She knew she might lost the chance of meeting James when he comes back to Nigeria. Ever since they moved to their new home, Janet had been worried, though she was the one who brought the idea of changing the environmental where they were and Mr. Ray agreed to the suggestion only to protect his own image. Everyone had known him as a whore's father in there previous environment, so changing the environment was of a great help to him.
"If James finally comes back to Nigeria," Janet said to herself. "He will visit our previous house, and once he doesn't find me there, he may give up looking for me and ends up forgetting me ever after."
She knew she had to something. She needed a solution to the problem she had pushed herself into, everlasting one. Moving up and down her room in the new duplex let out to them, she continued thinking, gulping down some juice down her throat from a glasscup in her hand.
"I need to get his phone number." She said to herself. "But from whom?"
She pondered about these for a while and resolved into going to James's mother's place which was a hundred kilometres from her place to collect his phone number.
Immediately, she went to the sitting room to meet her mother. Her father wasn't around, he had gone to work. He held a very important post in the Nigerian brewery, Ibadan. Since her mother now trusted her, she believed her mother would let her go out.
"Weldone, mom." She greeted.
"Hey! How has been your day?" Mrs. Ray asked
"It has been fine, mom. I want to ask for a favour from you, mom."
"What is That?" Mrs. Ray asked.
"I want to go out mom."
"Do you have to tell me before going out?"
"It might take me a very long time to come back home, mom. That's why I decided to seek for your permission first."
Mrs. Ray was deep in thought, she was certainly thinking about some other thing. She had always obliged to the fact that she has a dirty mind, she knew it.
"Hope........" Mrs. Ray didn't know if it's really right to complete the question she wanted to ask.
"Hope what, mom?" Janet cut in as she knew what her mother was thinking. "I'm a changed person, mom. I don't do that kind of a thing again."
"Okay, Janet." Said, her mom. "Just make sure you don't stay too long. You must be back before your dad's arrival. Is that clear?"
"Alright, mom." She said. "Thanks a lot."
She didn't even remember to say bye before jumping out. Mrs. Ray watched her with dirty mind. She doubted her, she believed Janet is going in search of sexual pleasures again.
Janet remembered the direction to James's mother's house, it would never leave her memory if at all she forgets everything else. She stopped a bike immediately she got outside the house, and on she went.
"Good afternoon Ma'am" she met James's mother outside her house, drying her clothes, she greeted.
"Good afternoon, my dear." Mrs. Abi replied, shifting her attention from the clothline to the beautiful lady behind her. "How can I help you?"
"I.... I" Janet knew the best thing for her to do at that moment was to tell a lie, she couldn't tell her that she was her son's lover, Mrs. Abi wouldn't believe that. She remembered James telling her on a particular day that he happened to be a serious and an innocent guy at home, so no one would believe him if he told them that he is in love with a girl.
"What is it, my dear." Mrs. Abi tapped Janet who was deep in thought, thinking about the kind of lie She would tell.
"My name is Janet ma'am. I was your son's classmate when we were in secondary school."
"Oh! I see."
"It happened that the school had organised a reunion for the old students of 2017 batch, everyone's phone number had been taking to get in contact with everyone, the direction to the hall in which the reunion is going to take place would be announced to everyone on phone. Those ones that wouldn't be able to attend too, would be connected live and direct through video call. No one remembered that James's number was not taken till the registered numbers were counted ma'am. I used to be close to your son back then in school, so I was appointed to get his phone number ma'am."
"So, in short, you need James's phone number, that's why you are here."
"Exactly, ma'am."
"But, James isn't around, he won't be able to attend the party."
"Really? So, where has he been to?"
"Are you also here to know That?"
"I'm so sorry Ma'am." She apologised. "But, if I can get his phone number ma'am, we can be able to reach him through video call."
"No problem." Mrs. Abi gave James's phone number to Janet and she rushed home happily. On getting home, she went directly to her room and settled down on her bed. Then, she brought out her phone and dialed the number given to her.
"Hello."
* * *
James joined Edward on his bike as he came out of his hostel, pressing his phone. He had called Edward to come and pick him in his house as John's car needs to be serviced.
"Your bike needs to be serviced as well, Edward, the sound from the engine is a little bit disturbing." John said as he plied the bike.
"That is how you are, James." Edward said. "You are never satisfied with a thing. All you do is to complain about everything."
"I know people will not listen to my corrections, but I will always make them when necessary. Just ride on, blonde."
"Just keep shut and sit tight." Edward said and began riding. He was John's friend and was linked with James by John himself. He had known John right since childhood but was not so closed to John as James was.
They were in the middle of the road when James phone rang. At first he was so annoyed, but later he decided to pick the anonymous call.
"Hello." He said angrily.
"Hello, James, this is your Janet. Your girlfriend back then in school."
"Ja..... Janet!" He was shocked. "Where have you been, Janet? I've spent all my life waiting for you back then in Nigeria but lost the chance of meeting you."
Just then, a bike overtook them and a man sitting at the back of the bike quickly snatched James phone. He was shocked, he looked around and discovered that the bike that overtook them had gone far.
"Please, chase that bike, Edward!" James shouted with a mixture of fear and anger.