Sisterhood episode 28

TITLE: SISTERHOOD

WRITTEN BY: OGECHI ALABI

PART 28

Nkem received a package as the new semester began. She was surprised when she was told she had a visitor. She hardly ever had visitors. She went outside to see who it was. A nice-looking man was waiting to see her. She walked up to him and asked if she was the one he was looking for because the student pointed him out to her.

“Are you Nkem?” he asked. He didn’t look impressed.

“Yes, I am. How may I help you?”

“Demian sent me to you.”

“Demian? Are you sure it was me? I spoke with him some days back and he didn’t mention anything.”

“Let me call him to confirm then.” He called Demian and then he gave the phone to Nkem to speak with her. He was the one. He promised to call her back in a bit. The man brought out a suitcase from the car he came with and handed it over to her. She was surprised. Why would Demian send a suitcase to her? She thanked the man and left.

Read – Can we? Prologue

She took the suitcase to her room. Her roommates were suspicious. Funke and Zainab were the only ones in the room with her then. They suspected her uncle sent the package but Nkem didn’t say a word. She opened the box and was surprised. She saw the latest blackberry phone first. There were a few clothes, two shoes and two sneakers, two handbags (they were designers but she didn’t realise immediately), two bottles of perfume and other products, and then a gorgeous necklace with a round pendant with the N&D inscribed on it. It was lovely. There was also an envelope which she opened. There was a picture of him which was signed inside a frame and a small envelope. Nkem smiled when she saw the picture. She opened the smaller envelope and it was cash. $500 and a letter. She opened the letter with tears in her eyes.

Dear Nkem,

My friend Mark was coming to Nigeria and I thought I should send some things to my best friend and my favourite person in the whole wide world.

I hope you like them. I am terrible with fashion so bear with me. My colleague helped pick out the clothes, shoes and sneakers. Ok, I confess, she picked out almost everything. I chose the jewellery and picture. I hope you like them because my intention was for you to be impressed.

This is payback for taking out time to talk to me. You know I am a loner and spending time with you when we do talk, is the highlight of my day. I can’t give it up for anything in the world. Not all superheroes wear capes; you are my superhero. Looking forward to talking to you makes my days manageable.

So, how is school? And the business? Honestly, I would rather you concentrate on school and not on business. I don’t want you to be distracted. But since you love it and you have people working for you, why not? I support whatever decision you make.

I have written here what I can’t say to you when we talk. I will be back in December and I hope we get to spend more time together this time around. Thanks for tolerating me.

Your best friend,

Demian.

Nkem was speechless after reading the letter. She could read between the lines. She knew he liked her. He had made it obvious from the day they met. He made efforts to ensure they remained friends.

He came to her house in the village during the Christmas holiday. He came to see her. She was surprised he came. He interacted with her family. He even ate the food her mother provided. He came in the SUV his parents travelled in with the driver. He was nice and cordial. He didn’t request anything or say anything then. Even in their conversations, he never mentioned he liked or was interested in her. She could sense it but since he never made it obvious, she didn’t bother.

But now, it was loud and clear. Nobody sends such expensive gifts to his ‘best’ friend. He was courting her. But she would have preferred he told her how he felt so she could let him down nicely. She wasn’t ready for a relationship and his mother was too involved in his life for her to get with him.

She understood some of the insinuations he had made and how he had discouraged her from dating the lecturer. She smiled at his cute moves. She liked them but because she was made to grow up faster than her mates and she had listened to her mother counsel other women, she knew her relationship with Demian would be trouble. She liked him but that was that.

Her phone rang and she looked at the caller while her roommates, unaware of what was happening, inspected the items in the box. She went outside to take the call.

“I’m sorry, I was talking to Mark. He was asking questions.”

“Questions? What kind of questions?”

“He seemed to like you and I have asked him to try his luck.”

“We both know he didn’t say so. I came out to answer him wearing a rumpled gown because I wasn’t expecting any visitors and I didn’t have time to change. There is no way he was interested in me.”

“Is that so? You underestimate yourself. He asked for your phone number. Should I give it to him?”

“Why? Why does he want it?”

“He likes you and wants to get to know you. Won’t you like that? I thought you were looking for a man. I need your permission to give him your number.”

“Don’t bother, I am not interested. Since you gave me these beautiful gifts, I would like to send you something special when he is going back.”

“Really? That will be nice.”

“I will try.”

“I don’t want anything expensive. We are not competing. I will love a picture of you though. And with the Blackberry phone, we can have a better communication experience. The money is for data. I know how expensive it is there.”

“Thank you, Demian, you are an amazing friend.”

“So are you. Bye.”

As Nkem turned around to go back to the room, she saw Zainab and Funke. They dragged her into the room. They were suspicious until she left and they saw the picture. To them, Nkem was holding out.

Read – Bad boy’s crush prologue

“It is not what you think.”

“What are we thinking?” Funke asked.

“Who is the guy?” Zainab added.

“He is my friend. Patience’s cousin I travelled home with. We are just friends.”

“And he sent you all this? Nkem, I hope you know he wants something.”

“I thought so too but he is hooking me up with his friend. He said the guy liked me. He doesn’t mind.”

“Nkem, don’t be deceived. Anyway, he has done well. What are you getting him in return?”

“I don’t know. Maybe some native attire but I don’t have his measurement.”

“Ebuka’s tailor can look at a picture of him standing and sew for him. It should be mainly shirts or tops so it will fit no matter what.”

“Makes sense. He likes chinchin, I can order a bucket for him. He doesn’t want expensive gifts.”

“Ok, it makes sense. Inexpensive but worthwhile. Let’s think. What of Hausa slippers? I know someone that makes it for export in Ilorin. He is very good. He can add a nice purse too. Does he like meat? Kilishi and shredded meat and chicken are also available but I will get them from Kano for you.”

“I like all the ideas. Ok, I will get his shoe size and shirt size. Will that work?”

“Perfectly. Nkem has a bobo,” Funke chanted.

“I don’t. He is my friend.”

###

When the friend Mark was returning to base, Demian called Nkem and told her. She packaged everything into the suitcase it came in. Her friends reprimanded her and asked her to buy a bag instead. She sent five long sleeve shirts/tops made from Adire material, five short sleeve shirts/tops made from Kampala, three shorts (she couldn’t confirm his size except for his waist size) two funky caps made from Asoke, two transparent buckets of chinchin, kilishi and shredded beef and chicken and the beautiful slippers and wallet. It was well arranged. She added a picture of her in the bag. On the back she wrote, “Thanks for being a wonderful friend. Nkem.”

When she took the bag to meet Mark, he was baffled. “Where are all these going?”

“They are for Demian.”

“I thought I would be travelling light and now I am saddled with this?” He took out his phone and called Demian. They spoke for a minute and then he gave the phone to Nkem.

“What did you pack? What are you sending to me? I told you not to do too much?”

“I didn’t. It is a small bag.”

“Send a picture of it.”

She sent him a picture and he called her back screaming, “It is too much. He can’t carry this as hand luggage. Let me beg him to do the favour. I can’t wait to receive it.”

###

When Demian received the items, he wore everything and sent pictures to Nkem. She smiled when she saw them. He was excited especially when she saw the picture. He knew she was aware he liked her more than a friend but he didn’t want to push and drive her away. This gesture showed she liked him too. It was only a matter of time before he made his move.

Mark said to him when he came to deliver the package, “If you don’t snatch up that girl, other guys will. She is so beautiful. When I went to pick up your bag, I asked for her number but she referred me back to you. I was surprised. She likes you for her to send all these things. Other guys are seeing her. Make your intentions known and allow her to fall in love naturally.”

“We are best friends, I will know when she decides to date other men. For now, she is only interested in graduating and then building a career. She is not interested in marriage. Anything romantic will distract her.”

“You seem to know her well.”

“Very well. She is very smart and focused. She will make it. Her career will be explosive. I hope she will come around soon. I will be travelling for Christmas and I will like to stay until the middle of January so I can spend more time with her. I am doing overtime to achieve this.”

“Fair enough. If you like her that much, why not?”

Tbc