Immediately Tomi left my house, I called my girlfriend, Hannah. She told me she was still on the way from work, so I asked to meet her up at her house. I got dressed, sorted out some stuff and left the house for hers.

I met Hannah at the top of her street, we started talking right away. About her day, work and the latest news items. As we got to her house, her younger sister met us at the gate and collected her bag from her. We then sat at a closed shop in the front of her house.

“Mr. What are you not telling me” she began.
Why will you think I am hiding something from you when I left my house to come see you?
“Cos you never call me before I get home.” She replied. “You know when I get home and you know when to call. You only do this when you have something bothering you. Spit it.” She concluded.

“Ok. You got me”. I replied. I went on to in the gentlest and calmest way possible describe Tomi’s predicament to her.

“So, what do you think? Can I have her at my place until she gets back on her feet?” I asked in the most innocent way possible.

“HELL NO!!!” I have never seen Hannah this pissed before.

“I don’t know what’s with you and Tomi” She continued. “Y’all think this your friendship is normal? Is it cos I allow her to come out with us or cos I keep taking her crap?” She was really going off on me.

“Babe calm down”. I tried to assuage her.

“Don’t tell me to calm down. Let her travel to Imo with her folks. She can defer school for a year.”

“But she is in her penultimate year, if I help her out with this, in a years’ time, she’ll be done”

“And in a years’ time, y’all will be welcoming a baby. If not quadruplets.”

“Come on!!!” I was exasperated. “You know Tomi is like my sister” I continued.

“That was what some guys said before getting their side chicks pregnant” she retorted.

“Wait. Is it that you don’t trust me or you don’t trust Tomi?”

“As a matter of fact, I trust you both. But you both on one bed? Let’s not tempt the devil to tempt us.”

I knew she had a point. This wasn’t a case of insecurity or jealousy. Hannah is a very beautiful, intelligent and confident lady. She is also kind, patient and easy-going. But if I were in her shoes right now, I’ll be having the same thoughts.

Tomi is no slouch, she is quite pretty too and any red-blooded man will feel for her. How could I possibly explain to Hannah that I am not just “any red-blooded man”? I have told her before that I and Tomi were actually next-door neighbors as kids. Her family moved out as her dad progressed in his career. Mine moved out a couple of years after that.

We were actually raised like siblings until that point. I was always protective of her back then and saw her like the sister I never had. We actually didn’t see each other like that. As a matter of fact, if anything would have happened between Tomi and I, it would have happened before Hannah came into the picture.

“Babe, you know I wouldn’t be considering this at all if there was a better option.” I told her.

“There is always a better option.”

“Ok then. Can she come stay with you guys?”

“You know my parents will not accept that.”

“What other option do we have? She’ll really love to finish things up on schedule, She can’t defer school, she can’t quit her job, and there is no family member willing to take her in.”

“See, I can’t talk about this right now. I need to go prepare for work tomorrow and rest.”

“Hannah. See, she has only until Friday to move. Her folks are leaving Lagos by Saturday.”

“Better start praying that a better option comes up, cos you are not an option, talkless of a good option.”

As we were trying to round up, her mum came out. She was pissed Hannah hadn’t come in to greet her before sitting outside. I apologized on her behalf and told her I was on my way home already. Hannah’s mum offered me dinner before I left, but with the look in Hannah’s eyes, I knew the wisest choice for me at that moment was to scurry on home before she burned me with that look. If looks really can kill.

Wilson Joshua is a Video Editor, Content Creator and Creative Writer.
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