Francis spent a few weeks with his parents at home
before going back to Jos. When he returned to Jos, he was transferred to Lagos.
When he settled in Lagos, he bought a new Honda-Accord sport car; with the
allowance they paid them when they went to Liberia. He usually closes from work
for the day at 5pm and goes home to relax.
But some inexplicable reasons, he
found himself one Friday working late into the evening. He glanced at his wrist
watch and it was quarter past seven. Instantly, he got up and gathered his
things. He saluted his superior officers in the army and shook hands with those
of them that were of the same rank with him and bade them goodnight.
In
a moment, he was ready to go and he rode down the elevator from his fifth floor
office. He came down stairs and made straight to get his car. It was when he
was pulling out his car that he saw a certain lady. She stood beside the exit
gate of Francis office block, with arms folded across her chest looking lonely and
dejected. “Good evening sir” she greeted and Francis replied her greetings. “Are
ypo going my way? I am going to mainland Francis said, giving her an indirect
invitation. I don’t know sir, pleas I am confused. May be I should come with
you she said “You are welcome. Please come in Francis told her.”
Quickly,
she walked over to the passenger’s side of the car, opened the door and sat
beside Francis.
Francis
looked at his companion and asked “You don’t seem to have made up your mind,
where do you really want to go?”
“I
am new in lagos. I arrived this evening from Abuja. My sister whom I came to
visit works with travel agency. Her office is the building beside your own
office. But on getting here this evening , I was told she had travel on an
assignment for her company and would come back after the weekend. To make
matter worse, nobody in the whole office could tell me where she lives.”
My
sister is married, if they had shown me her place, I would have gone there. Her
husband should be around to welcome me. This is quite a messy situation for me.
When my sister wrote to me, inviting me to visit her, she only gave me her
office address saying it would be easier for me to locate and from her office
she would take me home. Now look at the
unfortunate situation I am in now. They are not even on phone. As it is right
now, I am in virtually stranded,” the girl stated almost in tears.
While
she was speaking, Francis had opportunity of looking at her closely. Although
it was dark already, the street light of Victoria Island through which he was
driving illuminated the inside of his car well enough for him to see every bit
of her.
Francis
guessed she was in her early twenties, possibly twenty two or twenty three
years old. Her skin was very light, unblemished and adorable. Her aquiline nose
and thin lips gave him the Impression that she could be a half cast. Her eyes
glistered, possibly from tears and her hair which was jet black shining
beautifully as if she had just retouched it at the hair dressing saloon. She
wore a pair of white trouser and in her sitting position Francis knew she had
good pair of legs.
“What
is your sister’s name?” Francis asked her.
“Her
name is Cinderella, she replied.”
”Cinderella?”
Francis repeated the name, wondering if he had ever heard the name before.
“Cinderella
is her name. Do you know her?” she asked Francis eagerly.
“No.
I don’t think I know her. I don’t even think I have heard that name before.
There are so many offices in that building with so many people working there.
One cannot know everyone. By the way, are you two Nigerians? Francis asked her. That name Cinderella doesn’t
really sound Nigerian.”
For
the first time, the girl smiled, “My sister is married to Lebanese, that is why
she is Cinderella. My name is Mirabel Bassey. Our family name is Bassey. We are
from Abia State but mum has European blood.”
In
Francis’s Mind, he thought of the girls sister. If she hard a sister working in
that building the military base, then, they didn’t look alike physically because Francis know
all the people working in that building. One way or the other, his inquisitive
eyes would have seen that lady with features of the girl sitting beside him.
All the same, he felt it was immaterial, So returned his attention to the girl.
“Now where do you want to go? Because, myself, I am living in the Mainland,
Yaba to be specific and I am going there now, through the third mainland
Bridge, “Francis told her. “I don’t know anyone or any place in Lagos. I guess I
would have to go with you. You could direct me to any decent hotel around for
me to stay till Monday when I hope to see my sister.
“That
would be nice” Francis said. “There are a couple of decent hotels and at
affordable prices around where I live. That would be the solution. By Monday,
your sister would have come back.”
Francis’s
words seemed to have relaxed her as she smiled and thanked him profusely.
Instantly, she became more confident and began to lead their conversation.
“My
name is Mirabel Bassey. Like I told you. What is your own name?
“Oh,
I am Francis. I am a soldier and that is what people call me.”
“That
is lovely” she said. “So you are a soldier. I would just call you soldier. I
love soldiers. They are brave people.”
“Really?”
Francis cut in.
“Yes.
I admire their Loyalty and bravery. Some people say they are wicked and
inhuman, but that is wrong. I’ve soldier friend, they are brave and exciting
people.
“Well
I am happy to hear that. It is good to love soldiers and we love anybody that
loves us” Francis said and both of them laughed.
“What
are you doing?” Francis said looking at her.
“I
am a student. I am studying Economics at the University of Abuja” Mirabel told
him confidently. “That is interesting. May be one of these days you are going
to be the governor of Central Bank.
“Oh,
that would be great.” She said and they laughed again.
By
now, they were already on the third Mainland Bridge. The road was not congested
and they were having a smooth drive.
Looking
out of the window, Mirabel commented. “I guess I am going to love Lagos because
of the seas and Lagoons! I am a naturalist and I love nature, especially water.”
“If
you love water, then you are in the right place. Lagos is noted for its aquatic
splendour. There are many beautiful beaches to visit around Lagos where you can
really have a feel of nature.”
They
continued to talk on so many issues as they approached Francis’s residence.
But
Francis’s mind was busy. He was thinking of Mirabel seriously. He wanted to convince
Mirabel to pass the night in his place rather than take her to a hotel.
“I
had a spare room in my flat which I use as guest room and it is vacant. And as
a bachelor, I have nobody at home that would ask embarrassing; questions” he
thought. And come to think of it, Francis said to himself we may not even need
two rooms. “We could share my bedroom! Why not?” Francis assured himself that
he wouldn’t allow Mirabel to go elsewhere that night.
“I
must use every trick I know to convince her to pass the night at my place” he
said in his mind. Fifteen minutes later, they arrived at Francis’s house and
Francis invited her in. Mirabel was however reluctant to go with him. According
to her, she was tired and what she needed immediately was to take her bath and
fall into bed.
She
asked Francis to take her to any decent hotel around so that she could check in
and go to bed immediately.
Eventually,
Francis managed to convince her to go in with him. On entering the sitting
room, she sat down. Francis tried to entertain her with drinks but she declined
taking. Surprisingly, when he suggested that she could pass the night with him
rather than a hotel, she readily agreed.
She
only asked Francis if he had a spare room and he told her his guest room was available.
Instantly,
she jumped up and announced that she would go and sleep.
“I
am very tired, I’ve had hectic day I must go to bed now” she declared.
“But
I should get you something to eat first before going to bed. Besides, I think
you need a bath. There is water in the bathroom. You can take your bath while I
get dinner ready.”
Mirabel
looked at Francis and smiled. “I am sorry; I won’t be able to take anything. I
took some food in a nearby restaurant just before you met me. I won’t eat
again, but I will take my bath. Francis took her straight to his bathroom, gave
her a towel, fixed everything she needed for her bath and hurried to the
kitchen to get dinner prepared. He thought he would be able to convince her to
eat something.
Watch out for the chapter seven of this Amazing
story in a week time.
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