FED UP

(…continued…)

                The ladies left. Coker locked the car and went to the bar.

  “I don’t know why men like pretending,” Coker’s fiancée said as they walked into the market.

  “How do you mean?” Mabel asked her.

  “Other days, he follows me anywhere I go o. All these things I was jokingly asking him to do, he does them and even more.”

  “He is not the type that shows affection publicly, especially with me and my sister with you guys.”

  “Very true, but he should show it na no matter who is around.”

  “Give him time.”

  “Well, I love him anyhow.”

  “He is a nice person. Don’t miss him.”

  “Am I high?”

                They bought the things they wanted as they went. They did not waste time. In about 40 minutes they were done, and they returned to the car.

  “How do we get Coker?” Coker’s fiancée asked. “I don’t want to go into any bar.”

  “Call him on phone,” Mabel suggested.

                Coker’s fiancée dialed his line twice. It rang but he did not pick.

  “Why is he not picking his call na?” she asked, a bit worried.

  “Let us go there and check,” Cynthia said.

                They went to the bar. As they got close to the entrance door, they heard the voice of men engaged in a heated discussion. They looked around cautiously and went in. They saw Coker among those seriously engaged in the argument. They beckoned on him. When he saw them, he left the midst of the men and went to them.

  “You be chairman o.” one man said when he got to them. “Only you carry three chicks.”

  “Guy, chop clean mouth o,” another man said, laughing.

  “All of them na the same o,” another said. “No dull yourself.”

  “Waka,” Coker said, giving them five fingers.

                His fiancée pulled him by the hand and they left the bar. He was really fuming.

  “Bunch of idiots,” he said and spat.

  “Baby what happened?” his fiancée asked him, holding his elbow.

  “Let us get to the car first,” Mabel suggested.

  “Some people are just primitive in thinking,” Coker said when they got to the car.

                He opened the car and they went in.

  “Tell me what happened,” his fiancée asked again.

  “We were arguing,” Coker replied.

  “I saw that. What kind of argument made you want to fight?”

  “Most of them said all women are worthless, that they are gold-diggers, good for ‘hit and run’. I tried to tell them that not all women were like that. They were insistent and said all manner of foul things against women. It was highly embarrassing.”

  “How did you leave the football to talk about women matter?”

  “The camera captured a couple in the stands. That was when the argument started. Like play like play, it escalated.”

  “Thank God we came on time o,” Mabel said.

  “Seriously,” Coker agreed. “We would have exchanged blows o.”

  “Aaww, you wanted to fight to defend me,” his fiancée said.

  “Yes baby. I can’t stand hearing such things against women when I know the one I have.”

                His fiancée used her thumb to clean the sweat from his brow. Then she kissed him.

  “Stop that!” Cynthia said. “Unless you want me to kiss him after you. Don’t whet my appetite o.”

                They laughed.

  “Sorry o,” Coker’s fiancée said and turned to Coker. “Baby hope you are feeling better now?”

  “Yes darling. You are my medicine.”

                He stroked her hair and she gave him a babyish look.

  “Kai!” Mabel said, laughing. “Can you stop that please? Do it in your privacy na. You are reminding me things I am trying to forget.”

                They laughed.

  “Ok o,” Coker said and turned on the ignition.

  “But seriously, you are calm now abi?” Mabel asked him.

  “I am calm. The argument didn’t take me to the temper point of no return.”

  “You know what you know and they know what they know,” his fiancée said.

  “True. No one can impose his opinion on others.”

  “Exactly.”

                Coker looked at Mabel through the rear view mirror and asked, “To where from here?”

  “My mother’s house,” Mabel replied.

  “When do you plan moving back to your house?”

  “Next week.”

  “What about what you promised Mama Risi?” Cynthia whispered to Mabel.

  “It is true!” Mabel exclaimed.

  “What is that?” Coker asked her.

  “I need to use an ATM and then get to my house before going to my mother’s place.”

  “That’s a very long route o. If I get to your house, going to your mum’s place will be a drag because of the hold up on that route.”

  “You don’t need to carry me and my sister everywhere. You are not our driver na.”

  “I have started it and wouldn’t mind finishing it.” He turned to his fiancée and asked, “Babes what time are we meant to go see your uncle?”

                She checked her time piece.

  “In about 30 minutes time,” she said.

  “It will not work.”

  “What will not work?” his fiancée asked, opening her eye wide.

  “I mean taking Mabel everywhere. We need to be in your uncle’s place earlier than the appointed time.”

  “Let’s get going na,” Cynthia said. “As we stay here talking, time is going.”

  “To an ATM first abi?” Coker asked.

  “Yes o. From there we can find our way.”

                Coker drove off. When they got to a bank, Mabel withdrew the money she had promised to give Mama Risi. Then Coker drove to her house.

  “It is almost time for your appointment,” Mabel said. “We can take it from here.”

  “Ok.”

  “Thanks a lot for everything.”

  “We just made out today to cheer you up,” Coker’s fiancée said.

  “Thanks darling,” Mabel said and gave her a peck.

  “Ohhhm your lipstick is now on my face,” she said, laughing.

  “Clean it na.”

  “Do you know how many layers of makeup she is wearing?” Coker said laughing. “Cleaning it is like starting afresh.”

  “Silly you,” his fiancée said and pinched him.

                Mabel and Cynthia came down with their handbags and their market bag.

  “Keep me updated if Segun or Kemi makes any move,” Coker said as he gently drove off.

  “I will.”

  “Don’t let anything bother you ok,” his fiancée said.

  “I am fine, don’t worry about me.”

                Coker drove out as they waved. When the car was out of sight, Mabel and Cynthia went into the compound.

  “Coker is a nice person o,” Cynthia said.

  “Very nice person,” Mabel agreed.

                They climbed the staircase and got to Mama Risi’s door where they met her coming out of the door. They greeted her.

  “You are welcome,” she answered, smiling.

  “How are the kids?” Mabel asked.

  “They are fine.”

  “Give me the key, let me go in,” Cynthia said.

                Mabel searched her hand bag and gave her the keys. Cynthia took the market bag from her and went upstairs.

  “Let me give you the money for Risi’s fees now,” Mabel said to Mama Risi and searched her bag.

  “Eiyaa,” Mama Risi said. “I hope it did not stress you.”

  “She has to go back to school.”

  “I will pay back as soon as I can.”

  “It is not necessary at all.”

                Mabel got the money, counted it and then handed it over to Mama Risi.

  “Thank you so much,” Mama Risi said. “God will reward you bountifully.”

  “Amen ma. Let me go upstairs.”

  “Ok my dear. Are you back fully?”

  “No. I will go back to my mother’s place in few minutes time.”

  “When will you come back fully?”

  “By next week.”

  “Ok.”

                Mabel went upstairs while Mama Risi went back inside, clutching the money and smiling.  Mabel met Cynthia struggling to open the door.

(…to be continued…)

-©2015.Chinedu Isaac