"And that's why we are in your house currently. After I was able to locate my dad through his Facebook page and Nnamdi was able to connect the dots with the lady who came to your house and her picture, we decided to meet you here. You may be our last hope in finding my dad." Efe spoke, hoping that Eliza would help them.

"Well..." Eliza became occupied with her thoughts. "I started business with your dad about a year ago. I knew he was married and with a son but what could a poor girl do? He was paying my bills and getting me all the stuff I needed. Until somehow, his "wife" found out and has been constantly trying to attack me. But somehow, I always escaped."

"I know where your father lives, but I can't take you there. The last time I got to your father's house, his wife ordered all the guards around to shoot me down even if I am across the street from their house. I would be a goner if I tried it."

Efe had a sigh of relief. But she still needed a plan that would get them to meet.

"But, would there be another place where we are certain we would always meet him? Like a bar or his favourite restaurant?" Nnamdi asked.

"Hmm... He does have one place that he goes to. Every Sunday evening, he goes to a particular restaurant with his family to have dinner. The name of the restaurant is the Wine and Diners Exquisito. Popularly known as WADE. One of the best high class diners in the town. Sometimes, he sneaks me out in the evening after dropping his family. But with the headache his wife is giving him, I doubt we would be speaking anytime soon."

"Today is Thursday, so we approximately have three days to plan." Joshua said.

Efe was having mixed feelings all at once. Imagine after all that happened. What would she do when she meets her dad face to face? What would happen? Would she scream her head at him? Would she hug him? What would happen?

No one knew when silent tears started dropping from her face. Finally! She had reached a dead end. At least a closure on what she had been looking for. But for what purpose? She became reluctant in her heart. Like she didn't want to see him anymore. Her stomach felt heavy, like she had eaten an anvil.

What was making her back out now?

"What's wrong?" Eliza noticed the sudden change of mood and freaked out when she saw the tears. She had no idea how to handle such situation. When was the last time a teenage girl cried in her house?

They whole crew silently gathered about her and hugged her. Efe cried even more at this. What did she do to deserve these people to help her?

"Guys, I'm fine. You know that feeling when you've prepared for an exam and when you get to the hall, you feel like you haven't read anything at all? That's exactly what I'm feeling. Is it worth it seeing my dad? What am I going to say or do when I see him?"

"Do what your heart says." Nnamdi quietly said while patting her back.

"What if my heart doesn't know what to say? What if my heart is confused? What If it's hearing so many voices and doesn't know who to listen to?"

"Then, listen to the one you think is right."

*
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Eliza had forced Nnamdi and Efe to have a bath after the whole crying scene. Eliza gave Efe a fresh set of clothes to wear, so did Joshua give Nnamdi.

It was Friday and they were trying to draw out a plan on how to corner Efe's dad. But first, they were hungry. Eliza only cooked for herself (and Joshua when he started living with her) but now she had two extra mouths to feed. She had to go to the market to get more foodstuff and make a proper meal for all of them. Efe insisted on going with her while the boys stayed home.

After walking for about ten minutes in mutual silence, they got to a food stuff market. Eliza would have insisted that Efe would buy some of the simpler things on the list like vegetables and condiments but she feared that Efe would get lost. So they went together and bought all they needed to make a meal that would last at least till Sunday.

They spent about an hour haggling prices with the old women and Efe watched as the sand danced on the slippers and shoes of fellow passerbys or customers. It reminded her of Olomu market back in Warri. She missed her home and she missed Amanda too.

The market was fairly big with most of the stores or kiosks having foodstuff, electronics, second hand clothing known popularly as okrika. You know, anything you could get in a market.

By the time the shopping bags were full, Eliza insisted they took a break before walking home. She took them to a store that sold baby items. A medium sized single room with diapers, powders, unisex baby clothing, toys and baby baths for bathing the babies. A lady - maybe in her early thirties - was sitting inside and using her phone.

The lady was dark skinned, a little small on size but was pretty enough to cause a second stare. She smiled with mischief when she saw Eliza but had a curious look when she saw Efe behind her.

She put on a red maxi gown that stopped at her knees and wore a pair of black flat sandals. Her hair was in a popular Ghana weaving all back and her edges were done beautifully like sea waves on her head. She was a pretty lady.

"Hmm... Elizozo! You forgot about me. Just like that. What did I do to you?" The lady said whilst laughing. "And who is this young lady you brought along with you? I hope you didn't kidnap her o! Because that is your specialty!" The woman said as she continued to laugh at Eliza. The latter fixed herself on the wooden seat and asked Efe to sit down at her right side.

"She's a friend of mine who came over." Eliza simply gave information on Efe. The latter didn't say a word hit rather smiled sheepishly. "You never told me about her and she's pretty. Pretty girl, what's your name?"

"I'm Efe." The girl replied. "Are you from the South?" Efe nodded affirmatively. "No wonder she's so pretty and eye catching. You will marry my junior brother. He needs a nice lady like you." The lady chuckled and Efe was already a gooey mess inside from all the compliments.

"Ifeoma, you're embarrassing I and my friend here." Eliza laughed. "And besides, which junior brother of yours do you want my friend to marry? Do you even have a brother?"

"So all this while that we've been friends, you never heard me talk about my little brother? You must be deaf." Ifeoma said while arranging some of the boxes in her store.

"Do you think I always listen to you? You always say stupid things. Werey."
By this time, Efe was holding in as much laughter as she could. She didn't want to appear rude but Ifeoma and Eliza were cracking her up.

"Na your fault? My brother recently got a job at WADE. He's been working hard for his college education." Ifeoma said not knowing she had just dropped a big bomb for Eliza and Efe.

"Isn't that the restaurant you said my dad visits?" Efe whispered to Eliza. The latter replied with a nod.

"How long has your brother been working there?" Eliza asked.

"For a month now."

"Sounds interesting... You said Efe was a good match for your brother right? Why not introduce us to him? Let me see if he's the right guy for my sis here." Efe hitched in her breathing for a second, why did Eliza have to put it out like that?

Ifeoma smiled mischievously at Efe while the latter was blushing hard, not because of her brother but because of the embarrassment. Ifeoma thought Efe was already dying for her brother. She laughed out loud and gave Efe a pat on the back.

"Don't worry dear, you'll see him soon."
____________________________________

While Ifeoma was playing match maker for Eliza and Efe, the boys were busy trying to find common ground to talk on asides from a certain girl.

They were both hungry as they waited for the girls to come home. Nnamdi was clad in a white shirt and a pair of blue shorts. Joshua had on a red long sleeve shirt and a pair of green khaki pants.

And considering they both had a bloody fight just days ago, the mutual understanding wasn't really mutual. The tension was so thick that the boys would have eaten it out of hunger if it was possible.

Eating a tension filled meat pie.

"So... How did you and Efe meet?" Joshua awkwardly asked as he sat on the plastic chair. The other homo sapiens sat on the couch.

"Well... She came to my grandmother's shop to get some Ugwu leaves. She was so flustered while talking to me and I complemented her saying she was cute and she scurried off after I gave her what she wanted. A few days later, I see this girl walking around a club in the middle of the night, with a bag. I actually bump into her and she falls. I thought she wanted to japa but after she explained everything for me, I had no choice but to help her and after a course of events, we found ourselves here."

Joshua gave a sly smile. "What about your grandma? Won't she be worried?"

Nnamdi hadn't thought of her since he came. What a good grandchild he was.

"To be honest, I wanted to leave home. For some reasons. It's not like they would care."

"They?"

"My father and my grandmother."

"Oh."

"Well, how about you? I'm sure you and Efe have been friends for a while."

"Yes. Since we were in JSS2. She was and still is a genuinely nice and intelligent girl. She always stood for what was right even though it was stupid or outrageous. She's bold and assertive. Although she's very impulsive, it's one of her flaws that make her even more beautiful and amazing." Joshua widened his eyes when he heard what he said.

"Dude, you were gone for a second. I get you. Although I was selfish at the beginning when we met. I didn't really like her, I just used her distress as a way to get away from home. You know, change environment and I regret it. But along the way, something changed."

Both boys breathed in exhaustion. They both liked the same girl and there was nothing they could do about it.

"You seem like a cool guy and you can really give a good punch, my body still hurts from that day." Joshua chuckled whilst Nnamdi laughed at his joke.

"You weren't bad yourself too. I'm sorry for what I did though. And I'm also sorry for that pain. You know what, we can still be friends if you want?"

Although Joshua was skeptical about it since he knew that this dude had a chance at winning the heart of his long time crush(that's if he already hasn't), he decided to look past the childish crush cliches and give Nnamdi a well felt handshake.

Nnamdi turned the handshake into a bro hug. With each person patting the other's back.

"Those women aren't back. I may end up eating the walls before they get back." Said Joshua. They both laughed.

An hour later, the ladies returned with their food stuff. The boys were so happy to see them yet too hungry to express it.

"What took you two so long? I will faint o!" Yelled Nnamdi.

"Men are babies." Eliza retorted.

"After we make food, we have something very important to tell you."