Sisterhood episode 59
TITLE: SISTERHOOD
AUTHOR: OGECHI ALABI
CHAPTER 59
Nkem had moved from the flat she shared with another lady to a one-bedroom with a sitting room, kitchen, toilet and bathroom apartment. It was a new building and she could have the privacy she desired. She didn’t tell uncle Tobi where she was moving to but she told him she was moving out via a message. He didn’t respond.
She carefully furnished the apartment. She bought her furniture and kitchen equipment. She was excited about living on her own. Demian had mentioned coming home for Christmas and she wanted him to stay with her for some days before he travelled to the village. He had agreed. Although he wanted her to travel to his home with him she declined. She wasn’t ready to meet his family until they were ready.
It had been three years since they commenced the relationship and she still hadn’t decided to get married. She appealed for an extra year so she could have attained a height in the ministry but Demian wasn’t having it. She understood but she felt she needed the extra time.
Nkem came back from work one Friday evening. She was surprised to see a car parked in front of her apartment. Only two people lived in her building. The other person wasn’t around, he had travelled. So who was parked in front? She walked past the car to the gate and opened it. When she was inside her flat, she went to take a bath and change, When she came back to the sitting room, she heard her phone ring. It was uncle Tobi.
“I am outside your gate,”
“Which gate, uncle Tobi?”
“Come outside, you will see me.” She went outside and truly he was there. She was surprised as she opened the gate for him. He came inside the compound and then she led him into her sitting room. “So this is where you are staying? I could have gotten you a better place but I won’t stop you from being independent. I like the place. I just wanted to be sure you were comfortable.”
“I am. What may I offer you?”
“Do you have food in this house? I thought I would buy you dinner.”
“I have soup I made this morning. I will turn semolina for us to eat. You will like the soup.”
Uncle Tobi relaxed and looked around the flat. She had done well for herself. She didn’t have many furnishings but the bits she used were quite nice and durable. The television and other electronics were high-end brands which he suspected were gifted by her boyfriend. He loved the paintings on the wall and the artwork. She got them from roadside sellers but they looked pretty. There was a table by the corner with a shelf of books on the wall. He knew it was her reading corner. There was an apple laptop on the table. He shook his head, Nkem will never spend such an obscene amount of money on a laptop or phone. The guy must like her to get her expensive gifts.
She brought the meal out. She had made the stock for Afang soup before she left for work. She completed the soup and made semolina for them to eat. She served him and then brought her plate of food. He finished the meal and requested more. It was unlike him but the soup was nice. Nkem bragged about the fish and palm oil from her village she used to make the soup. He finished the second plate.
Then they talked. Uncle Tobi was comfortable with the place especially security-wise. He asked her to avoid late night movements since she didn’t have a car. He asked her why she hadn’t bought one, she said she would be travelling for her Master or she wouldn’t need one yet. He offered to give her one of his but she declined. As long as she was fine, she didn’t need it. He gave her an envelope. She didn’t want to take it but he dropped it on the table and left. She saw him off and thanked him for visiting.
“You have to invite me properly to see your home. I only saw the sitting room because I came uninvited. When you invite me, you have to cook a sumptuous meal like this and buy me a drink. If you do that, I will come and visit you often.”
“Feel free to come anytime. I will appreciate your visit and your guidance.”
Uncle Tobi left Nkem. He hadn’t met a girl like her and he was determined to protect her from predators. She is so innocent but smart. He liked that about her. He also knew she got her place because of her man. It was very comfortable so he could stay there. He had seen the generators she had. There was a small and a big one. This was courtesy of the guy. The relationship was more serious than he anticipated. He expected them to have broken up but they had remained. How could the guy have trusted Nkem in Nigeria? He didn’t even trust his wife when he is not home with her not to talk of living apart. He wanted to tease her about him but changed his mind when he didn’t see any picture of him or them together. Until then.
### read – Home alone with my uncle and his bad boys episode 1 – 2
Nkem hardly talked about uncle Tobi with Demian. She had mentioned him a few times but she tried not to discuss him with Demian. She felt uncomfortable talking to Demian about him, she didn’t know why.
Demian had booked his flight to come in five days before Christmas. He was going to work until Christmas so he needed a quiet and peaceful place to stay. He also insisted she travels home with him but she would stay with her family. He wanted her desperately to visit his family so he could show her off but she was reluctant. She wanted them to be ready to settle down before both families met. He agreed. She had applied for the Master’s degree. She was just waiting for the offer and the amount of scholarship she can get. She insisted on financing it on her own but Demian wouldn’t hear about it. He wanted to support her. Getting admission will help her make up her mind about marriage. He knew she wouldn’t agree to live with him for a whole year without a legal commitment.
Everything was working well until Funke came to Abuja with her children to attend uncle Tobi’s house opening ceremony. He also received an award on the same day and he was allowed to invite some people. Funke got a ticket for Nkem. The reception was at uncle Tobi’s new mansion.
Nkem helped by ensuring everyone was served even though there were servers employed. This was the bit she could do. Uncle Tobi’s friends had a table. They were not really his friends but his secondary school classmates and then the ones from the university he still kept in touch with. He was a businessman and didn’t have time for friendship.
One of the big shots who attended the function was interested in Nkem. He sent his aides to her and she explained to them she wasn’t interested. The man was persistent. She had to meet with him. She told him she was married and wasn’t interested. He made promises to her which she declined. He wasn’t the only one interested but he was the boldest to make a move even after uncle Tobi told him she was not available.
Uncle Tobi was having a good time and had so much to drink. He was happy with the award he received. It must have made him loosen up because he was having the time of his life. He wasn’t uptight and was overly friendly. Funke noticed when he started drinking but she didn’t say anything. She felt there was something off about uncle Tobi.
It was very late at night, and uncle Tobi’s house was full. Nkem decided to go back to her home. She would have left earlier with some guests but uncle Tobi asked her not to leave with anyone at the party. She met his wife and told her she wanted to leave for her home. She couldn’t find her husband and she needed permission for the driver to drop her off where she could get a taxi. She asked the driver to take Nkem to where she can get a taxi.
As Nkem said her goodbyes to Funke and her family, she came out to join the driver only to see uncle Tobi with him.
“Were you going to leave without seeing me?” he asked.
“I thought you had fallen asleep and I didn’t want to disturb you.”
“We can’t go to your place tonight, it is not safe. I will put you up in a hotel, my driver will take you home in the morning.”
“I can still go home….”
“No, you can’t. I said so. Let’s go.”
Uncle Tobi took Nkem to a hotel nearby. He paid for the room and took her to the room to confirm it was ok. They were alone in the room when he asked out of the blue, “Why do men always desire you? Even when you reject them, they don’t take no for an answer. What is so special about you that draws them to you like flies? I get that you are beautiful, to be honest, you are stunning but you are not more beautiful than other girls I have encountered. You don’t dress like a lady looking for a man. So, what do they see that I don’t?”
Nkem didn’t know how to answer this question and she was uncomfortable with the tone. She wanted him to leave because she knew he was tipsy. She moved closer to the door so she couldn’t quickly leave if anything unpleasant attempted to happen. He looked at her and asked, “Are you scared of me? You were not scared of the other guys but you don’t ever look me in the eyes while talking to me and you avoid our interactions. Why? You are not supposed to be scared of me, I am the safest person you can be with.”
Nkem didn’t know what to do. She wanted him to leave but instead of leaving, he sat on the bed. He said he was tired and laid down. This wasn’t Nkem’s plan. She didn’t want him in her bed. She knew sleep would elude her. She sat on the couch for about thirty minutes before he woke up. He said he felt better and then he left. Nkem was relieved. She didn’t like the tone of his conversation. She didn’t want a fallout with uncle Tobi. This was strange behaviour. She didn’t share it with Funke because she felt uncle Tobi was just being uncle Tobi.
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A few weeks before Christmas, uncle Tobi called. He was coming back from a trip and had some foodstuff he wanted to drop off for her. He also asked her if she had food in the house or if he should buy dinner for them. She told him she had food. He drove to her house himself. He asked the security man to help carry in the foodstuff he came with and settled the guy. Then he entered Nkem’s flat. She was still in the kitchen, the aroma was heavenly. She came out to greet him. Then she served him okro soup with poundo. Uncle Tobi ate. He came with two bottles of wine. He drank half of a bottle. Nkem didn’t want to drink but she joined him eventually. She had only one glass.
He asked for a tour of her flat before he leaves. She showed him around. When they entered the bedroom, he had a good look at the place. It was cute. There were pictures of Nkem and Demian on her side stool. They looked happy together. Uncle Tobi smiled. He said, “Good-looking guy. You both look good together.”
“Thank you.”
“Thank you for the meal, I have got to go now.” Uncle Tobi left. Nkem felt something odd about what he said. Uncle Tobi was acting weird and she didn’t know why. She also didn’t know why she was unable to challenge some of the things he said, she was always tongue-tied around him.
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Uncle Tobi was out of town when his wife fell ill. She was taken to the hospital. The children were left at home alone with a nanny, the other had travelled. Funke called Nkem to help her stay with the children until uncle Tobi got back. They never leave the children alone with strangers overnight. Nkem went to stay with the children. She had never slept in the new house before. She was given a room and all.
She had already gone to bed when she heard a knock on her door, it was uncle Tobi. Nkem wasn’t expecting him until the next day.
“Thank you for coming to help out.”
“It is not a problem uncle Tobi. How is she?”
“She’s really down. She had to be sedated because of the pain.”
“Really? What can be wrong?”
“She has a massive cyst on her right ovary. Tomorrow we will confirm everything.”
“Are you hungry? Can I make something for you?”
“Just make a hot chocolate drink for me. Bring it to my wing, do you know the place?”
“I think so. I will make it and bring it.”
Nkem made the hot chocolate. She saw some croissants and warmed up two so he could have them with the chocolate. She went up to his wing. He opened the door to his room and she dropped the tray. She wanted to leave but he asked her to stay a while.
They talked. For the first time, uncle Tobi talked to Nkem as equals. The conversations were quite interesting. They talked about everyday life, work, school, lifestyle and happening around the world. He ate while they talked and he felt so free.
Tbc