Novels by Laura Ananaba

We always said goodbyes without knowing when we are saying the last one but I knew. Each time he walked out that door, I stored memories because I do not want to forget how happy he once made me.It's up to four months since he walked out that door, I remember holding onto the scent of him, I remember standing at the window and waving even when he could not see me, even when I knew he would never turn to look at me. I knew then that while he mumbled a goodbye at my door before he left, it could have been the last one. It's also seven days exactly from the last time he came to my place and I ruined his clothes with bleach water.It is me, I have never loved enough to fight for anyone but this time I was going to try. That's why I'm in Delta, the same state that he is in. I don't know know the city or even his address. I did not ask before he left but I am here, I know I would find him before I leave. I just h

TundeI could not have been thinking when I left my cereals in the open without putting it in a container. I was facing the result of my carelessness after I returned to Umuahia at night. I still had a month to the expiration of my rent. I could have told Anthony to arrange for the rest of my properties to be sent to Delta, but I did not. I came back just so I could see Nene, deliberately or coincidentally.Coakcroaches were running around like new tenants. Someone must have tipped them off my absence. Instead of finding an option for dinner in the cupboard, I was disposing the remains I left before I traveled to Delta. I would have loved to keep the fiber flakes because it was my best but like others, it was cold and had an unwelcoming smell.For a moment, I considered going to Nene's place and knocking. When she opens, I would tell her that I am hungry and I came to eat. I imagined that she would laugh a

It was enough torture that I had to pass Tunde's office every morning to get to mine. The only good thing was that I knew he would not be sitting behind his desk inside there. It was always locked.I got a gift in his absence, a painting of me." Mo nife re," the accompanying note read.In the painting , I was lying down with my eyes closed . I could not remember the moment he took the picture but it was me. He lined my lips perfectly that I could not even doubt. I missed him. I called when I saw the painting. The call was filled with little talks and awkward silence so I was in a hurry to end it.Sometimes while I lay in bed before my eyelids close in tiredness, I remember the moments I spent with him, the ones I held close and locked away. I knew that he must have felt bad, maybe even concluded that I was immature but I knew myself, I could not watch him

TundeI left for Delta three days after I left Nene's house struggling to hold in my emotions. I had much work on my table which I temporarily forgot with the weight of loosing her.I needed to finish up some plans on my table , there were also sites I needed to visit in Delta and outside Delta. I needed to work more than before for more arts for my launching .I got a house in an estate. It was one of the first buildings on entering the estate. I would have preferred a bungalow like my former place but while searching for houses, that was all I got in the list of available houses close to the location of my gallery and office.I let the hired hands do all the cleaning and refurbishing for my work place then I cleaned up the house. There wasn't much to do since the estate had cleaners who already cleaned the place u

TundeI did not travel to Delta. I rescheduled all the plans I had there. Called the man I had given the work to organize the exterior decoration of the place and told him I could not make it. I lay on the cushion all morning with my eyes closed because of a woman. It would sound funny to anyone but they have not met Nene, the strong woman whom I have seen at her weakest, held her as she quaked in tears and watched her sleep. I paid attention to her when she thought I was not looking, I paid attention to her silence and every word she spoke.She was an independent woman, who seemed calculated and almost sure of all her steps. That's why I was worried. Has she thought about all of this? Has she seen that we can not work out? What was the main reason?As I lay on my cushion, I still could not place what happened. I could not understand it because if I am ever asked to explain, I would

The next morning, it rained. It started very early even before the day welcomed light. We waited for it to stop but it did not. I did not see the need of waiting since we were going in a car but Tunde kept delaying, waiting for the rain.We sat in his parlour. He wore just a white short while I was dressed to leave. The sound of the rain on the roof was the only thing heard; The television was off."Will you come back, maybe after work? " Tunde asked, turning to look at me."I don't know. "He sighed and continued looking at his phone. Almost all the questions he asked me that morning, I did not know. I think after oxytocin messed with me, some of my senses were lost in my climax.Without turning to look at him, I said, " Let's start going please."He got up and left to the room without a word. He later came out, wearing a plain polo over his white short. I pai