Chapter 2 December Rush 2

DECEMBER RUSH

CHAPTER 2

The next morning, I was woken from sleep by a loud commotion in front of our house. My cousin, for I lived with my uncle and his wife, was sent to get me from my room. I couldn't tell what was happening and why I was being summoned. However, I suspected it had to do with the events of the previous day.

"Do you have any idea why I am being called?" I asked my cousin, Chike.

"No, I don't, but Chancele's mother is among the people who want to see you." He replied.

"What? Chancele's mother? How about Cominash? Is her mother also there?"

"Yes, I saw her too."

"Oh no! I am in trouble."

I left my bedroom still in my pajamas, and walked reluctantly to the front of the house where there was a small crowd consisting of Chancele, Cominash, both of their mothers, Chancele's brother and a few gossipy neighbours. I put on a straight and innocent face as I approached them.

"This is the massa." Chancele's mum spoke as soon as I came.

"So, you are the one who has been deceiving our daughters?!" Cominash's mother spoke.

"What? Mum? What did you say?" I asked, feigning innocence.

"Will you shut up your mouth." My uncle's wife barked. "You are acting as if you don't know these two girls. Do you know them or not?"

"Emm, auntie, I know them." I answered. The words came out with great difficulty.

"And who are they to you?"

"Ordinary friends."

"Ordinary friends, Ebuka? Ordinary friends and they are fighting over you?"

"Yes oh, auntie. You see these village girls, I am sure they have been watching too much wrestling and so, they decided to practice it. Remember yesterday was Christmas. I am sure they were just trying to entertain some people."

I replied, trying to downplay the whole thing.

"Ebuka!!" Cominash shouted. "Is that all you can say?"

"My friend, will you shut up your mouth there? What is your problem. Better behave yourself oh."

"You are the one who should behave yourself." Cominash's mother spoke. "Anyway, I don't blame you. It is my daughter that I blame. If she wasn't stupid enough to open her legs to you, you wouldn't have been saying all that nonsense you are saying now."

"I am sorry, Mum." I spoke, being serious for the first time.

"Better be sorry for yourself, Ebuka. In fact, if I ever see you with my daughter again, I will deal with you. Comi, let's go." She threatened and dragged her daughter away.

Chancele's mother looked at me for one whole minute, spat on the ground and dragged her daughter away. It was Chancele's brother who spoke.

"I thought I warned you to stay away from my sister?"

"My friend what is your problem? Don't you go after other people's sisters too?" I asked him.

"So, that is all you can say?"

"Yes, that is all I can say."

"Alright, next time I see you with my sister, you will see the stuff I am made of."

"Which stuff are you made of? Am I the one you should be warning? Instead of you to go and warn your sister, you are here warning me. Anyway, you cannot blame your sister. It is not easy to have a city guy like me."

"Will you shut up and get inside the house." My uncle's wife snapped.

When everyone had gone, she gave me a good scolding and a very long lecture about how I was trying to destroy the good name of she and her husband. She said she and her husband are known to be good people in that village. She said she would tell her husband to make sure that I never come to the village again for holiday, and she was also going to report me to my father.

I didn't want her to report me to my uncle. So, I apologized to her and told her that henceforth, I would be a good boy. She said she would put me under observation, and if she realized that I was not keeping to the terms of my promise, she would go straight to my uncle and report everything.

So far, so good, Chancele and Cominash had dismissed themselves from my life by foolishly fighting in a public place. Compounding on their foolishness, they had also caused me embarrassment by bringing their mothers to my house to come and cause trouble. So, as a consequence for their actions, I blocked both of their numbers so that they would not be able to contact me again. My business with them was over. I didn't need any further distraction because I wanted to concentrate on the new girl I had just met.

The next day, I texted her and she responded almost immediately.

"Hi Rosy."

"Ebuka, how are you?" She asked.

"As fit as a fiddle. How about you?"

"I am good. I haven't seen or heard from you since the last time we met. I hope you are fine?"

"Yes, I am. So, what will you be doing later in the day?"

"Why do you ask?"

"I was hoping that we could meet and talk."

"What about?"

"Well, a lot of things, but let's meet first. I like to watch people's expressions when I talk to them." I spoke.

"Alright, it's okay by me."

"So, at what time do you think it will be convenient for us to meet?"

"Emm, let's say by 7:00 PM."

"That is fine by me. Let's meet under that small Mango tree behind the church house. I will be there waiting for you."

"Alright, I will be there."

"Thank you. Please, seven should be seven oh. Don't keep me waiting."

"I said I will be there."

"Bye Rosy."

"Bye Ebuka."

I couldn't wait for 7:00 PM to come. I made sure I wore a black T-Shirt over a black pair of jeans. Since I was going to see her at night, it was necessary that I dress inconspicuously. I also made sure that my phone was fully charged. At 6:30 on the dot, I exited the house and was about to leave the compound when my uncle's wife spotted me.

"Young man, where are you going to?" She asked.

"I am going to see some friends, auntie."

"What for?"

"We have our cultural week coming up. Football will be one of the competitions to grace the event. So, I am going to see my friends so that we can organize things." I lied.

"I don't trust you, Ebuka. I am sure you are going to see a girl." She suspected correctly.

"No, after what happened, I have decided that no more girls until I get back to the city."

"Until you get back to the city. So that is what you are doing in the city. How many girls do you have in the city?"

"One, auntie. I mean, none."

"One, none. Alright, be joking. If you get someone's daughter pregnant in this village, let me tell you, you are on your own."

"Auntie, I can't. Trust me na. I will be back soon."

"If you care, come back tomorrow."

It was getting dark now. It was almost 7:00 and my aunt was doing nothing but waste my time. When she finally let me go, I took the first bike I saw and asked the bike man to increase speed.

Five minutes later, I was at the church compound. I looked around and noticed that Rose had not yet made it. I was very happy. I didn't want to keep a woman waiting. I leaned on the small Mango tree at the back of the church and waited. As I waited, my phone beeped. I checked and it was a message on WhatsApp. It was from Rose.

"Are you there already?" She asked.

"Yes, my lady." I replied.

"I am on my way." She attached a laughter emoji.

A few minutes later, she showed up wearing a mini skirt and a white long sleeve top. She looked beautiful in spite of the approaching darkness. She also smelled good. As she approached the mango tree, I went and met her half way and together we walked back to the mango tree and sat down on the bare grass.

"I am happy that you are here." I began.

"So am I."

"So, what is a beautiful girl like you doing in the village?"

"Came to spend the Christmas with my parents. What about you?"

"My uncle lives here. He is the local commissioner of police."

"What?"

"Yes, have you never met him? Most people in the village know him."

"All policemen look alike to me. So, I might have seen him without taking any special note."

"Alright, so you better be careful with me. One mistake, and I will get my uncle to arrest you."

We both laughed at this. Then, she became serious now.

"Why did you call me out here?" She asked.

"Well, I don't know if this is too soon. I hope you wouldn't hold this against me. It was the English man who said that you should make hay while it is sunny. So, whatever I say now, blame the English man and not me."

"When will you ever be serious, Ebuka? Just go ahead and tell me. Speak now or forever remain silent."

"Well, well, I will not behave like these local village boys. I will just go straight to the point. I want you..., I mean I wish that you be my girlfriend."

"Girlfriend? Like we will be doing something?" She asked with amusement.

"Well, I will not altogether say no, but if you allow me do it, who am I to say no."

"Hahahahaha, you always have a comic way of saying your things. Anyway, we have known for only three days. Is it not too early to start asking me out?"

"Three days is a very long time oh. Do you know that the lifespan of some insects is twenty-four hours?" I asked.

"For real?"

"Yes, and that means three days is three lifespans for that poor, unfortunate insect. So, have you now realized that I have known you for three lifespans?"

"Hahahahaha, oh my gosh! You are a real clown. What do you study at the university?"

"Law and you?"

"Political Science."

"That is about the same thing na. That means we were destined to meet. We were meant to be together." I spoke.

"You wish! Anyway, I will need some time to think about your proposal." She declared.

"Some time? How long?"

"Three lifespans." She laughed.

"In insect terms. That means three days. Wow!! That is not too long. I will be waiting, my lady. I hope the result comes fast and I hope it should be positive." I said excitedly.

"Go and start praying." She laughed.

"Praying is an understatement. In fact, I am launching three days fasting beginning today. Wait a minute, I have already eaten today. Anyway, I will begin fasting tomorrow. I will have neither water nor food until my lady comes back to me with good news."

"You are a clown, Ebuka. I am telling you the truth. Anyway, I have to go now. Goodnight."

"Just like that?"

"Yes, what do you want?"

"A small peck on the jaw as a sign of goodwill."

"You are not serious. Let's meet online, please. I have to go."

"Alright, have a safe and blessed night. Dream about me oh. Dream that we are doing something." I laughed.

She turned around, looked at me for a while and shook her head in frustration. As I walked back home, I felt happy with myself. I had just been with a beautiful city girl, not these local village girls like Chancele and Cominash. If Rose should fall for me enh, I would use her to teach these local champions a lesson.

When I got home, I met my uncle's wife sitting on the veranda peeling egusi. I greeted her and was about to get into the house when she stopped me.

"Come here, young man." She spoke.

"Yes, auntie."

"You had a visitor while you were away."

"Who was it? I hope it was not one of those village girls?"

"Will you shut up? That is all you know. Anyway, it wasn't any of them."

"Auntie, who was it then?"

"It was a male friend. I had never seen him before."

"Did he leave a name?"

"Yes, he said his name was Van, and that if you didn't recall, I should tell you that it was Naked Wire."

"Naked!!" I exclaimed.

TO BE CONMTINUED...