FED UP!

 (…continued…)

Mabel washed the plates and pot. Then she packed few clothes she would need to go back to her mother’s house with. She added a few she wanted to dash Cynthia. Then she went through her movie rack and added movies she would also go with. While she was putting things together, her phone rang. It was Dr Obinna. He was calling to find out how Cynthia was responding to the treatment. Mabel told him she was feeling better. He reminded Mabel to come the following day for the remaining result. She thanked him and he hung up.

                Mabel checked the time.

  “It is too early to go back to the house.”

                She called Cynthia who reassured her that she was fine. Cynthia asked her when she was coming back and she told her in an hour’s time. From the noise in the background, Mabel knew Chidinma and Kate were still in the house.

  “Are your friends still there?” she asked Cynthia.

                Cynthia told her that three more friends came.

  “What! That’s a crowd. Tell me when they go so I will start coming back.”

                Cynthia told her that Kate said she would soon be leaving for market but that she didn’t know when the rest would be leaving.

  “Have you had anything to eat since I left?” Mabel asked her.

                She told Mabel that they warmed the remaining rice from last night and ate.

  “What about your afternoon drug?” Mabel asked her.

                Cynthia told her that she had taken them and that she also got massage.

  “Were you able to wash your hair?”

                Cynthia told her that it was taken care of and told her not to worry about her but to come back soon. When Mabel had asked all she wanted to ask, she hung up.

                There was no light so she decided to stay a while on the balcony. She was a lucky occupant. Her own apartment had a balcony which she could come out to anytime she needed to see the environment or get fresh air. She went out and stood. From time to time, she would ‘on’ her data, receive messages and reply the ones she wanted to.

After looking around for a while, she saw a familiar car driving into the compound. It was Coker.

  “What is Coker doing here?” she said to herself, a bit nervous.

                Coker parked and alighted. The Passenger door opened and another guy came down. Mabel almost lost her breath. She thought it was Segun but it was not. Coker waved at her from the ground.

  “Welcome,” Mabel said. “Come up.”

  “Come downstairs let us see.”

                After a while, Mabel went down to them. They exchanged pleasantries.

  “Meet my younger brother,” Coker introduced the guy.

                Mabel offered her hand and he took it. They exchanged pleasantries. Then Coker gave his brother eye signal and he pretended to pick a call and stepped away from them.

  “How are you?” he asked Mabel.

  “I am fine.”

  “I came looking for you yesterday but did not see you.”

  “You would have called. I was in my mum’s place.”

   “I tried calling twice but it didn’t go through.”

  “Ok. Sorry about that.”

  “How are you coping?”

  “With?”

  “With Segun leaving you and stuff.”

  “I will not lie to you. I feel hurt but I have made up my mind to move on.”

  “I think that is the best thing for you to do.”

  “Why do you say so?”

                Coker told her how much he has tried with some other friends to make Segun come back to his senses. He had refused seeing them. Even when he eventually did, he sounded so convinced that he has found his heart throb and has moved on.

  “At a point he started insulting some of us.”

                Mabel kept quiet. He continued talking.

  “You are a nice person and shouldn’t have to go through this,” he concluded.

  “Thanks a lot.”

  “If not that I am engaged, I would have made a move on you.”

  “And I would have shown you pepper.”

  “Revenge?”

  “Exactly.”

                They laughed.

  “Men are all the same,” Mabel said.

  “It’s not true.”

                Coker checked the time on his wristwatch.

  “Is there anything I could do for you?” he asked.

  “Write a cheque for me, for starters.”

  “You are a big girl na,” Coker said laughing. “What will I give you now that you don’t already have?”

  “You are wyning me abi.”

  “No o.”

  “On a serious note, don’t bother yourself. You have tried for me already.”

  “I will be leaving.”

                He moved towards his car. Mabel followed him.

  “Is it ok if I ask for her phone number?” Coker’s brother asked him.

  “Don’t even go there,” Coker told him.

  “Bro why na? You already have a fine wife-to-be. Let me marry this fine one na.”

  “Guy hold your side.”

                Mabel giggled.

  “You did not tell him?” she whispered to Coker.

  “Why should I?” Coker whispered back. “Am I network news?”

  “You see, she is telling you to allow me collect her number.”

  “I am not free,” Mabel said.

  “But I can work my way into your heart. I don’t mind how long it takes.”

  “See lover boy,” Coker told him. “Enter the car let us leave.”

                Mabel’s phone rang. It was Margret. She ignored it.

  “You don’t want to pick your call?” Coker asked her.

  “The call is still about that matter. I am not in the mood for it now.”

                The call kept coming.

  “Still pick it and find out what the caller wants.”

                Mabel picked it. Margret spoke to her in low tone like she didn’t want to be heard or she was in trouble.

(…to be continued…)

-Chinedu Isaac