Chapter 3 How we met

HOW WE MET

TOYIN

When I woke up, I didn't even know what the time was, Chief was no longer in the room. I still felt very weak and I found out I was naked too, my clothes not anywhere in my range. Did chief drug me? I thought.

It was difficult but I was finally able to sit up, I felt a terrible headache that made it seem like my head was going to explode. I could still see the brown paper bag exactly where he had dropped it on the bed; I quickly reached for my bag on the floor to get my phone so I could call Sade.

SADE

"What?!" I shouted while Toyin spoke to me through the phone, "I'm coming right there now." I said already putting on my rubber slippers and rushed out of the room. Luckily the hotel in which they lounged was not so far from home, I took a bike to the hotel. While on my journey I could do nothing but pray Toyin was alright and I wondered why her so-called loyal customer would do such a thing to her.

*

After I was through with secondary school, I told myself that it was finally time to take action against my step father and leave the house for him and his wife, my mother. On my day of graduation from secondary school, I knew for certain that that night he was going to come for me. So I prepared myself for the night. I made up my mind that if anything that night would be the last time he would defile me. I boiled oil in a fry pan and turned it into a silver plate, I had taken note of the time he comes in, and it was almost time so I rushed into my room and hid the oil under my bed. Maybe he always came at that particular time because the drug he gives my mom must have kicked in.

"Sade, omo dudu to fine." Sade, fine black girl. He said when he came, his eyes shining like a hungry lion.

It was too disgusting. He was so disgusting every time he said that. I had no choice but brace myself for what was about to happen but that day I promised to make a difference. Before he came to me I stood up and started to seduce him before he could force me to the bed.

"Ahan this girl you have finally come to terms. I always knew you enjoy what I've been giving you all these years." Enjoy? I wished I had a knife to stab him. What irritated me the more was how his penis started to erect and touch me. Just remembering it gives me goose bumps even now.

I dragged him close to my bed, the smile he had on his face. I bent down to his penis, unzipped his trousers and reached for my weapon. Immediately I reached it I grabbed it and threw the hot oil on his penis.

"Ahhhhhhhh! Yeeeeeeh! Aahhh!" He screamed at the top of his voice. Immediately I gave him a hot slap and hit the silver plate on his face. He fell on my bed still shouting. I opened the door about to make a run for it when my mother appeared in front of me. We stood and stared at each other for a while, and then she brushed into my room to attend to her husband.

"What have I done just now?" I asked myself as I watched them. "It serves you right, stupid impotent fool." Those were my last words before I left my mom's house. My mother didn't even stop me from running, she didn't deem it right to chase after me, to hug me, to tell me I've been through. She stayed with her husband.

*

"Toyin!" I shouted when I barged into the room she told me she was in.

"I'm weak Sade. I can't stand." She said.

"Don't worry. Toyin where are your clothes?" I couldn't believe what I saw; she was bleeding from her private part.

"S-ade." Her voice was fainted, "h--ho--"

"No no, ma soro ejor - please don't talk." I started crying.

"Let me rush downstairs to get help and some clothes for you." I told her then rushed down for help.

TOYIN

"Kini mo shey fun Chief that he should do me like this?" What did I do to the chief that he did this to me? I thought.

"Kini mo shey fun Olorun?" What did I do to God? I asked still in my thoughts.

I felt life sipping away from me little by little, I started getting dizzy. Just in time Sade barged in with help this time and a white sheet. I heard her shouting "Please help me carry her down fast, fast." Then it all went from blurry, to black.

*

One night, one of those nights where no customer came looking for my service I closed early and was on my way home when I met a young girl crying. It was late and the streets are not safe so I approached her to know if she was okay.

"Hello," I said when I reached her, "what is a small girl like yourself doing out by this time?"

She started crying even more.

"Where are your parents?" I asked her looking around. "Who beat you?"

Well, at least I had tried my best so I decided to leave her and go home.

"Auntie." She said when I was about "please, I-I ran away from home, I don't have a home."

I looked at her for a while. "Why did you runaway?" I asked. She didn't speak but the look in her eyes seemed like she has been through a lot. "Okay-you should follow me."

Ever since then, I took care of her like she was my sister. She told me everything she had been through in the hands of her mom and step-dad. It made me remember what happened at my uncle's and that pastor's. So I made a promise to take care of her and make sure I protected her. I got a job for her but as an attendant in a grocery store. Just like me, she always wanted to help out to make things easy for us at home.

SADE

Toyin, Toyin was like Toju was to me since she took me in. For the first few months she provided everything I needed before she got me a job in a grocery store. Although the pay wasn't so much at least I felt happy assisting her. She always promised me we wouldn't be in Nigeria for so long, that we were going abroad soon to live our best out of life.

I stood helpless as the nurses pushed her into a room. I came back to my senses and decided to rush into the room as well but I was stopped by a nurse.

"Excuse me you're not allowed into the emergency room." She said

"Ma, please my sister is in there."

"No! Please, you have to stay here." She said then went into the room and shut the door.

I stood outside for a long time, I can't even remember how long. But when I got tired of standing I went to the waiting room to have a seat where I slept off.

"Madam, madam." a nurse stood in front of me, tapping me so I can wake up.

"Ehn?" I said rubbing my face with my hand as though it'll wipe out the sleep in my eyes.

"Your sister is in room 144, upstairs. You can go and see her, she might be asleep though but you should see her."

Without hesitation I stood from the chair and walked my way upstairs to room 144. When I opened the door there was another patient inside too, a woman--she was asleep but Toyin was already awake.

Toyin smiled when she saw me, she looked pale and tired but she was happy to see me.

"Sade." She said with a weak smile on her face.

"Ore mi." My friend, I said when I held her hand.

"I feel like I'm dying-I-I don't know what chief has done to me."

"No no no don't say that Toyin." I moved her hand I was holding towards my lips so I can kiss it. Her hand was very cold. Toyin's fair skin now looked almost white. I figured she lost a lot of blood, I couldn't bear to lose her, she really did look like she was dying but I didn't want to think so, besides she can't.

"My bag, Sade." She said. "Where's my bag Sade?"

"It's with me, see it," I said, picking the bag from the floor to show her.

"Okay." She said and closed her eyes. She fell asleep.

*

Every day I went to the hospital to check on her but she wasn't getting any better. The doctors said they didn't know what was wrong with her and that it was only God who could save my best friend.

God, I thought. Toyin didn't believe in God, how could He save her? I myself was not much of a believer too but still, I prayed for my friend. At least I knew God as a merciful being. In a long time, I stepped my feet into the church, I could not believe myself. I had told myself years ago since my brother died that God didn't work. I found myself in front of the altar of a Catholic church, praying.

"God, I'm sorry for all my sins and for running away from you, I ask that you please forgive me. I'm here today because of my friend and my sister - Toyin. Please let her be well in Jesus name. Amen." As I prayed, genuine tears fell from my eyes.

TOYIN

I was finally sitting up, laughing and requesting for more and more food and I was beginning to feel strong. I remember the joy in Sade's eyes when she saw that I was recuperating quickly since she prayed for me. Maybe it was time that I went back to God. I had been a prodigal daughter for so long. First thing when I get out of the hospital tomorrow, I'll go to a church. I thought.

"I thought I was going to lose you o." Sade said moving from the chair she sat to sit my bed.

"Me? Me I cannot die o. Until I leave this Nigeria, I'm not going anywhere. God sef knows." I said and we both laughed at my joke. The woman who shared the room with me kept smiling and laughing too. She looked like she was in her late thirties, a pretty smallish woman who already had four kids which would surprise you if she told you. I had become close to one of them, my name sake - Toyin. She was only four years old.

"Oya you people should tell aunty Toyin bye bye." She said on the day she was being discharged.

"Bye bye aunty Toyin!" They all shouted which made Sade and I laugh. How cute children can be, I thought.

Since she had left it was just Sade and I in the room. Sade held my hand again. "I thought the worst." She said.

"I know," I said with a smile, "You're Miss Worry now." I said and laughed at my joke. She also joined me in laughing.

"Thank God you'll be coming home tomorrow." She said.

"Yeah, I would." We starred at each other for a while just happy that we're both together. "That reminds me, did you take any brown paper bag in the hotel room?"

"Yes, I did. It was full of money Toyin."

"I know. It was Chief who gave it to me. We'll use it to start something at least, for ourselves." I said

Sade smiled. "Okay. But, what of that chief wouldn't you inform the police?"

"Mn mn no need for all that Sade. We have the money, that's what is important, okay?" I said, caressing her face.

"Okay." She said with a smile, I knew it was faked though but it just wanted to forget anything that'll draw me back.

When visiting hours were over and Sade left for home, I laid back in bed, staring into the white light and thinking of how far I had come. Maybe I should use the money to do something for myself here in Lagos. Maybe get a mall and fill with groceries. Those sorts of things seemed to be moving well or perhaps I left for the United States with Sade or just on my own get a job there then bring Sade in later.

All these thoughts flowed through my mind; I just wanted a better life. Maybe when she returns the next day, she and I would decide on what to do with the eight hundred thousand naira in my bag. I slept with a thankful heart to God and a smile on my face because finally, finally, my life story would be different, our life story.