“Mama, why are you worrying yourself about it, allow them to talk, soon, the truth will slap their mouths.” Peace said, calming her mother down.
“But my daughter, my heart is not strong to bear such negative comments. They are too much for me. See all the horrible things they are saying against your sister”
“I know Mama, but you have to stop thinking about it too much and focus on the bright side. You know we have a target, so remove your mind from all the things they are saying for sister Grace’s safety. Ok, which one do you now prefer, is it to see your daughter ruined or dead?” Peace asked
“No-no-no, God forbid”
“Then allow them to say whatever they want to say, soon, the truth will be revealed. You need to exercise some patience, Mama” Peace said, succeeding in calming her mother down.
Grace also had her own episodes of weaknesses. The negative comments almost got to her, but she controlled herself, fixing her mind on the future.
Chibugo and Nana, though believed all Grace said, but they never stopped been scared.
“But Nana, it’s still remaining few weeks to the day Oluba fixed for the traditional marriage rites, what if he changes his mind?” Chibugo asked
“I don’t think so Mummy, Oluba hardly go back to his words. Grace has lost him forever. And the good thing is that, no man in his right senses will accept to marry her again after having her name tainted and reputation tarnished.”
“Yes Nana, but let’s reserve our jubilation till the day they fixed for the trad”
“OK Mama, but I can bet my last card on that, Oluba is not coming back for her again.” Nana said with all conviction.
Days went by, Chibugo never stopped keeping her ears to the ground, listening to know if Oluba later changed his mind, but nothing happened.
The appointed day reached, and still nothing happened.
“Mummy, you see, I told you.. Nothing happened, Oluba won’t be marrying her again. She is receiving all she deserves.” Nana said, rejoicing that the traditional wedding did not hold again.
After that day passed, Grace and Oluba began their next step of the plan.
“Let’s just hope they accept to participate in the arranged competition” Grace said, looking hopeful
“Grace, I know Nana, she is very greedy, once she hears about the money, she won’t think twice joining the competition. So stop thinking too much and call her phone now.” Oluba requested
“OK, let me call her now.” Grace said, dialing Nana’s number.
“Hmm, Grace, why is she calling me now? Grace, I don’t think I still need to pretend to be in good terms with you, because you are my number one enemy. I hate you, I hate you” Nana said to herself, ignoring to answer the call.
And Grace called back again……
“What is this nonsense? She won’t stop calling.. I won’t answer the call. It’s better I start giving her attitudes so that she will stay away from me. She is too local and boring, in fact I detest everything about her.
I don’t need her in my life anymore, I should reject the call.” Nana said, and then rejected Grace’s call.
“She is rejecting my calls now? She has never done this before” Shocked Grace asked, looking at Oluba
“But what do you expect? She has gotten all she wanted, so I don’t think you are still relevant to her again. What we will do now is to send her a text. Don’t sound as if you are angry because she rejected your call, just sound cool, you hear me?” Oluba suggested
And Grace said “OK” and began typing the text: “Nana dear, I called your cellphone, but you did not answer, I guess you were very busy. There is this food competition that will be taking place in Kano in weeks time, and its specially for Restaurant Owners, and the winner will be going home with N10million, while the second price is N5million. You know your mother is a very good cook and owns the best restaurant in the village, so I decided to inform you to know if she will be interested. The registration is N500. Just discuss with her, if she is interested, then you get back to me immediately, because registration will soon end”
So after typing the text, she showed it to Oluba to know if what she wrote were OK..
Immediately the message beeped Nana’s phone, she grabbed it, knowing that it will be from Grace.
“I know it’s her, this old girl should stop bugging me, what is all this? Hmm, let me just see the stupid thing she sent”
Immediately she read the text, she jumped off from where she was sitting and ran to her mother, showing her the text.
“No Nana, I don’t think I’m fit for this kind of competition. Do you know how many people I will be competing with? And besides, who will manage the restaurant while am away? So forget it. The price might be enticing, but it’s a ‘no’ for me” Chibugo said, rejecting to partake in the competition.
“No mother, you might not have faith in your talents, but I do. You are a very good cook. OK now answer me, has any one beat your cooking skills in this village? No…. For years, you still remained the best cook and runs the best restaurant in this village. So mother, I believe so much that this 10 million is for us, even the second price is still huge. Just think about how our lives will change if you get a hold of that money. About running the business, you have your workers to help you manage things here, I will also guide them. So mother, just say yes so that we will start registration immediately. According to Grace, the registration will soon close. Don’t allow fear to deny you this opportunity, you can make it mother, I know you can” Nana said convincing her mother
“Alright……alright, give me some time to think about it.” Chibugo said
“We don’t have that much time, mummy. Just trust me, you will win this competition. Let me call Grace now and tell her that you are in. I will ask her for the registration processes”
Chibugo then hummed and reluctantly agreed.
And Nana picked her phone to return Grace’s call.
“See, she is calling me now” Grace said looking at Oluba
“Then answer it.” Oluba urged
“Hello Nana”
“Hello Grace, sorry that I missed your calls. Uhm, I saw your message”
“So, what did your mother said?”
“She agreed, why won’t she? She was feeling not interested, so I had to convince her. But Grace, does it mean you trust her cooking too, you trust she can win it right, that’s why you informed me about it?” Nana asked
“Yes Nana, I believe she will win it. She has remained the best Cook in the village and runs the best restaurant, so why won’t she? Don’t allow her to miss this opportunity, huge amount of money is involved here”
“Correct Grace, I won’t even give her the chance to. So how are we going to begin the registration? Because according to what you wrote in the text, there is no much time left.”
“Yes, I just saw the advert today and the registration will be ending tonight, by 12am.”
“Are you serious? Are you sure we are still going to make it. Even the money for the registration, you know there is no bank in the village here, I will still go to town to pay the N500 for the registration. And look at the time now, it’s already late. Before reaching town, the banks must have closed”
“OK you know what? Since your mother is interested, let me use my own money to register her, after she will pay me back, how about that?” Grace asked
“Sounds good. Thank you so much, just do it for her, we will pay back tomorrow” Nana said
“Alright, all you need to do now is to send her names, age, address, date of birth, her skin colour.”
“OK Grace, I will send it right away” Nana said ending the call.
Two hours later, Grace called them back, and informed them that she had finished registering Chibugo.
That the company said that they will release names of the successful candidate for the competition.
“Are you for real? I thought anybody that register is automatically a candidate? And since we registered late, do you think my mother will get the chance to qualify for the competition?”
“Nana, all we need now is faith. Let’s have faith that she gets lucky”
“Alright, but when are we expecting to hear from them?” Nana asked
“They will release the name in two days time”
“OK, like you said, faith is all we need right now. OK then, and thanks for everything” Nana appreciated as they ended the call.
When they ended the call, Oluba gave her a thumb up, that she acted so smartly.
“Yes Honey, I need to be extra smart with them. They think they are smart, I can’t wait to see how they will react after realising they were fed with a taste of their own medicine”
“Yes Honey, I can’t wait too” Oluba said
“Nana, with this sudden development, I think it’s a dead end. We registered late, do you think I will be that lucky?” Chibugo asked
“Mummy, all we need is faith”
“Hmm. Faith, good…. But Grace sef, upon how I have been treating her, she still want to do this favour for me. No wonder everybody talks about her.”
“But that doesn’t change a thing. She will still remain my number one enemy for making Oluba to break up with me.”
“Yes my daughther, I hate her too”
Two days later, Grace called Nana and told her that her mother was among the lucky people the company picked for the competition.
“Are you serious? I can’t believe this”
“Yes Nana, I think it’s your mother’s luck. I think this competition is for her… She will win the money”
“You are absolutely right Grace”
“Yes, see the requirements they gave… Just get a pen and a paper” Grace requested
“Alright, it’s here, I’m with paper now” Nana said
And Grace began calling out the things they will use for the competition…
She also said that her mother will be in the company of her trusted friend or daughter. And that they will be out of communication for two weeks.
“About going with somebody, that means I will be going with her then” Nana said
“Yes Nana, you are the only person fit to accompany her. To help her with things, she can’t be there alone.”
“Alright Grace, but you still haven’t given us the address of the place.” Nana asked
“Oh I even forgot. They will be coming to the village to pick you next tomorrow, all you need is to get prepared and wait for them.”
“This is perfect, I just can’t wait”
Nana and Chibugo trusted Grace, and that was why they did not ask questions or do any inquiry regarding the competition.
So finally, Grace and Oluba succeeded in taking Nana and her mother out of the village.
So now, what happens next?
To be continued..
The author of Dare the Truth is Ngozi Lovelyn O.
Warning: No part of this work should be copied, used, reproduced, redistribute either electronically or manually without prior permission from the author.
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Contact- Xperiawithngozilove@gmail.com.
