Romola slammed the door of her room open and marched to the pile where she had kept all of Olumide's letters. Lolade had faithfully delivered each one and then dumped them where she had been instructed.
"Aunty Romola, you're back." Lolade stretched out on the bed and turned to face her.
"Ssh." Romola grabbed all the letters and dumped them on the bed, not caring about the order.
She picked the first one that caught her eyes, an embossed orange envelope and tore it open. A folded piece of white paper dropped to the folds on the bedsheet. At the right hand corner, in Olumide's bold handwriting was a number in the same size as the number of the envelope.
SEVENTEEN
'Today was a particularly tough day both at work and home. The rice finished and it was too late to get some but we figured it out. Jide made concoction rice. I'm not going to lie. It was tastless, salty and peppery at the same time. I'm not sure of how he managed it. Hadassah came by again to ask of you. It's been settled then, Ajoke and I will be travelling to the US. It's safer.'
–From your one and only. Still waiting on you.
Safer? Why was it safer? She tore open all the envelopes and upended their content on the bed, searching for 16.
SIXTEEN
'I don't know if the heat is from the house or the number of people here but the fan I bought is barely doing anything. Had to step out earlier. Dami told me Tomiwa came looking for my sister at my house. I'm glad I lodged her at Muyiwa's. You look pale today. Maami said you still refused to eat anything. Not even the fish and chips I got from glass courts. At least take a bite. Whatever you can manage.'
–From the one that sees his future with you. Still waiting on you.
Tomiwa? Her head spun? When had Hadassah come to look for her? Why did Ajoke have to go to Muyiwa's house?
She picked the next card that caught her eyes. A red one.
FOUR
'Watching all of this happen, I'm sure that I don't want my sister to be the next victim. I hope I'm not being insensitive by talking about her. I'll explain more tomorrow. The doctor said I have malaria. You were right about offering myself to the mosquitoes. I've started taking some medicine and I swear, I hate it. But if I have to get bitten by a thousand just to see you, I'll do it again. It will be best to remove my sister from here. Maybe another country will be safer. After tomorrow, please tell me what you think I should do.'
–From a guy who is crazy enough about you to be mosquito food. Still waiting on you.
Romola squeezed the note. He had asked her for her opinion. He hadn't just decided to travel on a whim but she had ignored him.
Her lips trembled as she assembled the letters in the proper order. The earlier letters were longer in length and the latter were shorter and more to the point. But for every letter he signed, there was a declaration of his love.
She took her time to read through all 21 letters, not pausing for a minute. The last letter was written in scrawny letters. Like he had been in a hurry.
TWENTY ONE
'So, we leave tomorrow and it's the hardest thing I feel like I've ever had to do because I just got you back and now I feel like I'll lose you again. I don't know what I'll find when I return but I love you Romola and I don't know how else to say it.'
–From the guy who is still waiting on you.
"He's travelling?" She spoke her first words.
"Broda Mide? Yes." Lolade said, head bent over the letter.
YOU ARE READING
Scars (Romola 2)
Romance"Then maybe you should have stayed in schoool. Instead of trying to be an elevated secretary and teaching me my Job." - - - - - Beyond managing Iya Tobi's store and pursing a shadow of an education, Romola's plate is full. It's been two years since...
