All Chapters of Letter Days: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ 25, Samantha street,Aninri, Enugu state.28th March, 1983.Dear sister,How are you doing? I heard you are now learning tailoring at our neighbour's. This is great news! You are already getting matured. Dinma, I am at crossroad and really need your advice right now. It's about Jideze and to be honest,  I don't know what else to do. Have you ever been in a situation where your best friend is in love with you? I guess this is the problem people face when they make the opposite sex their best friends.I have two best friends Dinma, and both have deserted me. I am sure you have heard about Chinaza,  I told mother about her - that is one best friend  but the other is Ifeanyi.  Dinma, what should I do now that Ifeanyi loves me?

Ifeanyi laid on his cold bed watching the ceiling which had become so interesting the past few minutes. A month had gone by yet he hadn't gotten over his heartbreak. He wondered why he was just so unfortunate when it came to love. It was like he was incapable of being loved by a woman.   Every relationship had been a total failure. It was funny he wasn't used to the pain despite his consistent heartbreak; instead, it looked like the pain gratified ten thousand folds each heartbreak.  This was his third attempt in love and like the usual, he had been shattered to pieces again.   Why were they all playing with his heart? Why was he being jolted this way? Was he their play thing? Was he cursed?  Ifeanyi shifted uncomfortably on the bed as a tear rolled out of his eye. He let out a bitter laugh as the tear dropped on his bed. A month had gone, yet he was still crying. What a softball, he thought.  Ad

Everyone was exceedingly glad at the turn out of events for Obiageli and Ifeanyi. Chinaza had been overjoyed immediately she heard the news and had pulled Obiageli into a very tight hug. The workers from the factory had been pleased too though they didn't say a word, merely seeing Ifeanyi joining the table once again and being his normal self was something worth celebrating. Even Adaobi had surprised Obiageli with a hug while she was doing the dishes. Everyone was really happy and Obiageli was pleased. Pa Nonso  had even teased them with marriage. Though she had not said the words,  it was clear they were now in a relationship_ a serious one at that. Obiageli loved the way Ifeanyi's face lighted up each time he saw her. She loved the way he treated her with so much care and respect. It was just as Jideze's treated her only that it was much more different - different in a way she couldn't understand. She felt a

Obiageli had been in the kitchen when Chinaza placed a card on her lap. She picked the card up and inspected it; as expected, it was a wedding invitation card. Obiageli looked immediately to a smiling from ear to ear Chinaza. She got up immediately and threw her arms around her. "Congratulations, Chi! Big big congratulations!" She rocked Chinaza in her arms."Thank you, sis. Thank you so much." Chinaza replied; happiness and excitement laced in her voice. Obiageli pulled her from her embrace only to hug her tightly again. This made Chinaza giggle as she returned the fierce hug. Obiageli picked the invitation card again; accessing it once more. It was packaged in a ribboned decorated envelope,  she opened it and there she saw:♡ ♡ ♡The families ofMr and Mrs Chukwuemeka Onuoha&Mr and Mrs Felix Arinzerequests the pleasure of your presence at

The day of the white wedding came and Obiageli could feel Chinaza's nervousness.  She had rubbed her back to soothe her and it did work. Chinaza's wedding gown was a beauty to behold. It was long sleeved with beautiful white ribbons on it. She looked like an angel in it. Her hair was turned into jerry curls and light makeup was applied on her face.Johnson's sister had applied a glossy liquid on her lips. She had called it lip gloss and Obiageli had wanted to try some. It smelt and tasted like apple; Obiageli licked them off before  the wedding started.However, Johnson's sister had applied some more but not without scolding Obiageli for turning the gloss into candy. Obiageli wondered what a candy meant.  Johnson's sister was filled with strange words; she acted and spoke strangely too. A car was sent to pick Chinaza from the family house to the church. Chinaza, accompanied with her brides

Just as Obiageli had thought, work never remained the same. It was like she was in an entirely different place. The canteen felt different due to Chinaza's absence.  It was not the same without her. Florence had been asked to work with her until a new person was employed  to replace Chinaza. The white blackboard which had led Obiageli to the canteen, was brought out and placed in front of the canteen. Her boss had written on it: "Waitress Needed", just as it had been written when she had first seen it. Everything screamed Chinaza's absence. It was unnerving. The window of the kitchen which Chinaza opened widely each time she came was slightly opened; not as wide as Chinaza did.  The mug which she had tagged hers was upside down; just the way she had left it. The table gathering was not the same too. There was no one to argue with them as they read the daily paper. Ac

Ever since Ifeanyi left,  Obiageli knew things would never be the same anymore; not only for her but for others too. It was a new year and things had changed drastically. Their once organized clique had begun to fall apart as people were leaving.Somto had left for Lagos since his five years contract had ended - she would have gone too with Ifeanyi had such tragic incident not happened. Mr Nwokocha had gotten a new job away from the factory and Adaobi had gone back to her home town - this happened after she broke up with her boyfriend.Obiageli had wondered what possible thing would have led to their break up.  They were always a sweet couple; moving together and clinging to each other - they were the perfect couple. It was strange their sudden breakup.Obiageli had asked Adaobi about it once but she simply told her the relationship wasn't working anymore. From the way she had spoken, Obiageli discovered she was deeply aff

Obiageli had always said: When you least expect it, it happens.  This was quite true for it was when she least expected it, it happened.   She was in the kitchen one morning, transferring the assorted meals she and the seductress: Monica - mostly she - had prepared into large coolers; Monica had gone to take orders from the waiting customers. They had just opened and customers were trooping in like soldier ants.   Monica returned with a paper where she had written down the orders of people. Obiageli began to dish their foods out in ceramics plates only for her to look up and see that Monica had gone back to meet the customers. She sighed; deeply exasperated as she wiped the sweat from her forehead. She couldn't understand why the young girl kept getting on her nerves despite her various attempt to tolerate her. Things had always gone well while Chinaza worked; Chinaza was cooperative. 

She nodded at him and watched as his smile grew bigger. He gestured to the door, bowing his head slightly. She obliged and walked out wondering why he was acting like all was well between them when the reverse was the case; they had tons of things to discuss about.He directed her to two empty chairs at the far end of the canteen and she humbly sat down on one. He took the other and smiled at her again. His smile was provoking her; there was nothing to smile about so she wondered where his amusement ignited from.Monica walked to them and asked for their orders. Obiageli's jaw dropped as she watched in awe. She knew Monica would never do this for free; she knew something was up."I'll take a bottle of drink." He told her gesturing for Obiageli to say hers."I'll take nothing." Obiageli said at last and the young girl nodded and left. The food which he had ordered earlier was in front of him so

Ever since the day Obiageli met Jideze, she had never been herself. She was lost in thought almost every time; drifting off at any slightest chance she got. She kept convincing herself that she did the right thing by accepting Jideze. Jideze was her boyfriend of so many years.She had known him for years and he had proven to be just the ideal man for her. He was like an iron that had passed through fire and brimstone yet came out strong and unmoved. She knew he loved her just as he had loved her before. He was everything she was not. He was faithful and trustworthy; she was unfaithful and disgusting. She was glad that he had finally achieved his dream. His boss had shown him kindness and had decided to settle him even before his years of service had been completed. The deal was that he worked for five years but his boss had settled him after three years of service. According to Jideze, his boss had informed him that he was hardworking and hone