Meant To Be
By Olufunlola Adeola
Episode 8
Some thirty minutes later, we were ushered into Kore’s friend’s office.
“Kore, Kore.”
“D to the M to the J”
“Kore my man.”
“Nigga, I’m loyal.” Kore answered as they dapped and his friend pu-ll-ed back,
“You no loyal o. You wey you don forget us.”
“Forget? Nah bro, that’s de-ep . You know as e dey go with my business. We gaz meet up and if possible, pas-s standard.”
“I un-derstand and I hope you have not forgotten about my request on any educational platform you are setting up.”
“DMJ, you be my boss. Anything you talk na final. Once we get to have the session, I will beep you.”
“If you say so.” DMJ said and he glanced at Ayo then Kore said quic-kly,
“Oops. My bad. This is Ayodunmomi Bankole and this big boy here, (he lifted Itunu up and made him rest on his arms) is Itunu. A.Y, this is my friend, Dimeji Bello, he is a professor of Mathematics.”
“Nice to meet you sir.” Ayo said shaking his extended hand.
“The plea-sure is mine, Ayo. Is it okay if I call you that?” Dimeji asked,
“Totally!” Ayo said smiling.
“plea-se, have your seats.” Dimeji said and they all sat down
. Then he asked professionally,
“What can I do for you?”
“Ayo here is trying to get admission into this school and I feel the best person to help us out is you. So, I am putting her in your hands.” Kore explained.
“Okay, what course would you like to study?” Dimeji asked,
Ayo replied, “Communication sir.”
“We have Mas-s Communication here, will that suffice?” Dimeji asked,
“Yes sir.” Ayo answered.
Dimeji said, “Give me a brief summary about your educational background.”
“Okay, I am a OND holder. I finished with a second clas-s upper and I was planning to do direct entry to Ekiti State University but I got pregnant but now I am willing to try again.” Ayo concluded.
Then Dimeji asked, “Okay. Have you gotten a UTME form?”
Ayo answered, “No.”
Dimeji said, “All right. We will do that. It’s been a while you went to school; you will nee-d some serious coaching.”
Kore who had been watching the two of them asked, “DMJ, how do we go about that?”
“The examination is almost upon us but I don’t think it’s too late to attend tutorials.” Dimeji said.
Kore asked, “What about your tutorial centre? Do we have one around this side?”
Dimeji replied, “Yes, the second br@nch is not very far from here.”
Kore said, “She can attend that. How do we get the UTME form?”
Dimeji informed, “She can get the form at the centre too.”
“So, how much is the tutorial fee and the form?” Kore asked.
“The form, I honestly can’t say, I will have to call my Tutorial Manager.” Dimeji said.
Kore reminded, “You are yet to say anything about the tutorial fee.”
“Kore, for you to bring this lady here simply shows that you care about her life and her wellbeing. Let me also as-sist in the little way I can since I am not as rich as you are.” Dimeji replied.
“Ah! DMJ, see as you dey lie. Padi mi, talk normal jare.” Kore said.
“I am serious. Her fee is FOC. I like the fact that you are contributing to ma-king another life better and the fact that you both un-derstand education is important in human’s growth and development. We nee-d to st©p pushing education back because it is the gateway to our freedom.” Dimeji lectured.
“Baba Scholar. We thank you o.” Kore said.
“Thank you very much sir.” Ayo appreciated.
“My dear, the only way you will be welcomed is for you to re-ad ha-rd and be admitted into this school and also come out in flying colors.” Dimeji said.
“I will try my best.” Ayo replied smiling.
Dimeji said, “No, don’t try, do your best and we will go from there.”
“Okay sir.” She said and Kore asked,
“So, how are we getting to the centre?”
“I will give you a card now, the address of each of the four br@nches are on it. Then let me call my Tutorial Manager now.” Dimeji said and he picked up his phone. After swiping and tapping, he started speaking to the receiver rather other end,
“Richa-rd , my friend will be at the centre soon (he looked to Kore for confirmation and Kore nodded). Register the lady with him for UTME and don’t worry about the tutorial fee. Just do the nee-dful concerning the UTME and feed me back…Okay.”
“DMJ, thank you so much.” Kore appreciated.
“Thank you too for coming to me and trusting me.” Dimeji said.
Kore opened up, “There is one more thing though.”
Dimeji asked, “What is that?”
Kore informed, “Itunu nee-ds to be enrolled into a school ASAP.”
Dimeji said, “Wow. You know the pupils are on their second term right now. It’s usually ha-rd to get a child admitted into school when the first term is over.”
“I know DMJ. Na why you gaz help me. First, what schools are around that you think is up to standard?” Kore asked.
“For now, I can say Brighter Grammar, Sound Care Schools and Delight Group of Schools.” Dimeji answered.
Then after a moment’s silence, Kore asked, “Isn’t Delight your brother’s school?”
Dimeji confirmed, “Yes, it is.”
“DMJ, help me nao. This boy nee-ds to start school next week o. Call your brother na, tell him I am willing to broadcast his school for a week.” Kore said.
Dimeji laughed, “Okay, let me call him.” He did some swiping and tapping on his phone again and then some seconds later, he started talking. This time, he put the phone on speaker and said,
“Hello Bro.”
A baritone voice replied, “DMJ, how far? E Don happen, make I show ”
Dimeji laughed a little, “Bro, no dey whyne me jare.”
“Serious nao. I waited for you last Friday at the club and you didn’t show up. Are you working on another thesis again?” His brother asked,
“Yes, that’s what held me up. Bro, Kore is here o. He wants to enroll a boy in your school.” Dimeji informed.
“Ah, Kore Baba Olowo.” Tayo hailed.
“Egbon T.Y, I dey loyal sir.” Kore replied smiling.
“How far the stations? They are doing interesting shows and quite different from the others. Keep it up.” Tayo encouraged.
“Thank you, sir. Egbon, I nee-d your help o.” Kore said.
“Hope it is something I can do?” Tayo asked
“Yes o. I nee-d to enroll a boy into your school and I know the timing is messed up.
. That’s why we are calling.” Kore explained.
“That’s true. After the first term, you can’t just bring a kid in. What clas-s is he?” Tayo asked.
Kore looked at Ayo for answer and she said quietly, “Basic one.”
“Egbon, he is in Basic one.” Kore answered loudly.
“Okay, you know what you will do?” Tayo asked,
Kore answered, “No sir.”
“Come by the school now. Let’s just do quic-k registration for him so he can start on Monday because even this term is on alre-ady.” Tayo said.
“Bros, thank you.” Kore said.
“Ah-ha, there is no nee-d for that. You sef be better person na.” Tayo said.
“Okay sir.” Kore said and Dimeji ended the call then he asked,
“So, any other thing?”
Ayo spoke up, “Sir, I will like to ask about the tutorial schedule.”
“Okay, yes, the morning session is from 9am to 1pm and 3pm to 6pm. Which would you prefer?” Dimeji asked.
“I will prefer the morning session.” Ayo replied looking at Kore who nodded in agreement.
“Okay then. Anything else?” Dimeji asked.
Ayo reminded, “You are yet to give us the card.”
Dimeji asked confused, “Card?”
Ayo explained, “The card that has the tutorial address.”
Kore said chuckling, “That’s true.”
“You see that’s why they say the female is sharper than the male. They forget easily.” Dimeji said as he opened his drawers looking for the said card before eventually handing it over to her then he asked
“Okay. I think we are done here right?”
Ayo nodded.
“Thank you for coming by.” Dimeji said.
Kore said, “Thank you for your help. We go see na.”
“Sure. Take care and all the best, Ayo.” Dimeji said.
“Thank you.” She said and he esc-rted them out as they took their leave.
Meant To Be
By Olunfolola Adeola
Episode 9
By the time Ayo hit the shower, she felt like she was going to drop dead from exhaustion. From Dimeji’s office, they had gone straight to the tutorial. Talked with the manager for a short while then Kore had driven them down to Delight, Itunu’s new school. As soon as they had stepped into the school’s compound, they had all been impressed then they finally met with Tayo, Dimeji’s brother. He gave them a form and the list of books and price and the school fee list .
Kore immediately did a transfer to the school’s account settling Itunu’s fees and Ayo filled the form for her son then Tayo directed them to a wholesaler book sto-re close to the school and Kore bought all the textbooks, workbooks but the notebooks were alre-ady paid for in the school.
From there they drove down to the market to get the foodstuffs and then Kore bought a new school bag and shoes amidst Ayo’s protests. Then he suggested they buy take out which she vehemently refused and decided she was going to make the soup she had intended to cook and then she boiled rice and beans to go with it. On their way home, Kore showed her the mini market in their estate where she could easily get anything, she wants concerning food.
Now, she was on her be-d, she said a quic-k prayer before sleep eluded her.
*******************
A week after Ayo started going to the tutorial, she went into the main house one evening to ask Kore who had just come back from work, what he would like to eat. She went throu-gh the back door into the sitting room only to see Kore hvgging a lady
. He saw her and slowly detached himself from the lady before Ayo regained herself from shock and said,
“Oh My God! I am so sorry. Excuse me.”
“No wait. Meet Fiona. Fiona, meet Ayodunmomi.”
Ayo smiled, “It’s a plea-sure meeting you.”
“Same here.” Fiona said giving her a small smile.
“Mummy, mummy.” Itunu ran in from the kitchen.
“Itunu, how many times have I told you not to run in the house?” Ayo asked Itunu in a raised voice.
“Sorry mummy.” Itunu apologized looking down and Kore said,
“This is her son. Itunu.”
“How are you my dear?” Fiona asked.
“I am fine ma. Thank you.” Itunu asked,
“plea-se excuse me.” Ayo said, scooping Itunu up and she left.
Fiona turned her gaze to Kore who stared back at her, she c0cked her head to a side and asked,
“Mind explaining?”
Kore explained, coll@psing on one of the seaters, “That’s Ayo and her son, I’m sponsoring their education and she’s occu-pying the BQ.”
Fiona asked folding her arms as she stared at him, “Kore, you’ve replaced me even before I’ve left, right?”
“Wait, is this the first time you are meeting a lady I am helping?”
“No but this one has a child. Who knows if she is looking for someone to father her son.”
“Fiona, Ayo is not like that and even if she is, you should know when I am not interested in a woman, I am not, nothing can change my mind except I decide to. And moreover, what are you doing here? I thought we had an agreement?”
“Korede nao.”
“Don’t even start that.”
“I can’t cope. Is it easy to just close my eyes and let go? When it’s not like I didn’t have an iota of feelings before?”
“Fiona, do you think it’s easy for me too? We just have to do what we have to do.”
Fiona went to sit by him placing her head on his shoulder before saying, “But I miss you.”
“I miss you too.” Kore said quietly before pu-lling Fiona in for a hvg.
**********************
Ayo decided the girl was probably Kore’s girlfriend and she stayed put in her ap@rtment and cooked noodles for herself and her son before going to share this latest news with her friend. Sade didn’t want to believe he has a girlfriend but Ayo ended the whole thing by typing that it was none of their business.
One evening, about two weeks after, Ayo was cooking in the main house, Kore had texted her that his friends were coming over and he had politely pleaded with her to cook more than normal. She went to the mini market in their estate to get a bunch of plantain and vegetables then she went home.
She was halfway throu-gh with her cooking when voices flooded the sitting room, one of them said,
“It’s been a while.”
Another voice said, “Like seriously but where is this aroma coming from? Tade, are you also in this realm I am in?”
“Guy, no be only you. Kore, you didn’t tell us you and Fiona are back together.” The former voice questioned.
Fiona? Who is Fiona? Ayo thought as she tried to scan her br@in because the name sounded familiar.
“Yes, why didn’t you tell us?” The second voice asked.
Ayo finally realized it was the lady from the other day.
“You guys are not serious. I am not back with her. Ayo should be the one in the kitchen.” Kore said.
“Ayo? You didn’t tell me you snagged yourself another woman.” The second voice said.
“Guy, I did not. Ayo is…” Kore was saying when Ayo decided to put a st©p to the guys’ guesswork.
“Good evening.” She said wiping her hands against a napkin as she c@m£ out of the kitchen. She could feel the guys checking her out as Kore introduced,
“Guys, meet Ayodunmomi Bankole. Ayo, these are my friends, Tade Baker and Tosin Adekola.”
“Nice to meet you.” She said smiling and Tosin replied first,
“The plea-sure is all mine.”
“Tade!” Kore exclaimed.
“What! I was visualizing some things. This is a model. This is what you call a model.” Tade said, walking around Ayo who was amused by his weird behavior.
“Tade, will you st©p ma-king A.Y uncomfortable?” Kore asked, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“I am so sorry.
. This lady has potentials, imagine what I can make her face look like when my make-up artist is done with her.” Tade said, his arms akimbo.
“Nah, No, mmhmm, don’t even go there. She is preparing for an exam. She is in my care and I won’t allow it. Once she is settled, then she can make her choice but for now, media and ph0togra-phy stay far away.” Kore informed.
Tade grumbled, “You are no fun.”
Tosin said, “Opportunist.”
Tade asked, glaring at him, “Did you say something?”
“No, did I?” Tosin asked keeping a neutral face.
“You guys are so crazy.” Kore said before turning to Ayo,
“A.Y, how was the tutorial today?”
“Fine, we t©uçhed some major subject today.” Ayo answered.
“She even has a nice voice, why isn’t she on your radio work team?” Tade asked,
Kore asked, exasperated, “Didn’t you just hear me say she won’t be able to do any extracurricular activities?”
“Oh!” Tade exclaimed.
“Mum, Uncle Kore!” Itunu squealed, walking past his mother to hvg Kore who lifted him up in his arms,
“Hey big boy, how was school today?” Kore asked as Tosin and Tade exchanged glances.
“Fine. We learnt some ha-rd words today.” Itunu replied.
“Oh! That’s cool. Did you get them well?” Kore asked.
“Yes. Who are these people?” Itunu asked, pointing to Tade and Tosin.
“This is Uncle Tade and Uncle Tosin. Say hello.”
“Hello sir.” Itunu said as he looked away shyly and they both asked how he was, to which he replied,
“I am very well. Thank you, sir.”
“This is Ayo’s son. He is a to-be six-year-old.” Kore informed his friends who shared another look that totally said, ‘How can someone so young and h0t have a son?”
“Right.” Itunu said nodding his head. He didn’t want to be called a five-year old anymore.
“Food is re-ady.” Ayo’s voice rang out from the kitchen and the boys didn’t nee-d a second call before ma-king their way to the dining room where they all got to know each other more over the steaming h0t meal of boiled plantain and vegetables garnished with all sorts of meat and fish
Tbc