Esosa watched her mother place the curling iron on the dressing table then reached to switch off the socket and unplug the iron. Her mother looked at herself in the mirror then pats her hair with a smile. Shock widened Esosa's eyes when her mother gathered the brown locks in her hand and tied them into a high pony tail. Her mother was prettier when she did not tie her hair but she still looked pretty. Esosa's little rosy lips puckered. She likes it when her mother paints her lips with lipstick and shade her brows. She also wants it because it made her prettier too but her mother had said she was going nowhere to use it.

"Don't tie your hair" She spoke, unable to hold in her opinion.

"I have to, baby. It's looks more casual this way"

"But you look prettier without tying your hair" She threw her hands, swinging her small legs.

"I want to look casual" Osas patted the curls.

"But" Esosa hopped to her feet, forgetting she was standing on the bed. "I like it when you let it out" She jumped from the bed. On petite legs, she ran to her mother. She climbed her mother's laps then reached for the hair band before Osas would blink an eye.

"Esosa!" Osas called out at the unexpected act. The long brown curls tumbled down, over her shoulders, down her back. The little one laughed then leaned in to kiss her mother's cheek.

"You are beautiful like this" She pats her mother's cheeks.

"What a brat" Osas let out the rising bubble of laughter. Esosa stared at her mother. Her mother paints her face and dress up when she's going out.

"Where are you going to, mummy?" Curiosity had her asking.

"I am going out with Uncle Jafar. You know him" Osas lifted her daughter from her laps then stood up. "Umar's uncle"

"Oh" Esosa's little lips formed an o. "I know him! He picks Umar up from school all the time. Umar talks a lot about him. There was a day he came to pick Umar up and shook my hand. He said I was cute and looks like someone he knew"

Osas smiled. Surely, her daughter was cute. Not with those curious eyes and pouty lips. She dropped the little one to the ground to stand up. "That's him. Mummy is going out with him"

"Out? Where?"

"To hang out. You know. Maybe a restaurant or some other place" Osas slipped her feet into her flat sandals.

"What will you get for me?"

"What do you want?"

"Anything" She shrugged her tiny shoulders. "Ice cream. Chicken pie. Burger. Chicken. Anything will do"

"Alright, sweetheart" She bent down to her daughter's height, ruffled her hair then planted a kiss on her forehead. Esosa giggled, doing the same to her mother. "Have you taken your blood tonic?"

"Grandma gave it to me after dinner"

"You still look pale" Osas's eyes lingered on her daughter's face. She can't seem to understand the constant paleness on Esosa's face. Recently, she has been having fevers on and off. When she goes to the hospital, the doctor says it's either malaria or typhoid. It's worse when Esosa vomits.

"You worry too much mummy. I am okay. I am perfectly fine" She jumped to show her mother how healthy she was.

Osas laughed. "Take good care of yourself and do not be late to bed"

"Will you come back late?"

"Maybe" she pulled her daughter closer and kissed her forehead. "I love you"

"I love you too" The little one wrapped her hands around her mother's neck.

Osas looked at her phone again. Few more minutes and he would be here. Her nerves started to jitter. She straightened her posture, her mind wandering to Lola who had been away for three weeks. Three weeks and no call or a message. No one had an idea where she had gone to. That behaviour of hers was really infuriating and so childish. Why will she run away? Even though she had wanted to, she could have told her. Lola told no one and she's going to hear from her when she comes back.

Osas's mother, Itohan, walked in cutting through her daughter's thought. She took a look at her daughter, giving her approval and telling her she looked just perfect for her outing. Esosa, excited and eager to tell she had made her mother loosen her hair had hopped on her feet and told her grandmother the exciting news. Jafar's call came in just in time. He told her he was outside. After giving Esosa a kiss on her forehead then warned her not to disturb Itohan and sharing a hug with her mother, Osas left.

Jafar took her to a restaurant that over looked Lagos lagoon. They had the window seat where they could look out into the city. A side was brightly lit, another dimly lit and some parts an endless blanket of darkness. The waiter was a light skinned lady who was way too nice and her smile appeared fake. The room was lit with candle that gave a warm glow and had a romantic mood in the air.

They ordered for Chinese realising they liked the same thing. At first, their conversation was dry until their food came. They spoke about nearly everything. One conversation led to the other. Jafar was a cool man and a good listener. When her wine glass was empty, he refilled it. He was not an extrovert or a bubbling person but he had his own charm which was in his soft smiles and the way he acts.

"Are you divorced?" Jafar asked half way through their meal.

"What?" Osas's eyebrows went up.

"I know this might sound awkward and maybe stupid but since you have a daughter and all" He trailed off. "Are you divorced?" He asked again.

"No" Osas replied through a pop of laughter. "Never married. I got pregnant during my NYSC"

"Oh"

"Yes" She smiled. "He was my boyfriend in school"

Osas was different from Lola. She was more open with events of the past than Lola. Events which hurts deeply to Lola were meant to be forgotten and locked away in a compartment in her heart but not to Osas.

"He refused the pregnancy?" For the first time, Osas saw the quick anger on Jafar's face.

"No" She sipped her wine with a smile. Her eyes were laughing as if to mock him and tell him he assumes too much. "He just stopped coming to see me and also stopped calling. I never heard from him and never saw him again. Later heard he left the country"

"I am sorry" He lowered his gaze.

Osas laughed. "You don't have to be. It's fate. I am living a good life now and all is well" She shrugged. "I think it happened for the best"

Their conversation diverted to people they knew back in school. The friends who were out of the country and successful. Those in Nigeria and working with big firms and companies. Those they had ran into and were still trying to make it. The married ones and the ones they heard nothing from since they left school. When Osas's glass of wine was empty, Jafar had reached out to fill it again but she had protested.

"I have work tomorrow" She said then requested for water. "When did you come back to Nigeria?" She asked after she drank her water.

"Few years back" He replied.

"I wonder why we never met"

"Because it was not yet time" He gave her a tender smile, finishing the last of his meal.

"It still baffles me how we lost contact and all. You suddenly went offline for long. I was worried though"

Whenever they chatted, they chatted for long that he stole most of her sleep at night due to the time difference. The next morning, she was always happy. There was excitement that always tightened her stomach. Each hour at school left her impatient to get home and continue from where they stopped. Those days, she kept checking her phone to see if he had replied her last messages. Each time she goes online and streams of messages come in on facebook, she anticipated for his, checking just to get disappointed. The spark in her began to die until it turned into embers. With time, her worry turned to anger then she gave up.

"I lost my phone and I forgot my Facebook password" He said the words gently, looking into her eyes. "I am sorry" He squeezed her hand over the table.

"It's alright" She gave him an assuring smile.

After they left the restaurant, he had driven to a beach in Lekki where they sat on the golden grains of soft sand, listened and watched the waves of water and spoke. They spoke about his job. He told her he sells wood for living which she found absurd. He had laughed and said he sold any kind of wood.

"The last time you came to my place of work, you were wearing a suit that you had me thinking you were working in some cooperate firm"

He chuckled. "I had to be somewhere that required me to wear a suit. Osas, any business is lucrative. Whenever people ask me what my job is and I tell them I sell wood, they look at me like I am way too big for that because I have a MBA. When I say I sell wood, I sell wood in large scale. Whenever you come to the saw mill, you will understand what I am saying"

"Do your mother like what you do for a living?"

"No, she does not. She says it's better to sell clothes than wood. She's not still proud of what I do for a living even though I earn more than enough"

He told her Umar was his elder brother's son. He lost his parents to an attack along Suleja on their way to Kaduna two years ago. His brother was based in Abuja. They had been on their way to Kaduna to pick Umar from his maternal grandmother's place when some men attacked them, shot them and stole whatever valuables they had except the car. Jafar had taken Umar in because the boy at such a tender age needed an adult in his life.

"So he stays with you now?"

"Yes except weekends. He spends the weekends with my mother who takes him to school on Mondays then I pick him up. Esosa reminded me of you the first time I saw you" He said, looking at her. There was tenderness in his eyes for the woman beside him. The wind whipped her hair and he had resisted touching it to slip those silky strand behind her ear that had a stud. Osas's eyebrows went up as if surprised. "She looks like you. She's the younger version of you"

"Many people have said that" And I am glad she did not take anything from her father. She wanted to add but kept shut.

"She's sharp and chatty"

"You don't have to tell me that. She also way too curious for her age. At such a tender age, she voices out her opinion. Some time back, a friend of mine had come to visit me. Felicia has a funny sense of style and wears creepy hairstyles that are way out of vogue. Ada had said her. "Aunty, you look like you had an electric shock with you hairstyle" Felicia was embarrassed and I had a lot of apology to do that day including a beating" There was a faint smile that lingered on her lips as she spoke about her daughter.

"I like her for that"

"Oh?" Osas's eyebrows went up as if she was amused. "Until she tells you that you look like a broom stick back at secondary school"

"Is that her telling me or you?" The corners of his lips went up. "I think it's just an indirect way of you telling me how I looked back then"

"It's fact. You know that. You were no different from a broom stick back then" she teased. Loud bursts of laughter erupted from Jafar's lips.

Osas looked at him. He had changed physically, added moderately. His dry chest, like she had mocked him back in secondary school, was filled out with muscles. The bulge of muscles in his chest was a proof that he worked out.

On their way back, they listened to a song which to her surprise they both liked. She sang the lyrics and danced in her seat and he had just smiled and laughed saying her voice was croaked. It was some minutes to twelve when he dropped her home and she said in a playful way that if she gets to work late the following day, he was to be blamed. When she got down, Jafar stared at her receding back until she entered the gate.

-----

It was good to feel a different air and be away from the throttling atmosphere at home. Two weeks in Monaco, a seven-day river cruise and another two weeks in Geiranger Fjord lifted the weight on her chest. She had every moment ebbed in her camera ready to upload and watch the streams of comments and likes on her Instagram page. There was no one to pester her about getting married. She woke up each day to think about the next place to explore and not listen to what decoration she wanted for the hall. The corners of Lola's lips curled up as she paraded up the staircase.

She had changed her hair into long braids that made her bold and appealing as always. She knew she was breath-taking in her high waist ripped jeans, a crop top and ankle strap heels. The young man who had sat next to her in the plane had ogled at her and was drooling. She pretended not to notice him.

"I am home!" Lola announced, striding into the villa.

"Welcome ma" A male servant greeted.

"Hi!" She replied in a singsong tone. "How are you?" Her cheerful voice shocked the young man who looked at her with large eyes.

"Fine ma"

"Where's everyone?"

"They are having breakfast in the mini dining room ma"

"I guessed as much" She swung to the dining area. "Have someone clean my room" She threw the order over her shoulder.

Her strides were long and quick. She ensured she had her heels clicking the floor so as to draw attention. The servants she met on the way, froze and watched her with slackened jaws and wide eyes like she had just risen from the dead. They had not expected her to be back. Most had thought it will take longer than five weeks. The madam of the house had given up on crying and pondering over her missing daughter.

"God! It's been a while. I had the best time of my life" Lola gushed, leaving her suitcase at the entrance. "Good morning everyone" She waved her newly French manicured finger.

"Sister Lola!" Mofe shouted, jumping from his seat.

"Oh my God!" Sarah wheezed out, a hand on her chest. "She's here" She beamed. The apparent shock on her face disappeared with the same speed it had come with.

"I am here, hale and hearty. In blood and flesh. Mofe! Look at you" She threw a hand over her youngest brother who grinned from ear to ear.

"I missed you!" He squealed, hugging her tight.

"I missed you more" Lola laughed, relieved. At least one or more persons were happy to see her.

Beneath her bubbling attitude, she had fear. Fear of what her mother would do. The woman was going to skin her alive. Just as she expected, her grandmother watched her with a grim look and her father with an angry expression. She knew she did badly but it was the best thing she could do to avoid marriage. But her grandfather gave her a welcoming smile. She knew that old man never had a problem with her. It was the conniving woman he had for a wife who kept pushing him to do what he does not want to.

Miracle stared at her, his face emotionless. She knew underneath it was raw rage. Tenny, whose spoon had fallen from her hand, tried to talk but could not get a word out. Kenny smiled muttering welcome and Samson was nowhere to be found. Her mother was also absent. Lola's eyes scanned the dining room.

"Wow, Mofe. Look at you. You are finer than the last time I saw you. I have just been away for five weeks and you are looking dapper and more handsome. How many girls have you wooed? Hello grandma. Hope you missed me?" She headed to her grandmother and kissed her sagged cheek. "It's nice to see you again"

There was something malicious in Lola's voice. There was also a hint of mockery in it that sent a message to Rebecca.

"I had a great time in Geiranger Fjord. I can't tell which the best was" She kissed her grandfather who welcomed her with warmth and a smile. She avoided her father not sure of what he would do since he looked at her with hard eyes. "Monaco then a seven-day river cruise then Geiranger Fjord" She continued. "I had wonderful experiences" She swung around.

At the entrance, Cynthia stood, her eyes narrowed at Lola. It began slowly like a fire that was dying away but was fuelled to burn again. Her happiness blossomed from within, spreading through her until it showed in her eyes. How much she has missed her mother.

"Mommy!" She screeched then rushed over to her mother.

A look of disgust washed over Cynthia. Angry lines creased on Cynthia's face. "Will you stop there? Where do you think you are coming to?"

Doris halted abruptly as if the wheels had been removed from her feet. She was near her mother, her opened arms hung in the air with a questioning look on her face. "To hug you now and I am back home" She clapped, wiggling her eyebrows.

"Really? Home?" Cynthia's tone was harsh.

"Yes, home. Any problem?" Lola answered.

"You went away for five weeks, Lola!" The hard smack against her back had been unexpected. Everyone gasped out, Sarah rising from her seat. Daisy who sat on her lap, hopped to the floor.

"Mommy!" Lola shrieked. Her skin stung hard from the hit, her brown eyes wide with astonishment.

"There was no phone call or message!" Another hit. Lola arched her back.

"Mommy! What have I done wrong?" She jumped back, anger whipping in her.

"Do you know how worried we were and you just have to come home as if nothing has happened. You this brat! Useless being! You think you can just walk into the house and we will all welcome you with open arms!" Lola let out a painful cry as her mother slammed her palms over her back. "You went to three places in five weeks. You kept hoping on and off aeroplanes as if they were buses"

"Is that why you are beating me?" Lola cried out, tears filling her eyes. She was embarrassed and felt insulted. She felt she was too big for a beating. She was fucking twenty-four. "You have not seen me for five weeks and you are welcoming me home with a beating"

"Shut your trap!" The slap came faster than the strike of thunder that she saw nothing for a moment other than flashes of lightening.

"Mummy" Miracle got to his feet, stepping forward. Rebecca who felt satisfied, sat in her seat and watched the scene unfold. Cynthia beating Lola was the least she expected and she loved every bit of it.

"Don't interfere or I will join you too!" Cynthia warned. Anger vibrated from her body in waves. "Oshi! Oniranu! I nearly had a heart attack! You could have told me" Cynthia kept beating. Lola laid on the floor, her body shaking from weeping. "There were better things to do if you did not want to get married than runaway!"

"The atmosphere at home was choking" Lola wept, rising from the floor to sit. "That's why I ran away. This is not fair o. You are now beating me" Her wails increased.

"I will hit you more and more!" Cynthia, full of rage, sent another slap over Lola's face. Tears streamed down Lola's face.

"Mommy!" She cried out.

"You good for nothing human being!"

She rage she held in burst forth like water from a dam. Lola leaped to her feet, her palms closed tight. "You should understand better than anyone how I felt" She said through clenched teeth. "You should not be hitting me. You know I did not want that marriage. I ran away because there was nothing I could do to stop it!" She screamed, throwing her hands.

"But you could have told me" Cynthia cried.

"I did not tell anyone on purpose. What's the use of telling you? Like you have been of any help since the whole marriage thing started"

"Shut up! Don't use that tone on me!"

"And if I do?" It was a dare that knocked air from Cynthia's throat. The rude talk hit something hard in her, deep into her core, that she felt extremely insulted and bruised.