ANIKE
By: Toyin Taiwo
Episode 27
My sister, Adekemi came visiting the following week, she was through with all her exams. She was just at home doing nothing although she was waiting for the Navy recruitment list. So she decided to come and spend time with me. Since she had the ambition of been in the force. I made sure she applied during the last Nigerian Navy recruitment Exercise few months ago. I told Prince about it and told me there’s no problem that he’ll make sure she’s admitted.
Prince called during the week, he wanted me to come to Abuja. I told him my sister is around and I can’t leave her in the house alone. My mummy too will start questioning me that where did I go that my sister can’t go with me. I promised him I’ll come the following week since she was just spending 2weeks. She has spent one week already.
Days later, I came back from school, I rang the door bell and I was welcomed by my crying sister, her face all wet with tears.
“Adekemi! Why are you crying?” I said holding her with my left hand and locking the door with my right.
“Sister mi…..the navy recruitment list is out and my name was not shortlisted” she said still shedding tears.
“Really!”
That was all I said, I was wondering what went wrong because I already informed Prince and he gave me his words.
“Come” I said and hugged her.
“Sister mi! I thought you said you know someone in the Navy who would help” Adekemi inquired.
Sincerely Adekemi knew nothing about Admiral. How can I allow my sister find out about Prince and I. As the first child of the family, I’m suppose to set good examples and not the other way round. All she knew was that my room mate’s Uncle helped us.
“Adekemi I’ll fix this, I promise. Now go wash your face” She left the sitting room.
I brought out my phone from my handbag and called Prince
“Hello….. “Hello My Princess”
“Prince the list is out and my sister’s name is not on the list”
“Did she put my name as her referee?”
“Yes she did”
“I’ll call the directors, I wonder how they do things over there these days”
“Prince you should have made those calls earlier, you know I told you to do so, but you said there was no problem”
“Anike calm down, I’ll sort it out”
“But there’s no other list, that’s just the list for this year, they already put her name on the waiting list” I explained.
“Anike relax you’ve never asked anything from me before, this is the only favor you ever opened your mouth to ask me and I promise you, I’ll try everything in my power to get her into the academy” He said assuredly.
“You know what I’m coming over, you’ll make all those calls in my presence”
“I thought you said….”
“Change of plans, see you soon” I said.
“Ok, later” he said and disconnected.
“Adekemi!” I called out
“Yes, sis”
“I’m going to Abuja now. I need to act fast if there’s anything that can be done concerning the recruitment”
“Abuja! You know someone in Abuja that could help?”
“Yes, Happy’s Uncle”
“Oh, the one I used as my referee?
“Yes”
“Sister mi, I can’t stay in this house alone o, I’m going with you”
“Oh ooo, are you a baby? Don’t you have a room to yourself at home”
“That’s a room nau”
“Geez! OK let’s go”
“When are we coming back?”
“Maybe Sunday”
“What about your lectures tomorrow?”
“Oh ooo, I don’t have lectures on Friday Jo…”
“Sorry, I forgot today is Thursday. Let me go pack few things then”.
“My friend just change your clothes and let’s go”.
I was already in the car waiting for Adekemi while she was locking the doors. I called Prince back and informed him I was coming with my sister and he said no problem. I had to inform him because that was my first time of taking someone along with me to Abuja.
She joined me in the car and I drove straight to the airport. I parked and registered my car and paid for parking space since I won’t be coming back till Sunday.
We got to Abuja and the driver was already waiting to pick us. I saw the way my sister looked at me, when the driver bowed and opened the door for us.
We arrived at my Second home, like Prince used to call it. All the staffs bowed and greeted me warmly. My sister still carried that look.
“Sister mi! Where is this place. This house is beautiful…who owns this house?” she asked but I ignored her questions.
“I ushered her into the sitting room”
“Sit down first, you talk too much and stop this questions”
One of the kitchen staff was already standing in front of us asking for what to offer us.
He came back with juice, water and glass cups.
“This is Admiral Gabriel Alawode’s house” I informed Adekemi just to satisfy her curiosity a bit.
“Admiral! I’m in the Navy already, no wonder you are so confident about my recruitment into the navy”.
“Prince joined us shortly and I introduced them, my sister knelt down to greet him” and he welcomed her by embracing her.
“See resemblance….is your sister running away” he said playfully.
We all smiled, though we get that a lot from people, we look so much alike.
One of the maids came in with a comfy slippers and place them at my feet.
“I brought you your slippers ma so you can change to something more comfortable” she said, smiling at me.
I was like gosh! Did I ask her? I searched my sister’s face and she gave me those questioning looks again.
“Thank you” I said coldly. On a normal day, I would have said the thank you with a smile but not today, she didn’t have to do that in the presence of my younger sister. I don’t know how I’ll explain myself to Adekemi, because I don’t like the look I was getting from her.
Trust my Prince he already sensed my uneasiness, so he discharged the maid immediately.
“Prince how far, any solution?”
“I’ve called all the directors at the academy, they told me they are still having a meeting. The meeting will determine if they will paste another list or not. They should be through in another two hours”.
The two hours he mentioned was like twenty two hours. Adekemi too was tensed but we had to wait for the outcome of the meeting.
The guest room had been prepared so I led her to the room we’ll be staying for the weekend.
Some minutes later we came back to the sitting room. Prince was still there by the time we came back. Dinner was announced and we all went to the dinning room to eat. My sister was surprised when she saw the table, the same way I was the very first day I ate on that table.
After dinner, we went back to the sitting room and a call came through on Prince phone, it was from one of the directors. He picked the call placing it on speaker for us to hear.
“Hello sir” the voice said
“Hello, I’m listening” he said.
“Sir! The outcome of the meeting is not positive sir. The names that were pasted online initially were all they could recruit for this year sir, but the rest will be on the waiting list. Your candidate’s name is number one on the waiting list sir” he informed.
“I can’t believe this!”
“Sir things are not done here like before sir, you should have followed it up personally. No one checks the referee’s name again these days”
“Really!”
“We have one option left sir”
“What option?” Prince asked.
“If you can call the former head of state, his special list is going to be out tomorrow with just two candidate. If you can talk to him, he can add your candidate’s name to it” he pointed out.
Prince sighed. “Thank you very much, I’m grateful”
“You are welcome sir” he said then the line went off.
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