Sisterhood episode 21
TITLE: SISTERHOOD
WRITTEN BY: OGECHI ALABI
PART 21
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Efe tried to reach Esther for several days but could not. He was worried. What could have happened to her? He knew her department but, he did not have time to check on her during the day. He decided to visit her at the hostel. He sent a message to her room and he was informed she was not around. Where could she have gone to? It was also possible she was with Jake. He had to confirm it. He asked for directions to her room. When he got there, he knocked on the door. Nkem answered it.
“Good evening. I want to see Esther.”
“Esther? She is not around right now.”
“I have been trying to reach her for three days now and I haven’t been able to. I am worried about her.”
“Who are you?” Nkem asked.
“My name is Efe.”
“You are Efe?” Nkem asked surprised. “I haven’t seen her in three days too. She has not returned since she left here. But I have spoken with her.”
Read – Magical Attraction – Episode 1
“How did you get through to her? Her number hasn’t been connecting.”
“Let me call her,” Nkem called Esther and got through to her. “Esther, Efe is here to see you. He said he has been calling you for three days. Where have you been?”
“Tell him I am not ready to talk to him. He should save his breath. Tell Jake the same. I need a break and I have taken one.”
“Come back, let’s talk about it. You cannot go through this alone.”
“I am fine. Thank you. Give him my message.”
“What happened? Jake must have done something.”
“It doesn’t matter. I would rather you don’t get involved in my relationship. Thanks,” and Esther ended the call.
Efe was surprised. What could have happened for her to keep her distance from him and block his phone number? He sent her several messages using another number. He apologised for his behaviour and asked if they could go back to being friends. She never responded to any of his messages and blocked the phone number too. Efe felt bad. He knew his behaviour must have driven her to this attitude. He wanted to appeal to her. It seemed it was too late. And he had good news to share with her.
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Jake tried to reach Esther after a few days. He called but received an engaged tone after two dials. It was later he realised his number had been blocked. He tried to trace Esther because he was informed she had not been in the hostel. He wondered where she was coming from. He paid someone to find her and have her followed. He wasn’t happy with the girl she was living with. He knew her and her antecedents. He was scared she would lure Esther into dating rich old men. Once they knew she was an asset, they would never let her go.
He went after her. He sent gifts to her during lectures. She would be in class waiting for a lecture and then someone would drop a gift on her table with an apology note. The edible gifts, she shared with other students. The expensive gifts, she took back to her hostel and kept. She didn’t trust Clarissa enough to leave such things there. Jake also transferred money into her account. At a point, he moved an obscene amount of money. She never called him or acknowledged the gifts. He was getting frustrated. He decided to do something about it.
Two weeks after his last gift was received unacknowledged, Jake came to Clarissa’s flat. Esther had lectures and wasn’t at home when he visited. He talked to Clarissa about helping him win Esther back. He didn’t confide in her about what the issue was but he told her he wanted her to reconcile with him.
When Esther came home, she was surprised to see Jake in the flat. Clarissa excused them and left the flat. Esther was furious. She didn’t want anyone to know about their misunderstanding. She ignored Jake and went into the room. She locked the door behind her.
“This is the height of being childish. Why would you lock yourself inside the room? I came here for us to try to reconcile, I came to apologise and explain to you, but you have chosen not to allow us to talk about the issue like you did the last time. I have done everything I know how to do just to soften your heart towards me. What have I done that is so unforgivable? Let me explain everything to you.”
While Jake was at the door talking to her, Esther was on the phone looking for an agent so she could rent a place o her own. She decided not to live with Clarissa anymore since she let Jake into her flat without contacting her first. She took a bath and then retired for the night. Jake stayed by the door until he gave up and left. He needed to find another way to get Esther’s attention.
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Esther informed Clarissa about her plans to get her place. She said she was grateful for her kindness.
“Why do you want to move out? Because of Jake, right? Did you catch him cheating? All these boys are usually like that. It was the same with my guy until I tired him down. Now he doesn’t look at another girl.”
“Tied him down?” Esther asked confused. “How did you do it?”
“I went to meet one baba. The man did something for me to help tie him down. If it is not my pussy, he won’t have another.”
Read – Contract game episode 1
“Why would I want to tie him down when I can get another guy who will be faithful to me? Tying him down isn’t it the same as turning him into a mumu?”
“Esther, you are young and inexperienced. Dede (Clarissa’s boyfriend) has money. He is stinkingly rich. He takes good care of me and intends to marry me. I have agreed to marry him after I graduate. He is loaded and can give me the quality of life I desire. He is not the only one. What baba did for me, any man that ‘enters’ must always come back for more.”
“I didn’t have to see a Babalawo to achieve that. Jake would always come back for more. Why do I need to tie him down? I do not want him right now. I just need my space and time to readjust my life. I don’t need a man to make me happy or successful. I concluded that guys complicate our lives. I don’t want a guy around me all the time like a puppet.”
Clarissa was amazed at Esther’s comment. She thought she was into her business, and that was why she talked openly with her. Unfortunately, she was not. She was worried she had spoken too much. She later became at ease when Esther told her she could do so much without a man and do it successfully.
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Esther went in search of a flat for her to stay in alone. She didn’t want anyone knowing her whereabouts or batting into her business. She was set on rediscovering herself. She found a place to sublet at the staff quarters. The student was going back home and would be coming for lectures from home until the session was over. Esther cleaned up the place and furniture with only necessities. She wasn’t out to impress anyone but herself.
The day she moved out of Clarissa’s flat, Clarissa was surprised. She told her she was moving back to the hostel so she could read. Clarissa couldn’t understand why Esther needed to read. Their course was a course they could easily ‘sort’ the lecturers. Who wastes their time reading? Esther was determined.
The remaining semester was uneventful. Jake tried to convince her several times to forgive him. He went to her department to see her but she acted as though she didn’t know him. When she finally agreed to talk with him, she told Jake she had signed a pact with chastity and therefore would not be able to have sex with him again. She insisted she would never visit him at home or his place of business but they could remain friends.
It wasn’t what Jake wanted to hear. His businesses were still doing ok but nothing new was happening. She refused to listen to his pleas. He sent people to her but she was adamant. Since failure hadn’t visited him, he decided to give her some space so she could miss him and come back to her senses.
Jake moved out of the flat into the new place he bought. He quickly invested the money he had left and survived mainly on the income from his businesses. He observed he was surviving just fine. He tried not to be extravagant and it worked perfectly but only for a short time.
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Nkem received a phone call from Demian. They talked at length. He came as a friend and she liked it. He never made any advances at her and they spoke three times a week when he began to talk to her. After several months of discussions, they spoke more often.
“Won’t your girlfriend be upset with our regular conversations?” Nkem asked him one day.
“Girlfriend? I don’t have one. I am a special child. It is something I do not want to talk about. I don’t have a girlfriend and I have never had one.”
“Never? How is that even possible? Wait, what do you mean by a special child?”
“I don’t want you to pity me. I enjoy our beautiful friendship and I don’t want anything to disrupt what we have.”
“Ok, but you should have female friends and girls interested in you. You are a good-looking guy and I know you may just be breaking hearts.”
Demian released a hearty laugh. He asked Nkem not to bother herself about that because he didn’t have such luck. I am a tech guy and I don’t have the luxury of being around beautiful women. I go from home to work and back home. I spend most of my time on my laptop. I am not interested in meeting them because I am very shy.”
Read – Contract marriage episode 1
“You, shy? Impossible. You were not shy when we met, you spoke to me first. Or maybe I am not a beautiful girl that’s why it was easy for you.”
Demian laughed again. He said, “You were like me that was why I opened a conversation. You wanted to be on your own, in your corner of the bus. I felt we were alike and you ended up being very good company. When I came to your village to see you, I knew I made the right choice in choosing you as a friend. I can talk to you all day and all night without getting bored. I can tell you anything.”
“What of the lady your mother wants you to marry from your village? I never asked how that went.”
“I didn’t like her. She wasn’t what I wanted in a woman. I want a woman with a mind of her own and not one that will be submissive to my mother; she has me for that.”
“Submissive? I don’t understand.”
“My mother wants to be in charge of everything about me. A wife who will do her bidding is what she is looking for. Someone she can control. I don’t want that. I want an independent woman who knows her worth.”
“Interesting. You want to go against your mum. It is never good. She will fight who you choose.”
“Exactly. I want to live my life according to my terms and make it worthwhile. My mum doesn’t understand. She has accepted I marry an Igbo girl of my choosing; I threatened to die without getting married.”
“Why would you say something like that to your mother? You are hiding something from me.”
“Not really, there is nothing to hide. I’m just messing with you.”
“I think you should consider marrying a girl you love instead of a girl who your mother thinks is right for you.”
“That’s what I am trying to do.”
“Have you met her yet?”
“Yes, I have. I am hopeful she will love me too.”
“She will. You are a nice guy. I hope it works perfectly for you.”
“I hope so too. What about you? Any suitors? You should have them lining up for you.”
“None. I am all about my business and my studies. When I graduate and get a well-paying job, then I might consider a suitor.”
“What would you want in a husband?”
“I want a man who will love me, provide for me and take very good care of his responsibilities towards me and our children. A man who will make sure our future is secure so that when he is no more, we will not be at the mercy of his family.”
“Interesting. Your family house in the village is beautiful. Your uncles took everything and left that house for their late brother’s family?”
Nkem was surprised he knew. “How did you know?”
“I guessed. I could hear the pain in your voice. You must have been young when this happened. You are strong and I know you would have fought them if you were much older.”
“I was nine when it happened.”
“I understand. The man you will marry will fulfil all your desires. He will do it, not because you asked but because it is the right thing to do. He will be responsible because you are a responsible person.”
“Amen.”
They talked about other things and their friendship continued to grow from there.
Tbc