love me tomorrow episode 4

LOVE ME TOMORROW”
+Episode FOUR+
Lydia got back home in deep thoughts. She didn’t understand the reason for Kamsi’s unsolicited hatred for her. Someone she had never met before! She attributed it to Jealousy and insecurity anyways.
Her mind drifted back to the event that took place in the market. She was running to attend to a customer who had called her at the other side of the road when her eyes began to turn and she felt dizzy and suddenly fainted.
She knew it was hunger because she had barely eaten anything tangible for days now. She only ate 50# okpa and drank sachet water. She was so keen in saving up enough money to register for the upcoming WAEC examinations and JAMB too.
She had been saving for 6months now and she knew at the end, she would come up with something worthwhile.
“Papa, Mama, I know you are up there watching me. I want you to strengthen me and keep me away from bad people. Protect me and help me make it in Life.”She prayed slowly..
Now, her rubber for hawking has been broken and she needed to buy a new one. She removed all her money she had hidden in her b-ra from the little sales she made before she fainted. It was just 610#. She sighed as she removed 400# and put into the saving box. She must start eating from now on if she doesn’t want a repeat of what happened today, she told herself before she lie on her torn mat, covered herself and drifted into sleep.
++++++++++++
Ifeanyi came home that evening tired and hungry. He had apologized to Kamsi and promised not to associate with Lydia again.
He came home and met Ifeoma sitting in front of the house with a sullen face.
“Oma, ogini?”He asked sitting beside her. He noticed tears all over her face.
“Is it not Mama? She chased Jonathan and his people away today when they came to ask for my hands in marriage”She said in between sobs.
Jonathan and her has been dating for couple of months now.
“But why?”Ifeanyi asked although he had already guessed the reason.
“What else if not the usual demand? That he doesn’t have a car or a house”Ifeoma said
“Why is mama like this? Why??”Ifeanyi lamented
“Ify I don’t know.. Look at me, no education, no handwork. Mama practically made me useless. She wants me to be useless. Am I getting any younger? All my mates are doing well in their husbands houses but mama has sworn to make me useless. What on earth did I do to deserve all these?”She broke into tears.
“Ifeomachukwu you don’t have sense. You don’t have sense at all. I am trying to protect you from the clutches of poverty but I can see how stupid and unreasonable you are. You come from a poor family and you want to get married into a poor family. Haba! Suffer no dey tire you?”Veronica said coming from behind
“Mama you should understand that no one knows tomorrow. The rich today can be poor tomorrow and the poor today can be rich tomorrow”Ifeanyi said
“Taaaar! Mechi onu.. Close your mouth biko, your own case is different. I have nothing to say to you so just shut up!”She said and left the compound.
Ifeoma continued crying.
“Oma, ozugo(its OK)..we just have to look for a permanent solution to all these mama’s rubbish because if you keep on allowing her, she will ruin your life”Ifeanyi said rubbing her back
“The only thing I can think of is running away with Jona, he had already asked me to come and live with him in Enugu but I declined. I think I’d just do it now”
“Are you sure you want to do this?”
“Yes Ify, that’s the only way. I love Jona and he loves me too. He has promised to enroll me into a big tailoring institute in Enugu and part-time schooling”She said smiling
“I hope he fulfills all his promises”Ifeanyi said
“He will. I trust him..”She cheered up
“So when do u two intend going?”Ifeanyi asked
“He’s leaving tomorrow so I’d have to Inform him that I’ve changed my mind and I’d want to go with him”She said
“Okay then. I’d miss you alot.. Just be and your troublesome mama in this house. Odiegwu”Ifeanyi said
Ifeoma laughed “At least you have a thriving business and a good woman beside you that would keep you away from mama and her problems”
“I’ll still miss you Ejima’m”He hugged her.
“Kill me with hugging o”She laughed releasing herself from his tight grip “Let me run along to inform Jona”She ran out of the compound happily
Ifeanyi only laughed and went in.
++++++++++++
Ifeanyi and Kamsi were in the shop the next morning eating and talking about the progress they’ve made.
“Ify, I think we should start making nkwobi and abacha here o”Kamsi said admist eating
Ifeanyi swallowed the yam in his mouth “Why?”
“Because, our customers are increasing and so is their taste. If we start making nkwobi and abacha, we now have varieties for different people with different taste”
Ifeanyi drank water and looked at her “Nna eh, iwu nno brain box!!(you are just a brain box)”
Kamsi laughed..
“So when do we start?”
“Next week..We’ll inform our customers”She replied
Just then, Udoka Kamsi’s brother came in.
“Ndewo nu.. Kamsi mama said you should follow me home ugbu ugbua(now now)”He said p-nting. It’s obvious he had been running.
Kamsi stopped eating
“Is there a problem?”
“I can’t answer that. Just come first”He said
Kamsi looked at Ifeanyi and he nodded urging her to go. She stood up and left.
+++++++++++++
Getting to front of their compound, she saw big cars parked there. She was stunned. Her mother was in front waiting for them.
“Nwa oma.. thank you you’re here”Nkiru said
“Mama who owns these?”She asked pointing at the cars
“Come first”She smiled dragging her into the house.
in,side the house, Obi, Kene, Ibeh and a young good-looking Man were sitted. Kamsi recognized them immediately as the people she bought palm wine from except the young man.
She quickly greeted them still surprised.
“Kamsi, this is Mazi Obi and his sons.. This one here is Felix who just came back from obodo oyibo. He came to ask for your hand in marriage”Nkiru said
A bell rang in Kamsi’s head.. Obodo oyibo? Hand in marriage? She looked from her mother to the man..
TO BE CONTINUED..