The Moment I Met You (Chapter 294)

By Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu

The neighbours were really gossipy that Chisom wasn’t pleased with their questions. But then she would be sounding rude if she were to ask them to shut up. Instead, she went to the kitchen to help Louisa. Some of the neighbours were noisy and couldn’t help asking.                                                                                                                

  ‘Hey, Chisom, can you tell us the main reason why you ended up like this?’                                                                                                         

‘I don’t really know why,’Chioma answered.                                              

‘What, how could someone beat you for no reason? In movies, it is usually because of love and revenge, could that be the reason?’                                                                                                                         

  ‘Chioma has never been an actress. Maybe, it could have been that my sister was a victim of random attack. Nowadays, parts of Abuja metropolis are gradually turning into an enclave where hoodlums attack and rob people, despite being rated as one of the fastest growing city in the world. Anyone can be a victim.’                                                                

‘You’re absolutely right, Andrew.’                                                          

Andrew answered well for his sister, and the neighbours finally stopped pestering with more details. Andrew had always known their neighbours to be gossipy people, even so, they were still good people.

                 

  Chisom liked the smell of the food Louisa was cooking in the kitchen. It was a simple meal of rice, chicken stew and spaghetti. She was wearing a rose patterned apron. The food was almost done to be served. Seeing that Chisom had come to help her, Louisa smiled with warmth, then revealed a caring expression as she said, ‘You won’t be going home tonight. There have been recurring cases of theft here in Abuja which is supposedly the safest place in Nigeria…these monstrous crimes occur mostly at night by hoodlums who most times parade themselves as traders and even taxi driver. As my daughter in-law to be, I will be a bad mother in-law if I let you go back home. I will call your parents and inform them that you’re going to spend the night with us.’             

                  

  The moment Louisa said that, Segun who was taking another drink from the fridge, blissfully said, ‘Louisa, will make such a good mother-in-law.’                                                                                                                                     

Chisom blushed with a smile. Then, she helped Louisa serve the food. There were three dishes, and the fruits that Chisom bought stayed in the middle of the table. There was also a jug of watermelon juice.