Bitter Hurt

Stephanie: Oh my goodness. Nice to meet you. We exchanged handshakes, and she sat down between us.

Stephanie: So, I was sitting in the cafe where the brawl had occurred. Girly, you're a brave soldier. Chizzy and I were both laughing.

Stephanie: So I've been following you girls, trying to think of a way to strike up a conversation, but you stopped here, and I decided to do the same.

Chizzy: Oh, no!

Myself: I really hope there isn't a problem.

Stephanie: Absolutely not. I've been seeing you girls around for a few days now, and I love how close you are. All I want is to be friends with you two. My phone rang, so I took it from my handbag. Daniel had given me a BlackBerry passport phone two weeks before.

It was Benneth who was calling me.

Me: Hi Ben. 

Ben: Hey sis, where are you two? Being calling Chizzy but she didn't pick up.  I glanced at Chizzy but she was saying something to the new girl. 

Me: Uhm, she turned it off before we went in for lecture but we're on our way home now. 

Ben: Okay. Hope you both are safe? 

Me: We're at the bus stand beside school gate actually. 

Ben: I came around to see someone. Wait for me there and I'll come and pick you both. 

Me: Okay then. Don't keep us waiting. I hung up and let the girls in on what's happening. We decided to take pictures before he arrives. We were having fun with ourselves when our (I'm now part of the family so everything is ours now) red spider stopped just in front of us and Benneth came down. 

We all turned to him and Stephanie stared at him for a while before shouting; 

Stephanie: Ben! 

Ben: Stephanie It was our turn to stare as we looked at them hug each other like long lost friends.

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

Ben: Where in God's name have you being? 

Stephanie: Sweetheart, I've being here. It’s you who just disappeared. 

Ben: Baby it’s not that. What......

 Chizzy: Hello! Like you both have forgotten that we're here. 

Me: I don't know for these two. Ben and Stephanie smiled. 

Ben: Sorry girls. Meet Stephanie, my sweetheart from forever. Stephanie, those are my sisters, Chizzy and Jessica. 

Stephanie: They're your sisters?  Chizzy and I nodded with smiles on our faces. 

Ben: So how come you all are here? Like you know each other? 

Chizzy: We just met here. She schools here as well, department of social sciences. Ben: Wow. Wow. I'm glad to hear that you're finally in this our Enugu. 

Stephanie: Come on. I've always being here. You know online dating doesn't work this days. Finally I got it, they had met online. Chizzy and I just shifted and got busy with our own topic and left the two lovers to talk for a while. 

After about thirty minutes, they remembered they were with us. 

Ben: Come on, girls, let's go home. Stephanie lives at GRA, so we'll drop her off before heading home. We all agreed and got into the car, with the front seat reserved for our new friend/girlfriend. brother's Personally, I was relieved that Ben had moved on from Dera.

Who knows how they fell for each other in the first place. School became enjoyable for me. Stephanie, Chizzy, and I were the center of attention among the 100-level students.

People who didn't know us began vying for our attention. We were not only attractive, but also intelligent. I never let any of that get into my head. Dera was now my only issue on campus.

She appeared to be competing with me, and despite my best efforts, I couldn't figure out what the competition was all about. Daniel, on the other hand, had traveled, and we were somewhat separated.

I was worried because his calls came only once in a blue moon. My phone rang while I was in my room reading a magazine. I couldn't place the number because it looked so familiar.

Me: Hello 

Mrs. Constance: Yes. Hope you figure out who you're speaking with. 

Me: Mummy? 

Mummy J: Save that. Heard you're now living the life of a goddess. Don't forget who you are and what you are. Your life is made to be miserable and so.... 

Me: God forbid that. I'm the image of God and whosoever declares war on the anointed shall get war in tenfold There was silence from the other end so I continued. 

Me: I can't forget who I am. I can't do that because I have people who feed from my wealth. You should be grateful I've not come for my properties. 

Mummy J: Wow. The girl has learnt to talk. I wonder what they feed you.... 

Me: Love mummy. They feed me with love, the love that you never gave me, that is what they feed me with. I'll advice that you stop calling me so I won't get angry and remember all you did to me. 

I hung up and walked out of the room. I was angry, very angry with myself. I stormed into the sitting room and met mummy (Mrs Ogba). 

She was taking a call and immediately she saw me, she ended the call. 

Mrs. Ogba: Young woman, what's the matter? I went close and sat down beside her 

Me: Its mummy. 

Me: The twin's mother? I briefly told her about the call and she flared up, threatening thunder and brimstones. I felt relieved, at least, she's got my back and I was sure that she'll never let anything happen to me.     

Mrs. Ogba: Is that why your face is like that? You should know that those words are empty threats. Look how beautiful and healthy you've become. They're just jealous of your progress. 

Me: Thanks mum. But I wish to get back my things, my money, my house, I wish to get everything back. 

Mrs. Ogba: No my child. There are some decisions you shouldn't make while angry. Come to think of it, is there any proof to back up your claims to those properties? 

I never thought about it. I didn't even know where daddy's lawyer lives or where his office was. Did I even know his name? 

Mrs. Ogba: I want to assure you, so long as you're with us, you'll never lack anything. You're my child and I'll treat you with so much love and care. By the time all these is over, you'll get back everything that you've lost in greater digits. 

Her phone rang and she picked it. 

Mrs. Ogba: ......Tuesday?..... I'll be there.....just book a flight for me....thank you. She ended the call and looked at me with a smile. 

Mrs. Ogba: Hope you heard what I said to you? 

Me: Yes mummy. 

Mrs. Ogba: I'll be travelling on Tuesday. 

Me: I heard that. Hope everything is fine. 

Mrs. Ogba: Yes. They're done with the designers I ordered from London. I just need to go and check if they're complete. 

Me: What about your manager? She should be handling all these things. You shouldn't be travelling all the time. 

Mrs. Ogba: I know my dear. She's on maternity leave. 

Me: Oh! I forgot. We spent more time discussing till Ben and Chizzy came back. I excused myself and went into Chizzy's room. 

Chizzy: Hey BF 

Me: Hi! 

Chizzy: I got you grilled chicken from KFC. Fred and I went out. 

Me: Oh! Thanks very much. I opened her bag and brought it out. I made to go out but she stopped me. 

Chizzy: Can I talk to you for a minute? 

Me: Sure. Why not. I came back into the room and sat on the bed. 

Me: What's it all about? She came and sat down beside me. 

Chizzy: Its about you and Daniel. What's happening? I heaved a sigh  

Chizzy: Do you both have time for yourselves at all? He's always at the other side of the house or out of the country. What's happening? 

Me: Chizzy I don't know. I really don't know if I offended him in some way. He doesn't pick my calls anymore neither does he return it. Maybe it’s because he's used to seeing me in this house. 

Chizzy: Don't say that Jessica. But, do you mean that you both don't have a problem or disagreement? 

Me: None that I know of. And I'll be lying if I say I'm not disturbed about it. There was an unusual silence in the room.  

Chizzy: Call him now. 

Me: He won't pick it. 

Chizzy: Use my phone. She passed me the phone and I dialled Daniel's number. He picked it immediately.  

Daniel: Hello sis 

Me: Its me. 

Daniel: Jessica? Me: Yes. Hello and good afternoon.

Daniel: The same to you. Can you please call me back? I'm currently preoccupied at the moment.

Me: You always have an excuse. Do you have any time these days for me?

Daniel: I told you I was busy. I'll call you back when I'm finished. He hung up before I could say anything else. My eyes welled up with tears, which I let fall.

Chizzy: Don't do it. We're heading to his quarters right now. There were four mansions on our compound. Daniel is the first to have one.