“Grace,”

A woman in her late sixties, who was a short and mature lady, came up to Grace. She had her natural hair braided in shuku and a suited dark-brown skirt and jacket. While Grace wore a pink turtle's neck short-sleeved shirt and slim jean trousers with a pair of white sneakers to fit.

“Mrs. Njoku,” she replied with a flashy smile.

“Grace, are you ready to fully hold a class?” Mrs. Njoku suddenly brought up and confusion struck Grace as she wondered why she asked.

“It’s been a while since you’ve worked here at Ability Primary and Secondary School as an assistant class teacher, and I think you should get promoted. Perhaps you are very good with children. If not for educational qualifications, you are far better than the secondary school teachers working in this academy.”

“Ma.” Tears filled her eyes as her lips pressed into a big, bright smile. “This means a lot. I wasn’t expecting this.”

“Yes, I told you beforehand. I’ll make an announcement at the assembly on Monday. You’re to take Basic 6. I’ve informed the headteacher so there’s nothing to worry about. We will increase your salary by #20,000. I’m sure you are ready for this.”

“Yes, I am. I’m out of words right now,” Grace gushed, almost blinking out in tears. “Thanks so much, ma.”

“Congratulations, Grace!” The school principal stretched her right hand forward for a handshake, but Grace wrapped her arms around Mrs. Njoku to give her a big hug.

“Thank you, Mrs. Njoku!” Grace pulled out of the hug, still gripping the elder woman by her arms. “Thanks for training me over the years.”

It’s been two years since Grace got a job at Ability School. It is one of the best private schools in Abuja, known for its excellent performance. The school was owned by Mrs. Pamela Njoku, a very kind and transparent woman. 

“You deserve it, grace. Just keep up with the good work. If Adanna was like you, I would have worried less about running this school.”

“Are you gossiping about me, mum?” Adanna butts in from behind.

"It baffles me how you listen when I speak about you from behind, and pay a deaf ear when I speak to you. Mrs. Njoku ducked her lips and nodded her head negatively at Adanna’s baloney. You should better learn from your friend.” Mrs. Njoku yanked her daughter by the ear.

Adanna pulled away playfully. “You should give her a bigger position, mum, apart from being a teacher.”

"What do you mean?"

“Mr Tubosun, the school headteacher, isn’t functioning. Plus, he is a part-time teacher in three other schools. Why don’t you make Grace the assistant headteacher? It only makes sense that way!”

“Ada." Grace tapped her by the hand and she jerked.

“Will you allow me to speak, or will you miss this opportunity? It’s not as if you can’t do his job.”

“You’re only good at pushing people’s jobs on other people’s heads. What about you being the assistant head teacher?”

“I don’t want to!” Adanna objected.
“I can’t run a class properly, let alone a school. Perhaps I’m only serving at your school from the prime time, and not a permanent teacher. A nurse belongs to the hospital.”

“I’ll be a full-time class teacher now,” Grace whispered in enthusiasm. Joy was written all over her face.

“Wow, that’s great news!” Adanna wrapped her arms around Grace and lifted her with excitement. “We need to celebrate it tonight!

“Let go of me!” Grace jokingly pulled off her grip.

“We need to go now, Mum,” Ada told Mrs. Njoku.

“Just go,” she ordered.

“Bye, ma!” Grace bade as Adanna dragged her away.

Watching the two ladies play like children made the principal laugh to herself.

Once they got home, Adanna sat Grace down and brought out an orange juice from the icy refrigerator in their one-room, self-contained apartment. Both girls live together, and they are doing well, supporting each other. Like sisters. Only Adanna was average height, fair, and plummy, while Grace was slim, tall, and dark in complexion. Placing the juice and cups on a small tray, Adanna poured it into two different glass cups and served Grace.

“This is heavenly,” Grace muttered as she emptied the fruity content down her dry throat. “Hmm...”

Adanna brought out her phone and leaned towards her friend. “I was scrolling through my Facebook page earlier and I saw this on Ore’s profile.”

It was a photograph of a pretty lady giving her boyfriend a side hug. Ore looked rather excited too. He grabbed her by the waist.

“Who is she?” Grace, who wasn’t paying attention, turned to Adanna with squinted eyes. Then she took hold of Adanna’s phone from her, gaping at the picture on her boyfriend’s post.  “I’ve never seen her before.”

“You’re asking me, Idiot!” Adanna hissed. “Is he my boyfriend?”

Grace gave her a sorry sight. And handed Adanna back her phone.

“What’s on your mind?” her slim eyebrows quirked.

“I don’t know.” A wave of doubt crashed over Grace, leaving her paralyzed in shock. Her body posture held back, and her jaws slacked. Unable to form any words or thoughts. “I don’t want to have negative thoughts, so... I’ll pretend I didn’t see it.”

“What? Don’t tell me you’ll turn a blind eye, Grace! Ask him. Just ask him who the lady is!”

“Ugh! For goodness' sake.” Grace sizzled in frustration. “It’s not as if I caught them making out in bed.”

“It’s not until you catch them in bed, honey.” Adanna picked up Grace’s phone and unlocked its password.

“What are you doing on my phone? Don’t call him!” Grace’s voice heightened.

Ada had already pressed the call button, and she placed it on speaker, while it vibrated. Grace scorned her friend and collected her phone from her. She waited eagerly as Ore answered the call.

“Hello, babe.”

“Hello, dear.” Grace pulled out of the bed and walked to the window side, somewhere close to the bed. “Are you at work now? I mean, are you busy?” she asked in concern.

“No, not really.” His voice sounded rather flat over the voice. ‘He must be busy on his computer.’ Grace guessed.

A tired heave escaped her lips. “Are you free tonight? It’s been a while since we last met.”

“Oh, that’s true.” Ore agreed. “I’ve been occupied recently, but I’ll drop by later in the evening. Let’s meet at 8:00 p.m. Under the mango tree, we usually meet.”

“Okay. See you later.” Grace ended the call with her eyes on Ada, who blushed vividly at her.

“You see, that’s sort out. It’s been three years of dating Ore. Isn't it high time you settle down with him?”

“I haven’t started university, Ada. And you want me to settle down without a degree?" Grace rolled her eyes at her roommate who was already a registered nurse. “Just thank God for yourself.”

“Come on, Grace! It’s not as if you’re an illiterate. Who cares about certificates? As long as you have a reliable job.” Ada shrugged and sighed. “Ore is a graduate now. Talk to him tonight. Three years no be child's play. You need to ask him tonight what you are to him, understood?”

“Okay.”

Later that evening, Grace made her mission to the towering mango tree. The weather was chilly, as it was the rainy season. Up close, she saw other trees bowing in honor of the monument, as its branches stood firm against the elements and its leaves were broad and embracing. Grace sat at a cold stone, by the cemented root of the mango tree, waiting for the prince of her heart.

She picked up her phone and scrolled through. About to call him, an idea peeped in her mind. And she decided not to. It was 8:20 p.m. Alone, watching vehicles passing on the distant road. Her heart felt like it had stopped beating as she patiently waited in the cold.

‘If he didn’t come by 9:00 p.m., is just go home.’ Grace stated with disappointment.

The dried brown leaves, the rotten ripe mangos, and the freshly sucked mango seeds scattered around irritated Grace a little, but the sweet mango scent of the sturdy tree and their privacy were a perfect spot for meditation.

Looking at her gallery, she saw a picture of Oreoluwa, and it reminded her of when they first met.

Three years ago, when Grace got shot at the incident by the third police officer, the gunshot stumbled over her to the back and she fell into a gutter. Unaware that it hid her from the scene.

A man on his motorcycle who witnessed the accident watched the ambulance take the wealthy-looking guy, and two police officers shot him in the leg. Once they all left, he found Grace lying by a pool of blood in the gutter.

Unconscious.

Oreoluwa, a 29-year-old handsome man who had always been confident, stood frozen with uncertainty. His body shook and his legs trembled when he got to Grace.

“Oh goodness! She needs immediate treatment.” Ore pulled her out and rushed her to the nearby government hospital.

The night was dark, silent, and cold. It was 11:35 p.m. at the time. The hospital was a grave when he stormed in. As if no one lived there, his voice echoed in the space, and the sleepy reception nurses on duty turned on their tiny torch lights.

“Is there any doctor here, please? There’s a patient here. She was attacked on the road!”

The reception nurse called the sleepy nurses, and they brought out a bed for her. There was no doctor on duty that day, but luckily, the nurses were skilled enough to take out the bullet stuck in her back. It was very late that night, and there was no petrol in the hospital's generator.

“Treat her with special care, please. She got shot trying to save a man, ma.” Ore pressed, sweating from head to toe. His trembling body covered with blood stains was a terrible sight to witness.

“Don’t worry, we will take the bullet and arrange for first aid, but the doctor will be here by 5:00 a.m.,” one nurse clarified. “Are you the family of the patient? What’s her name?” she asked, scribbling down the details.

“No, I’m not. I am just a stranger who witnessed the accident.” He pressed, hoping the nurse would understand him. “The incident must have caused her injury somewhere too because their car tumbled.”

“Calm down, sir! I’ll do a radiography on her. Contact the patient’s family immediately so they will know,” the concerned nurse added. As she picked up her phone to dial the doctor’s contact. The doctor scheduled for duty went on a trip, and the replacement never showed up. He wasn’t picking up his call, either.

“Register her over there, okay?” she directed him to the receptionist. “A card is #1,000.”

“Okay nurse, thanks! I’ll stay behind till morning.” Ore explained to the nurse.

That night, he did the registration and spent the night worrying about Grace.

The thought brought a small smile to Grace’s face as she waited alone in the silence.

Author's note

Hello readers!

Many of us never expected Grace to find another man that same night she had an accident, right? Well, she did and they fell in love. I know this story might not be what you expected, but I will advise you to read on. Hang on for the unexpected happens when you least predict it. I wanted to know if this chapter is too long or short for you. What count would you prefer?