ANOTHER MORNING

Bits and Pieces

Finding her robe, she draped it over her skin and walked into the sitting room. There was a flask on the stool directly in front of the burgundy armchair. Gbenga had helped her boil water and set everything she'll need to take her tea. He also prepared scrambled eggs and toasted bread, which he set on the stool next to a note that read "EAT ME." She smiled and realized she was actually hungry.  

The entire house still felt like a stranger's apartment and she just never understood why that ceramic puppy enjoyed staring at her or why it was a part of the house furniture. She finished eating, gathered all the items on the stool into the tray and carried them to the kitchen. She turned on the tap at the kitchen sink, placed the glass saucer inside and lifted the cup only for it to slip and hit the floor. The shattering sound the glass made, sent her into a shock. Teniola stood motionless, fragments of the teacup littered around her, and the tap still running.

Gbenga walked into an eatery, his interview wasn't successful. He would usually come in here to sit, enjoy the air conditioning system and think about his life. He blamed himself for everything that happened and hated the fact that he could have avoided it all, but didn't. 

His phone rang, bringing him back from his train of thoughts

"Hello"

"Gbenga, one of my clients needs to go to the Aba, this afternoon."

 "Oh come on, I told you no driving jobs for now, please. I already explained wh-"  he starts to say but the caller cuts him off.

"Bro, she's paying well. Aba is your hometown and you need the money. It's a win-win for you, plus you'll be back this afternoon."

Gbenga thought it over, he needed the money, but he wasn't ready to get back into a car just yet. Okoro has been really helpful in the last two months since his life took a sour turn, bringing him odd jobs every once in a while. Anything else but driving would be simply perfect. 

A text message distracted him. He opens it up to see a message from the counsellor's receptionist.

"My madam is going to be really busy and would most likely not take any new clients for the rest of the year, if you can pay half of her fees before the weekend, I'll try to sneak you into her calendar, take care."

"I'll take it," he quickly replied Okoro and hung up. 

The phone in the sitting room rang out, hauling Teniola from her trance. Her first instinct was to move, one she regretted because her feet stepped on a large piece of the glass and the bleeding was instantaneous and merciless. She cried out in pain and fell to the floor.

Gbenga dialled the number one more time, wondering why Teniola wasn't picking up the phone. He concluded she was asleep, pocketed the phone and walked into Okoro's office to pick up the car keys. 

Teniola lay on the floor crying, she looked down at the blood gushing out her feet and passed out.

Gbenga got into the car and shut the door. He closed his eyes and wished he didn't have to take this job. Thirty thousand naira to drive to Aba and back in less than 4 hours was not money he could say no to at the moment. He inserted the key into the ignition but couldn't start the car. He closed his eyes again and took a deep breath as his mind drifted to the morning after his wedding night. 

"I'll drive," Teniola shouted soon as he paid for the rental. 

"No way, You'll send us to heaven faster than we plan to go."

"I'm not such a bad driver," she said through pouted lips. 

"Come here," Gbenga said opening his arms, into which Teniola ran. 

"You're not a bad driver," he said with a kiss to her forehead. Teniola did a tiny dance and ran to the passenger door. She got there and stood as Gbenga entered the driver's seat and keyed the car. He wondered why she didn't want to enter. Then it hit him, he quickly opened his door and ran towards her.

"I am sorry ma'am," he smirked as he opened the door for her and took a bow. 

Teniola handed him her bag and got into the car. 

He returned her bag with both hands, took another bow and closed the door before returning to the driver's side.

"I love you," he said to her.

"I love you too baby" she replied and leaned over to kiss him.

"Now drive!" she said. They both laughed as the car peeled off the parking lot.

Gbenga opened his eyes, there were tears in them. He took a deep breath and keyed the ignition. This was his first in-car experience since the rental car. Gradually he backed the car out of the parking lot. 

The long drive to the lady's apartment was a very quiet one. He couldn't even bring himself to listen to the radio, both his hands gripped the steering wheel with every might he could muster. Thankfully, traffic was light and he was at the lady's place an hour earlier than the scheduled pick-up time.

He never got her name, just an address and pick up time. He wasn't concerned, he trusted Okoro that much and there was the thirty thousand that seemed to balance up any paranoid thoughts he might have had. The money would be enough to add to what he had saved and secure half of the counsellor's fees. He was told she was the best in the country and often wondered what she was doing in Portharcourt if she was that good. Nevertheless, she was his last hope of having his wife back. Everyone told him his wife's amnesia would gradually heal on its own, but he wasn't sure he wanted to wait for nature to just run its course. He needed her now, he needed his life back and the key to helping Teniola regain her memory was in Mrs Chioma's hands. 

He never met her, he only stalked her on Youtube and left her a thousand messages on her mail and Instagram. She never did reply to any of them. He was able to explain his situation to Mrs Chioma's understanding receptionist, who advised him to take his time and put his funds together and she'll try to help him get a slot with her.

The gate to the Lekki-looking semi-detached duplex rolled to the left and a well-dressed security guard told him to drive in and pointed where he should park the car. Gbenga parked, wound up all the windows and turned on the air-conditioning system. He quickly adjusted his suit and looked behind to ensure all was in order, before stepping down and waiting at the door to the back seat for the lady.

The main door to the house opened and a woman who looked like she had no business being in Nigeria walked out. She carried herself with such calmness it was impossible not to like her personality before meeting her. 

She got closer, Gbenga opened the door and took a closer look at her face. It was Mrs Chioma.