Must Read: Ade

Episode 7 years ago

Must Read: Ade

Shola resumed immediately her wounds got healed. She was happier than she was before the incidents. She had become a role model to all the students in the school. The more the day broke, the more Shola increased in goodness. I had taken time to be observant of her. I saw that Tokunbo’s absence in her life had added to her joy. It radiated all over her. I was getting hooked.



Shola’s house had become our second home.


We shared our stay in both houses and we were never found wanting in the race to catch our fun.


Our house too was not too far for her. If we stayed too long for her liking, she would come down and she would not leave for days. Our understanding of one another grew by the day and we were more or less triplets. But I yearned for more than friendship.



Bunmi, Bola and Bimbo were our best students ever. They came to our house and Shola’s at will and introduced their boyfriends to us for assessment. A ‘no’ from us was their no and our ‘yes’ was theirs. They almost worshipped us. Their parents entrusted them in our care and we never disappointed. Things really got better between us.



The term went very fast and exams came and went by. The holidays were very eventful for everyone as we all had little or nothing to do.




Rotimi and I travelled home for a week and Shola had insisted that she would go with us. We had little or no option than to go with her. She stayed in our house. My parents liked her right from the word go. My mum had called me aside to inquire what I intended doing with her and I had told her that she was just a friend. Mum begged me not to let such a good and homely girl slip away from my grasp. I told her that I was taking my time to study females generally after what ‘Dara did to me. Mum eventually left me to my thoughts because she believed I knew what I wanted in a wife and would surely get the best possible.


The truth was that I had begun to develop a kind of love for Shola but I would hate it if she turned me down because she kept telling us that she is waiting for her dream man to make the move. According to her, this dream man of hers had captured her whole essence and given her life since the demise of her relationship with Tokunbo. Still, when we ask who the man was, she always said that the man was not far from us.



Rotimi’s parents had been briefed by that garrulous friend of mine. So, when Shola and I eventually visited them for two days, his mum had called me aside and repeated what my mum had told me and I had told her what I told my mum. She prayed for God’s guidance for me.



After a week and half, we left our parents place and headed to Zaria to complete the other half of our holiday with Dr. Tanimowo. We travelled by road since that was what Rotimi and I could afford and were familiar with. Shola had suggested that we pay him an unscheduled visit.




She had also offered to pay for our flight tickets but we had refused on the premise that the road journey would also be full of fun, thrills and excitement especially for her since it was her first time of travelling outside the south western part of the country. We made jest that she was conversant with the skyline so it was time to familiarise herself with the greens.



She was outnumbered hence her revolt was minimal and to Zaria we headed on the roads.



We had called Dr. Tanimowo when we got to Zaria on a Friday and he had said he was in his office in school. We headed to school and got to his office. I knocked on the door and he answered that whoever it was should come in. Rotimi opened the door and Shola stepped in followed by Rotimi and lastly, I.



Dr. Tanimowo raised his head and was shocked to see us.



”Una wan kill person? Una no fit say una dey come abi? Oya comot my office na na before I throway sand sand for ya body.” he said in mock anger.



”We no be spirit, throway sand sand we no go vamoose. We tanda gidigba full ground gadagada.” I said as we all laughed.



He stood up and greeted us. Each with a big bear hug. He was surprised when we told him we would be his guest for a week. He packed his bag and we headed home after he had finished what he was doing.




His wife welcomed us and made our stay memorable. Rotimi and I took Shola round the places we knew with nostalgic feelings. It was a really memorable time for us all.


After a week in Zaria, we headed back to Lagos by road again, this time, Shola had suggested it saying it was more lively than flying. We got to Lagos at night and we had to sleep over till the next day at Shola’s.




The following morning, we all took a long stroll to our house to see what had happened in our absence. All our nighbours greeted us and lamented how they missed us. When we got to our door, Shola caught sight of two brown envelopes at the door and called our attention to them. We looked inside and found what made us shout out in a loud voice…