Three generations episode 36

TITLE: THREE GENERATIONS

WRITTEN BY: OGECHI ALABI

CHAPTER 36

Paul’s friends thought he was crazy when he shared his experience with Nwanneka. They thought he would come back with her to the hotel for the weekend but he didn’t. He was talking about marrying a girl he just met.

“So, you are spending the weekend alone?” one of them asked him.

“Yes, I have found what I am looking for. No matter how long it takes, I’ll make her mine”

Paul couldn’t wait for Friday to come. He got there before his friends. He met the porter and asked them to help call Nikky. She made him wait for a long time; she didn’t want to come out and then go back in. She took a bath and prepared for her night class. When she was ready for class, she came out to meet him. By this time, his friends were around to pick up their girls for the weekend.

Nwanneka walked past him because she was shy. She didn’t want to talk to him with all those guys there. He had to walk faster to join her.

“Hey, I’ve been waiting for you”

“You were with your friends; I didn’t want to disturb you”

“Where are you going?”

“To eat then class”

“Do you attend class every weekend?”

“Everyday”

“You are bookworm”

“I have less than three months to leave school with a First Class, I won’t give that up for the world. It needs this little sacrifice”

“Let me take you to eat and then class”

“Thanks but no thanks. We will end up talking for a long time and I will miss my tutorial class again”

“I promise you, we will eat and I will drop you off”

“That will be the date then”

“No, we are having a date tomorrow. I will take you to have dinner at Hotel Presidential which is where we are lodged. No class tomorrow evening”

“What time will I get back?”

“Anytime you want, just say the word and I will bring you back. But, you have to dress for dinner. I mean wear nice clothes and a bit of makeup. I will dress up too. It’s dinner”

Nwanneka didn’t have anything fancy to wear. She wanted to panic but held herself. She was absentminded during the dinner which Paul observed. When he dropped her off, he said, “Tomorrow by 6pm I will be at the car park waiting for you. I won’t send for you. I will just wait until you come out. Dinner is by 7:30pm”

“Ok. What exactly should I wear for this dinner?” Nwanneka asked.

“A beautiful dress will do”

She went about her tutorials with her thoughts being on what she would wear. She wasn’t one to borrow a dress but she couldn’t think of how to get a dress at such short notice.

Priye, Nwanneka study mate, observed Nwanneka was distant. So she asked, “What’s the matter Nwanneka? You are not here at all”

“I have a small problem and I racking my brain how to solve it”

“What is it?”

“I was invited for a dinner date. I was asked to dress up. I don’t know what to wear that will be appropriate”

“Is that the problem? Then you have nothing to worry about. My aunt brings in wears from London, Paris and sometimes the United States. She just came back. In the morning, I will take you to her so you can buy a suitable dress”

“Thank you. It will be very helpful”

“While at it, you might have to make your hair. You can braid your hair also in the morning. You can skip night class tomorrow”

“I will do tutorials but I will come to class”

Paul was in the car park at exactly 6pm as he said. He stood outside waiting patiently for Nikky to come out for the date. He stayed in,side the car watching out for her. Just before 7pm, he came down and stood by the car

Priye helped Nwanneka dress up and do her makeup. Nwanneka wanted something light and she could handle herself. She only used brown powder, eyeliner and l¡pstick. Her dress, which they bought from Priye’s aunt, was a red sheath dress which she paired with block heels and a purse. Her hair was braided and packed into one.

When she came out, she looked out for Paul’s car. Priye was with her. Paul had come out of the car and was standing by it. He saw two ladies coming out of the hostel. One of them looked gorgeous while the other was in shorts and a top. Nwanneka saw him and walked towards him. Priye whispered to her, “He is handsome” which made Nwanneka smile.

It was when she was very close to the car that Paul realized it was his Nikky. He had only seen her in certain outfits, she looked completely different. She looked beautiful. She also walked very confidently to him. His mouth was left agape in amazement.

“Should I help you pick your jaw up from the floor? Good evening” Priye said smiling

Paul didn’t answer her but continued to stare at Nikky. Until Priye cleared her throat and he regained himself. He said hello to Priye, he opened his car door for Nikky to get in. He didn’t like what he saw; he loved it.

The journey to Hotel Presidential was a quiet one. Paul couldn’t get the curves he just beheld out of his mind. She was simply made up but she looked extremely beautiful to him. Nwanneka was wondering why he was so quiet on the journey there. They barely spoke.

He led her into the hotel and the restaurant. He had reserved a table for them. He helped her with her orders for food and drinks. After the waiter left Paul spoke up, “You are beautiful. You are everything I ever wanted in a woman. You fit the bill perfectly”

“Says the man who came with friends to pick up girls from campus”

“I knew you will bring this up someday. Yes, I did. I don’t deny it. But now I have found you, I don’t need another”

“How many girls have you told this to?”

“You are the only one I have seen with the physique I have always wanted. I’m not looking anymore. Believe me Nikky, you are all I want”

Nwanneka had been wary of guys since the birth of Nwadiuto. She didn’t know why she was drawn to Paul who she could categorise under uncles Obi and Onyedika when it comes to womanizing. They were better behaved now but she didn’t want to suffer the same fate. She wanted a man who will be loyal to her like her father was to her mother.

One other problem was she hadn’t mention Nwadiuto. She was embarrassed talking about that aspect of her life. She was scared he will take flight when he hears she is a single mother. She knew she would find it difficult to get married because of it that was why she shunned men altogether. This was the first man to break her defences. This was the first man she had given audience. She realised she had to talk to someone about this. Her mother would have been her best option but she knew she would ask her to concentrate on school and not men. Who would she confide in?

“Hey, where are you?” Paul asked.

“I’m here. What were you saying?”

“I want us to get to know each other very well. I will ask to be posted to Port- Harcourt so we can be closer to each other. Is that ok?”

“It is my final year, any distraction and I will fall below the first three in my department. I intend to work with NIMASA. That’s my dream. I can compete for that position if I graduate with outstanding results”

“You are very smart. But must you work? If you marry a man that his income can take care of the home, there won’t be any need for you to work”

“So, my going to school for five years and studying this hærd is to be a housewife? It can’t happen. I would rather not marry”

“Our women are not this ambitious, where do you get this from?”

“Life. My father died when I was very little and my mother had to struggle as a widow. I remember a bit of what she went through and she told me some herself. She struggled to get to where she is today. She achieved so much on her own without a man to date”

“You mean your mother never remarried?”

“No. She didn’t even have a boyfriend or manfriend. She worked hærd on her own. I am going to do the same”

“No man has been with your mother since your father passed? Are you sure? You are a fine girl so your mother must be beautiful too. So how come?”

“She remained faithful and loyal to my father even in death. She has not been with any other man except my father”

”I don’t believe you. Maybe she didn’t tell you”

“I know my mother and I can say without any doubt, she hasn’t been with any man. I am not like her though. I won’t be loyal to a man. A man remarries within a year after he loses his wife but a woman remains a widow and unmarried. She becomes food for greedy men who take advantage of her because she wasn’t smart enough to have something doing before her husband died. After his family takes everything he has, she is left begging. Her husband’s brothers will take advantage of her, other men will also take their share. My mother has helped many widows. When the woman chooses to remarry, she is asked to marry someone within the family. If she refuses, then she has another case to answer. I won’t be a topic for family discussions. When my mother speaks, the family listens because she has money and wisdom. I observed it. I want to have both so no family will toy with me. If I ever get married, I will work and make my own money”

“You have thought deep for a young girl. I have a question for you. Who takes care of the children? The children of career women don’t turn out well. Will a maid train them?”

“My mother will help alongside maids. She loves children and will give up going to her business just to be with them”

“So she in support of you having a career?”

“Very much. Don’t you think a woman should have a career?”

“Now you mentioned widowhood, I am having a rethink of my position. We will talk about this later”