A few days later, Olamide visited Fola when she was home alone and she allowed him in.
"I'm sorry for not checking up on you in school. I was busy with work", he apologized.
"It's okay, Mr. Olamide Garba", she said smiling.
"Mr. Olamide Garba", she repeated. "That reminds me, is your father a Hausa man. Where did the surname, Garba originate from?"
"Oh!", he said surprised at the question.
"My father's mother is a Hausa woman from Maiduguri while my father's father is a Yoruba man. His mother gave him the name Garba but his Yoruba name is Temidayo. His father's name is Temitayo. He was registered in school with Temidayo Garba instead of Temidayo Temitayo and the name stuck since then", he explained.
"Wao! So your lineage can be traced to the Hausas from Maiduguri", she demanded.
"Yes. But my mother is a Yoruba woman from Ejigbo."
"So Mr. Olamide Garba, do you know who Rachel is?", she asked, changing the topic all of a sudden.
"Rachel? Who...is..is Ra...chel?", he stammered, in pretense.
"Your girlfriend", Fola stated.
"She was my ex", he defended, sharply.
"Oh, now you know her abi. Anyways she has been troubling me recently asking me to leave her boyfriend", Fola informed him.
"What?" She must be stupid for doing that. Don't worry I will warn her."
"Please do. I have to be somewhere now", Fola said, standing up.
"Are you indirectly asking me to go?", he asked.
'Yes, you have overstayed your welcome', she said in her mind.
"Of course not, I was on my way out when I saw your car approaching. I had to stay behind as a sign of respect."
"Alright. I will come to see you tomorrow then", he said to her.
"Sure", she gave him a fake smile and bade him goodbye.
'Idiot', she muttered to herself going into her room.
Just then, her phone rang. It was Iremide.
"Babe how far."
"I'm great."
"I'm coming to Kaduna tomorrow", he announced.
"Really?", Fola asked.
"Yes o. Mum is over-excited."
"I told you, didn't I?"
"Yes, you did. So will you be able to visit so I can introduce you to her?", he asked.
"Uhmm... Let's see how it goes", she responded.
"Come on, don't give me that Folake."
"Alright, where is she staying?", she inquired.
"She stays at Malali", he answered.
"That's a bit far from here", she told him.
"Please", Iremide begged.
"Alright, give me the address", she demanded.
"R7 KamSalem Crescent opposite total filling station", he answered.
"Noted. See you tomorrow then", she said.
"Alright bye."
"Wait. Please help me with mum's number so I can give her a call once I get there", Fola told him.
"I will send it to you as SMS."
"Bye", she said and hung up.
Her conversation with Ire had just lightened up her mood. The past few days have been hell for her. Her mother was still mad at her even though her father had already forgiven her.
She was looking for ways to make it up to them and make them happy. She regretted her actions and promised never to talk back to her parents anymore.
She just wished the betrothal never happened because it was obvious it is the reason for everyone's unhappiness.
She now realized her father was doing everything for her sake and not for his selfish reason. More reason why she wants to graduate with a good result and get a good job after school so she could give her parents the best. More reason why she needs to come out of the engagement and focus on how to be successful. She was ready to prove to her father that she was worth having.
'Would this be possible?' she asked herself. How then will she go about all of these without getting on their nerves? Without talking back at them so they could understand.
She was tired of the whole drama and she felt like giving up. She was tired of crying. She was tired of being pathetic and inconsolable. She was becoming tired of living.
She exhaled deeply and laid down on her bed which was gradually becoming a prison to her because she rarely goes to the sitting room ever since the incident.
She just wished the school would resume again so she could put all of her worries behind her.
Besides, Ire will be there to make her forget her worries. She smiled at the thought and was happy they would see the next day. She couldn't wait to pour out her heart to him and tell him all that has happened.
He was her confidant and she needed someone she could talk to since Bolu was unavailable. She traveled with Biodun to the U.S to spend the holidays.
A lot was running through her mind and a few minutes later, she fell into a deep slumber.
The next day, she felt a lot better and got prepared to go to Malali. She wanted to surprise Ire by being there before his arrival.
Immediately she woke up, she called his mum and told her she would be coming by 10 a.m. His mother was happy to hear from her and she told her she couldn't wait to see her. That also lifted her spirits and she whistled as she took her bath.
She cooked breakfast, ate, and went into her parent's room to inform them of her outing.
"Daddy, good morning", she greeted as she entered but she only saw her mother.
"Good morning, mummy", she knelt to greet her mother.
"Good morning, how are you?", Mrs. Obed answered, indifferently.
"I'm fine, I prepared breakfast", she told her mother.
"When was the last time you even cooked in this house?", her mother asked.
It was obvious her mother was still mad at her.
Fola was about to give her a reply when her phone rang.
"Spoilt child", her mother rebuked.
"Why are you dressed up? Are you going out?", she requested, unaware of the interruption.
"Yes, mummy. Let me take this call", she excused herself.
"Hello", she said, into the phone.
"Folake", the person from the other side sobbed as she called her name.
"Mummy, what happened?", Fola questioned, with fear.
"Folake, Iremide has been kidnapped", Ire's mother cried.
"What?!", Folake exclaimed, as her phone crashed to the floor.