He Said No

He said no episode 43 – 44

HE SAID NO

EPISODE 43 – 44

Wednesdays were for bible-study and the besties just got back from church, Grace sat down gingerly on their plastic chair, still fully dressed, she didn’t bother to change out of her work clothes before she left for church to avoid being excessively late.

“Ah, Grace, you know, when pastor was talking about the privileges of sonsh¡p, and he mentioned that one of the privileges of sonsh¡p is God’s leading. Sons are led by God’s spirit. ” Amifel started as she sank into bed.

“He said, we don’t pray to be led, we pray to sharpen our awareness to his leadings, that means that whether I feel like it or not God leads me, and when I pray, his leading become evident to me. “Amifel paused a little as if she was thinking of what to say next.

” You know, somewhere in between, Daniel just slipped into my thoughts again.”

“How does that correlate with the sermon and who is Daniel by the way?”

“Ahn Ahn! Have you forgotten him so soon? “Amifel queried. “The guy I met at Cynthia’s wedding.”

“Oh oh oh… the yam guy, its been quite a while now. What about him?”

“He’s not a yam guy and it’s not even his name!”

“Whose name is it? Yours?”

“His father’s name…” Amifel mumbled, eyeing her briefly before she looked away in peace.

“Okay ma, I am sorry, what about him?”

“Nothing. “

“Talk now…”

“Nothing… he just manages to slip into ~my thoughts every now and then. Sometimes even when I’m praying about something else, his name drops ~on my mind . The ironic thing is he has completely forgotten about me.” Amifel chuckled. “To think ~that I have been expecting his call since that day, I guess I have lived in the world of fantasies for too long.”

Grace seemed to be absent-minded, she made no comment whatsoever to what she said.

“Grace…” Amifel called her gently the first time. “Grace!!” she called h-rder.

“So, I have been talking to myself since… “

“I have actually been listening to you.”

“What was the last thing I said?”

“Okay, fine… I was a little distracted. Could you please come again?”

“I don leave bus-stop… I am not coming again.”

Grace shrugged, she looked away without pressing further. That was so unlike Grace and her friend could not help but notice.

“Are you fine?”

Grace breathed hærd before she answered.

“I am worried.”

“About what?”

“Mike. “ she paused briefly before she ~continued. “Ami, I am beginning to get frightened. It’s been almost a week since I last heard from him.” Amifel ignored her as she~ slipped out of her pink straight gown into something lighter.

“I even stylishly looked around for him today, he wasn’t around for service and that is so unlike him.”

Grace was expecting Amifel to say something but she didn’t.

“Won’t you say anything?”

“I don’t know what you want me to say, I already asked you to call him but you are busy proving hærd to get,” Amifel answered nonchalantly as she zipped up her shorts.

She was initially waiting for Mike’s call but as it stood, she was beginning to change her mind.

“When do you think I should call him?”

“You are still asking? If I were you, I would call him right now. Like right away!”

Like a robot, she quietly removed her ~phone from her nude bag and dialed his number, it was switched off. She quietly dialed his alternative number, she got the same response. Her heart thu~ mped a little faster as different thoughts joggled through her mind.

“He’s not picking up?”

“His numbers are switched off…” she said dejectedly.

“Maybe his phones are dead,” Amifel said.

“He doesn’t switch off all his numbers at the same time.”

“That was why I said that his phones must probably be dead.” Amifel could see the tension on her face.” Relax lover girl.”

Amifel was about to start her usual teasing session when her phone vibrated, she scrambled through her bag for it and just as she was about to pick it, the caller hung up.

It was a new number, the first person that dropped on her mind was her mum. She has used several numbers to call her in the preceding weeks and she hadn’t called in a while, so she guessed that she must be the one.

Grace, who had momentarily forgotten her sorrow, would not let the sleeping dog lie.

“Who was that.”

“I don’t know, it is an unsaved number.”

The call came in again from the same number, Amifel was hesitant.

“Won’t you pick it?” Grace shot her a questioning look, Amifel’s guess was as good as hers.

Amifel clicked on the receiver’s button and there seemed to be a lot of noise in the background, this was followed by silence and it lingered for a few minutes.

The caller was silent, Amifel too didn’t say a word.

“Talk now!” Grace said in a voice barely above a whisper.

“Hello,” Amifel said calmly.

No response. That was definitely not her mum.

She hung up quickly.

“Why did you hang up?”

Amifel was about to explain when the call came in yet again.

She picked it almost immediately this time.

“Hello, who is this!” She asked impatiently, she was not ready for any breathing competition.

“Hello, Am I speaking to Amifel?” A male voice answered calmly at the other end.

“Yes, who is this?” She repeated.

“It’s Daniel. “ he answered calmly.

It was like a tap of cold water ran wildly upon her sun-parched heart, she did not know when she broke into a smile. A confused grace looked at her in wonder.

Daniel must have thought that she was having a hærd time remembering who he was and he was about to explain “We met at…”

“I remember you.” She said calmly, trying so hærd to contain her excitement.

“How have you been Ma’am.” He cleared his throat.

“Fine…Been fine, thank you. You?”

“I’m doing great too.”

“Okay.”

“Sorry I haven’t checked up since the wedding… I’ve actually been wanting to call you before now but there has been no event. I know I promised to call for business…” He paused a bit as if to let it sink.

“But, there is still no event, yet… Hope you don’t mind?”

Amifel chuckled.

“You are funny.”

“Really? “

Amifel laughed some more, he took that as a positive response.

“So, I guess my call is welcomed then.”

“I think so.”

“Don’t worry, I am rooting seriously for badass events and I know one will show up soon but I really couldn’t wait till then, I’ve been itching to hear from you.”

Amifel smiled sheepishly, she wanted to say something but she couldn’t find the right words.

“Thank you.” She finally said.

“You are welcome ma’am and I hope you have forgiven Oracle.”

She laughed heartily this time as she remembered the MC.

“Hey, it’s not that deep!”

“I know… just trying to pull your legs.”

She cackled again.

“So, I guess, we’ll talk much later?”

“Sure.” She answered, hoping it won’t be long.

“Okay Miss Amifel, do have a great evening.”

“Thanks, you too…”

By the time she was done, Grace’s probing eyes were staring at her intently.

“Guess, who I just spoke to?” she screeched with her shrill thin voice.

“I don’t know, who? George?”

Amifel shot her a brief stern look.

“Please don’t spoil my pleasant evening. “

“It was just a guess.”

“That was a bad guess.” She smirked. “It was Daniel.”

Grace chuckled.

“That man is the real son of his father.”

“How do you mean?”

“That is what people say when you are talking about someone and the person suddenly shows up. They would say, ‘you are not a b@stard.’”

“Should we be expecting Mike to show up then?” Amifel grinned.

“And what is that supposed to mean?” Grace hissed. “It’s not funny.”

“I’m sorry now…”

Grace ignored her as she stood up to loosen her braids in front of the standing mirror.

“Maybe you should go check him at his place tomorrow, I can follow you if you want…”

“Okay. I think I will do that, I just need to be sure that he is fine.”

“I am certain that he is.” Amifel comforted her as she laid face up on the bed with her hands beneath her head as she replayed Daniel’s voice in her head.

Could this be a confirmation or she was In another fairytale world?

Grace undressed as she folded her used clothes before placing them into the laundry basket. She noticed that Amifel was smiling to herself, she smiled in return, her friend was definitely in love again and it was such a beautiful sight to behold.

She would have made fun of her but she was not in that kind of mood, now that Amifel’s probable prince charming had shown up, hers seemed to be nowhere in sight…

To be continued…
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~HE SAID~ NO.

EPISODE 44

Michael sat up as Mama Ologi came in with a tray of pap and Akara. The sun was just warming up and the weather was a little cold, seemed like the perfect timing for a steaming hot breakfast.

Michael had been with his grandma for 4 days stretch, and it had ~been 4 days of pampering and premium relaxation. It’s been ages since he stayed that long with her, he blamed it on work and church activities and his dearest grandma had not b~ een able to hide her excitement since he came around.

“Grandma!” Mike called out softly as he sat up on impulse while squinting his eyes.

Mama Ologi was still staying in their old one-roomed apartment. Although it had changed from the one he knew since he was a kid, the petite building was the only thing her husband left behind.

Mike had renovated it and added some sparks to his grandma’s old house after he had tried his best to convince her to come over to the city and she refused blatantly, she had so much history with Akoka village, so much that she didn’t want to lose so soon.

She had virtually lived all her life there. She was born in Akoka, got married to her husband in Akoka, she had even claimed on several occasions that she wanted to die in Akoka, she doesn’t want to be buried in the city or the public graveyards.

“I want to be buried right beside my loving husband.” She would tell Mike with a smile on her face as if she looked forward to dying. The thought of her death was something that Mike could not contain without shrieking.

“Not now, Grandma! And not anytime soon!” he would correct her at every single chance he got.

Mama Ologi dropped the tray on a stool that was placed close to the family size bed in the spacious room which also housed a plasma TV once a few other electronic gadgets that grandma used once in a while, a medium-sized fridge, a glass center table, and 2 beautiful sofas, courtesy of Michael.

“My son, sit up and eat.” She smiled lovingly as she settled on the bed beside him.

“Grandma, you shouldn’t have bothered. “

“Who told you that this is a bother? I am not complaining, my son. C’mon, sit up.”

Mike sat up reluctantly, he wasn’t ready to eat but his Grandma wouldn’t let him be. He had given up on ‘manning’ his way through and had resorted to cajoling tricks, it was evident that before his grandma, he would always be a child.

“Grandma, I have to brush and freshen up first.” He objected, hoping it would work.

Well, it didn’t…

“You will freshen up when you are done eating this, and after you are done bathing, you will now have breakfast.”

Mama Ologi was just impossible!

“After this!” He exclaimed. “Ah, no o. I have been eating like that is the only thing I came to do in Akoka. Do you want me to have potbelly before I return to the city?”

Mama Ologi laughed so hærd that she lost her breath for some seconds.

“Michael Ilesanmi! Don’t you know that pot belly is a symbol of wealth?”

“The symbol has changed Grandma, now it is flat tummy.” He replied as he joined in the laughter.

He sat more conveniently in such a way that his legs dangled in the air as he balanced the tray on his laps. Grandma sat with him as he feasted on the Akara balls.

“Delicious, as usual, Grandma.” He complimented, she just smiled with her hands beneath her gracefully wrinkled chin skin as she watched him eat.

He looked at her occasionally, her face was still as radiant as ever, God had gifted her with soft and supple baby skin and old age just scratched a little on the surface. She was still, the beautiful and jovial Mama Ologi that he had always known.

Mama Ologi had been to him the biological mother that he never had and he had vowed to take care of her with everything he owned and that he did and he planned to keep on doing it. He still had not given up on his dream of bringing her to the city, he was just waiting for the perfect timing.

He picked the Akara balls one after the other as he supported the ministration with a spoonful or two of hot creamy pap.

“How is my daughter?”

“Your daughter?”

“I mean Grace, your wife.” She winked.

“Oh! I was about to remind you that I was not married. She is fine.” He chuckled dryly as he stuffed more Akara balls into his mouth, silently hoping that she wouldn’t ask any further question about her.

She was silent and curiosity made him steal a glance at her, he caught her with an awkward smile on her face, gawking back at him.

“Why are you looking at me like that, Grandma?” he asked, as he looked away from her to his food.

“Ilesanmi!” she called him fondly. She personally gave him that name and she loved calling him that instead of Michael.

“Grandma.” He answered softly still focused on his Akara, which was the only one left.

“Is there anything I should know?”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know unless you tell me.”

“Nothing Grandma, I and Grace are cool. We would have been here together but some things came up.”

“I didn’t ask you if you and your wife were cool. “she paused. “Do you mind telling me what came up?” he looked at her again, she still wore the same awkward smile.

It strangely seemed like she knew something already and he knew that he could not that conversation. She had been asking of her since the very first day he arrived at Akoka and he had seemingly been doing a good job at keeping it brief but it was glaring that his game was over.

He put the tray aside as he cleared his throat, a bead of sweat had gathered on his forehead, all thanks to the hot pap mixed with a little bit of tension.

“Actually, Grandma…” He was about to start. “Could you please stop smiling, first?” Her awkward smile was already making him cheesy.

“Would you love me to cry instead?”

“Okay, I will look away then.”

“If it makes you feel better, I have stopped.” She said as she tried to make a straight face.

He started from the point where he went out with Grace to how she saw his conversation with his close friend and up till when she called it quits via a text message.

By the time he was done, the smile had resumed again.

“Ilesanmi…”

“Ma.”

“From the moment you called that you were coming to Akoka, I knew that something was wrong.” She started. “Although I wasn’t sure what it was, I guessed it had to do with Grace, remember when we were having dinner outside, the night you came? I asked you about her and I watched your countenance change in a millisecond and up till now, I have not caught you talking to her on phone since your arrival.”

Michael hanged his head low, he had been caught.

“She did the right thing.”

“Grandma! How would you say that now?”

“If I were her, I would have done the same thing.” She continued without pity.

“But I was innocent!”

“But she didn’t know that! “

He sighed.

“If you had told her about from the outset, you would have saved yourself this outburst. Any man or woman that keeps sensitive information from their spouse is shooting himself in the leg.”

“Grandma, I admit I was wrong, everyone I know has said the same thing, but I love her.”

“You will go back to her and tell her everything.”

“I would have if she had at least picked my calls.”

“When last did you call her?”

He was silent and she still had the signature smile on.

“Ilesanmi, from the time you told me about her, I have been praying for you both and God has assured me that my son has found his wife. “

Now that made him smile.

“He told me the same thing too.”

She nodded briefly before she continued…

“The tongue and the teeth fight at times but it doesn’t stop them from working together… this is just a prologue, you will have more misunderstandings when you get married. “she gulped down a gallon of saliva.

“You know, you were so little when my ~husband died. “she smiled again, this time very broadly. “He was the sweetest man I know and if I had the opportunity to choose again, I would pick him over an~ d again.”

I told you how much he loved onions, but I hated it with passion.”

“You made me dislike it too.” Mike chuckled.

“But my food has been delicious without it, abi?”

“As ever!

She made a proud face.

“I remember that I made his meals separately from mine, I did it most of the time but there was this day that he got back from the farm and requested that I made him yam porridge. I also just got back from the market where I sold raw pap and I was too tired to make separate meals. I got to our cooking s₱0t in the backyard and I contemplated making the porridge without onions, but my husband always managed to find out and I didn’t want to get him angry.

As I walked to the passage to carry our local grinding stone, he peeped from this room and he said.

‘My love, don’t bother, I will eat it like that. After all, you don’t like it with onions.’ “This time it was Mike’s turn to smile.

“You guys were so sweet.”

“Yes, we were.” She smiled into space again. Mike could bet that she was daydreaming about Grandpa.

“We had our differences oh! In fact, a lot of them but that was what made our union more graceful and exciting. The reason why we lasted that long was because we learned to admit our differences and forgive our shortcomings. We learned to talk through our issues, we didn’t allow silence to brew misunderstanding amidst us and tear us apart.”

Mike nodded.

“When you leave Akoka, you should get a means to reach her and talk things out, tell her all of your truth, and ask for her heartfelt pardon. Although I don’t know her, I feel in my heart that she has a kind heart and would not hesitate to forgive you.”

Mike hugged her passionately from behind. She patted his arms softly.

“Everything will be fine, my son.”

He stood still in that position and tightened his eyelids, as he allowed the last statement she made to sink into the depth of his troubled heart.

God had told him not to worry and Mama Ologi had reaffirmed it.

“I love you, Grandma!” he whispered close to her right ear lobe. She smiled broadly and squeezed her eyes hærd, as she struggled with the tears that were desperately trying to find their way out of her eyes.

Apart from Jesus, Mike was all she had left in the world and nothing would make her happier than seeing him happy.

To be continued…

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