Chika Jonah Writes

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  • Waking Up – Love

    He followed her the next day without her knowing and found out where she worked. For the next three months he bought things from there just to glance at her, chat with her and see her work. He knew she worked hard and he was glad but still felt sorry for her. They were becoming fast friends, she knew him well enough, his parents lived outside the city and his sister is married with two boys while he lives alone and all he does is work work work. She liked everything about him and he too.
    A week later she came out of the house and saw Jamie in Front of the house early in the morning. “Good morning Root. Don’t be surprised, I’m here to drive you too work, I’m going to be your personal chauffeur”. he said smiling.
    ” That’s nice but thank you. I don’t need your help”. she replied angrily, passed him and started walking to work. He caught her and stopped her “Look Root I’m sorry, I know you don’t need my help or anyone’s but I need you. Ever since I met you, you’ve become my life map but that’s beside the point. Right now my car seat needs you. it needs someone to sit on it. please!” he said and made a funny face. Root ended up laughing and seeing his sincererity she couldn’t refuse him so she nodded. “Yes that’s my girl” Jamie exclaimed “hop in let’s go”.

    From that day he dropped her at work every morning and dropped her off at home after work. It was heartwarming. Root couldn’t believe her good luck. Even Mary and Joan loved Jamie. As time passed their friendship became strong and it was obvious they liked each other. Time flew in full speed and another four months passed quickly and by then they had known each other for seven months. They were walking to the park when Jamie stopped her.
    “Why are you stopping?” she asked.
    “I have a proposition for you Root and I want you to listen to me carefully first and not misunderstand okay?”
    “Okay” she replied thoughtfully
    “I want you to finish your clearance and go for your Nysc. You’ve never done anything for yourself this past years, all you’ve done is take care of your sisters. I want you to do it now before its too late to enjoy the opportunity. I don’t care where you get posted to. I just want you to cross over that bridge. Another thing, don’t worry about Mary and Joan they can both stay with my sister and family. Mary has written her exams already as for Joan I’ll take care of her school fees and you can pay me later or in installments. I’m not doing you any favours, I’m just trying to make it easier and faster so there’s nothing to loose” he said tenderly.
    Root just stared at him, everything he just said was too much to swallow. He had already arranged everything in his mind and had thought everything through that there was no loose ends and she couldn’t give him any excuse because he covered every area and left no loopholes.
    “Wow Jamie, you’ve rendered me speechless. You knew I’ll refuse so you covered all the important details so that it would be hard to refuse you. Wow…you’re amazing. You sure did your homework”. she ranted in total amazement. she was still baffled as she continued looking at him while he smiled at her, waiting for her answer. he was nervous because he didn’t want her to refuse him.
    “Okay, Yes! I’ll do that. not for me but for my family and for you Jamie. As for Joan’s fees I’ll pay a fixed amount every month until I complete it so don’t kid yourself okay?”.
    ” Okay ” He replied knowing how stubborn she can be. “That’s the reason I like you, you’re tough and I love tough women. In fact I love you and I’m happy with you and with where we are now and in the future we’ll be more than what we are now. You and I”. he said lovingly. She took his hands in hers. with all the love and trust she had she whispered ” Yes we will “, as they smiled at each other and continued walking side by side.

    Root had butterflies in her stomach. Its been almost eight months since she had that dream and woke up thinking that her life would never be beautiful like the dream but remain the same tough, hard, painful, lonely and boring life. But for the first time life seems warm again. now she had someone to lean on, someone who asked her how her day was, someone who made her laugh until she forgot the hard past. She knew now that the future held much more for them. Reality looked a little better than her dream.

    THE END

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  • Waking Up – Friendship

    That morning she was at her desk attending to customers and nobody could look at her directly in the eye because her eyes shoot arrows and her face was red with frustration. Everyone wondered why she was like that but didn’t have the courage to ask for fear of being insulted so they all kept quiet and worked. Root couldn’t smile, that ridiculous dream she had last night was the reason why she was irritated and angry. Since she couldn’t pour her anger at anyone but herself she took it out on the beverages she packaged for the customer as she threw them inside a bag. She muttered the usual “Thank you for coming”, with a clenched teeth and a fake smile as the customer left. She went on snapping at people, hitting things, getting angry at herself until she closed by five, left the work she hated and started walking home when a car drove past her in full speed and splashed her water, without giving a second glance he moved on. ” Holy shit” she said as she looked at her cloth stained with wet mud from the splash. “Foolish man, roads are not only built for those with cars, its also built for those walking”. she screamed back angrily at the man but he was far gone.

    He was standing at the opposite direction purchasing items when he saw what happened. The girls outfit was a total mess and he felt sorry for her. He turned back and paid attention to what he was doing when he heard her say those words so he stared at her and noticed she was near tears, he then realized her words were true; drivers also need to be careful and pay more attention to those walking by the side of the road too. He walked towards her and could see that she was a plain and simple girl, matured eyes, on serious face but so damn pretty when you looked closer. She was trying to decide what to do about her situation when he walked up to her. “hi”, he said. She just stared at him without replying so he continued ” I’m sorry for what that man did to you, he should have been more careful”. She nodded in return
    “Excuse me, I have to go”, she finally said something. She started walking when he stopped her ” Where are you heading to?” he asked.
    “Along road seven” she replied.
    “That’s far. so you’re planning to walk all the way there in these cloths when its still so bright?”
    “Yes. What do you expect me to do huh? I always walk home. moreover it’s my choice and its none of your business anyways” she replied him sounding irritated
    “Well… now its my choice. let me drop you off. I’m also going that way”, sensing that she may refuse him he changed his statement quickly. ” or let’s use the taxi instead. it would save you the stress and the embarrassment” he finally said.
    She looked at him and lone tears rolled down her eyes, ever since her life had been a roller coaster of stress and pain and today was worse cuz of that silly dream and now this stranger is been so kind to her. When he saw the tears he became scared “Is everything okay? hope I didn’t do anything wrong” he asked. “No. I’m fine, its nothing. Alright I agree let’s go. I can’t repay you for this favour but Thank you so much”.

    They drove in silence and the second she dropped, he dropped down too. surprised she asked ” Why are you coming down here? I’m the only one supposed to drop here”.
    “I want to make sure you got home safely and I still need to go back and get my car”, he replied
    “Thank you so much. I truly appreciate and I’m sorry for my cold and rude behavior earlier. today was just a bad day”, she said sincerely.
    ” Not all bad. I’m a good addition”, he said smiling.
    “Yeah probably”. she replied.
    The laughter of two girls turned their attention and when he looked at them he saw the resemblance ” Who are they?”
    “My sisters”, she replied as she waved the girls while they continued playing square on the ground.
    ” I don’t mean to pry but tell me about yourself in four sentences”, he asked hopefully.
    She didn’t want to tell but for his kindness she felt she owned him a little piece of kindness in return and what better way than to answer him truthfully.
    “Hmmm…okay. Im the first child of three, Mum died in my final year 2015 and Dad left us and remarried an evil ice queen so I took a job I hate as a front desk personnel to help my sisters; Mary the eldest is preparing for WAEC while Joan the youngest is a senior in school. My life is boring and I have no time except for work”, ” Did I pass?” she finished.
    “Yes” he said laughing out loud at her quick description, “You’ve done great with them, seeing them, im sure they’re great kids so don’t work yourself out. I’ve got to go. see you when I see you”. he said finally.
    “Thank you again” she said to him and waved. As if forgetting something she turned toward him “I’m Root by the way” she said abruptly. “What’s your name?”
    “Jamie” he replied.
    What a nice name she thought as she went into the house.

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  • Waking Up

    The day was sunny and bright. The whitish folded clouds with the sweet sound of the birds on the trees and the leaves dancing to the rhythm of the wind. Root had a sensual smile in her lips as she stared at the blue waters surrounding her. She just felt like diving in and drowning herself in the coolness of the water, but she didn’t dare, it would ruin her pretty outfit. Her white gown with a peach flowered embroidery, her white stoned sandals and sun glasses she bought at a hefty price. Anyone who saw her would say sophisticated but what they didn’t know was that she was vulnerable inside. She sat by the pool, took off her sandals and put her foot into the cool water, she just couldn’t stop her self. She’d been there for five minutes, the message said to be there by three pm, so there she was waiting for him to come.

    He came in walking like a handsome prince and looking like he owned the whole resort in a jean short, white shirt with black buttons and a blue smartfit loafers. When Root saw him all the love she had for him was evident on her face and she couldn’t stop blushing. She walked towards him and looked him up from head to toe, smiled and gave him a kiss on the forehead. “You look handsome. You sure did take your time” she said smiling.
    “Thank you baby” he replied.
    “So why are we here? you didn’t mention anything except to come here” she asked still wondering. To answer her question he knelt on one knee to the ground, looked up at her while he put his hand into his pocket and brought out the box, opened it and the small diamond ring shone brightly at her and she immediately gasped in awe and admiration. “Baby you’re the one I choose, you are the one I want and need. With you everything would be made whole”, tears started streaming off her eyes as he spoke, then he continued. ” I need you by my side as life goes on because it would be too empty without you. Root darling will you marry me?”.
    Root was already soaked in tears then she stretched out her hands to him willing to accept his proposal, as she tried saying the words “YES” she immediately woke up.

    She woke up abruptly, eyes still closed and screamed ‘yes’. Then she opened her eyes and looked around her in fear and shock. She was on her small flat bed and her head was spinning, she quickly cleaned her face with her hands because she was sweating in perspiration. “Oouch” she said painfully, a mosquito had just bitten her. it was then she understood what happened. It was all a dream. “Oh my God, that was a dream. how can it all be a dream?I mean, he was so handsome and cute, and i was looking so pretty not dressed in my daily outdated and faded cloths”. she kept muttering to her self in anguish ” I couldn’t even say yes to him”. she cried as she went on “I should have just accepted the proposal before I woke up to this stupid life”. She started laughing, laughing at the ridiculous situation and laughing at her ridiculous life, also wondering what a joke everything was. She looked around her little room and and knew that its only in dreams that such man would even look at her because in reality no man even said hello to her, the ceiling over her head was broken, the roof was always licking water. She cooked and slept in the same room because she had no kitchen. The window was broken and her sisters were also living with her in her little hut. They barely survived. What a wonderful reality; while the beautiful picture was only a dream.
    “Oh Root, you’re doomed. In fact you’re ruined”. She said laughing at herself.
    She hated waking up to reality. She much preferred her dreams. She wished she could sleep forever and savor every moment of her dream. if only every wish came true. Dreams were farfetched. Reality was much harder.

    She rose up from the bed and started already ruined day with a bad mood.

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