Chapter 78

Jadesola Coker

I was back to school, and you could notice something was about to happen. Students crashing everywhere to read, revise, and talk about what they've read. The next day, I was having an eight o'clock exam, and that was my first paper. Funmi never slept at all. Her eyes were heavy from reading overnight. She was always scared whenever it was exam period, and suddenly turned quiet until she was done with the paper for the day. She wasn't the only one because there were many students like that who fell ill, and become stressed out. But for her, she went about saying, it is better she reads everything she can read by staying awake cause there were still plenty of days for her to sleep.

Just because she doesn't want everything she read to fly out, she reduced her way of talking to people till she was done with exam. Whenever she managed to talk, we already knew she wanted an answer to a question. It worked for her many times because I knew she only channel her strength to reading whenever it was a week to exam. And for that week till exam was over, Funmi's seriousness was always beyond a scholar, she would make sure she read every material from back to back as many times as she can. Some textbooks you can't rush reading always ended her having a breakdown. I wouldn't want anyone to cultivate the habit. It was always better to start reading before exams, and sometimes I wish she could be that gentle, but it doesn't really suit her at all.

On a normal day, the moment I arrived from home, she was going to gist me about everything that happened during my absence, and we both get to laugh, and enjoy ourselves. That was different during the exam time as everything went as quiet as if the room was an estate itself.

Both Chioma and Haleema spent the night at our place, and even came with their loads, knowing they weren't going anywhere until exam was over. We read during the night, but I still took some time to sleep because I had read the book many times, and I was just revising. Haleema was just dozing and dozing. I just hope she must have read the book before because the way she was closing her eyes every two, two minutes didn't look like she read anything at all. Chioma was a serious student, and she did overnight with Funmi together, but she doesn't break down because she never put so much stress on herself like Funmi.

I was coming back with the girls after we were done with our paper when I heard my phone beeped telling me I have a new message. I brought it out from my small bag and clicked open.

'Hi babe, how was the exam? I hope you killed it! I trust you after everything your mom told me yesterday that Jade is now doing well. She's so proud of you. She told me you have just one paper today, and the exact time you will be done. So, I'm sure you must be hungry because I heard you don't like cooking during exam time. The

delivery man will get to your place in fifteen minutes. Yea, your mom gave me your address too. And you have a sweet mom. Bye for now.

Goriola Adams.

I smiled to myself. Did he just say I have a sweet mom! I wondered how he found his way into my mom's heart so quickly. Like, I was amazed my mom told him all that. My own mom. Arrghh! Now, I hope my mom had not told him the history of my life. That she even went ahead and give him my hostel address took me by surprise. She just met him, and already trusted him that much. What else does he know now? If he had gone to our place yesterday, then he only met my Mom, because Dad was not around, and was on a five days trip.

Before I left for school, that Saturday night, I had a discussion with my mom. I was honest about everything going on between Gori and I to her. How Gori and I saw each other at Arabella's school, how he texted me asking to see me, and how I eventually met with him. I made sure to emphasize on we only had a chat to her, and told her I already gave him our home address. I told her he could come at anytime as well. I informed her that Arabella doesn't know about him yet because I wanted them to bond to the extent Arabella will love Gori before she realized Gori was her father.

I thought it was going to be a hard discussion with mom, but no, she was excited about the news. She was happy Arabella was going to know her father, and she confessed she had that thought for years because she feared Arabella growing up to start asking about her Dad, and she wouldn't want me going through the unimaginable thoughts of saying her father was never around. She asked me if he mentioned any day, but I said no, and I was a bit wondering why mom was so eager to meet him. But then, who knew their first day of meeting would have gone this way.

I guess I should have suspected when mom asked if he wanted something with me again, because she made a statement that she wished, but knew Gori being a child from higher status, and even being the President's son, it might not be possible cause his parents must have had someone in mind for him, or he himself had someone who definitely must be from higher status like him. Immediately she was done confessing, I told her I don't even want anything to do with him because I had moved on, and that earned me a look from my mom. The next question she asked made me feel embarrassed.

"Do you have a boyfriend that I don't know about?" She asked. I laughed at first. I wasn't expecting that. I felt a bit shy, but then I replied. "Mom, you would know if I have one."

She just stared at me again as if I was deceiving her. "Well, children nowadays don't tell everything to their parents. Just make sure whoever it is knows about your daughter, and loves her like her father would."

I only ended up laughing again. I didn't expect our conversation to result there at all. After we were done with the whole discussion, I remembered to tell her again that there was no guy anywhere, and I hope she believed me. As

we made our way into the room, we dropped our bags and flung ourselves on the bed. "I'm hungry!" Funmi finally had mouth to scream, and everyone laughed because that was her. Some seconds more, there was a knock on my door. 'Yea.. That must be the delivery guy', I said to myself.

"I'm coming guys." I got up and ran to the door. I was hungry too. I flung the door open, and just focused on the package the guy was holding. As I stretched my hand to grab it, he drew it back, and spoke. "Are delivery men always this tall."

Oh my God! The voice brought my face up, and I was faced with the most unexpected delivery man ever! Black face cap, darker shades, and a pretty smile. He wore an oversized black turtle neck hiding him totally, but I

recognized this man any day, anytime, anywhere. I laughed, and immediately covered my mouth before the girls could hear me. "Oh my God! Gori what are you doing here?"

He smiled down at me. "Delivering a pack of garnished Noddles with chicken, and here is fried rice and chicken for you ma. You must be miss Jadesola Coker?"

I laughed, and immediately covered my mouth again. He was cracking me up totally. How could he go to this length! I didn't want the girls to know about what was happening, but I guess they were starting to get worried because I was taking too long. "Jade, who is there?"

"Just one random guy, but he's gone. He knocked on the wrong door." I yelled back, but then, Gori whispered. "No ma, I knocked on the right door."

I just grinned. I couldn't help it because I wasn't expecting what I saw. Why was he doing this? I closed the door and shouted again. "Guys I'm coming, I want to get us something!"

"Should I bring your purse?" Funmi asked, and immediately I replied before she could appear at the door. "No, no!

I still have some change with me. Don't bother."

"Okay." Her reply came very fast. I knew I had to get Gori out of there before my voice was heard again.

Gori made jest of me. He already knew I didn't want those inside to know. I rolled my eyes at him and dragged him by his wrist. He brought out his phone while I was dragging him out of my hostel, and pressed it, speaking without putting the phone close to his ear. Then I saw the small earpiece. "Bring the car closer," he said. Slowly before my eyes, a clean, black Rolls royce appeared like one giant machine. It got the attention of everyone passing by, and I knew the girls would definitely found out

about this through someone that will tell someone because they saw me in the scene. A very young guy came down from it, and greeted me by nodding his head. Gori brought out his wallet, and gave him some money. "You can go, thanks." The guy turned, and left.

"Please spare me an hour," he pleaded. "I know you are not having exam tomorrow. Your mom already told me."

I stood there shocked. My mom again!