THE WORLD OF SOLA- CHAPTER 5
"When the time comes, I will find you a good man to marry," her father had told her the last time she went to the village.
So, Sola had been avoiding men as much as she could. But, that did not stop them from pestering her with their so-called love. She would usually smile and refuse them. But with Tunde, it was different. She could not smile because she knew now that she was terribly in love with him.
Her sleep was not as deep as before, she woke up every now and then.
Once she slept for about an hour and she dreamt of Tunde taking her to the market in her car. At another time. Tunde took her to his parents and kept saying that he loved her, then she woke up again, the night was unusually long and extremely cold so much so that she never winked again until day break.
It was a very bright morning. The sun had just appeared behind the rocky hills that ranged behind the school. The school children hurried along the dusty road as some of them alighted from their parents' car, with their satchels hanging around their shoulders. Their white shirts were tugged inside their khaki shorts as they ran wildly at the early jingle of the morning assembly bell.
The pupils knew that the headmaster, Mr. Noah would never leave latecomers unpunished. Mr. Noah had announced several times that latecomers and truants were his worst enemies. In fact, one of the many posters in his office read “Punctuality is the soul of business. All the pupils and teachers knew that the headmaster was a serious man.
Sola also hurried down to school this morning. Sola smiled repeatedly as she was greeted by the pupils as she hurried along the dusty read. She was greatly loved by all the pupils. On several occasions, she had bought guguru (popcorn) and epa (groundnut) for the hungry pupils who had little food for breakfast. The pupils always struggled with one another over the conveying of her bag to her class. They knew she will give them something to eat. That morning was no exception. She gave out some sweets and biscuits to Taiba who helped her carry her bag to the class.
Gba-un, gba-un, gba-un, it was time for the morning assembly. Everybody hurried to join his or class on the line. The lines were straight and the pupils sung the National Anthem heartily to the obvious satisfaction of Mr. Noah the headmaster After the usual morning prayers, the headmaster made his announcements.
As his voice thundered, everybody was silent and nobody dared to interrupt until he finished his speech. Every one knew how stern and serious Mr. Noah was and Sola's class, (2B) was the neatest in the previous week according to the headmaster. He praised the efforts of the class teacher and remarked that she had always been diligent everybody, including the teachers had to behave well.
Everybody clapped for class two B. Sola felt very proud of her class. It was the fifth time the class came first during the term. Sola had been praying that her class should take the first position every week of the term.
After the assembly, every pupil entered into his or her class and Sola's class had English language as their first lesson. Sola had always been disturbed by the poor academic standard of her class. If this class could perform well academically, I would be the happiest teacher in the school. She thought the standard of English was very poor in the class. She decided to improve that standard.
She promised herself that by the end of the term, her class would be first both in academic and neatness.
Vela Later in the class, she remembered what happened the previous night and wondered how she could explain her behaviour to Tunde without offending him further.
"He will now be thinking that I'm too full of myself. He might even be thinking that I am looking for a richer man to move with. Anyway, it was better not to start anything than causing heartache later," she resolved.
Since that evening, Sola and Tunde avoided each other as much as
possible. Although Tunde was still a regular visitor to Owolabi's house, he would not ask Dele about his aunt's where about. And if they met by accident, they would greet each other icily. Though Tunde was still interested in her; he would not say anything to her. It was better he suffered in silence than get insulted again by the girl, he would say to himself. Sola too, kept her distance from him as much as she could.
One day, Mr. Owolabi came home from the office and went straight to his
wife's shop
"Tunde has had an accident, "he told his wife.
"With his car? Where?" His wife asked. She was terrified. Sola too, could not say anything. She just looked on in terror.
"It's not with his car. With the company's car. He went on tour. The car was hit by one lorry and it somersaulted. Tunde tried to get out and sustained a leg
injury."
'Where is he now?" asked his wife.”
“He's in a hospital in Ilorin here."
They locked up the shop and went home to prepare for the hospital. All this time, Sola did not say anything, but it was obvious that she was restless.
When they were going to the hospital, she offered to go with them. Dele too went with his parents. It took them a long time to locate the ward and bed where Tunde was admitted. When they saw him, they knew that it was not as serious as they first thought. Beside the minor injuries on one of his legs, he was all right. He was only placed on admission for shock.
“How are you, Tunde?” Jacob owolabi greeted him.
“I'm not so bad,” he answered. But Tunde was not looking at the man who greeted him but Sola. He was surprised that she could come to see him. He thought she would just send her greetings through her sister.no
‘Sorry, Tunde. How is your leg?” Mrs. Owolabi greeted him. It was then he realized that Mrs. Owolabi and Dele came too.
“Thanks, ma, I've just had a minor injury on my leg. It would heal up in a short time as no bone was broken. I will be discharged in a few days' time. How now, Dele, you are here too?”'
“Yes Sir," Dele replied. 'Sorry about the accident Sir." Sola too. Mumbled her “sorry”. She was still dazed. Now that she saw him, her mind was at rest a little bit. She had thought that he would be unconscious. They left him after a nurse came and told then to leave their patient and allow him to have some sleep.
Sola was greatly worried after they left the hospital. Though, the accidentnwas not as serious as she first thought, she still wished that nothing more serious would later develop. She wished that Tunde get well soonest. Before going to bed that day, she prayed for him and wished he recovered quickly.