Of All the Girls in Lagos Ch. 07

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Old friends meet and get friendlier despite deadly odds.
6k words
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Part 7 of the 7 part series

Updated 06/07/2023
Created 03/09/2016
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"I keep my head high...I got my wings to carry me...I don't know freedom...I hope my dreams will rescue me...I keep my face strong...I ask the lord to follow me...I've been unfaithful...I don't know why you color me...this is my canvas...I'm a paint how I want it to be..." Banks sang along with J. Cole on the home theatre with his eyes closed. He had one hand on the vacuum cleaner and the other swaying in the air. He was cleaning up in the studio. The sleeves of his A&F shirt were tied around his waist, wore a white singlet and camouflage shorts. He hummed where he didn't know the lyrics and was so lost in the music the doorbell rang a few times before he heard it. He went to lower the volume of the music and go to answer the door.

"Who is it?" He asked.

"Andy!" Andy's voice shouted from the other side. Banks unlocked the door and opened it. Andy, Bayo and Tunde got in, each carrying school bags.

"Dude, we could hear you singing from the elevator! What's up!" Tunde asked.

"Nothing! Just in the mood for sing-alongs."

"Good mood or Bad mood?" Bayo asked eyeing him.

"Good mood. I cooked breakfast at home this morning, cleaned the garage, and now I'm cleaning my studio." Banks said.

"Sister Vee must've thought the world was coming to an end," Andy said chuckling.

"That's a lot of energy for one day," Bayo said.

Tunde noticed the bottle of wine and half-filled glass on the table with his brushes and palette next to the canvass-less easel. He walked to it and took the bottle for closer inspection.

"What wine is that?" Andy asked.

Tunde reads. "Chianti... 1991, nice... Couldn't have cost anything less than ten grand!" Tunde mentioned.

Bayo goes to join Tunde for a closer look at the bottle. "That's better than just a good mood, a great mood even. What are we celebrating?" Bayo asked,

"First time I meet up with my cousin since last week Thursday, he's drinking ten thousand naira worth of wine! Time to spill!" Andy quizzed.

A cell phone began ringing. "Aaah! Saved by the bell." Banks fished out his ringing phone from his pocket and looked at the caller ID. He grinned. "Excuse me guys, this is important." Banks answered the call heading for his makeshift office. "Hey dear!"

Bayo turned to the others. "Did you see that? The call...he smiled... a girl most likely... He said, 'Hey dear.'"

"Finally! Jennifer, who else?" Tunde asked sipping from Banks' glass. He savors the taste. "Mmm...rich." He looked up at his friends and found them staring at each other. "What?"

"It can't be Jennifer. Idara told me Jennifer slapped him when they ran into each other on campus on Monday for standing her up at Chika's party. That was barely two days ago." Bayo said looking at Andy for confirmation. Andy pulled out a pack of canned Heinekeen from his bag and carried it to the refrigerator, deep in his own thoughts. He opened the refrigerator and found it cleaned out.

Tunde was surprised though. "Slapped Banks! Well, they obviously made up already."

"So why walk away from us to answer her call?" Bayo argued. "He has never done that before."

"You're right. I doubt it is Jennifer too." Andy said quietly. The other two were quiet at that. Andy tore the pack open and started loading the beer cans into the refrigerator. He took out three wine glasses when he was done and gave Bayo and Tunde one.

Tunde poured the wine. "Who else could it have been?"

Andy shrugged. "Something is off."

"Something like what?" Bayo asked.

Tunde sighed. "Okay, now we are gossiping like a bunch of girls. I bet you're angry he missed your girlfriend's birthday bash and stood her cousin up. If I can recall, you spent the weekend with Chika at their house. Then you had that photo shoot on Monday, went clubbing with Bayo and I the entire night and came back Tuesday. Today's Wednesday, don't crucify him before you've had time to catch up."

Andy began to reply but they heard Banks exit his makeshift office, shutting the door after him. He had a pleased look on his face which evaporated when he saw the discomfort on theirs. They'd been discussing him, he realized. "I hope you guys didn't pour all of it." He said, rejoin them.

Tunde handed Banks his glass. "There's enough left," he said and refilled his glass. "Who was it on the phone? Jenny?"

Banks chuckled in surprise. "I wonder why you'd think that. Speaking of which, Andy how's she? She hasn't been picking my calls."

"I'm sure you've been blowing up her phone." Andy replied with a sarcastic smile. "She's okay...keeping to herself mostly these days. Same as you," he said.

Banks raised an eyebrow. He looked at the others but none of them would meet his gaze. They'd definitely been talking about him. "How do you mean?"

Bayo cut in a milder tone than Andy's. "You tell us. None of us have seen you since M-lounge on Thursday last week when you left with Jenny. You buy a ten thousand naira bottle of wine only for us to crash your 'alone party'."

"Come on guys... I haven't been feeling too well. Maybe if any of you had bothered to call me to ask what was up, I wouldn't be having this conversation with my friends." He stressed the word 'friends'.

"I never knew you were into expensive vintage stuff like this," Tunde said. "Just like I've never seen you run off to answer a girl's phone call. So, if it wasn't Jennifer, you must have met someone new this past weekend."

"You should have seen the way you grinned when you saw her call," Bayo said with a camaraderie smile. "Spill the beans already man."

Banks turned to Andy who yawned and shrugged. "Fine, I'm sorry. I too am dying of curiosity."

Banks was reluctant and for good reason. If there was a short version to the topic, he would have gladly taken the option of telling them. The long and only version was complicated and he didn't trust them to understand. If he painted her as a beautiful angel, they'll want to meet her and wonder if she was a figment of his imagination if he dragged the introduction out too long. If he told them the entire truth, they'll only criticize. Especially Andy who wouldn't hesitate to tell Chika, who would tell Jennifer whose friendship he had every intention of repairing.

Yet, what else where friends for? Andy had been very loyal, Bayo and Tunde too. He could ask them not to mention it to their girlfriends until he talked to Jennifer. "I ran into a girl I used to know back at Ibadan." He had their full attention.

"An old girlfriend!" Tunde asked.

"Who is she?" Bayo asked almost simultaneously. Andy didn't have to voice the questions reflected on his face.

Banks was still reluctant. "Her name is Lade. We were very close back then. I never dreamed I'll run into her ever again."

Bayo and Tunde were excited. "Small world," said Bayo.

"Okay, details bro," Tunde urged. "When did you run into her?"

"The night of Chika's party." Banks watched Andy drain his glass. He walked to the refrigerator to get a beer while he listened to Banks tell how he ran into the girl. He wasn't really excited by the news like the other two.

"Anyone else need a beer?"

Banks paused his narrative. "Stone me one." Andy threw him a can of Heinekeen. He caught it and drained his wine glass next. Andy took out two extra for Bayo and Tunde, and went to join them by the table next to the easel. Banks had continued his story after popping the can. Andy handed Bayo and Tunde a beer each and popped his.

"But it was like the Lade I knew had flipped at some point. She never smoked, always wore the most modest clothes and Amstel Malt used to be her favorite drink... you know...same pretty girl, but she's gotten even more beautiful. Very beautiful guys, she...wait till you see her.

"She's no longer a turd you mean." Bayo said with a snigger.

"She's a wild card now, the wildest card in a pack."

"Nice. You bought her a beer?"

"A big stout. She'd just had a couple before I joined her. She looked like another wouldn't hurt."

"Not even Tell-all-your-stories-in-one-night-and-laugh-at-everything tipsy?" Tunde asked.

"No, that would be your girl Theresa." Banks replied. They all laughed, including Andy.

"I always liked me a girl that can hold her liquor." Andy said.

"So, when do we get to meet her?" Tunde asked.

"I don't know. Her work schedule is kind of hectic, I understand."

"What does she do for a living?" Andy asked.

Banks hesitated. "She's a stylist. She works long hours and rarely has time for social stuff."

"Wow, that's nice. Idara would like her perhaps." Bayo said already foreseeing a nice, cozy relationship. However, Andy knew Banks better than the rest. He was sure his friend wasn't being entirely truthful. Banks had hesitated before answering his question. Anyway, Banks' head was in the cloud today. He wouldn't achieve anything by bursting his bubbles with the numerous questions swirling around his head.

***

"Guess who just drove in!"

Jennifer looked up from the business card she was designing on her laptop at Chika as she entered her bedroom. One look at her face and Jennifer knew the reply. "Banks?" She sat up on her rocker chair.

"Security just phoned in the heads up. Andy is with him."

"I don't want to see him."

Chika's eyes widened in surprise. "Okay, but, are you sure? I mean, come on, you slapped the guy a couple days ago. I know he hurt you by standing you up..."

"...for the umpteenth time you mean." Jennifer interrupted, and returned her attention to the laptop.

"Second time by my count...and this is the first time he's coming here. He and I don't get along, so that means he's here for you."

"To apologize and continue feeding me false hopes. I...I really don't feel like seeing him, or anyone else today Chika. Tell them I'm busy, thanks." Jennifer returned her attention to her laptop.

Chika's eyes narrowed. "Too bad I'm not your personal assistant. You get to tell him that yourself."

"Chika, dammit! Just..." Chika exited the room and banged the door after her before she finished her statement. Jennifer sighed and after moments of contemplation, put her laptop in sleep mode.

It was almost half an hour later when she presented herself to Banks at the living room. She had changed from the tank top and shorts she wore earlier to a simple Ankara dress and multi-colored leggings. He was alone holding a glass of iced tea and a DSTV remote control watching National Explorer channel on DSTV. There was an unfinished plate of peanuts next to the iced tea container. He heard her approaching, turned to see her and got to his feet.

"Hey Jenny," he began with a smile.

"I heard you came with Andy?"

"Went off with Chika to her room or somewhere else..."

"Oh," She said. She went to sit across the cushion he'd stood up from. "You look good. Healthy."

Banks sat down. "Thanks," he said. "You do too. Chika says you're the one that made these peanuts. They taste awesome."

Jennifer's lips twitched slightly as she suppressed the smile at the compliment. A moment of uncomfortable silence passed. "So, first time at my mum's place. What do you think?"

"It's a beautiful house. Your mom is good at what she does." He looked around as he spoke. "The colors, the fixtures...I can see she put up one of my paintings in the living room for your guests to see." He said pointing the remote at a painting of a boy wading on the ocean shores, a sunset in the horizon.

"We call it Atlantic Banks. One of your first paintings; my mum's favorite. You get a lot of appreciation from her friends. How's your mom by the way?"

"She's okay, if the last time we spoke is anything to judge by. She's at Abuja."

"Well, mine is either in Tahiti or Tijuana."

Banks chuckled. "Ah! One of the numerous things we have in common. Our moms...always one place or the other."

Jennifer didn't reply to that. She leaned forward to take some peanuts from the plate on the coffee table. "We are both art lovers, talented in one thing or another and plot our lives to live off our talents. Just listing... other things we have in common." She popped a peanut in her mouth.

"You're right." Banks replied. Something had changed about her, he suddenly realized. She wasn't cold, just detached.

"Our friends and family idolize us for what we can do with our gifts. They support us with their resources and will go extra miles to see us succeed - another thing in common," Jennifer went on.

"Yeah, my mom will. I believe Vanessa and Andy will too if it were up to them." Banks said, still wondering at her point.

Jennifer sighed and leaned back on her chair. "That's more than most successful couples I've seen have in common." She said after a thought-filled pause.

Banks nodded, suddenly a lot less confused. Whatever this was about, it seemed her mind was already made up.

Jennifer hesitated. Her resolve was torn. She loved this guy sitting in front of her. She'd loved him for too long. Hope was like a drug, and Banks had been selling her hard for the low... Or she'd been imagining it, feeding herself the hook up all this while. It was high time she changed her delicacies. She swallowed.

Banks got up and went to join her on her cushion. He took her hands in his. "I'm sorry Jennifer, and not just for Chika's bash and all the other promises I broke. I'm sorry I hurt you after everything you've done for me."

Jennifer pulls her hand from his. "I don't want your apology, Banks. I love you. You know that. Everyone knows that. It's on me, and it's not like we get to choose who we love, do we? It's the most important thing to have in common, but we don't. Too bad, you can only give love, you can't take it."

"But I value our friendship. That is why I am here. I don't want to lose that." His voice dripped of his sincerity.

"Don't you? Really? 'Cause you do act like it sometimes."

Banks sighed. "Yes Jenny! I really don't!"

Jennifer swallowed again. She won't cry in front of him. She'd thought hard about it. She couldn't keep waiting for him to come around.

"At least, it's not because of someone else," she said. "I'm just thinking...after the nightmare with Clara, maybe you're not ready to commit. But I won't wait any longer." Her eyes got misty at this point and her voice broke down. She cleared her throat.

Banks put an arm around her and pulled her to him. This wasn't the place or time to tell her she was wrong. There was someone else. His heart went out to hers and he wished he could give her what she wanted. Only he would be lying to himself and to her if he did. Maybe, If he hadn't run into Lade that night, then who knew...

"Jenny." His voice didn't sound like his. He cleared his throat. "Jenny." He called again.

Jennifer sniffed and dried the corner of both her eyes with the back of her palms. She pulled out of his hug and looked up at him. "I love you," as far as loving two women was allowed.

Her eyes probed his for more meaning. "But...but what?" She asked.

"But I'm not in love with you." He said.

The truth stung. She bit her lower lips and stared at the plate on the coffee table without seeing it. She'd spent two years of her life hoping in vain. Everything she'd loved about him seemed like ashes in her mouth in that moment.

"Jenny, don't misunderstand what I just said." He said.

She looked at him and saw hurt in his eyes. And guilt for what he was incapable of giving her. And fear that everything they had between them would change afterwards. What did they have? A lot in common. A lot less than what she really desired - his love. She got to her feet. He stood too and took her hand in his. She didn't pull away.

"I don't. I understand. I just wanted more than I could get. That won't change how I feel for you Banks. It's just, I'll learn to lower my expectations of you."

Banks was floored by her maturity in that moment. Did she mean what she said or was she merely saving face. Only time would tell. Hopefully, they'd cleared the air enough for their friendship to breathe again. If her pride didn't kill it first, he still wanted a relationship with her.

****

Vanessa had midnight shift and was scheduled to be at the hospital till midday the next day. Hence it was just Madam Bankole and Susie in the living room watching CNBC AFRICA. They had returned from their Abuja trip to the empty house a few hours earlier, freshened up, fixed themselves dinner and settled to a bottle of white wine and African business news.

Thus they were when Banks entered the house through the front door around eleven pm. He had noticed his mom's AVIATOR parked in the garage and was aware of her presence but hadn't expected her to be awake.

"Hey mom! Hey Susie!" The words were slurred. He'd gone drinking at a bar close to Jennifer's house after leaving her.

"Peter, welcome. Good evening." Susan greeted.

"You finally decided it was late enough to come home." His mother said. "Are you drunk?"

Banks nodded. "A bit. Andy drove. He's parking the car."

"Is he drunk too?"

"Not as much as me." Banks replied.

"What have I said about drinking, not to talk about drinking and driving? What if you got pulled over by police men, worse still got into an accident?"

"Mom! Seriously! I am tired and not in mood for a lecture. And we are fine. We know how to handle ourselves." Banks snapped. He walked across to exit the living room.

Susan was quiet. She and the boy never really got along for whatever reasons. Not that they ever quarreled, but all they had for each other were polite greetings and passing remarks. However, she had never seen him snap at his mother. She focused her mind on the TV.

Madam Bankole sat up in her chair. "Peter!"

Banks stopped in his tracks and turned to glare at his mother. His patience was thin tonight. If he'd known she was awake, he'd have taken the back door in.

"This is what I was afraid you would say. Peter, you're not a kid anymore. You have a lot going for you and with that comes a lot of obligations. Do you know how many people wish they walked in your shoes? I hate to think you're getting even more reckless."

Banks took a half step towards them, a curious look on his face. "Why do you say this mom? Has Vanessa been talking to you about me?"

Madam Bankole frowned with suspicion. "Why? Should she be worried about you that much?" She asked.

Banks shrugged, a bit relieved. "I'm fine mom. You worry yourself a lot about me. When was the last time you saw me like this? It's not even midnight already, I remember I've been out much later than this, so don't fuss much about nothing."

"We'll talk in the morning before I leave for work."

"Fine! I am sorry for snapping at you."

Madam Bankole sighed. "There is supper in the kitchen. Good night son."

"Good night mom. Good night Susie."

Susan pried her eyes away from the news and nodded at him. "Good night Peter."

Banks exited the room heading straight for the stairs and his room. He had no appetite for food tonight. He had stripped to bossers when the all too familiar knock sounded on his door. He sighed. "It's open mom."

The door opened and his mother stood at the door way. "Peter."

He had his face straight, ready for another lecture. "We started with just a bar of gold five years ago, remember?" His mother asked in her mildest tones.

"Yes mom, more than anything else."

"Hopefully we'd be worth an honest billion by the close of this financial year. Thanks to your choice to entrusting your inheritance to me. Sometimes son, you should learn to respect decisions I make as head of this family in the absence of your father, God rest his soul. Do you understand me son?"

Banks nodded. "Yes mom."

"Now, that is by the way. What I really came to say is this: I have so much experience in a lot of things. Any time you want to talk about whatever it is that is disturbing you, I'll listen."

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