Withered Flower - Episode 4

Iyeke laid on the bed. She had no desire to go to church, not after her trip from Abuja. Besides, she always felt a tinge of guilt every time she was with chief. He was old enough to be her father but she needed the money he provided, to take care of her family.

Growing up was very difficult. She never met her mother or father and was raised by her grandmother. She was told that her parents died in a car accident, but that didn’t stop the other children from making fun of her on the playground. Some called her an “ogbanje” child that caused her parents’ death. Needless to say, she had no friends.

Her grandmother was a petty trader, who sold confectioneries and other little things in front of their house. They hardly ate three square meals and if they did, it was hardly balanced, nutritionally. The first time she ate beef was at Emem’s house and she remembered she got the beating of her life from her Grandmother.

Her phone rang … it was Emem.

“Hello babe, how you dey? Yeah I will be ready so you can stop by and pick me. Okay later”

She dropped the phone and headed to the bathroom.

As the water ran down her body, Iyeke couldn’t help but think about her life. How did she get to this point of her life? She had thought that she was going to be married with kids before the age of 25, even amongst her group of friends, everybody thought she was going to be the first to get married but here she was, approaching 27 and still single with no hope of getting married.

She was a beautiful girl and everyone knew this but all the men who came her way, were not serious about getting married to her.  Emem had more luck in that department, she met her husband when she was only 4 years of age and they have been stuck together since then. After so many disappointment from men, she decided to start going out with older married men, who could afford to take care of her and especially her grandmother. There was no use being in a relationship that will go nowhere and not be rewarded for it.

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The lady in the picture ought to be the most beautiful girl he had ever seen in his life. She was chocolate brown in complexion, pointed nose, sculpted cheekbones and a beautiful figure. If he had to estimate her statistics, it will be 36 -26 – 38… the girl was awesome.

Kene stared at the picture on his phone. Nkem had finally told him about the girl he was hooking him up with. His response was “no” but now that he had seen this picture, he was reconsidering. He had dated beautiful girls before but there was something about this girl that he couldn’t place a finger on and besides, she had a unique name that even made her more unique and innocent.

He picked up the remote control to turn on the TV. Nkem had said that Lunch will be at 3pm and he had enough time to kill before leaving the house.

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Iyeke looked down from the balcony. A very handsome man was stepping out of the latest Porshe Cayenne jeep. She kept looking the vaguely familiar man until he walked into the building. She walked back into the house.

“Nkem, this una building get correct bobos oh. I just see as one comot from one fine car”

Nkem smiled at her, as she made her way to the kitchen to join Emem.

“Madam, you too like to dey cook. This thing never leave your body?” she said, while trying to pick a piece of meat from a pot still on fire.

“You know say I be “calabar” babe nah and we sabi cook nah” Emem said laughing. “How was your trip and grandmum?”

“She is fine, my cousin was giving her grieve so she sent for me. I really want to bring her to Lagos as there is nothing keeping her there but the woman still won’t budge. I am tired” she lamented.

“Don’t worry, it will be fine. While we are here, how far?” Emem asked

“With what?” She replied, pretending not to know what Emem was talking about.

“You know what I’m talking about jor. How far with man?”

Emem always asked this question every time they met, which was one of the reasons she avoiding any kind of meeting with her. So many times, she had wanted to tell Emem about Chief but she didn’t know how her friend would take it that she was dating a married man. It tore her heart that she couldn’t confide in her friend, as they have always told each other everything.

“Abeg leave me jare with man, I no get that kain time. Make dem sidon their own abeg” she replied.

“Iyeke, you are a very beautiful girl and I know a lot of guys who will give an arm and a leg to be with you but you have become very reclusive, we don’t talk like we used to and you have stopped going out. Looks to me like you have given up on love”

Emem’s words always pierced her heart because she was telling the truth.

“My dear, let the one arm and one leg guy come now, because the full bodied ones are not stepping up oh” she joked.

“I’m serious Iyeke, stop joking. You know I really want the best from you my best friend”.

“I know, i'm just tired of all these men”

“Ha! Tired of men? Please promise me that if you want to swing that way, you start with me first oh” she smiled.

“Yeye girl. Abeg hurry up with this cooking jor, hunger dey waya me” she smiled

The doorbell rang and he heard Nkem open the door. She heard voices in the living room.

“Are you guys expecting visitors?” she asked.

“No, just a visitor” Emem smiled. “Let’s go to the parlour”.

Iyeke, walked into the living room and saw the Porshe Cayenne guy.

“Iyeke, meet Kene, Kene, Iyeke” Nkem said

“Hi” she said, as she put her hand forward for a handshake. It was then it dawned on her why she was here and who this person was.