Sisterhood episode 6

TITLE: SISTERHOOD

WRITTEN BY: OGECHI ALABI

PART 6

Nkem, Esther and Zainab left for school on Monday morning. Nkem was no longer in a hurry to go back because she had more than enough money. They spent most of the night talking about Ebuka. It was obvious Funke was smitten by him. She didn’t tell them she had another date. She chose what to wear carefully.

After they left, Funke thought about her outing. Where was he taking her to? It was a Monday and she couldn’t think of where they would go. He had said it was a surprise when she asked him the night before.

This time she decided to wear an outfit that showed her ‘skinny’ legs. She chose to wear a short black dress she had in her wardrobe. It was made from a stretchy material and stopped at her knees. She loved the way the dress showed off her curves. She wore a high heel pair of shoes.
She hardly wore makeup so she wore powder with lip gloss. She went to a salon to have her hair packed professionally and gel applied to the front. She came back home to wait for when he got there.

Funke’s mother called her from her room to inform her Ebuka was around. Her mother watched her slide on her dress and then her shoes. She was impressed with Funke’s dressing. It was simple and classy, not too revealing or flirty. It was perfect.

“No perfume? Change your earrings to something simpler. Wear bangles or a bracelet. You have to always complete your dressing, you are a lady.”

She listened to her mother and did all she said. She went downstairs to meet her date. She was shocked. He looked dashing. She was glad she followed her instinct.

Ebuka couldn’t stop smiling when Funke came down the stairs. He walked to the stairs and stretched his hand to help her down. As they stood side by side he whispered to her, “You are so beautiful.” She smiled, no, she beamed. She couldn’t stop herself.

Funke’s father cleared his throat and that was when she noticed he was in the sitting room too. “Where are you taking my daughter?” he asked Ebuka.

“I have changed my min. We are going to have a buffet lunch, she looks so adorable.”

“Ebuka, what are your intentions?”

“My intentions towards her? I need to discuss it with her first before coming to you.”

“Do that quickly so I will know why you have come here twice in a roll to take her out. She is precious to me. If you are here to play games, I would rather you end it here. I never want her heart broken.”

Also Read – SWEET BITTERNESS

“It won’t happen, sir. I will get back to you on my intentions once they align with hers.”

Funke’s father smiled at the young man. He liked him. He could see the affection for him in Funke’s eyes. Funke’s father, Mr Savage, was detribalized. He had known Ebuka since he was a little and his mother was his wife’s best friend and fashion designer. She made all his wife’s clothes.

His fear was Ebuka’s father. He was hardly involved in the raising of the children. He built his business from scratch and had done well for himself. He manufactured and distributed a brand of lubricants. He also imported other car necessities. His company’s product was one of the top brands. He was a typical Igbo man from Ohafia in Abia state. He hoped the two children don’t fall in love and then have to deal with the tribal issues that will follow.

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As they had lunch, Ebuka couldn’t stop looking at Funke. Stepping into the restaurant with her, he could see and feel the stares. She had an impressive height and figure. The dress gave him crazy ideas he had to rein in. She was exceptional.

Funke also felt the stares. The ladies looked at Ebuka more. What he wore inside his jacket revealed his biceps and rimmed body. It was impressive. She liked what she saw and so did other ladies. She was happy she was the one with him.

They had a good time while having lunch. They went to sit by the poolside and they talked. They discussed like old friends. There was so much to catch up on. He told her about his experience in America. She talked about her university and how she was getting on.

“Any boyfriends I should know about?” Ebuka asked.

“Boyfriends, not even boyfriend. I don’t have, I am married to my books for now.”

“Would you like to have it? You have two more years to round up. Wouldn’t you want to be in a relationship?”

Funke wasn’t comfortable with the discussion pattern. She could sense where it was headed and she wasn’t ready to make such a commitment. “I would love to wait until I finish school. Relationships are a distraction and I don’t want to be distracted.”

“I won’t distract you. I will be off for service soon and I have refused to influence where I will serve. I won’t be around to distract you except I call you and visit only when you are on holidays or weekends in school when I am around.”

“What if you meet someone you like there? My cousin met her husband during their service year and ended a four years relationship. What if it happens?”

“The difference here is that I am just starting a relationship with you. I want it to grow because I have always been in love with you. I changed myself for you. I hated it when you called me fat and I built muscles. I don’t want any other person but you. There is no rush, we can start as friends and it grows from there. But you should know I am only interested in making you, my wife.”

“Wife? What are we talking about here? That’s a long way from where we are now.”

“Why? I will wait for you to graduate and then serve. We will get married after that. I want it as soon as possible.”

“Are your parents pressurizing you to get married? I don’t understand the marriage talk. I have a whole career ahead of me. I want to be chartered, work for a top accounting firm and before joining my father’s firm. I planned to get married at twenty-eight when I have achieved all that.”

“What are you saying? I can’t wait that long. That’s eight years from now, come off it Funke. How does getting married stop you from achieving your dreams? It will even help you achieve milestones early. I can’t wait that long.”

“Are we talking about marriage as though you have proposed and I have accepted? We are just friends, Ebuka. You want a relationship before you go to camp. There are girls at the camp you might end up falling for; why not try there first before concluding on me. I am not ready for a relationship and marriage yet.”

“We are moving too fast. One step at a time. Let’s continue the friendship. Can I pick you up from school to take you out? We have to get to know each other before the relationship progresses. I won’t trouble you about marriage or a serious relationship until you are ready.”

“Ok. I agree. Let’s take it slow.”

“When are you going back to school?”

“On Wednesday.”

“I will take you. I will like to meet your roommates and your friends.”

“I’m not ready for them to meet you. Maybe after our next couple of dates. I want to be sure.”

Their conversation swayed from that to their family and their mothers’ friendship. Funke wanted to be sure they were not being manipulated to date and get married but Ebuka assured her it was all him. “My mother isn’t aware I came to see you today. I don’t tell her about us. Let’s keep this personal, we don’t need their influence.”

Ebuka saw her to the front of her house. He asked her if he could take her out the next day. Funke was going to be busy and said since he had offered to take her back to school, they could skip a day. Ebuka agreed. He gave her a peck again and then he left.

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Esther returning to the room brought memories. She was still very upset with Jake but she missed him. She missed their banters, conversations, hanging out and his lean body against hers.

Jake was her first lover. He was the most persistent out of all the guys who asked her out. From the moment they met, he didn’t let her out of his sight. He came to see her every day. Before long, she gave in. She liked him. He was concluding his Master’s degree when they met.

Esther had felt an older person would best suit her personality. Because she was curvy and dressed to emphasise her curves, and she was believed to be wayward. She didn’t believe she owed anyone an explanation. She was living her best life. She received gifts from different guys seeking her attention and wanting her body.

Jake came on strong. He marked his territory. He didn’t allow anyone to come close immediately they had a rapport. He made it clear to her that he liked her and wanted something very serious. He took her out every day after lectures.

The first time she was intimate with Jake, he was shocked she was still intact. He said he had heard so many rumours about the different guys she dated but now he could confirm they were false. He was happy he was first.

She had believed she was more than enough for him but as a Bini man (that’s what he called himself), one woman is never enough. He had said it to her jokingly and now it had manifested. She wondered how many more girls he had been with during the period of their relationship.

Tbc