Healings

chapter twelve.

         

                                                                        CHAPTER TWELVE
The week was exhausted, and there came a week, and another week, and another. During this weeks, ifeoluwa and Adedimeji seems to get more closer, their conversation now ranges from text to calls, which was mostly for their upcoming project. Adedimeji still claims busy, but his attendance in class was getting better. There are still times he has a far way look on his face, but he kept his promise of not dwelling on things
Since the day they both shared their woes together, they both haven’t spoken about that day, the realization on both sides that they’ve gone through that much, gave them each the psychic strength they are sharing. Adedimeji still space out a few times, and Ifeoluwa sometime finds herself emotionally down, but they were both doing better than they were doing before.
Evelyn came for more sleep overs too in the past weeks. And her rapport between Ayo was getting more suggestive. They seem to always look for time to talk and probably take a walk whenever she comes around too. Her enthusiasm at learning, didn’t reduce either.
Exams was fast approaching, and its only about two weeks to weeks to commence. Prof. Agbade has been helpful with the progress of their project works. He okays them sending in their works through the email, and he sends them the assessed copy again through the Email. It doesn’t all sound like Prof. Agbade, but it seems Adedimeji did a great work of convincing the old professor.
Ifeoluwa was reclining at her study Table, after having her nose buried in books since she woke up, when her phone rang.. It was a lecture free day, and she is preparing very hard for her upcoming exams. The caller was identified as Adedimeji, she enthusiastically picked up at the first ring.
“Hello, how are you? I hope I didn’t disturb your study, because that’s all I know you would be involved in.” He asked as a mode of greeting.
She laughs, “I am fine. If it’s our work’s assessment you want me to do, don’t worry, I trust you with it or we can do it together in school tomorrow.”
“I don’t know if there will be any chance of collecting you, probably in a hour’s time?”
Confused. “Me? Are you coming over for the me?”
“Yes,  you. I want you to come with me so we can put final touches, and we can present them next week to professor.”
“That caught me unawares, where do you suggest we get it done, I still have some books to study, I’m not a genius like you.”
He laughs, “if you don’t mind me bringing you over to my home here, we have a spacious compound, where we can sit outside to do it. And my mum is home dying to meet the project partner I’m stuck with. I envisage your house can’t be comfortable enough, and the school is still a very long distance. And most importantly, we can easily have access to a printing device here”
She went silent for a bit. “Adedimeji, this sounds like you have it all planned out.”
“Hmm… maybe I’m guilty of that. But you can see it as an invitation. Won’t you honour it?
“Adedimeji, I don’t usually do this, you know right?.”
“Even if I don’t know, it’s all written over you. So will you be coming or not?.”
She went silent for bit. “The reason I’m hesitant is because, I only got to know you recently.”
“Ok, I promise to drop you back early. Then you can drop off my home address with your Housemates, so they can know where to look for you, if you don’t arrive early. Is that a deal?”
She sighs. “Since you’ve made up your mind, its only a waste of time to keep declining. So it’s a Yes.”
“Yah….”He exclaimed on the phone. “Thank you!!!”
She laughs at his reaction. “Why do you keep treating this as if, it out of your best interest, when its actually for both of us good”
“I know, how difficult it might be for you, considering you like your personal space. I can pick you up in 30 minutes as scheduled.”
“Its okay, I’m going to get ready now.
“Okay, see you later.” Ifeoluwa could hear him getting off the phone, but he didn’t abort the call in his excitement. She shook the her head as she aborted the call.
In the space of time, they sat down to share each other’s past, Adedimeji has gone from a reserved fellow to her, to an engaging individual, always eager to get things going, and always full of ideas. Ifeoluwa sometimes was surprised at how is boyish nature usually comes out whenever he’s let down his guard. She admires the way he speaks passionately and diplomatically about things he believes in, ranging from his best football club, politics, clothing brands, and academics, and a lot of things to make up small talks. He was like a Bedding neatly folded in, which began unwrapping itself. Nonetheless, he was still the reserved person he is, with anyone else.
In no time, she has gotten ready, she was teaching her hair to behave when a knock sounded at her door. She was most confused on what to wear, since first impression last long, and she was meeting his mum. She later settled for a blue coloured blouse and a black skirt, with a leather slippers to go with.
It was Lekan at her door, when she checked. It was a quizzical look he gave to her, when he noticed she was dressed as if she was going out.
“Ifeoluwa, don’t tell me the guy at the door really came for you.” He mentioned still perplexed.
If she was a light skinned person, she was sure she would have blushed at that moment. “ Yes, he. He’s my final project partner, and we still have some works to do, before our defense. He came to pick me up for them.”
Lekan eyes showed he wasn’t going to back down from questioning her. “And you know him enough to accompany him in his car?”
Ifeoluwa didn’t know what to give in response. She resolved into nodding.
This time, Lekan’s eyes had gone wide. “Wow, that’s interesting. Ifeoluwa, you’re getting more interesting to know by the day, I will leave you to get done with looking good.”
“Okay” she replied closing the door behind his back.
When she got to the living room, she met Lekan and Adedimeji conversing. noticing she has arrived, they stopped whatever they were saying, and Adedimeji stood up to meet her.
“I approve of him Ifeoluwa, he gave me his home address already. If so anything gets missing on you when he drops you back, I know where to fetch him.” Lekan said behind them.
  She shook her head, and laughed, embarrassed at what Lekan has done on her behalf.
They said their farewell, before Adedimeji led her to the Car. It was still a   Tope alabi’s song again that welcomed her, although she couldn’t recognize the song. That seems to initiate the Talks of Gospel Music, for the whole twenty minute drive. She couldn’t agree less that it was way faster than converging in the school.
He horned at a monstrous gate, which a Gatekeeper in uniform opened. The gate gave way to a vast compound. The house the compound was housing, was a definition of beauty, it was obviously a story house, painted in bright pink and white colour. It looked homey, with a  Terrace at the upper floor, overlooking the City. Ifeoluwa was still in awe, not realizing Adedimeji has brought the Car to a stop, and the gatekeeper was already walking towards them and the parked Car.  When they both alighted, Adedimeji’s voice broke her out of the admiration of the house.
“Welcome to my humble Abode” He said walking over to her side.
Ifeoluwa scoffed, “This is no near a humble abode. Your house is beautiful.” She replied, obviously still appreciating it.
“My mum will be happy to hear that. Although, I still fault her over the too feminine color, she asked for the house to be painted.”
“Nonetheless it’s still beautiful.” She said rolling her eyes. By this time, the Gatekeeper, has reached them.
He seems to be a middle aged man, he was all smiles when he got to them. “Oga welcome, Madam you are welcome too. Big madam dey wait for una, inside the house.” He said in Pidgin English
Adedimeji rolled his at him. “Chucks, I’m aware of that, prove to me this is not an excuse to meet whoever I brought home. Anyways her name is Ifeoluwa, my project partner In school.
Chucks still all smiles faced her in greetngs. “Madam, welcome to our house. We go treat you wella and Uncle Adedimeji is a nice person too.”
Ifeoluwa embarrassed for the second time again today replied . “Thank you, sir.”
“You are welcome my dear.” He said in return.
When they both finally entered, The interior designs were something to stare at twice. The theme of the interior was plain white, with few highlights of Gold. Besides the mouthwatering designs, there was another thing mouthwatering spreading through the room. A delicious meal was obviously cooking somewhere in the house.
Adedimeji led her to one of the white couches. “Have your seat, let me go in search of my mum” He told her, spiking her nervousness. She couldn’t believe she was really meeting his mom today.
She wasn’t on seat for ten minutes when he came trotting back with a woman, not looking any older than 30 in his wake. The woman finally got her small frame to overtake him, as she made for ifeoluwa. She was too much of a petite beauty for a mother, Her eyes were smiling on sighting Ifeoluwa. She was dressed in a simple floral gown, also with a leather slippers to go.
Ifeoluwa, not sure how she was going to be received smiled back tentatively.
“So you are the young lady who has made my boy love school again.” She asked, hugging her.
Ifeoluwa was taken aback by the warm gesture, but hugged her back,  and looked over her shoulder quizzically at Adedimeji. Who looked away clearly embarrassed.
“He doesn’t like school?” She asked the mother, after they were done with the unusual first time greetings
“Yes, my dear. Until Femi took him under his arms for the final project.
“Who’s Femi ma?” still confused and surprised at how much she was being related with as if she has been a friend of the family for so long.
“Femi supervises both of you for your project works. He’s an old friend of mine, since the universities day, helped me the most when I fell pregnant with Ade.” She explained, still smiling at her.
“Wow, that’s sounds interesting.” Ifeoluwa said, really finding it interesting.
“Mum, you can continue with your tales later, right now, we have works to do.” Adedimeji said, interrupting them of their bonding.
Her mum laughs cheerily, “don’t mind him, he is sulking. And he is scared I’m going to tell you the crazy things he did as a kid.”
Her laugh, was contagious, and Ifeoluwa found herself laughing too. This time, Adedimeji couldn’t take it anymore, he held out his hand for her and led her towards the staircase, immediately after the living room.
“When you are done, come back down for some food I prepared.” His mum called behind them.
“Ok mum.” Adedimeji replied.
He led her up the staircase, that opened directly into the Terrace. Ifeoluwa sucked in clean breath of Air at first, then admiring the view of the Town before her. It looks was serene and peaceful, seeming like the chaos of the world can’t reach them.
Beside the beautiful view, there was a generous table situated there, which can contain at least six people on seat.
He led her to one of the seat. A computer she recognized as his was there, with books scattered all over the table, with a brown manila envelope sitting singly out beside them. He drew out a chair for her to sit, then took a sit for himself too.
“I like your house, your mum clearly knows what is good.” She said.
“Yes she does, I love this place most in the whole house too.” He said, smiling fondly .”Have you heard, that our Project defence will be observed on the department’s award night.” He asked.
“No.” She answered surprised. Things keeps changing faster this days.
“I also found out most people were finally paired for their Project works this session.”
“Wow, that sound interesting too.”
“Anyways, I have something to show you.” He said, reaching for the brown , manila envelope. He tore off the tape, holding the cap in place. He reached into it, drawing out a Blue colored bonded copy of a book looking like a Project write up which he handed to her. She collected it, confused on what it was, but when she viewed what was written over it, she was dumbfound, opening her mouth wide, and looking from it to him. Whereby Adedimeji looked skeptical, not knowing how she was going to react.
“Adedimeji, you did this?” she asked, clearly surprised.
He ran his hands through his hair, looking like he was caught doing something wrong. “We were mostly done, it was something I could take up, and I didn’t want to disturb you, knowing you were still preparing hard for the Exam.” He replied.
“ Adedimeji, but you also have exams to prepare for, and you took up the rest yourself.” He shrugged, clearly flustered.
“I have the resources at my disposal, I can show you the study later to prove that.”
Ifeoluwa sighed, not knowing what to say. “I feel like scolding you, but I’m grateful you did this, it’s nice to know that you care.”
Adedimeji nodded, happy she approved of it. He looked at the cover again, boring his name and hers in full. With their project Topic inscribed clearly on it. The euphoria of having her bonded copy of her Project at hand was bubbling in her.
She suddenly exclaimed again, “Thank you!!! Im extremely grateful you did this.”
Adedimeji understanding her happiness, laughed at her outburst. “Mum said, to take you back down after giving you the surprise, for a heartily meal as she called it.”
Ifeoluwa smiled, “Seems your mum is intent on feeding me before I go. I can’t decline, can I ?” she asked.
He shook his head, “It’s a No, so let’s go downstairs.”
Both of them rose up, she picked up her bag, while he carried the envelope containing their project write-ups. They walked down the stairs again. “So you brought me here solely to eat right?”
He shrugged, “It was my mum’s idea.”
She laughed shaking her head.
“Professor told me it will be only a person to defend the project, and I will want you to do it.” He blurted.
“Really, that’s some big task o, I’m getting nervous already.”
“Don’t get nervous, you can do it, and you know you can, don’t you?” He asked.
She nodded. “I know.”
They found his mother on a Call, which was clearly making her upset. “He isn’t interested” was her last statement, before she aborted the call. When she looked back, finding them there, she was in smiles again.
“Guess, he showed you his surprise already?”
Ifeoluwa nodded, “He did.”
“He has been worried about what your reaction will be since morning.”
Ifeoluwa laughed, Adedimeji not able to contain how his mum keeps on embarrassing him, interrupted the jest. “Mum.” He called.
She raised up her hands in defeat. “Okay, I will stop embarrassing you.”
“I wish.” He muttered under his breath.
She led them to a spacious table, which looked like it was a dinning set, which was sitting farther down the living room, overlooking the kitchen. Which still left Ifeoluwa in awe of the architectural design of the house.
The meal was a delicious looking jollof rice, chicken stew and some juice. Ifeoluwa under the duo urging had her stomach filled. While they were eating his mum, kept asking questions about her background and sharing hers too, constantly throwing in embarrassing stories about Adedimeji. Ifeoluwa felt like she had a new family. She laughed so much, and was still in awe at how much both of them kept bantering forth back. Its shows they were really happy with each other.
It was in the evening before she departed with Adedimeji driving her off, and after she had waved goodbye at Chuks.  She  was laden with disposable plates of food, to give to her housemates. The journey home was surreal too, to cool music, streaming from the Car’s sounds system. she kept yawning all through the journey  after having her fill of a good food.
When they arrived at her hostel, they met Lekan waiting as he promised. Both guys greeted themselves, in a more friendly manner than she could think. She handed the food over to him, while she went off to her room straight for a big sleep. She had no care in the world for now, A good meal they say, gives a cheerful heart. But in her case, it was a dreamless sleep.