A Hazel Haven

Chapter 12

Moving into the new apartment should have been less of a hassle with a battered old bag and furled, shabby bed but Uche's convalescing body had made the trip gruel under incessantly glaring sunshine. But she'd managed untroubled and rather quickly, mostly because Sharon's hounding mouth hadn't been at her heels.

Apparently, Sharon hadn't returned since she'd left her in the company of Thomas, according to the others who had been 'disgruntled' over her sudden departure and, in not so euphemistic words, conveyed their valid-unknown to them---suspicions, which they'd subtly pestered Uche for confirmation (the girl seemed friendlier with her than most, although they had termed it 'closer to you').

Sharon had not been as careful as she'd believed. Had she disclosed anything of the sort? Was that bookish boy the father? Maybe she had contracted a disease? To all these Uche had remained tightlipped, feigning cluelessness. Anita, as she braided Ebube's hair-one of the many ghost roommates-- had informed Uche that Sharon had called after being unable to reach her, asking if she'd moved yet and if she hadn't Uche should please( Anita had said it in a long falsetto drawl) call.

"I lost my phone," She had said lugging out both bag and bed. "Someone picked my pocket." A moment later, she'd fiddled with her new phone, snapped one of her SIM cards and whisked it out the window of a taxi while in transit, after which a list comprising certain items to be acquired had been compiled.

Over the week, She'd roamed the Old Benin market for furniture, utensils, appliances, wheedling her way down prices offered by haggling salesmen and women (the sanguine igbos amongst them she had had no problems with, being one herself, because she'd known how to maneuver past their sharp-witted, inveigling ways of sales: they'd talk you into confusion with an adopted garrulous strategy, flatter you into submission, skyrocket the prices when they'd managed to pique your interest.)

Classes commenced seven o'clock on Tuesday, and Uche,awake by six, was toweling her body dry, when Huma's text about a hospital visit chimed in. The dour-faced, bespectacled doctor had advised against her demand to be discharged, staring down his protuberant nose as he intoned his diagnosis from a variety of tests: low blood sugar (she wasn't eating), pre hypertensive blood pressure (which he'd told her could turn long term condition if, by her next visit, it hadn't normalized, escalating instead-rest properly), malaria plus two, and something a little extra antibiotics were need for (thanks to the furry, long snouted vermin she'd squashed).

But Uche didn't mention all this, simply texting she'd been cleared, that she was sorry to scare her, to disappoint her father by failing to bring her back on time. Did he get mad? The reply was instant. Nothing of the sort, only worried for her sake, she had fainted after all.

The chat ended after Uche okayed Huma's decision to move in on Saturday, texted the bank account for the split rent payment( a fifty fifty split when it was actually seventy thirty) and hostel requirements (she was to bring the receipt as proof of payment, two passports for when she filled her form, all to be submitted to the main desk). Then she texted Michael, kept him abreast of things.

By Thursday, Uche could feel her body relapse as she led a carpenter into the room to piece together a bed frame for a new mattress she'd reconsidered purchasing when the old appeared oddly out of place with the splashy surrounding.

Before any cozying works, any revamp works were affected, obligation bound tenants consulted Lawrence, the caretaker, first, something she hadn't been aware of and had to await clearance from the clerk at the main office who'd done that on her behalf, letting her off based on "newcomer's ignorance" (Apparently, the resort had its own electricians, carpenters, plumbers, so on and so forth, proficient and trusted).

It had taken almost thirty minutes of conciliating the disgruntled carpenter with a viciously tanned face before the subservient gateman (not the easily cowed Gbenga, he only manned the front gate, not the back) had granted him entry.