Just as Chisom finished changing into her clothes and prepared to leave Star Restaurant, a cheerful ringtone pierced the quiet hum of conversation. Pulling out her phone from her bag, a wide smile bloomed across her face as she saw Chioma's name flash on the screen.
Chioma happily informed Chisom that she had been discharged and brought home by her mother and Daniel. Excitement bubbled in Chisom's chest, momentarily pushing aside the fatigue of a long shift waiting tables at Star Restaurant. Instead of heading straight home, Chisom decided to visit Chioma first. On her way, she stopped by a supermarket to buy vegetables and fruits for Louisa. Then, she took a taxi to the Chimas' home.
As soon as she arrived, the delightful aroma of food wafted from the open doorway. Inside the living room, the close neighbours had gathered to celebrate Chioma's homecoming from the hospital. Daniel had already left for home before Chisom arrived.
'Chisom, you're here too!' they greeted her happily. 'Welcome.'
Chioma, propped up on pillows on the couch, looked a little pale but she turned around at the mention of Chisom's name. She looked at her best friend with a wide grin. 'Your brother just left.' She reached out her hands and enveloped Chisom in a warm embrace. 'Thank you for always being there for me.'
Throughout the days Chioma spent in the hospital, Chisom had visited her nonstop, bringing fruits and nutritious food. Emeka had also visited her at the hospital, and even Segun, who was now sitting in the living room watching TV and enjoying a bottle of chilled cola.
'Did you tell Felix that you were leaving the hospital?' Chisom asked Chioma.
Before Chioma could respond, a neighbour wearing a yellow shirt eagerly asked, 'I heard that you're now dating the billionaire, Felix Njemanze. Is that really true?'
Chioma didn't know what to say. Then, she saw Andrew walking into the living room with a bowl of fruits. Placing the bowl on the dining table, he answered on behalf of Chioma, 'No, Chioma is simply a lucky girl, and we all know how amazing she is. So, it's natural for my sister to be loved by everyone.'
'Oh, I didn't think of that... I didn't know there was still a free lunch these days,' a neighbour remarked with a smile.
'What could have been the main reason for your attack? You're so likable, yet those mobsters beat you to the point where you needed surgery... Look at your leg still in bandages. Thank God your leg wasn't amputated. I've seen several amputations that didn't go well for the victims.'
The neighbours were incredibly gossipy, and Chisom wasn't pleased with their intrusive questions. However, she didn't want to appear rude by asking them to stop. Instead, she chose to head to the kitchen and help Louisa. Despite her efforts to avoid the nosy neighbours, some of them couldn't resist asking Chioma more probing questions.
'Hey, Chioma, can you tell us the main reason why this happened to you?'
'I don't really know why,' Chioma responded.
'What? How could someone attack you for no reason? In movies, it's usually because of love or revenge. Could that be the reason?'
'Chioma has never been an actress. Maybe it was just a random attack. Nowadays, parts of Abuja metropolis have become enclaves where hoodlums attack and rob people, despite being rated as one of the fastest-growing cities in the world. Anyone can be a victim.'
'You're absolutely right, Andrew,' one of the neighbours finally agreed.
Andrew answered on behalf of his sister, and the neighbours finally stopped asking for more details. Andrew had always known their neighbours were gossipy, but he still considered them good people.
Chisom enjoyed the enticing aroma of the food Louisa was preparing in the kitchen. It consisted of a simple yet delicious meal of rice, chicken stew, and spaghetti. Louisa, wearing a lovely rose-patterned apron, was just about to serve the food as Chisom walked into the kitchen to offer her assistance. Louisa greeted her with a warm smile and a caring expression, saying, 'You won't be going home tonight. There have been recurring cases of theft here in Abuja, which is supposed to be the safest place in Nigeria. These heinous crimes mostly occur at night, with hoodlums disguising themselves as traders or even taxi drivers. As your future mother-in-law, it would be remiss of me to let you go back home. I will call your parents and inform them that you'll be spending the night with us.'
Upon hearing Louisa's words, Segun, who was taking another drink from the fridge, chimed in with blissful enthusiasm, 'Louisa would make such a wonderful mother-in-law.'
Chisom blushed and smiled, feeling grateful for the warmth and acceptance she received from her future in-laws. She then joined Louisa in serving the food, placing the three dishes on the table alongside the fruits she had bought earlier. A jug of refreshing watermelon juice was also placed within reach.
Apart from Louisa, Chioma, Andrew, and Chisom, there were five other neighbours present, with Segun being the closest to the Chimas. They had all brought gifts for Chioma and were sincerely wishing her a speedy recovery.
One of the female neighbours suggested as they began eating, 'Segun, as the only taxi driver here, don't you think it would be nice if you made it your duty to bring Chioma back home from work every day? I'm afraid those mobsters might attack Chioma again.'
Segun looked at Chioma and responded, 'If Chioma will let me, then it's no problem for me.' Then, he picked up the ladle, filled his bowl with rice and began to eat.
Chioma hesitated and replied, 'No, I don't want to trouble him. I can always find my way home.'
Another neighbour interjected, emphasising the concern, 'Chioma, we know you can find your way home, but a few days ago, you almost lost your life while trying to do so. I don't have money to pay for any funeral expenses. My son may be working in a foreign-owned company here in Abuja and earning enough money to support me, but that doesn't mean I'll waste his hard-earned money on funeral costs. I am saving for your wedding instead.'
Chioma's eyes filled with gratitude and a lovely smile as she appreciated her neighbours' thoughtfulness. She didn't need to say anything; their actions spoke volumes.
Segun then turned to Andrew and asked, 'Have you found any leads on who did this to Chioma?'
Andrew replied, pouring juice into his glass, 'Not yet. Felix will assist in finding the actual mastermind.'
'If Magnus were here, I'm sure he would have caught the culprit and made sure they rot in jail for hurting his daughter,' Segun asserted.
Hearing Magnus' name, Chioma's eyes welled up with tears. She truly missed having family dinners with her father. If he were still alive, their family would be complete and happy. Though she had a loving and supportive family, his absence was deeply felt.
Louisa put down her spoon, saying, 'Yes, but Andrew is just as brave as his father. I have no doubt he will catch the culprit.' She picked up her spoon again and added, 'He's just as remarkable.'
As Chisom headed to the kitchen to get more rice and spaghetti, Chioma decided to follow her.
'Your neighbours are quite gossipy,' Chisom remarked.
Chioma chuckled softly. 'Having neighbours like them is actually great. They may gossip, but they don't take advantage of people and they don't look down on those who don't have money.'
'It's not possible for them to look down on the poor because they are poor themselves... it seems they enjoy gossiping about other people's families. That makes them complete wallflowers...'
Chioma laughed softly again but winced slightly due to the pain in her stomach. 'Ouch!'
'Are you still hurting?' Chisom asked with concern.
'Just a little,' Chioma replied.
'I understand why Aunt Louisa got you discharged, but I still think you should have stayed longer,' Chisom expressed, a hint of worry in her voice.
'I'm fine now. The longer I stay in the hospital, the more bills we'll have to pay,' Chioma explained.
'Felix is super rich. He wants to be the second hero in your life. You should have let him decide when you get discharged,' Chisom sighed. 'And don't forget to always go for your check-ups.'
Chioma nodded. 'I will.'
'What about Michael? How do you plan to explain everything to him?' Chisom enquired.
'There will always be a way,' Chioma replied confidently.
'I hope so,' Chisom sighed, ladling more rice into a big bowl. 'By the way, Sir Emeka gave you a day off, so you have tomorrow to yourself.'
'That's kind of him. Since I don't have work, maybe I should call him to give you a day off as well,' Chioma said, looking at her best friend with puppy-dog eyes. 'Maybe, if he agrees, we can play hide and seek under the old tree not far from here tomorrow. If we get tired, we can grab bites of popcorn and ice cream. We can even sleep under the tree and tell stories together or watch a movie.'
'How old are we? Who our age thinks of playing hide and seek, except if you're suffering from cerebral hemorrhage?' Chisom teased, reaching for Chioma's face and lightly pinching her. 'You can do all of that with Michael when he returns. I'm too old for that.'
'If you don't want to play hide and seek with me, then you'll have to sleep over tonight. You haven't stayed overnight in a while,' Chioma suggested playfully.
Chisom laughed. 'You look adorable when you make those puppy eyes. Aunt Louisa has already told me to sleep over. I'll leave for work from here.'
'That's really nice to hear,' Chioma replied, pleased with the idea.
Chisom brought the big bowls of rice and spaghetti to the table, allowing those who wanted more to refill their plates. Andrew refilled his plate with spaghetti and then passed it to a neighbour, who also refilled his plate before placing the big bowl to the side.
'Chioma, I was discussing with your mother that since you don't have a boyfriend yet, you could date my son. He works at a foreign-owned enterprise, and he's in his thirties. He is handsome, tall, and owns properties in Asokoro and a storefront in Garki District. He has enough money to take care of you. If you say yes, then I will arrange everything when he comes back from Japan. He is on his one-month leave, so he decided to travel to Japan to watch the diamond snow and eat crab. Isn't that cute?'
'Aunt Sola, I do have…' Chioma wanted to say that she had a boyfriend, but remembering that it wasn't announced yet to the public, she said instead, 'You don't have to bother about me. I'm sure Gbenga will find someone who is meant for him.'
'Chioma's absolutely right,' Segun added, spooning a mouthful of rice into his mouth. He knew about Chioma's relationship with Michael but hadn't said a word to anyone.
'But you're the one that I want for my son…' muttered Sola, then she suddenly thought of something, laughed, and asked, 'Chioma, could it be that you're waiting for your dream boy to appear in real life, just like most girls endlessly wait in movies?'
Chioma raised her head from her food. 'My dream boy has appeared,' Chioma said. Sola and the rest who didn't understand what Chioma meant took it as a joke and laughed. They didn't seem to take her seriously.
After dinner, the neighbours went home, and Chisom helped Andrew clear the dining table. They started by clearing the cups and jug, then the stew-smeared bowls and cutlery, and finally stacked the plates. Andrew carried the plates while Chisom took the spaghetti bowl and rice bowl. The remaining food on the plates was scraped into the dustbin, and then they began washing the dishes.
The soapy water trickled down their hands as Chisom and Andrew scrubbed the dishes in the kitchen sink. The clinking of silverware and the soft gurgling of the tap created a hesitant rhythm against the old, dented metal sink. Suddenly, Chisom stopped scrubbing, her brow furrowed in worry. Her voice, usually bright and cheerful, was now laced with concern. 'Andrew,' she began hesitantly, 'Perhaps you know about Michael and Felix's relationship. I think they might be related somehow.'
'They are,' Andrew replied, causing the spoon Chisom was washing to slip from her hand and fall to the floor. Chioma, who was sitting on the living room sofa, playing with her phone, didn't seem to notice the sound. She was obviously engrossed in what she was doing.
Chisom's voice wavered as she continued, her words heavy with emotion. 'This might cause a civil war in the Njemanze family,' she murmured, her gaze distant as if lost in the depths of her thoughts. 'And it might ruin Chioma's entire life.' A tear welled up in Chisom's eyes as she spoke. 'If those flowers really came from Patricia, it means she is aware of Chioma's existence and doesn't support the relationship.'
'It's apparent,' Andrew sighed. 'Patricia Njemanze sent those flowers. I overheard a few nurses discussing it when I went to the hospital to help my mother bring back Chioma's belongings.'
Chisom picked up the spoon and continued washing. 'Maybe Madam Patricia thinks that Felix was Chioma's boyfriend, but she didn't know that Michael was the main character, not Felix... I don't think Michael's mother will accept Chioma.'
'Well, Michael is the only one who can decide, not his mum…' Andrew looked at Chisom. 'I won't let my sister go through any pain. But I'm afraid she'll have to endure some tears.'
'She will weather it all. We are all here for Chioma... If Michael rejects Chioma, then I'll do whatever it takes to make sure she finds happiness. Whether it means convincing my brother to end things with Audrey and marry Chioma, or finding a good man who will cherish her. Gbenga could even be that person. But deep down, I hope Michael doesn't abandon Chioma and choose someone like Jessica, whom almost everyone believes fits his family's standards,' she paused. 'As for me, I am incredibly grateful to have you in my life.'
Chisom's words touched Andrew's heart. Despite not being able to give her lavish gifts or expensive things, she still adores and cherishes him. He longed to find a better job and provide her with everything beautiful. He loved her deeply and felt fortunate to have met her.