Choices

Part 3

Francis walked slowly past Bosede’s gate hoping to catch a glimpse of her. The little space between the gate and the fence showed the compound empty. Three times he walked the length of the street hoping Bosede would come out, she didn’t. He summoned courage and knocked on the gate.

Yetunde, Bosede’s sister came out to meet him.

“Yes, what is it?” Yetunde recognized him.

“Please, I’m here to see Bosede.”

Yetunde eyed him and went back into the house locking the gate behind her. Few minutes later, she came back to tell Francis that Bosede wasn’t home.

“Please, I know she’s home, I just want to see her, please, I beg you.” Francis pleaded.

“Ahan, I said she is not home, are you calling me a liar?

“Sorry, I did not mean that. Please tell her that she should spare me a few minutes. She has not been picking my calls, in fact, tell her I’ll stay here till she comes out.”

Yetunde burst into laughter.

“”Chai, you watch too much American films o. You better leave. It’s drizzling already. Stay in the rain sef, you hear? Oniranu.” Yetunde slammed the gate in Francis’ face and bolted it from inside.

Francis stood there cursing himself. Regret washed over him, he knew he had lost totally. If only he had listened to Bosede. Two months after she had broken up with him, he had lost his job as a club manager. He had thought getting another would be easy but it turned out that it wasn’t. Six months after the loss of his job, he moved back to his parents’ house. Everything had gone sour as his Lagos big boy status was all but forgotten. Those he had called friends abandoned him since he had to free pass or VIP tickets to give to them anymore. Now he understood all Bosede had been talking about. If only he had made investments, his future would have been secured, he needed Bosede back in his life.

While stood reflecting, the drizzle became a downpour. He checked his pocked and saw he had just N200. He remembered the time when getting a cab meant nothing to him, he would have simply ordered Uber in such circumstances. He burst into tears. He cried so hard that he choked. HIS TEARS MIXED WITH THE RAIN AS HE Sobbed into his hands. His body raked with regrets