Fri. Oct 4th, 2024

Chapter Twenty Eight

 

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“HURRY up Sharuna, we are running late”, Dr Sujit shouted from the parking lot, he was standing beside his red MG sports car

 

 

“I’m coming!”, Sharuna replied

 

 

It was Saturday as usual, and they were going shopping

 

 

It had really been tough and difficult trying to convince Sharuna to spend time outside the mansion

 

 

All she did, was sleep, wake, bath, eat, and read.

 

Then most of the time, brood

 

 

Dr Sujit had forced her to join him go shopping today, and she had no option than to accept

 

 

Minutes later, Sharuna came down the stairs and walked towards the parking lot

 

 

She was putting on a black Hiltson mini fluffy gown, and a white sneakers.

 

 

She also had specks on, which had now become like part of her, to always put it on

 

 

“Sorry for the delay”, she said to Dr Sujit, opened the back door and slid in

 

 

Dr Sujit sighed and entered the driver’s side

 

And they zoomed off

 

*

 

*

 

*

 

*

 

“Phew, what a long day!”, Sharuna exclaimed as soon as she came down from the car

 

 

What had they even gone to the mall to do?

 

 

Just to buy some jewelries and some other stuff

 

 

She hissed, cleaning off the sweat on her forehead with a face napkin

 

 

“How was it dear?”, Dr Sujit asked as he joined her to walk into the house

 

 

“Well, ok. Thanks”

 

 

He smiled

 

“You welcome”

 

 

They walked up the stairs, chatting and laughing, till they got into the sitting room

 

 

Dr Sujit walked up to his study and sat, while Sharuna walked into the room

 

 

“Drop whatever you want to, and come back here”, he called at her

 

 

She shrugged and went in

 

 

Minutes later, she was out

 

She walked towards his study and sat opposite him

 

 

“Yes?”, she said

 

 

He was going through a magazine

 

 

“Yeah”, he looked up from the magazine, “well, as regards to what I told you the other time”

 

 

Her face changed it’s colour instantly

 

 

“I…… I actually haven’t known yet”, she said

 

 

“Well, you can’t keep on staying at home all day, doing nothing, you know that. And you have refused the plan to put you in college, so what do you want to do?”, he asked with authority

 

 

She sighed

 

“I don’t know yet”

 

 

“Or do you want to undergo a vocation? Like sewing, fashion designing or making of hairs? Which?”

 

 

She looked at him and let out a mocking laugh “Vocation?”, she continued laughing

 

 

“I’m serious Sharuna, let’s talk this over once and for all”

 

 

Now she knew daddy was serious

 

 

“I don’t really know dad. Please get me”, she pleaded

 

 

He sighed, thinking for a while

 

 

 

“Okay, do you have any idea of any of these vocations? Like a talent?”, he asked

 

 

She nodded

 

“Yeah, sculpturing”

 

 

His eyes brightened in surprise “Sculpturing? You mean you can mould?”

 

 

She nodded

 

“Yeah”

 

 

Now, he was astonished

 

“Wait, do you mean you did that when you were blind?”

 

 

“Yes. I’m tired of answering yeah….. yes……yep”, she shouted

 

 

“Wow, that’s perfect. It’s no more a problem, a friend of mine runs an Arts, Crafts and Painting institution, I will have to put you there”, he said, picking up his phone and going through the contacts

 

 

Sharuna sighed

 

Put her there indeed, as if she would like to

 

 

Dr Sujit stopped, when he checked his wristwatch.

 

 

“Go get dressed, we are heading somewhere”, he said to her

 

 

Huh?

 

 

Her eyes popped out

 

Dressed?

 

 

Can’t this man understand for once that she doesn’t want to go anywhere? Moreover, they were just coming back from the shopping

 

 

She sat still, pretending she hadn’t heard him

 

 

He looked at her

 

“Didn’t you get me?”

 

 

She looked up

 

“But dad……”

 

 

He raised his right hand, shaking his head

 

 

“Don’t dad me. Do as I say now”, he got up and went into his room, to avoid her saying anything

 

 

Gosh!

 

The girl was so stubborn and difficult

 

 

Sharuna shrugged and went in

 

What was she dressing up for again?

 

 

Thank God she hadn’t pulled off the dress she wore for the shopping

 

 

She just repacked her hair, put on the sneakers, and sauntered out

 

 

She met Dr Sujit at the balcony, surfing the net with his phone

 

 

“Dad? I’m ready”, she announced, resting on the protector

 

Dr Sujit looked up from his phone

 

 

“Wasn’t that the dress you wore in the morning?”, he asked

 

 

Sharuna looked at him

 

“Yeah”

 

 

“Go change it”, he commanded

 

 

“What!”, Sharuna shouted

 

 

Dr Sujit looked at her

 

 

She realized she had shouted too much

 

 

“I’m sorry dad. I didn’t mean to shout on you. But there’s nothing wrong with the dress”, she complained

 

 

“Don’t argue with me. I said go change it”

 

 

She sighed, and with murmurings she went into the house

 

 

Minutes later, she was back again

 

This time, putting on a black jean trouser, black jean jacket and a white polo.

 

 

Dr Sujit looked up to look her properly He shook his head

 

 

“You can’t wear that”, he said

 

 

 

Now she was agitated

 

“Why? What’s wrong?”, she asked

 

 

“Everything is wrong. Go and change into the black turtle neck Versace gown”, he said

 

 

She sighed

 

“Well dad. With all due respect, I can’t go back into the house to change, let’s go please”

 

 

Stubborn??

 

Difficult??

 

But not that much for him

 

 

“Sharuna”, he called, “get back in there, and get dressed”, he talk with authority, his eyes sparkled

 

 

Sharuna knew instantly that he was angry, and she reluctantly ran in to change.

 

 

By the time she was back, he was on phone chatting

 

 

He turned to look at her and continued with the phone

 

 

She smiled and sticked out her tongue

 

 

Then, she heard steps coming up the stairs, she turned it was her mom

 

 

“Mummy!”, she screamed and ran to catch her in an embrace

 

 

“How are you dora?”, Vida asked pecking her on the hair

 

 

“I’m fine….”

 

 

“Oh my goodness! You look stunning”, Vida complimented

 

 

Sharuna laughed

 

“Thanks Mom. Though it was him, that ask me to wear this”, she pointed at Dr Sujit and they turned to look at him He was still on the phone

 

 

 

 

“We’re actually going out. You said you would be coming to see me tomorrow, not today”, Sharuna said

 

 

Vida nodded

 

“Yeah, I did. But you see, he invited me over, to accompany him somewhere”

 

 

Sharuna turned to look at Dr Sujit

 

“Hmm, hope it’s for something good. Because I’m going with you guys”, she said

 

 

Vida laughed

 

“I hope so too”

 

 

“Well, mom. Any news yet?”

 

 

Vida sighed

 

“We are still working on it daughter. Like I said the other time, he’s still in the hospital, though we don’t know which, and he hasn’t been pronounced dead. Don’t worry, he surely would come back”

 

 

Sharuna eyes fell

 

“I’m worried. I….. I don’t know, what if I tell Dr Sujit to help me out with it?”

 

Vida thought for a while

 

“I think you should. He would want to help”

 

 

Dr Sujit finished from the phone, and walked towards them

 

 

“Okay ladies, let’s go”, he walked past them, taking the lead

 

 

“Good afternoon doctor”, Vida greeted as they took the rear

 

 

“Yeah”, he replied without turning to look at her

 

 

They walked down the stairs to the parking lot.

 

 

Then Dr Sujit drove out the black Porsche, and they boarded

 

 

Sharuna as well as her mom wondered where they were heading to this time

 

 

The drive was alternated with chats flowing through Dr Sujit and Vida.

 

 

After what seemed like a long driving, he negotiated a bend towards a boutique by the road

 

 

Huh

 

 

But he just got her clothes last week, why going to the boutique again

 

 

She wanted to talk, but kept mute

 

 

He halted at the parking lot and they all alighted

 

 

The afternoon was hot

 

 

The boutique was really a classy one and loaded with clothes

 

 

Though they didn’t go in, but the glass covering enabled them to see the clothes inside

 

 

It was like they were doing window shopping

 

 

After taking them round the boutique and explaining things, he handed a bunch of key to Vida.

 

 

“It’s all yours”, he said

 

 

Vida gasped, shocked

 

What

 

 

“The boutique is yours”, Dr Sujit repeated.

 

 

Ndozi Nuellitta

 

 

To Be Continued

 

 

Love y’all

 

 

 

 

 

 

Married

 

Twice

 

 

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