TEST OF TIME Ep15

 

Episode 15

(Jade sat down there, she was not conscious of her environment till a guy walks up to her...)

GUY : hello...(Tapping her gently)....are you okay?
JADE : em...yes I am....(cleaning her eyes)
GUY : but you've been sitting here for sometime now crying...
JADE : em....excuse me....(She hurries away and retraces her way back to the house. She picks up her phone and calls Funmi her cousin....)
JADE : (with tears obvious in her voice)...Funmi...
RECEIVER : Jade?....(Wondering why her cousin is sounding this way)... you sound somehow, what's wrong with you?
JADE : Funmi, he just broke up...
RECEIVER : what!....(Shocked)....oh my God what happened?
JADE : Funmi.....(She couldn't bring herself to talk...)
RECEIVER : (quickly thinks of what to do)...look, Jade, first thing tomorrow morning start coming back to Lagos.
JADE : but...
RECEIVER : (cuts in) no buts Jade, you're not in the right frame of mind, so if you don't want me to tell Mum, start coming home. We'll talk about it when you get here. I'll send some money into your account now for your ticket...
JADE : ...okay...(She hangs up)

...................................................................................

(Nike was at her new office when she received a call from Funmi....)

NIKE : hi....how are you doing?
CALLER : I'm good dear thanks! Have you spoken to Jade?
NIKE : we saw each other this morning...
CALLER : oh..that means she hasn't told you that, that boyfriend of hers broke up with her...
NIKE : what! (Shocked)...Are you serious? But when? Everything was okay before I left the house his morning...
CALLER : she just told me now.
NIKE : oh my God....
CALLER : what's being going on between them?
NIKE : well.... what I know is that yesterday...(She explains what happened)....but I'm not sure that will be the reason why he broke up with her, its not enough reason, except that guy is not just serious.
CALLER : anyway, please kindly help her get a ticket please. I will send....(On a second thought)...you know what, I'll send the money to you instead. I told her I will send the money for the ticket into her account but from the way she sounded, she's not in the right frame of mind just yet....
NIKE : okay...
CALLER : please just get the ticket and take her to the airport, let her come home. Let me know when the flight will be here so that I can go get her from the airport.
NIKE : but, don't you want her staying here any longer, she has written applications to companies here..
CALLER : forget about that. She needs to get out of there first. She will only keep crying if she stays back, moreover, I don't want that Yinka guy messing her up more than he's already done.
NIKE : okay, no problem. I'll do just that.
CALLER : alright thanks dear. I'll send you the money now...please send me your account details.
NIKE : okay...

....................................................................................

(The following day, Jade travelled back to Lagos.

Funmi picks her up from the airport and takes her home.

Throughout the journey home, she said nothing to Funmi. Funmi could notice how devastated she was. When they got home, Funmi calls Kanyinsola, Jade's mother....)

FUNMI : aunty, you really need to talk to her o. She's a mess! She's being crying since yesterday...
RECEIVER : what exactly happened between them?
FUNMI : its about the job issue o....(She explains)....and that was all we know. Next thing he broke up.
RECEIVER : haha...that's not normal...let me speak to her.
FUNMI : okay, I'll give her the phone now....(She gives Jade the phone)...your Mum...
JADE : (collecting the phone)....mummy....he broke up with me....(Tears in her eyes)
RECEIVER : its okay dear. It is well....get yourself together. Its not the end of the world....
JADE : Mum, its just that, I've gotten so fond of him....
RECEIVER : you've really fallen in love with him, right?
JADE : yes Mum....
RECEIVER : its okay dear. Now that you're in Lagos, it will be easier for you to forget about him... Just channel all your effort towards getting a better job, okay?
JADE : yes Mum.
RECEIVER : or do you want to come over here for a while?
JADE : its okay Mum, I'll be alright....
RECEIVER : I'll call you back tomorrow okay?
JADE : okay Mum, thanks...(She gives the phone back to Funmi)
FUNMI : alright Aunt...
RECEIVER : thanks for taking care of her. Thanks for bringing her back home.
FUNMI : its nothing Aunt, she's my cousin, its the right thing to do.
RECEIVER : thanks. I'll call her tomorrow.
FUNMI : that's good, she'll need it.
RECEIVER : take care.
FUNMI : bye Aunt....(She hangs up)....
JADE : thanks Funmi....(She hugs her cousin)
FUNMI : no, that's not the way to thank me. If you really want to thank me, you'll have to promise me to get yourself together and get over that guy as soon as you can.
JADE : (she cleans the tears from her face)....okay.
FUNMI : is that a promise?
JADE : yes....I'll try.
FUNMI : drop everything about him in Abuja. You're now in Lagos to start afresh.... I have a couple of companies doing in-house employment, so you'll send your application to some of them, I'm sure something good will come out of it.
JADE : (nods)...thanks.
FUNMI : you're welcome....
(They hug each other)

.......................................................................................

(About a week later, Mark calls up Jade...)

JADE : hi ...
CALLER : how are you dear?
JADE : I'm okay...
CALLER : you sound somehow? Is it still about the job thing?
JADE : no. I'm okay. How's work?
CALLER : not bad....I'll be coming to check on my friend next weekend, can I check up on you?
JADE : I'm no more in Abuja...
CALLER : (shocked)...are you serious!
JADE : yes.
CALLER : since when?
JADE : about a week now.
CALLER : haba nau....Jade....and you couldn't even call to tell me...
JADE : I'm sorry, I've been preoccupied.
CALLER : oh, you've got a job already?
JADE :  I'm still searching.
CALLER : so where are you now?
JADE : in Lagos...
CALLER: are you serious!
JADE : yes...
CALLER : hmm....so does it mean you're available for any job in Lagos?
JADE : yes I am available.
CALLER : if not for the fact that the job I told you about is now taken, I would have fixed you in somehow.
JADE : its okay. Just let me know if something comes up.
CALLER : I sure will....so send me your address let me come over and say hi....
JADE : alright.
CALLER : I'll be expecting it then.
JADE : okay....

(When Funmi got back Jade tells her about Mark....)

FUNMI : are you serious!
JADE : very...
FUNMI : so you actually declined! Chai! Thank your stars I didn't hear about it. I would have come there myself and pull you down to Lagos. How can you decline such a job from that kind of bank! What kind of stupid love were you feeling!
JADE : I wanted to please him....
FUNMI : now see where that got you! Heartbroken!
JADE : (takes a deep breath)..hmm
FUNMI : so he's coming here, right?
JADE : yes he is.
FUNMI : good.

.........................................................................................

(Marks comes to visit that saturday and Funmi was home...)

JADE : (letting Mark in)....hi Mark...
MARK : (entering)....I'm good...
JADE : that's my cousin, Funmi....
MARK : wow....why are you guys so beautiful in this family....its my pleasure to meet you.....(Extending a handshake)
FUNMI : (shaking him)....same here...please sit....(Showing him a seat)
MARK : thanks....(He sits down)
FUNMI : Jade please offer him something....
JADE : what would you like to take?
MARK : any juice will do....
JADE : alright....(Goes to get the drink)
FUNMI : she told me there was a job opening where you work....
MARK : yeah but its being taken.
FUNMI : she was so stupid to have turned it down.
MARK : well....what can we do? We can't force her.
FUNMI : and the guy she did it for now broke her heart.
MARK : (surprised)...are you serious!
FUNMI : yes. That's why she's back here.
MARK : what a pity....but why?
FUNMI : for no tangible reason.... Now she's so down....
MARK : eyah...no wonder when I called her the other day, she sounded really down.
FUNMI : yea she is.
MARK : she was so in love with him....
JADE : (walking into the sitting room)....you guys are talking about me right behind me.....(She puts the juice on the table)
FUNMI : I just told him about your heartless Ex.
MARK : I'm so sorry Jade....
JADE : its okay. I'm getting over it.
MARK : how can I help you in doing that? May be we should go have a treat...
FUNMI : that will be really good for her...(Looking at Jade)
JADE : weren't you the same person that said novels will help forget him? And I'm reading novels now....
FUNMI : fine, I did. Going out too will help.
MARK : that's true, Jade. What do you say I take you to the movies?
FUNMI : of course...(Winks at Jade)....she's very available....isn't it?
JADE : (thinks for a while)....okay.....
MARK : we can start today....
FUNMI : that's good...
(As they were talking, Mark's phone rings, he checks and sees its Bimbo, then ignores the call...)
JADE : haha.....won't you pick your call?
MARK : its not important...... We were talking about going out today...you haven't said yes...
JADE : I already said its alright....
MARK : good!....(He sips his juice)
(After a while Mark takes Jade out he kept doing this for some weeks...)

....................................................................................

(Tara and Bimbo are at home...)

TARA : Babe, you've been staying home for the past three weekends. Where has Mark been?
BIMBO : Mark's been acting really somehow these days....
TARA : (surprised)...are you serious?(Sits beside her)
BIMBO : yes.
TARA : but why? Are you guys fighting?
BIMBO : no, we're not.
TARA : then what's going on?
BIMBO : I don't know. He's just being ignoring my calls for the past three weeks....
TARA : three whole weeks!
BIMBO : yes.
TARA : why not check him at home?
BIMBO : whenever I get there, his security man kept saying he's gone to his parents. He said he stays more with his parents now than at his own house...
TARA : and you don't know the parents house?
BIMBO : he never took me there.
TARA : then go and check him at the office.
BIMBO : that's not easy because, one, since they brought that man head our branch instead of me, he's been at my neck, giving me too much work. Two, if I decide to go anyway, I won't know the particular office where he will be, remember he's the area manager, he has about five branches under him....
TARA : hmm...that's true...
BIMBO : the worst part is that I miss Mark so much....
TARA : don't worry, I'll help you think of what to do....

........................................................................................

Some weeks later, Lanix Bank conducts an apptitude test for some applicants and those successful were called for an interview.

About 50 applicants were successful from the interview and were all seated in a hall fully air-conditioned.

After waiting for over two hours some of the applicants slept off and only about 15 of them was awake.

Yomi sat down there reading the novel he had brought along. After about three hours he wondered why no one has been called in yet and he noticed that most of those present there were already asleep. He looks at those who are not asleep and the face of a particular lady cut his glimpse.....he thought of where he'd met her. He kept looking at her trying to recall but he couldn't place it, yet his mind didn't stop wondering where... He later walks up to the Lady to chat with her since he was bored anyway...

YOMI : hi...
LADY : hi?....(Looking up at him)
YOMI : sorry...I've been looking at you for sometime now...its as if we've met somewhere before....
LADY : (looking at his face more closely)....em...that's true....you kinda look familiar....(Thinks for a while)...
YOMI : did you accompany any client to any construction company?
LADY : (thinking about it)....no....(Still thinking)....
YOMI : what church do you attend?
LADY : my church?
YOMI : oh sorry, I didn't even ask if you're a christian....my bad....

To be continued...