Crossroads, Page 4

Over the next three days, Lara was still restless and she was constantly getting up early much to the astonishment of her mother. By Friday morning, as Lara hurried down for breakfast, her mother stopped her and had to ask.

  “My dear, what’s going on? You’ve repeatedly come out of bed before I get a chance to scream your name,” Then dropping her voice to almost a whisper, Helen asked her daughter

  “Or did my threat to pull you out of bed with chains finally seem real to you?”

  “Oh, no, Mum!” Lara whispered back to her mum as she took her breakfast and packed some snacks for lunch.

  “I’ve just been restless recently and thinking of some things, that‘s all. Good morning Dad!” She called to her dad as he came down the steps and sat at the table with her.

  “Morning dear, how was your night?” her father, David asked as he sipped his coffee.

  “Fine,” she said while she stole a glance at her mother to support her.

  “Your mother told me of the plans for your birthday this weekend. There’s no problem. It’s okay with me.” Then looking out from the newspaper in his hand at his daughter, he exclaimed. “My darling is really growing up fast, isn’t she?”

  This statement brought the heat to her face as she blushed slightly. But she was saved by the school bus which horned outside, the usual “embarrassment” of name praising and body trickling from her father. Her younger ones usually joined in whenever they were still at home. So she quickly grabbed her bag and lunch box, gave her mother a hug, kissed her father on the cheek and was out of the door. She gisted happily with Nike and some other girls in the bus as it made its way down to the school with the noisy students.

  As usual, since the week began, Lara spent most of the class periods staring into space and making arrangements in her head. She hardly heard anything the teachers said that week. In spite of this, she still scored top grades in the assignments and class work given that week.

  As soon as the bell rang for the close of school work for the day, Nike popped out of her seat and ran over to her friend’s seat.

  “Hey! Stop daydreaming and come back to reality even for a second. Any progress with your party?” she asked her friend who indeed had been pulled out of her semi-consciousness by the school bell and was now arranging her books and things into her bag.

  “Oh! Nicky, it is now official. My dad finally agreed to it this morning and my mum says she’ll have a lot to do this afternoon, so I’ll have to leave right now”.

  “But Lara, I’ve been trying to seek your consent about something. Well, the truth is that I’ve wanted to introduce you to this great guy since last week but one thing or the other has hindered it. So I decided to bring him over to your party. At least you’ll get a chance to meet him there.” Nike explained to her impatient friend.

  “Nicky, you do realize that the maximum limit of attendees for this party is thirty, right? So how do I make excuse for another person?” Lara wondered.

  “Look it’s just one guy okay? Besides it’s not like there’ll be a gateman counting our numbers.” Nike replied teasingly.

  “Okay, okay. You win. But you’ll have to be at my place tomorrow, latest 1.00 pm, to assist me in getting everything set. Mother wants the party to commence by 4.00 pm at the latest and I will not hear “No” for an answer, okay?” Lara ventured.

  “Yes, my soon- to -be -a-year -older-friend, I’ll be sure to make an early call to grab the first cake- eating session.” Nike answered with a laugh as Lara bade her farewell and disappeared from the class and Nike stared at the swinging doors proclaiming the exit of her friend.

  “Still trying to match-make, aren’t you?” a deep voice resonated behind Nike and she jumped only to calm down when she turned and saw Michael perching on the edge of the table behind where she stood. “Or am I wrong to assume that?”

  “Mike, you scared me. What have I told you about sneaking up on beautiful ladies like myself?” Nike replied punching him lightly as she placed emphasis on the word ‘beautiful’.

  “A lot, but that still doesn’t answer my question, Nike.” Michael retorted with a gleam in his expressive dark eyes.

  “Come on Mike, I just want you to meet her. Give it a chance, will you? She’s just got a lot on her mind now,” Nike said defensively.

  “Anyway, if you want my honest opinion, I think she’s a snob, and I don’t like people like that. They’re always making you feel like you’re nothing and they are the centre of attraction. But, just because of you, my ‘beautiful’ friend and since you want me to go, I’ll play along with it.” Michael offered.

  “Alright,” Nike answered.

  “Just promise me one thing,” Michael said leaning forward into Nike’s face, which made Nike’s heart flutter but she sternly reprimanded herself mentally – we’re just friends, we’re just friends – as she looked up into his handsome face, clean cut and a dashing smile. “Don’t try to match me up with anybody again, okay? Or else I won’t forgive you.”

  “Promise, message received, loud and clear,” Nike answered as they both picked their things and left the classroom. Yet, Nike had a very good mind to see to it that Michael and Lara ended up together as friends – if nothing more than that.

  Almost as soon as Lara got home and was changed and refreshed, she was bundled to the salon by an almost impatient mum – who still had some shopping to do, not to mention cooking. When they were through with her hair-do, they went to the market to buy the remaining items then went home and busied themselves in the kitchen.

  When Michael left Nike at the school gate with that obvious glint in her eye and the mischievous way she smiled, he decided to take a walk on his way home. He knew there wouldn’t be anyone at home right then as both his parents were busy people and he was an only child. Few years after being married, his parents lost their older son, Ben, to malaria when he was still very young. Michael had been the second child after which his mother, Aderonke, had decided not to have another child. Mike always wished his elder brother had survived his bout with malaria and would sometimes sneak through his mother’s archives to look for baby Ben’s pictures. He had always wanted someone to look up to, play with and do things with. But when he was not stuck with baby-sitters and home helps, he was all alone, just by himself.

  Life as an only child was, on the most part, boring; even though it did have its advantage of inheritance without contention. Due to his parents’ business acumen, Michael had a lot to inherit in life, as there were no siblings to contend with him. Nonetheless, this could not be compared with the experience of companionship. There was no one to advise him on issues like dating and relationships nor scold him for any misdemeanour, which was characteristic of boys his age.

  As he drew closer home, his mind turning thoughts this way and that way in his head, he began to think of Nike again and what she meant to him. Their relationship was unlike any he had ever known – and he had known a lot of girls crowding around him for one thing or the other. But Nike Bright was different. Michael had always been indifferent about the concept of love and to him it didn’t exist because he reasoned that if charity (love) was to begin at home, then he would be dead before he knew what love was. His parents were hardly ever at home and though he knew they cared, it wasn’t the same as having someone – father or mother – at home to show him that love. If his father wasn’t travelling every month, his mother was tripping off to Abuja in Nigeria for one business or the other. It was just one big, empty life for him, he thought. Certain girls he had known before whom he thought were nice, were either there for his money, his intelligence and academic prowess or to use him as a prize to be envied by other girls. Yet there wasn’t a hint of any of such things with Nike. She was warm and friendly, easily sociable and intelligent. Her smile and enthusiasm were infectious and sometimes her ideas were frightening. Like the present idea she had in mind to match-make him with her friend, Lara.

  Mike got home to find a note from his parents stating that they had gone
to a social function at the most prestigious hotel in the State to commemorate an annual programme and fund-raising for something he wasn’t really interested in. What was on his mind as he prepared fried yam and egg sauce to eat was the creeping sensation of nervousness that was coming over him, the more he thought of Nike’s plan for him with Lara. As a fabulous and responsible guy that he was, he had a lot of responsibility that brought him before scores of people almost daily and he was accustomed to such nervous bouts and stage fright but to have butterflies in his stomach over the prospect of going for a girl’s birthday party was strangely distressing, at the same time wildly amusing. Anyway, he had given Nike his word to go with her to the party. What he didn’t mention to her was that he didn’t plan to stay long. So with his mind made up, his plate empty; he washed up and went up to bed. Thinking about girls really does take its toll on the body, he thought to himself, as he drifted off to sleep with glimpses of Lara’s smiling face floating around him.

  The morning sun was much welcomed by a very joyous Lara Williams who couldn’t help herself, grinning from ear to ear as she came downstairs for breakfast. As she got to the living room she was surprised to find it empty. Usually her parents would have been up even if her siblings were still asleep. Then she went towards the kitchen and noticed the spread of chocolate cake on the dining table with her name on it and beautifully decorated candles. Now she knew they were trying to play a trick on her so she walked on to the kitchen pretending not to have noticed the cake. When she didn’t find her mum in the kitchen and her patience was wearing out, she called out to them, “Alright, you guys, if you don’t come out right now, I’m going to start eating this cake all by myself until I finish it.”

  Quickly, her mum, dad and younger ones Funmi and Alex, rushed out of their hiding places, smiling and laughing.

  “Yes! Yes! We are here. We know you can do just that. Just spare us from having to bake another cake in a rush, okay! Happy birthday, sweetie,” her mother said as she hugged her daughter and wished her well.

  “Thanks Mum,” Lara replied.

  One by one, they all wished her well with prayers and prophecy, giving her their gifts and smiling as she received each one with joy and gladness.

  “Alright dear, make a wish and blow out the candles,” her father said putting on the candles and standing back by his wife to watch their daughter.

  Lara stood, closed her eyes for a moment and wished that a Prince charming would come to sweep her off her feet then blew the candles out to much applause and cheers from her family.

  “Hmm, I wonder if that wish had anything to do with a boy now,” Funmi teased.

  “Come here, you. I’ll teach you a lesson on how to tease your elder sister on her birthday. Come here!” Lara called after Funmi, who was already darting away from her with Alex behind them, laughing and playing.

  The house phone was constantly ringing with friends, colleagues and well-wishers congratulating Lara and praying for her. In between, Lara was busy with her mum and Funmi, ensuring all was in order for the party till 3.00 pm when her mother rushed her up to the room to prepare herself.

  “We wouldn’t want a smelly celebrant now?” She said.

  At a few minutes after four, her friends began to arrive and they were ushered in by Funmi and Alex. There was soft music playing from the stereo and many people had brought gifts for her. Lara greeted all her friends as they arrived but her mind was not at ease. Nike Bright had promised to help her with preparations before the party began but she had not shown up even after the party had begun. Lara had stolen away from her guests to call Nike at home but there was no answer. This really worried her but she did her best not to show it.

  The party was in full swing when Nike and Michael walked in looking elegant and radiant.

  Chapter 4