Days came and went, months flew pass, Rufi was in her final year and, as the assistant Senior prefect she had to work a lot with the senior prefect Abbi towards their V.S and graduation party.
"Ooh!" Abbi groaned from sitting so long.
"Shh! I'm thinking" Rufi silenced her.
"Fine! I'm taking a break" she jumped off her stool and exit the hall.
"Get me a cup of ice-cream please!"
"OK"
Rufi had a speech to draft, this was her third try, The first, too shabby. The second, too sentimental.
So the idea now is to set a balance. But it was frustrating.
She groaned.
Another sheet in the bin and she was done. She picked up the novel she dropped earlier, open the right page and continued reading.
She was deep in her reading so much that Abbi's "You got bored too" startled her.
"Who wouldn't?" She looked up
"Here" she handed over the ice-cream "Are you done?"
"Thanks, I'm not done yet but, I'm past half way already"
"OK" she took the sheet from the table and read through
************
Talk about watching too much Nollywood bullshit, that's the only logical explanation because Adrian Martinez could see no other reason behind his son wanting to invest in an unstable country like Nigeria.
Cursing he pulled over in front of the 15 hectare land he bought his son as his 18th birthday gift, due to his persistence of cause and with a promise that he would finish college as an A+ student which seemed impossible as at that time as he was a C grade student plus he spent his leisure seeing those god forsaken Nollywood movies.
Squinting at the bright sun light, he braced him self before getting out of his car. Damn those sun block, he is sure to return to Mexico with loads of sun burn.
" buen día señor" good morning sir, he was greeted by an unfamiliar person as he entered the construction site.
''Buenos días" he hated to be formal
"¿Eres nuevo aquí ?" He asked if he was new
"Si"
"Can I see the project manager?"
"Enseguida" in a moment
While he waited Adrian took in the view of the almost completed building, the plant and the machineries that have arrived already, if they continued at that pace the place will be ready by the time his son returned home.
The people of the country are very hospitable so he knew his son would not have issues here.
But the sun!
"Cabron!"he swore when the sun got hotter and his gaze went to the men working as they worked on like the sun did not just get ten degrees hotter.
"Qué chingados?!"
Surely Ivan would change his mind about staying here after the first hour.
"Good morning Adrian!" The project manager called out to him.
"Hey Frank!" They hugged
"How was your flight?"
"Very well!"
"Welcome to Nigeria" Frank said
"Thanks man" he smiled back "Work rounding up yet?"
"Definitely, in about two weeks we should be done here"
"That's good, my son will be home soon and I want everything ready before he comes"
"Sure Adrian, it would "
....................
"I love you more" victor dropped the phone to continue packing
"You really want to go home?" Matthew his room mate asked staring in surprise at victor almost packed bag
"yeah!"
"its just a three week break!"
"I know" but I need to spend it with those that matter. He almost added.
"oh! I see!" Matt face broke into a grin as he got the point.
"About time" victor grinned back at him.
"Well, I could help you zip up your bag then" he winked at his love stuck roomie.
*********
"Get up sleepy head!" Maria shook Rufi to consciousness "or you might miss your big day"
As if a nuclear war was announced she jumped up looking panicked.
"Way to go girl" Maria giggled "Except for that don't-tell-me-i-missed-my-grad look you are giving me, its just 7am"
"What!" Rufi jumped out of bed looking for too many things at a time "Shit! Shit!--"
"enough swearing for one day girl, go get yourself washed" she told her leaving the room.
How on earth she slept until seven Rufi had no idea, she had been super nervous about today.
She'd always dreamt of her secondary school graduation day and, truth be said this is so far from what she'd though.
She had pictured today with her mother, her father, her brother, the press of course -they would not miss a chance at getting to see her.
Above all her Nana, she could almost see her smile, that motherly smile only she gives.
She misses her Nana so much, she missed her smell, her love, her tenderness.
Her Nana had promised to get her something special this day, but fate had other plans.
A few years back she would not have seen her self here, all she could see after the rape was 'nothing' But, she got a second chance.
She has a new family, a great one.
And her baby, Ana-Blaire Alisha Brown.
"You have two minutes to get out of the bathroom young lady!" Maria yelled
What the devil is wrong with Maria, Rufi wondered.
"Geez! What's your deal" she groaned as soon as she opened the door.
"Nothing, just seat" she grumbled.
In less than thirty minutes Maria had transformed her face.
"Wow! I look beautiful!"
"I know" Maria said red faced
"hun-un"Rufi shook her head no."No tears today"
"No tears today" She repeated in a monotone "I'm happy for you Darling"
"I know, I'm happy for me too"
Maris sniffed "OK! Mood spoil! Get down in two minutes"
Maria placed a kiss on her head before leaving her alone.
She might have lost her Nana but she got a wonderful sister for replacement.
"Rufina Rose Brown!" Maria yelled once again bringing her out of her thought
Phew! Rufi breathed grabbing her purse and exiting the room hurriedly, she'd never heard Maria shout before, but man, the sound is scaring.
Her gaze landed on the wall clock 8:15 "No way!"
How many minutes did she spend brooding?
Maria's shout was justified.
She took another deep breath and braced her self for whatever sermon she would hear before stepping into the living room, her step faltered for a totally different reason. Standing in her living room was everyone she loved and the whole room was filled with gifts.
"Wanted to make the grad. girl wish come true" Maria said with a smile that melted her heart.
She looked from Maria to victor to Mrs Wellington who by the way was holding Ana-Blaire, tears filled her eyes when she saw Henry and the shocker was Mr Wellington as he rushed in dramatically.
"sorry the gifts took long to wrap" he smiled his charming smile."don't drop dead on me young Lady!" He frowned as her stillness.
"oh my!" Rufi bursted into tears just as she dashed for him" I've missed you!"
"Not as much as I've missed you dear! "
" papa yoyo!" She cried in his arms. He likes been called that. He has been a father to her, the first real one at that. He let her hug him a few more seconds before he kissed her head
"Congratulations love"
Her next victim was Victor as she hugged his dearly, she missed the men in her life.
"Hey there! Go easy on me" he murmured in her ears "I don't have the heart to see you cry again" he kissed her head" besides, I'm not as nice as that old man" he pointed too Mr wellington's mascara smeared shirt.
She laughed than poked him"I've missed you!"
She did pretty much the same thing to everyone, she almost hugged life out of Maria who had to mouth save-my-soul to everyone.
Victor came to her rescue by pulling Rufi away "enough ma'am, I don't want to loose my girlfriend, if you know what I mean"
Rufi looked shocked as she took in Maria's pale appearance.
She flushed and everyone laughed.
***************
"Very well said" the MC cheered as Abbi ended her speech "let's welcome on board the out going assistance female senior prefect Rufina Brown for her speech"
Maria gave Rufi a you-can-do-it smile as Mr wellington mouthed "kill'em baby girl" at her.
Her nerves steadied surprisingly at those reassurance, She had her family with her.
They are all she needed to know she could face this crowd.
"Good day everyone" she said crisply, and the speech she'd dread suddenly became a cinch.
"First, I would say thank you to the teaching and non teaching staff of this great school, for their love, support, and everything they have put into shaping us these past years, we love you, I love you, and without your unconditional support most of us wouldn't be here" she paused for effect
"I would also say thank you to you guys" she faced the non-graduating students first then her mate "sometimes we fought, other times we hated one-another, some days we loved, all those days make up the memories we all will leave here with today...."
So she just went with the flow, letting her well written speech fly out the window.
At the end of her speech the crowd chortle." Thank you, God bless st. Patrick Academy" she dropped the mic to the sound of applaud.
Awards were handed out and she got more than a few.
When they stood for their grad-shoot Rufi beamed with joy as her hat went the highest.