Chapter 2 2

I came to the United States when I was just seventeen years, fresh out of high school. I still remember feeling so happy and on top of the world when I got the news from my mom that her elder brother wants me to come over and school.... it didn't take long for the news to go round the neighborhood and soon people, families and friends trooped to our house to congratulate me, mom cooked a very big pot of rice and served everyone, it was like a mini fare well party.

All my peers were envious of me, they openly wished to be in my shoes which only made me grow more pompous and proud of my coming accomplishment, I used to walk around with my shoulder up high, forming fake American accent. When I go here, the first thing I noticed was the total difference in the lifestyle unlike the one I was used to back in Nigeria, it took me a while to settle in because I suffered from cultural shock but once that was over, I was up and doing, making friends and fitting in like I belonged all along. I got into college the second year with my third cousin who is a basketball and later got drafted into the NBA College experience was something I would never forget, I studied really hard and had so much fun to balance it up, attending crazy ads frat parties, going for stunts and hiking, visiting casino's and road trips with friends.... I was in a couple of relationship with different girls but it was nothing serious, some people thought of me as a bit of a Casanova but it wasn't so, I'm good looking and girls where always flanking around me and I just couldn't say no, I was enjoying the prime time of my life. It was during this time of my youthful exuberance that I met her.... the woman who later became my downfall, Susanne Johnson Clark. I met her in my final year during a house party, hosted by one bastardly rich Asian guy who was a friend of a friend, the party was going to be the talk of the town and I couldn't miss it for the world... now thinking back to that day, maybe things wouldn't have taken the wrong turn for me if I didn't attend that party despite feeling under the weather that fateful day She was being harassed by a drunk frat boy and being the gentle man I was, I rushed to her rescue and even rode her back to her apartment, some days later she hit me up on social media, asking for us to meet at a small coffee shop on campus and I obliged. I never gave her my number to begin with, she got it from one of her friends who happens to know me through another friend, I was quite popular for a black kid for many reasons so I wasn't surprised

We began meeting more frequently and became good friends, one day on one of our hangouts, she asked me out, asked me to be her boyfriend and I accepted for the fun of it. She's pretty, hot and very smart so I thought why not? What was their to loose? Most surprisingly our relationship lasted years unlike the others, I grew to love her unconditionally even though my family had their reservations about a white daughter in law. I finished college and established myself with the help of my uncle, it didn't take me long to make my first break through as a computer programmer and soon I started my own company. Everything was going well and I was steadily making as name for myself, slowly building the empire of my dream, with my sweat and blood but now it has all gone to waste, all of my properties were confiscated and I was not allowed to live with a single pin, the only thing I have is the cloth on my back and the little stipend given to me by the US government..... everything I worked for went down the drain within the twinkle of an eye.'.......all passengers should please put on their sit belts, we would be landing shortly....' a feminine blare as air hostesses move around to wake sleeping passengers to hook on their seat belts again. I closed my eyes, relaxed back and try really hard to calm my raging nerves.... I travelled out 13 year ago with so much expectation to be one of the greatest men in the history of time but rather I came back a lose, nothing to show for all the years I spent away and it grieves and pierce my heart.

I knew that from here on that things would never be the same for me again, people would laugh at me, scorn me and make fun of me but I'm a survival after all, if a managed to make it through those hellish years of torture in prison then their is nothing worse that can happen. Danny, Joan and Steve have taught me to be strong and optimistic no matter what, their fate wasn't better off mine but those men always life live without regret, they have leant not to dwell on the negativities surrounding them and if I have to survive coming back to my father land, I would have to adopt that mind set and put the past behind me. I made my way to the arrival hall with the other passengers after we landed, unlike the rest I didn't have any luggage to clear out so I just walked towards the exit without a backward look, I knew where I was going from here even though Lagos has become distant in my memory and everything have changed but I never expected for someone to come here for me, didn't tell anyone I had been released and was coming back home. 'Tade! Tade! Tade! 'That voice... so distinctively familiar that I immediately knew who it was though it been years since I last heard it, I turned around in time just as a petite figure jumped into my arms, catching me off guard. 'Tammy! 'I couldn't believe my eyes, my little sister is here at the airport in my arm... who did she get here? How did she know I was coming ''God! Tade, what have does white beast done to my dear brother......'She started crying and caressing my face. 'Tammy it's you!'! II hug her back, letting the tears I didn't know I was holding fall freely, I have missed her so much, missed my mom and every other member of my family. 'Yes it me brother, it me! 'I remained their hugging and crying while passerby shoot is strange looks but neither of us mind them. 'I came to pick you up, thank God I didn't miss you' 'How did you know I have been released? 'I asked as she pulls me out to the parking lot. 'Do you think I would have left with those beast without keeping touch, I have my source and I got to know you were released yesterday, I didn't tell anyone though' I breath a sigh of relive at the last part of her statement. 'I knew you would want some time to yourself first before facing everyone... no pressure Bro, just let me know when you're ready' 'Thank you, thank you so much Tammy' I hug her again feeling overwhelmed by her love and care... I didn't know what to expect from my family when I got back but I was scared of their judging me wrongly.... so fat my little sister have managed to kill that fear in me, I didn't see any look of judgement in her face and that ease my heart. We got into the her car, an Honda and she started driving off. 'Can you help me locate a very cheap hotel where I could stay for the main time' 'Hotel! Are you kidding me.... why would you want to stay in stay hotel? 'I have no where else you go' 'You have somewhere to go.... you are staying with me and that is final.....''But Tammy......''No objections Bro.....'