Two Princes and a choice

Chapter Nineteen

At first Tan thought it was a joke but Jon had insisted it wasn’t half believing, half doubting he had rushed down to the airport only to see for himself that it was true. Jon was standing just outside the airport with a big smile and luggage. Now they were in his car, Jon listening to his favourite rock band and playing air guitar.

Tan wondered what he was doing here in Oduduwa, Jon wasn’t exactly the type of person that visits without causing one or two problems on the host.

‘Jon, why are you here?’ he asked.

‘Because I miss you man. And since it’s the summer holidays I thought I might come over and stay with you and wreak havoc with girls’ he said with a wink and Tan groaned.

Tan closed his eyes. He knew exactly the kind of havoc but he wasn’t looking forward to it. He doesn’t like to being entangled with girls. ‘Jon,’ he began about to tell him that he cannot wreak havoc here.

‘Don’t worry man, I’m just gonna crash at your place tonight I have a cousin downtown that I can stay with. I’ll be gone by afternoon tomorrow.’

Tan sighed inwardly in relief. Just one night, thank God he won’t have to worry about troubles and all sort of things.

Getting home, Tan showed him his room upstairs beside his and silently prayed that he doesn’t puke because he was drunk or fall dead asleep on the floor. Jon was heavy when asleep and he had almost cracked a rib once carrying him when that happened last.

Tan was changing into his pyjamas when Aisha called. ‘Hello,’ he said into the receiver.

‘Hello, Tan. You are back.’

‘Yes I’m back,’ he said flatly, he doesn’t have time for this.

‘When are you coming to Lagos?’

‘You’ll see me when you see me. Hang up, I’m about to sleep and I suggest you do the same.’ He hung up and switched it off. Laying on his bed his thoughts went once more to the girl with tears in her eyes. Strange he thought yawning had he even seen her crying.

Placing it on his bedside table, he switched off the lamp light and tried to fall asleep.

****

Will called Darryl in the morning to ask where Hayley is. He had been to all the part time jobs she had. The chicken place, the café and the pub but they all told him that she had taken leave.

‘Do you know where Hayley is?’

‘At her part time job, where else?’

‘I’ve been to the ones I know they all said she is on leave. Did she tell you she’s going anywhere else?’

‘No, but why are you looking for her?’ he demanded.

‘It’s not your business just tell me where she is.’

‘I’m not her guard, call her mother to ask. Or call her instead why bother me?’

‘Aren’t you are friend? And from what she said you are pretty close.’

‘Yes, and I’m currently not in Lagos so I can’t know where she is. Call her.’ He hung up.

Will dropped his phone on his table and slump into a sofa. He had wanted to ask her out. He had bought tickets yesterday to the cultural institute show next Saturday and dinner after. He weighed Darryl’s advice. He doesn’t want to call her mother because to him it would look odd and Hayley’s number wasn’t going through.

Sighing, he picked up his phone he dialled.

****

Hayley woke up to the sun’s full glare on her face but she just sighed and rolled over pulling the cover further up her face. She was having a pleasant dream that she didn’t want to wake up from. Ever. Though she knew it was impossible but it won’t hurt to revel in the time. Waking up was inevitable, but Hayley still clung to the bed, daydreaming about it a smile on her face. She moved her foot to the edge of the bed and her eyes opened as pain jolted through her body.

Sighing Hayley sat up, annoyed that her reverie was cut short. ‘You just couldn’t wait a few more minutes,’ she whispered annoyed to her foot and then yawned loud stretching her torso and looked around.

Hibiscus had put in Biodun’s room, a cousin’s of Charta Hibiscus’ guardian. The room was done in cream and wine completely empty except the bed wardrobe and a desk and chair. Biodun was currently in University of Nairobi studying linguistics and was in his third year there he comes home twice or thrice a year during Easter and Christmas and sometimes during the year.

‘Well, look who decided to wake up,’ she heard the door close and looked sideways, Hibiscus was coming in still in her pyjamas, she still looked sleepy a sign that she just woke up.

‘You too look like you just got up,’ Hayley answered grinning; Hibiscus closed the door behind her and came to seat on the bed crossed-legged before her.

‘How are you feeling?’ Hibiscus inquired.

‘A little groggy,’ she answered running her hand through her braids.

‘Your ankle?’ she asked.

‘Still painful, it woke me up from my sweet sweet dream.’

‘Of serving sweet cocoa to a thousand customers?’ Hibiscus teased.

Hayley flung her pillow at her; it hit Hibiscus squarely in the face.

‘Oh,’ Hibiscus said laughing, ‘what did you dream about?’ she asked putting the pillow missile aside.

Hayley felt heat crawl up her neck and face, she became a little self-conscious, ‘can’t tell,’ she whispered hugging a pillow to her chest.’

‘Oh, so what do you wanna do today?’ Hibiscus asked instead, she had the feeling her friend doesn’t want to broach the subject with her so she let it be.’

Before Hayley could answer there was a knock on the door, they both turned to look towards the door.

‘Hibiscus are you in there?’ Charta’s voice sounded from outside.

‘Of course she’s in there,’ another voice, a man’s voice rumbled sounding as if he’s growling, ‘and she’s not alone in there, I hear another voice, a boy’s.’ the tone was accusatory.

Hibiscus giggled and said in an undertone to her: ‘Kunle and Charta have been on boy patrol since I turned sixteen, I’m in here,’ she called out to them.

The knob turned and the door opened, Charta a small round woman sort of waddled in and followed by a tall thin man with dark swarthy skin, stubble and piercing eyes. Those eyes roved about the room as he walked in, possibly searching for any sign that there was a boy in there. Hayley fought a bubble of giggles rushing up her throat; she looked sideways at her friend. Hibiscus looked amused by all of this.

‘Oh!’ Charta said, her motherly eyes widening in surprise at the sight of her, ‘I didn’t know you had company.’

‘Really? You didn’t know?’ Hibiscus asked sweetly, her words dripping with sarcasm, her honey coloured eyes flickered over to Kunle and they both stared at each other for a second and a teasing smile raised a side of her lips. ‘You didn’t think a boy was in here with me?’ she teased.

Charta looked uncomfortable but Kunle still hover behind standing as stiff as ramrod, his eyes still piercing. They swung over too Hayley and she felt it pierce deep into her skull searching till she felt ill at ease.

‘Well start searching,’ Hibiscus continued.

Charta shuffled on her feet, ‘oh Hayley,’ she suddenly burst out taking Hayley by surprise when she rushed over to her side and clapped her into a bear hug. ‘Hibiscus, why didn’t you tell us she was coming?’ she accused.

‘I didn’t know she was coming,’ Hibiscus returned, ‘she is a girl,’ she said to Kunle who grunted something that seemed like I see that.

‘When did you arrive?’ Charta continued questioning.

‘Midnight, yesterday,’ Hibiscus answered.

Kunle suddenly looked gleeful like a kid who had found a toy he had hoped for. ‘Midnight, eh?’ he said.

‘She came to Ibadan to see her aunt but she kicked her out and she came here,’ Hibiscus explained to Charta and added to Kunle, ‘if you don’t believe me you can call her aunt.’

‘No one needs too,’ Charta said before Kunle could say anything, ‘but that was wicked of her to cast you out, come on you must be hungry.’

Breakfast was bread and eggs and was rowdy as well as all the family gathered up for breakfast. Mostly boys and about ten in number ranging from the age of ten to twenty two and from the size of rake to bear. They didn’t seem to find Hayley’s presence in the breakfast room odd and they talked and joked and laughed boisterously, Charta and Hibiscus joined in while Hayley just smiled too their jokes and answered some questions fired at her. Kunle on the other hand was sullen and chewed his breakfast quietly his face glued to his plate sometimes he would look up and eye her speculatively.

The other members of the large vivacious didn’t seem affected by the sombre man in their midst, their light-heartedness was infectious and soon she began to laugh to their jokes her shyness forgotten. After breakfast Hibiscus asked her to have her bath and dress up so they can go to the doctor.

‘Tell Sanusi I won’t make it to the book shop today,’ Hibiscus shouted over her shoulder as she flew down the stairs Hayley hobbling off after her.