Sisterhood episode 32

TITLE: SISTERHOOD

WRITTEN BY: OGECHI ALABI

PART 32
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Demian came with his cousin, Henry to visit Nkem on boxing day. The day they came was also the day her mother’s siblings came to visit her too. Luckily, there was enough to eat and drink and they left not long after Demian and Henry arrived.

Chidindu attended to them as his friends because he didn’t want his mother’s relatives to know they were Nkem’s friends. She had said they were just friends and he didn’t want anyone having the wrong idea.

Henry saw Nkem from a distance and he fell in love instantly. He wanted to talk to her but she was very busy attending to their guests until they left. Then she had the chance to talk to them.

Demian formally introduced Henry to Nkem. He left them to talk while he interacted with her siblings and her mother. He spoke Igbo with his accent which they all found amusing. They cracked jokes and ate together. Chidindu brought palm wine for them to drink. He brought some of it to Henry. Nkem refused to drink anything.

Henry and Nkem’s conversation went quite well. He told her about himself and she also told him about herself. Demian acted as though he was having fun but he could sense that Nkem liked Henry. Henry looked like Demian, the only difference was that Henry was fairer, had more body and wore glasses. While Demian was an IT specialist, Henry was an academician. He had left his job working in an oil company to become a lecturer and a researcher.

Henry had expressed his excitement when he saw Nkem. He had told Demian he liked her even before he had spoken with her. He had been smiling since he had been with her which made Nkem smile. Demian hoped he was doing the right thing by linking both of them. Henry didn’t have his mother breathing down his neck. He had wanted to marry a Canadian but his mother begged him to marry a Nigerian girl and take her to Canada. That was the compromise he was willing to make.

Henry had shared some of this with Nkem. He told her he hardly came back home because of his work. He was married to the job unless a woman saved him from it. He asked Nkem what she was studying and was impressed with her course of study. He then asked her if she ever considered living abroad. He told her she could lecture and also carry out research. He was willing to teach her.

Nkem made him understand she had a different plan for her life. She was not interested in lecturing or academic research, she wanted to be involved in economic decisions and policy making. She wanted to work with the government and that is how her impact will be felt. This didn’t sit well with Henry. It wasn’t his plan. He wanted his wife in Canada with him. She talked as though she wanted to remain in Nigeria.

That was the only downside and he felt with time she will have a change of heart. He offered to get her an international passport and Canadian visa so she could visit and have a first-hand feel of living abroad. He said, “You will never want to come back to Nigeria.”

“O, I will. Demian comes back every year so there must be a reason. Nigeria is home and I can’t stay away from home. My family is here, your family is here, why then won’t I want to come back home?”

“You are right. Home is with loved ones, where the heart is. We are working around it though. I like you and I am interested in marrying you.”

“Marriage? Won’t there be a courtship?”

“Demian spoke highly of you for months and now I have met you, I can see why he suggested you. I would want my people to show interest in marrying you by coming for an introduction. I will like to do it before I go back after the New year celebrations.”

“I will discuss it with my people and let you know what their decision is. I have to state; I am not ready to settle down. I have to graduate and serve before I work. I have to achieve all this before I can consider marriage.”

“You don’t need NYSC to work in Canada so you don’t need it. I make a very good living; I can provide for us and even the children. You must not work. I have saved up a good amount of money. I have a house in Canada and a flat. I live in the flat while I rented out the house. Once we get married, we will move into the house. Talk to your people first and then we can work on everything.”

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Nkem spoke with her mother and Chidindu about the proposal. Chidindu was excited. He wanted her to accept so she would relocate and take the rest of the family with her. Nkem laughed at his immaturity. She hardly knew the man proposing so there was no way she would accept an introduction without knowing him.

Read – Do not open episode 1

Her mother was silent during the conversation. She didn’t say a word in front of Chidindu and waited until midnight to call Nkem into her bedroom so they could talk in private.

“I hope you know Demian is in love with you.”

Nkem laughed at her mother’s words. “In love kwa! I know he likes me but it is not love.”

“What is it? Why is he trying to get you a man you will not accept?”

“How do you know I will not accept him?”

“Because I could see there was no spark between the two of you but there is between you and Demian. He doesn’t want to lose your friendship that is why he hasn’t made a move. I like him. He has acted responsibly all this time. That other fellow looks too serious. You are serious so your lives will just be boring. You need someone interesting and fun to liven your day. Demian is better than Henry.”

“Mama, none of them are for me. Henry expected me to be excited to travel to Canada. I don’t want to live abroad, I want to live here in Nigeria. I want to work here. I will travel to further my education but that’s it. I don’t need a husband now.”

“Demian is willing to wait. Yes, his mother might be overbearing but he genuinely likes you and I think you like him too. Take your time to decide. To me, I don’t like the Henry guy. Tell him your family said until after your service before you can consider marriage. That is it.”

Nkem conveyed the message. It did not sit well with Henry. He had told his family he had found a wife. He had also wanted to invite her to the New year celebration so they would meet her. He was still adamant about her visiting and also introducing himself to her family officially.

Nkem had to talk to Demian about Henry’s proposal. Demian listened to her as she shared everyone’s opinion about it. When she finished talking, she waited for him to say something but he was silent. Then she asked, “No response? I asked you because I need your advice. You started all this.”

“You told me what everyone thought. I was waiting for you to tell me what you thought.”

Nkem was silent. She enjoyed talking to Henry but she had her plans for her future. Even though he sounded very tempting, she would still need some time. This was what she later told him. But, in reality, what her mother said about her and Demian cast doubt about Henry in her heart. She wasn’t considering him anymore. She wasn’t considering any of them as it was. She had to stay focused on her goal and whoever is willing to support her dreams, she would consider the person.

Henry wanted her to visit on New year’s day but she declined. He was travelling back on the 3rd of January and had to leave for Lagos on the 2nd. He wanted her to travel with him to Lagos to see him off. He was ready to fly her back to Owerri after he had left. It was tempting. It would be the first time she was flying in her life. But she still declined.

Demian asked her to visit the family so they would know her (she wondered why). He said that even though it doesn’t work out, the family would know he made effort to settle down with a Nigerian girl. “Your family refusing an introduction has set you apart. They believe you are not a gold digger. His forcing you to meet with them shows you can’t be bought. Why not see them and insist you are friends with us? They just want to know you.”

“But they know me. Why do I have to submit myself? I find it unreasonable and uncomfortable. I am not changing my mind.”

“Ok, let’s see him off to Lagos. He will like that. I was under the impression you wanted someone who could love you the way you drive to be loved.”

“Not now. I have dreams and aspirations. Henry is a nice guy but we are not moving in the same direction. I will join you to see him off. When are we leaving?”

“On the second. His flight is on the third.”

“We have to travel very early on the second?”

“Silly you, we are flying to Lagos.”

Nkem’s eyes opened in wonderment. This was huge. “‘I have never entered an aeroplane before. I will embarrass myself. Please let me stay back.”

Demian was surprised she had never flown before. Her reaction was funny especially as she sounded panicky. “I will be there with you. Don’t worry about it. I will teach you about checking in and boarding when we are returning.”

“Thank you.”

“We will pick you up on the second in the morning. There might be flight delays and we don’t want to travel at night.”

Nkem agreed. She couldn’t be excited until she told her mother and she approved of the trip. Her mother agreed because Demian was travelling with her and she had grown fond of him. He was a good person.

On the 2nd of January, Demian and Henry got to Nkem’s residence. She had packed a small bag for the trip but Demian had asked her to pack extra clothes in case they had to stay an extra day or they had to go out. He whispered this to her and she did it.

He handled her checking in while Nkem watched closely all that he did. She tried not to feel out of place. When they entered the aircraft, Demian insisted she sat by the window so she could look out. She watched him buckle up and she was able to do hers. Henry sat beside her. He spoke to her nicely. Three of them talked from the beginning of the trip until they landed. It was interesting conversations which towards many topics. The one-hour flight was bliss.

Nkem had to keep up her appearance. She was scared during take-off and landing. She was just glad she didn’t have the opportunity to disgrace herself. She had learnt something new today and now she could walk into any airport and be able to fly. She needed the funds to do that though.

Read – The open secret episode 1

A driver was at the airport to pick them up. They drove to Henry’s family house at Ikeja. It was a mansion at Oregun. They had a butler who opened the door when they came in. There was a steward who offered them drinks as they sat down. Then a maid helped take Nkem to the room prepared for her. It was just an hour’s flight so she didn’t need to freshen up. She came back downstairs to join the men.

They went out that night. Henry wanted to spend time with Nkem. He took her to a lounge recommended by his friends. It was nice. They ate and talked. They made jokes and after three bottles of beer, Henry was tipsy.

Demian laughed at him and said to Nkem, “He isn’t good with alcohol but would still want to consume it. I will never fall for that. I take only Chapman and water. O, and also palm wine. That’s the only alcoholic drink my body accepts. Freshly tapped palm wine.”

“Our people have the best palm wine. I will ask Chidindu to get some for you tomorrow so you can go with it.”

“We are not going back tomorrow. We will spend tomorrow in Lagos relaxing and then travel on the 4th.”

“Why?”

“I need a breather.”

‘What happened?”

“A girl is coming tomorrow so I can see her. She is travelling back to her country of residence on the 4th. I don’t want to meet with her but my mother is blackmailing me to see her. If I get back on the 4th, she would believe it was beyond my control. I don’t want to offend her.”

“You should have stood your grounds if you meant it. But why not give someone a chance to love you the way you deserve to be loved.”

“I am incapable of loving anyone right now. I don’t want to use her and then dump her. I am trying to purge myself of that. My heart is currently not available.”

“Then let your mother know. She is stressing this because she loves you.”

“Maybe you can help me tell her.”

“Keep me out of it, please.”

They took a tipsy Henry back home. Demian took him into his room and helped change him for the night. He had tea with Nkem on the lounge upstairs. They talked some more. He promised to explore Lagos with her once Henry leaves for Canada. His flight was in the morning. They bade each other good night and they went to bed.

tbc