Unfulfilled promises Episode 28 Oleng stopped crying then. He thanked his mum and ended the call. She cleaned her eyes, walked up to him, gave him a hug and kiss on his cheek and wished him a safe trip. She was about walking away when he held her and passionately kissed her, then he hugged her, said goodbye and walked away without a backward glance. When he left, Oleng crumbled to the floor and resumed crying. She couldn’t shake off the feeling that that was the last time she would see him. When Eric got to the gate, he gave the gate man a huge some of money. “Sir, please, I’m traveling out to further my studies. Please take care of her. As you know, she’s always abandoned. Please always make sure she’s okay. Please make sure she eats and read her books. Make sure she isn’t sick and if she is, please take her to the hospital and take care of her. I promise to repay you when I come back. Please take care of her. Please.” he pleaded passionately. “I go try my best.” “Thank you very much, sir.” “Safe journey.” “Thank you, sir” He looked back at the house once more, shook his head and left. He put up a joyous front at the farewell dinner organized by his parents along with all his cousins that were staying with them. His heart was heavy especially as he knew his girlfriend was alone at home at a time like this. He felt hatred for her mum and Tessy for always abandoning her. He called Zinny and Marvy then and pleaded again with them not to leave her all alone as he had done a day before. Hee and Oleng had gone to see them and his two friends to say farewell. He called his two closest friends also and pleaded with them again to take care of Oleng. Dave he knew would keep to his promise but he knew Eddy would be too busy getting down to fulfill his promise. He knew the girls in whatever university he chose to attend were in trouble with such a womanizer like Eddy. God! He was going to miss such wonderful friends like Eddy, Dave, Zinny, Marvy and above all,Oleng. He kept recounting his friendship with all of them as he laid down on his bed to sleep. He didn’t know when tears rolled down his eyes. He was sure going to miss them. He promised himself not to lose contact with them. He wanted to call Oleng but he didn’t want her to start crying again. He would call her immediately he got to California, he resolved. He however couldn’t call her immediately he got to the airport the following day because he had to make adjustments to his phone and sim card. When he was able to do this, she was the first person he called. She was happy he had had a safe trip. Though she had stopped crying, she sounded sad. He was sad that she wasn’t happy because he was happy. Damian and Grandma Conrad gave him a rousing welcome. Two weeks later, his parents went back to Nigeria. His mum cried at their departure. It seemed she realized then that she was going to leave her baby behind. Damian had to promise to come home immediately he could get a break from his place of work. Though Eric missed Nigeria, it was fun to be with Damian again. They went everywhere together except his office though he went there a couple of times and had fun like they used to before the former left for the states. They realized then how much they missed each other. Eric even liked Damian’s charming girlfriend, Rachael. ############### ############## Meanwhile back in Nigeria, Oleng tried coping without Eric. She managed to write her exams though she had to be motivated by her two friends. It wasn’t her best efforts but she felt her first and second term results would make up for it. She didn’t even mind if she was promoted to SS3 on trial. After all, the sun had left her world. She missed Eric terribly. Though Zinny and Marvy came to her house sometimes, it couldn’t be compared to Eric who had come there almost every day then. Dave had come to visit once and she had seen Eddy outside a couple of times yet it didn’t make up for Ricky’s absence. Though they communicated everyday, she felt his absence heavily. Everyday after school, she chatted with Eric through yahoo messenger. He called her on the phone sometimes. If anything, their love was getting stronger. He hadn’t started school yet since his WAEC results were not yet out and she was on hols so they had enough time to spend chatting. She pleaded with her mum to get her a laptop and a modem with an excuse of getting more information from the web in preparation for her WAEC but she refused. It was Tessy who however persuaded her to get one for her. For the first time since Tessy came to stay with them, she actually liked her. Great was her joy when her mum called her one day and gave her the laptop and modem with unlimited browsing. She actually hugged her mum; for the second time in her life. The first had been the first time her mum had traveled and came back. The way her mum had looked at her then made her not to repeat it again. Joy made her throw caution to the wind that day. She however sobered up and apologized. Her mum had only nodded her head and gone inside. It didn’t matter to her though because now she and Eric could see each other through webcam which was what she had been after in asking for a laptop. They could say anything to each other; like how they were burning with desire for each other, the last time they had made love and how they wished they were together to make love again. They talked far into the night even when school began again. They continued like that with him calling occasionally. Sometimes, when Zinny and Marvy came to visit, they would chat with him too. He introduced her to Damian’s neighbour, Yolanda. Since she wasn’t a beauty, Oleng wasn’t worried even though she noticed how cold the girl was towards her. to be continued
Posted on: Sat, 24 Jan 2015 09:54:14 +0000