TEST OF TIME Ep 14

Episode 14

(Nike and Jade continues their conversation....)

NIKE : and you'll just comply with what he wants?
JADE : .....I shouldn't?
NIKE : why should you! Is he ready to get you a job?
JADE : but....he may be right. If he has his reservations about Mark, he may be right.
NIKE : anyway, I don't want to sound like I'm pushing you. Do whatever pleases you.... better still, please your boyfriend...
JADE : God will provide another one.
NIKE : amen...

(After sometime, Mark calls her back...)
JADE : ....em Mark...
CALLER : have you thought about it? Which one will it be?
JADE : em....yes....em....is there no other job apart from those two?
CALLER : haha...the pay is much o. My friend will pay 200k while my bank will start with 120k, to be increased after your training...
JADE : the offer is mouth-watering, its just that...
CALLER : (surprised)... that what?...don't you like them? I thought you were excited some few minutes ago...
JADE : em.....its not that....(Trying to think of an excuse)
CALLER : you told your fiancé and he disapproved of it, right?
JADE : no o, its not that.
CALLER : then its what?
JADE : like you said, I can't work with that your friend and I don't want to leave Abuja that's why.
CALLER : okay o. If I get anything else, I'll let you know.
JADE : I'm so sorry I let you down.
CALLER : well, let me advise you, this your fiancé is not helping you at all. He should give you some breathing space and trust you. This his attitude will get you guys nowhere.
JADE : Mark....I didn't say its him o...
CALLER : come on Jade, I know a little about you and I know he's the one behind all this. Remember how many times he called you the other day we were gisting? So I don't need an angel to tell me you're like this because of him. Look my dear, I'm a guy too, you know. We can be possessive sometimes, but overdoing it is dangerous.
JADE : hmm....shrink...I've heard you o. How was work today?(Trying to change the topic)
CALLER : hmm....you're trying to change the topic abi?....anyway, my day was okay....
JADE : (laughing)..just let me know if there's any other opening.
CALLER : okay o....

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(Nate has being on the search in Nigeria for a couple of months now, but he didn't get any lead just yet.

Sir T calls him up to know how far he has gone....)

Sir T : how is it going Nate?
RECEIVER : still nothing sir...
Sir T : what do we do now?
RECEIVER : actually, something came to mind sir.
Sir T : what's that?
RECEIVER : since you didn't have any information on her... Then we're not getting something right.
Sir T : and what could that be?
RECEIVER : its almost thirty years sir, looking for her with that name was totally wrong. She should be married already.
Sir T : hmmm.....that's true... We've wasted too much time on that name... That's why you ended up getting the wrong people. (Thinks for a while)....But.... how do we know her husband's name now?
RECEIVER : I'm trying to get someone who can search through the National ID card data for me. Its going to be quite difficult but, with money, we can get through.
Sir T : please, if you need more money let me know.
RECEIVER : I'm still very good sir.
Sir T : alright.
RECEIVER : I'll update you if anything comes up.
Sir T : good.

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(Some weeks later, Mark is in Lagos with Hyke....)

HYKE : guy how far with your Babe nau?
MARK : omo, the babe is becoming overbearing, always asking where I am.
HYKE : (laughs)...that is the taste of marriage man...
MARK : God forbid who will marry that one?
HYKE : so how do you get her off your back?
MARK : very simple, stop spending the money...
HYKE : hmm.....that's true...
MARK : girls like that are so easy to deal with.
HYKE : oh...less I forget, Amanda is getting married o...
MARK : (shocked)....what! Its a lie joor, you just dey scare me.
HYKE : I'm serious o.
MARK : haba...(Sitting up)....how? why? To who? She's still in school nau...
HYKE : she's getting married to a doctor. The wedding is next month sef.
MARK : oh my God....so na so I go miss this babe...
HYKE : na so o....come...(Sitting up)... how far with that your Abuja babe?
MARK : hmm....Jade...she's fine o.
HYKE : has she now gotten a job?
MARK : hmm....look, that Babe....(Mark tells him about Jade's declination of the two job offers)....and I'm sure its her boyfriend that's the cause of it.
HYKE : and she consented to what he wanted?
MARK : she totally did.
HYKE : hmm...I love such a woman, very submissive...
MARK : (surprised)...haha...is it about being submissive or about the fact that the guy is too possessive and overbearing?
HYKE : well...he is, there's no doubt about that. But what I'm saying is that, for a woman to be that submissive to a man without being married to him, that's a virtuous woman.
MARK : Jade has always being that way. She's strict, doesn't take nonsense, but she can be very submissive.
HYKE : well I can't blame the guy, he simply can't trust his woman with vultures like us....(Laughing)
MARK : with that attitude he will push her away gradually...
HYKE : hmm...he can push her into my arms, I don't mind...(Winking)
MARK : hey! Don't even think about it!
HYKE : haha! Are you still interested in the girl?
MARK : now that Amanda is out of reach, definitely! I'm going for Jade.
HYKE : haba nau...
MARK : don't even think about it Hyke!

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(Yomi goes to visit Lanre at his house...)

LANRE : so how far with the job hunt?
YOMI : still searching o.
LANRE : don't worry, you'll find one soon....
YOMI : I pray so...
(Just then Abbey and his fiancée comes around and Lanre welcomes them in)
LANRE : wow! August visitors....
ABBEY : sup man!....(Exchanging hugs)
LANRE : I'm good man...(Sights Amanda behind him)...hi Amanda...
AMANDA : hi...(Entering)
LANRE : how are you preparing for the wedding...?
AMANDA : its not easy o...but we're on it.
LANRE : (he then realizes Yomi and Abbey haven't met) oh...my bad..this is Yomi, (turns to Yomi)...Yomi this is Abbey, that my doctor friend I told you about...and this is his fiancée...
ABBEY : is he not the one that had a problem with his babe the other day?
LANRE : exactly! He is....
ABBEY : how are you doing....(Extending a handshake)
YOMI : I'm good.
AMANDA : hi...
YOMI : hello...
LANRE : Yomi, we're going for his wedding next month o.
YOMI : okay....I wish you guys all the best.
ABBEY : thanks...

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(Some weeks later, Jade was talking to Yinka on the phone...)

CALLER : I didn't call you for two days yet you didn't even bother to call me...
JADE : I'm sorry, but I had no credit on my phone.
CALLER : but I sent you a two hundred naira credit three days ago?
JADE : I've used it to call people for this job thing.
CALLER : so, anything from them?
JADE : absolutely nothing...
CALLER : and those companies?
JADE : nothing o.
CALLER : look, you need to get something doing, get moving. Get a job. You're just there stagnant, its not good. Go out, talk to people. You can't just be there sitting all day wasting away. You need to work and make money...
JADE : (cuts in) wait a minute Yinka, what's your problem! What is it?  Every time you keep talking like I'm lazy, will I find a job for myself? Haha...afterall Mark got me a job some weeks ago, you didn't allow me do it, so why talking like its my fault that I'm staying home. Or do you want me to keep roaming the street like a vagabond, having nowhere to go? Haha...please o, stop pressurizing me....(She hangs up)....haha...what is it! Every time he keeps robbing it in my face that I have no job...(Hisses)

(And then, Nike who has being in the kitchen eavesdropping on their conversation, walks in....)
NIKE : your boyfriend abi?
JADE : yes. He's choking me haha! Every time he keeps calling me, telling me to get something doing...like I don't want to do anything...
NIKE : was he not the one that asked you not to take the job that Mark offered you...
JADE : abi o...now he's choking me...
NIKE : look, he's tired of giving you t-fare anytime you go to his place. He's also tired of buying you credit.
JADE : how much credit? The two hundred naira recharge cards he buys every two weeks? And how often do I go to his house? Once in two weeks since I've being totally broke. Moreover, he hardly comes here since his job has become so demanding.
NIKE : oh and your BIS....
JADE : one thousand naira every month! Please that guy doesn't spend more than two thousand naira on me every month!
NIKE : well......he's obviously tired of it.....
(As they were talking, her phone rings but she ignores it....)
JADE : I won't pick his call....Yinka is becoming unbearable these days....always nagging...
NIKE : abeg forget this guy jare, he doesn't deserve you. He's too tight fisted!
JADE : my cousin has been saying this but I ignored her.
NIKE: Last valentine, he got you absolutely nothing,
JADE : that's not even an issue cause I couldn't get him something either....
NIKE : haba nau, you had no job, its understandable....
JADE : I really need to talk this out with him and its not going to be on the phone. We have to talk physically.
(The phone rings again...)
NIKE : won't you pick it?
JADE : I won't. If I do, I will end up saying something I will regret....
NIKE : hmm....me, I've not seen this kind of guy before o. When I had the problem with my job, Toyosi was so encouraging, telling me to calm down. He was always giving me words of encouragement that things will be better, that I should calm down. He doesn't ever criticize me or nag. And believe me, he was even more caring then, always pampering me with gifts, he didn't ever make me feel the fact that I wasn't collecting any salary...
JADE : gifts!....my dear, I shouldn't even go into Yinka's issue because I don't like comparing people like that. If not you will just be making jest of me.
NIKE : your cousin must not hear of all these o.
JADE : I tell you...

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(The following day, Yinka enters into Mike's office with a long face...)

MIKE : (seeing his mood)...why the long face?
YINKA : I called Jade yesterday talking to her about this job issue, she ended up shouting at me on the phone.
MIKE : haha...why?
YINKA : and when I called her back later, she didn't pick my calls.
MIKE : hmm...she has started showing you her true color....
YINKA : imagine...I was only telling her that we have to work harder on this job issue o....she just started shouting that I'm mounting pressures on her...
MIKE : that's nasty of her....these girls...you see, now that she's here in Abuja, you can now see her true behaviour....
YINKA : every now and then, she's broke, she has no money for transport, for this for that, I'm even the one that recharges her phone for her. Haha....
MIKE : you dey try o.... Na because of her you dey work?
YINKA : in fact....(He picks up his phone again and dials Jade's number, this time around she picks it)....hello...
RECEIVER : hello....
..................................................................

(Jade was home alone when she received the call....)

JADE : hello?
CALLER : thanks for insulting me on the phone yesterday... But, this is where we end it.
JADE : (shocked to her bone marrow)...what did you just say?
CALLER : yeah, I'm out.
JADE : just like that?
CALLER : just like that....I really can't continue with this relationship...
JADE : oh....(With tears welled up in her eyes, she became dumbfounded....)..I....(The line went dead)....hello? Hello?....no.....am I dreaming?...(She couldn't control the tears flowing down from her eyes)......no, tell me I'm dreaming.....I....I....(She couldn't believe her ears....)

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(meanwhile, back at Mike's office...)

MIKE : wait, did you just break up with her now?
YINKA : yes....that's the only way she will know that what she did was very wrong.
MIKE : by breaking up?
YINKA : yes.....
MIKE : what did she say?
YINKA : I didn't allow her to talk, I just cut off the line.
MIKE : so you really want out?
YINKA : I don't even know jare. Everything just changed drastically after she moved here.
MIKE : but you were happy she was transferred to Abuja nau, were you not?
YINKA : well yes....but things didn't turn out the way I expected...
MIKE : well....
YINKA : let's just leave things as they are....
.................................................................

Jade couldn't help herself, she became confused, she walks from one end of the house to the other crying... She later walks out of the house with a slipper, taking nothing, not even her phone....still crying, she gets to a place on the street and sits down there....

To be continued....