The Valentine Frenzy

Chapter 24

I had another opportunity to rub minds with Andrew and crew again Friday evening as I found myself in their company at the restaurant. After another interesting week, it felt like the tonic I needed to relax after a turbulent week.

While eating and drinking, we got talking about the dynamic political issues around the country. Soon the gist narrowed down to the events at Landmark.

This time, I didn't hold back from the guys like in previous meetings. They had the answers to the puzzling issues giving me sleepless nights.

"Is Mrs Avo truly married?" I began.

They could have answered my simple question, but the guys burst out laughing. Unfazed by their scorn, I remained straight-faced, expecting the true representation of things. The manner she barged into the staffroom last Saturday wasn't pleasing at all.

For all I cared, she might have come up with stories that I raped one of the students. And that would wipe out my good name in the school. The woman was becoming too pesky and I wanted the guys to know that. I repeated the question to emphasise my worries.

Andrew spoke first. "Mrs Avo is the most available married woman we know. We all call her Mrs Avo because she likes to carry herself like a responsible family woman. But from findings, we know that she separated from her husband eleven years ago." He lifted the glass off the table and sipped it, letting out a belch. "Has she asked you to visit her at home before?"

"No."

"Then you are lucky. That woman likes Ben 10 more than Brazilian hair. I'm surprised she has not invited you yet. You must be a strong man."

I swallowed the lump in my mouth, eager to explain my encounter with the woman. "She came to meet me in school last Saturday..." The guys roared with laughter.

"But you said she didn't invite you—"

"She came searching on my desk looking for what I didn't know. I was in shorts then, and—"

"Shorts on a Saturday? Hai, you have been sleeping with our girls, wena. Open up to us, man; we understand the flow."

"No, guys. I came to school from the training field to pick up textbooks. But someone told her that I came around with a school girl. She appeared a few minutes later, expecting to find the girl in the staff room."

"Did she find her?"

"Of course not."

"Oh, I see. If she had caught you with a girl, you must follow her home, no doubt. And you will be visiting her for the next three weeks. Ask Kofi..." The folks were in stitches, almost rolling off the chair.

I didn't need to ask Kofi, though. I'd seen how determined she could be when in search of something. I narrated stories of my encounter with the students too, but they ridiculed me and threw jibes.

Carl rolled off the chair laughing. His leg hit the table and the drinks spilled. Yet others wouldn't stop laughing.

"We warned you before, broer, didn't we?" Andrew asked.

"Experience is the best teacher as they say. Now I understand your warnings better... Your school is something else. Imagine a grade-eleven student reporting to grade-twelve that I slept with her."

After regaining his composure, Carl sat up.

"Hai! Jack, you are too weak. How can ordinary school girls threaten you with a lawyer? You must order them to sit down and shut up."

"Some of these students...you can't tell who their parents are. For me, I don't want anything that will tarnish my office records."

"You have only just started. They will soon show you their true colours. Have they exposed their boobs in front of you? It happened to Kofi," he said and pointed to the quiet Life Sciences teacher. The latter's eyes dropped.