JODA
By Amah’s Heart
Episode 3
Denis has finally returned back to normal him that I used to know, not the over demanding bully he wanted to turn himself to. He is so loving and less demanding now. We have a normal healthy conversation not the unnecessary argument.
Binta is still not lively like she used to be, when we are together. I spent much time with Denis, don’t really have time for anything or anyone. And even if Denis and I are sitting out or hanging out, and I ask Binta to sit with us or go with us, she sometimes decline if Denis is there. She is never comfortable around him.
Today Denis decided to ask me about her behaviour which is also pissing me off.
“What is wrong with your friend, Binta?… Do you notice that she never likes me, only pretending because of you…
“Don’t mind her… I really don’t know what is wrong with her. I know she doesn’t really like you…she even told me that herself, she also said you can be over demanding and annoying too. But I don’t care what she says, you matters more to me than anyb©dy…
“Oh really…she said all that, she is very stupid for saying that. I’m happy you never listens to her. Maybe you should change her from being your Chief bride maid to any of your friends, or even Vanessa. Vanessa is even more beautiful than she is. You can’t have someb©dy that hates your husband around you. Binta is just jealous of you, she wishes she has your kind of money or man, and she will never be you. You are beautiful, smart, rich and intelligent. You also have me to compliment all your uniqueness…and I love you…
“I love you more, but I have alre-ady picked Vanessa as one of the bridal trai. Binta has being my friend for long, and I can trust her because she has always being trustworthy. I don’t know what got into her, I don’t know why she doesn’t relate well but I don’t think is Jealousy, or probably you are right. She maybe jealous or something but Vanessa is not as close as Binta is… Since you want Vanessa…fine by me, I will just dismiss Binta..
That night as I sle-pt, I had a dream, I saw myself walking down the aisle in my flowing wedding gow. I was all smile as I walked to where Denis stood, and the priest asked “is there anyone seated here that will not want this couple to be husband and wife, speak now or forever hold your peace”.
As he said that, everywhere bec@m£ silent, so silent that you can even hear if a pin drop. I scanned throu-gh the crowd, they were unknown faces. I didn’t see Nob©dy that I know seated among them, and they were looking so sad, why are all this strange faces sad on my wedding day, where did they even come from? As I was still wondering about the strange sad faces, a man stood up from a distance, an elderly man, he was moving towards me but he wasn’t walking. As he got closer and I saw his full face. I screamed in terror, “Dad” and woke up.
It was my father that stood up to stand against my wedding with Denis. My Dad has being dead for three years, he can’t oppose my wedding with Denis who was his P. A. Even the day he died in his office it was Denis that discovered his cold b©dy lying in his office and raised alarm. My dad had a lung cancer which after his visit to his medical doctor abroad, he was fine, he got better, and was back to work in his usual active mood. Eating and doing what he loved to do as before, he still took some vitamins and supplements just as he was prescribe-d to take, and was also warned to stay away from certain drugs, food and some other things. He followed every rule given to him not until that day, he never showed any sign of sickness in the morning or afternoon only to be discovered dead in the evening, during the close of work, right in his office. Aut©psy showed that he was overdosed. How can dad overdose himself, I thought he was taking his drugs according to prescription. Why did he have to take a killer drug to die, living only me, how would I have coped if not for Denis. Mother died when I was still a little girl, father refused to remarry, he wanted to give me the best parenting. He said I’m like a million children to him. He also wanted to walk me down the aisle on my wedding day and hand me over to a good man who will cherish me like him. He wished to see me happy and I have looked forward to ma-king him proud until death snatched him away. I cried and couldn’t eat for days. I wanted to die with him,life was so lonely without my loving dad, who toiled day and night just to give me the best.
He can’t possibly say that I shouldn’t marry his Personal as-sistant, who was among his close staffs. Also among the people he trained and paid off their tuition fees when they were in school. My Dad loved Denis like his son and made him his P. A, after he graduated. Denis sometimes traveled with him. My dad changed Denis car twice, he was very kind to him and also other of his staffs. He will even be glad I’m getting married to him, Denis made me fall in love with him. He was so caring and loving after my dad’s death. I was not d@t!nghim when dad was alive, but we started d@t!ngafter his death. Denis had being so cool, if not of recent he changes to some strange being. But he is back to his normal self and I’m glad, I know it was a bad dream because dad will be happy I’m getting married to his P. A, who was like a son to him when he was alive.
I didn’t tell anyone about the dream not even Denis. Although I wanted to say it to him because I don’t hide anything from him but something kept me from saying it.
Binta and I drove out to get something and I decided to tell her to go because she’s not happy with Deni. And Denis wasn’t comfortable with her around. I told her Vanessa will take her place, I said in a way that shows how remorseful I was to let her go and surprisingly she wasn’t angry.
“Hey….Joda…you have just saved me from a big stress…I have being thinking how I will be there…watching you marry that gold digger of a man…I’m sorry but this is not an insult and I know you will still tell him what I said because you are blindly in love. But I don’t care…Joda…but your Denis doesn’t love you but your money…. Don’t think because he was your father’s p. A and your Dad took him as a son and he was also the last person with your dad before he died and he has being so caring since then….Don’t think because of that makes him the man for you. I dislike him and I just couldn’t hide it… plea-se I ask of this one favour from you because you are my best friend and I wanted to be a sister you never had…
plea-se don’t ever allow Denis to manipulate you in changing any other properties or your father’s ha-rd earned as-sets into his.. Don’t let him do that even after you are both married because I see you are so sold out to him. Nob©dy can change your mind in settling with him. You are smart Joda, don’t allow Denis to outsmart you, if not your parents death will all be in vain, most especially your father who built an empire for you. All his sweat will go down the drain if you allow Denis manipulate you. He doesn’t suppose to be in the same house with you, why can’t he wait after the wedding before moving in…Anyway what is my own…I’m proud to say he isn’t the man for you …period.
Tell him I said that if you get back home…If he has liver he should come and ask me and I will be glad to tell him to go to hell. I’m sorry, but I just have to say my mind, plea-se before you finally dump me, let’s go to that vegetables and fruit shop. I want to pick something that will at least be your farewell to me…
I was angry with Binta because of the things she was saying about Denis, were not true. Denis is a nice person and doesn’t love me because of my money and properties. Binta is entitled to her own opinion so I can’t hate her, maybe Denis was right in letting her go. As much as I was angry, I still manage to drive her down to the shop.
The fine young man who owns the place was around… I guess that was why Binta wanted us to come down here.
Episode 4.
“Sorry, we didn’t get your name the last time…
“Kuria…kuria Landy…that’s my name… And yours..?
Before I could even open my mouth to answer, Binta stepped in.
“Her name is Joda… Joda Tomas…that’s her full name. Mine is just Binta Greg, but wait you said your name is Korea Landing, …what kind of name is that…is it like Korea Japan or Korea is landing…how can your name be Korea… Tell us little about yourself….are you a half cast…or fully from here…your accents is nice…. So Korea are you married or seeing someone….becau… Aaaawwwuuu…. Joda… St©p pinching me…..
I was trying to hush Binta to shut up and st©p embarras-sing the young man who was just laughing, when he laughed his gap teeth showed up with a matching dimples. I love gap teeth, and my Dad was blessed with one, one of his favorite features. I love ma-king him laugh when he was alive so that I can see his fine gap. I have wished severally to have one while growing up but my wishes never come true. Kuria’s laughter was also ma-king me to smile despite I was pinching Binta to st©p teasing him.
“No…is not Korea Landing…is Kuria Landy. I’m not yet married but will do that once I see who to settle with. I was so much focusing on my business I didn’t have much time for d@t£s.
Now I’m fully established, I will start working towards having a good life p@rtner… Okay, let me tell you about myself, my Mom was a single mom and she wasn’t from this p@rt of the country. She gave me her family name. My Dad was from this country. It was after she told me about him, I decided to travel down in search of him but on getting here, when I finally found the family he c@m£ from, I was told he died eleven years ago. I decided to stay here, live here among his people who I’m also p@rt off, my Mom later got married and had a new family. I visit them once in a year. They are doing fine, but I have decided to live among my father’s people.
A father I never met but only throu-gh pictures that my Mom gave me. I have being here for 9years. I started my business here, and business has been good, people over here love vegetables and fruits, wonderful people like you…
Before I could say anything again Binta spoke.
“We are very sorry to hear about your dad, Joda also lost her father three years ago which still troubles her, so both of you are fatherless… plea-se don’t take it personal is just a joke, but God has really blessed you in this land, looking at how sto-red up your shop is and how people patronise you, maybe is because of your fine look and… Aaaahwwwuuu! Joda that’s painful…st©p pu-lling my hair…what is wrong with you…I’m an adult, we are in a democratic world…freedom of speech…allow me to talk if you don’t want to…don’t pu-ll my hair again or I will pu-ll yours….
I have to drag Binta’s head ha-rd for her to shut up.
“plea-se, don’t listen to her she can be a parrot sometimes, I’m so sorry for everything. I know that feeling of loosing a father, but is all good…I’m glad you are doing well for yourself here Kuria..
“I’m equally sorry for your lost…plea-se you ladies should come around tomorrow, my place is just three buildings from here. I have a back kitchen and a sit out too, let me give you a treat of trequi….plea-se don’t say no…you will really love it.
“What in god’s name is treku…whatever that is…it sound like a good wine though, we will come…Joda don’t really drink but she will love your trek…sorry I’m trying to call the name but my ton-gue is falling ap@rt…
I don’t know why Binta was too forward, especially in the pres£nce Kuria. I don’t really drink, how does she know I will love whatever kuria was offering us. I was just standing here and admiring his fine set of teeth with a gap in between, and his fine brown eyes, and a good accent makes me feel like I’m alre-ady cheating on Denis. In order to scare him off from me I used my ring hand which had my shining Diamond engagement ring to rob my face and stro-ke my hair. It looks funny but I didn’t care I can’t be tem-pted to cheat on Denis in any way. I did it severally and he noticed and smile before he spoke.
“Trequi..is not a wine is a vegetable sauce mix with mushroom. One of my Mom best food. My mum taught me how to prepare it and I want to specially prepare it for both of you if you don’t mind….And I have seen your ring Joda…fine Diamond…an indication I should stay off…you are taken…I got the message very clear…. Hahaha..is funny though the way you kept on doing that…I’m not gonna bother you or your friend…I just want to appreciate one of my constant customers.
I knew you even before you do…sometimes I stay at that corner where no one sees me but I see everyb©dy. I sit and watch how my staffs attend to people. Sometimes I stay in my office and watch the CCTV c@m£ra, so I see regular faces and you are one of them…so plea-se…you can even come with your husband or fiance…I will prepare enough for everyone to even take home…but no problem if you can’t make it down…
“Don’t worry Kuria… We will be here…me and Joda are both coming for the trequi…we won’t miss it..
We said our goodbyes and I drove home with Binta.
I asked Binta why she kept on talking like a drun!kard, embarras-sing kuria and ma-king me to start regreting of taking her down to his shop. She laughed and ignored my question, and only said I should get re-ady for tomorrow to be trequilize by Kuria ‘s food.
I joined in and laugh because I will love to see him laugh and showcase his fine teeth with the gap in between.
I will also tell him to teach me the recipe too if the food is nice so that I can prepare it for Denis. But I’m still feeling guilty, my wedding is next month end and I’m admiring Kuria and getting all familiar with him.
I quic-kly waved it off. Kuria just wanted to appreciate his customers like he mentioned, he even said I can come with my husband to be, so that’s cool by me. I will ask Denis if he will come with me and Binta to Kuria’s place.
Denis was not around when I got back, he didn’t tell me he was going out, so I called him and a lady picked up. My heart skipped but was calm when I found out it was Vanessa, she said Denis car broke down, and she saw him along the road trying to call his mechanic so she gave him a lift. He was actually in the toilet when I called after exchanging plea-santries, she handed the phone to Denis who was out of the toilet according to her. I was surprised to hear that his new car that isn’t up-to a year suddenly broke down and Vanessa appeared like an angel and drove him to her place. The sad thing is that he said he wasn’t coming home that night.
That once his car is fixed he will be going over to his friends place. They planned to watch football together that night. I was angry and asked him why he didn’t tell me all this before leaving the house or even to call me on phone. He apologised and said he tried calling me but my line wasn’t going and his friends just called him immediately I left the house. He also reminded me of Vanessa being my Chief brides maid and I told him no problem, that one was alre-ady sorted.
After the call, I called Binta to the room and told him to stay with me that Denis wasn’t coming back that night. Binta was overjoyed and danced round the room, we gist that night and I also mentioned the dream I had about my dad to her.
She said is an indication that my Dad does not support the wedding. She suggested we pray before slee-ping which we both did.
I didn’t believe Binta interpretation about the dream, she was only saying that because she does not like Denis. But as I sle-pt that night, all I dreamed about was the trequi with Kuria, and he was so full of smile. I actually thought that when the day break, I will tell Binta that I wasn’t going again but as I woke up in the morning all that was on my mind was kuria.
Towards the afternoon, we dressed up and I tried calling Denis but his line was off. Probably after the long night of watching football with his friend, he was tired and put off his phone to avoid being disturbe-d, so that he could sleep. I will try his line in the evening again if he doesn’t call.
When Binta and I finally got to Kuria’s place, he was wearing a kitchen apron, I laughed on seeing him look like that he also laughed.
There is something about him that makes me feel happy, maybe because he shared the same shape of gap teeth with my late Dad, or there’s more but I love the way I feel when I’m around him. It also makes me feel bad, I feel like is unfair to Denis to be feeling this way with another man.
TBc….