Dare the Truth: Episode 9 by Ngozi Lovelyn O.

Oluba never stopped calling Grace that night. And because of that, she was forced to answer his call, to tell him to stop draining her phone battery.

"Oluba, please, stop disturbing yourself, I said let's talk some other time"

"Grace, I am sorry if I got you angry, believe me, it wasn't my intention to. This is the reason why I found it hard to open up to you concerning my feelings. I never expected you to give me an answer immediately. Just take your time OK. I have this strong believe that we are truly meant for each other. My coming to your village was not for Nana, its for you. It was all designed by God to reunite us again. I just wish you will say 'yes' to my proposal because that will make me the most happiest man on earth...... Hello, are you there?" Oluba asked Grace, who was quiet, listening to all he was saying.

And she replied in a low soft tone: "Yes, I am here"

"Ow, just that you were so quiet. Ok Grace, I want you to give this a deep thought, remember how we used to go to school together? How you used to share your lunch with me whenever my late mother prepared a food that I don't like, you remember or sometimes, we exchange our meals? We were so fond of each other then, why can't we transfer that friendship to an everlasting relationship? I have known you enough, just that your youthful age was spent in my absence, but I know that, you are still that God fearing Grace we knew back then in secondary school. Give me a chance in your life, I will make you happy forever. I love you Grace, and I promise to love you forever" Oluba's words were melting Grace's heart.  She found his words echoing from the depth of the earth, it was ringing loudly in her ear, showering a new feeling of love in her life.
An inner peace of joy began washing her heart.
"Why am I feeling this way? See how I'm enjoying Oluba's soft romantic words. I like Oluba, just as a friend, but hearing him say he " love me" altered the already existing feelings, and making way for a new feeling of immense love." She said in her heart and journeyed through a wishful thinking of where she and Oluba were getting married. She even lost herself in the sweet thought.
Oluba who was still on the orher end, began repeating "hello", to know if she was still listening to him, but she did not say anything. He then decided to end the call, thinking that Grace was upset with what he was saying.

Nana, was sitting on the bed, hiding her feelings, waiting for Grace to finish answering the call to know what Oluba discussed with her. "I just pray she doesn't accept his proposal." She said looking at Grace, who was looking at a fixed direction, looking lost in deep thought.
"But why is she like that? Are they still talking?" She said, rising up to find out why Grace was like that. She then tapped her, and Grace was brought back to reality.

"What happened, have you forgotten you were speaking with Oluba on the phone?" Nana asked in a low faint tone

And Grace set the phone on her ear, to continue with the discussion but found out that he had disconnected the call.
"Ow, he hung up? What happened? Let me call him back." Grace said, trying to dial Oluba's number

"Call him back, but why?" Nana asked

Grace then looked at Nana's eyes for few seconds, she stood and held her on the hands and asked: "Nana, you promised me that, you won't be mad at me if I accept Oluba's proposal, right?"

"Ye.....s, I said that, bu.. "
Nana couldn't finish her statement and Grace cut in.

"Nana, I don't know that, it will be happening so fast. I think I have fallen in love with him. I don't know how it happened, he took me down memory lane, and unlocked the sweet moments we spent together when we were still young, and it channelled my heart to a new mature feeling of love. Nana, I think I will be happy with Oluba. Let me rush and tell my mother about this. I am sure she will be happy that I will be finally getting married" Grace said running out to share the good news with her mother.

"What? What did I just hear? No no no! This can't be happening. Grace want the whole village to laugh at me. So Oluba will come for her, shower her with his love and money and also buy her a car? No, I'm the one who should be enjoying all these and not her. Not that outrageous girl. What does Oluba saw in her anyway? She is ugly and unfashionable. I need to call my mother now"

In the first dial, the mother answered the call.
"Mummy, it has happened. Mummy, do you hear me, it has happened" Nana said softly, crying.

"Nana, what is it? Why are you crying?"

"Mummy, Oluba has proposed to Grace"

"What? You see how conniving Patience and her daughter are? So she exposed you for Oluba to marry her daughter, instead? And is that why you are crying?" Chibugo asked

"Mummy, I don't have the face to carry the shame. Who will marry me again? The promiscuous girl who was dumped for her cousin, who is a saint. I will be severely taunted, I will be mocked and sneered at. Mummy, I can't believe that Grace could accept to marry Oluba. She promised me earlier that she won't have anything to do with him, only to change her mind all of a sudden. Mummy, you will have to do something and prevent this from happening."

"You are right Nana, you know that Oluba is very rich, he will be coming to see Grace's parents anytime. So you will have to do yourself a favour. Make her delay inviting him over, in that way, I will have enough time to make all the necessary arrangements."

"But Mummy, what am I going to do? Right now, no idea on my mind."

"Nana, you are tense, that's why. So I want you to stop crying, relax an idea will come, Ok"

"OK Mummy, I will try."

"Yes, you need to do it. Make Grace delay him from coming over, while I come up with a tangible plan that will destroy all the image Grace has. She think she is a saint. I will make her look worse. So don't worry, Oluba won't humiliate us. That can never happen"

"OK, I think I know what to do now. I have to disconnect the call and see what is happening in the living room."

"OK, and listen. You have to be extra smart" Chibugo advised

"Alright Mummy, we will talk later"

Patience wasn't so happy with the news. She gave her facts of how people will react if they find out that the same man who jilted her cousin was the man who was coming to marry her.
"But Mummy, forget about what people will think or say, what matters is what Nana thinks. And she has given me her consent. I told you she has a large heart. I tried making Oluba understand that, she has changed, but he told me clearly that he is no longer in love with her, that he is in love with me, instead. And Nana is not furious about it, she is happy"

"But still, that doesn't change anything. People will now think that you intentionally did what you did just to have Oluba to yourself."

"But you know Oluba has been my friend since childhood? I like him, and I don't even care what people will say about it, since my hand is clean. I never had the intention of having him all to myself when I was exposing Nana's promiscuous nature.  And my maker will also bear me witness that I tried making Oluba understand that Nana has truly changed. So to me, Nana's feeling is what is the most important to me, and since she gave me a go ahead order, any other person's decisions remains invalid."

"But Grace".....

"No but, Mama. You have to stop all these unnecessary fear. I don't like it'

And just then, Nana joined them in their discussion.
"Mama Grace. Why are you worrying yourself over nothing? Allow them be. Oluba deserves someone better and Grace is so perfect for him. So relax, don't worry about me. I am so happy for them. Though, I won't say that I'm not feeling bad at the moment, but it's OK, at least I'm happy he is marrying my cousin. So don't worry, Mama Grace" Nana said, smiling assuring them that she was not feeling bad.

And Patience was deeply touched.
He ran Nana's hair with her right palm and said: "My daughter, it is well with you. May you forever be happy. And don't worry, soon, your own man will come your way, OK?"
And Nana nodded.

And she then looked at Grace and said :"Now, lover girl, come to the room, I have one or two things to reveal to you about Oluba"

"Really?"

"Yes, come" Nana said, faking a smile: "Yes, Grace, I know you will accept all the things I will tell you now. With this, Oluba will begin changing his mind towards marrying you. He will start asking himself, if he is truly sure that you can meet the standard of being his wife." Nana said in her heart, drawing plans of making Oluba start having a double mind about marrying Grace.

To be continued

The author or Dare the Truth is Ngozi Lovelyn O.

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