Mummy Mummy you forgot to come with any of my school socks. What am I going to put on now?" Rose complained
Ese was not really in the dotting mood that morning, she was running late and the last thing she was prepared to deal with was a difficult child. They had first argued about her uniform with Rose insisting to get the school's uniform before she starts going to school. It had taken a great deal of patient explanation to convince the 7-year old that she needs to first go in her mufti while the school gets her the uniform.
"I have laid out a pair of socks for you on the bed, go take them." she replied her as she examined herself in front of the vanity
"My fancy socks?" Rose asked incredulously, with more emphasis on "fancy."
"Of course your fancy socks." her mother replied imitating her
"But my fancy socks are meant for parties and Sundays and....."
"Just put them on for now." Ese snapped. The girl was really trying her patience. She then added calmly "Rose this is an unusual situation, you are going to school in mufti, you can as well go in your fancy socks. I promise to get you as many pairs of socks as possible for school."
"And fancy socks too?"
"Yes, and fancy socks too."
This made the girl brightened up.
"Okay Rose, be fast, we are running late already." Ese said as she picked her bag and left the room. Rose quickly grabbed her backpack and food flask and ran after her mum.
Ese was not really in the dotting mood that morning, she was running late and the last thing she was prepared to deal with was a difficult child. They had first argued about her uniform with Rose insisting to get the school's uniform before she starts going to school. It had taken a great deal of patient explanation to convince the 7-year old that she needs to first go in her mufti while the school gets her the uniform.
"I have laid out a pair of socks for you on the bed, go take them." she replied her as she examined herself in front of the vanity
"My fancy socks?" Rose asked incredulously, with more emphasis on "fancy."
"Of course your fancy socks." her mother replied imitating her
"But my fancy socks are meant for parties and Sundays and....."
"Just put them on for now." Ese snapped. The girl was really trying her patience. She then added calmly "Rose this is an unusual situation, you are going to school in mufti, you can as well go in your fancy socks. I promise to get you as many pairs of socks as possible for school."
"And fancy socks too?"
"Yes, and fancy socks too."
This made the girl brightened up.
"Okay Rose, be fast, we are running late already." Ese said as she picked her bag and left the room. Rose quickly grabbed her backpack and food flask and ran after her mum.
★★★
As Ese was driving out of the university's staff nursery and primary school her handset started ringing. She looked at the caller's ID, connected the phone to the handsfree speaker, then picked the call.
"Hello Teju." she said
"Why did you switch your phone off?" Teju asked accusingly, her voice filling the car which was sealed.
"I have been trying to reach you for awhile now." she continued without waiting for a reply
"I am sorry dear, I needed some peaceful time."
"I thought he doesn't have this number."
"Of course he doesn't, but my mum does, and even though she isn't happy with him, she still wants me to stay with him and I'm tired of her trying to change my mind. Who knows what she might do, she might give him the number. And although the chances that he will be looking for me are slim, I don't want to hear from him anytime soon."
"You are actually mistaken, that's why I have been trying to reach you to let you know."
"Know what?"
"That he is looking for you."
"Are you serious Teju?"
"Yes, Pago asked my husband to try to find out where you are from me, I told Kalu but I also made him promise not to tell him."
"Jeez."
"Kalu called me about an hour ago to tell me he just got off the phone with Pago."
"And?"
"He told him I don't know where you are, but he said he was sure Pago was not convinced. I thought you should know."
"Oh! Thanks, I really do appreciate it. Thank Kalu for me too."
"It's nothing, how is my baby doing?"
"Stubborn as ever, getting her to come to school was a task, I just dropped her off, I'm on my way too...."
"You've enrolled her into school already? You really are serious about this, aren't you?" Teju interrupted
"Of course I am"
"What about the job?"
"We've finalized it, I only need to meet with the dean in some minutes time and resume fully. I am on my way to the faculty now."
"But I thought you said the building is yet to be constructed."
"Yes, but a provision has been made that would serve temporarily pending when the building is ready. They want me to have a say in the way it would be constructed so I'd be meeting the contractors too, I am even late for the meeting as it is."
"Okay dear, let me let you face your job, talk to you later then."
"Thanks, bye."
As she cut the call she wondered why Pago was trying to reach her so soon. It was quite unlike him. Something must be pushing him, ordinarily Pago would not care at all about where she had gone. At any case she was deciding to remain hidden. She was not just hiding from him alone, she was also hiding from the noise the press was causing about them in Lagos. Quite and serene Ife was the right place to be and at that moment she didn't regret her decision to take the job. Her main worry then was how to head the new department. Despite the fact that she had a PhD from a foreign university, she knew she would need more than her achievements and qualification to succeed in a testosterone driven field
"Hello Teju." she said
"Why did you switch your phone off?" Teju asked accusingly, her voice filling the car which was sealed.
"I have been trying to reach you for awhile now." she continued without waiting for a reply
"I am sorry dear, I needed some peaceful time."
"I thought he doesn't have this number."
"Of course he doesn't, but my mum does, and even though she isn't happy with him, she still wants me to stay with him and I'm tired of her trying to change my mind. Who knows what she might do, she might give him the number. And although the chances that he will be looking for me are slim, I don't want to hear from him anytime soon."
"You are actually mistaken, that's why I have been trying to reach you to let you know."
"Know what?"
"That he is looking for you."
"Are you serious Teju?"
"Yes, Pago asked my husband to try to find out where you are from me, I told Kalu but I also made him promise not to tell him."
"Jeez."
"Kalu called me about an hour ago to tell me he just got off the phone with Pago."
"And?"
"He told him I don't know where you are, but he said he was sure Pago was not convinced. I thought you should know."
"Oh! Thanks, I really do appreciate it. Thank Kalu for me too."
"It's nothing, how is my baby doing?"
"Stubborn as ever, getting her to come to school was a task, I just dropped her off, I'm on my way too...."
"You've enrolled her into school already? You really are serious about this, aren't you?" Teju interrupted
"Of course I am"
"What about the job?"
"We've finalized it, I only need to meet with the dean in some minutes time and resume fully. I am on my way to the faculty now."
"But I thought you said the building is yet to be constructed."
"Yes, but a provision has been made that would serve temporarily pending when the building is ready. They want me to have a say in the way it would be constructed so I'd be meeting the contractors too, I am even late for the meeting as it is."
"Okay dear, let me let you face your job, talk to you later then."
"Thanks, bye."
As she cut the call she wondered why Pago was trying to reach her so soon. It was quite unlike him. Something must be pushing him, ordinarily Pago would not care at all about where she had gone. At any case she was deciding to remain hidden. She was not just hiding from him alone, she was also hiding from the noise the press was causing about them in Lagos. Quite and serene Ife was the right place to be and at that moment she didn't regret her decision to take the job. Her main worry then was how to head the new department. Despite the fact that she had a PhD from a foreign university, she knew she would need more than her achievements and qualification to succeed in a testosterone driven field
★★★
She parked her car almost illegally in front of the faculty and rushed up the stairs taking two steps at a time. The men were already seated when she entered the faculty's boardroom.
She apologized immediately she entered "I'm so sorry for keeping you waiting gentlemen. Prof. I had to take my daughter to school, it's her first day in school and some paperwork needed to be done and....."
"It's alright Dr. Osarunwense. The Prof said smiling at her, we haven't waited too long. You may have your seat please."
After she had sat down, he continued " It isn't really a formal meeting perse, it's just for me to introduce those that would be working with you in the new department. You'll call for the meeting at your own convenience." he turned to the men and addressed them "gentlemen, here is Dr. Osaruwense, she will be heading the new department of Philosophy, Politics and Economics. I implore you all to cooperate with her fully." then he began introducing them to her.
As they were being introduced, she tried to commit their names to memory as she wondered how she was going to be able to succeed with these men as her subordinates. Some of them had been lecturing before she finished her first degree. But the smile they all gave her somewhat reassured her. After the introduction, she informed them that she would get back to them and they all filed out of the room.
"You should meet the contractor that would be handling the building project. I told him you have an idea or two about the construction and he is willing to talk to you about them."
"Oh, thanks sir, where is he?"
"In my office, waiting."
"I kept quite a number of people waiting, it seems."
"Oh! It's nothing." the dean said as he led the way to his office.
She apologized immediately she entered "I'm so sorry for keeping you waiting gentlemen. Prof. I had to take my daughter to school, it's her first day in school and some paperwork needed to be done and....."
"It's alright Dr. Osarunwense. The Prof said smiling at her, we haven't waited too long. You may have your seat please."
After she had sat down, he continued " It isn't really a formal meeting perse, it's just for me to introduce those that would be working with you in the new department. You'll call for the meeting at your own convenience." he turned to the men and addressed them "gentlemen, here is Dr. Osaruwense, she will be heading the new department of Philosophy, Politics and Economics. I implore you all to cooperate with her fully." then he began introducing them to her.
As they were being introduced, she tried to commit their names to memory as she wondered how she was going to be able to succeed with these men as her subordinates. Some of them had been lecturing before she finished her first degree. But the smile they all gave her somewhat reassured her. After the introduction, she informed them that she would get back to them and they all filed out of the room.
"You should meet the contractor that would be handling the building project. I told him you have an idea or two about the construction and he is willing to talk to you about them."
"Oh, thanks sir, where is he?"
"In my office, waiting."
"I kept quite a number of people waiting, it seems."
"Oh! It's nothing." the dean said as he led the way to his office.
★★★
The figure in the office was standing and backing the door, and he didn't turn as they got in, not until the dean cleared his throat to announce their presence and said "Mr. Ade, here is Dr Osaruwense."
Ese started to say "it is pleasure to meet you Mr....". The words froze in her mouth as the figure turned and smiled down at her.
"Jesus." she whispered without realizing it. She was transported twelve years back to the diner, when this same face had smiled down at her. It had been a sincere smile then, open, trusting and innocent. But the face she was looking at at that moment was far from trusting or naive, and she shivered at the malice she saw in his eyes. Despite her uneasiness, she still found herself drawn by his looks. He had grown into a more handsome man. The afro was gone, replaced by a neat low cut and he now wore his goatee longer with a moustache. ---where have you been all these while?--- her mind asked.
Siji was prepared for the meeting, he had planned it all, rehearsing every step in his mind several times. What he did not plan was the effect she would have on him. As she looked up at him in shock, he found that she still had this inexplicable effect on him. She was now a woman, not the girl he used to know. Motherhood had changed her a bit but he still found her incredibly attractive.
---Come on Siji, you are losing it. She is the enemy, don't be fooled again, stay focused--- he mentally admonished himself as he took her hanging hand and shook it "nice to meet you too ma'am." he drawled sarcastically.
The dean who was a bit confused looked from one to the other and said
"I guess you both are no strangers to each other."
"No, Ese here is an old friend of mine."
Ese started to say "it is pleasure to meet you Mr....". The words froze in her mouth as the figure turned and smiled down at her.
"Jesus." she whispered without realizing it. She was transported twelve years back to the diner, when this same face had smiled down at her. It had been a sincere smile then, open, trusting and innocent. But the face she was looking at at that moment was far from trusting or naive, and she shivered at the malice she saw in his eyes. Despite her uneasiness, she still found herself drawn by his looks. He had grown into a more handsome man. The afro was gone, replaced by a neat low cut and he now wore his goatee longer with a moustache. ---where have you been all these while?--- her mind asked.
Siji was prepared for the meeting, he had planned it all, rehearsing every step in his mind several times. What he did not plan was the effect she would have on him. As she looked up at him in shock, he found that she still had this inexplicable effect on him. She was now a woman, not the girl he used to know. Motherhood had changed her a bit but he still found her incredibly attractive.
---Come on Siji, you are losing it. She is the enemy, don't be fooled again, stay focused--- he mentally admonished himself as he took her hanging hand and shook it "nice to meet you too ma'am." he drawled sarcastically.
The dean who was a bit confused looked from one to the other and said
"I guess you both are no strangers to each other."
"No, Ese here is an old friend of mine."
About the author
Soji Adeola Ayanleke was born about 3 decades ago in Kano.
He studied Electronic and Electrical Engineering at the Obafemi Awolowo
University, Ile-Ife, he speaks Yoruba and Hausa fluently and he is
trying to learn Igbo and Spanish. His hobbies are reading, writing and
playing some indoor games.
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