 |
| RUNAWAY LOVE ❤🏃 (A true story) |
Solange's departure was devastating to me. My first reaction was to pack my stuffs and go back to the village. I saw no need to continue staying in that town when she was no longer around. Everyday, after nightfall, which was the time we usually spent together, I would sit on an old bench in front of our house and reminisce fondly of our old memories.
Life in the village was boring. All I did was get up every day, do house chores, and then go help my mum in the farm. I didn't get into any other relationship for the time being because the memories of Solange were still fresh in my mind. However, as time went on, things began to change.
About a year down the line, I met one girl who had just put to bed a set of twins. One of them passed, anyways. She was very heartbroken thanks to the loss of her child. Within a short while, we became friends, and I used to spend a lot of time at her place. We weren't dating, please. Stop get into bad ideas into your head. She was a nursing mother.
One day, we were together chatting away when my youngest sister came calling.
"What's the matter, kid sister?" I asked.
"Brother has come from Buea. He wants to see you." She replied.
"Alright, tell him I am coming."
I said goodbye to Miranda, as the nursing mother was called, and went home to meet my elder brother.
"Get your things ready. You are leaving to Buea tomorrow with me." He spoke.
"What? Why?" I asked.
"There is nothing for you in this village. You are just waisting your time here. So, our elder sister said I should come mad get you. Go get ready. We are leaving tomorrow."
"But that's not possible. I can't leave tomorrow. It's too soon and too sudden." I objected.
"What do you mean by that?"
"I can't just leave like that as if I am a child. At least, my friends deserve to know that I am leaving, besides I need to prepare myself psychologically." I didn't have any friends in the village. I was just thinking and worrying about Miranda.
"Okay, you have three days."
The evening before I left, and that was my last evenig with Miranda because I have never seen her again to this day, I went to her house and told her that I was leaving to the city.
"Omg! Phi, I am so happy for you. At the same time, I am sad. I was already getting so used to you." She spoke sadly.
"Me, too, Miranda. But don't worry. I will come back again to see you."
"How soon would that be?"
"For now, I don't know. For now, I don't know what is waiting for me there. But my plan is to get enrolled in the university as soon as I am properly settled. Once I do that, I will come down to see you." I explained.
"Okay, Phi. Please, be a good boy and don't forget me and my son."
"I won't. Also be a good girl and please, take good care of yourself and your son."
"I will."
The next day, very early in the morning, after haven received blessings from my mum, my elder brother and I headed for Buea.
Buea!! That beautiful city. So, I was going to move to the city. I was very excited, not just for the opportunities that awaited me there, but for the fact that I was going to meet Solange. I was super happy, but Buea was not a viilage. It was a city. How was I going to start looking for her? I didn't have any means of contacting her.
Late that evening, we got to Buea. I was very excited to see the pave roads and the tall buildings. However, I felt so out of place. The dress I was wearing, which to me was my best, was actually very out of place in the streets of Molyko, the hub of the city of Buea.
A week later, I started up a call box business to wind the time. I needed something to do with my life in the mean time while looking and waiting for better opportunities. Also, setting up a call box somewhere close to the main road in Molyko would provide me a good opportunity to be able to see Solange by chance.
To know how I spent my first months in Buea, read my story, STOLEN SWEETHEART.
I was now at my call box business place and business was booming because back in the days, call box had a lot of money because telecommunication network had only just come into the country. I was attending to some customers one day when I saw a familiar lady I knew passing. She was inside a taxi. She saw me at the exact same time I saw her. So, she stopped the taxi, paid her fare and alighted
She walked towards me, smiling.
"Good afternoon." She greeted.
"Good afternoon. How may I be of help to you? You want airtime?"
"No, not really. I am sorry to bother you, but you do look like someone I know. Are you Philips?"
"I am sorry, I don't know what you are talking about. I don't know any one around here who goes by that name."
"Alright, I am sorry. I think I will just be on my way." She spoke. She was embaraased.
As she turned away I smiled and called.
"Hi Ethel."
"If I am Ethel, then you are Philips." She smiled, walking back to me.
"Yes, I am and I am happy to see you again, Ethel. "
"Happy to see you too, Phi, but guess who will be happiest?"
"Solange, right?"
"Damn right. For Pete's sake, Phi, what did you give to that girl. She basically eats and drinks your memory. She does nothing but talk about you all day. What have you done to her?"
"Love, Ethel. I gave her love. I gave her pure and undiluted love. Anyway, where do you guys live?" I asked.
"There's an entrance directly opposite the former GCE Board Junction. We live somewhere around there. Anyway, I will give you my number. If you need to come and see us, you can call me."
"Alright, but how about your parents. Won't I run into trouble if they see me in your house?" I was worried.
"Forget about them. We will arrange everything."
Things were now in motion that couldn't be undone. Firstly, I had come to Buea unexpectedly. Secondly, I had found Solange's relation whom I had met just once and she had managed to recognize me. Now, we had exchanged numbers. That meant it was only a matter of time before Solange and I met again, after more than a year. My heart was beating fast.
Ethel got into another taxi and headed home. As she went she called me on phone and asked me to give her the directions to my house. I happily did.
For a whole week, I waited for Solange to call, but she didn't. I started wondering if Ethel had given her the number at all, or if she had forgotten. Two more days passed and I became disappointed. I started considering the possibility of going up to Soppo myself to look for her, though that wasn't going to be easy.
One Saturday evening, I was at home with the rest of the family when I heard a knock on our main door.
"Come in." I said, but no one walked in. Instead, the knocking pesisted.
I left what I was doing and angrily went to the door. I shifted the drapes and froze in shock. You wouldn't believe who was standing there looking at me with happiness and surprise.
It was Solange.
TO BE CONTINUED...