Her pain Her joy

Knight in shining armour

"Ozioma person dey find you for gate" Mummy Beto shouted from outside. I grumbled. I had warned mummy Beto to stop screaming my name all the time. In this crowded compound, she was the only neighbor I related with, because her 5 year old son Beto was so fond of me. He was a robust happy kid  and would follow me around whenever he had an opportunity.  "Gbam gbam" Mummy Beto was banging my door hard. I opened and tried to hide my swollen eyes from her while I scolded. " shebi I don tell you make you no dey shout my name? And why you dey bang my door like that?"  I awaited her normal "you no get respect" reply she always said to me whenever I rebuked her. I always found it funny because I could bet the most she could be, was thirty. She was a plump lady, and the struggles of being a single mom of 2 in this harsh conditions had aged her a little, but still,  I could tell a young eyes when I see one. 
   " One fine bobo say him dey find you but him no know your room" she replied. " abeg no be me" I denied  immediately. I never had visitors and never invited anyone over. I tried to close my door but Mummy Beto urged I go see him because he looked desperate and certain this was my compound. He was only confused which exactly was my room, amongst the 12 rooms that were in a single file.
     I opened the gate and of course it was Fejiro.
"What are you doing here?" I questioned with a frown.
"Lead the way" he replied.
"Fejiro I'm grateful you came through that morning but please stay away."
  He ignored me and stepped into the compound
"After today, I promise." He said.
   We went into the room at the extreme and I was a little ashamed at how unkempt it was. The mattress on the floor wasn't fully covered and the dirty worn out edges were visible. The shoe I wore the last time to work was still scattered around the room with one pair under the table and the other beside the wardrobe. My nightgown laid on the bed and a few of my dirty clothes were on the plastic chair underneath the table . I had spent the last three days praying, eating a little and crying. I barely even finished a meal and headaches plagued my waking and sleeping hours.
   I offered Fejiro the plastic chair, after dumping the clothes in the wardrobe. We stayed in an awkward silence for few minutes before he eventually cleared his throat.
   "Ozioma I just wan.." he started but I immediately interrupted. "How do you know where I stay?''
" I used to patronize the aboki store opposite your compound, long before you started working with us." He replied.
  How embarrassing! Fejiro had pretended he didn't know where I lived all these while, and played dumb to all my lies? One thing I was good at doing was embarrass myself in front of this man!
  "Take" he said while handing me an envelope. " It's 50,000. You needed an advance right?" He asked. I left his hand hanging and shook my head. So that manager couldn't keep his mouth shut even after refusing my request? I had planned to sell my phone and my fan too, if the money realized from the phone was not enough. I wouldn't take his money I just could not.
" It's not help. I got you into this. Amara hates you because of me". He said but his eyes pleaded. I continued to shake my head disapproving, and his eyes continued to plead. 
Why was Fejiro so drawn to me? I wondered. I refused to admit how handsome he is because I did not intend to invest in my attraction towards him. Fejiro would turn heads anywhere he goes. He had a basket baller height and a perfect face to match. His beards were full, dark and shiny as they trailed his jaw down his chin. His eyes bright like that of an infant, with sharp pointed nose that made a little bow at the tip and a dark skin that looked like warmth. His good looks were a compensation for his absurd personality. With that attitude of his he was bound to have lived and died a lonely man if his looks were not as dashing.  I knew taking the money from Fejiro would certainly not be our last encounter and I sincerely did not want to walk this road with him.
  "I'm a murderer's daughter." I said through clenched teeth. "Amara did not lie" I continued. I just didn't know how she found out. The tears began to form again and Fejiro took my hands. "Your eyes are swollen Ozioma" he said.  Ofcourse they had to be. They had gotten no rest in three days. He put the envelope in my right hand and stood up to leave. I followed and tapped him on the shoulder. Fejiro turned back swiftly and embraced me so tightly I could hear his heartbeat as my head was pressed against his chest. I tried once to break out but he was too strong for me, so I gave in. I needed that embrace, I needed the comfort and the tears betrayed me again wetting his shirt. We remained in that embrace for a while before he whispered in my ear
" take the money" and released me.  "Oh and don't worry Amara said she would not sue" he added. I wanted to accompany him to the gate but he refused and switched back to his robot personality as he walked out of my room.
    I sat on the bed and counted meticulously, each 1 thousand naira note till I got to fifty, the last note. It was more than I even needed but I couldn't find it in me to rejoice. Fejiro appeared like a God sent but I was too familiar with this knight in shining armour script. The devil had sent me someone again and I wouldn't let him win this time. The last time I let Femi be my knight, he that rescued me became he who struck me and my bleeding had not yet ceased.