Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

*****

So... Before we knew it, we found ourselves at the Greggs' mansion. The place was getting really busy already. 

Wedding wahala

I groaned inside of me as I thought of all the teasing I would get, with everyone wanting me to get married. I was sure, they'd start asking for my boyfriend in fact. 

Typical of Nigerians to poke their noses into other people's business. 

No one ever asked Grey about marriage because he's a guy and according to them, He's just 29. Seriously though, that's unfair. He's free to have all the wild fun while I have to be pestered, almost on a daily basis about my relationship status. 

I'm just 24 nau! 

Tana's parents never put pressure on her for anything. But in my family it's the exact opposite, they coerced us into doing almost everything concerning our lives. Rebellion would be a major struggle but I was confident that I could pull it off. 

**************************************

"Dinner's ready" I announced to the family in the living room where they just sat around relaxing. 

Dad hadn't come out since we arrived from the airport but we all knew he was in. Mum made an excuse of him being asleep cause he was stressed out. We all pretended to buy it despite knowing who our father was, he couldn't care less what we thought. It was his house after all and he could do whatever he wanted, even disregarding the choices and opinions of his family members and neglecting them emotionally. He was the Lord after all.. 

I sighed at the thought, God really needed to intervene in my family. 

"Lola go and call daddy to come down for dinner" I nearly flinched when I heard what Laila had said.

Why did it always have to be me? Being the last born isn't good at times

"Don't worry I'll go get him" Mum interjected before I could respond

Phew! That was close... 

We sat at the table waiting for my Dad to come in, being the head of the family he would decide whether to say "Grace" or call on someone else to do it. 

Tana sat next to me, we could feel the tension around us. Everyone probably had the same thing on their minds.... 

'Travis and Dad's meeting for the first time in two years after their fall out which had been far from settled'

I prayed that God would make everything go smoothly, I heaved a sigh of relief as I felt peace afterwards. 

We heard footsteps coming down the stairs and we all went into a frenzy, adjusting things that were already in place. Even my brother's kids put on their best behavior, stopping their chatters abruptly. 

How could one man be so intimidating?! 

My dad walked in slowly, majestically even... 

With his usual kaftan, looking all bossy. His thick glasses perched on the bridge of his nose. Looking into his eyes which roved around the room, one couldn't miss his scrutinizing gaze and then his stare went blank. 

Now we see where Travis got his signature blank expression from... 

We all stood up as a sign of respect, mum followed him into the room visibly shaken like she'd just argued with my dad, she looked tensed just like the rest of us. 

We greeted in our local dialect one after the other, A small smile crept up his face when he pinched the little cheeks of his grandkids earning giggles from them. 

Ima genuflected, after earning a side hug from him with a small but nervous smile perched on her face. 

He answered the rest of our greetings before turning to Travis, finally. 

The moment we had all been waiting for, had come. I kept praying within me for it to go well, I'm sure mom was doing the same because when I looked up, her eyes were tightly shut 

"Tolu" My dad called in his deep baritone voice, my brother looked up to match his intense gaze. 

"Good evening sir" My brother greeted with a small bow, his lips meshed in a thin line. 

So far, so good... 

My dad responded after brief silence, they had a stare down for what seemed like forever. My heart thumped heavily against my chest. I've always hated family feuds. 

The stare down continued with my brother refusing to be fazed by my dad's intense gaze. 

Time stood at a standstill until the very familiar throat clearing by my nervous mother. 

"The food is getting cold, I'm sure they're all tired and hungry too" She said with a forced laugh which proved she was a nervous wreck at the moment. 

"Yes... Very well, let's have dinner" Dad said like the intense moment never happened, I visibly gulped exchanging glances with Tana, Laila and Ima. 

It seemed like I was the only affected by everything going on cause they all ate without sparing any bit on their plate. I practically picked on my food throughout. 

Dad suddenly dropped his cutlery, and picked up his glass of water taking a small sip, his gaze on no one in particular till it fell on Tolu. 

Uh oh.... 

"How was your trip?" He asked looking straight ahead, wiping his hands with a napkin. 

I didn't need a soothsayer to tell who he was talking to, his tone was very passive as if asking because he was propelled to do it. He couldn't care less about any of those. He undoubtedly did not want to be seen as the villain in this feud. 

"Good... It was good" Travis answered not looking up from his plate. My dad chuckled, earning bewildered stares from the rest of us, he was still looking ahead when he heaved a sigh. 

"So... You finally deemed it fit to come visit, I for one expected you to keep wallowing in your arrogance and not attend your sister's wedding" He paused, earning a glare from Travis, his fists were clenched on the table. I could tell he was trying his best to keep his infuriation in check. 

I gulped once again, this isn't going to end well. 

"Oh of course, you can't resist your mother's pleas, typical" The last statement earned a squirm from my mother. 

"Benson please stop this" Mum looked at him pleading with her eyes but he shot her a red eyed glare making her flinch. 

Travis heaved a breath trying to calm himself, his wife subtly rubbed  his shoulder soothingly. 

"I came down here for my sister's wedding to give her my blessings like any good brother would. Unlike you sir, I value relationships" Travis said emphasizing on the last statement

And before my dad could reply. 

"Now if you'd excuse me, I have to make sure my family gets settled in" 

He definitely made that sentence to spite Dad.

And with those words he pulled out of the dinning room with his wife and kids following behind him, heading up the stairs to his former bedroom which had been tidied up awaiting his arrival. 

Talk about awkward... 

Shortly after the exchange, dad chuckled humorlessly and shook his head right after. We all panicked and one by one we exited the dinning room. 

The tension was too much to handle. 

Whilst leaving, I pitied the maid who had to clean up after us. I couldn't wait to help out, I just wanted to be in the safe confines of my bedroom, away from all the drama. 

Tana was to sleep at my room, she came in shortly after I entered. She went in for a shower after staring at me for a while. 

I could tell she was worried about me. 

I had always been tensed when it came to things like this, maybe the others didn't show it but it always got to me. When I was younger I would fall ill whenever my parents had extreme fights, maybe it was because I was the youngest but I knew I was just scared of losing my family.

Family bonds meant a lot to me ever since I was tender. Seeing some of my friends from broken homes didn't help matters, I was petrified whenever the thought of me being like those kids came to mind. 

But then I found Jesus. Before then, I couldn't do anything about how I felt but after I received salvation, I didn't sit and wonder anymore, I just laid it all at His feet by praying and little by little things began to change. I knew God could change things, no matter how long it took, I chose to believe him. 

"Sitting and feeling sorry for yourself won't change matters Lola" 

Laila startled me, I didn't know when she walked in. She continued

"This is what it is, nothing's gonna change it" She said with a shrug

That was the last straw. Why did she have to be so negative,I snapped! 

"Tolani what's wrong with you?! Why are you sounding like an unbeliever? It's because of this negativity oozing from all of you that this family keeps having challenges" I took in a deep breath after my outburst. 

Laila just blinked at me, she was obviously too stunned to speak. I never let my anger get me to the point of venting but I guess I was just about to discover new sides of myself. 

"Listen I'm sor... " She cut me off before I could a apologize

"It's alright, I'll get out of your hair now" 

She said in a tone that depicted how overwhelmed she was by my anger.

This was our first fight in a long time, I didn't want us to go back to how we were before a certain incident. I didn't want us to go back to being indifferent about each other's existence. 

Flashback.... 

Four years ago... 

"Laila Daddy said you shouldn't go out o"

I tried to warn her 

"Why not? It's just a night party and they're not even around" She said nonchalantly. 

"Laila it's not safe out there, you should know that, it's late already, call whoever invited you and tell them you can't make it tonight" 

"Lola please shut up and mind your own business, I'm an adult not a kid" She said glaring at me like she was irritated at the sight of me. 

"I've said my own o, get ready to explain yourself when he comes" I said with a shrug 

"You're not going to be telling him anything, you hear me?!!" She gripped my hand and pushed me out of her way 

She was out the door before I could say anything else. 

"I can't let her leave like this, what if something happens to her" 

I went up to change immediately, good thing I checked her phone for the address of the party before she left. 

I scurried out to wake the driver up, I immediately explained my plight to him and because of the fear of losing his job if anything happened to my sister, he searched quickly for the car keys and before I knew it,we were off to find her. My instincts told me she wasn't safe and I never doubted my guts

Thirty minutes later we came to a stop in front of 40/40 club, the place oozed of alcohol. I scrunched my nose up in disgust, searching for Laila along with the driver. I sighted her at a corner, she looked uncomfortable, a drunk guy was pulling her towards a door, other guys were behind her touching her in inappropriate manners. She looked like she wanted to scream but no one would listen to her. Just then our eyes met and she mouthed the words "help me" Then she looked around her. 

It didn't take a second for me to tap our driver and point towards her direction, the guy had almost succeeded in pulling her through the door but she was obviously holding back. 

We rushed over to her, and I grabbed her arm. The drunk bastard still tried pulling her and ripped her dress in the process she was almost half naked. Our driver punched him in the face and we were almost causing a scene before we threatened them with the police being on their way if they tried anything funny. And with that I scurried out of the place with my weeping sister in my arms. The friends who had invited her looked away in shame, they knew what they had done, trying to sell my sister off to some man for some wads of naira. 

Despicable! 

We went straight to our vehicle and the driver drove off without another word. 

Laila thanked me profusely ,after that, she gave her life to Christ through me and since then we had been inseparable. 

*******************************************

Back to the present... 

"Ah ah, Tolani, Titilola" Tana called walking out of the bathroom draped in a towel. 

"What's going on here? I heard Lola raising her voice and coming out now your countenances prove that you both had a fight" Her arms were folded across her chest. 

Before Laila and I could explain, she'd cut us off. 

"Now I don't want to know what happened, but I know you both have to settle it, bury the hatchet now because y'all need each right now. We can't be fighting one another not now, not at all, we're supposed to be praying for things to run smoothly throughout this week not going ahead to make it rougher than it already is. Understood?!" She counseled in one breath. 

"Yes ma'am" Laila and I said feigning seriousness, it was more like mockery. 

"You should be a motivational speaker" I said bursting into laughter along with my sister. Tana came out of the closet hurling a pillow at my face. 

"PILLOW FIGHT!!!" She screamed so much my ears hurt. 

The battle was intense, I never want to do that again. 

"Confuse me, tell me why you dey confuse me o baby, your body too attractive... "

My new ringtone echoed across the now quiet room, 'Call by Joeboy'. 

I picked it up and you can take a wild guess at who was calling 

Of course my boss, Tunji. 

I swiped to answer it immediately. 

"Good day Sir" I greeted and I turned to the two crazy girls on my bed mouthing "Tunji"

They both stifled their squeals and I face palmed myself forgetting about the phone call. 

"Hello Lola, are you there?" 

Ewo! See embarrassment! 

I cleared my throat quickly... 

"Yes I am"

"How are you?"

"I'm fine, how are you?" I asked almost giggling as I remembered our last phone call. 

"I'm good..."

"Okay..."

"So... How are the preparations for your sister's wedding?"

"It's uhm..." I hesitated..."It's great, just hectic". 

"That's normal, hang in there though cause I'm sure you're next". 

Talk about awkward, which kin wahala be all this one nau? 

"Ah I doubt that o, me that is single to stupor" I forced a laugh

"You? Single? Lola fear God nau, why are you lying?" 

Was he seriously doubting me? 

"I'm not lying jor, I'm single"

"That makes two of us" He said with a chuckle

Okay this conversation just got "awkwarder" 

If that's even a word! 

"Wow..." I managed to say 

"So what about your friend? Tana?" He asked with reluctance though. 

"You're asking about her well-being or if she's single too?" 

What? I had to ask na

"Is it okay if I say both?"

I laughed, I could imagine him scratching his neck because of how nervous he sounded. 

"She's doing well and single too" I finally answered. 

"Wow" He sounded excited but he quickly cleared his throat and asked other random questions before ending the call. 

What is this guy up to? 

I turned around to meet those two idiots grinning and anticipating the gist. 

I gave them anyway so that I could have peace. 

"Tana he sounds like he's into you" I told her. 

"Me? That's not possible abeg" 

"But it's true na, why would he get excited like that when he found out you're single?" I stated the obvious. 

"Come, who told you to tell him my relationship status? aproko (gossip)"

"See somebody I'm trying to help o, abeg shift" I pushed her aside playfully. 

"Osheyy Helper, free me o Lola" Tana said earning more teasing from Laila and I. 

"Have you guys talked at all ever since you exchanged numbers?" I asked eagerly

"Wait o, they exchanged contacts? how?" Laila asked obviously blank. 

I quickly filled her in on how they met before Tana answered my question. 

"Well... We've chatted a few times on W******p, he didn't seem like he was into me or anything" She said hesitantly with a shrug.

I had a strong feeling that she wasn't telling me something but I decided not to pry. We dropped the issue soon after, prepared for bed and slept off. 

Madam bride to be,didn't want to go back to her room, so we were all cuddled up on my bed. I'm sure whoever walked in would have seen "three adorable sisters", more like "musketeers".We always had that effect on people. Sad that one of the Musketeers would be whisked off to marriage soon...