FED UP

(…continued…)

                She tried it thrice and the door locked. They went downstairs. They met Risi and her brother and told them to tell their mother that they had left. Then they flagged down a keke and left for their mother’s place. When their keke was approaching their mother’s house, Cynthia saw Segun standing beside his car outside the compound.

  “See Segun o,” she said suddenly and pointed.

                Mabel followed the pointing of her finger and saw Segun standing beside his car, looking into their compound. It was too late to turn because they were already close so Mabel told the keke man to drive past the compound.

  “No be here you say you go stop?” the man asked, puzzled by the sudden change.

  “Oga abeg dey go,” Mabel said

                As they drove past Segun, Mabel raised her head so he would not see her. They got to a safe distance from the house and the keke man slowed down.

  “Madam where you wan go again?” the man asked, when they got to the next junction.

                Mabel looked from the side mirror and did not see Segun.

  “Stop here,” she said, pointing to the junction bend.

                They came down, Mabel paid him and he drove off. They went into the salon of a friend at the junction. They exchanged pleasantries with her and stood in the reception area, making sure to stay away from the view of anybody just in case Segun drove past.

  “What does he want from me na?” Mabel asked.  

  “Maybe he wants to come back to you,” Cynthia said.

  “Hmmm.”

                A young girl, their opposite compound neighbour walked past them. Cynthia called her. She came close and greeted them.

  “Where are you going?” Cynthia asked her.

  “I am going home.”

  “Ok.”

                Cynthia described Segun and his car and told her to check if he was still in front of their compound.

  “If he is there, should I come and tell you?” she asked a bit confused.

  “No. When he leaves, come and tell me.”

  “Ok. Is he dangerous?”

  “He is not, but I don’t want to see him.”

  “How do you know he is there?”

  “Ooohm, stop asking too much questions. I was told he is there now.”

  “Ok.”

                The girl left.

  “Are you sure we are doing the right thing?” Mabel asked. “Hiding like rats.”

  “What do you want to do?” Cynthia asked. “Do you want to go and see him?”

  “I don’t know what he came for and so don’t know what my response will be.”

  “Exactly. If he goes on his knees and begs, you will cry and hug him and throw all your defenses to the wind.”

  “I don’t think so. He hurt me deeply. It won’t be that easy for him at all.”

  “You never can tell. Men have sugar in their tongue o.”

  “Anyway, he still has my number. He would have called or sent an SMS if he really wanted to see me.”

  “He is afraid to do so.”

  “But he sent me an SMS the other day.”

  “Maybe he is even sneaking up on you, to know whether you are seeing someone.”

  “It is possible,” Mabel said and sighed.

  “If not, why did he choose to come by this time?”

  “Whatever. I don’t care anymore.”

                The owner of the salon came to meet them.

  “You don’t want to come in?” she asked.

  “No o,” Mabel asked.

  “We will soon be leaving,” Cynthia added.

  “Are you hiding from somebody?” she asked and winked.

  “Exactly. How did you know?”

  “Your body language gave you up.”

  “You must have heard me talking to the girl.”

  “That one also.”

  “I think we should just go home,” Mabel said to Cynthia. “I need rest.”

  “Yea me too.”

  “If you are sure it is safe to do so, you can go ahead,” she salon owner said. “If not, feel free to come in and stay as long as you want.”

  “And block space for other customers?” Mabel asked. “Don’t think so.”

                They admired each other’s makeup and hair style for a while. Then, Mabel and Cynthia took their leave.

  “He should just go home o,” Mabel said as they walked home. “I don’t want a scene.”

  “Yes o,” Cynthia said. “I have not yet laid my hands on him for all the pain he caused you.”

  “Don’t even go there.”

  “He had better not be there because I don’t know what I will do to him.”

                As they got closer, they saw the girl coming in their direction. They waited for her to come to them.

  “He has gone,” she said.

  “Did he ask anybody anything?” Cynthia asked her.

  “No. He just stood, looking around.”

  “Has it been long he left?”

  “Not quite long.”

  “Ok. Thanks.”

                The girl turned and walked briskly home.

  “Segun Segun,” Mabel said and shook her head. “He should move on o.”

  “Some men don’t just know what they want,” Cynthia said.

  “And when they lose it, they won’t just let go and move on.”

  “Well, until you know why he came, you can’t conclude.”

                They got to their compound and walked slowly to see if peradventure someone would walk up to them and give them a message Segun had dropped. Nobody did.

  “It seems he did not talk to anybody at all,” Mabel said.

  “He must be a psycho then.”

                They got to their house and Cynthia tried opening the door. It was locked from behind.

  “Mummy must be around,” Mabel said.

  “Why did she lock it from behind?” Cynthia asked.

  “She may be in the backyard.”

                They went through the back. The back door was also locked from inside. Mabel and Cynthia were worried.

  “Why are the two doors locked from inside?” Mabel asked.

                Cynthia knocked and listened. They heard what sounded like movement inside the house.

(…to be continued…)

-©2015.Chinedu Isaac