The school fees issue turned Titi's family and mine to family friends. I spent more time in her house than mine. Her house became my mood swing antitode. Anytime we closed from school ,we would go to her house together until my mother or driver would come to pick me in the evening. I preferred to starve or drink cassava flakes in her house to delicacies awaiting me at home.
Well, my frequent visitation to their house brought about positive financial turn around to their family. A week would never pass by without my mother sending at least twenty thousands naira to her parents.
One day, Titi came to school very dejected. She was not her normal self. As a challenged child I am, I could only give facial concern but couldn't ask her what the problem was. She noticed me, faked a smile and assured me everything will be okay. There was more to her sadness but I will like to reveal it in the concluding part of this story.
Some weeks later, Titi, her father, mother and siblings traveled out to America. I know by now, you will be wondering how a very wretched family traveled to the God owned country within weeks. Well ,I enjoy the curiosity written all over your face. I am keeping the answer to your question till the concluding part.
Only people deported from abroad back to Nigeria would know exactly how I felt when this wonderful family left me to America unannounced. Yes, you heard me right ,UNANNOUNCED! It was like my world was crashing under my feet. I lost appetite for food for like two months. My world became meaningless. All persuasion from my parents proved abortive. I lost all my drawing materials from one issue that had to with Titi's traveling (sorry, I won't be tempted to tell you. I still maintain my stand that you will get to know in the concluding part). My parents bought me more expensive drawing materials to cheer me up but it was like gifting beautiful lady to a 'straight man'.
Since Titi's departure, my father would always take me along to any of his outing. He was doing this so that I could forget totally about her.
One day, the first lady of our state came to commission a project in our town. My father was invited as a special guest and I was opportune to follow him.
As the first lady was giving her speech, I was busy drawing her. Luckily for me, I finished the drawing before she finished the speech. Changing her posture from standing to sitting would have spoilt my work. I headed to where she was sitting to show her my painting but was stopped by the security guards. Sighting me, she ordered the security guards to allow me to come to her. Guess I once told you even the pebbles by the road side has a reason for being there? I think that was the first time I was privileged to be an imbecile.
Her Excellency smiled and asked if I had any gift for her. I showed her my painting and she was wowed. She almost broke down in tears. She wondered how a challenged child like me could make her painting within few minutes. Something happened later but I don't know if I should say it was a sad or good news for my parents.......
The First Lady begged my father to allow me to be staying with her. He accepted reluctantly since he couldn't say no to her excellency, especially in the presence of our King.
Few years after my arrival in the governor's house, Titi and her parents arrived back in the country. I later heard they arrived as a very rich family. Unknown to me ,Titi had gone to check on me in our house but our gateman denied her access to the house neither did he tell her where I was living. He was acting on my parents' order anyway. Why Titi was received with hostility in our house was uncleared to her and myself until the incident that later happened.
I was in my room one day when the first lady rushed in. She said they called her that Titi was between life and death and for her to live, she must see me within two hours .
Alas! Before they could reach the first lady on phone, some seconds or minutes, probably hour has already been wasted and they were still in our town.
What really happened that led to Titi seeing me before she could be freed? Did they make it to me before the two hours lapsed? Was Titi eventually saved? Stay tuned as we go together to the next episode.
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