The moment I met you (Chapter 50)

By Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu

‘Yes ma’am.’                                                                                             

The girl glanced at her watch. ‘In half an hour, I should be leaving for the airport. My elder brother is arriving from the US. Better don’t waste my time else I’ll blow you up.’                                               

‘Are you a bomb genius?’ Chioma muttered, thinking that the girl didn’t hear her. But she heard what Chioma said, and even gave Chioma a frown.       

Chioma didn’t know what to say to the girl. She didn’t want any trouble, especially not on her first day at work. She had read from a book that customers are always right. It seemed she was going to tolerate the customers since it was the right thing to do. Besides, most of the customers are frequent diners that she knew.

‘Hope the fried rice will be delicious?’ the girl asked, picking up an apple from the fruit bowl.                                                                       

‘Yes ma’am. My friend is on it.’                                                                  

 ‘On it?’ the girl scoffed. ‘Is she sitting on it?’ she said in a huff, then handed the apple to Chioma. ‘Peel it for me.’                             

Chioma obediently took the apple from the girl. Picking up a knife, she began to carefully peel the apple.           

 ‘Hope the eggs are from the hens raised with natural feed? The girl glanced at Chioma and asked. ‘I want to have delicious eggs.’

‘Yes, ma’am,’ Chioma replied, trying her best to please the girl.

‘What’s your name?’                                                                                         

‘Chioma Chima,’ with her head lowered, Chioma peeled the apple and answered.                                                                                                  

 ‘Do you have a boyfriend?’                                                                     

‘No, ma’am.’                                             

The moment I met you (Chapter 49)

By Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu

Chioma caught him staring at her but pretended not seeing his gaze. She didn’t want her boss   to feel embarrassed.                         

‘How do you feel to be part of us? I hope you are pleased?’ Chisom enthusiastically asked.                                                                      

‘Yea, I’m glad to work here   now. At least I’m now a working-class lady.’ She stuck out her tongue playfully.                                        

Chisom chuckled. ‘Now that you’re Miss moneybags, I will gladly rip you off.’                                                                                        

‘You don’t need to raise your hopes because I’m certain to be the number one stingy girl in the world.’                                                  

The two girls chatted happily until customers began arriving.             

‘What would you like to order?’ Chioma walked over to a girl and asked cheerfully. The girl was in a green floral dress and a white beret. She seemed to be speaking to her boyfriend on the phone. Hanging up she turned to look at Chioma. ‘What would you like to order? Chioma gently repeated the question.                              

‘Fried rice with boiled eggs,’ the girl replied, reaching for a lipstick from her white purse. ‘Also, I’d like iced cola,’ she added, and began putting on lipstick with a small mirror.                                                                     

 ‘I’ll be back,’ Chioma politely said, and hurried off. She came back with some apples and a glass of fresh juice. ‘Ma’am why you wait for the fried rice I’ll like you to eat some apple with a glass of fresh juice,’ Chioma spoke gently as she placed the bowl of apples and a glass of juice on the small table.                                                          

‘Are you kidding? Do I have to wait for ages?’                                  

‘Only a few minutes, ma’am.’                                                                   

When the girl finished applying her make-up, she put the chanel lipstick into her purse.                                                                          

‘Eating the apple and drinking the juice isn’t a problem, but I hope they’re fresh?’                    

The moment I met you (Chapter 48)

By Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu

Just as Chioma was about to reply, Emeka Ndubuisi walked in, wearing blue jeans and a black thick jacket which was obviously from a low-end brand  he bought from a street stall. The dress fitted him perfectly well.                                                                                                                

Both Chioma and Chisom stood up to greet him. He might be an ordinary man but was the boss of Star Restaurant.                                       

‘You haven’t still changed into your uniform?’ Emeka asked Chioma.                                                                                                                      

Chisom was already wearing her uniform and ready for work. The uniform was black dress with red scarf. The dress looked good on her. She was about 168 centimetre tall. Her dark hair was tied with red elastic band.                                                                                                                     

‘I will get her something to change into,’ Chisom said and turned away. She returned with a black dress and a red scarf, and handed the dress to Chioma. ‘Change into these, so we could begin work already.’             

Emeka smiled, and then headed for the counter. Chioma blushed, and walked over to the changing room.                                                             

‘My goodness, you look beautiful!’ Chisom exclaimed when Chioma came into the dining area. ‘Everyone is going to be looking at you instead of eating.’                                                                                              

Although Emeka was busy at the counter, he couldn’t help sneakily peeking at Chioma. Upon seeing her in such a fitting dress and scarf, Emeka felt his heart beat faster. She was beautiful, he thought. Yes, she was no queen of beauty; Emeka still felt that her beauty was enchanting enough to ruin a country. Was that possible for a woman to ruin a country with her beauty? If it were possible, was someone like Chioma qualified to ruin the world with her beauty. She wasn’t exceptionally beautiful, but she had the uniqueness that could captivate her surroundings.  Such beauty was not easily erased in the minds of men.               

The moment I met you (Chapter 47)

By Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu

‘Yes,’ Chioma nodded. ‘I treated myself without his money.’                        

‘Chioma?’                                                                                                            

‘Yeah?’                                                                                                                

‘Are you sure that you ain’t regretting losing this man for good?’ Chisom asked, with a serious expression on her face.                                       

‘Well, at that point, I had to toss his money and card at him. I was rude to him.’ She turned her face away. ‘I hate guys that think too highly of themselves. I felt insulted with the way he treated me like I was some kind of charity case.’                                                                                      

‘Chioma, you know why I’m asking. You told me that on your first meeting  which was the moment you met him, you felt that he was the most important person in your life,’ she paused and spoke again. Chioma turned her face back to look at her. ‘You said that with him you want to experience all sorts of emotions… love, hate, infatuation… Now, the opportunity came for you to grab it… you threw it away.’ Her voice was small.                                                                                                              

‘Chisom, stop it. I was only joking when I said that.’ Chioma’s voice sounded hoarse as tears stole into her eyes.                                                     

‘I’m not joking.’ Chisom was serious.                                                              

‘So you’re going to blame me now?’                                                             

‘No.’                                                                                                                    

‘What I did was wrong?’                                                                                    

Chisom didn’t reply, but her expression said it all.                                         

Chioma took a deep breath in and pointed at her. ‘Fine, Chisom, what should I have done?’                                                                                            

‘You shouldn’t have let your anger get the best of you.’                      

‘I know I was in the wrong, but I couldn’t stand him trying to show off in front of me…’                                                                                         

‘He loves you.’ Chisom was optimistic about that. ‘He acted like a gentleman in the simple way he knows. Someone of such status couldn’t have cared whether you were dead or alive. But he waited patiently for you, despite his schedules. You’re one lucky girl.’ She patted Chioma’s shoulder and asked, ‘You love him, don’t you?’

The moment I met you (Chapter 46)

 By Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu   

‘Big brother, Andrew.’ Chisom wrote. ‘Chioma’s here already’.         

‘Good.  She was involved in an accident with the handsome rich and popular Michael Njemanze. She might not have told you everything about the accident but then, I want you to always be with my sister. She’s your best friend.’                                                                                          

‘I get it big brother Andrew,’ Chisom replied, then went offline.                                     

 ‘Chisom, I thought you’d be busy so didn’t bother disturbing you,’ Chioma said softly.             

‘How can I not be busy? I’m super busy! Busy like bees.’ Chisom was angry. ‘How could you not have told me about the accident you had yesterday?’ She looked up at Chioma.                       

‘Chisom, I’m sorry. Besides, I felt you’d be busy with your customers…’              

‘Even so, how could you not have told me about the accident you had yesterday? You have been my best friend since secondary school. That I’m a waitress shouldn’t change anything.’                  

‘Hey, miss amiable and exceptionally kindhearted girl,’ Chioma said with a smile.                                                                                                           

‘Shut up!’ Chisom rolled her eyes. ‘You’re very stupid!’                                 

Chioma laughed. ‘I’m sorry, bestie.’                                                                   

‘I just learnt from your elder brother that it was Michael Njemanze that hit you?                               

Chioma nodded, and then told Chisom everything that happened.             

Chisom sighed slightly. ‘So… you’re sure you did the right thing by rejecting the money to treat yourself?’ Chisom asked as she reached out to hold Chioma’s hand.

The moment I met you (Chapter 45)

By Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu

She scratched her head at the crazy thoughts popping into her head, and blushed. Her thinking seemed foolish.                         

Her mind raced with countless thoughts regarding Michael that she didn’t know when she drifted off to sleep.                                                                 

The following day Chioma took a quick shower, had a simple but hearty breakfast before pulling on a pale of light blue overalls, paired with white sneakers and a white long sleeved shirt. Her hair was tied up in a high ponytail; she had only lip gloss on her lips. She was looking young and beautiful.                                                                                                               

Waving her mother goodbye, and kissing Andrew on the cheek, Chioma left for Star Restaurant. Chisom was surprised to see her at the same time pleased.                                                                                                     

‘You didn’t get the job yesterday, did you?’ Chisom was oblivious about the accident that happened to Chioma.                                                    

Chioma shook her head.                                                                                    

‘Hey, I thought we agreed that you’d work here with me as soon as you didn’t get the job yesterday. I can’t believe you didn’t come back here?’Chisom said as she pulled up a chair and sat next to Chioma.            

‘I was going to come here yesterday, but I got into an accident.’              

‘What?’ Chisom was shocked. It was obvious she wasn’t aware of Chioma’s accident. ‘Did you go to the hospital? Are you still hurting?’ she was concerned about her best friend. They were like sisters.                        

‘I’m fine now.’ Chioma smiled gently, trying not to make her think too much.                                                                                                                           

‘Can I see it?’Chisom looked worried.

Chioma bent down and pulled her trouser leg up a couple of inches to show her the wound. ‘It doesn’t hurt anymore. I went to the clinic near my house and had it treated.’

       

 Chisom moved closer to inspect it. She looked up at Chioma and asked, ‘Was that why you left my Whatsapp messages unanswered? You could have told me about it…’ Her words were interrupted by a beep from her Whatsapp and she immediately picked it up. It was from Andrew.                                 

The moment I met you (Chapter 44)

 

By Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu

Jessica too was beautiful. She was 170 centimetre tall, with long eyelashes and well delicate face. Her dimples were adorable, and her pink evening dress adorned with white diamonds looked stunning on her. She looked like an eighteen year old girl who was going for her first debut. She was indeed blessed with all the features of a beautiful woman.                                                                               

For some reason, Chioma was sad at the beautiful figure of Jessica standing next to Michael. They might not look intimate in the photo but the picture was perfect and they seem good together. Perhaps like a real couple. They were picture-perfect.                                                                   

Then like a child that might lose in the fight, she clenched her fists and could even hear her heart pounding. What was wrong with her? She doesn’t even know Michael and might not even stand the chance. Perhaps, she would have to be brave enough to confess her love for him. But if she did, wouldn’t that mean embarrassing herself. If it comes to the point that she wouldn’t have the chance to meet Michael and confess her feelings towards him or perhaps, if she didn’t have the courage even if she had the chance, then she would have to keep the man in her heart secretly and love him silently without asking him to return the feelings, even though she felt that she would have the chance of meeting him again. I’m I not running crazy with my stupid thoughts? My life isn’t a movie so I shouldn’t feel that I will have a chance with this god-like man. I’m not even qualified to clean his shoes let alone being his woman. Was he a playboy? Perhaps he kept changing bed partners like most rich guys do? Even so, he was so handsome that women will keep chasing after him like idiots. Perhaps he could be gay or impotent.