CHRONICLES OF THE HELPS: PART 8

Lianate sauntered behind her almost nine months old baby girl, who was trying to walk on her own. Adanne was heading for the vehicle parked at the gate. Her brothers and father were already in the car, waiting.
 
“Da-da, da-da, da-a…” the light skinned girl babbled.
 
“Adanne slow down!”  
 
The baby halted, glanced back at her mum, then accelerated her steps.
 
“Adanne! If you fall, you will hurt yourself,” she warned, but the girl paid little or no attention to her.
 
Lianate hoped she wouldn’t fall. It rained a night before and the grounds were still wet. If the girl tripped, her dress would get ruined. She dreaded having to change the girl’s clothes all over again.
 
“Da-da, da-da, da-da,” Adanne continued till she got to the front seat of the car.
 
Amina stood afar off, watching from a corner. And the moment Ike drove off with his family, she bolted and headed out of the compound.
 
“Are you going out too?” the security guard called out to her.
 
“Yes,” she glanced back at him and waved.
 
The man closed the gates and locked it.
 
Her face brightened at the thought of seeing Deji. They planned to meet at the uncompleted building about an hour ago, after she intimated him that Lianate and her family were visiting some friends that evening. He would have come to her place, but, Lianate didn’t want her having male visitors when no one was around.  
 
Amina straightened her dress when she got to the entrance of the building. She plaited her hair recently and had gotten dozens of compliments from many people. She wondered what her boyfriend would say when he sees her.
 
The thought made her heart to skip a beat.
 
She found him resting on the make-shift bed. Was he sleeping? How long had he been waiting?
 
“Hello…” she walked up to him.
 
Deji opened his eyes and beamed when he saw her. “Hello to you too.”
 
She chuckled.
 
“How have you been?” he made space, so she could lie right beside him.
 
She shrugged. “I am okay.”
 
She felt warm all over. She always feel this way whenever she was around him and the butterflies in her tummy were on rampage.
 
“I will be rounding up my service year pretty soon,” he placed a hand around her. “My brother wants me to stay in Abuja, whether I get a job or not. But, I will rather go back home.”
 
She blinked. “Home? Lagos?”
 
“Yeah.”
 
The girl bit at her lower lip. She wasn’t sure how a long distance relationship would work. If she had her way, she would rather have him close by.
 
“If I go back to Lagos, I want you to come with me.”
 
Her breath caught in her throat. What was he talking about?
 
Deji turned and lay on his side, so he could see her face. “I don’t think I can bare living a day without you.”
 
She held her breath and watched him. He sounded so sincere and passionate. She doubted if she would be able to live without him too.
 
“Amina, I am in love with you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
 
The girl opened her mouth, but no words came out. His confession took her unawares.
 
“I will get a job as soon as I am in Lagos. And I know a lot of eateries and bakeries that will be willing to employ you. Or you could start your own cake business. We will get married and start our lives together.”
 
Her heart hammered against her chest thunderously. Everything he said made her feel wonderful and excited.
 
His eyes bored into hers. “Amina, will you marry me?”
 
She closed her mouth and swallowed hard. What would Lianate and Ike say? Will they think she was too young to marry? Girls younger than her marry all the time in her neighbourhood. But, they were her guardians and they always do what was best for her. Her own family didn’t care what happens to her.
 
“Amina?”
 
“Yes…”
 
Their gazes locked and held.
 
“Will you marry me?”
 
The girl thought long and hard. She believed that if they trusted God and worked together, they might make it work, no matter the opposition they might face from both families.
 
“Yes, yes I will marry you.”
 
Deji breathed out loudly. Everything he was feeling in that very moment couldn’t be expressed in words. He was beyond happy.
 
He leaned closer and claimed her lips. She kissed him back, marching his eagerness with wants of her own.
 
Their desires took over, leading them to passionate borders they shouldn’t ever think of crossing just yet.