The phone call woke her up. “Hello Mom.”
“Maya, how are you? I have been trying to reach you.”
“I’m good. How is daddy doing?”
“That’s exactly why I am calling. There seems to be no improvement. In fact, we need your prayers.”
She caught her breath. “How bad is he?”
“He is not getting any better. I am baffled.”
She hesitated. “Are you serious? Okay, I will see if I can make it over the weekend.” She had a lot to do, especially with the second semester exams fast approaching and could hardly spare a day out of school, but she must find a way. Her dad was her only hope and she could not let him die now.
“No, you don’t have to do that. You should concentrate on your studies.”
“I can’t.I mean, with all these problems.”
“I know. Nevertheless, you must be strong. I have to go, bye.”
She jumped out of bed and rushed into the bathroom. While taking her bath, she contemplated what to do. She had relied on the money from her parents to pay her school fees and for her upkeep.
The phone rang, startling her. She jumped out of the bathroom and grabbed it. “Hello.”
“Maya, ” it was Ronke, her course mate. “Where are you?”
“In my lodge. Any problem?”
“Have you heard?The timetable is out.”
Her heart somersaulted. “Are you serious? When is it starting?”
“Next month, on the third.”
She took a deep breath. She was in serious trouble. The new VC has a zero tolerance for school fee defaulters and she knew it would be a herculean task writing her second-semester examination. “Okay, I’m on my way.” Immediately she hung up, jumped into the nearest dress she could find and rushed off to school.
She ran into Jeff as she was leaving the hostel. The worried look and dark smudges under her eyelid told him something was bothering her.
“What’s the problem?”
“Oh, Jeff,” she cried. “I’m so confused.”
“What’s it?”
“My mother, she called and said my daddy’s condition is getting worse.”
The radiance left his face. “This is serious.”
“And the exam timetable is out.”
He scratched his hair. He understood her plight.
“What should I do? I have to find a way to pay my school fees.”
He was contemplative. “I think you need to go home and see your parents.”
“But I can’t. I have a lot to do right now. Besides, even if I go home, where will I get the money? My dad is sick and my mother can’t …”
He took a deep breath. “Trust the lord. He will provide,” he could not find something better to say.
She shot him a quick, disdainful look. For the first time, she felt like slapping him. “It’s okay for you to say that because you are not the one in my shoes. How is God going to provide this time? Look, the examination is starting in less than two weeks.”
“Two weeks is a long time for God. Just trust him.”
She wanted to say something negative but thought against it. Without another word, she walked out on him.
***
She was hardly listening to what Bianca was saying. Her mind was befuddled with worries. Where will she raise her school fees? Should she accept the contract and ease the financial burden? She was confused. For days, she battled with the idea. The thought of picking nearly two hundred thousand naira by just saying ‘yes’ had her going in spite of herself. She thought of what she could do with two hundred thousand naira until she nearly ran amok.
“Penny for your thoughts,” Bianca said.
“Oh, I’m sorry. What was that again?”
“Something is on your mind?”
“I’ve been thinking, do you think it’s a good idea to accept the contract?”
“Me, I do not know. But if it will take your eyes off Jesus and lead you into trouble, you’d better forget it.”
She sat up. “How do you mean?”
“Success has a way of changing people.”
“Not me. It will not happen. I am different. Besides, I know my God and my God knows me. I’ll never let …” she trailed off as she heard someone knocking at the door. She threw it open, and Cynthia, decked in expensive designers’ outfit as usual, breezed into the room.
“Well Maya, I’ll see you later. I have an assignment I need to attend to right now, okay?” Bianca had been avoiding Cynthia ever since she received Christ in her life. She knew she was bad news and could easily derail her, so she kept far, far away from her.
“You secret thing, you didn’t tell me you’ve been talking to Lawal.”
Her eyes narrowed. “I don’t know what you are talking about, who’s Lawal?”
“Don’t play dumb with me. Lawal, of course, is the member representing Akanu State Constituency; do not tell me you have forgotten so soon. I introduced him to you at Chief Waju’s party the other day?”
She raised her brow. “Oh, him?”
“Yes, him. I ran into him and he asked after you.”
“Really?
“Yes. He asked me to give you this,” she brought out a bundle of cash.
Her eyes popped out at the sight of all the money. It was a long time since she saw that kind of money in cash. “Why? What isit for? Please, tell him I don’t need his money.”
“Oh, sure you do. How do you think you’ll survive if not like this?”
“What does he want?”
“Just take the money and stop asking stupid questions,” she snapped. “Or I’ll keep it if you don’t want it, but I’m not returning it.”
‘That’s your usual line,’ she thought but refrained from telling her so. “Well, I …I don’t know what to say,” she accepted the money.
“You better not say anything. It is time you change your wardrobe. I am sick and tired of seeing you in rags. By the way, what are you doing about Bob’s proposal?”
She frowned. “What’s there to do? Nothing, of course.”
“Why nothing? Don’t you realize you are wasting a valuable opportunity? It’s over a week and you are telling me you are yet to decide. Do you think he willwait forever? If I were you, I wouldgive him a call right now. Besides, two hundred thousand naira is such a huge amount of money to neglect, and you know Bob is one of the biggest and best producers in the country. Everybody is longingto be on his label. I will call him now and tell him you’re ready,” she dialed his number.
“Don’t …don't call him. I… I.”
“Shhh, keep quiet,” she hushed her up. “It’s ringing.”