DIARIES OF A NEW YORKER 7

One person had been on his mind for days now. Since he saw her about a week ago entering her car and driving off, he hadn't been able to take his mind off Emma Cole. She had stopped paying him attention like she used to. Damn! She looked very beautiful these days. Everything was different about her. From time to time, he caught glimpses of Emma around the office building. His iPhone beeped. He had an interview to conduct on the 5^th floor. Picking up his folder on the table, Koku walked towards the elevator. Her image came into his mind again. What’s wrong with you? Koku said to himself.

"Thank you for coming",Koku said to the interviewee.The other interviewers shook hands with Mr Adams. He was a smart and intelligent young financial analyst. Personally, Koku admired people who had their Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) certification. He knew how much hard work becoming a CFA required. “What to do you think?”, Mrs Sawyerr asked everyone when Mr Seyi Adams was out of the room. “I think he performed brilliantly well”. Ibhade Esangbedo, the talent and acquisition manager of the Financial Advisory Services replied her. All six people in the room agreed with her. They decided then to invite him over for a second round of interview. Everyone stood up to leave and return to their offices chatting along the way Ibhade would communicate management’s decision to him.

"Oh boy, Koku Mensah!". One of his colleagues who had just walked into the elevator exclaimed. "How you dey now,what’s good?". Today is Friday oh. Where are the boys chilling out" ? Koku laughed and shook his head.
"Ifeanyi Adibuah, you can’t change. It’s just four months after your honey moon and you still want to hang out with bachelors like me?". Koku laughed again. "Oh boy, leave that thing o! I love my wife for sure but a man has got to hang out from time to time you know". It’s bad enough that I’m only getting it from one source now". Koku looked at his colleague, clearly    shocked. Realizing the elevator was already on his floor, Koku got off hurriedly. "I go hala you later, Ifeanyi said loudly as Koku got off the elevator. "Sure, no problem", Koku replied him smiling. Ifeanyi Adibuah was a jovial person. He had a thriving career and one of the most beautiful women in the world as his wife. From the way he spoke, one would think that he frequented the bars and clubs in Lagos on a regular basis. But that wasn’t true.

Friday night! Koku thought. TGIF! As a top shot at Bartels and Gallagher, his job was demanding. He gave himself a break on Fridays just to maintain his sanity. He had hardly sat in his chair when his phone rang. It was Nana. "Good afternoon mother", Koku greeted his mum in a not too excited sort of tone. "Koku", his mother called his name in a heavy ghanian accent the way she usually did when she wanted to reprimand him. He had cancelled his flight to Ghana and given his mother a flimsy excuse for not being able to travel after Aduke had told him that she wouldn’t be going with him anymore. He couldn’t blame her. He would be infuriated if he had been her boyfriend and she had mentioned that to him. It was a stupid suggestion on his part in the first place. But what could he do? Nana kept bugging him about bringing a wife home and these days, she was beginning to get to him. Could one stop picking up one’s mother’s call? "Nana", I’ll call you later in the evening when I get off work. She was beginning to say something but he dismissed her with promises of returning her call later and cut off the line.

After holding three more meetings in his office, Koku checked his watch. It was lunch time. His stomach rumbled to attest to the fact. Dialing his friend, Ike’s phone number, he waited for his friend and colleague of ten years to pick his call. "Ike, have you grabbed something to eat this afternoon? No, his friend answered him. "Okay, I’m on my way to the cafeteria, you can meet me at the lobby on the tenth floor if you are interested". Koku explained to Ike. Why not? Ike said. I’ll be there in five minutes.

Koku looked at the menu in the staff caferia. He eyed the yamarita and snail stew he saw in someone’s dish. "Aunty Bisi, all these food you people are serving here today is too oyinboish for my liking oh". Trust Ike to complain when he couldn’t have his way. Aunty Bisi, a round woman who always had a smile on her face like that’s how God made her face looked at Ike. "My brother, don’t be angry. I promise on Monday, we’ll be serving delicacies from eastern Nigeria just the way you like it". Ike laughed and winked at her.

"Good choice", Ike told Koku while he ate the yamarita. Koku couldn’t laugh.  He had his mouth full. Food was the way to a man’s heart after all! 

Raising his head, he saw Emma come into the cafeteria with Ibinabo. "Koku"! Ike called his name, snapping him from his thoughts. Yes, Koku replied his friend slowly. Isn’t that Emma Cole? Ike asked. "Yeah, she is". Koku answered. "Hmmm, she looks different. Very beautiful I must say. I didn’t know she was this pretty". Ike was practically gawking at her. Koku nodded his head in agreement. "If not that I’m married ehn"….. Koku kept eating his food while Ike showered his praises. "She’s not bad at all!

Scrambling inside his fridge for a cold drink hours later when he was back home, Deremi Odulaja poured himself a cold drink. The day had been a hectic one for him. Deremi heard the door bell ring and without giving much thought, he answered. "Who’s it"? "Surprise"! "Surprise"! It was a female voice. Peeping through the door hole, he saw who it was. Where had she surfaced from? It was Solabomi, his ex-girlfriend. It was too late to pretend he wasn't home now. Arrrgh!!! Taking a deep breath, Deremi opened the door. Hi, Solabomi said when she got into his house. Hi, he replied her. They stood looking at each other. "Won’t you offer me a sit, a drink, something"? She asked him. Trying to sound civil, Deremi offered an apology. "Of course, have a sit. Forgive me, where are my manners"? Crossing her legs to reveal straight fine legs where she sat, Deremi looked away. Witch! He thought. What did she want with him now? It had been several years. "How did you locate my house"? Deremi asked her walking away to get her a drink. He would dismiss her thereafter. "Oh, Lagos is a small place isn’t it"? She replied him. "Hmmm, nice and neat kitchen". Deremi was startled when he heard her voice right behind him in the kitchen. He felt her hands around him, caressing his back. He flung her hands off almost breaking the glass cup in his hand. "Solabomi, what do you want? It’s been over six years now. What do you want from me? She looked sad then. "Baby, I’ve not been able to get you out of my head. There’ll never be anyone for me except you. Tell me you haven’t missed me". She began to move closer to him. She planted a kiss on his lips, and then another. Oh God, what was he doing kissing another woman in his house while he was betrothed to another. He had no business with Solabomi. Girls like her were "runs" girls. Girls like her were not wife material. It was either he showed her the door or hell broke loose in his life. Dragging her by the arms, he picked her bag where it lay on her sofa. "Deremi, don’t do this! I still love you". "No you don’t!" he screamed at her while he pushed her out of his flat. He was breathing deeply when he got back into his living room. "Oh my God!" he said aloud. "Oh my God"!

Solabomi!! What a nerve she had coming to his house. Solabomi was nothing but trash. He had loved her for a long  time and had planned on marrying her. He hadn’t been prepared for the shock he had gotten when he had caught her sleeping with his best friend when he had gone to visit Ineye, his childhood buddy one day. He had been ready to forgive her and put the whole thing behind him even though it had hurt him badly. But she hadn't been sorry. She wanted out of the relationship with him. Few weeks later, he learned from reliable resources that she had always dated one rich man or the other. He had dated Solabomi from her first year in the University. She had looked so sweet and innocent and he had felt responsible for her. Head over heels in love with her had been an understatement then. Years now, she was at his door talking crap! The nerve of her!