Hi there!
After so long, a new series starts today (yaaay!). This one is called We Knew Them. As always, you can expect drama, romance, suspense and everything in between. I promise you that this is going to be awesome!πππ
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Jumoke Oludare put her hand on her waist and exhaled, it was the alternative to speaking rashly to the middle-aged woman who was waddling around her little shop with two small black carrier bags.
βMadam give me the bread now!β An impatient customer said.
βMy change! Just give me change ma.β Another customer said.
βAh madam no I asked for Milo!β Yet another customer said.
Jumoke shook her head, it would take forever just to buy two seasoning cubes. Behind her was Lanre Williams, he couldnβt take his eyes off the fair skinned girl with the dark blue dress. he watched her flip her long black hair backwards, scratch her neck, stomp her foot impatiently, and smelt the flowery fragrance that emanated from her body. Nothing however warmed his heart as much her voice, it was soft and clear.
βMa, please I just want to buy two cubes of Maggi.β She implored the storekeeper who eventually attended to her several minutes later.
He followed her after she left the shop as if hypnotized. She began to swing her arms and sing and he thought his heart would burst with the warmth that filled it. Who was this girl and where had she been all his life? He watched her cross the road and knew that he would soon lose the opportunity to speak with her.
βExcuse me! Hello!β
When Jumoke turned around and saw the young man standing in front of her, she was monetarily lost in his eyes. They were the most beautiful that she had ever seen and they twinkled. Then her eyes travelled down his mouth, curving in the most entrancing smile.
βGood evening. Can I help you?β
Lanreβs heart beat faster at the sound of her voice. She wasnβt beautiful but she was pretty, her lips were a bright pink.
βIβm Lanre Williams.β He stretched out his hand but she didnβt take it.
βDo I know you?β she asked instead.
βNo you donβt but we can change that.β
Her eyebrows creased in confusion and then irritation. Her mother had warned her about smooth-talking boys and men like this.
βPlease excuse me.β she replied and turned to leave.
βHeyβ¦ Did I say something wrong?β Lanre asked desperately.
βMy mother is waiting for me.β
βAlright. Can I see you again?β
βNo.β
βPleaseβ¦β
βPlease excuse me! My mother is waiting, and I donβt even know you!β
βThatβs what Iβm trying to fix!β he smiled enigmatically. βI want to know you.β
Jumoke shook her head in unbelief. Why did this person choose to disturb her when she was clearly uncomfortable with him?
βIs this the way you just stop girls on the road? If you follow me again, I will shout.β
That said, she walked away and left the young man staring longingly after her.
*********
βOne boy stopped me on the way home from Mama Yellowβs store.β Jumoke said to her mother later that night as they cleaned up the kitchen.
βEhn ehn?β her mother said with slight trepidation. βAnd what did he say?β
βHe said he wanted to see me again and that he wanted to get to know me.β
βAnd what did you say?β
βI told him no and that my mother was waiting for me.β
βThatβs good.β She replied with relief.
βHe sounded nice sha.β
Her mother stopped wiping the slab and looked her daughter in the eyes. βDonβt be fooled my dear, guys like that have practiced on many girls. They know how to be nice.β
Jumoke nodded her head and tried not to think of the young man with the twinkling eyes.
**********
Jumoke was reading in her room when her younger brother Korede, knocked on the door.
βMummy is calling you, we have visitors.β He said, standing but the door.
βArgh! Do we have to see every visitor?β
βLetβs just go. I donβt want Mummy to be angry.β He pleaded.
Laughter filled the sitting room when Jumoke and her younger brother got there.
βAh! These are our children. This is Jumoke and this Korede.β Her father Mr Oludare said, holding her hand. βChildren, these are the Williams. We all attended the same university, many years ago. They just moved into this area.β
βHaba, Sola itβs not that long ago.β Mr Williams, a skinny unassuming man said.
βDeceive yourself if you like!β Mr Oludare replied and they all laughed.
βGood evening.β The Oludare children chorused.
βGood evening young lady and gentlemanβ¦ But itβs been quite a while o.β Mr Williams thought out loud. βWe left UniIfe in 1981, this is 2003. Twenty-two years ago!β
βTime flies my brother.β Mr Oludare said.
βYour daughter looks exactly like you Tayo.β Mrs Williams, a plump well-dressed woman noted.
βThatβs what they tell me.β Mrs Oludare replied, looking at her daughter with pride.
βHello children,β Mrs Williams said, looking closely at Jumoke and her brother. βThese are our children, thatβs Lanre our charming son who studies in the US and our twin daughters Gbemi and Remi who will soon be joining him.β
βDear you didnβt tell them that Remi won the trophy for the best maths student in the state.β Mr Williams said.
βThen she is just like her father!β Mr Oludare said. βHe was a mathematical wizard!β
βHe still is!β Mrs Williams replied, eyeing her husband lovingly.
Lanre tried not to smile widely, fate was on his side. He had recognized her as soon as she walked into eh sitting room with her brother. She was wearing a dark green dress with red dots and she looked even more beautiful, this girl was meant for him.
βAh ah Lanre, youβre smiling. Do you know them?β His mother asked.
βI know her. I saw her last week at that fat womanβs shop.β
βIs that so?β Mrs Williams asked pleasantly.
Jumoke wanted to sink into the ground, her hands began to twitch out of nervousness. βYes ma.β she replied in a small voice.
βCan you imagine? Itβs such a small world. How old are you?β
βIβm sixteen ma.β
βOh youβre the same age as the twins! They will be sixteen in May. You girls should be friends.β
Mrs Oludare saw the look of uncertainty on her daughterβs face. βIβm sure theyβll sort themselves out. Why donβt you show them your room Jummy? And maybe you can tell Remi about the maths problem you have, Iβm sure she would be glad to teach you a few things.β
Jumoke cringed with shame. βAlright ma. Come with meβ¦β she beckoned at the two girls who were staring at her.
As the twins followed her, Lanre decided to take advantage of the situation.
βAh ah what about us boys?β he said playfully.
βBut Korede is younger than you are!β Mr Oludare said.
βIt doesnβt matter, Iβm sure we have a lot we can talk about.β
**********
βSo you met our brother?β Gbemi, the bigger twin said to Jumoke when they were in her room.
βYes.β She answered simply.
βAnd?β Gbemi queried.
βAnd what? We talked and I left.β Jumoke asked with slight wonder, the other girl looked displeased.
βWhat happened between you two? What did you talk about?β
βExcuse me?β
βGbemi!β Remi said with a smile and tore her gaze from the pictures on the wall. βLeave her alone! Is it your business what they talked about?β
βWhat? Iβm just curious!β
βMind your own business.β Remi warned. βWhat is this?β She asked smiling, and pointed at several pictures of cities that Jumoke had formed into a circle.
She smiled. βI call it my goal circle. I want to go to all those cities.β
βThatβs niceβ¦β
βYou have big dreams.β Gbemi said sarcastically.
**********
Korede and Lanre hit it off immediately, talking about football and basketball.
βYou only like football this much because youβre tall.β
βMaybe, but I think that basketball is the better game.β
Korede laughed. βLai lai!β
βI can see that youβre a die-hard fan of football. Letβs talk about something that shouldnβt cause arguments.β
βOkay, like America? Iβve heard a lot about the place, whatβs it like schooling there?β
βItβs great, itβs a beautiful country.β he replied in a hurry. βBut guess what? I really want to talk about your sister.β
βMy sister? Why do you want to talk about my sister?β Korede asked cautiously.
βShe looks like an interesting person. She was in a hurry the day we met, so we didnβt get to talk much. What can you tell me about her?β
Korede smiled. βSheβs very smart.β
βYeah, she looks like such a person.β
βAnd sheβs very precious to me.β
βShe is uhn?β Lanre said, looking into the younger boyβs eyes and seeing a warning there.
**********
After the Williams left, Jumoke went to the kitchen where her mother was cleaning up the dishes.
βMummy Lanre is the boy I told you about.β
βWhat boy?β
βThe one I told you I met on the way back from Mama Yellowβs store.β
Her mother stopped what she was doing. βIs that so?β
βYes.β
She now understood why her daughter had been odd when they were introduced. She sighed and wondered how to respond to this situation. The Williams used to be very close to them.
βIβm sure he was only being friendlyβ¦β she began as her husband came into the kitchen.
βJummy go and sweep that sitting room again, I saw some crumbs on the floor.β He instructed.
As Jumoke left, Mr Oludare picked up a piece of meat from a plate nearby.
βHavenβt you had enough to eat Sola?β his wife said worriedly.
βYou know I like to eatβ¦β
βThatβs why your stomach keeps getting bigger. Didnβt you see how trim Deji was looking?β
βTayo!β her husband said, throwing the meat back on to the plate. βThis behaviour of comparing your family members with other people is annoying! Thatβs how you made Jumoke look like a dunce when you told her to talk to the William girl about her problem with maths.β
βI wasnβt comparing her to Remi, I was only looking out for her the way I am looking out for you.β
βInstead of you to admit that you made a mistake, youβre defending yourself!β
βAnd instead of you to admit that you have a problem, youβre getting worked up!β
Just then Jumoke returned with the broom and dustpan. She looked at her parents for a while, wondering if she could come in. Her father wiped his hands on a towel and left the kitchen, his wife had ruined what had been an enjoyable evening.
βI want you to start studying with Remi so you can get better with your maths. Itβs a good thing they live close by.β She muttered as she wiped the slab mindlessly. βThereβs no shame in gaining knowledge.β
D mistakes our mothers make.
View CommentTanx sis for dis wonderful piece
And thats how her mother will be comparing her with another gal, like they re better than child..our mothers eh
View CommentThe quality of apologizing for wrongdoing is priceless. If only we all had it.
View CommentI hope Jumoke’s mum is not throwing her to the wolves by asking her to go for lessons at Lanre’s house.
i look forward to the next episode cos I’m certain it’ll be worth my time. Well done, Lola.
The second part is already published! Thanks for being here!βΊ
View CommentWow. Can’t believe I’m just starting this series. Ithe looks like fun already
View CommentLOLA!!! oh how I have missed reading your stories. I am so reading up fast fast. As usual I know you will blow my mind. Weldone. The world will hear of you soon
View CommentAww… Thank you! Where have you been?
View CommentI”ve been immersed in work and studies, don’t mind me. I’m so loving the plot.
View CommentI’m glad you’re back!
View CommentWhy am I just seeing this ooo… Anyways,I will be fast so that I can catch up real quick. Lovely piece and I am expecting more fun in this.
View Commentπ
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