TALES BY ADENIKE

  Unbidden, I remembered Kemi calling me Jay. My brows creased. I never introduced myself to her as Jay. The only person I recently told wanted to get me arrested. I released a soft breath as realization dawned. "Oh my God! The ring!" The road chose that moment to get cleared and my phone vibrated. A tightening in my chest made me cautious. It was best I deleted the text without reading it. But—I sighed—I couldn't. Sweat broke out of my face and I returned my phone to my pocket. Kemi already got my address and was waiting for me. How did I ever forget my wallet in the bag? I glanced at the cabman. He didn't look like one to work without pay.  *** Simply put, I was at the end of my wits. Having to collect my wallet from her with the cabman watching made me uncomfortable. And having to explain Kemi's presence to my brother bruised my ego. Tola struggled with laughter when I told him the story behind my spotted suit. I clenched my hands. I wouldn't have bothered

I couldn't sleep. Sweat covered my body despite being bare-chested. The heat gradually increased but my sleeplessness had more to do with the events of the day. My mind heaved with doubt and fear. What if God answers prayers? I gritted my teeth as memories flashed through my mind. I had said things against him that were almost unforgivable. I tossed. Did he really provide the food? If it was him, he sure had a funny way of doing it. I groaned. What was I supposed to do? "God, I have a lot of things against you but I've also done a lot of wrongs. I can't blame you for what happened but you know you could have prevented it." I frowned. I was doing it all wrong. I slipped to the edge of the bed and knelt. "People say you are real and tangible. And that you can do all things. Please help me even if I don't deserve it. Please, help me because…" I paused. Why should he? I sighed. "Please, just help me. And, thank you for the meal. It tasted good."

My eyes opened of its own accord and I didn't like what I saw. Tola looked stricken. He handed me his phone and I must have passed out because the next time I opened my eyes, I was dressed in a hospital robe.  "Mummy, he's awake." Conversation went on around me but I couldn't bring myself to concentrate. The blogs had referred to me as a fraudster. I had become a trend on Twitter. My integrity and five years of hard work had gone down the drain. To put it lightly, I felt like disappearing. "Jide." Mum sniffed. "Your brother told me everything." "I'll be fine, ma." I smiled shakily. "You have nothing to worry about." "Having nothing to worry about got you here." She shook her head. "Now I understand why I never liked that girl. Something about her seemed to repel me." I heard it even though she left it unsaid. She had warned me about Zara. "I've told my pastor and everyone in the church. We ar

  My eyes clouded. No, it couldn't be. I returned my gaze to my phone and there it was—the debit alerts with a new balance of nineteen naira. My hands trembled. Zara couldn't have duped me, I had to be mistaken. I dialled her number with shaky hands. I didn't think I could hyperventilate but that was exactly what happened. My legs grew weak as I got redirected to her voicemail. How could I have missed the signs? Zara is–was–my girlfriend and our relationship just clocked six months. She had asked for my debit card and I had given it to her because, in her words, 'I want to prepare you the most delicious dish you've ever tasted. But, I have little money left with me. Can you lend me some money? I'll return it when Joy pays for the lingerie she ordered'. Like the fool I was, I told her not to bother paying back. The grin on my face when she left in the morning could not rival the misery I now felt. The money she withdrew did not belong to me. I was supposed to