WHITE!!!!; The color of your heart ????????
(A wall flower’s guide to finding God)
Chapter 30
(Stuck in the middle……)
“You should really do something with your hair oh Ilerioluwa, you know we’re moving to an entirely different place.”
I stared at my sister in confusion, then touched my hair. It was braided into a simple shuku.
“Do I really?”
She smiled knowingly at me.
“Of course. Give yourself a makeover.”
“But….we should save money….”
“For goodness sake Ileri. Don’t worry about money, okay? I’ve told you, I’m fully prepared to take care of you.”
“But that doesn’t mean I should slack off. I can’t rely on you for everything.”
She stretched out a hand and pattedmy head playfully.
“Aww. Aren’t you a big girl now? We’re leaving in two days’ time. If you’ve not done something to that shaggy mane on your head, I’ll leave you at the airport.”
I sighed.
“Yes ma.”
My response earned a giggle from her.
Later that day, she transferred some money into my account, and I cringed at just how much it was.
G0sh.
Why was Itunu just spending money like this? And if I brought it up with her again, she just might get angry.
I sighed and made my way to the hair salon.
“Good evening aunty.”
The hair stylist greeted me cheerfully. The salon was practically empty, and her enthusiastic greeting suggested to me that she was finally happy to get a customer.
I didn’t want to go to a crowded salon in the first place, so this place was practically my style.
“I want to make my hair.”
“Which style you wan do?” She asked again, as I settled on the chair and grabbed a magazine.
I scanned through the pages uninterestedly, then pointed at a picture of box braids.
“How much for this one?”
“With the attachment, na 5000 aunty.”
I almost threw the magazine at her.
I knew she would call one stupid amount like that, and though Itunu had given me much more than that, no way in heaven was I spending 5000 naira just to do my hair.
“Ahn ahn, aunty, you can’t even give me discount, upon I’m your first customer for the day.”
“No be my fault sister, you know the recession in the country…..”
I hissed inwardly.
Everybody’s excuse was recession.
My bank account was suffering from recession too oh, you don’t see me complaining.
In the years after I had graduated, I tried looking for a job, but there was little to nothing someone could in this country with the certificate I had.
I had applied for jobs as a secretary in several companies, since I at least knew how to file and do other things.
But I was never able get a job, so Itunu had told me learn a skill, while I had waited for her to be done with school.
I had then taken an interest in photography, realizing that all my life, I had never actually followed my passion, or done what I had wanted to do. I remembered that during my younger years, I had liked taking pictures of people, and had written down photography as my choice of occupation once during a career day at school.
Why had I suddenly given up that dream?
Oh right.
Because as soon as Itunu had shown interest in science, my mother had thrashed the thought and passion in my head, and had forced me to follow suit.
As I delved more and more into the art, I realized that I truly loved it, and started saving money to buy a camera, so that I wouldn’t have to borrow from the lady I was learning from again.
I wondered if now that I was going abroad, I would have better opportunities to pursue my passion in photography.
“David! Go and remove your uniform!”
The lady’s angry voice brought me out of my thoughts, and I looked in her direction.
There was a little boy, he wouldn’t have been more than four or five, and he was pulling on my skirt.
I cringed, as I felt fear and nausea wash over me.
“Abeg aunty, no mind him. Him too like woman. Kia!! Like him papa he be!”
I chuckled nervously, while trying to pry the smiling child off me, but it seemed that the more I pushed him away, the more clung to me.
The lady seemed to notice my discomfort, and began trying to pry her son off me as well.
“Sorry aunty, you no like pikin?”
What kind of stupid question was that?
I smiled tightly at her, and she hit the boy on his head with her palm.
“David! Leave her alone joh! What is wrong with you ehn?”
The hit seemed to get through to the boy, and he let go of me for a few seconds, during which time his mother pulled him away from me.
He began to howl, and I felt even more uncomfortable.
“Sister, I’m so sorry, I don’t know what entered him today oh.”
I got up, then began to walk out.
“Never, I’ll just leave.”
“Ah, sister! Sister!”
I walked speedily away from the salon, clutching my stomach tightly, unwanted memories flooding back into my mind.
“You suffered a miscarriage…..”
The doctor’s voice, though more than six years old, rang clear in my head.
I shook my head furiously, trying to clear the memories.
I never did make my hair, and though Itunu berated me for that, she eventually concluded that I would just make it abroad, stating that it was another excuse for her to spend money on me.
I sighed, staring outside of the plane, and taking in the view of the clouds.
It looked as if we were floating on heaven itself, up here, nothing mattered, we were above everything, somewhere people couldn’t reach.
I had made sure to get a window seat, and even though I had planned to take in my surroundings, I ended up falling asleep during the flight.
“Ilerioluwa, wake up, we are here.”
I blinked sleepily, then sprang up in my seat.
“Calm down.” My sister said jokingly.
I hurriedly began to get my things, then we were both cleared and we checked out.
It felt like I had walked into another planet.
Everything was so different, from the way people walked and spoke, to the way they dressed.
My mouth hung open unashamedly, as I took in my surroundings like a little child.
We flagged down a cab, and I marvelled at how Itunu nailed the British accent.
Ha!
Just how long had she been practicing???
Me, I hardly heard a word of what the cab driver said, and I realized that the real deal was different from the adulterated one Sean and his aunt spoke.
The can took us to a nice apartment complex, and though Itunu claimed that it had been cheap, I felt like we had just walked into Eko hotels and suites.
Ah!
Ileri! Don’t embarrass yourself oh! You’re definitely not in Lagos anymore.
We settled in quickly, and after arranging our things, Itunu suggested that we go to a restaurant and have dinner.
I followed her quietly. What did I know?
We went to a restaurant whose name I couldn’t pronounce, too seat and Itunu ordered pasta for both of us.
As we began to eat, she cleared her throat.
“I’m sure you’re feeling pretty overwhelmed Ileri.”
“Ha. How did you know?”
She laughed.
“It’s written all over your face.”
I chuckled, swallowing some pasta, and stabbing my fork into something Itunu had called a “meat ball.”
She folded her arms, a serious look crossing her face.
“Hmm. So Ilerioluwa, I hope you know we’ve come here for business, and not to play.”
I dropped my fork.
“Yes,I know.”
She sighed again.
“We both have to build names for ourselves, and build our lives, especially you Ileri, so that we won’t ever have to rely on that woman again. You’re 24, you’re no longer a baby, you know that right?”
I bit my lip.
“Of course.”
She nodded.
“I know I can trust you Ilerioluwa,that’s why I’m giving you this second chance at life, I know I can trust you to make good with it.”
“I really appreciate it….”
“But you’re going to have to pay me back.”
I gulped.
“How do I do that?”
She leaned forward, smiling at me.
“Enroll in college, into a University, do what you want, and rule your own life Ilerioluwa. Like I said, this is your second chance, don’t mess it up.”
My eyes widened.
Enroll into a University?
At my age?
So the years I spent in school in Nigeria were for what?
“I’ll give you some time to think, but you must have made your decision by the end of the week. You said it yourself, you can’t just rely on me to get by. The only way you can repay me is by building your own life, the right way.”
I blinked, stunned by her words.
“B-but Itunu…I can’t just start school again! I’ve already finished and….”
“So what were you planning on doing while you were here with me? Were you just going to laze around all day?”
“N-no… I…planned on getting a job and….”
“Which job? Do you plan on wasting your life with some low rate job here?”
“But I already have a certificate….”
“Is that what you really want to do Ilerioluwa? I’m giving you a second chance. Why don’t you think it through first, before objecting?”
Her voice was firm, and I knew that meant she didn’t want to talk anymore.
I slumped in my seat.
What was I going to do?
????
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TO BE CONTINUED
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