#Maureen - The Meeting

CHAPTER ONE

THE MEETING

EPISODE ONE

Echoesminds. com/Maureen

They say life is a long story about how we died, it truly is, and this is truly a long story of one of the most beautiful, friendly and gorgeous minds ever seen, a mind that ended unexpectedly, unfortunately so soon, sooner than anyone could have ever expected, was the sacrifice worth it? 

“Maureen, do not take a step out of that door, mama asked you to clean the kitchen before leaving, and I will make sure you see to this before you step out”, Debbie insisted, “but you can do that for me and I will help you out in the evening with the dishes, I just need to leave now, I told Sarah I would make it early to her house, so she can help me with the making of my hair before her younger brother returns, please let me go” Maureen insisted holding and pecking Debbie as she spoke and immediately runs out of the house. “Please, watch the road carefully before crossing ooo Idiot”, Debbie screamed out through the window as Maureen rushes out of the compound gate screaming “I love sister, thank you. Silly girl, I know she will not help me out with the dishes in the evening, I have got her already and I have no place to push her to, but I actually love you more little sis Debbie soliloquy as she stepped into the kitchen to do the cleaning her sis as bestowed upon her. 

Echoesminds.com/Maureen

July 22 2005, the very last day of the term, and the beginning of the summer vacation, we in boarding schools are always the last to vacate and very first to resume back to school, it gets me angry at all times whenever I remember this. Going back home is always strange after months away from friends and family, thou I am always happy, but on the other side, I could see my friends stare at me strangely at times like I was not the same person they knew four months ago, but the fact is that I also stare at them the same way. There were no active social networks back then, so we all had to say our goodbyes with hugs, pecks and some with tears, most especially those with crushes, school fathers / mothers or very close friends who will not return to the school next session because they were through with life in secondary school (SS3), phone numbers had to be exchanged so as to keep in touch with one another via text and calls. It was around pass 11am on that sunny but cool Friday, we had just completed that last assembly that usually break a lot of hearts and give a whole lot of students some high blood pressure, the names of the first five and last five of each classes are been called and so are the names of repeaters, hell, that stuff is always a public disgrace, where rank and popularity is been degraded and upgraded.  I could see the grey 2003 Toyota Camry, yes I would recognise it even in my sleep, Its my dads, I couldnt believe it was him, so I had doubt in my heart because if you knew who my father was, an owl is what I would refer him as, I was already used to him coming late at night to pick me up from school, so seeing his car drive down towards the hostel area, I had to sprint my heart out to stop him and it was real, I hopped into the car and in the back seat were some goodies suitable for the stomach. Parle, yeah, that is what I call my dad. “Good morning parle, you are early today”, he opened his eyes wider like are you kidding me of a stuff but then he smiled and said “yes, I did because I have actually got a long journey ahead of me today, so I thought I should come pick you up, drop you home and continue with my own business for the day not having to worry about you as I go on with my own day”. I smiled and reminded him I had a friend who was following us home, well it took us almost thirty minutes to find Wale from the hole he had entered. We left Odogbolu, at around a little pass 12noon, oh, I forgot to mention that the school I speak of is the Federal Government College, Odogbolu in Ogun State, actually the best place to make a child grow strong and wise. Nothing is as interesting as my dad driving you, no no no, it gives me the best of joy, travelling with him is always interesting, he drives really fast and cool just like the fast and furious and he could buy you every single thing you come across on the path to your destination. We got to Bariga, a town in Lagos state very close to the town I live, Oworoshoki at about 1:30pm, dropped Wale off and in less than 15minutes we were home and this is where it all began, stepping out of the car, as I stood across the road, I could see my sister, Sarah with two other ladies laughing, it must be their usual gossiping, “what else ever make ladies laugh out that much”, I thought. I carried my luggage, crossed the gutter and immediately someone grabbed it from me, it was Sarah and she was actually surprised dad brought me home so early, haha, how come, hope all is well, this one dad picked you up from school so early today Sarah said, I smiled and said, he has got lot of plans for the rest of the day, so has not to forget me in school alone, he chose to come early and immediately Sarah and I began to laugh out loud as Debbie kept rubbing my head as she was asking me how the past few months have been, well I didn't give a reply to that, as the past few months have been a whole lot of things, so I didn't know which to really reply with, either good, frustrating, interesting, annoying, lonely, or eventful, and I was also trying to get Debbie's hand off my head. I have known Debbie for years, she has been Sarah's best friend from JSS1 and now they are in SS3, but the other young, sweet lady, Maureen, it was the first time seeing her, she was a wonder, she had on her a very short black gown that showed how long and spotless her legs were, she had a small mouth, ear and eyes, but the eyes were as sharp and bright as crystal, her teeth as white as the Antarctica, set, arranged and smooth as the Chinese's military on parade, she had brown skins that reflects the true beauty of chocolate properly and carefully mixed. That very moment I wonder why she was carefully and so wonderfully made, like there were no single act of mistake on her, she looked so perfect, straight legs, beautiful body size, none bigger than the other, she was a very good example of the beauty that made fallen angels, but immediately I knew she was Debbie's sister, I could see the resemblance. She noticed I was staring and more focused on her than whatever Debbie was saying or doing to me, so before I could even say hello to her, she immediately asked my sister, “is this Samuel or Israel”, “Samuel it is” Sarah replied, smiling. Oh, I forgot to mention it, I had a younger brother who was also in a boarding school, Kings college, Lagos. He is to witness the late pick up from school by dad this time, that I was so sure of. I immediately stretched out my hand to her, as I said “Samuel” gently, looking right into her eyes like I wanted to see all she was and has ever been that very minute. She shook hands with me as she called herself “Maureen”, I could feel the warmth and at the same time the coolness on her palm, that very moment I knew we were going to be best of friends. Yes, that was how we met and began our friendship, in less than a week, we were so close that we discussed virtually everything together, shared our thoughts, kept no secret from one another, she was something different entirely, you can't just get angry at her no matter what, she was calm and playful, she could make you smile with just her presence, she could calm the storms that rages within you with just her touch, she was everything perfect apart from the fact that she could actually trouble life out of you, and says everything she sees as she sees it, not even trying to hide a bit of it. She was the best friend anyone could ever wish for, a true pillar of Joy, she was free and always happy.