I woke up the next morning with a heavy heart. It still felt like I was in a dream. How could I have been duped? After all my sharpness and even making nasty comments on social media whenever I saw a post detailing the way a lady had been duped. I always told them it was their greed and want for things they did not work for. But here I am, duped for my benevolence. I really did not feel like going to church that day. I was in no hunter's mood. Was it not hunting that got me where I was? How careful could I have been? Where did I really go wrong?
I am someone that is very hardened; I hardly cry. But on this morning, the tears were really close. It was not the money lost that was my point of pain, it was the reason the money was lost. The guy "washed my head successfully". I remembered Yemi said he would be in my church that Sunday, so, I had to pull myself out of the bed, got dressed and made my way out of the house. On my way, Yemi called and told me he was only leaving his house. I remembered I did not even know where he lived so, I asked. He said he lives in Lekki phase 1. A part of me leaped and then I warned that part seriously, to respect herself and stay calm. I was not ready to start leaping for joy for frivolities anymore. I told him I was on my way and he apologized for calling me while I was driving. He said we would talk after service. I ended the call and told myself to relax and not expect anything. Yemi has shown himself to be a friend and that was all.
When I got to church, it was not me in the service. My fellow ushers kept wondering what was wrong with me and I kept telling them I was not feeling too well and my HOD corroborated my story so, I had the privilege to be quiet and get all the sympathies. If only they knew the major reason I needed the sympathy. Service was over and Enitan offered to follow me home and keep me company. I told her not to worry as I was not going home. I did not want to be tempted to spill the story when someone follows me home. Yemi called and said he was at the entrance. I hugged all the people I would normally hug and got "take care of yourself" from everyone and made my way to the entrance to meet with Yemi. We shook hands and both smiled. He teased me and said I was looking better than he expected me to. I laughed out loud, first since my "ordeal".
I thought for a while and decided that it was not like I was going home to anything or anybody. The company will be appreciated. At least, he is aware of all that is happening so, I would not need to be careful not to spill my guts. I was free to break my rule of "no going out on date at first asking so as not to show desperation". Well, it was not as though he was asking me on a date, he was just being a caring friend.
We both laughed. I felt a whole lot lighter and I said a silent "thank God for Yemi" in my mind. I did not expect to be laughing by today.
"Why don't you go and drive around to the gate and follow me. I think I have to take you for that ritual you dodged on the first day we met".
I shook my head and smiled as I walked towards my car. I drove around and followed him behind as he drove. We drove into Ozumba Mbadiwe and I already knew where we were headed: Radison Blu. Truth is that I have been telling my friends that I cannot wait for someone to take me to Raddison Blu. I heard their buffet was excellent but I have not had the boldness to go there alone and definitely not with a fellow lady. Am I the one to spend the money for another lady? I was excited when he drove into their compound. I said to myself, "na this kain friends dey good to get".
You don't need stories on the details of what happened during the buffet. I would be boring you with all the details but just know in summary that I had mad fun. At the end of the day, I had forgotten that I was in a mourning mood as I left my house that morning. When we were done eating, we strolled out to the car park still talking about his experience with a police officer. It was so funny that I was wiping tears from my eyes due to how hard I was laughing. I was really at home and comfortable with this guy. I doubt if I had ever been that comfortable around any other guy. I guessed it was because I was not expectinganything from him. I only saw him as a friend and that was all. I was under no obligation to impress him and I really like how I felt around him.
After we had leaned on my car for another twenty minutes trying to round up our stories, we decided it was time to go.
"If we continue like this, the security guys will bundle us up thinking we are planning on how to kidnap one of their guests. We better get going".
"You kukuma look like a kidnapper, with this your beard gang look and your "gorimapa" head".
"Just say you are tripping for my looks". He stroked his beards and winked at me.
I scoffed. "It is either you are deceiving somebody or somebody is deceiving you".
I gave him a hug, turned around to head to my car. he held my hand a slipped a piece of paper into my palm. I opened it and it was a filled cheque.
You have to wait for the amount on the cheque in the next episode. Sorry.