Facade (Romola 1)

62: The Call

Romola pushed the hair pin deeper into the intricate net of braids on her head. Her scalp still burnt and her neck felt stiff from sleeping at an odd angle on the bed. Was it a good idea to do such tiny braids one day before the house warming?

She shut her eyes and opened them. The real cause of her headache wasn't because of the tight grip of the braids on her scalp. It was the intruding mental images her mind birthed. The images flooded her mind's eyes in defragmented scenes of things she had seen. Try as she might, she couldn't put the images together in any coherent fashion.

She smiled at the chocolate beauty in front of the mirror but her smile faded. The disturbing issues pointed to a life of far less quality than she had experienced with Olumide. If the scene depicted her real life, then she wasn't worthy to stand by Olumide's side. She couldn't meet his parents. If his best friend didn't want them together, what about his parents? Dami still hadn't returned to the house. Did he hate her that much?

Her phone's ringtone caught her attention. She picked the phone up and glared at Yetunde's name flashing on the screen. The temptation to smash the phone on the white tiles was great but she knew she couldn't afford it. She hadn't fixed the smaller phone. She couldn't lose this one.

"Romola, I think your phone is ringing?" Olumide said from the walk-in closet.

He'd gone inside to change his tie because he insisted that he wanted his clothes to compliment hers and he had been there for several minutes. She was almost sure he was lost.

"I got it." She slid the red phone icon across the screen and ended the call.

The phone rang again and she cut the call. A message came in as she found a spot on the bed to sit. She stared at the screen as her eyes widened.

It's so funny that your mother's story is similar to my secret. I can't wait to see you and Olumide at the housewarming. Your mother is just as excited.

Romola's jaw dropped. Yetunde knew her mother? Yetunde had found her mother. She dialled Yetunde's number but the phone operator informed her that the phone was switched off. Romola's eyes ran over the message, line by line, over and over again till the words stopped to make sense. She couldn't decipher the message. Could it give her a clue as to who she was? What was Yetunde's secret? What was her mother's story?

She groaned. Yetunde would do something malicious. She knew that but she didn't know what. Her mind clutched to the line that talked about a secret. The image of a small girl, about four came to mind. Where had she seen this girl? Why couldn't she remember the girl's name but why did the girl's face felt as familiar as the lines on her palms?

The pounding in her head increased but she continued to stare at the message. Where had she seen this girl? Somehow, the memory connected to this girl was recent. Very close to the surface but it felt like something was missing. Some key details. Something she ought to remember but it seemed like the pathway to that detail had been washed away in the sea of forgetfulness.

"Romola?"

She looked up to find him holding a red neck tie. "Yeah?"

"What do you think of this tie?"

"It's fine."

"Are you sure you're fine. If you don't want to go to the housewarming, then we won't."

"No." She held his arm. "We can. I was just thinking of Yetunde. She will be there, right?"

"I guess." Olumide sighed. "Don't worry. I won't let her come near you."

She nodded, pressing the lock button of her phone and hiding it behind her. He didn't need to see the message. If he did, he would get mad at Yetunde and probably cancel the visit to his house. Their house.

"I hope you didn't pick the call?"

"I didn't. I' ready to go when you are."

Olumide rose and pulled her along with him. As they made their way to the car, Romola tasked her brain to remember the connection between Yetunde and the girl in her mind.

***

Romola stepped into the house with Olumide's hand slung around her waist. The classical music filtering from the wall length television gave the house more life as people milled about dressed in classy formal wear.

Romola stared at her knee length dress. Everyone else seemed dressed for an evening party but her shocking red dress glared like a red rose on a cream cake.

"You actually brought her? I was hoping you would spare us all the disgrace." A woman yelled over the music coming towards them with Yetunde in tow.

Romola stared at Ajoke. Ajoke and Yetunde wore the same cynical look. Yetunde wore a spaghetti strap champagne mermaid dress. Were they working together?

"She's my girlfriend. She deserves to be here." Olumide said.

Romola took a few steps away from the duo, her eyes dancing around the room to avoid the accusatory look in the other women's eyes and possibly find someone who could be her mother. Yetunde's eyes told her that her end was near. Romola gripped Olumide's arm. She wished she knew what it was that Yetunde found so she could spare Olumide the heartache it would cause.

"You won't be calling her that after you hear what your girlfriend," Yetunde made air quotes, "really is.