Taking Chances – Episode 34

****EPISODE 34****

 

Daisy’s eyes slowly fluttered open, she felt pain diffuse all over her

 

body that instant while her head pounded uncontrollably, her eyes also felt like they would pull off their sockets if she made the slightest move. But she had to get up.

 

A sickening sensation of throwing up assailed her senses, and she couldn’t ignore it even if her body threatened to dislodge.

 

Clutching her pounding fore head, Daisy slowly struggled up, noticing then that the bed she was rising from didn’t look or smell like hers.

 

She glanced frantically around the room, as if to confirm that she

 

wasn’t in her elements. She noticed then, some sheets of paper lying about and the fact that there was no sign of her flower vase or the flower printed wallpaper that hung conspicuously over her bed.

 

Daisy looked up again to verify that the wall paper wasn’t indeed there.

 

But offcourse it wasn’t.

 

Turning around, she collided into the rack containing voluminous and dull-coloured books she didn’t think any serious person would read. But that was her thoughts anyways for she wasn’t your normal ‘bookish’ type.

 

The nauseous feeling of throwing up came stronger now, glancing around she searched for a toilet, bucket, nylon, anything. Why wasn’t she in her room and on her bed anyways! She thought, alarmed.

 

Her wandering eyes soon sighted a door opening, and without any delay she hurried towards it feeling dizzy even as walked. Thankfully, she was lucky.

Stories from Topster–stories

 

Minutes later, Daisy resurfaced, droplets of water dripping down her face while her right hand held on to her forehead like it would drop if she ever let go.

 

Daisy swooned momentarily and felt like she would hit the floor any moment, she staggered back to the bed and lay down ever slowly on it, noticing then that she wasn’t on her nightwear.

 

At first she couldn’t grasp the import of it but gradually, her elusive brain kicked up and soon all the events of yesterday played on bits by bits. *****************

 

Jide came out of the kitchen holding a tea cup steaming with smoke, he walked towards the dining and fixed himself tea, then carried it with the bread and headed for the parlour.

 

Biting into his bread, he glanced at the clock again, the time was quarter to ten. His glance shifted to the curtain leading to the hallway, yet there was no movement.

 

He cursed silently and shook his head. It was finally turning out to be another eventful Saturday, he thought.

 

The Daisy he knew wouldn’t still be in bed by now. It goes to show that she had gulped down large quantity of whatever it was they drank. Ever since he roused, he’d gone to check on her, but each time, she was still fast asleep. Not knowing what else to do, he’d decided to fix the only breakfast he could: Tea.

 

Well don’t blame him, he’d had a pampered childhood regardless of his mother’s death, all thanks to his grandmother.

 

Then again, Daisy’s new behaviour was turning out to be strange and scary, yes scary! He could still bet his two cents that that friend of hers was master mind.

 

The probably the best time was to involve Mama, since she was the only one she (Daisy) listened to.

 

Much as he tried to ignore her and carry on with his former behaviour, he just couldn’t. Instead he wanted his life back, exactly the way he’d been with his family, added to the new and…well, ‘cherished’ adjustment, Daisy.

 

Jide’s mind wandered slowly to the drama of last night, his mind rested on how his heart had raced when she had advanced to kiss him or something, a smile played up on his face then, when he remembered how it ended.

 

‘Funny Sh.i.t’ Jide muttered amused and sipped his tea.

 

 

A noise outside filtered in just then interrupting his reverie. Shaking his head ruefully, Jide decided to seat it out. What was it about noises this days? He wondered.

 

Then, it had been a noise heralding Daisy’s arrogant friend; last night it heralded the homecoming of his drunk wife, now another! Who knows what this particular noise would lead in. Not that he wanted to see anyone anyway.

 

Jide didn’t have to step out to see who the ‘unwelcome’ caller was, for soon he heard a knock, and before he could stand up or make a sound, the caller helped him or herself in.

 

Standing a few inch away from the door and clutching a red purse was Ade. Jide stared with disbelief at this very unwelcomed intruder! Didn’t he ever know when he was needed?

 

‘Hello buddy’ Ade said casually and advanced. ‘I know, I know, you didn’t expect me’ he said drily and winked at Jide ‘but I got every reason to be here now, so lets try tolerate each other’ he completed and slumped into the settee directly opposite Jide.

 

Jide stared at him with a look of hate and surprise and kept at it without the slightest blink or movement.

 

‘Okay! that eyes can sure render me dead if it were a gun’ Ade quipped in breaking the ice that was pervasive in the room.

 

‘I don’t even need a gun to rid off you’ Jide more like whispered between clenched teeth. Then standing up in a flash, he shouted. ‘What the hell are you doing here!’

 

Ade stood up then and put forward the purse he had come with.

 

‘Here, your wife’s companion’ he said grinning.

 

‘And where did you get that?’ Jide said angrily snatching the bag from him. ‘You need a soothsayer to tell you?’ he scoffed ‘My place offcourse!’ he completed and shrugged, ‘what do…’

 

But before he could say more, two hands clutched at his collar, snuffing the breath out of him.

 

Like a flash, Ade couldn’t believe he was gasping for air, his assailant, Jide.

 

‘Like man, let go off me!’ he cried, the words choking him.

 

‘You’ve had this coming like ever since!’ Jide said, his hands holding on tightly.

 

‘I was kid..di..ng’ Ade managed to say as he struggled to yank out the hands causing him so much pain.

 

 

‘Did you say what?’ Jide said, his veins bulging and defining the anger he felt inside.

 

‘Pl..ea..se..’ Ade croaked.

 

Before he could say more, he saw himself tumbling down, luckily unto the settee he’d previously sat on.

 

Ade coughed pathetically, rubbing his aching neck.

 

‘That would teach you a lesson or two!’ Jide cursed pointing at him.

 

‘Is that all you’ve got’ Ade challenged, while trying to stand up.

 

‘Maybe not!’ Jide barked and lurched after him.

 

Just then Daisy surfaced diverting attention to herself.

 

She looked from one man to the other, her hand still on her aching head.

 

It was obviously their noise that had filtered into Jide’s study then.

 

She thought. Without a second glance their way. She hurried in to the kitchen for she was seriously dying of thirst.

 

When she resurfaced, things seem calmer in the parlour, Ade sat nursing his aching neck, his face contorted with pain and anger while Jide pranced about the parlour, his face literally burning red.

 

Daisy felt quite better now but suddenly became aware of how she was dressed, she felt shy and mortified.

 

‘Uhm…my…door…is…locked and…I’d…like to freshen up or something’ she stuttered feeling foolis.h too.

 

Jide shook his head in angry abandon and shot her a deadly look. Daisy immediately felt that old fear creeping in.

 

‘Are you not sober enough to know where you kept your keys?’ Jide barked. Shaken slightly by his tone she shook her head vigorously. ‘I…was…with…it…in…my…purse..at…at’ ‘At his house!’ Jide cut in angrily.

 

Daisy glanced from one man to the other in confusion. What house? She thought. ‘Don’t be so st.upid Jide!’ Ade cut in angrily and slowly stood up ‘I was kidding about that’

 

‘I only went to the club with Bree and then some lady came…’

 

‘That lady was Grace’ Ade cut in ‘and really! am tired of your attitude’ he shouted at Jide.

 

‘Then stay away!’ Jide countered facing him squarely, ready for another round of fist flexing if it eventually got to that.

 

‘…That lady was all over me…Then Bree came, a fight…and…he..he

 

 

took me home, I must have forgotten my purse somewhere…’ Daisy blabbed on, oblivious to the brewing fight.

 

She was bent on figuring where she’d left her key so as to get out of this dress that oozed badly.

 

Jide shot Daisy another angry look.

 

‘Isnt that the purse of yours?’ he barked pointing at it.

 

Daisy saw the ‘piece of trouble’ then seating calmly on a settee and immediately went over, grabbed it and made for her room. Stopping briskly to mutter a ‘thank you’ to Ade before she disappeared. She remembered clearly all that had transpired between them yesterday.

 

‘You see? some people know how to appreciate kindness when they see one’ Ade said after she left, staring angrily at Jide.

 

‘You should consider it kindness, that I didn’t draw blood from your despicable lips’ he spat back moving towards Ade.

 

Ade shifted back then, holding up his two hands in an effort to restrain him. ‘I get it! Am leaving, it’s your territory, so you can act up’ he said and started walking away.

 

‘Yeah! Get the mess outta my house!’ Jide shouted at his retreating figure.

 

Once Ade left, Jide kicked a stool and slumped unto the settee.

 

He hadn’t understood a thing of what Daisy or Ade had said. All he’d deciphered

 

was some ramblings about Grace, club and Some female named Bree or whatever.

 

It was plain clear that he’d have to take charge else he would be the loser at the end

 

of the game this people were playing. Mama really had to call her pet to order else

 

he’d be forced to take actions!

 

What actions? He asked himself.

 

Whatever action there is to be done, He answered. But what he so wanted was a chance to correct his mistakes, be happy for once and get his life back. How hard could that be? Jide wondered resignedly. ****************

 

 

 

TAKING CHANCES