Chapter Twenty Nine
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“What!”, Vida shouted, her hands on her mouth, she looked at Dr Sujit and back to Sharuna
Sharuna on her part looked on in shock, filled with awe
“Dr?”, Vida finally found her voice, “you serious? I mean…..this for me?”, she
asked, surprised
Dr Sujit smiled and nodded
“Yeah”
And at once, Vida let out a shout of joy and flopped herself on Dr Sujit, in an embrace
Oh gosh!
Sharuna hit her head with her hand, the boutique was real nice, but the sun was extremely hot
“I thought we wanted to buy clothes”, she said, interrupting the embrace
Vida unlocked herself from the embrace and they turned to look at her
She winked
“I only wanted to cut that crap embrace, the sun is hot”
Huh?
When did She started behaving this way?
Vida laughed and walked up to her
“Come on Sharuna, say something to Dr Sujit. Thank him for me”
Sharuna sighed and turned to him
“Thanks Dad. That was awesome”, she thumbed him up
Dr Sujit smiled
“You’re all welcome”, he turned to Vida, “so Vida, you now got work on your hand, do all you can to keep customers flowing in here”
Vida laughed
“Of course. Thanks once again”, she held tight onto the bunch of key like someone gonna snatch it from her.
Sharuna walked to the car and entered
Dr Sujit turned to Vida.
“Um Vida?”, he called
“Yes doc”, she replied
“You should thank me in a more official way”, he winked
Huh?
What does he mean?
“What do you mean?…. I mean how?”
“Well, thank me with a kiss”
Vida’s eyes popped out of it’s socket
She looked around and realized Sharuna had already entered the car
“Er……”, the car horn blared arresting her remaining words
Sharuna was already impatient and must have done that
What the heck is going on between those two?? She smirked and blared the car horn a second time
“I will ask you for this another time Vida”, Dr Sujit said, and they walked to the car
Soon, the car hit the road
“Er….”, Dr Sujit cleared his throat, “Sharuna?”, he called, on their way home
“Yes dad” she replied, she was seated at the back seat
“As regards what I told you early this afternoon about some Arts, Sculpture and Painting institution, remember?”
Sharuna frowned
“Yes”
“Well, it’s done. I’ve got you registered and you gonna resume on Monday; two days from now”
What!
She gasped
No, she wasn’t ready for this
“It’s same sculpturing you gonna specialise on, just that you gonna learn new skills and improve in it”, he kept on talking
Sharuna was getting angry
Not now, she wasn’t expecting it so soon
Vida who was sitting at the front seat turned to look at her inquiringly, like what’s he talking about
“Would tell you later mom”, she whispered
“But dad, isn’t it too soon?”, she asked
Dr Sujit kept mute, knowing how difficult she was
She continued talking
“It’s too early, let’s be wait a little please”
Dr Sujit didn’t say anything
“I’ve given my word. Monday, get prepared”, and that was final
Sharuna sighed and flopped herself back on the seat
They got to a T-junction and stopped.
“Should I take you home? Or you can go from here?”, Dr Sujit asked Vida
She already had her hands on the door handle, ready to open it
“I’m not a child, I can go home myself. Thank you”, she came down from the car
“Thanks once again for everything”, she smiled and walked to the back seat of the car
“Daughter, take care of yourself okay?”, she put her hands in the car and caressed her cheek
Sharuna smiled
“I will mom. Love you”
“Love you too”, and she walked out.
The car zoomed off
They got home just in time, dinner was being prepared
Sharuna dashed into the shower immediately to freshen up, and came out to the sitting room minutes later, reading a novel
Dr Sujit on his own part, was……angry, crushed, rejected
He didn’t know what exactly to say
But he felt all
He didn’t believe he would actually find love again
He freshened up as well and joined Sharuna in the sitting room
“Lest I forget”, he said to her as he took a seat opposite her
Sharuna looked up at him
“Tomorrow, my friend is gonna be holding the birthday party of his son. I will like you to come with me”, he said
She gasped
Another outing?
God, she was tired of this
She opened her mouth to object, and Dr Sujit knowing her well to do so, interrupted
“Infact, I won’t like you to, you are actually coming with me. Whether you like it or not?”
Sharuna got angry, stood up and went into her room
She flopped herself on the bed and thought for a while
“I don’t really want to be going out at all, at least not now”, she said
Birthday party? Tomorrow?
But hold on. Tomorrow being the 20th, was Kesmanee’s birthday too
Yes, she remembered the first day she spent the night at his house, yes, it was the 20th
Ohh God!
Memories about Kesmanee always brings tears to her eyes.
She placed her head on the bed and soaked the sheets with her tears
She wanted him to come back
And soon, she drifted into sleep without having dinner
#Next_Day
Sharuna joined Dr Sujit at the parking lot as they entered the car and zoomed away
They got to the venue of the birthday party, it was a mansion just like Dr Sujit’s mansion
Everywhere was packed full with people
Elderly men and women, youths and children alike
All for the party?
She smirked
Dr Sujit found somewhere comfortable and parked his car
Then they alighted
Jeeze! Everywhere was noisy, the music was defeaning, blended with the shouts of the kids running about
She took her hands to her ears and blocked it with her index fingers
Dr Sujit looked at her and laughed
“You are just wasting your time”, he locked up the doors of the car and they walked out, walking further into the interlocked compound
They walked to a bush bar and stopped Greetings followed
Sharuna looked around and found out it was only men, her father’s age, that were in there
No even women, old enough to be her mother. Just men She scoffed
“Is this your daughter?”, one of the men asked, looking at her.
The others turned their gazes towards her and she instantly felt uncomfortable
“Yeah”, Dr Sujit laughed and nodded in the affirmative
“Wow”, they mouthed
She greeted them,and took her eyes away
The men continued with their drinking and merriment
“Sharuna”, Dr Sujit turned to her
“I think it’s time you leave daddy’s side and go have fun. Go search for your mates ok? They’re a lotta them around”, he said
She looked around and nodded
“Okay”, she replied and walked away, though reluctantly
She walked at length without even knowing where to go
She wanted somewhere quiet but obviously, no where was quiet
It looks like the birthday party was carried out everywhere in the compound
Then she came by the pool and stopped She really loved swimming
She stood by the pool, thinking whether to jump in at once
About two metres away, under a palm tree, sat some youths; all males, drinking and making merriment
Their noise alone was something, and she instantly felt nauseated She hated noise
She looked up to look at them and quickly leave, and then it happened
She saw one of them staring and lost in looking at her, with his mouth open
She instantly felt uncomfortable and walked away, the boy watching her, got up and followed.
Ndozi Nuellitta
To Be Continued
Birthday party?? Same birthday party with Kes??
Who thinks what I’m thinking???
Love y’all
Married
Twice