Chapter 24

RHODA'S MUM'S POV

"Reed ....Reeds! I call out to the maid

"How many times do you expect me to call you?"

"Na you say make I wash that aunty Rhoda bathroom before because nobody dey use am, so in don dirty very well"

"It's okay, I'll be going somewhere tomorrow by 12:00pm and the color of the outfit is sky blue so help me go and get blue bead from my room. I think I should have one".

"Okay madam"

"Do that quickly" I say to her and she leaves immediately coming back in less than 20 minutes.

"Madam, the only blue bead you get na deep blue, no sky colour for there o"

"Are you sure, you checked it very well?"

"Yes Madam, na everything I check, I see yellow, I see green, I see red, I see....."

"Keep quiet, so in one word, I don't have a bead of color sky blue right?"

"Yes madam you no get, but e get one woman wey just open for the next street, she get fine fine beads wey you fit buy, I sure say she go get sky blue".

"Oh, thanks but never mind I'll just do that myself okay"

"Oh, okay madam, no problem" she replies quite disappointedly"

I would have allowed her do that but I won't like the situation whereby what she'll buy I won't like it because I know that she would feel more disappointed so it's really better I go by myself.

"Tell the driver to get the car ready."

"Okay madam" she answers as she leaves immediately"

"No, woman I took this first", I say to heavily made up woman in front of me who reaches for the sky blue bead immediately I do the same.

"Of course not, I took this bead first so I really won't allow you take it in my stead"

"What's happening here please" the sake attendant says as she comes to our aid. I speak up first.

"I saw this bead and liked it and as I made to take it ..."

" I took it first anyway"

"I took it first anyway" we say simultaneously and it's obvious that the attendant is using all efforts not to laugh at us as our behavior here is kind a children. I myself admit.

"Okay ma' am," she says addressing us both "we would go to show the manager the bead and I'm pretty sure that she would make a duplicate which would be ready in  the next one week  and judging on the fact that you both  love it and want to take it. I guess the best thing to do is that you should both come back in one week time" she concluded with a smile on her face.

"Of course not, I need it tomorrow" I almost scream.

"Okay then, if the other lady can agree that you take it home and you come back with it the day after tomorrow so that we can make it for her as well".

"What if I need it tomorrow as well?" she asks with a smile playing on her lips "okay then, I don't need it now, I just love it. It's okay by me but first I need your number, Okay?" she concludes uttering the most sensible, statements she's ever said since I met her which is just minutes ago anyway.

"Thanks a lot" I say genuinely grateful.

"Thanks ma'am" The attendant says to her as she packages the bead for me and I pay the sum of N50,000 for the bead and drive out of the mall. It was really a good mall just as Reeds had earlier described. I guess I'll be coming here more often. Suddenly I see a black Range Rover on my tail and I feel it's just going on it's own but as soon as I make a left turning catering my street it did the same and I can swear that a shiver ran down my spine.

I drive faster and it does the same.

"Oh my goodness, whom did I offend?"I say to myself and start honking before I even reach the gate but just as idiotic as the gate man can be he delayed. I find myself wishing that the driver followed me, at least even if he doesn't do anything, he would console me before my on-coming death.

As I get to the gate, I have no option but to stop and continue honking. The Range Rover drives and parks beside me and I'm already saying my last prayer even though I really can't remember crossing any business moogon's part on better still anyone.

"You forgot to give me your number at the mall:" The woman at the mall says as she steps out of the car and I almost scream in relief.

"You really scared me" I scream at her.

"Oh, I did? I'm sorry" she apologizes"

"You followed me like you were sent to kill me or something"

Just then the cursed gateman decides to open the gate and I just look at him annoyingly.

"Can you give me your number now" she says and I look back at her and start calling "08124000..."

"Thanks ma'am" she says after dialing"

"I hope you don't mind to stay for a drink"

"No problem thanks"

"Really, my husband too is like that, he just travels about, for business trips" I say as I can't hide my excitement as this woman tells me the same as well.

"In fact, we were based in California before I said my daughter should come and school here so as to inculcate the culture into her because she doesn't even know what 'Bia" means I continue to this woman whom I've only met minutes ago but it looks like we've got so many similarities anyway.

"Really?" she says "the same happened here as well, Kira doesn't know more than fuck this, fuck that"

"Oh, that's funny, my daughter speaks American as well but I bet she doesn't cuss that much and ....." I pause as I realize that I've heard that name before "Your daughter's name is Kira right?"

"Oh yeah, she's in brown university now, her final year already"

"Whoa, that's great my daughter is in Crystal University though, I guess they haven't met then. She's also is her final year"

"I told Kira to choose Crystal University in the first place but I don't know. It's like she said Brown University is more social or something, I really can't recall anyway. I just know that she decided against the school and you never can tell you know, Kira and your daughter might have met, what's her name?"

"Rhoda, Rhoda baileys so I'm Mrs Baileys"

"In that case, I think Kira and Rhoda are friends, yeah because I remember Kira telling me once that there's a girl who's half caste in her class as well"

"Oh, your husband is American" we both chorus in amazement.

"Well, yes that's right...we really have so much in common you know" I say as quickly as I can to avoid embarrassing either of us.

"Madam take the drink" the maid says holding it out to me"

"You can put it on my head, silly girl" I say in near anger as she quickly drops the drink and two tumblers on a nearby stool and leaves the room shaking like jelly fish.

"That's how they all behave as if they just got to the city" she commented. I don't even know her name yet.

"Em....sorry ma'am but you've not remembered to tell me your name" I say as politely as I can.

"Er....Em.....yeah, that is true..... I'm Mrs. Anderson".

"Friends?" I ask her stretching my hand for a handshake"

"Sure, friends, you remind me of high school" she says and throw my head back in fits of laughter and then raise my glass".

"Cheers to the beginning of our friendship"

"Cheers" by the time I check the wall clock its 6:30pm already I quickly call out to her before she realizes that it's too late.

"It's okay, it's not like I'm kid anyway. I can leave by 1:00pm. That's best"

"Oh okay then"