My phone rang and it was him but not him. It was Gift, his sister, calling with his number.
When I heard her voice; it reminded me of him. The calmness and stillness in his voice, and I sighed- a deep one.
When I heard her voice; it reminded me of him. The calmness and stillness in his voice, and I sighed- a deep one.
"Hi.... I'm sorry, hope I'm not interrupting anything?"
"No, not at all...just that..."
I was going to say it. I wanted to tell her about how hard it is to accept that he's gone. But I just coughed silently, pretending it was the network.
"No, not at all...just that..."
I was going to say it. I wanted to tell her about how hard it is to accept that he's gone. But I just coughed silently, pretending it was the network.
"Are you there?" I asked, finally finding my voice.
"Yes, I'm here. How are you?"
"Trying to...you know."
"I understand. My...my...I want to let you know that he has been incriminated just like he always talked about, but we're yet to let go of his remains. Do you mind coming
"Yes, I'm here. How are you?"
"Trying to...you know."
"I understand. My...my...I want to let you know that he has been incriminated just like he always talked about, but we're yet to let go of his remains. Do you mind coming
Over while we do that together. I'd send an invite for you to come here," she asked. And my heart fell. I couldn't help the tears that rolled down my cheeks.
"Have you chosen a date yet?"
"Not really. My parents asked me to talk to you about it."
"Have you chosen a date yet?"
"Not really. My parents asked me to talk to you about it."
I could hear her voice cracking like she was going to cry the next minute if we didn't end the call.
"Gift?"
"Ye..yes," she sniffled.
"Thank you."
She ended the call and I slammed my phone against my pillow letting out a scream, "God!!! He didn't deserve it.
"Gift?"
"Ye..yes," she sniffled.
"Thank you."
She ended the call and I slammed my phone against my pillow letting out a scream, "God!!! He didn't deserve it.
I deserve to be happy too."
The last time we had a conventional about visiting, Gbemiga had told me about the numerous fun places we would visit together. He got a Polaroid camera for us. He mentioned that we would finally get to tell the world about us.
The last time we had a conventional about visiting, Gbemiga had told me about the numerous fun places we would visit together. He got a Polaroid camera for us. He mentioned that we would finally get to tell the world about us.
When I finally thought life was being good to me, death came to take him away from me as if my feelings didn't matter.
Every night until I was to go see him or should I say the ashes of his remains, I couldn't sleep. I couldn't shake off the random moments we shared from my mind.
And I wished I hadn't pushed him away. I should have trusted his words. We could have shared more time together, and made even more memories.
A part of me disliked Agnes so much before we met.
A part of me disliked Agnes so much before we met.
She caused more chaos than I anticipated when she entered our lives.
On the day Gift was supposed to pick me up at the airport, as I looked into her eyes, I could tell she had been crying.
"Hi..I'm.."
"Gift... Gbemiga's sister."
"Yes, we've been talking. Thank you for coming."
On the day Gift was supposed to pick me up at the airport, as I looked into her eyes, I could tell she had been crying.
"Hi..I'm.."
"Gift... Gbemiga's sister."
"Yes, we've been talking. Thank you for coming."
"Thank you for inviting me."
During our drive to her parents' place, she mentioned that they hadn't packed his things from his apartment.
She also said they were trying to select some things they'd like to keep before giving the rest away.
During our drive to her parents' place, she mentioned that they hadn't packed his things from his apartment.
She also said they were trying to select some things they'd like to keep before giving the rest away.
"Do you want to come with me? I think you should. I'm sure you'll see something you want to keep."
"Sure."
"Can I ask you a question?" I turned to look at her.
"Sure."
"Who...who was the first to see his body?" The thought of referring to him as a common body sent shivers
"Sure."
"Can I ask you a question?" I turned to look at her.
"Sure."
"Who...who was the first to see his body?" The thought of referring to him as a common body sent shivers
down my spine, and tears began to roll down my cheeks.
"Abiye, I'm sorry."
"It's fine," I took a deep breath, fanning my face with my fingers.
"I understand. His colleague, Agnes, saw him first."
"Agnes?"
"You know her?" she asked, and memories of arguments with Gbemiga flashed
"Abiye, I'm sorry."
"It's fine," I took a deep breath, fanning my face with my fingers.
"I understand. His colleague, Agnes, saw him first."
"Agnes?"
"You know her?" she asked, and memories of arguments with Gbemiga flashed
through my mind.
"Yes, I do. He...he mentioned her a couple of times."
"Ohhh, okay."
"He's really gone."
"Yes."
"Was there an autopsy to determine the cause of his death?"
"They said it was a heart attack."
"Heart attack?!"
She just glanced at me briefly without saying a word.
"Yes, I do. He...he mentioned her a couple of times."
"Ohhh, okay."
"He's really gone."
"Yes."
"Was there an autopsy to determine the cause of his death?"
"They said it was a heart attack."
"Heart attack?!"
She just glanced at me briefly without saying a word.
When she parked in front of his apartment, fear gripped me, and I felt anger welling up inside because that wasn't how we had discussed it.
Stepping inside, the emptiness hit me even though his belongings were already being packed into boxes.
Stepping inside, the emptiness hit me even though his belongings were already being packed into boxes.
"We should check the room," Gift said, tapping my shoulder.
"Ohh okay."
As we entered, the first thing I noticed was his Polaroid and some pictures he had taken with it on his wall. One showed him wearing a hat, another with his colleagues at work, and I saw one with a lady.
"Ohh okay."
As we entered, the first thing I noticed was his Polaroid and some pictures he had taken with it on his wall. One showed him wearing a hat, another with his colleagues at work, and I saw one with a lady.
She looked beautiful and happy, holding his ear. I picked it up immediately, and Gift walked closer.
"That's Agnes."
"Ohhh, really?"
"Gbemiga never sent you a picture?"
"No."
"She's really cool and at some point, I actually thought...."
"They were dating?" I interrupted.
"That's Agnes."
"Ohhh, really?"
"Gbemiga never sent you a picture?"
"No."
"She's really cool and at some point, I actually thought...."
"They were dating?" I interrupted.
"Yes, I'm sorry. That was when he told me about you."
"It's fine. I knew they were pretty close, but I just didn't get to see what she looks like."
"I think I'll pick this,"I said, holding his picture and the Polaroid.
"Agnes actually mentioned that she wanted that polaroid, but
"It's fine. I knew they were pretty close, but I just didn't get to see what she looks like."
"I think I'll pick this,"I said, holding his picture and the Polaroid.
"Agnes actually mentioned that she wanted that polaroid, but
It's fine. You can keep it, you're more important."
That really got me angry. Why would she want to keep his Polaroid? Why would she want to hold onto any memories of him?
About ten minutes later, we were out and another thirty minutes later, we were at their house.
That really got me angry. Why would she want to keep his Polaroid? Why would she want to hold onto any memories of him?
About ten minutes later, we were out and another thirty minutes later, we were at their house.
On getting there, Agnes was in their living room, seated beside his parents.
"You must be Abiye," Gbemiga's dad said.
"Yes Sir. Thank you for inviting me...thank you too, Ma," I said bending my knees.
"And this is Agnes," Gift said and I nodded.
"You must be Abiye," Gbemiga's dad said.
"Yes Sir. Thank you for inviting me...thank you too, Ma," I said bending my knees.
"And this is Agnes," Gift said and I nodded.
"Yes, from the picture."
She walked up to me hurriedly, holding my hands and I looked at her, feeling jealous. I envied the relationship she might have had with Gbemiga's parents. I envied her for seeing him once again, trying to save him, holding his cold hands.
She walked up to me hurriedly, holding my hands and I looked at her, feeling jealous. I envied the relationship she might have had with Gbemiga's parents. I envied her for seeing him once again, trying to save him, holding his cold hands.
"It's nice to finally meet you,"she said.
"I can't say the same for you," I said in my head but nodded in response.
Apparently, she had been there for a while.She tried to talk to me,but I didn't entertain her.
The next morning was the day to let go of his ashes into a river.
"I can't say the same for you," I said in my head but nodded in response.
Apparently, she had been there for a while.She tried to talk to me,but I didn't entertain her.
The next morning was the day to let go of his ashes into a river.
"You know I saw him first," Agnes whispered into my ear after the event.
"Why were you at his apartment?" I blurted out.
"To...to call him for work. We drove together to work every day."
"Ohh...I see."
"I know how you feel..."
"Why were you at his apartment?" I blurted out.
"To...to call him for work. We drove together to work every day."
"Ohh...I see."
"I know how you feel..."
"Hmm"
"He was my best friend too."
I looked at her, and a man interrupted me before I could say anything. He was also from his work and he handed me a box.
"It's supposed to be handed to him before he died. It's an award from work.His parents thought you should have it instead."
"He was my best friend too."
I looked at her, and a man interrupted me before I could say anything. He was also from his work and he handed me a box.
"It's supposed to be handed to him before he died. It's an award from work.His parents thought you should have it instead."
I wailed.
On my flight back to Nigeria, I met a guy on the plane with a striking resemblance to Gbemiga.
"My name is Aderopo, and you?"
His face and the meaning of his name came to mind, and I gasped.
To be continued on Friday.
On my flight back to Nigeria, I met a guy on the plane with a striking resemblance to Gbemiga.
"My name is Aderopo, and you?"
His face and the meaning of his name came to mind, and I gasped.
To be continued on Friday.
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