Sisterhood episode 51

TITLE: SISTERHOOD

AUTHOR: OGECHI ALABI

CHAPTER 51

When they went back to the apartment, his sister had left. They were very happy but it was short-lived. She was back with his other sister. Nkem knew her. She felt embarrassed. She didn’t want to be a part of the discussion but they wouldn’t let her leave. When she was adamant about leaving, they called her names. They said she was after him for his name and being the heir to family fortunes. Nkem didn’t understand what they were talking about.

“What family fortunes?” she asked looking confused. “Is it the company he works with that you are talking about?”

Demian smiled at his sisters to let them know she knew nothing about him. He asked them to leave otherwise he would call the cops. They refused. Nkem picked up her bags and left the apartment. Demian ran after her. He took her to a hotel and lodged her there. He knew things will go downhill from there. He went home, packed a suitcase and went back to join Nkem in the hotel. This wasn’t the romantic time he had planned but lodging her in a beautiful hotel will make do. He apologised to her and promised her no further harassment from then on.

Demian’s mother was at his house the next day. She called him for a meeting after he closed from work. He came home to meet his two sisters and his mother. He sat down and waited for them to start. His mother wanted to know who he ‘imported’ from Nigeria. He didn’t answer her. His sisters ranted calling Nkem derogatory names. Demian kept mute. When they were not getting any information from him, they calmed down.

“Are you through? I am going to meet my guest. The reason you have keys to my apartment is because of my health not to pry on my privacy. Should we talk about our private lives? Should I expose both of you?” he asked his sisters and they kept quiet. “I will change the locks to my apartment and none of you will have the keys. If death decides to come when it does, I will leave. I will leave a happy man. I am with someone I love and this is the reason she didn’t want the relationship. You have proven her right. This girl has never asked me for a dime, never. This visit I insisted on it because she will be working and wouldn’t have enough time to spend with me. I love her and would want to spend the rest of my life with her. She is ambitious, just like you, mum. She is not desperate to settle down, she has a plan. I will introduce her after I propose. So, that is that.”

Read – Sisterhood episode 50

His mum asked, “Is it the same girl we met in Chuks house in Nigeria?”

“She is the one. We were not dating then but we are now.”

“Does she know about your condition?”

“She is aware. I have told her and she helped me heal. She doesn’t care about it as long as I take care of myself.”

“Has she seen you when you have your crisis? She doesn’t care for now until it happens.”

“Wouldn’t you want me to leave this world a happy man?”

“Why wouldn’t I want you to?” his mother asked.

“She is the only one that can make that happen. I have never spoken about a girl like this to you before. Trust me, she is the one.”

The older of the two sisters, Ella said to him, “I think you are carried away by lust. She is a Nigerian girl and might be beyond what you have experienced but all Nigerian girls are like that.”

“We haven’t had sex. She doesn’t ask for money. She shops for me with what she has. I know her family and they have never made any form of demands. I love this girl and I am willing to wait until our wedding night if that is what it will take. I will not rush her.”

“Then what is she doing sharing a room with you.”

“We talk. We watch movies and embrace each other. I will have her for the rest of my life, what’s the hurry?”

“I don’t trust her. She is smart. We know these things more than you. She is playing a game. When she gets her papers, she will leave you.”

“Well, she doesn’t want to live in America. She wants to live in Nigeria. That is what has been stopping her from fully committing. We are working on a way we can resolve that. You see, she is not desperate.”

His mother suggested Nkem comes back home so they could meet her. He refused. Demian told them he will introduce her when she accepts his proposal. He asked his mother to stay the night but leave in the morning so he and Nkem could return.

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Nkem was worried about Demian’s family. He called her when he left work to inform her he was going to see his family. He was gone for so long; her worry worsened. What could they be telling him? Were they discouraging him from being with her? She was ready to go back to Nigeria, she didn’t like the drama. She was agitated and confused.

It dawned on her that the affection she had towards Demian had deepened. She wanted him to be happy. She didn’t want to be the disruptor in his life. He got along very well with his family before she came into the picture. It was at her insistence they were hiding the relationship. It wasn’t fair on him to have to choose between her and his family who loved him so much.

She decided to go back to the apartment and meet with them. This was a major step and she was ready to take it. She picked up a taxi to his apartment building. She met Martin as she walked towards the apartment. He was surprised to see her but didn’t stop her. He seemed to have an idea of what was going on.

She knocked on the apartment door and before she could knock a second time, it opened. Demian couldn’t believe his eyes. He looked at Nkem and she said, “May I come in?”

“You don’t have to do this,” he insisted.

“But I have to. I can’t tear your family apart. Let me meet them.”

“And tell them what? What do you want to say?”

“Please, step aside and let me officially meet your siblings and your mother.”

Demian stepped aside and Nkem walked in. She greeted everyone in the sitting room where they were having the meeting. They were surprised she came.

Nkem spoke, “I need to apologise for our behaviour. We had intended to privately work on our relationship without outside interference until we were sure where it was headed. I felt bad he had to lie to all of you just to be with me because we hadn’t made our relationship public. Now it is, I am here to have that discussion with you.”

The room was silent for a few minutes and then his mother said, “Come and sit down, let us discuss.” Nkem came and sat down. Demian sat beside her. “Has he told you about his sickness?”

“That he has sickle cell? Yes, he has. He has been taking good care of himself and I decided not to have issues with him so he doesn’t fall sick again. He hasn’t had a crisis since then.”

“The last one was very bad. He went as far as wishing for death,” his mother added with tears in her eyes.

“It won’t happen again. He will be fine.”

“He lives here and you are in Nigeria, how do you intend to take care of him?” his mum asked.

“Ma, it’s a relationship. We are getting to know each other better. From friendship, we graduated to this stage. When we decide to take it to the next level, you will be informed. If it doesn’t get there. You will be in the know.”

“We need a wife for him, not a girlfriend. He is no longer a young boy and anything can happen at anytime. He needs to settle down and start a family.”

“I’m not ready yet. I just got a job and I want to work for some years. I will not be a liability to my husband and his family.”

“What about your parents?” Demian’s mother asked.

“My father is late. I have a mother and three younger siblings. My two brothers are in the university while my little sister is awaiting her admission.”

“What does your mother do?”

“She runs a cassava and palm fruit processing factory in the village. It is from there she is training my siblings. I was trained by my mother’s brother.”

“Do you know our family very well?”

“I know Patience, it was through her I met Demian. She’s the only one I know deeply.”

His mother turned to her son and asked him, “Are you sure you want this? Is she your choice?

Demian took Nkem’s hand into his and said, “I am sure. She is the one I want. I love her.”

His sister asked him, “Does she love you too? You can fall in love but does she reciprocate the love?”

Nkem replied to her, “I love him. We have loved each other as friends for some time and now we are in a relationship, and the love has only gotten stronger. You have no idea the risks we have taken for this relationship. He is my best friend and also my boyfriend. Give us a chance to allow this relationship to blossom into whatever it eventually becomes.”

“You don’t sound too enthusiastic about the relationship or marriage,” his younger sister chipped in.

“You mean I don’t sound desperate enough? I am not desperate. We will pursue our dreams, merge them when the time is right and build a solid marriage without interference and influence from anyone. I am not in a hurry and neither is he. What we are doing now is fun. We see each other, not as often as we would want to, on video call and we talk very often. More often than you can even imagine. Stop harassing Demian, please. I want him to be open and honest with you which is why I am doing this. No more hiding; we are together. We love each other.”

There was silence for a while. Then his mother stood up and said to her first daughter, “Ada, take me to your house, I will spend the night there and go back tomorrow. Let’s give them the privacy they want. It was nice meeting you Nkem, at least officially. Let’s go.”

After Demian’s family left, Nkem and Demian went back to the hotel to check out and come back to the apartment. As they settled down to sleep later at night, Demian thanked her for taking charge of the situation. He told her he was very proud of her and she had won his mother’s heart. He kissed her and she allowed him to touch her body. She felt he deserved that much for choosing her over his family.

The rest of the holiday went well. Nkem took most of her pictures with Demian and he was thrilled when she posted them on her social media. He knew it was official now. She had accepted him. He was ready to wait until they could consummate the relationship even if it meant the wedding night. He could tell she was inexperienced because she didn’t know how to give him pleasure. He had to teach her and in the process, they became even closer. He didn’t want her to go back but they had no choice. They agreed on two years of dating before they could get married. They were taking it a step at a time.

Tbc