The Unclosed door...Part 3

“Yaaay…you bought us ice-cream and pizza” “Aaaaw… you brought more provisions too” “my brother is the best brother in the world”

Layo kept chattering about every single thing Uncle Jide brought. He brought quite a lot of things though and to be sincere, he is indeed caring and loving just as Tayo had said. I just couldn’t get why he kept on staring at me. I could literally feel his eyes on me. I haven’t been in that type of situation before so I didn’t know how to react.

 After a while, I decided to look up and trace his eyes to what was actually getting his attention. I traced his eyes to my chest. What could he be looking at on my chest? I was confused. When I folded my hands across my chest and he looked away, I was relieved.

“Thank you Uncle Jide for bringing all these for me too…I am very grateful” This time he spoke coherently.

“You are welcome my dear.”

Everything felt normal again as we sat down in one of the classrooms to eat together. I sat opposite Uncle Jide and Tayo sat just beside him. It wasn’t too long when I felt the eyes again. I immediately lost my appetite. I started thinking of all the reasons why he could be looking at me with so much intensity.

Oh! It must be because of the birthmark on my chest. I had forgotten that I was wearing my house wear and not my uniform as the latter hides it well. He must think I got wounded or something. It’s really nice of him to be this caring.

“I didn’t get wounded…it’s my birthmark” I said, digging back into my food.

“what?” He said.

“Yes, the birthmark on my chest. I see you have been looking at it”

“Oh!.. that is cool.”

After we finished eating, Uncle Jide started asking me questions about me. He was clearly interested in knowing a lot about his sister’s best friend. He asked me where my parents live, how many we are in my family, what state I am from, what course I want to study in the university, my best food, even my best colour.

He was particularly pleased when I told him I wanted to become an engineer and he promised to mentor and motivate me all the way as he was at that time studying engineering in the University.

“Uncle Jide, do you know Layo’s sister?” “she attends the same University with you”

“Really?..thats cool.” “And Tayo, a University is not like a secondary school. There are a lot of students there and there is no how I can know everybody. Don’t worry, you will soon see for yourself”

“So… Layo, do you look like your sister?” Before I could answer, Tayo did. “They don’t look alike at all o”

Uncle Jide was surprised at the answer but he said that one thing he could be sure of is that I will be prettier than my sister and that I am really pretty. Uncle Jide was not the first person to tell me that I am pretty but there was something about the way he said it. Something that made me believe that statement more than anything I have been told before. I couldn’t but smile sheepishly while staring at the floor to cover my shyness.

“Uncle Jide, can I please use your phone to call my sister?” I had crammed Bola’s number and was fond of using any available phone to call her on visiting days since phones were not allowed in the boarding house until when we get to SS3 when we could do as we pleased.

“Sure..you can have it”

Bola picked on the first ring. “Hello Bola…” “Layoooooo” she screamed into the phone. She immediately knew it was me from my voice. “My baby, how are you? I have missed you.”  We kept on talking and talking while Uncle Jide and Tayo were busy having their brother-sister talk.

“Whose phone are you using to call me for this long?” “It’s Tayo’s brother’s phone…. he came for us”
“That is really nice of him…tell him I said thank you” “Take good care of yourself okay…I love you my baby” “I love you too Bola”

I went to give Uncle Jide his phone and thanked him for allowing me speak to Bola for so long. He told me it was okay and informed me that he was set to leave. He gave us a dose of academic advice and also admonished us to keep being friends.

Tayo went to hug and thank him for coming for us. He told her she should know that he will always be there for her. He also promised that from that day, he wouldn’t miss any of our visiting days.

It was then he faced me. “You too Layo, I will always be there for you…never forget that.”

He then beckoned to me to come and hug him too. I wanted to say no but Tayo pushed me forward with her eyes.

 When he hugged me, something woke up inside me…something strange. I didn’t know what it was…not until later.

To be continued...