FARIDA Episode 29 – 30 by Oge’s Stories

FARIDA Episode 29 by Oge’s Stories

Farida was visibly shaken by the event. Wale asked her where she would like to go to which she answered, “Anywhere”. He took her to his house. He lived in a bungalow close to the mega filling station. From the outside, the house looked ordinary but when you step inside, you would know a guy lived there. Farida went for the three-seater couch and laid on it.

“It was expected. You shouldn’t feel bad. He is a man; he would want sex. He even tried, I expected him to make advances towards it sooner than now”.

“Why? Is it that women must be used by men? Couldn’t we be friends and allow it graduate to a relationship and then marriage? Why are men always in a hurry? And I told my maami that I liked him; he was responsible then before he did that

“If I tell you 90 out of 100 men won’t do what Shehu did then I am a liar. Even I standing here would have seen our constant seeing each other to mean that we had gotten to another level and I would expect sex. I might not go about it the way Shehu did but I will definitely bring it up”

“But you have never asked me for sex”

“That is because you defined the relationship from the beginning. You should have done same with him so he would know what you want. You can’t keep a man hanging. I think Shehu is a nice guy and he likes you a lot”

“I am no longer interested in the relationship”

“Well, I have to agree with you. He wants sex or he is not interested”

“You see”

Farida stayed with Wale for the rest of the day. They watched a movie together and talked. They went for suya and ice cream before he took her home. For the first time she invited him in. She made spaghetti for him which he enjoyed. He was still there until very late when Monica came in. She was surprised to meet Wale in their suite.

“What’s going on here? Have you both come to your senses?” Monica announced.

“What are you talking about?” Farida asked.

“Are both of you an item now?”

“No” they both responded which made Monica laugh. “Be fooling yourselves there. I came to take a change of clothes. I’m off”

Farida didn’t think much of what Monica said. She actually thought Monica liked Shehu. Farida was ok with Francis but felt Monica was overdoing the relationship by always being with him. She voiced her fears to Wale after Monica left and he chuckled at how naïve she still was.

“What do you think is going on there?” He asked her. She was confused. “What you refused to give Shehu is what Francis is receiving on a regular basis. Can’t you see how Monica is glowing? She is enjoying it. They cant stay away from each other”

Farida was shocked. She had suspected it was happening but on a regular when they are not married was wrong, very wrong. “Francis will soon begin to disrespect Monica when he gets tired of her. How can you give what belongs to a husband to a boyfriend? I can’t do that”

“Well, whether husband or boyfriend, some men get tired of being with the same woman and crave another that’s why they have affairs. It doesn’t mean they love their wives less but they desire something different. It is the same reason Muslim men marry more than one wife. Would you mind being a second or third wife to a man?”

“God forbids! I will be the only wife of my husband. We shall have three children, live in a mansion and live happily ever after”

“You have tall dreams which are attainable but you have to stop being rigid. Even if it is not sex, allow some romance. The man will know from that if it is what he desires or not”.

“Romance? What if he wants more and decides to take it by force? I can’t do that one o”.

“That’s true. But, you have to let the guy know your stance on sex before marriage”.

“You mean my stance on fornication? That is what it is”.

“It sounds severe when you call it that”.

“I know you have done it a number of times. May I ask some questions about it without invading your privacy?”

“Invade all you want. I will answer all your questions. But do not feel awkward with the truth which is what I will tell you”

“What makes you want to have sex with a girl?”

“Different things. Before, when I was younger, it was just to fill my little black book. Now, I have to be attracted to her physically but it is not enough, we should be able to have conversations. I said conversations. She should have a little knowledge about so many things and be able to keep conversations on them. I will go for such a girl”

“What attracts you physically to a girl?”

“Her confidence. I love to date a lady that knows she’s beautiful and sexy and confidently walks into a place people will stare at her without a damn, places her order, pays her bill and walks out with her head held high. Those are the ladies I love to run after for something serious”.

“So, the lady at the pool that night. Was she like that?”

‘She was a distraction I needed”.

“Did you have sex with her that night?”

“Do you really want to me to go into details?”

“I am just asking. She didn’t look that confident to me. I agree she was different from the wayward crowd but she looked at you a lot. I know your eyes met and that was why you went for her. She is not the lady you described above”.

“I didn’t have sex with her. I dropped her off at home. She was willing to go home with me but like I told you, she was a distraction”

“Why did you need a distraction?”

“I needed a distraction from you”

“From me? Why?”

“I wanted you to be able to talk to guys instead of talking to me. That was why”.

“O, I see. Did you see her after then?”

“No. She played her part”.

“Can I ask a private question?”

“Go ahead”.

“How does kissing feel? How does sex feel? Why is it something people desire to do?”

Wale was surprised at her asking such intimate questions. If he was another guy, he would have taken advantage of her immediately. But she trusted him that was why she asked. This talk was beginning to cause havoc to him. He needed to change the subject and change it soon.

“It depends on whom you are with. If it is a fling, it is a form of release. You have the urge and then get a girl to help satisfy it. It is like being really pressed and then having the opportunity to locate a bathroom. If it is with someone you like, emotions come into play. You kiss to give the other person pleasure. Kissing draws people closer. Then the sex is not just an urge but a desire. You want to be with the person. When you have sex, you do it to please and be pleased. Feelings are involved. You will always want to be with the person and have such encounters because it draws you closer”

“Is that what Monica is experiencing?”

“I think so”.

“But, wouldn’t it be nice if this was done after marriage? Where the husband desires just his wife and no other?”

“What if after marriage and after sex there are no emotions anymore?”

“That will be terrible. My husband will desire me always”.

“I pray so”

Wale swiftly changed the topic so that the riot going on in his trousers could calm down. They talked until past midnight. Wale wanted to leave but Farida asked him to stay over and leave in the morning. They talked until about 3:00am before Farida called it a night. She brought pillows and duvet from Monica’s bed for him to use on the couch. Wale could see she was very comfortable with him and trusted him. She trusted him enough to believe he would not barge into the room and force her to have sex with him. He was happy about that. He was up at 6:00 am and left for home dropping her a text message. From that moment, their friendship grew. She was closer to Wale than Monica who was engrossed in her love affair.

Farida noticed a trait which was getting worrisome. Monica borrowed money from the boutique and didn’t return it. She called her attention to it and asked her what she did with the money but she didn’t have anything to say. It got to a point Farida started handling the finances of the company as she could no longer trust Monica to do it. They were behind on loans payment which was wrong. Whenever Farida mentioned it, Monica would flare up.

Service year was over. Farida insisted on coming back to Lagos while Monica stayed back in Abuja. Wale was busy there too. Leaving Monica alone scared Farida because she could sense something was wrong. She was spending so much. She confided in Wale and asked him to investigate what was happening. He promised to do so.

Back in Lagos, the change hit her. Farida slept in a very comfortable bed in Abuja for a year and now she had to manage mattress on the floor. She began to make plans in her head to relocate them. Shehu had actually given her a link in DPR where she submitted her CV. When she got to Lagos, she received a call inviting her for aptitude test. She went for it and many others. She passed the aptitude test and was invited for an interview. At the end of her second month in Lagos, she had offer letters from five different companies. She was confused which to choose. She called her current best friend, Wale who told her to go for the one that will give her enormous opportunities, pay her well and also allow her impact to be felt. She dumped the banks, accounting firms and telecommunications industry and went for DPR.

Wale called late one night. He hardly called her by this time. She picked up and spoke with him.

“Farida, Monica is in trouble but she doesn’t know. She was blinded by love while the guy is trying to reap where he did not sow. Francis has been collecting money from Monica. She has furnished his house completely for him. He wears the best clothes thanks to her. He gives her stories of bogus contracts and she sources for money for him. Meanwhile he uses the money to chase other girls. She has added so much weight now. She needs to be rescued. What can we do?”

“Should we tell her?”

“She might not believe us”.

“I think I should see her brother Sam. I don’t want her father to know about it. Once there Is no solution, we will involve him”.

“Ok, you know them better”

Farida shared the report Wale gave with maami. She was worried and advised that they manage it in such a way that it doesn’t escalate and become common knowledge. Farida called Sam the next day which was a Saturday and asked to meet with him to discuss something very important. He agreed. He gave her a place and time. She arrived the restaurant. Sam asked her to meet him inside. He ordered food for himself and asked Farida what she wanted but she declined eating but took a drink.

“What did you want to discuss with? You didn’t call me for how many months and now you want to talk to me? What’s going on?”

“It is Monica”, she replied and went ahead to narrate her observation which necessitated a further investigation into what was happening. When she finished he asked her how long the relationship had been and she replied almost six months.

“What do you want me to do?”

“I want you to save her without letting your father know for now. Stop her from harming herself”.

“If I do this? What do I get in return?”

“She is your sister”.

“And I don’t care if the guy fucks her so good that she would be foolish enough to give out her money; that’s her headache. Only foolish and desperate girls do. What is in it for me?”

“I can’t believe you just inferred that Monica is foolish and desperate. Why would you talk about your sister like that?”

“You came to me for help and now you are scolding me? Farida, all I want is to get to know you and you get to know me. I am not asking for something extraordinary. I have liked you from the moment I first set my eyes on you and I still like you very much. If you agree to date me secretly and along the line you find out you don’t like me or don’t feel the same way, then I promise you I will let you go.

My main request is that you get to know me without bias or interference from anyone and if you don’t like me, then we are done. Look at Monica, she doesn’t even know when she is played. You are in better position to advise her on relationships not the other way round”.

“So, you are attaching a condition to helping your sister?”

“Leave her to make her mistakes and learn from them naturally like I did. But if you want to save her, then I can step in and ensure the guy is taught a lesson. It doesn’t guarantee the relationship will end but it will make him realise her family is aware and she will not receive any allowance from us again until she straightens out. I can do that. It’s easy peassy”.

“Give me time to think about it.”

Farida had made up her mind she wasn’t going back to him for help. She contacted Wale and asked Wale to have a chat with Monica to see if it would make any difference. She told him about the condition Sam gave and her unwillingness to do it. He agreed Sam was being selfish and unreasonable. He was taking advantage of his sister’s predicament to score points. He called up Monica and invited her out for a drink.

The Monica he saw was a complete shadow of herself. She looked unkempt and he noticed she was high. This was getting out of hand. Wale begged Monica to go back to Lagos and get help but she claimed she was fine. This guy had started drugging her so she could keep bringing money. Wale couldn’t understand why Francis was doing this. He had to confront him about it.

“Stay out of this. It was because of her father my family lost their fortunes. She has to suffer for the loss. She’s stupid and I will ensure by the time I am through with her; she is completely useless and a shame to her family. This is payback time”

Wale was not interested in the family squabble but in why Monica had to pay for something she knew nothing about. He mentioned it to Francis who laughed and said, “The sins of the father are visited on the children even to the fourth generation. I never even start”.

Wale expressed his concern about Monica’s health and present situation. Even though he felt Farida shouldn’t succumb to Sam’s demands, he also felt he would be in a better position to handle the situation as they were related. He encouraged Farida to discuss the current situation with him. Farida didn’t want to go but hearing Monica had started using broke her heart and forced her to call Sam again. When they met, he insisted that his condition still stands. He promised to end it if she wasn’t interested anymore.

“I can consider as long as sex is not involved and it will be strictly between us”

“I agree but in addition, we must date for a minimum of three months”

“Three months? That’s too long”

“I know your trick so we are going to document it. You will sign and I will sign “

“Because of a date you will take all these precautions?”

“We are not just dating; we will be in a relationship. I am serious about this but you think it is a joke. Watch what I do with Monica’s boyfriend”.

Farida agreed. She read the agreement he handed over to her and the conditions were clearly stated. Farida was determined to save Monica before it was too late.

FARIDA Episode 30 by Oge’s Stories

Farida asked Sam what he planned to do but he refused to tell her. Sam had started work from the moment Farida mentioned. He had hired a police officer to do some digging for him. He got all the information he needed. The dispute between Francis’ family and Sam’s family was over ownership of land. Francis’ grandfather borrowed a huge sum of money from Sam’s grandfather and gave his land as collateral.

When the due date for him to pay elapsed, he offered the land in exchange for the loan as the business he borrowed the money for was doing very well. There were witnesses to the transaction and a receipt from Francis’ grandfather was issued. Sam’s grandfather allowed Francis’ grandfather to continue to farm on the land and give him a portion as he didn’t have any real need for the land. Problem surfaced when oil was found on the land. Oil companies where willing to pay a huge amount of money for the land.

They approached Francis’ father. He began to negotiate with them without informing the new owner about it. As the negotiations were getting close to conclusion, someone notified Sam’s grandfather. He was a wealthy man and most of his land had oil deposits but he wasn’t willing to sell all of them.

He confronted Francis’ grandfather who initially pretended not to know what he was talking about, later claimed he never sold the land to Sam’s grandfather in exchange for his debt. The case ended up in court and Sam’s father saving grace was the receipt and the signature of the witnesses who were called upon to testify. Francis’ grandfather lost the case and in the process a lot of money.

He told his story of woe to whomever cared to listen saying Sam’s grandfather bribed the judge and stole his land. It was the land dispute that even killed Sam’s grandfather. He went to the land to survey the place and his legs began to swell immediately. He continued to deteriorate daily until he finally succumbed to the sickness. It was believed Francis’ grandfather planted a charm on the land that eventually killed Sam’s grandfather. Sam’s father sold the land to a new oil company after some years. He took shares of the company as his payment. That was how he became extremely rich. Francis6 family, even though some of them became successful, held on to the tales of woe.

Sam arrived Abuja. His plan was already in place.

Monica came home to an empty house. Francis wasn’t back which was strange because the last time they spoke he said he was home. The next suspicion was his phone was not with him, it was in the house. She waited for him all day and night and then she became worried. She called his friends but they knew nothing of his whereabouts. They contacted the Police but still no leads.

It had become worrisome. Monica was going crazy. She had checked all the hospitals, and morgues in Abuja but found nothing. Francis had disappeared into thin air never to be heard of again for a long time. She was scared Francis messed with the wrong crowd and they would come after her. She called home.

Sam arranged for Monica to move back to Lagos and everything she bought in Francis house was also removed from his house. She refused to tell them what the problem. She had lost her job at the bank due to her missing work very often. She was a mess when she came. She was overweight and looked unkempt but the good thing was that she was no longer intoxicated or on drugs.

Monica’s father insisted she worked with him but Monica declined. She was still depressed and requested for time to heal. She stayed indoors all day, she ate and drank and did nothing else. Sam had to get Farida to see her friend. The sight Farida met broke her heart. Why was her friend looking like her world had collapsed? She was a shadow of her old self. Farida had to stay with her for a week hoping she could ginger her to come alive again but it didn’t work.

“Sam, what did you do to Francis? I asked for help and you gave me a broken friend. What did you do to Francis?”

“Just know he is no longer in the picture”

“Did you kill him? What did you do to him?”

“I made sure he will never hurt Monica again”

“So, what happens to Monica now?”

“She will be fine”

“How?”

“I am taking care of it. Relax. When are we going on our first date?”

“This was not what we agreed on”

“I saved your friend; what more do you want? Are you reneging on our agreement? If you are then I will let Monica know the role you played in getting her to this condition”

“I am not. A deal is a deal but before we start, I want my friend back”

“Fine, she will be back in a month’s time. It will give you ample time to get ready. I am patient; I will wait”.

Farida knew she was trapped but she was happy Monica was home and safe but her mental health was in shambles. Sam went to the extreme in removing Francis from the scene. The way he did it caused more trouble for Monica which also hurt Farida. Since he said he will take care of it in a month then she will wait.

Wale also advised she should relax and allow Sam handle the situation. He said he didn’t believe Sam eradicated him but he had kept him away from his sister.

‘I would do same if I were in his shoes. Stay away from Francis’ issue. Focus on Monica. She is the one that needs the help”

“Let’s see what he will do”

“Is he still disturbing for a relationship?”

“Yes, he is but he agreed to wait until Monica bounces back in a month’s time”

“He is still adamant? That’s so unfair”.

“I know. But it’s just three months and I will walk away”

“That’s if you don’t fall for him”.

“I won’t”.

“He is a charmer and a good negotiator. I don’t trust him”.

“I am both too”

Wale at that moment felt a strange chill. Something didn’t feel right. He was worried about Farida; really worried. He didn’t know when he said out loud what he was conceiving in his heart, “I don’t want to lose you”.

“What did you say” a surprised Farida asked.

“I don’t want to lose you to his charms. He will never allow us remain friends. I value what we have”.

Farida smiled. She valued their friendship as well. His presence in her life meant a great deal to her. They had grown to be best friends who spoke with each other daily. He hadn’t been to Lagos since they passed out but he made sure they spoke at least twice a day. His helping her with Monica’s situation made the situation better to handle. She liked him a lot.

Wale felt even closer to Farida than ever before. He had to admit the high point of his day was talking to her. His affection towards her grew to the extent he didn’t desire another. When with friends, they wonder whom he steps aside to talk to every time they are together. He knew they wouldn’t understand. He enjoyed talking to her and hearing about her day. He loved hearing talk about the men that come after her and her she shuts them down. He advised her but she didn’t know how much it lifted his spirit when she talked about it.

Monica on her own couldn’t phantom what was happening. How could Francis whom she loved with all her heart disappear into thin air. She had nightmares about his disappearance. Sometimes, she saw him in an accident lying abandon on the road. Another time she dreamt he was matcheted and left to die. All the dreams she had about him were nightmares. She couldn’t understand why his family scorned her. They accused her of being the cause of their son/brother’s disappearance. Why would she be looking for him if she was the one responsible? She suspected foul play but she just couldn’t add the dots.

She was not motivated to do anything. She didn’t feel like being with anyone. She ate and slept everyday and avoided human relations. It was only Farida she felt comfortable being around. She could talk about Francis freely to her. Her stepmother was quite nice to her and attended to her needs even when not verbally expressed. The woman had changed a lot. Still, Monica couldn’t stand not being with her Francis and refused to reciprocate the love.

One morning, Sam came to see her. Sam told her he was aware of the disappearance of her man which was the reason why she was depressed. He advised she sees a therapist so she can feel better. Monica didn’t answer.

“I have investigated and discovered he stage managed his disappearance. The monies you had been giving him is what was used to process the visa and disappear. That’s what investigation says. I want you to talk to someone who can help”

“You? Sam, you investigated? Why? Talk to me”.

“You are depressed and your friend Farida believes the family should step in and help you recover from it as you can’t do it on your own”, Sam informed her.

‘I m not seeing anyone. I am fine like this”.

“You are not. Francis left you, get over it. Why would you be wallowing in self-pity. He is just a man. Many more will come. You need to see a psychologist. I will make that happen. All I want is for you to recover and get yourself back. Mom will be so disappointed if she sees you like that. You need a change. I will give you two days to think about”

#OpraDre FARIDA 30

To be continued

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