THE TATTOO

CHAPTER FIVE

Letting in

Kasie hurriedly unlocked the door when she heard her mother’s car drive into the compound. The car had barely stopped before Uju jumped out and ran to hug her. Nnanna, the CEO alighted from the driver’s side and went behind the house to look around. Uju was talking with the gateman when he came back to the front. “There’s no one at the back, he must have run when he heard the car drive in” he said. Uju turned to him, “The gateman didn’t see him too. It’s really creepy at this point.” 

“Have you filed a report yet?” Nnanna asked

“I planned to do that this week.”

“I could help you put a call through to the police. I have people there.” He had offered to drive her home after Uju told him what the call was about at the restaurant. She was visibly shaken and he knew she was not stable enough to drive. He had instructed his driver to follow them in his own car.

Uju declined his request but agreed when he offered to go to the police station with her. She invited him into the house. Kasie was calm now as she drank the water her mother had brought for her from the kitchen.

“Do I know you Sir? You look really familiar,” Kasie asked. The statement made Uju to chuckle.

“Of course you do. I didn’t get to say thank you for helping me out the other day at the mall, so I followed your mum home to do that.” He said laughing. She stared at Uju, her face ridden with a thousand questions. Uju narrated all that happened and that left her amused. Nnanna did a formal introduction and stayed longer as they talked about a lot of things, had drinks and laughed till it was late. He finally stood to go and Uju offered to see him off almost immediately. Kasie made an unsuccessful attempt to stifle a giggle making Uju roll her eyes as she mouthed ‘silly girl’. She had never brought a man home, so this was a new development for Kasie and even more shocking that she allowed the man she had yelled at at the mall two days ago to drive her home. He gave Kasie a hug, said goodbye to her and assured her that everything would be taken care of.

As he walked to his car with Uju, she finally apologized for being a little too harsh to him at the mall and also appreciated him for offering to drive her home. 

“Odimma, you were looking out for your teenage daughter, I totally understand,” he said “but that wasn’t a little too harsh. It was an uproar, okwa ima? He said amidst a chuckle.

“Was it?” She said smiling, “Either way, you’ve accepted my sincerest apology Sir.”

“You can stick with Nnanna, calling me "Sir" sounds like I am your old sugar daddy.” They both laughed out loud. 

“You speak Igbo, that’s a good one. Most Igbos here communicate in English even to their fellow Igbos” Uju said.

“Yes I do. My mum made sure my sisters and I spoke Igbo at home while growing up. I feel that’s the right way to go, asusu Igbo amaka. What about you? I noticed you speak English to your daughter. It’s like you’re all these modern mums?” He said with a wide grin on his face.

“Not really,” she said as she leaned on the car, “my grandmother spoke Igbo to her when she was younger. We were both living with her then but when I moved with Kasie to another man’s land, we went with the flow. Mana she speaks Igbo once in a while here.” 

“That’s alright. You were fortunate enough to meet your grandmother I didn’t meet either of mine. Odiegwu o."

“Maka gini?” 

“They had already died before I was born”

“Oh. What a pity, mine was a rare gem, she took care of me and my daughter when we were still with her.” She looked at her wristwatch, “wow! It’s already very late, you should go, it isn’t safe these days in this country” she said. “Thank you once more for today, Nnanna.” He was oblivious of the far spent time as he stared at her. He didn't want the conversation to end, she was easy to talk to and quite a beauty to behold and he wanted to just stand there and watch her all night if it were possible.

“Hello?” Uju waved her hand across his face, “are you still with me? Kedu ihe na-emezi?”  He startled, jolting back from his day dream.

“Sorry” he said as he wiped off sweat from his forehead with his palm “I was caught in the moment.”

“Which moment?” Uju said chuckling, “abeg come and be going.” She rubbed her hands on her dress, “I have cleaned your car with my dress.” 

“So, should I come pick you tomorrow at your office or…”

“Pick me for what?” She asked with a curious look

“The Police. I'm supposed to go with you to file a report, remember?”

“Oh, yes, eziokwu. Let me call you tomorrow during my break time.” He agreed and gave her his number, they said their goodbyes and he finally left.

Kasie had already dozed off on the couch when Uju returned to the living room. She locked the doors and laid beside her staring at the ceiling and smiling to herself. Her phone rang a moment later but she was too tired to get up and pick it. Reluctantly, she picked on the third ring. Grumpily staring at the screen, she realized it was her mother and a wave of guilt washed over her. She was supposed to have called her after their last conversation especially after she had been told her father was hospitalized. She heaved and answered the call. “Mummy, kedu?” 

“Ujunwa, your father has been rushed to the ICU.”

                                                                                                                                        CHAPTER SIX