My first fellowship at NIFES was amazing and I was more than determined to keep it permanent there .Yes I did...
After that day, I really couldn't take my mind off the words Akwa spoke to me that day, it felt like he had known me forever and could see through me like I was transparent(I began to take my mind back to that day, 'did I wear anything transparent?'..no I don't think, I replied as I shrugged my shoulders alongside the thoughts). Maybe he has a prophetic ministry or he saw through my eyes..."please lemme not start racking my brain now, whatever it is, I'll find out when I talk to him" I sighed loudly as I consoled myself. 'Rest was all I needed right now and not worry', I thought as I lay on the bed waiting for sleep to rock me to rest.
"Hi Pearl" Dinma greeted walking into the room. 'Chaiii...that means no sleep for me this afternoon', I lamented as I remembered that Dinma was a whole community when it came to disturbance and noise making. "Dinma I thought you're not supposed to be back till evening?" I queried. "Shuo...you dey vex say I come back?" She fired in pidgin chewing the gum in her mouth in an annoying manner. "Oh...God" I said as I lay back covering my head with a pillow, determined to sleep. It was when I heard more noises and footsteps on the hallway, then our door opening as the noise and laughter increased that was when I realized that my village people had arrived and I had to go pick them up at the park..."Pearl you're done for, no sleep for you" I alerted my self as I got out of the bed. "You nor sleep again" Dinma teased. "I rather go and sleep in the middle of Onitsha market" I said as she laughed hysterically trailing behind me like ant to sugar as went to the sitting room. "Ehen, Pearl, Brother Akwa asked to see you this evening in school" May said. "Ok, I'll go see him" I replied as I headed back to the bathroom(no time to waste, this was what I have been waiting for).
While I moved I heard Janet whisper to the girls, "Archie is terribly sick, and i just got informed, I was hoping we would go see him"
"Ok" May said we'll go see him tomorrow when Pearl is free so we'll have to ask her if she is interested in coming too.
"Thanks girls" Janet said as I could feel her smile.
'Definitely I'll go, i need to complete the healing process' I thought to myself as I hurried off.
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"Pearl seriously na, don't use our stomach to play, there's hunger ooo" Dinma pleaded. "Hunger kwa?!" I exclaimed. "Is it not food you people just finished eating? "I queried. "Ah, ah Pearl" Nonso started as I turned my attention to her, "That one is appetizer na" she concluded as Goodness took over the speech "So if we sleep like that don't you know that the night would be longer than usual?, its too early na to say we won't be eating again" she concluded winking at me.
All these while May was silent, so I turned to her and asked, "What's your say on this issue" I asked(she always gat my back, she was gonna support me and her say would be final). "Baby, am hungry too, but don't worry I will stay with you in the kitchen because of our baby ooo" she said smiling. That was all my defeat needed to be complete as the rest of them burst out laughing and I had to join them too....(May had just fallen my hand and she did it codedly). In that same spirit, they all came and dragged me into the kitchen. 'These girls' i thought. "I just hope this baby doesn't grow up to all of you in one" I said as we all laughed. "She'll join us and worry the hell out of you" Janet said as the laughter intensified.
"You're not serious ooh" I commented trying to control the growth of the laughter.
Just then my phone rang, guess who..Jide. 'What was it again, I thought he only just left here?' I thought. There was only one way to find out so I ventured into it. "Hi pretty" he called out as I smiled.
"Hi what's up, did you forget something?" I asked trying to hide my excitement. "Yes, I have a favor to ask of you girls, please put the phone on speaker" he said as I obeyed signalling the girls to listen.
"Hi girls, please I forgot to ask, my best friend and colleague has his birthday today, I intend throwing a surprise party for him and I'd love for you girls to be in attendance" he said as we stared at each other at the other end. "You know it's late already?" I asked and said at the same time, "was just about fixing dinner" I continued. "Don't worry, dinner is on me tonight and I'll come pick you and drop you off before 9:30pm, I promise" he said again.
"Okay" May said. "We'll be done getting ready in 20 minutes" she concluded. "I'll be there" Jide said as the line went dead. "Are you serious?" I asked May. "Oh, you can stay back and cook, we'll still have space to put it" she said. "Jide is our friend, let's honor him okay?" she ended. "Ok, we all said as we hurried off to get dressed.
In twenty minutes, Jide was around, so we all went out towards the car. "Wow, you girls look ravishing" he said as he scanned through the others and rested his gaze at me.
"Thanks Jide" we all replied as we got in the car and it zoomed off.
*AT THE BIRTHDAY PARTY*
When we got to the party, everything looked so beautiful with a beautiful writeup where a beautiful photo laid,it read:
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY THERAPIST AYODEJI"
Then I realized that he was the same doctor that handled my therapy and I was glad I could pay him back for being so nice to me.
When he came in there were screams of happy birthday everywhere and this guy was shockingly in tears. I couldn't help but laugh, "see this guy wey dey form tough guy during sessions" I thought as I smiled broadly. Jide was the organizer of the party so I didn't really get to see him in camera but I wasn't bored cos Ayo came up to talk to me.
The party ran smoothly and came to an end in less than two hours and Jide took us home as promised. It was a beautiful night and that was how I escaped cooking...IS GOD NOT WONDERFUL