made a face.

"Thank you so much for this, Sharon, I really appreciate it."

"You're welcome, Oby, Most welcome!" Sharon clapped her hands.

Just then, the door creaked open and Evelyn's head popped in.

"Jesus! Can't you knock?" Sharon eyed her.

Rolling her eyes, she announced: "Francis intends to take us out. Are you coming along?"

"Of course!" Sharon replied excited.

"I thought I was disturbing you." Evelyn hissed as she turned to go.

"Abeg, close the door, Eve. We'll be done in a jiffy."

"We?" Evelyn looked puzzled.

"Yes, we!"

"He never said anything about - "

"It is not your decision to make, Eve. Please shut my door." Sharon was already getting irritated and Evelyn did as she was told; mumbling words to herself.

Obioma's felt some butterflies in her tummy at the knowledge of Francis's presence. It had been so long she saw him. She had expected him to call her but he didn't and she was too afraid and shy to call him. So most of the time, she dialed his number and stared at it. Due to much staring, she had memorized the number and knew the number so well like the back of her fingers. Another reason she refused to call him was the fact that she still hadn't recovered from the chill Uju gave her some days back. Uju was a scary person unlike Evelyn who had not been able to look her in the eyes ever since the eyes fight. Obioma wanted to tread softly at this point so she said:

"I don't think I should come along."

Sharon who had been rampaging her drawer for God knows what, suddenly stopped as she faced Obioma with a scowl.

"Don't start with me. I'll say it again: it isn't your decision to make unless you don't want to come."

"I want to but. . ." She trailed off.

"Then just keep shut." Sharon snapped and turned back to her drawer. Obioma flinched at the harshness of her tone but didn't say anything to avoid the wrath of Sharon. She had seen Sharon get angry before and it was pretty scary

"This is a perfect timing, though." Sharon stood up; holding a nylon in her hand. "The moment I made your kinky braid and gave you your shoe, Francis decides to take us out." She laughed. "I'm so excited. I wonder where he is taking us to. Francis is filled with surprise. I can still remember when he took us to a farm. Evelyn had been so annoyed that day: she had considered a farm the worst place to take anyone to and to top it all up, she tripped and fell on a cow dung." Sharon was cracking up so bad at this. Obioma couldn't help but laugh; imagining Evelyn's facial expression.

"That's funny. So you mean Francis takes you girls out for no reason at all?"

"That's just the way Francis is. This is not the first time he's doing this. Even Charles does it sometimes."

"Wow. But then Sharon, I don't have what to wear."

"I know you'd use that as your excuse. I'll give you something to wear." Sharon walked to her wardrobe and brought out a yellow summer dress. She asked Obioma to put it on while she brought another dress for herself.

"Wow! Oby, this dress fits you better than me. I got it as a gift but I couldn't wear it since it isn't my size. It's just your perfect size. You're one lucky girl." Sharon complimented.

Obioma smiled as she walked to the dressing mirror. "You lie Sharon. You look better in it." She said as she examined herself in the mirror. She did look good.

"I don't have time to argue with you, Oby." Sharon brought out her make up kit and began applying some on her face. She was on a black sleek dress which clung to her body like a second skin. She turned to touch up Obioma's face and they both walked out of the room with their fingers entwined.

Francis was lying on Uju's laps on the sofa while Chiamaka and Uloma sat opposite them; watching a cooking programme shown on television. Evelyn stood by the dining table, fixing her shoes and when the 'koin koin' of their shoes came to the hearing of everyone, all eyes fell on them - Obioma in particular. The stare was so intense that Francis sat up immediately to Uju's displeasure. There was a little smile forming by the corner of his lips while the rest had their jaw dropped except Uju who directed her attention to her phone. Obioma on the other hand was uncomfortable. She tightened her grip on Sharon's fingers lest she falls.

"Oh my God! Oby, you look so beautiful!" Uloma voiced out.

"Yes, You look so delicious. You look take away." Chiamaka added.

"Wow, is this Oby standing before me? Whose shoe and dress is that?" Uloma asked.