Onome's tales.....Episode 5

Mimi has  being avoiding Onome, but Onome didn’t seem to bother about Mimi giving her attitude, she braced herself up for any BS Mimi might want to bring on, In class they sat poles apart , tongues were already wagging ,as this was quite unusual, they both had a common  friend  ‘Halima’ who was the quiet one, Halima noticed her friends were not even in talking terms  and made efforts to know what the matter was, she at the end of the day was able to make peace between Mimi and Onome, but Onome knew this was not finished as Mimi seemed to be jealous that she had Alex…an attention she never begged for!

Three days later Alex called Onome;

Alex: hey, sup

Onome: I’m fine, how are you and how’s work?

Alex: cool. What’s your weekend like?

Onome: Well…. I usually go home on weekends, a strict instruction I must adhere to, else I will have my aunt to contend with.

Alex: What if I ask you to come to Portharcourt?

Onome: LOL… That’s a joke right? What excuse will I give my aunt for not been at home?

Alex: c’mon babes, you are smarter than this, just tell her something…..anything

Onome: No problem, would think of something

Alex: Have you heard from your mum?

Onome: Yes , spoke with her yesterday, she is doing fine, my brothers are equally doing fine.

Alex: OK. How about Mimi?

Onome: sure she’s fine

Alex: Ok, would book your ticket right away and send you the details, ermmm…….. I don’t mean to be rude, but have you travelled by air before? If you are not comfortable you can come by road.

Onome: hahahahahahahaha, you sure think I’m still a village girl! Yes I have.

Alex: (He seemed to appreciate the sense of humour in her answer) Ok. Would send you the details in less than 30 minutes

Onome: would be expecting it, take care.

Onome immediately put a call through to her aunt to tell her she needed to stay back in school to study for her continuous assessment the following week, Mrs Sylvia without doubt believed Onome and told her it was okay by her. Six minutes later Alex sent a text message to Onome which contained her ticket details to Portharcourt the following morning which was a Saturday. Onome refused to give Mimi a clue as to where she was going, Mimi was curious; she however decided to ask Onome;

Mimi: Are you going home for the weekend?

Onome: Yes …I need to go have some rest

Mimi: Ok, will pass by the house on Sunday after service for lunch*winks*

Onome: LOL>>> that wouldn’t have been a problem, just that my aunt said we would be going for her friend’s birthday party, so we would not be home.

Mimi: awww…. Okay then, my regards to Mrs Sylvia

Onome: she would hear

Mimi felt Onome told her the truth and decided not to bother about her. Saturday morning came and Onome was at the airport, she remembered once upon a time how she feared to travel by air, she smiled and said to herself ‘Onome you are going places’! In another 30 minutes Arik air was making flight announcements for Onome’s flight and passengers made their way to the counter to be checked in. Onome was seated beside a dark slim guy who was about 6ft tall , he exchanged pleasantries with Onome and also made an effort to introduce himself( for the records; Onome is just a beauty you can’t ignore, no matter  how hard you try , she’s got a good height , nice complexion ,infectious smile…..nice legs  that defines her figure more appropriately , her curves are a perfect example of a true African beauty)

Muktar: hi my name is Muktar

Onome: Onome…it’s a pleasure (shakes hands)

Muktar: Going for the weekend in F(P)ort Harcourt? (in his hausa accent)

Onome: ooooh yes…. Need to go see a friend (Onome actually loved how he pronounced P as F…#SMILES)

Muktar: waoh you have friends in F(P)ortharcourt! That means we would always bump into each other, I am most of the time in F(P)ortharcourt for one business or the other, here’s my card

Onome collects his complimentary card

Muktar: hope you would give me a shout some day

Onome: Of course I would *smiles*

The Flight attendant gave the safety tips to passengers and they took off.

Onome arrived Portharcourt at about 8.45am and called Alex, who was equally waiting for Onome’s arrival at the airport. She in no time found Alex and they drove off to a nearby eatery where they both had breakfast , and afterwards went to Alex’s house where she got comfortable, later in the afternoon she went out with Alex to see a friend  Tami, Tami is Alex’s colleague at work, he’s quite a funny character and an easy going guy, they had a lot of fun, of course with Tami it’s never a dull moment, they got back in the evening very tired, it was then Onome asked for her room;

Onome: waoh I think I love portharcourt

Alex: *smiles* so will you be visiting often I guess?

Onome: Yea well, if I’m invited. I’m so tired right now, I think I will have to go take a shower and then retire to bed, meanwhile, where is my room?

Alex: (trying to convince himself that Onome did not just ask for her room, ignored the question).

Onome: hey…where am I going to sleep?

Alex: Onome you will sleep in my room, c’mon mehn what are you been so uptight about?

Onome: wow wow wow…..why are you yelling at me?

Alex: I know you just want to have a fight so you would have a good reason to sleep in the visitor’s room, but I won’t let that happen (moves closer to Onome as if to make his point clear looks sternly at her and then calms down, lifts her face up to his, kisses her so passionately, and after a few minutes, withdrew back and said to Onome

‘Well to your left is the visitors room, the corridor opposite leads to the master bedroom, let me know if you need anything’

Onome: thank you

Alex stayed back in the living room watching his new favourite channel EbonyLifeTv, he  never seems to get enough of this channel, but started feeling sleepy after a while, all the while he was just wondering how lonely his night would be, he at some point  began to feel bad for inviting Onome over, but like they say ‘SHIT happens’. He turned off the TV and headed for his bedroom (the master bedroom) as soon as he opened the door, to his amazement he saw Onome lying in his bed……………./

ONOME'S Tales.......episode 4

 

As soon as they got into the restaurant, Onome looked around and was marvelled by the interior decor, it wowed her ,she was lost looking at the art works on the wall, until  a petite man who is the supervising chef  approached them, smiling and then ushering them  into the inner chambers  meant for the VIPs,   as soon as they took their seat ,Alex and Onome went through the menu, and he asked; ‘hey, what would you like to have?’

Onome: I don’t know, was looking out for white rice and vegetable

Alex: are you kidding me? White rice and vegetable in a Chinese restaurant?

Alex laughed so hard that Onome felt embarrassed, Onome has never been to a Chinese restaurant all her life, it was so amusing that Alex forgot about being a gentleman, noticing that Onome’s countenance had changed with the way he was laughing, he immediately cautioned himself and said;

Alex: Ermmm, babes I’m sorry about the way I laughed, just couldn’t help it. We can go to a nearby eatery and get you white rice and vegetable …that’s if you don’t mind

Onome: No, it’s okay…I would love to have this experience, at least you won’t have to laugh at me another day.

Alex: (realising she was really hurt, he decided to be nice) Okay then I could place an order for you, if that’s cool

Onome: Yea…sure

Alex ordered for  Broccoli without the sauce, as he wasn’t too sure if she would like it with  the sauce alongside Chapman and smirn-off   ice( with some ice cubes)…..Onome was able to eat it  and was glad , they afterwards  went to silver birds galleria to watch a movie, It was also her first time of going to the movies, but because Alex had laughed at her while they were at the Chinese restaurant, she decided to compose herself and play along , they watched a Nigerian movie, Alex had to decide on their watching a Nigerian movie ,because he wasn’t too sure if she had be comfortable watching a Hollywood movie with her level of exposure. The movie finished after an hour, thirty minutes, Alex all the while was thinking it’s going to be a busy night as he was expecting to have some, On their way out of the Galleria, he asked if they could both go to his hotel room and relax a little before he goes to drop her off in school, Onome refused and insisted on going back to school, Alex at this point felt disappointed but went on to persuade Onome;

Alex: Why? C’mon babes I don’t bite

Onome: I know, but I just haven’t slept outside my hostel before and it’s a little bit weird doing that when I’m just getting to know you.

Alex: I understand, just give me a benefit of doubt

Onome: Look…I’m adult enough to know what you want, but please let’s be reasonable here, this is our first date.

Alex: You’re thinking I’m gonna touch you?

Onome: hahahahahaha (laughs)! I’m thinking we are gonna be having a vigil

Alex didn’t expect Onome to turn him down, but he took it in good fate and went to drop Onome off in school.

Two days later Alex got an urgent call from his office in Portharcourt and had to go back, he left without a word to Onome. Onome saw Mimi in class that day and decided  let her in on all that had transpired between herself and Alex….Mimi laughed so hard that until tears rolled down her soft beautiful cheeks ,well contoured ,giving way for her dimples to show the sexiness that suffices anytime she cares to laugh or even give a smile….. it was always priceless! The only statement she was able to make at the end of it all was ‘ yay! You can fall hand sha’. She asked Onome; has he called you since then?

Onome: No

Mimi: hmmm….he must be so disappointed in me….will call him right away

She picked her phone and dialled Alex’s number; he didn’t answer his calls until after the third try

Alex: sup Mimi

Mimi: I’m good

(Onome whispers to Mimi….’put it on speaker’ but  Mimi ignored her )

Mimi:  Are you still in town?

Alex: NAAHH…. I got a call from my office so I had to cut short my training and return to Port harcourt.

Mimi:  how was your date with my friend, hope it went well?

Alex: Mimi please don’t even go there….

Mimi: hey…what happen?

Alex: C’mon she must have told you

Mimi: No! As a matter of fact, I’m yet to see her

Alex: Well I wasn’t really happy, but I think I like her a lot , most especially her naivety

Mimi: You Alex, like a girl a lot? Hmmm that’s quite unusual, thought your heart was made of gravels

Alex: (laughs) well yea, but there is always that One girl who makes a player hang his boots and I think I’ve met her.

Mimi: (shifts afar from Onome  and whispers to Alex on phone) hmm are you sure you don’t just want to have fun and be done with? She is just a local breed oh, she’s being in the village, infact this is her first time of leaving her village, all thanks to Unilag

Alex: C’mon babes, we all are villagers, aren’t we? I came from a village too and so I like her none the less,  I f I feel she’s too much of a villager ,  I will polish her before she embarrasses me, I will make her a city girl,yea…my kind of girl, Please Mimi just let this be!

Mimi: No problems, just felt I should let you know, since I was the one who introduced her to you.

Alex: thanks though! Oh yes about our date, she really showed the village aspect of her ,by asking for usual things in an unusual place, well I’m sure she will learn with time, yet to call her though.

Mimi: Ok, enjoy! Just make sure you have fun!

 (Mimi ends the call and moves back to where Onome was waiting).

Onome: Why did you have to move far away to talk to Alex? That was uncalled for; anyway I hope he isn’t angry with me?

Mimi: He is, why did you choose to embarrass him during your date?

Onome: Me?

Mimi: No, me!

Onome: You mean I should have followed him to his hotel room?

Mimi: was that too much to do? He`s a rich guy Onome, you don`t even have an idea of where he works….OMG!  This is an opportunity most girls would die for!

Onome: See Mimi , forget the fact that I just left the village, by the name Onome you should know my roots ,your only grace is having being brought up in Lagos, I know my Onions and for starters I really don`t care where he works, at least for now, he`s just a friend so why are you taking all of this so far !

Mimi: Oh really…let’s see how this plays out!

ONOME'S Tales........Episode 3

 Two weeks later , while Mrs Sylvia was sitting by the poolside sipping a glass of brandy and having a feel of the friendly weather ,she heard her phone ring, it was Mr Adetoye on the line, after exchanging pleasantries, he told Mrs Sylvia that he finally got Onome an admission into the Business Administration department in Unilag, she was so delighted to hear this and promised to get back to Mr. Adetoye ,She immediately called Onome and gave her the good news, Onome  was overwhelmed with joy ,it was like a dream come through for her, Onome was to start her registration process the following week .Clara feeling like someone who has Lagos in her palm started advising Onome about her mode of dressing, their conversation went thus;

Clara: Congrats oh… Madam talk say your admission don commot

Onome: Yes oh, all thanks be to God, I’m so glad

Clara: ehn you go try upgrade your dressing sha, nor go dull yourself for Unilag and this your hair, you go de fix Brazilian weave, just give yourself brain, that’s all.

Onome: Please Clara I am going to study, I am not going for fashion parade, as far as my hair is neatly done and the clothes I put on are clean, I don’t think I have issues with the way I look

Clara: If you say so oh, but me I trust my madam say she go arrange your life, before you fall her hand

Onome: (shakes her head and said to Clara) na u sabi

The following week Mrs Sylvia’s driver Tunde went to drop Onome in Mr. Adetoye’s office so she could start her registration process, during the registration she met a girl called Mimi, a girl who  was born and brought up in  Lagos, She helped Onome with some of the registration processes as she knows her way within the campus, her elder sister Edith graduated from UniLag.

At  about noon , they were both famished and  so they headed to the school cafeteria and had lunch, Onome had a soft drink alongside her food and Mimi decided to do a little bit of alcohol, they were done in about an hour, Mimi’s boyfriend came around in his G-wagon to get her home, so she offered to help Onome get home, but Onome refused insisting that her aunt’s driver would be coming around to get her, they laughed at her calling her names, she could care less about that, but when Mimi insisted , Onome gave her the address since she really doesn’t know her  way around Lagos, they took her home and met her aunt in front of the house on a call, immediately Mrs Sylvia saw Onome come down from the car, she hurriedly went close to the car in anger with her eyes speaking a thousand of words even before she could utter one and finally said;

   ‘Where exactly are you coming from ? Tunde is in your school and can’t find you, you also don’t know how to pick your calls or are you just being silly?’

Onome :(Onome was at this point perplexed and didn’t know which of her questions to answer first)  No aunty , I’m very sorry, my friends offered to take me home, and I didn’t even hear my phone ring, I’m so sorry ma.

At this point , Mimi and her Boyfriend ‘Richie ‘got down from the car and decided to make an apology on Onome’s behalf, but her aunt wouldn’t take any of that , so they got into their car and went away.

Mrs Sylvia : have you ever heard of ritualist?

Onome: Yes ma

Mrs Sylvia : no I don’t think so, do you know them before ? you are being stupid , how can you possibly get into a strange car?

Onome: She’s my friend

Mrs Sylvia : Yea right ! Someone you just met today is your friend , you now have a friend that rides a G-Wagon? Do you think you are in the village? Since you don’t have common sense ,I think I now know how to handle you

                Mrs Sylvia walks away, Clara whispers to Onome through the window in the Kitchen…’come….come’

Clara: how far

Onome: About what? Look I’m not in the mood for anything funny

Clara: Relax! your blood too hot, how far that guy na? (Onome is astounded) that car mehnnnnn…..nor be lie!

Onome: hey, stop getting funny ideas, I don’t know him, it’s the girl I know, and that’s her boyfriend

Clara: all join, if your friend bobo get that kain car, na him be say your own go soon happen

Onome: Clara I don’t understand all of these!

Clara : hmmm, ok , make I speak better English, what I’m trying to say is that ,the guy looks cool, and if that’s his car, he’s is a big boy, my point exactly is that the guy has friends doesn’t he?

Onome : maybe, but  like I said ,I really don’t know him

Clara: Relax! My only advice is that you reason like a Lagos girl

Onome: I am still a village girl, who just got to Lagos to pursue her dreams, so don’t push it

Clara: Na so!( laughs so loud) Village girl wen don de enter G-Wag

Onome: Aunty called it G-Wagon not G-Wag

Clara: all join, as far as G de the matter.

Four weeks later, Onome was settled in school, she comes home only on weekends , her aunt had made sure she got a hostel accommodation so she can concentrate on her studies and not bother facing the stress that comes with Lagos traffic daily , there were various welcome parties for the new students , Mimi made sure she dragged Onome along to almost all of it, Onome at this point was already losing focus, Mimi got her new clothes as she could not bear the thought of Onome  attending parties with her in her numerous Cinderella gowns.

     After a while Mimi introduced Onome to Richie’s friend called Alex, who works in an oil and gas company in Portharcourt, but was only in Lagos because he had a training to attend for a week, Onome was shy as she never had a male friend, But Mimi went on with the introduction, Mimi was shocked that Onome wasn’t ecstatic when she in the process of introducing Alex made mention of where he works, the point is Onome doesn’t really know what it takes to work in an oil and gas company(financially). Onome and Alex exchanged numbers and the following day had a dinner date,Mimi promised to go along with Onome,but at about 6.30pm the next day, Mimi called Onome that she had to run home as she got an urgent call from her  folks at home, Onome was a bit disappointed and decided to call Alex to tell him she was no longer coming, but No! Alex is one of those guys who wouldn’t take NO for an answer and told Onome that he would be there in fifteen minutes to get her……..they got to a Chinese restaurant somewhere on Awolowo road in Ikoyi…..

Onome's tales.......Episode two

It was sunny when they arrived Lagos. The sound from the cars on the road was deafening , and a mass of commuters were struggling to find a way out of the traffic…. The taxi driver manoeuvred his way until he got to Marina where Onome marveled at the tall buildings that lined the road. “Is it oyinbo people who built theses houses?” she asked Mrs. Sylvia. Mrs Sylvia smiled and said ‘for some, Yes.’ In fifteen minutes, they were home…..Onome was ushered into the house by the maid called Clara, from Akwa Ibom. That evening   while serving dinner, Clara served Onome alcoholic wine; Mrs Sylvia was too busy with her food to notice Clara’s mistake, and Onome feeling like she just had a taste of heaven ate all she was given. when Mrs Sylvia commended her for finishing all she was served, she said ‘ah thank you aunty, you know it is only a visitor who loves you that leaves the plate she was served with empty ‘ ,this gave Mrs Sylvia a good laugh, Onome slept well that night  and found it difficult to get out of bed the following morning., Her aunt had to go check on her to ensure she was okay, and it was then Clara opened up that it was probably the drink she had at dinner yesterday.  Mrs Sylvia was furious and warned Clara not to ever give Onome alcoholic drink until she approved of it.

Two weeks later, Mrs Sylvia was due to take a trip to Dubai. Before travelling she handed over Onome’s O’level results to her friend who works in University of Lagos, Mr. Adetoye, to help with the painstaking admission process. She left for Dubai instructing Onome to heed to Clara’s advice as she was older and more accustomed to Lagos., Onome nodded, and agreed to do all she was instructed to do. Clara who is a beautiful lady had a short temper and stammered. She also had a boyfriend, Titus, who comes to see her when Mrs Sylvia travels. Two days after Mrs Sylvia left for Dubai, Titus came to see Clara, who served him with Mrs Sylvia’s choicest wine and made him a delicacy of his choice. Onome saw Titus and they exchanged pleasantries. She thought he was one of the boys who worked for her aunt, but became suspicious because of the way Clara hosted  him. when she  asked Clara who he was, she told her  he was one of the people working for her aunt at her site .Onome smiled and thought to herself, ‘ I might be a village girl, but I have common sense’.

Mrs Sylvia returned a few days later, Onome was glad as she had a lot to disclose to her aunt.) Clara and Onome helped her unpack  and she afterwards sent Clara to the market to get a few things.,While Clara was away, Onome told her aunt about Titus’s visit.  At the mention of the wine, Mrs Sylvia rushed to the living room, she was furious!When Onome noticed the change of her countenance she immediately knelt down to beseech her not to allow Clara know she told her. Mrs Sylvia told Onome to calm down as she was adult enough to handle the situation without getting Onome involved. She gave Onome some things she got for her and told her to keep an eye on Clara anytime she was out of the house. Onome looked at the clothes her aunt bought for her, they were all revealing. She said ‘thank you ma, but I am not used to wearing such’. Her aunt laughed and asked her not to worry as that’s the way people in Lagos dress. She reluctantly accepted them and went to her room to try them on. An hour later Clara got back from the market and Mrs Sylvia asked her to serve that particular wine during lunch, Clara became jittery knowing very well that her boss will notice the reduction in the wine, she suggested to her boss to try a new wine she got on her birthday recently. Mrs Sylvia insisted on that wine and when Clara brought the wine, she asked her to explain why the it had reduced so much.Clara was scared, she  couldn’t utter a word.  “ Do you now drink Clara?” Mrs. Sylvia asked her. “No ma”…… Clara answered. Mrs Sylvia called out ….O.N.O.M.E…….!

Did you drink out of this wine in my absence?

Onome answered, “No aunty, I didn’t”

Mrs Sylvia asked Onome to go back to her room. Before she could say a word, Clara went on her knees confessing that she was the one who drank the wine. Irritated to some extent,Mrs Sylvia asked her how she managed to consume such  a large quantity of alcohol as she always took a little when she was offered.

‘Madam, that day I was just tired and didn’t know that I consumed that much’, Clara said

You mean you drank this (showing her the bottle) all alone?, Mrs Sylvia asked.

: Ok, madam the truth is that my cousin came to visit me and I gave him a little, she answered

Really? You now have a cousin in Lagos that I don’t know about? Your parents didn’t tell me that when I took you from Uyo!, Mrs Sylvia responded, getting angrier.

Yes ma I have a cousin in Lagos, Clara responded.

Very well Clara, I will deduct this from your monthly allowance.

Later that evening, Onome decided to act the ‘dumb fox’)while  she and Clara were cleaning the kitchen.,Clara asked Onome if she told her aunt about Titus’s visit, Onome told her she didn’t  and went on to say ‘ of what use is it telling her, you said Titus works for aunty , so I’m sure aunty knows he would be here ‘  Clara smiled  and said to Onome ‘ we could be best of friends you know?

 Onome: (looks away) we already are….