Note: Hannah, the new character was Wura's best friend.

" Wuraoluwa, what are you still doing" I heard my Grandmother shout from down the stairs.

" I'm coming" I shouted back as I hurriedly sprayed some perfume on my body before running down the stairs.

" What took you so long, it's not like you are wearing anything special" Grandma mumbled

" Grandma, am I not looking beautiful" I asked with a pout, I was wearing a simple dress with block heels.

" Are you going to Church to impress anyone" She said with a stern look and I grumbled

" Come on, we are already late for Church" Grandma said pushing me out of the house. I rarely follow my Dad to Church because he goes to Church early as the resident Pastor and most times I can't meet up and so I usually follow my Grandma and honestly I don't understand how but she dresses up so quickly. It's maybe because she wakes up so early.

I felt very happy at the moment, I have always loved going on a drive, just being in the car and feeling the cool breeze fanning my face, the bustling streets of Ibadan and thank God we don't really get stucked in traffic here like Lagos. I also love being in my home church, the warm smiles, atomsphere of love and my memories with friends from my childhood. Although they aren't really around because everyone has to go to school now and apparently grow up. I always miss them around because most times when I come home from school, it usually only me. I miss Hannah especially.

When I think about it with Hannah and Tife, friendship doesn't always last forever but the memories do so I think it is better to enjoy the friendship while you can. The lovely memories I had with Hannah and Tife will forever be in my heart.

" Hey Wura" I heard a familiar voice say behind me, I turned to see my one time crush, Micheal

" Hey Michael" I said shaking his outstretched hand with a sweet smile, we aren't that close any more but we were while we were young.

" When did you get back" He asked

" Last week" I answered still smiling, I didn't ask him when he got back from school too because  he is one of the familiar faces I see when I come home. He attends the University of Ibadan.

" It always seems like you've grown everytime I see you" He said with a light chuckle and I laughed too.

" I guess I will see you around" He said when the opening prayer started and I nodded.

My father always encourage me and everyone in the church to dance and worship God and not to be shy in God's presence and so everyone in my Church including me are good dancers. There is no way you won't dance, if you don't want someone to attach their arm to yours and pull you to the front dancing but It's usually a very nice and lovely moment in my Church.

My Dad was the preacher, he preached about being True ambassadors of Christ wherever we find ourselves. He asked us to evaluate ourselves, how much we modeled Christ through our lives and conducts. One of the things that blessed me was how diligently we must do the work that Christ has called us to do on earth. How well we should be harbingers of peace on earth.

After Church, I stayed back waiting for my Dad because my Grandma wanted to visit other Church members. She tried convincing me to go along with her but I protested against going and she reluctantly let me stay back, her facial expression said it. I laughed remembering that Grandma always likes when I follow her around, carry her bag and then people asking questions like is she your Granddaughter, she looks so much like you. She likes that.

" Wura, sorry I kept you waiting" Dad said when he got into the car.

" It's no problem but I took some money from your drawer to buy this" I said holding up the chips and coke in my hands.

" Do I keep the money there for you" He mumbled and I smiled. I've always had to wait in the car like this for him when He goes for his meetings so he keeps some money in his car's drawer for me to buy snacks after Church. He usually pretends the money isn't for me but I know it's for me because I saw him one Sunday morning keeping some money in the drawer.

" You are the best Daddy in the world" I swooned and He laughed

" I'm hungry. Should we go to a restaurant to eat" He asked and I nodded immediately.

" It's because I'm hungry. We should not be eating all this restaurant's foods. Home made meals are the best for our health" He grumbled as he drove to the nearest restaurant.

" Are you not coming down" My Dad asked when I sat rooted on my seat after we got to a restaurant.

" Dad, let's pretend we are on a date and open the door for me" I said mischievously, my Father hissed

" You better come down before I lock the car" He said and I rushed down laughing

" Daddy, that's unfair" I said smiling

" Iwo lo mo" He said in Yoruba meaning you are the one that knows, I ran towards him and hooked my arm in his arm.

" Sometimes, you can be very annoying. You can see that I'm very hungry and yet you are still teasing me. I'm not paying for you since you have finished a bottle of coke and eaten some chips. That enough to fill your tummy" He said with a serious look

" Dad, should we be running and don't worry I can wash plates very well" I said laughing. We ordered the same thing and found a place to sit. He so focused on the food he was eating with keen interest that I was sure he hasn't eaten since two days ago.

" Dad, when do you think is appropriate to date" I asked after waiting for him to finish most of his food. The young people who were probably on dates around us prompted me to ask the question.

" I just want to know" I quickly added when He gave me a kind of questioning look.

" Hmm let me see. When you feel you are ready and you should know that dating outside God's purpose, dating without purpose is frowned upon by God. Dating outside God's purpose is when your relationship isn't approved by God. God knows all things and when he isn't giving a go ahead on something, that thing shouldn't be done. Dating without purpose, that's causal dating that most young people do now. Your relationship has no direction, you are just tasting the waters, you aren't heading towards marriage. That's frowned upon by God too" My Dad said and I nodded my head in agreement.

" Is there like an age you will start knowing that you are ready for a relationship" I asked

" Well, you have to have at least reached the legal age in my house" He said and we laughed

" But besides that I don't think there is any positioned age for getting into a relationship. Once you know within you that you are ready to juggle your relationship and normal life together and you are not being pressurized" He answered and I smiled gratefully, Not that I was ready to get into any relationship yet.

" What prompted your question" He asked

" I was just looking around us and so I started wondering" I answered and he turned his head around too

" Actually, there is- No - There was someone I liked in school" I said, I have been contemplating on whether I should let him know about Tife or not. My Dad is a very good shade of Nigerian parents and so I knew he will just look at me, the way he is looking at me now. Eyes focused on me, studying me silently, prompting me to talk and also judging whether I'm saying the complete truth.

" Dad, why are you looking at me like that. React instead of looking at me intently like that" I said smiling and his face broke into a smile

" I think my reaction will be, Oh interesting" He said and I laughed again

" There is nothing interesting about it. I just decided to tell you"I said with a little laugh

" I appreciate you telling me but why 'was'. You don't like him again" He asked taking a sip from his drink

" No. He has graduated and so I won't be seeing him any longer" I answered

" You didn't tell him you liked him right?" Dad asked

" Of course not. Actually He told me he liked me but he is a really cool guy and told me he wasn't expecting anything" I said with a smile

" Interesting. Is he a very good Christian" He asked

" Hmm, not really but I know he will be soon but he knew my stand though" I said and my Dad smiled, a weird kind of smile.

" Why are you smiling like this" I asked and he laughed

" I can't just believe you are growing up. Growing into a very beautiful lady" He responded and I smiled widely

" Thank God you have admitted that I'm no longer a baby" I said emphasizing on the word baby and he let out a hearty laugh.

" Well, you will forever be my baby and God's baby. No matter how old you are" He said with a smile. We had paid for our meals and was now heading out.

" Dad, did I tell you Stephanie has surrendered her life to Christ" I asked

" Praise God. Yes, you did" He answered but I still recounted the story to him throughout the drive back home

***********

I was met with a surprise when we got back home. Hannah, It felt like a dream

" Good evening Sir" She greeted, I was standing there shocked. Why is she here?

" Hannah, how are you. How is your Mum?" He asked with a smile, he didn't seem surprised to see her.

" She is fine" She answered and turned to me. I hadn't said anything, I just stood there watching their exchange.

" I guessed as much, that it will be as awkward like this" She said lowly but I heard

" Wura, you guys should talk in your room. I want to watch a match" My Dad said as he lounged on a Sofa. We were silent as we walked upstairs to my room. I didn't even know what to say to her.

" Hannah, what a surprise" I said after guessing that I should start with that.

" I know, it's a long story" She said as she plopped on my bed after taking one of the sticky pics opposite my bed.

" Where should I even start from.  My parents were having a fall apart, a serious one and Mum discovered She had Cancer so She wanted to leave Nigeria and you know I can't let her go alone. Only I knew, Dad didn't, my elder brother didn't know and again my mum wanted to keep it a secret. You know how my Mum is so I had to choice to lie to you, to everyone that I was going abroad for my studies. I'm sorry I did that, I had no choice" She said and I closed my eyes in defeat, I was there thinking She was ignoring me while She was going through a lot

" I'm so so sorry" I said coming to sit beside her on the bed

" It's okay. Mum is fine now and also my parents have made up so I'm happy" She responded with a little smile

" I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you when you were going through all that" I said a pleading tone as I hugged her

" You didn't know" She answered with a smile

" Honestly, I'm grateful to God that everything is fine now" She added

" Yes, thank God" I said with tears welling in my eyes.

" So you weren't in school throughout then" I asked

" Yes" She answered as she wiped a stray tear from my face

" Oh my goodness" I said feeling very sad

" It's alright. It was for a reputable cause and moreover I have applied to Fortress and I have gotten my admission letter. We are going to be attending the same University, just different levels and courses" She squealed in excitement and I hugged her

" Congratulations, you applied for Medicine right?" I asked with a smile

" Yeah and I was given just that" She said excitedly

" When did you get back. How did you write your Jamb" I asked wondering how she got to write her Jamb exam

" We have been back since last year but we were in Lagos. Mum was recuperating" She answered

"Let's go to your house. I want to see your mum" I said pulling her up

" Dad, I will be back soon" I said when we got to the sitting room but he didn't respond because he was so engrossed in the match he was watching but I knew he heard.

" Hannah, extend my greetings to your parents" He called after us

" Pastor Femi Coker and Football" She said and we laughed

" It feels so good to be back in Nigeria and I can say there is no place like home. London was so cold and lonely" She said as I took her hand in my hand.

" You are so strong" I said with a smile and she smiled back at me before talking.

" I can't wait to eat Grandma's Banga rice. It's because she isn't around, she promised me when she came visiting to my house to cook Banga rice for me" She said with a happy smile, I can't just imagine what she would have gone through even with her pretty ever smiling innocent face and soft hands. I remember when we used to race down the street from my house to her house or her house to my house playing all manner of childish games. We will visit each other, escort each other home then escort again untill we are seperated by our parents.

We were silent throughout the rest of the walk to her house. So many things had happened and I'm so glad she and her family is fine

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