Episode
2
Iye watched Bukky with
interest as she scooped the ice cream as if her life depended on it. She
dropped the novel in her hand, picked the pillow beside her and curled herself
up on the bed in the most suitable position that would enable her listen to the
lamentations that would soon follow the aggressive ice cream licker.
"You know, I can't
still believe he had the heart to leave me. It’s my fault of course; I’m always
the fool who gives keep giving men as many chances to break my heart.",
said Bukky as she dropped the plate of ice cream and furrowed her brows in
concentration.
"Iye look at me now,
I am beautiful and smart; I’m a natural for any musical instrument. I’m sound
academically, even though I don't have the nerdy look. Is it wrong for me to
want a guy that is not only interested in all the goodies I come with, but is
also interested in wanting me as a person? Is it wrong for him to be a real
gentleman and respect my standards and preferences? I don’t get it! Why is it
that every guy I date can’t wait to fly into bed with me all in the name of
love? Iye, this is the fourth serious relationship that is crashing; it’s
beginning to look like I need deliverance or something. Maybe God will
understand if I bend the rules a bit." Her face was twisted in agony as
she expressed her bitterness.
Iye eyed her friend in
pity as she thought about what she said. It’s just sooo unfortunate that good
men are very scarce these days; men that would respect sexual purity in a
relationship. “Why in the world would a man insist on making love to a lady who
respects her chastity? Where are the days where virgins are respected and
sought after like a priced jewel?”, she thought to herself. God forbid that she
advice her friend to give in. There’s nothing cool about giving into sex simply
because you’re pressured by a so-called boyfriend except for a truck load of
regrets when the relationship eventually gets sour. Without saying a word to
her friend, she turned and glanced with nostalgia at the beautiful picture on
the wall. It was her six year old daughter Mimi smiling happily at the camera,
looking beautiful and happy as always. Sadly, as happy as she looked in the
picture, she had recently been taken away forcefully without her mother’s
consent by her biological father and his people amidst all kinds of threats if Iye
tried anything funny. Mimi, her precious little princess, was proof of what one
foolish unplanned action and one wrong decision could result in...
"Iye I am not
comfortable seeing you hang around that boy, he is not good for you. I didn't
train you to be that way", her mum scolded in her usual manner. But of
course Iye waved off such words like the humming of a nasty mosquito whispering
in her ears, after all, she was not doing anything bad.
"Mum please, I am
not a kid anymore. Dave is just a friend. Stop listening to those jobless
neighbours around that don't have any other business other than gossiping about
me and..."
"Shut up my friend”,
her mother scolded even more, adding a slap on Iye’s cheek to further drive
home the point which Iye narrowly dodged. “Instead of you to be praying that
your admission comes through you are busy following boys all around the area abi?
That useless boy who can barely feed himself, who doesn’t know what he wants in
life…Just be careful o! You know how your father is, if you come home carrying
another man's bastard, just forget about anything spelt SCHOOL; that is if you
survive what he will do to you.
"God forbid! Haba
mummy, Dave is just my friend. We don't do such things and in fact I would
never give him room to try such. I am not a bad girl now. It’s just that he’s
funny and very sweet. He says encourages me and helps me in many ways and..."
“If I hear one more word
from you…”, her mother interjected grabbing one of Iye’s ear and winding it with all her might while Iye
winced in pain as she struggled to free herself from her mother’s grip. "That
is how it usually starts and the next thing follows is a big belly."
"Oooooh! Mummy
naaaaa, is that why you want to remove my ears?”
"You see that stupid
grin on your face, that adoration in your eyes when you were talking about him?
That is how it begins and before you know it, you won't just be opening your
teeth smiling, you will be opening your legs too and by then, it would be too
late. I’m not itching to be a grandma yet." Her mother said with all the
seriousness she could muster.
"Ahn! Ahn! Mummy, is
that a curse or what? I reject it o. Andy wouldn't try such a thing; I trust
him. Besides, he respects me and knows I’m not the type", she said in self
defense.
"Oh, really! Well,
since you have refused to be reasonable, let's do it this way. If you know I am
your mother that carries you for nine months, and if you know you sucked this
breast…”, she said beating her chest, “…I don't want you to see that boy again;
not in my house or anywhere else. Is that clear? I won't stand here and watch
you mess your life up. You are my only daughter for heaven's sake" she
lamented.
"Mum that is not
fair, it’s just not fair. Is it a crime to have a friend? Please mummy", she
pleaded.
"Capital NO! I hate
to see you sad but I have a bad feeling about this guy. There will be many more
guys in future but not this one please and not now. Promise me you won't see
him again..."
Iye grudgingly promised
to do as her mum said, a promised she didn’t to intend to keep, which
eventually led to a series of events which she didn’t want to remember. That line
of thought would have to wait until a later date because Bukky needs her help now.
“Iye!!! You’re not saying
anything. Or am I talking to myself?”
Gathering herself out of
her walk down memory lane, Iye sighed deeply and looked into her friend’s
pretty face. "Bukky, I know what bending the rules means and believe me
sweety, it’s not a road you wanna walk through. You and I know the
repercussions for bending the rules is even more painful in the long run than
the pain of doing what everyone else feels has become old fashioned. The fact
that Osas, or whatever his name is, said its over does not mean it is over with
your life. You have to pick up the pieces of your broken heart and move on."
Bukky paced the length
and breadth of the room like someone whose family member was in the labour room.
"That is exactly
what I do not want to hear. Where has holding on to standards and principles
taken me? I’ll tell you where; it has taken me through three break ups and if
care is not taken, a fourth one is on the way. It’s not like it’s officially
over, but it’s almost as good as things being over between Osas and I. You know
I love him very much and I don't want to lose him. He is everything I desire in
a man and he is even talking about marrying me. But recently, he gave me a
condition and I guess you know what it is but my question is, will doing it be
as bad as they always tell us? Don't you think there’s no harm in doing it,
after all we love each other and will be getting married anyways? And..."
"Bukky”, Iye said
placing a hand on Bukky’s shoulder to get her to stand still, “I understand how
you feel but sweetheart, do you really think it’s okay to dump all you stand
for just to keep a man? No matter what I say, you know the right thing to do
and the choice is yours to make. I can’t make a decision for you, you have to
think about it yourself." She picked her novel and continued reading.
To be continued…
P.S: Twist and Turns continues next Tuesday. Read, invite friends to read and share cuz it's only gonna get hotter.
Read Older Episodes Here
Episode 1
Pheobe Omiwole is
a motivational speaker and a talented writer who uses her pen and voice
to affect the world and the lives of men. She also has a personal blog
where she writes really inspiring stuff. Check out her blog on http://www.pheobeomiwole.WordPress.com
