Mama instructed Obioma to invite Austin on Sunday. She also pleaded with Ejike to come down to the village that same day so that they will start making arrangements.
Anna never wanted to reveal to her sister what was on ground, she wanted Austin to accept her first before blowing the whistle.
………………………………………………..
Onyinye was getting her mind off from Austin, she accepted it as her fate and learnt from her mistake. And wished for Austin to grant her a second chance. Austin barred her number from reaching his phone. When she called him with another person’s number. He didn’t sound harsh nor angry with her. All he told her was to forget everything about him, that trust had been deleted from his dictionary.
She cried the last, consoled herself and moved on because she was not the type of person who fight for love, she believed in the principles of “what is mine, is mine and nothing can stop it”.
“What is happening to Anna? For five days now, I have not seen her around, and she has not even called me, her number keeps giving unavailability tone” Onyinye said worrying about her sister’s whereabout.
And she continued”Let me call her number again, I pray it rings this time” she said reaching for her phone.
When she called the number, it rang, but she did not answer. She called severally, nobody answered. Then she sent a message, asking her to call her back once she sees her message. But she waited for hours, and there was no sign of her.
“What is wrong with my sister? This type of thing has never happened before. I hope she is OK, let me call home and tell them what is happening………….Hmm, it won’t be a good idea to break such thing to them now to avoid putting them in absolute state of confusion and worries.
“The best thing to do now is to go to her hostel and ask her roommate, she might have a clue as to her whereabout” she said dressing up.
She headed straight to her hostel without calling her roommate on phone, because she does not had her number.
She knocked on the door, and fortunately Stella was around.
“Hey… Onyi. How are you?
“I’m fine my dear, see how you are shining, you don’t even look like somebody who is preparing for exams, you are enjoying oo” Onyi teased
Stella laughed and said:”Onyi my dear, I have been reading since morning, I just decided to take a rest now, what about you, hope you are preparing hard?” Stella asked.
“My dear, that’s the only reason I came to this school naa?” Onyi replied
“That’s it oo my dear, and your sister, hope she is preparing too?”Stella asked
“My sister? It’s because of her that I came here, I have not seen nor hear from her for five days now. I thought you might have a clue of where she went to”
“Ah ah, this is serious, then call her on phone” Stella suggested
“Stella, do you think I have not been calling? Do you know how many times I have called her today? I even stylishly, called my younger brother to know if she went home, but he said no . Now, I’m beginning to feel scared. And I don’t want to inform my mother yet.”
“Has this type of thing happen before? I mean going somewhere without letting you know where she was going?”
“No oo, she used to inform me before going anywhere, this is why I’m suspecting that something is wrong, I’m now feeling scared, I hope she is OK wherever she is. I have to lodge a compliant to the school authority and to the Police” Onyi said
“This is exactly what I was trying to tell her the other day she came back looking tattered, wearing a bathroom slippers. She was restive throughout that day, when I asked her what happened, the kind of look she gave me eeh! So I decided to avoid her trouble, and minded my own business before somebody accuse me of poke-nosing.” Stella said.
The bathroom slippers Stella mentioned rang loudly in Onyi’s ear, her mind traveled down lane to the day she saw a slippers looking exactly like that of Anna’s at Austin’s place.
“Please can you still remember the exact day this thing you just told me now happened” Onyi asked hoping for her response to fall off from the exact day she had in mind, because she can’t stand her sister’s betrayal.
“Erm, I don’t think I can still remember oo…..hmm…..No…..I can’t remember?”
“OK let me help you out….was it that day I came to look for her one morning like that?” Onyi asked
“Hmm…… Yes! Exactly! That was the day she returned looking so worried and unhappy.” Stella replied.
“Oh no, oh no, oh no, this can not be true, does it mean Anna “stabbed me at the back”?;This can’t be happening, I have to be very sure, I have to.” Onyi said in her heart.
“But Stella do you know where she kept the slippers she returned that day with?” Onyi asked looking so calm.
“I don’t know oo, I think she has returned it to the owner”
“No need for further enquiries, it was her slippers that I saw that very day, Anna! Anna!! Anna!!! Is this how you are? Your own sister oo! Oh God, why is life playing me like this? First, it was Austin, now Anna! I can’t believe this yet” She said in her heart weeping silently, acting not to be noticed by Stella.
“Alright dear, I have to start going now”
“OK, so what next now? I mean laying the complaint like you said” Stella asked
“OK, I will do that later, but I still have somebody else to call to know if she is with him” Onyi replied
“OK, always keep me posted on any decision you make, but I know she is in safe place.” Stella wished
“Alright dear, thanks for your concern” Onyi said and left heartbroken.
“Heyi!! Is this how this world is?” Onyi rhetoric, trying to regain her sanity from the shock.
She continued: What should I do now? Does it mean she is at Austin’s place? I have to storm there and catch them by surprise Nobody messes with me and go free. No wonder, is this why my spirit was not happy with her the day she said she had been reunited with her lost love? I must see to the end of this” she said getting ready to leave for Onitsha.
When she reached Onitsha, she met Austin driving out.
He wound down and asked her what she was doing at his place.
“Austin, so this is your plan with you and Anna, right?” Onyi asked looking so mean, burning with anger.
Onyinye, you have come with another strategy now, right? He asked laughing softly and continued: “I have told you to consider me dead in your life. Well, as you can see, I was driving out when you came, I am travelling to the village now”
When Onyinye wanted to utter another word, he wound up and drove out leaving Onyinye who was standing there confused, hurt, heartbroken and betrayed. The way he zoomed off reminisced her once again the day he broke up with her and drove away.
To be continued…..
KUKERE SISTERS: by Ngozi Lovelyn….
All rights reserved..
