Chapter 12 --- A friend indeed

“Wait, I don’t understand, how can you say your car had issues and you’ve been trying to fix it and you still decided to use it for uber ride, I hope you’re not expecting me to come down here, because I’ll obviously be stranded and the app isn’t even showing any available ride here again!” I said angrily.

I ordered an uber ride after the official car for my work place dropped me off at the Mabuchi road after the field work I and my colleagues had. They weren’t heading back to the office and thus couldn’t follow the route to my house, so they asked if I was going to get a ride here and I confidently said yes. Now the uber driver said he couldn’t go any farther because the car had break issues. And he knew that so well but still decided to use it for uber ride.

“Ma’am I’m very sorry, I thought it could make it through another ride but apparently not, please drop here so I could go park it at the mechanic if not the break pad is spoilt and that is very dangerous”

This was unbelievable, I had such a long day at work and this guy is trying to drop me in the middle of the road. The taxify app couldn’t find any available ride again.

“You haven’t paid” the driver said as I stepped out of the car

“Pay? you’re literally almost still in the place where you picked me from, so what am i paying for?”

“I already started the ride so you have to pay” he opened his side of the door and stepped down. This was such a nightmare, I was too tired to argue and even if I wasn’t, I still wouldn’t argue with him. Arguments like this are pointless, nothing could change his mind because that’s just who he is and probably what he lived for, and this isn’t who I am.

“Okay, fine. I’ll be paying you half your money and this isn’t even up for any sort of argument”

“Okay, I have ended the ride, please pay” he demanded

“I just did”.

I’ve spent 30 minutes here and I still couldn’t find any available ride. I had a terrible migraine. I was very hungry and now stranded. It was 6:00 already I had to find my way home. I decided to walk down to the junction where they had a tricycle

“Hi, excuse me, please is this the park for tricycles” I had to ask, this was where I knew as a park for tricycles, I saw them parked there one time when I had a field work with my colleagues at work, now it was empty.

The elderly man I asked should be in his 50’s, he paused and then said “oh, you mean keke, they are not usually here by evening, they’ve all carried their customers to their various destinations”

It was only a few more heartbreaking encounters before I started crying. Every time I was stressed and angry I cried.

“Okay, thank you sir”

“You’re welcome, you could walk towards that side, it’s a bit far but you’ll probably find taxi’s that aren’t filled up”

“Okay, thank you Sir” I replied, even though I knew I wasn’t walking down to the place he referred to, it was very far, if I started walking there I could break down and pass out half way through my walk there, and it was getting dark already who knew the kind of dangerous people that were lurking around.

Another 30 minutes had passed and I still couldn’t find any available ride. I felt nauseous, and really tired. Some weird looking guys had passed earlier staring at me and saying things to each other. Now I could see them walking towards me again. I immediately put my phone to my ear like I was making a call and started walking away from them.

Just as I was making the fake call, my phone started to ring out loud. Now it was really obvious to them I was pretending. I took my phone from my ear to my face to see *incoming call Raphael*

“Hey Raph, please I need your help”

“Wait, what’s going on, you sound really tensed. Where are you?”

“I’m somewhere around Mabuchi road, please come here fast some weird guys are after me” I said, now crying, the fact that I had to explain such a stressful day was very heartbreaking.

“Okay. Share your location with me right now, so I could know where exactly, I’m around Mabuchi road already”

“Okay” I replied, now walking even faster as they continued walking towards me from behind

“Ladi” I heard a voice scream out my name. I was standing in front of a little kiosk, I decided to stay there because it had people around and so those weird looking guys couldn’t walk up to me anymore because people were everywhere.

I looked opposite the shop to see Raphael in his car. I didn’t even wait for him to step down I ran towards him immediately and got into his car.

“Oh my God Ladi you look so tired, what happened, how did you get here?”

I let out a deep sigh “it’s…” I paused, all the strength I had in me wasn’t enough to talk, I just wanted to go home and sleep

“I’m so sorry I didn’t call earlier Ladi, let’s get you something to eat before taking you home you must be exhausted, I’d just make a quick stop at a restaurant and get you something to eat” he said

“Raph thank you so much, I appreciate all of this.” I said, stepping down from the car.

“Come on Ladi, I got you always. Stay safe and I’ll call you”

“Okay, Goodnight, call me when you get home” I waved. I stayed and watched as he drove off.

I let out a deep sigh as I threw myself on the bed, I felt so drained, all I wanted to do at the moment was sleep and maybe wake up later to eat and shower, I was still contemplating about that when I dosed off.

I woke up by 3am, feeling a bit better, but now famished and feeling nauseous. I reached for the food Raph had gotten for me and checked to see if it was still good. “Thank God” i muttered as I walked over to the Microwave.

Half way through the meal I remembered I dosed off immediately I got in and didn’t call Raph to ask if he had gotten home. “Shit” I dabbed my hand with the serviette that was with the meal pack.

I unlocked my phone to see 3 missed calls from Raph and 1 new message. It read

*Hey, got home safe. I hope you feel better now?*

*I guess you’re asleep already.

Goodnight, I hope you wake up feeling much better*

I smiled and thought to call him but then it hit me that it was Midnight and he would be asleep. So I replied.

*I’m sorry I couldn’t call, I slept like off immediately I laid on my bed,

Thanks a lot for yesterday, you’re a life saver.*

The message got delivered and read immediately and I could now see him *typing*

*I will always be here Ladi*

I stayed staring at my phone, Raphael was good person, he deserved the same kind of loyalty and positive energy he showed people around him. I’m so glad I didn’t shut him off when I bumped into him at the mall. One of the best things I loved about life was meeting Good people, it gave me the assurance that the world wasn’t completely covered in darkness and that lots of good people exist and they are out there.

*why are you up?* I asked

*working on this project for work, and I have to get it done before morning*

*ohh, you should get some rest right after p. s is there anything I can do to help?*

*hahaha, I’ll be fine, thanks. You should go back to bed, you had a long day!*

*I will right after a warm bath. Goodnight*

*by this time?* he replied

*yeah. I wasn’t able to when I got back home *

I know I could just wait till morning but the thought of how rough my day went and also how many germs or dirt would be all over my body had me wanting a long warm bath.

I woke up to missed calls from my parents. I had told them about the incident that happened two days ago and how I was stranded till a friend came to my aid, and they were eternally grateful to him, and even asked that I invited him over for lunch. Dad suggested I needed a car, since I already learned how to drive when I had gone home for holidays during school days, it would be easy for me to pick up and maybe with the help of my friend I could learn faster.

We agreed I would come over to visit them during the weekend so I could go check out a good car with dad and maybe I could also come over with Raphael for lunch. I didn’t see that happening though. It was going to seem really awkward for Raph and even me.

“Hello mum”

“Clear up your house, we are coming over”

“Oh, I thought you wanted me to come over instead?”

“Yeah, we changed our minds, thought it would be better if we come over there instead, since we haven’t been to your place since the first time you moved there”

“Okay mum”

I didn’t understand why they were so keen on coming over. If I had a choice I would rather show up in front of their house but I can’t possibly tell them not to come over. It’s not like the apartment couldn’t take us all, it was a self contain, made up of a bed room and a parlor and also a kitchen and a bathroom, and each room was very spacious, but I’d just rather go over to their place so I could get things from them and also talk them in on going to check out a car. And I also had to start cleaning the house thoroughly, because I my idea of clean still wasn’t clean enough to them.

I could hear the piercing sound of the car horn from the kitchen, I had just stepped in to prepare something for them but they were already here so I guess I’ll have to pass and just set a tray of glass cups and water.

I reached for my flats to step out as my phone kept ringing out loud, I couldn’t understand why they wanted me to step outside, they were literally in front of my house already, all they had to do was come in.

I stepped outside to see two cars parked with mum and dad in one and some other guy in the other. I wondered who he was as I walked towards mum, who had now stepped down from the car while dad was getting ready to step out.

“Good afternoon Mum” I said as I give a slight hug

“How are you my baby, you look so lean, haven’t you been eating?”

“Work has been stressing me a lot lately. We’ve had to go on several field works”

“I can imagine”

“Mum, who’s that guy” I tilted my head slightly towards the guy in the guy car that was parked beside theirs

“Well, why don’t you ask your dad?”

“Good afternoon dad”

“My daughter, how are you?” he pats me on the back

“I’m fine dad”

Before I could ask who the guy was I hear him say “we hope you’ll like the car”

“Wait. what ca...” Just then I figured it out, the car was for me. I wonder how come I didn’t figure it out earlier.

I ran over to the car. I didn’t know much about cars but from what I was able to gather after checking it out it was a Chevrolet Malibu, and I couldn’t have asked for a better ride I mean, it was perfect for me. I jumped in immediately after checking the outer features, the man who was in the driver’s seat had now moved to the passenger’s seat.

“Do you like it” he asked smiling and staring at me

“Yeah, sure. I love it so much” I said, staring at all the features it had

“It’s a 2016, Chevrolet Malibu. I thought it would be perfect for you, when your dad asked for something suitable for a young lady”

He goes on to talk about some special features and the do’s and don’ts. After much obsessing over the car and thanking and hugging my parents over and over again we finally settled in, the guy who had come over with them to explain features of the car to me had gone back with a taxify ride. I didn’t even have to worry about not preparing lunch. They already got take outs that would remain for the rest of the day.

I didn’t know how else to thank them again, I had done it over and over. Parents love and support will always be priceless and I couldn’t wait to start getting enough money to take good care of them and make them proud.

After we had lunch there wasn’t much to talk about or do, so they decided to head back home.