At the end of the first semester, the Quakers started leaving the college.
Ayo drove Mandy, Megan, Skylar, Avery and Ifes in Ifes' car while Ian drove Ryan, Hunter, Anne-Marie and Bradley in Hunter's car. Ayo and Ian were added with the responsibility of safely driving the cars back to the college. They helped the travelers to offload their luggage before bidding them farewell.
As they darted to the lobby where the duo stopped following the travelers, Ayo stepped in to walk beside Ifes.
"So, I won't be seeing you after sometime?" Ayo asked.
"Yeah!" Ifes grinned up at him.
"And Mandy."
Her grin broadened. "I was just waiting for you to mention that name."
"You know how special she is to my heart."
"Yes, but you still declined her invitation to come along with us. She felt bad, you know."
"I know, and I already said my apologies. I believe she understood."
What can a girl who is in love possibly understand? Ifes wondered. Maybe, just maybe someday she would probably find real love and know how it felt. But for now, she wasn't ready. No, no! Not after what she had seen with Mandy and Ayo.
Ayo's voice broke her chain of thoughts. "I know you disapprove of my not coming along with you, but you've also got to understand, Ifes."
Ifes scoffed. "What I approve or disapprove doesn't count in this case. It's between you and Mandy."
"Yes, I know. I pondered over my decision carefully, you know." Ayo shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. "Mandy is beautiful. I mean, very beautiful! When I saw her the other day at your birthday party, it was all I could do to prevent myself from proposing to her already. It took an ounce of willpower for me not to do so. If I come along with you guys, I might not be able to restrain myself any longer."
Ian turned and gave Ayo a signal he was familiar with. Ayo nodded affirmatively and tilted his gaze back to Ifes.
"What was that?" Ifes asked
"It's nothing much. Ian was just telling me that we should leave soon."
"Oh! I see you two seem to be getting along just fine."
"Yeah, and the man is cool."
Ayo gazed solemnly at Ifes. " You and I know that Mandy needs you now more than me?"
"Yes."
"So, take good care of her for me, will you?"
"I'll try my best!" Ifes answered delightedly as though she was just elected the president of the country.
"Also remember the most important thing—Christ! Teach her about Christ till her heart swells with it. Her soul is more important than my love for her."
"Oh, Ayo!" Her knuckles brushed his arm. "I'll do it."
After the conversation, Ian and Ayo ambled out of the airport's lobby. The duo cast one last glance at the ladies they both loved but had not told.
Anne-Marie and Mandy didn't look eager to go either.
Ian was now in his fourth and final year; Anne-Marie was not certain of the future. He would soon be graduating and he would leave her all alone in this college. "No! That mustn't happen."
"Oh, Lord! Please make this fast. I'm not sure how much time we have again!" Ayo prayed concerning Mandy.
"What is it, Alex? What is happening?" Ian's question made him realise that he had voiced out his innermost heartcry.
"Ha! N–nothing." Ayo shook his head.
"But you don't look ok, budd!"
Ayo forced a smile. "Don't worry, I'll be just fine." And he would be fine indeed.
"You sure you don't want to talk?"
"Positive."
"Alright then, but I'm around anytime you decide to change your mind."
"Thanks man." Ayo darted away from Ian to Ifesinachi's car.
A week later, it was just three days to Mandy's twentieth birthday. She and Ifes made earnest preparations, checking every detail to ensure that everything turned out perfect.
But since that morning, Mandy had been feeling uneasy. She and Ifes were supposed to go shopping for a few more things for the event, which, of course, she was supposed to be excited about. But no! Something, something else pricked her heart. But what was it?
That was the problem—she didn't know. Ifes said to pray each time she felt uneasy, she tried to pray but didn't know what to say.
Her phone chimed, she picked it up from her side stool and stared at the caller ID.
Seeing her Father's name, something inside her stirred up an alarm of panic. "Oh, Lord! What has happened to my daddy?" Was her father the reason for the chill that ran down her spine? No, he couldn't be!
Hands trembling, Mandy tapped on the green circle of her phone and slowly drew it up to her ear. "H–hello!"
"Hi, my pumpkin!"
Relief surged all over her body upon hearing her father's lively voice. "Is that you, Dad?"
"Yes, were you expecting someone else's call?"
Mandy let out her breath, that was when she realised she had been holding it. "No Dad. In fact, your call was a relief." Mandy said those words before she thought better of it.
"What happened? Did anything go wrong with you or your friend?" Mr Jonathan asked quickly.
"No, nothing. I just missed you, Dad."
"That makes the two of us." Mandy could hear Mr. Jonathan chuckling from his tone of voice. "And that was why I called, Pumpkin."
Mandy had forgotten what plagued her heart. "So, when are we expecting you home, Dad?"
"I should be back after work hours."
"Okay, you better do, I don't want you feeling too stressed out, old man."
"Oh! well, let me remind you that I'm a young boy still in my mid-forties, widowed with a beautiful daughter."
Mandy smiled and winced almost immediately at her father's remark. She prayed she had not aroused any memory her dad had buried. She still missed her mother; she always would.
Jonathan spoke as though he perceived what was in her heart. "My dear, do not worry your heart. Your mother was a blessing from God and I will always miss her. But I'm glad she's in a happy place, smiling down at us."
Mandy bit her lips.
"And you better cheer up, I don't want Oretha and Jason scolding me from heaven for not taking good care of you."
Mandy grinned. "Alright Dad. Please remember to get me a box of chocolate on your way back."
Her father protested. He had bought some chocolate for her a couple of days back. "You know too much sugar intake is not good for your health, little one!"
"But you know you have to take care of me. I'm just asking for a box of chocolate, not a whole truck of it," Mandy insisted in a baby voice.
Unwilling to continue bantering with his daughter, Jonathan resigned. "Alright I'll get it for you." He could hear her squeal. He quickly added, "But don't expect any more this month again."
"We'll see about that."
Alright, got to go now. I love you, Pumpkin."
"I love you too, Dad." Mandy pressed the end button on her phone and gently tossed it back to the side stool.
The same trepidation she felt prior to her dad's call had returned with full force. And this time, it tore into her soul. Okay, it wasn't her dad, so what was it now?
After showering and dressing up, Ifes scurried downstairs to go out with her friend for shopping. "I'm sorry I took so long. I was trying out different clothes."
"Well, you are here now, so shall we?" Mandy said and they both picked up their purses and went out of the apartment building to the garage.
They entered the car, closed the door, and Mandy couldn't slip the key into the ignition. What was this trouble that played her heart? She tried praying about it but again; the words would not come. Finally; she resigned. "I don't feel like going out shopping again today."
Ifes fastened her eyes on Mandy. "So, where do you want to go?"
"Don't know." Mandy ran her hands through her hair in frustration. "Anywhere. Anywhere but the shopping mall."
Yet somewhere in her heart, a still small voice whispered Skylar's name. Was that it? Had she been the reason for her trepidation?
"Yes, Skylar! Let's go to Skylar's place."
"Alright, Skylar's it is," Ifes said and the duo drove out of the mansion.