Rosaline's mother was through with losing and fixing a new hair, and they started back home.
As they walk back home, they continued their discussion. Rosaline tried as much as she could to shift the conversation away from Kalu.
She introduced the discussion of their father who would soon visit them for the month and at the time it seemed that she succeeded in diverting the attention of the mother.
Yet reading the mother's countenance, she was only waiting for them to get home before she could resume the talk of Kalu.
When they had got home instead of allowing Rosaline to prepare the dinner by herself as they had agreed in the morning.
They were to prepare yam and tomato sauce which was one of the best foods of Rosaline and she enjoyed preparing it her way.
Each time it happened to be the meal for the day, The mother would let her own the kitchen for that particular time.
But this time, the mother volunteered to assist so that they could be discussing while the food cooked.
Rosaline already understood the reason for her mother's kind gesture, she prayed in her heart that the mother would still maintain the consent she had allotted to her.
The mother was helping in slicing the tomatoes while Rosaline was peeling the yam.
At first, it seemed that they were in short of words for no one was talking, their attentions were stolen by what they were doing.
"Does he love the fried rice that was served him the other time?" the mother asked while busy with what she was doing. Oblivious of the fact that she had asked that question before.
The question took Rosaline unaware. She had been expecting the kickstart of the discussion but she never expected that it would be kickstarted with a question.
"Who?" she replied pausing from what she was doing.
"Your boyfriend!" the mother retorted.
Rosaline's heart thudded in a mixed emotion.
She battled with surprise and elation. It was so early for the mother to address Kalu as her boyfriend for the fact that she just made the revelation to her not quite long.
On the other hand, she was happy for the remark for it was indicating that the mother had fully approved of their relationship.
"Yes, he loved the fried rice, he enjoyed it so much!" replied Rosaline with a smile.
No comment from the mother at the reply, she continued with the slicing of the tomatoes.
The air was enshrined with silence as they pretended to have ended the discussion.
After a while, the mother muttered a compliment.
"He is so handsome and gentle!" she said.
Rosaline was beginning to get more confused on how the mother was unleashing such a compliment on someone that she just met only once.
Saying that Kalu was handsome was understandable cause it was obvious as a physical feature. But the gentleness the mother was referring to, was what was getting Rosaline confused. For gentleness was part of the character and one couldn't learn about one's character in just one meeting.
The way the mother emphasized the gentleness of Kalu, Rosaline who had been together with him for some time now had not observed it to that extent.
"Yes!" answered Rosaline.
It was even for her good for she realized that it was a good opportunity to extra convince the mother of how good Kalu was.
She had to prove to the mother that she wasn't that cheap for any lover boy to deceive in the name of love. For her to fall for Kalu, implied he was exceptional.
"When did he say he would be settled by his uncle?" the mother asked after Roseline had extended and stimulated the praises being showered on Kalu.
"He has only a year left to serve his uncle!" Rosaline responded happily.
" It's okay" the mother whimpered.
After the mother was through with slicing the tomatoes she joined Rosaline in peeling the yam in an attempt to remain in the kitchen with her.
Rosaline could understand that the mother was now enjoying the conversation.
The mother tried to be careful with hér choice of words for she had more to ask concerning Kalu but she didn't want it to appear that she was too interested in him.
She trod with caution as she threw in the questions one after the other.
She stared at Rosaline who was putting her head down pretending to be absorbed in what she was doing meanwhile was praying for the mother to change the topic from Kalu's discussion or rather leave the kitchen for her to be relaxed in what she was doing.
She feared the discussion might take another dimension, a dangerous one.
She knew how such discussions ended up with the mother in past with some of their relations who had stayed with them, even with the father.
"I don't even understand!" the mother uttered.
Rosaline held down the knife in her hand and raised her head in deliberation for what the mother meant by that statement.
"What is it?" she asked trying as much as she could to sound polite.
"What plan does he have for you in this relationship?" she asked in a manner that suggested she was interrogating Rosaline.
"I know it will get to this" Rosaline said in her mind.
She was confused at the question. She paused for a while trying to infer what the mother meant by the query.
"I mean, is he planning to settle down with you when he is finally settled?" the mother clarified.
Rosaline now got where the mother was going. But she didn't know the answer to give for the question.
"Why would this woman be thinking about marriage by now?" she questioned inwardly.
"Would he marry you?" the mother reiterated. this time in a bit harsh tone.
Rosaline stammered as she tried to answer the question.
"We are in a good relationship and we planning to get married once things are okay!" she muttered.
She was too weak to continue with what she was doing as she stood twisting the knife in her hand.
She never expected such a question from the mother.
Now her mother felt that there was no need to beat around the bush she needed to ask every question in her mind.
After all, Rosaline was her daughter there's no way she was going to be afraid of her in expressing herself.
"Has he had sex with you before?" she continued.
The urge to protest about the harshness of those questions as they sounded to her was welling up in Rosaline but she was aware that such behavior from here could be detrimental to her relationship with Kalu.
At least for now she was still under the care of her parents she couldn't fend for herself as it stood.
So there was no need for unnecessary disobedience.
The mother could simply ask her to quit the relationship if she didn't comply with those questions obediently. And the situation was worth answering every question to avert.
Rosaline shrugged at the question and unknowingly stared directly into the mother's eyes in displeasure.
"Are you sure?" the mother asked not caring about her feeling anymore.
"Why would you think such stuff mummy?" she complained.
"Why wouldn't I think such stuff?" the mother retorted " aren't you the one that said he was your boyfriend?"
"He is my boyfriend doesn't mean we have slept with each other" Rosaline explained in a lower voice trying to contain her discontent.
It was clear from the facial manifestation of Rosaline that she was getting upset by those questions.
The mother understood that she needed to quit at that juncture so that Rosaline could be able to continue with her cooking for she had already been distracted by that topic.
The dinner would never be ready if she continued.
"Well, I don't mean any offense, I am just asking" the mother appealed " please continue with your cooking let me go and rest in my room" she left the kitchen.
Rosaline stood for a while meditating on those questions the mother had raised after she had left the kitchen.
"Is it that my mother doesn't believe me anymore she wondered.
As she stood wondering, the mother returned to the kitchen once more.
"Have you not put the yam on the fire?" she asked as she caught Rosaline unaware still standing.
"Am about to do that now" Rosaline responded as she reached for the pot.
"When next is Kalu coming?" the mother asked gently this time.
"He said on Sunday!" Rosaline responded while washing the cut yam into the pot.
"it's okay!" the mother returned to her room.
Rosaline left what she was doing and stood again in thought after the mother had left.
She tried to discern what could be going on in the mind of her mother.
"Why is this sudden interest in Kalu?" she questioned in her mind.
A sudden urge started to build up in her whether to go and ask the mother the reason she had asked when Kalu was coming next.
But she was able to suppress the urge and continued with what she was doing.
She had been planning on how to make Kalu come before that Sunday which was four days away.
She couldn't wait for that long to see his face again for she wished never to spend any day without seeing his face.
So If the mother could come up with a good reason to invite him before that Sunday, she wouldn't mind going to the market to find him.
But the way the mother had just sounded, she was even afraid of letting Kalu come to the house anymore before the mother would scare him with some unnecessary questions.
For she hadn't learned all about Kalu's behavior to know that kind of question from the mother that would discourage him.
Rosaline loved Kalu to the extent that she needed him to be part of her family. She needed him to feel free with every member of her family she didn't want anything that would make him scared of them especially the mother who was like her best friend.
Kalu too was longing to see Rosaline, the Sunday was too far for him for them to see again.
He had already informed them that he would be visiting on Sunday, so he had to wait till that Sunday before he could see the face of Rosaline again.
Had he known that the days would run so slow, he would have told them Thursday or Friday.
Rosaline pretended she wanted to purchase something from the market and went to look for him the next day because the mother was not at home, she had gone to visit her cousin who just gave birth to a baby.
She strolled around the market in search of Kalu's shop. After she had purchased some apples and oranges from the fruit section of the market. which she took some money from her savings for.
When she had walked around for a while without any success for she was not too familiar with the market surroundings except for the foodstuffs section where she had always come with the mother to purchase some foodstuffs.
She decided to ask people for direction and she was directed right by one of her mother's customers.
Kalu was attending to a customer when Rosaline came standing in front of the shop staring at the shop number that was written on the doorpost.
She was filled with excitement as she looked inside and found Kalu standing there.
Kalu's heart gladdened as well as he set his eyes on Rose but He was surprised at the same time for he was not expecting to see her.
The joy in him was suppressed by the surprise he paused with the receipt in his hand as he was carried away by Rosaline's presence he wanted to go and clutch her immediately then he remembered that a customer was standing next to him.
"Good afternoon!" Rosaline saluted with her eyes radiating warmth.
Only the customer responded to her salutation though she already had eye contact with Kalu in welcome.
She stood aside waiting for Kalu to be through with the customer before she could express herself the way she had wanted.
After the customer had left, Kalu and Rosaline hugged passionately.
The hug was just brief for the fear of being seen by other neighbors but it conveyed a lot of feelings.
"I came to buy some fruits in the market then I decided to visit you since am already here in the market" Rosaline explained.
"Are you sure these fruits are what brought you to this market" Kalu pointed at those fruits in a nylon bag?
The way they stared admiringly at each other, the truth they were dying to see each other couldn't be denied.
No word from Rosaline as she chortled at the question.
"You just wanted to see me" Kalu held her hand as she got seated on the chair that was meant for customers.
" It's been long" she admitted.
She brought out some apples and oranges from the bag and handed them to Kalu. "I bought this one for you!"
Kalu took those fruit and returned some to her for she almost gave all that was in the bag.
He appreciated her good gesture though he wouldn't have allowed her to spend her savings if he was informed beforehand.
Some neighbors were roaming around the shop in an attempt to take a proper view of Rosaline's beautiful look.
The way she seated so comfortably with Kalu in the shop, though they couldn't hear any of their discussions it could be easily understood that Rosaline was not a customer.
"Are you sure she is not his girlfriend?" some argued.
"No it could be their relation" others suggested, "they have the same nice look."
The way those neighbors wandered around the shop, Kalu could understand that they were nosy about Rosaline's identity.
For the inferred, they had this habit of making every effort to know if a girl that visited any of them was the person's girlfriend.
All the servants in that line had girlfriends and they all knew about their girlfriends.
Most times they made jokes about their girlfriends to keep themselves busy on less busy days.
Kalu was the only one among them that had not been known with any girl.
Most time some of them had confronted him about his girlfriend not visiting him at the shop just to know if he had one.
But he had told them plainly that he didn't have one. However, that was before he met Rosaline.
Other servants girlfriends did visit them once in a while at the shop to spend a little time with them.
When their masters meet those girls in the shop they would pretend to be a customer.
The only worry Kalu had was his uncle. He wouldn't want his uncle to meet Rosaline in the shop, though he could easily bluff that she was a customer but he never wanted him to see her at all for now.
"How about your uncle?" Rosaline asked.
"He should be in the other shop" Kalu replied.
Clara on her part wished that Abuchi could just come as she was still seated in the shop. She wanted to see him for the first time.
Kalu was conscious of time as he discussed with Rosaline. for he knew when Abuchi normally came around for inspection. That's sometimes.
"You have stayed long o!..maybe you should start going before your mother comes back and start looking for you" Kalu suggested.
"Don't worry about my mother, I know how to defend myself" Rosaline assured. "Or are you scared of your uncle meeting me here?" she asked as she noticed the unrest that was gradually manifesting in his composure.
Kalu nodded to her in acceptance.
Rosaline had wanted to stay with him till the market closed but at the same time, she didn't want to be the reason Kalu would have any problem with his uncle.
She reluctantly got on her feet to go, after she had frowned to show her dissatisfaction.
She stood for a while after she had bid Kalu goodbye before leaving the shop. That was after Kalu had reassured her that he would still visit her on the coming Sunday and made her understand that he couldn't see her off.
She had already informed Kalu that she had let her mother know that they were dating in case the mother put forward any question about that the next time he would come he wouldn't be caught unaware.
Kalu couldn't see her off not because he was the only one in the shop, he could ask one of the neighbors to help him look after the shop so that he could relieve himself. But he was afraid that he could meet Abuchi on the way while walking with Rosaline then Abuchi would try to know who Rosaline was.
The neighbors as he had expected came to him at once to inquire about his relationship with Rosaline as soon as she left.
"Who is that beautiful girl?" asked one of them.
"She is my cousin" replied Kalu as he busied on his account book to avoid further questioning.
They rained praises on Rosaline for her good look and Kalu was thrilled inwardly about it.
On that Sunday John came early to look for Kalu.
Kalu had never wanted to go with him to visit Rosaline but as it stood he couldn't avoid him.
John wanted them to go to the cinema but it won't work for Kalu had already promised Rosaline to visit her that day.
That was the only place that would make her happy.
John offered to accompany him to Rosaline's place after he had explained to him.
Rosaline had already set the dining before the arrival of Kalu and John.
It was Jollof rice this time with salad and chicken sauce.
She was seated in the sitting room with her mother watching the television when they came.
After they had exchanged pleasantries and the formal introduction of John to the mother they moved straight to the dining.
Though Kalu didn't inform them that he was coming with a friend but the food was enough for all of them.
Rosaline was praying in her mind as they were feasting for the mother not to raise any question that would make Kalu felt embarrassed especially now that he was with a friend.
Rosaline's mother inquired about Kalu's uncle and the business as soon as they got to the dining.
"I hope you do hear from your mother?" she asked with so much care after they had started eating.
"Yes!" Kalu replied after he had swallowed the first scoop of rice in his mouth.
After then there was no more discussion until they were through with the meal and returned to the sitting room.
Rosaline raised the discussion of a movie she watched the previous day to distract the mother from asking further questions. Though there was also a movie that was shown on television it wasn't interesting.
knowing her mother so well, Rosaline knew that the questions hadn't ended there, there was a lot in her mind to ask.
But she needed to try her best to prevent it.
The mother cut her shot as she was busy with her distraction scheme.
"Do you love my daughter?" Rosaline's mother thwarted.
Kalu was startled at the question. Even though Rosaline had earlier informed him to be ready for any question related to their relationship from her mother, he wasn't prepared for such a question at that particular time.
Kalu's gaze was directed to Rosaline at once, but Rosaline's gaze was fixed on her mother for she wasn't comfortable with the mother raising such a question at that particular time.
The mother had been known by both the father for not knowing the right time to ask some certain question.
Their father had tried to correct him so many times on that but it had already become an indelible part of her.
The Atmosphere was gripped by silence as she awaited an answer from Kalu.
"Yes, I love her" Kalu finally confirmed.
Rosaline was inwardly happy for Kalu to profess the love he had for her to her mother but she wished the mother could just stop at that.
"That's good" the mother smiled, boosting Kalu's confidence.
Kalu at that time felt this profound ego that he was now a man.
"I hope this love you have for my daughter is not the type that you will abandon tomorrow. I hope you will be willing to take her as your wife when the time comes?" the woman raised after another moment of silence.
The question made Rosaline almost wanted to walk straight to her and gag her mouth.
This time she wanted to protest about the question for she felt that Kalu would get pissed off by it, but she understood the consequence of such action.
Rosaline put her face down to avoid meeting Kalu's gaze as he was about to answer the question.
"Yes!" Kalu began "I love her and am ready to settle down with her when the time comes" he was looking straight at the mother in confidence while answering the question.
Those questions weren't that nice to Rosaline but they finally turned out to be for her good for the answers that Kalu gave to them were suited to her.
She couldn't have had the courage to present those questions the way the mother had done.
After the last question, they continued with the other discussions.
Kalu was amazed at the amount of courage he displayed in answering those questions.
Clara was in a garden close to the police station with Alex.
It was an old garden that was established during colonial rule. Then it was well taken care of but now most of the infrastructures that were erected there had worn out.
Despite that people still come there to chill out.
Alex and Clara were seated on the low grass facing each other in chat. Other lovers were also seated in different manners minding their own business.
They were just coming from the police station and decided to relax there for a while before heading home.
The officers that Clara had made the report to the other time were not on duty that day, and they were still with the picture Clara had taken to them to make the report.
The officers on duty told them to come back the next day for those officers in charge of her report would be available then.
Alex had suggested that they should go to the garden and relax a bit before going home.
Alex had introduced the issue of their new relationship he wanted to let her know how she had been all he wanted in this life but Clara cut him short and brought up the issue of Rose.
Clara narrated to him how Rose had become pregnant.
Alex had now believed so much in Clara that he didn't doubt anything that she told him about Rose.
The idea he gained from Clara's mother worked for him and he had vowed to stick to it.
Alex was contributing meaningfully to the story which radiated Clara's heart.
He found the whole story so fascinating
that he almost got carried away from the main thing that had made him suggested they should come to the garden.
" Please there is a request I want to make from you" Alex held Clara's hand in the middle of their discussion.
"What is it?" Clara asked to believe that it was about their ongoing discussion.
Alex got on his knees before her and held her two hands, then Clara understood that what he was about to ask had nothing to do with their discussion.
"Please will you marry me?" Alex implored.
Clara was caught unaware by the question.
From the day she accepted to date Alex she already thought that their dating was about marriage.
For he had been telling the mother about his desire to get married to her.
Clara never knew that Alex had never taken it that way.
"Now I understand, that's the reason he had not been bringing marriage in our discussions," she thought to herself.
Anyway, it doesn't matter what he had had in mind, what mattered was that she was now comfortable with him.
"Yes," she responded with a welcoming smile on her face.
Alex got on his feet still holding Clara by her two hands, he raised her on her feet as well and lifted her in excitement.
She carried Clara in excitement and other people's attention was directed to the two lovers as they were lost in joy.