The moment I met you (Chapter 21)

By Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu

Her make-up was applied lightly, and she clutched her casual black handbag in one hand and in the other, she carried her file, which had her credentials. With her plain black heels, she walked elegantly and gracefully.                                                                                                                       

As she walked, she tried to picture herself getting dressed up smartly to work in an office, buying gifts for her adoring brother, changing her mother’s wardrobe. Her mind was occupied with these sweet thoughts that she didn’t notice an approaching blue and black coloured Bugatti Chiron sports car. Before she realised what had happened, the speeding car had already scraped past her body, knocking her down to the ground as well as sent her file flying. The car made a stop not far from her.                                                                                            

The file she held in hand now lay scattered on the ground. Yesterday, the same sheets of paper were blown away by the wind and today, a car had knocked them off. She wondered what was actually happening to her. Chioma never believed in superstition if not she would have felt that some spirits were working against her. Perhaps, this was destiny’s way of leading her to something? She had seen so many romance movies and believed that it was only in movies would a prince charming come and sweep her off her feet and take her to the hospital. She was in no movie! She could feel the pain from her knee. That was real! There was no prince charming. What was she going to do now? How would she get to Grace shopping mall?  She had lost her strength to walk on. She wanted to cry but couldn’t or perhaps she had to control the threatening tears from falling down her cheeks.                                              

When Chioma lifted her eyes, she was shocked at the breathtaking Bugatti Chiron. She had only seen a description for this sports car in a magazine and even doubted that someone will fork out 3million dollars just to own this car. 

The moment I met you ( chapter 20)

By Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu

‘Perhaps, you love him from a distance?’ Andrew lifted his hot steaming tea to his lips. ‘I get it… Destiny will draw both of you close,’ he said with an assuring smile. He seemed optimistic.                                                               

Chioma nodded with a smile.                                                                           

‘My sister looks beautiful,’ Andrew said changing the subject. ‘But not as beautiful as mum’. He teased Chioma, turning his head to look proudly at Louisa who walked out with a plate of fried plantain and fried eggs. She was wearing a pink apron adorned with rose flowers.                                        

Chioma giggled. She didn’t believe she was beautiful. She knew that her beauty wasn’t the type to awe people but her facial features were delicate and easy to remember. Her mother was beautiful just like Andrew. Chioma had gotten her not too beautiful looks from her father. Although Louisa was almost 50 years old, she still looked young and sweet, radiating elegance despite selling fruits in the hot scorching sun of the open-market not too far from here that they live.                             

 

‘It’s almost eight, Chioma. You have to go early to be accepted,’ Louisa said, heading back to the kitchen.                                                                   

Chioma nodded, hastily eating her breakfast. She wiped the corners of her mouth with her handkerchief when she was done with breakfast.                                                                                                                      

It was just before eight thirty when they left the house. Andrew went to the garage where he worked; Louisa pushed her fruit cart to the market while Chioma went to Grace shopping mall, one of the most luxurious shopping malls in the city to submit her CV.                                               

To save money for lunch, Chioma decided to walk to the junction before boarding a taxi to the shopping mall. She was in a simple blue cotton dress; her hair was neatly tied up, revealing her graceful neck. 

The moment I met you (chapter 19)

By Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu

‘I’ve prepared some clothes in the bathroom for you. Wish it brings you good luck. You have to leave after you freshen up’.

  Chioma nodded obediently as she turned towards the bathroom. At that moment, her phone suddenly rang. It was Chisom.

 Chioma pressed the answer button and said,’ Chisom…what’s up?’

 ‘Just want to wish you good luck… but I will be happier if you come and work with me,’ Chisom giggled.  

 ‘Are you really wishing me good luck or bad luck?’ Chioma chuckled.                                                                                                                        

   

‘Come on, I’m just teasing you.’ Chisom said with a smile. ‘I wish you the best.’                                                                                                                 

Chioma smiled as she hung up. After she finished taking her bath she dressed up, then went to the dining.                                                        

 

‘Really want to get a job,’ Chioma said to Andrew who was eating breakfast.                                                                                                                        

Andrew grinned and patted her arm. ‘Sit down and have a cup of Achara tea,’ he said.                                                                                                       

Chioma poured herself a cup of tea and topped up Andrew’s cup too. She took a giant sip, thinking Andrew would wish her good luck but she was wrong.                                                                                                               

‘You’re in love, right?’                                                                                        

Chioma almost spewed the tea in her mouth when Andrew said that. She knew why he had asked that question. She looked up at him; a rare smile appeared on her face and a hopeful look in Andrew’s face. Between the two of them there was nothing more to say. Andrew understood it all.  

The moment I met You (chapter 18)

 

By Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu

After dinner, Chioma cleared the dishes. Louisa was already in bed when Chioma came to the bedroom she shared with her mother. Chioma was in her pale pink nightdress, looking refreshed after taking her bath. Sitting on her study desk, she turned on her laptop and searched for job vacancies online. She wanted to try other companies, and if she didn’t succeed she might consider working at Star Restaurant. She already had a company in mind to submit her CV tomorrow.

Being a graduate of Mass Communication, Chioma had dreamed of finding a job in any media houses or perhaps in any lucrative company, fall in love with a man whom she would spend the rest of her life with. What she wished for was only stability and security – not wealth and fortune but if at all she was opportune to have them she would be grateful too.

    But after three years of graduating, she had begun to lose hope in getting a job, falling in love. She had completely lost hope in almost everything. Her family and best friend were the only hope. Of course, GOD is the number one in her life.

     Then, Louisa suddenly patted Chioma’s back. Startled, Chioma turned around.

      Chioma sighed in relief when she saw it was her mother. ‘Thought you are already asleep.’

      ‘Go to sleep. Since you know that Grace shopping mall is hiring for sale attendant just go over there and submit your CV. If it doesn’t work out, you can join Chisom and become a waitress at Star Restaurant,’ Louisa said sleepily.

        Chioma nodded,  then, she put away her laptop. She rose to her feet, kissing Louisa a gentle goodnight kiss; Chioma turned out the light and joined her mother to sleep on the big bed with pink and blue blankets.

The following morning Chioma awoke to see the room full of sunshine. Her mother was already gone from the room. Chioma thought Louisa had already left for the market, but, she was actually in the kitchen, frying plantain at the stove. Andrew was still in his room.

The moment I met you (chapter 17)

 

By Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu

Was he going to be her Romeo?   She imagined his mesmerising face. He was obviously the most handsome man she had ever seen. With his passionate gaze any woman would want to swallow him whole. Could he be thinking the same? She wondered with a shrug.                                           

‘Eat,’ Louisa shovelled food into Chioma’s mouth. ‘What are you thinking about?’                                                                                                              

‘Nothing,’ Chioma shrugged, feeling a bit shy.                                                

‘Are you thinking about him?’ Andrew noticed Chioma had stopped eating and couldn’t help but wonder what could be occupying her thoughts. He could see Chioma’s face blushing attractively. ‘You seem to be in...’ Andrew stopped when he saw Louisa’s curious gaze. If he says Chioma was in love, Louisa would obviously demand to know who.  He wasn’t even sure if his hunch was right. But then, he knows the look of someone who was in love.                                                                    

  ‘I’m just happy for our simple life’, Chioma chuckled, trying to change the subject.                                                                                                        

‘Don’t be silly. I know your mind is occupied’. Louisa gave Chioma an odd sort of look. ‘Who is it that is occupying your mind?’                                    

Andrew looked at Chioma as he lifted one eyebrow and asked, ‘Are you thinking about marrying rich and enjoying the good things of life?’                                                                                                                                 

Of course not, she wouldn’t mind marrying poor.

Andrew knew what she was thinking but didn’t want to ask further questions. Since Chioma didn’t want to say just yet he thought it wasn’t proper to ask more, so she wouldn’t have to lie. But he knew that Chioma’s heart was occupied with something that has to do with a man.  Who was he? Could she have met him today? He had every reason to think this way because today was the first time of seeing Chioma acting like someone in love!

The moment I met you(chapter 16)

By Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu

Just then, Chioma’s thoughts raced towards the man she had bumped into this afternoon. She imagined him living in golden houses and drinking with diamond cups. What if she became his wife, would she be able to cope with his table etiquette? Chioma thought. She wasn’t used to living the life of the rich. She was only used to a simple lifestyle which was peaceful.   She, her brother and mother had led a very poor life after their father died here in Abuja road accident early this year January.                                                                                         

The fatal accident that claimed the life of her lovely father had occurred at sheda village, along the Abuja-Lokoja highway. Chioma’s father, Magnus, had left early in the morning to meet a friend who was supposed to pay him the Contract of 500,000 naira he owed him for the building work he had done. Magnus was a builder before he died. Unfortunately for Magnus on that bitter day, a truck loaded with cows ran into a pothole and crashed into a ditch, which was close to where Magnus stood, thereby killing him and two other persons on the spot.                                                                                      

  Chioma   had thought that if the truck wasn’t on speed as well as the driver trying to avoid a pothole perhaps her father would still be alive.    If her father hadn’t gone to get the money for the family’s upkeep he would still be alive. If and only if, that day never came, she was sure her father would still be a breathing man.                                        

  Since the day she lost her father, Chioma began to hate the word if.   Her father was dead already, and it became useless saying the word if, because nothing was going to be done to bring him back to his feet. But after bumping into this graceful, handsome man, she began to like the word if again. She wanted to meet him again. If she would have the chance to meet him again, she definitely wouldn’t waste every single seconds of being together with him. She would let him hug her. She would be the luckiest woman on earth if she ended up marrying the god-like man.

The moment I met you (Chapter 15)

 

By Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu

She beamed proudly at her son who was often praised by his boss to be physically and mentally fit, had a solid knowledge of mechanic’s tools, service, and diagnostic equipment. He started the job two months ago and had been known as the best mechanic here in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria. Louisa wished he got a better job that would be stress free. Hopefully, someday, he would find a better job. Perhaps, a white collar-job or any lucrative work that will fit his profession as a mechanical engineering graduate or even own a big garage of his own.                                     

Chioma stared at the spaghetti in the plate. The spaghetti had egg toppings, a few beef slices and fresh fried fish. She had gotten a few cookbooks from Chisom and had learnt this particular way of cooking spaghetti and taught her mother.  In the end, her mother’s spaghetti cooking skills had exceeded hers.  Chioma knew that this simple dish, which smelled pleasing, was able to whet anyone’s appetite. She wasn’t that hungry but the dish before her was no doubt irresistible.                            

Without looking up, she took giant bites of her food, nodding with satisfaction. ‘You’re simply the best cook, mum. I’m sure you are better than those chefs who cook in hotels and mansions’, she praised her mother, raising her thumbs up.                                                                

Louisa waved a hand. ‘It’s no big deal. Anyone could do it even better’, she said, not wanting to take the credit. ‘Besides, you taught me how to cook spaghetti.'                                                                                      

‘Yea, I did but you cook it better now. I’m good with simple dishes’, Chioma pouted.                                                                                               

‘The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach’, Andrew said, picking up his glass of water. ‘Rich men love good cooks’. He raised the glass to his lips. ‘You might be fortunate to bump into a rich guy’, he glanced at Chioma. ‘You ought to learn how to be a perfect cook, just like mum’. He sipped his water.                                                                    

Chioma chuckled, skillfully holding up the spaghetti with her fork. ‘I will try my best’, she said, stuffing her mouth with food in large portions.’ If my husband to-be hates my poor cooking skills, then I will invite mother over’, she joked, and they laughed.                                                        

‘What about table etiquette?’ Louisa asked, still laughing.                      

‘Who cares about table etiquette? For the poor, we should only care about our stomachs first. We’re not the rich that will mind those things. For the rich everything must be done in an aristocratic manner. But for me, if am very hungry I will be too lazy to bother about table etiquette and who is before me,’ she pouted.                                               

Andrew nodded. ‘Honestly, the etiquette of aristocrats is so boring’, he said, gobbling his food down.                                                             

‘The rich don’t know what it means to be poor and eat without minding table etiquette. Sometimes, am glad to be poor and free,’ Chioma said and they chuckled.