“Why are you calling yourself Ngozi here?” Ife asked, still wondering if she might feel the blood of her shattering heart. It was beating so hard and fast.
“I can call myself Ngozi anywhere, it is my native name and I wanted to answer to that. You knew it as my name, didn’t you?” Josephine was defensive and she was still in some shock judging by her trembling fingers.
“He told me one of the pharmacists was called Ngozi and I did not link you with that name. You sent letters but never mentioned that you were in my part of the country,” Ife said. “I never connected the Ngozi here with Josephine.”
“Well, I just wanted to…never mind what I wanted. What is he to you?” Ngozi asked.
“I don’t know,” Ife said, pain creeping into her voice.
Tears gathered in Ngozi’s eyes but she held them fiercely in check. There was silence as each woman stared into her own private thoughts.
“This is a mess I never planned to be in. When I came here I thought I would be able to make some sense of my life. I am expected back home. I did my youth service here, remember, I loved your place and people. It was a chance for happiness. When I saw him, he was just himself, friendly…” Ngozi saw the pain in Ife’s eyes that she felt was mirrored in her own eyes too. “I am in love with him; last night was the first.”
Ife was sharp, “Don’t tell me.”
“So, why did he take me to bed if he is in love with you?”
Ife’s eyes were pools of pain. She stood up and gave Ngozi a look of helplessness, tried to speak, shook her head, then got up from the table and walked away.
Ngozi stared at her walking away then opened her purse, searched for some money which she invited the waiter to have, and called for a taxi.
~~~
The next day, Ife went over to see her CMD and asked for leave of absence. The CMD gave her a keen look and smiled gently. He invited her to talk but Ife shook her head firmly. He could not really spare losing one of his best doctors but he saw the pain and knew he had to give her time so he asked her how long she needed. Ife just shook her head and quietly explained that she was missing her parents and just needed a few weeks off so she could give herself closure. The CMD knew she was lying but nodded in agreement, and in a brisk tone allowed her the two weeks.
Ife swallowed, squared her shoulders, thanked him, went to her flat, packed a bag, and left the hospital. She went to Lagos.
~~~
Ife went to a guesthouse in Badagry Close by the sea and lodged herself in as Numen Rose.
She needed some answers to questions that assailed her and she felt moving away from familiar places might help. Ife sat by the beach all day just staring, and her mind was blank. She watched the clouds as they drifted by. Sometimes the shapes of the clouds had forms she could identify. On the third day she saw vizier standing on guard duty watching her from afar. He could not approach unless she gave permission and she wondered why she could not summon him.
That night she had a dream. She was at the train station feverishly looking for her coach and kept hearing a voice asking her not to miss her drop station. She got on the train and was relieved to find her seat, and waited for the train to move. The scene changed and she saw herself amongst flowers in a blue-green atmosphere, strange to her but not unfriendly. She knew in the dream she was going past her old home on Earth. Her father’s family home floated by and then she entered a storied building with flowers at the entrance. She went straight up the stairs to see her father at the table smiling at her.
“I have been expecting you,” her father said with that gentle friendly smile she knew of him.
She was quite conscious of the fact that he had passed and that he was Lije but she also saw him as her father. She took the offered seat across from him. In the dream she was in secondary school with no memory of Babatunde, who she was, or that she was now a medical doctor.
Her father asked about her trip and she shrugged, relaxed and happy to be with him. They discussed people they both knew and she gave him news of home as she knew it then. Her younger half-brother walked in and she was surprised, asking her father when they met up.
Ife was conscious that her half-brother had passed long before her father. Then her father paused and told her about her future husband. He described him and told her she would feel comfortable with him.
“Did you feel comfortable about mother?”
“I knew instantly we were meant for each other. She was too shy as usual to state her mind but then I have always had to look out for her,” her father said, giving that grin he always had each time he spoke about Mother. Then she knew that he had loved her mother and taken that love as matter of fact.
He read her thoughts and grinned saying he always knew that he would look after her ‘through the ages’.
“I am just a man with women but it is always different with her.” He was quiet for a while then gave her a smile and said, “You must remember, your husband is somebody like me and you are always his princess for all time.”
“I think I know that. Will you remind me one way or the other so I know?”
That didn’t sound strange for her and they chatted casually about things in that time period of her life and she promised that now she knew where he was, she might visit once in a while.
When Ife woke up she longed to talk to her father in the flesh. She knew it was wrong to have such longing as that meant she was holding him back. For the first time Ife broke down in tears in the strange bedroom. She wept for almost an hour, talking to her father about her pain. She did not want to identify the pain as her loss of Babatunde. She felt so alone. A tiny voice asked her if she really had lost Babatunde and she sat up with a jerk.
You asked me to remind you—try and remember he is just a man.
After a while she had a bath and wandered to the beach as usual and sat by the rocks. A young man walked up to her and smiled. “You are late today. You always get here around seven, so what happened? Your boyfriend turned up at last?”
Ife was shocked. “I beg your pardon?”
“Okay, I know the drill with ladies like you. My name is Deji. You don’t need my surname as that would start you off.”
“Start me off where?”
Deji sat on the next rock facing her. He gave her a long look and announced in an accusatory tone, “Lord help me, you have been crying over him I suppose?”
“It wouldn’t be over you, thank goodness,” Ife retorted.
Deji put his head back and laughed heartily, making Ife wonder if she was talking to a mad person. He chuckled as if he had picked her thoughts. “That would suit you just right if I am mad, eh?”
“How long since you escaped your minders?” Ife asked, stealing furtive looks around him.
Deji stood up. “Let’s go find out, and since you are a doctor, you could certify me as sane, right? But before we do that, how about breakfast? It is not every day a crime reporter meets with an interesting case.”
She watched Deji hurry away and was surprised to find him within a second somehow still there and staring at her.
Ife felt goose pimples crawl all over her as she stood up and stared into deep blue eyes. “Sasa?”
Deji’s form dissolved into Sasa, who now bowed very low. He had a soft grin in his eyes as he pointed in the general direction of her vizier, explaining he was given the task of watching over her.
Ife smiled sadly. “You make a lousy actor, Sasa. Your eyes gave you away, that’s why I felt you were strange.”
Sasa laughed and they both sat back down. There was silence for a while as Ife looked at the ocean again and sighed.
Sasa spoke softly, also staring at the ocean, “Actually, there is a real Deji, just borrowed his form as he hurried off.” He gave her an imploring look as he continued, “He is hurting badly, Princess. The Lion is losing his pelt. He looks scrawny these days and the suspension is not helping him either. They found fifteen million in his account. The authorities are interested in the money
or how he got that amount. The pharmaceutical society have been given a report that he has abused his profession and he is under investigation, something to do with a herbal preparation he did for—”
Ife felt her heart beating very fast and stood up agitated, pacing just as Deji arrived, panting, and carrying two breakfast packs and a flask under his arm. Sasa had disappeared but Ife sent him thoughts to stick around.
Deji gave her a smile. “I tried to be as fast as I could—you are the weak tea drinking type I guess? I got you tea, honey, no milk, no sugar. Am I right?”
Ife was touched and gave him a smile of thanks.
“Let me show off my sensing. Actually you would rather not eat anything because something is agitating your mind right now. Just imagine you never had a big brother, and hey presto I am your Santa brother. I am very good at listening; I have four sisters all married now. I know the symptoms, so, what did he do?”
“My best friend took him to bed,” Ife blurted, and stared at him in horror, then she burst into tears.
Deji whistled and dropped the breakfast packs as he knelt in the sand staring at her, his mouth open in his own shock. “He is just a man. You are different for him, more like his princess.”
Ife jerked up her head and stared at Deji, wiping her tears, and after a long minute, she smiled.
“You know that is what you said when I came to visit you, Papa—oh thank you for reminding me.” She hugged a stupefied Deji. “He is just a man, and yes, Papa, I am his princess for all time. I know the meaning of passion now.”
Ife walked away on springy steps and Deji stared after her.
“Damn, she must be crazy about the fellow,” Deji muttered to himself. He stared at the ruined breakfast in the sand and shrugged.
Ife found Sasa sitting in the hotel lobby, her bags had been packed and were by the receptionist. “What is the situation now, has anything being done, was he arrested and where is he now?”
“He is in police custody and can’t even reach his lawyer,” Sasa replied.
Ife stared in shock. “Great lights, why?”
“He has been accused of fraud and he is temporarily under suspension. I understand that they wanted him to accept a statement they drafted for him and he refused to even talk to anyone. His lawyer is not aware of the case as he has gone to Abuja. Someone is planning a mischief against him while in police custody so we have to do something.”
“I have been gone only a week.”
“A lifetime for some.”
Ife was about to head towards the hotel entrance when Sasa stayed her with a sharp word as he saw Deji walking towards her. Ife turned sharply away and by the time Deji caught up he was shocked to find a fairly old woman munching the local bean cakes. He looked at the old lady in real bewilderment and she asked him if he was looking for the lady. Deji nodded and she pointed in the direction opposite to where Ife and Sasa were standing. As soon as Deji’s back was turned, Ife and Sasa hurried off to a waiting taxi that Sasa had already hailed.
The taxi drove them back to town and Ife arrived at the hospital very late but insisted on going to the police station. She found Ngozi sitting listless at the counter. Ngozi sprang into life as soon as she saw Ife. It was not time for jealousy.
The police sergeant gave Ife a curious look and asked if she was the second wife of the accused. Ngozi murmured that she had to say she was his wife before the police would allow her to see him. When his wife had been announced Babatunde had shrugged and ignored the police saying firmly that he did not remember marrying a wife. The police said that was another offence they were adding to his other crimes.
Ife could not smile but asked the police to fetch Babatunde and mention that Numen demands his presence. While the corporal debated whether there was such a name there was a sudden banging on the cell door and at the sound of a roar, followed by a longer painful growl and everybody became petrified. The door snapped open and Babatunde came out. Ngozi fainted.
Babatunde stood still and silent in front of Ife. She gently touched his arm and held his head in her cupped hands. She sobbed his name. Slowly, so slowly, he opened his arms and embraced Ife.
The policemen who rushed in at the sound of the roar watched in complete awe. Babatunde lifted his head as Ife left his arms and told him she would be back in the morning.
None of the police was willing to come near him or lead him back to the cell. Babatunde spent the rest of the night sitting on the hard bench. He did not say a word to anyone.
Chapter Eighteen
It was going to be a long night for Ife. Ngozi insisted on following her home. There was a fear in her eyes and Ife sensed that Babatunde’s roar had almost unhinged her friend. She felt no pain towards Josephine and just wanted to accept whatever was going to happen next. Ife felt she had been released.
When they arrived at the room, Ife made tea and asked if Josephine felt like food. The effect of the long drive on very bad roads was beginning to take its toll on her. They had had to pass through forest roads as two trailers had collided with each other making it impossible for other vehicles to pass. It was a journey she did not want to remember. She made tea for Josephine who sat silently hunched up in a corner, the cup in her shaking hands.
Josephine said, “Who is he?”
“What you saw, a simple man.”
Josephine shuddered. “That roar? It was him who made it, right?”
Ife shrugged. “Maybe.”
Josephine closed her eyes and shuddered again. “Does he do that when he gets angry?” She visibly gulped.
Ife sat across from Josephine and held her friend with a steady stare. “You really don’t know half of what he had been through and currently going through, so if you don’t mind take that look out of your eyes right now.”
“You are not going to roar at me too, are you? I am your friend, have been your friend for years.”
“Except sleep with my chosen, eh?”
“Your what? Chosen?”
“Why don’t you just shut up, I am trying to think.”
Josephine burst into tears, finding all the stress too much to handle. Ife gave her a minute and went into her bedroom and brought out a spare blanket, some pillows and a mattress.
“I think you would be comfortable here for tonight, Josephine. Go to sleep, things will feel much better in the morning. I am going in to rest now. You can turn the lights off if you want. We will talk tomorrow. I am still officially free so I am not reporting for duty but I will see my CMD so he knows I am in the hospital and around. By the way, I think you should seek for transfer because I know he will be embarrassed when he comes back from the police station. I still want us to be friends but the less you see of him the better we can all get out of this difficult situation.” She gave Josephine a level look. “I have not the slightest intention of meekly handing him over to you or to anyone for that matter. I have every plan to respect and appreciate his feelings for me.” Ife turned and went quietly into her room leaving her friend staring after her.
Josephine’s jaw dropped but Ife had gone into her bedroom.
~~~
The next morning while Josephine was still sleeping Ife left to see the CMD. She explained that she was in town but will need the remaining week left to her to sort out some personal issues. He gave her a long skeptical look and sighed. Ife sensed he wanted to ask her questions but that he was considering not crossing the line between friendly boss to something personal. Ife had refused to be personal with him because she did not fancy creating more heartache for anyone. She was grateful she had maintained that principle. It would have been tough now that she needed help.
Her CMD gave his permission noting that she was within the time frame he had granted her already. As she got ready to leave, he quietly wished her luck. She thanked him and left.
Ife was walking back to her room when she met Tinu coming into the hospital. Tinu had a tense worried look on her face and sighed in relief when she saw Ife.
“Have you
heard?”
“Yes I heard.”
“So what is going to happen?”
“I am trying to think…”
“She has not opened her eyes since she collapsed and I know I said—”
“Who are you talking about, Tinu?”
Tinu stared. “But you said you have heard?”
Ife took a deep breath. “What am I supposed to have heard?”
Tinu said in a sob, “My mother, you idiot. She has not opened her eyes in two days. They want to use her for sacrifice, right? Squint-eyes wants to punish me so she suggested my mother for sacrifice, right?”
Ife answered very coldly, “I didn’t know you could be this stupid. Why would anyone want to use your mother?”
Tinu raised her hand to slap Ife, then was holding her hand in pain as she collapsed. Nurses standing by rushed to help Tinu, but Ife simply gave her friend a cold look and walked away. Tinu cried with pain, holding her wrist saying she was sorry, which puzzled the nurses as they led her away.
Ife got to her room and started to place calls. She was on the phone when Josephine came out of the bedroom, her eyes wide with shock. She dropped in a faint at Ife’s feet. Ife sighed, went into the bedroom and re-emerged carrying a bowl of water, which she splashed on Josephine then returned to her phone calls. When she had made the last call she returned her full attention to Josephine.
“When we were in school, didn’t you learn enough about me not to go snooping around my personal effects? There was a guest bathroom so why did you feel the need to search my room?”
Josephine shook her head and explained she had been looking for a comb, to comb out her tangled hair and was not aware that the room was wired against visitors. She only stretched out her hand to pick a photograph and got an electric shock.
Josephine stayed silent for a while then asked in a quiet voice if there was a hotel she could check into for the night. She said she was leaving and returning to her state in the East.
Ife was quiet for a while too. She apologized to Josephine and asked for some level of understanding. She gave her school friend a wan smile as she tried to explain her mood. “I am trying the best way I can to be helpful and not allow my personal feelings come into it.”
Rose of Numen Page 13