The Shugar Mummy

Chapter 3

"good afternoon ma" I replied as I was confused as to what was happening.
She looked different though in a jean trousers and a black shirt. She was on a fringe wig and even with my confused state at the moment, everything about this woman gave me jitters.
"here you go, young man" the Dean brought me back to life as he handed me my ID card.
"what the hell?" I muttered beneath my breath as I collected it from him.
"Thank you sir" I said aloud.
"don't thank me, Thank this good Samaritan here, she found this and decided to bring it to you all the way from Ado".
"Thank you ma'am" I said as I looked at her, clearly shy and embarrassed. She smiled and nodded.
"you need to be careful next time when you go to eateries, apparently it dropped from your pocket" the Dean said. I was confused.
"what eatery?" I responded and as I tried to ask for further details, Mrs Aremu cut in and injected.
"Its okay Ola, I found it and decided to return it, I know how important it must be."
She winked at me and I was taken aback in sweet surprise.
"have we gotten that close that I could get a wink?" I thought to myself.
She stood up and said she had to go. I thanked her once again, then she and the Dean shook hands.
I proceeded to take my leave also with her but the Dean motioned for me to stay that he wanted a word with me.
Eventually all he was saying was to be more careful and that I should focus on my studies, blah blah blah, as if I hadn't heard enough of that all my life.
I thanked him and told him I had a test very soon and had to leave.
I got out of his office and a fresh release of air showered on me. My ID card was with me, yes!. The joy and euphoria I felt was boundless, ordinary ID card eh?.
I checked my phone and looked at the time, it was 12:30pm. My test was by 1pm.
Feeling like a free man, I started walking back towards my lecture theatre. I hadn't taken like ten paces when I heard someone call my name from behind.
I didn't want to stop but the person kept calling and it was a female voice. I decided to turn around to see who it was.
Lo and behold, it was Mrs Aremu.
"oh ma, youre still around? I thought you had gone" I managed to say as I was surprised as to why she was still around.
"yes I am" she responded with a smile. Her lips curved in an alluring manner that instantly charmed me.
I shook off the mirage and got a grip of myself.
"humm, are you waiting for someone or something?" I further inquired.
And with gusto and clear confidence, she replied.
"actually I am, for you".
I didn't know what was happening, but I could sense a vibe, a very weird one. I was 20 and I was so sure she was 40 or a little over.
"huh? me?" I asked again.
"yes, you silly" she replied with that charming smile again.
"Do you have a minute?"
"Actually I don't ma, I have a test in 15 minutes and I thought I would not be able to write it because no ID card, no test or exam in this school...."
"oh, its a good thing I brought you your ID card then, you dropped it in my car when we met" she interjected.
"oh my" I said as I slapped my forehead feeling so stupid.
"I'm so sorry ma that I had to put you through the stress of driving down here from Ado to return it, thank you so so much, you're far too kind".
"oh come off it" she replied.
"it's nothing, I'm actually on leave so it didn't affect work and also, I wanted to see your handsome face again".
I let out a laughter. "hehehe, my handsome what?"
I wanted to respond but I looked at the time, 5 minutes to 1.
"ma, I really need to get going now, my test..."
"okay then, but I came here for you, so here's my card" she handed me her card.
"call me as soon as you're done with the test, I'll wait for you".
I put the card in my pocket and ran as fast as I could to my class.
Economic history was a piece of cake for me and as I saw the questions, I knew I had passed. Exactly everything I had revised was asked.
It was a 45 minutes test but I was done in 20 minutes. I couldn't submit till after 30 minutes so I lay my head on my table and went into thoughts.
Well what would I be thinking of? your guess is as good as mine, Mrs Aremu.
"What the hell does she want? I kept thinking, was she really waiting for me? she was attractive yes, but ewww, ola she's married, that's a no go area. Maybe she has a job for me or she just wants to know me" oh arrrgh!!
I couldn't figure out what she wanted and the only way to find out was to talk to her. As I was still in thoughts, I felt a piece of paper hit my head, I looked beside me for the thrower and it was Dare.
"werey" he whispered.
"wetin be the name of that class system for question 4?"
I looked at the invigilator and when I was sure she wasn't looking, I whispered back to him.
"prole....ta..riat and bour...geoi..sie" as I stressed out the answers for him in a way he would understand.
"okay okay, thanks padi mi" he replied back and as I thought that was all and proceeded to go submit.
"werey, wait ...spell bourgeoisie"
what the hell?!!

After the test, Dr Mrs decided to still teach the class. So eventually we ended up doing the whole two hours of lecture.
I looked at the time, it was 2:10 pm, there was no way Mrs Aremu would have still waited for me. I picked up my bag and went out of the class, I searched my pocket for her card and dialled her number.
"hello ma, its Ola", silently I wished and prayed that she would have gone.
"Ola, bawoni, I'm in the cafeteria, can you come?" she answered as if we had been friends for long.
"okay ma, I'm coming".
I took a deep sigh as I walked towards the cafeteria which was like 5 minutes from my lecture theatre.
I was almost at the sliding door, when Dare and Paul caught up with me. Oh no!
"Ola! wait na, so you want to go and eat and remove us from setting abi?" Paul said.
"Alaye gbagbe, na you go buy lunch for us today" Dare added as they both dragged me inside without even letting me say a word.
I had just 800 naira on me, and if I was to extricate myself from their company, I was going to have to buy them food.
We walked to the counter and I bought them a plate of jollof rice and meat worth 350 naira each. I told them to go get a table and eat that I needed to see a lecturer.
Well, with the food on their table, they didn't care what I wanted to do anymore.
I perused through and saw Mrs Aremu. I walked up to her table and all she had was a cup full of juice with its pack beside.
"good afternoon ma, I'm sorry about that, my friends hijacked me and I had to buy them food to free myself from them".
she smiled and waved it off as no problem.
"so what do you want to eat?" she asked.
I had no money left on me to eat, though I was hungry.
"humm, I'm fine ma, I think I'm full"
I wasn't but I had to be courteous and refuse. She smiled at my response.
"I didn't order anything since because I was waiting for you. I am hungry also and looking at your eyes at the moment, I can tell you are hungry too".
She got me, my eyes were reeking of hunger and those idiot friends of mine had made me sponsor them with my lunch money.
"don't worry about the bills, I'll handle it, if that is what you're worried about" she added.
And with that I ordered jollof rice and chicken. She had the same thing too. By the time the food came, I was gobbling it all down like a tush cave man.
I could feel her eyes were on me so I slowly looked up and then she gave a chuckle. I felt shy.
"humm, pardon my manners ma, I am really famished".
"it's okay" she responded.
"since the first day I saw you at the super market and you helped me with my groceries, I liked you instantly. I was wondering if I was ever going to see you again and lost all hope until I found your ID card in my car last night. I knew I had to trace you back here.."
I took a sip out of my bottle of coke and continued listening with rapt attention.
"..so I drove down here and I went to the student affairs and here we are". I took a deep breath, I had just stressed this lovely woman all because of my carelessness.
" I'm actually very sorry ma..."
"don't call me ma, you're making me feel old, call me Abike, that's my name".
"but, I can't do that, that would be so disrespectful" I respectfully replied.
"well, it is what I want, my name is Abike and please call me that" she further asserted and I knew I wasn't meant to argue anymore.
"Look Ola, I just want to get to know you, I want us to be friends, that's all".
She seemed serious about it all but I still I had one serious question.
"but ma, .....oh I'm sorry, Abike, what about your husband, aren't you married?"
She closed her eyes, smiled and looked me in the eye.
"my husband passed away two years ago". I felt sorry for her and apologized.
She said she was over it and was ready to move on. I told her we were already friends and that it was cool.
Just as we wanted to continue, Dare and Paul walked to our table, greeted Abike and told me we needed to go home.
I told them to leave that I would meet them at home. But clearly they had other plans.
"Ahh, no o Ola, na you go pay our transport go house o" Paul replied.
"abi una dey mad ni?" I said as I stood up laughing but at the same time vexed.
"its okay, it's okay" Abike interjected.
"I'll drop you guys off right away, and humm, also I need to get going now, its getting late".
The relief on my friends' face as we were going to be chauffeured home.
They thanked her and helped carried her bag even after she refused them. She had no idea that they were not normal.
She drove us to our street junction and as it was not motorable enough, she couldn't go further.
We all came down and thanked her for the lift. As I walked further, she called out to me to come back.
She opened her bag and gave me an envelope. Without saying a word, she wined up her glass and drove off.
I wondered what stunt that was, I held the envelope and it felt so heavy, it was money, I knew it. I stuffed it inside my back pocket as I ran to meet up with my guys.
While in my room, I made sure to lock the door and yes it was actually money. Freshly minted one thousand naira notes. I counted it all and it was 30 grand.
"damn" I muttered as I fell to my bed.