COINCIDENCE

3 - Chance

Tomorrow brought nothing, if you ask me. It just got me more agitated, left me high and dry, so saturated that wanted couldn't remedy it.

The day started with a call from home --- Mum has less than pleasant news to deliver and cutting right to the chase, she just wanted me to know that "my dad" has been released on parole and she couldn't care less. If i wanted, I could contact him on his cell phone number which she rattled out like it was infectious (ofcourse, she wondered why in god's name I would even want to reach out to him). She ended the call with an abrupt good bye! Message delivered.

I do want to speak with my dad, like I know he is persona non grata to the Fam but he is my dad after all.

I know barely little about him in the 20 very eventful years of my life and apart from the bone-chilling, horrid stories Talia never fails to dish out (like I have a mind picture of him as a monster with fangs well painted by Talia), i know next to nothing about the man. I was already stressed before the day even began. (Shiver me a timble😩).

Leaving my apartment, well, the gloomy sky glared at me, I growled internally (like give me a break, would you!), I know fully well that I would be late for my first lecture if I venture back to the apartment to get back my brand new umbrella.

I relented and jogged onwards, daring the sky to do as it pleases and to my surprise it gives me a distant clap of thunder in response. (I really should have know better than egging this crazy weather on but am stubborn like that).

I barely escapes the downpour though  (it seems like the weather god of today showed more constraint). I was two minutes early with Old Prof. Kennedy standing on the podium with his stopwatch at hand waiting for the last minute to chase the late comers and close the lecture room door which can be likened to the gate of hell.

Ofcourse, we ended up having a surprise test, I can't say it was all bad though, because I know I will ace the test but pressure is pressure and this is unfair.

I had barely thirty minutes to jog to my next lecture room, it was a building at the far side of the NPU (Nubian Private University) campus. I was blindly rushing when I bumped into someone, I looked down to see the "Library girl", groaning inwardly, I barely had time for pleasantries, I gave her a loud "I am sorry! And proceeded on wishing on my stars that I could have stayed and talked to her a little (even if it would be one-sided like I assumed), at least get to know her name or hear her voice to say the least. But alas, mother luck is on vacation today.

Getting to the third lecture with a woozy head, an impromptu quiz was popped and the day dragged on with me moving along like a zombie.

The last lecture was by Mr Jacob (he was named the most boring lecturer by the previous graduating set and yawningly, I agree😴),  with his sleepy speech and excessive use of quotations, it was a recipe for snoozing but thankfully, I was able to sail through with heavy but open eyes.

The lecture ended with more research topics to be handed in soonest and all I could think of at the moment was to stuff my face without and sleep a whole week away.

But reality is cold-hearted, as I drag my feet back to the apartment, with the thought of microwaving my cold pizza, a call comes in.
Phone screen +++++ Talia (just the person I needed😒)
Infusing a feigned happiness, I answered the call......

Arno: Hey Sis! Whats popping?

Talia: Nothing.

*rolls eyes* Mentally counts to ten....

Arno: So, I guess you would have an information to pass across to me?

Talia: Ofcourse, I do! I know mum called you to tell you about dad.

Arno: (I knew it) Yes. She did.

Talia: I truly hope to god, you are not planning to contact him?..... (a rhetorical question obviously as she continues before I could muster a reply)..... That man is a psycho, he destroys everything he touches, he could track us down and life as we know it will be over......
(She continues giving me just the cons of contacting "that man", seriously I don't care about our "life as it is and won't go about putting my family in danger by been a Tattler).

Arno: (visibly shaken but keeping my feeling in check)  Talia, I will speak to whomever I want to, crazy or not. And not to worry, I won't divulge any of our "great life secret".

I know Talia is not just been paranoid, she knows the man way better than I do and I do not fault her wisdom but she really needs to chill. I ain't a kid.

Talia: (obviously frustrated as well as I seem like a brick wall) Don't even breathe a word about me or even mum to that man. Just the thought of him been out of prison gives me the creeps. Just be careful and don't let him get to you 'Lil Bro'!

Arno: (but you are getting to me, fraying my last nerves) Okay Talia....... But how are you?

..... The line is cut off mid-sentence.... Without even a good bye, Talia and mum are two peas in a pond.

I end my day on the couch, eating my now warm pizza, unable to do anything else but think, thinking about my family, my dad especially, thoughts like "how our conversation is going to go and what will be said" run through my mind.

Talia stories and forewarnings over the years rings aloud in my ear. Even with all the horrors of the past, the truth still remains that we are the only family that the man has and I know better than most people how to cut horrible from my life like hot larva.

But man has to give me a reason to, I still need to give you a chance, a chance to prove me wrong, a chance to fail or succeed, a chance to build or break the already shaky foundation but a chance all the same.

Authors Note:

Dum-dun-dun... I like the fact that Arno can be very practical and open minded but to me, I will just prefer to let sleeping dogs lay.

Why poke the bear with a torch when its not even agitated but I case this is Arno's story not mine.

So watch out for more.

Please leave you comments and a shiny star for the brave-hearted Arno🌟