PRICELESS ONE
Priceless One - Episode 9
______________________________________
“ HIP! HIP! HIP!..... HURRAY!!!” They all cheered happily as Chioma cut the cake.
She lived with her father due to the fact that her parents were separated.
Her father was more of a business man who could spend weeks traveling and abandoning her in the house, he left her in the care of an housekeeper.
And since her house keeper couldn’t stop her from throwing a birthday party in her father’s house, she went ahead and threw one.
They all gathered around her gleefully.
“ Happy birthday Chiomy baby!!” They chorused in harmony.
“ Thank you ….. thank you everyone…..” Chioma beamed.
“ There is food and enough drinks available……please enjoy yourselves and catch fun!!.... Let the music play on.
The music resumed and they danced.
Shalewa dragged Tayo forward and introduced him to her friends.
“ This is Tayo my friend.” She said.
They all greeted Tayo, but Chioma took more interest in him and asked him to dance with her, in which Tayo willingly accepted.
Shalewa particularly loved the feel this party brought. It wasn’t as rough as the last one she attended in Habib’s house.
Above all, she was glad about one thing.
Sandra stuck to her word of not inviting Edwin to the party.
“ Alright guys….it’s time for a swim.” Chioma announced and everyone cheered.
They all proceeded to the swimming pool with their swimming wears. They swimmed happily while a soft music played in the background, adding to the fun as they chatted happily.
But one person was absent.
It was Chima!
Chima recoiled himself to a corner of the sitting room, sm0king carelessly and soliloquizing to himself.
He had been moody since yesterday when his father be@t his mother.
As much as he tried to get the p@in off his chest, he couldn’t.
He scratched his head in frμstration, flashing back to yesterday, and replaying in his head the screams of his mother.
This brought more s0rr0w to him, and tears poured out from his eyes.
Seeing her in a battered state yesternight was really disheartening. Her cheeks were sw0llen and carried a black eye in the right side of her eyes, with several brμises and marks on her body. She really looked pale and weak.
His father, after committing the form!dable act, left the house as usual, leaving his mom to nurse her injμries.
He was still meditating on how badly he felt, when Habib walked in.
“ Guy what’s up?.... Why are you sitting here all alone, looking all moody, when there’s a lot of fun going on out there?” Habib questioned him in amusement, trying to comprehend why Chima had been acting all moody since they arrived at the party.
“ Guy…. I’m not in the mood.” Chima voiced with a puff of sm0ke, while he refilled his glass with an alcoholic drink.
“ That’s the point Chima!!... Why are you not in the mood?” Habib asked.
But Chima was silent.
Habib continued.
“...See…. There are people out there you can chill with while you drink away your s0rrow….. it will help you be in a lighter mood.” Habib advised.
“ Thanks Habib…. But I want to be alone….. you guys can go ahead and catch fun, while I stay here.” Chima replied him.
Habib sighed, then shrugged.
“ Well…. It’s your choice…… but just know that you will be missing out in the fun….” Habib replied and left.
Since his friend was not in the mood, he cannot force him.
So Chima was left to sm0ke all by himself. He refilled his glass for the sixth time, at this point, he was dead drunk already and felt so dizzy.
Suddenly feeling the urge to urÃnate, he managed to get up but staggered back and fell back on the chair.
Cursing under his breath, he decided to lie down on the floor, spilling the highly concentrated alcohol in his hand in the process.
The c!garette which was lying carelessly in his hands fell into the rug of the dinning area, but he managed to crawl into the sitting room not far from the dinning section.
There he slept off, plunging into a dreamland and totally oblivious of the fact that the cigarette that fell off his hands, had caused a flame that was spreading so fast.
The fire was catching up from the rug carpet to the curtains and no one was aware of what's about to happen.
*******************
Folake quickened her steps to the church Shalewa informed her she was going.
It was just a few blocks away from the house. She walked hurriedly, half running.
When she got to the church, a sermon was going on already. The auditorium wasn’t so large, so she could easily scan through the congregation for her sister.
An usher, on noticing Folake standing on the walkway and looking so confused, ushered her into a seat.
But Folake shook her head vigorously.
“ I’m looking for my sister…. There’s an emergency situation at home and her attention is needed.” Folake explained to the usher.
“ Oh Sister!.... So sorry about that….what is the name of your sister?”
The female usher asked.
“ Her name is Shalewa.”
“ Ok, I’ll permit you to search for her quietly, but do not cause any distractions…. You know that a sermon is going on.” The usher said.
Folake thanked the usher and resumed searching for her sister. But there was no sign of Shalewa’s presence in the congregation.
Folake sighed fustratedly.
She thanked the usher and exited the auditorium still dialing Shalewa’s number, but got no response.
She stamped her foot on the floor ångrily
“ How can Shalewa be so irresponsible especially now that they needed her most?”
Just then, her phone ringed and she hurriedly pulled it out of her pocket.
It was daddy Nkem.
She picked immediately.
“ Hello sir!!” She voiced.
“ Why are you taking so long to call your sister!!!!..... Your brother has gotten worse and is gasping for his life!!!......
We need to rush him to the nearest hospital right now!!!.....” Daddy Nkem said anxiously.
Folake’s nervousness grew and her heart began to pound heavily.
“ I’m coming right away sir……” She said but daddy Nkem didn’t reply her.
Instead she could hear his voice shouting Toun’s name loudly and desperately.
Folake clasped her hands on her head and ran as fast as her feet could carry her.
“ Oh God!..... Toun….. you must not d!e….. please God!..... Don’t let my brother d!e!!” She shouted as she increased her pace.
(Do not take credit or Plagiarize AMAH'S HEART stories)
No comments