The Place Beyond Her Dreams

by Oby Aligwekwe

  “Hey, Ona,” he said.

  “Excuse me?” I responded, attempting to slide past him as people walking by stopped to look at us.

  “Can you at least hear me out?” he pleaded in a soft tone.

  “What could you possibly say to me? Haven’t you said enough?” I responded.

  “At least let me show you how sorry I am.”

  “Start by telling me how you figured out my name and where to find me.”

  He chuckled and glanced behind him.

  “You’re acting like you’re not aware that the shop you were stepping out of yesterday is a popular university hangout. Many people knew who you were.”

  “And they gave you my info?” I asked, staring at him in amazement.

  “They knew I wouldn’t bite you,” he said with a smirk. “I told them I needed to check on you to make sure you were fine after the incident.”

  In my confusion the day before, I had mistaken him for an ogre and assumed he must have been fifty or so based on his attitude. Now that I could see him in the light and his attitude was changed, I was certain he couldn’t be a day over twenty-six.

  “I’m sorry for responding so harshly yesterday, and it’s nice of you to come and check on me, but I really should take some responsibility for the incident.”

  “But I ran into you.”

  “Yes, but I’m the one who ran into the street mindlessly. I should have looked where I was going.”

  “Does that mean you accept my apology?” he asked, grinning widely. “Where are your parents? I feel I should meet them and offer an apology.”

  “Why?” I said, rolling my eyes discreetly. “I live with my grandparents. My grandmother, actually. In Ntebe. Do you know where that is?”

  “Do I know where Ntebe is? We’re neighbors. I’m from Ide.”

  “Ide! Our enemies,” I quipped, raising my shoulders in mock disdain.

  He laughed and pulled out his phone.

  “So, you’re my sister? Let me have your number. I’ll call you sometime to see how you’re doing.”

  I took his phone from his hand and slowly punched in my number but realized midway I didn’t even know his name.

  “What’s your name?” I asked.

  “Albert Ndu.”

  “Ndu? Are you related to—?”

  He was nodding before I could complete my sentence.

  “Ndu. The Ideme. The King of Ide,” he said matter-of-factly.

  “Nice to meet you,” I hummed, offering my hand to shake and trying my best to seem indifferent. “What are you doing in Ajidi?”

  “Trying to earn a living.”

  “This far away from home?”

  “I could say the same about you. Why did you stray so far away?”

  “I attended high school in Ajidi. I’m used to the city, so it was a natural choice for University.”

  He nodded and gave me a warm smile.

  “Now that we’ve discovered we’re neighbors, I don’t see why we can’t be friends.”

  “It depends,” I teased. “Can Ide and Ntebe really be friends?”

  “What do you mean?” he asked, creasing his forehead.

  I burst out laughing and gestured for him to follow me on a short stroll as I explained the joke.

  “So how can I see you again?” he’d asked when we stopped in front of my hostel.

  “I don’t know,” I said, a bit flustered by his request. “Classes will be over in two weeks. I’ll be going home right after my exams.”

  “Alright, we’ll make plans then.”

  * * *

  Albert called me every day after that first meeting. At first, it was to check how I was doing. Later, after he knew I was fine, he called to say hi. At least, that’s how he put it. I started to look forward to his calls. After I came home for the holidays, he was there to see me the following day, bearing gifts. And he came every single day of the break. My grandmother became fond of him and fell for his great manners and easy charm. She had expected him to be arrogant because of his status, but he appeared sweet and gentle. Although she wasn’t one to be moved by influence and success, she thought he would make the perfect husband for me. I could tell she was imagining our potential future together every time she saw me with Albert. The look in her eyes gave her away. But who could blame her? I had slowly developed a sweet spot for Albert, too.

  With Okem still at school prepping for his finals, Albert kept me company and helped me forget how much I missed Okem. The second Sunday I was home, he invited me to his church and later to lunch at the palace.

  Right in the center of Ide, the palace serves as the official residence and administrative headquarters of the King. Behind the massive wrought iron gate, there were palm trees of the Ceroxylon Quindiuense variety lining the entire circumference of the fence, and impeccable gardens and orchards. I counted five duplexes, each with a unique style ranging from medieval to modern, with entrances lined with stone sculptures that seemed to come to life if stared at for too long. Four bungalow-style homes located at the North end of the duplexes served as servants’ quarters.

  Inside one of the duplexes, Albert introduced me to his Aunt, Ekema—the King’s younger sister. Ekema doted on Albert, but she also took interest in me, asking me about school, my family, and my plans for the future. After lunch, Albert and I played games and walked hand in hand in the garden, talking as though we’d known each other for ages. I couldn’t imagine the afternoon could get any more interesting, but I was wrong.

  We had just returned from our walk and were relaxing with his aunt and his mother in the living room when the housekeeper announced that I had a guest. I was stunned. The only people that knew I was there were my grandmother and Ifedi, who over the years had ceased being my nanny and assumed several roles, including companion and housekeeper. I prayed there was no emergency since it was unlike either one of them to come looking for me at random.

  “Ask the guest to come in,” Albert’s mother said.

  I was stunned when Okem walked in.

  “Okem,” I shouted, tossing my manners out of the window for a second but resisting the urge to get up and hug him. “I thought you’d be at school. I didn’t know you’d come back so soon. How did you know I was here? How did you get here?”

  “Your grandmother told me you were here, so I drove from Ntebe to come and see you,” he muttered before turning to bow in the direction of Albert’s mother and aunt. “Good afternoon.”

  “Good afternoon,” Albert’s mother responded. “How are you, my dear? Have a seat.”

  Okem smiled wryly and shook his head. “No Ma, thank you.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’m sure, Ma,” he responded. “I have to go right away. I just returned from school and wanted to let Ona know I was back since we haven’t seen each other in over a month—”

  “So you drove all the way from Ntebe just to do that?” Ekema interjected, continually rolling her eyes with disdain toward him.

  “I understand you’re in a hurry but have a soft drink at least,” Albert’s mother pleaded before Okem could respond to Ekema.

  “No Ma, thank you so much. I really appreciate your offer.”

  “That’s alright, my son.”

  “I’ll see him out?” I said, standing from my seat and walking towards the door. I felt the need to stick up for him after the way Ekema had treated him.

  “It’s so nice to see you Okem,” I said as soon as we stepped outside the room. “Once lunch is over, I’ll head straight home so we can catch up. And, I’m sorry about Albert’s aunt.”

  He nodded.

  “Is everything okay?” I asked. “How are you? How were your exams?”

  “Are you sure you care to know?” he scoffed.

  “Why not?” I said, stunned by his cold-shoulder. “We’ve all been anxiously waiting for you to come home.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes! Really.”

  “Okay. I’ll see you later then,” he answered br
usquely and walked away.

  I took a moment to recover from his snobbery before I returned to the living room, only for Albert to avert his gaze the moment I walked in. His creased forehead revealed his obvious annoyance.

  “That was Okem, ma’am,” I said, directing my comment to Albert’s mother.

  “I heard you call his name when he came in. Your grandmother has told us so much about him, how he’s been living with you since he was a kid. I didn’t realize he was such a grown man. And a handsome one at that. What does he do for a living?”

  “He just finished his final year at the university. He studied Finance.”

  “That’s amazing!”

  From behind, I could hear Albert scoff.

  * * *

  Albert was quiet for the rest of the afternoon. He only spoke to me after I bade his family farewell.

  “I’ll drive you home,” he said.

  “Thank you,” I responded, walking behind him.

  “Why do you have to be so close to your help?” he asked after we stepped outside. “I don’t understand why he couldn’t wait for you to get home. He had to run here and spoil a perfectly nice afternoon.”

  “Okem is not the help. He’s one of my best friends.”

  “One of your best friends?” he said, casting me a scornful look. “Do you see how he looks at you? That boy loves you, and I’m not sure what gave him the guts to come over here. You shouldn’t play among people of all social classes. It’s demeaning.”

  “My grandfather raised him. Technically, we’re the same.”

  “I think you know what I’m referring to, so let’s not drag the issue.”

  I kept silent after realizing the reason for Albert’s sudden change of mood. The green-eyed monster had reared its ugly head after Okem showed up. He was angry that I’d spoken to Okem or given him any form of attention at all. We didn’t speak for the rest of the ride until we arrived at my grandmother’s house.

  “Can I pick you up tomorrow? I’d like to take you to the cinema?” he said, as he turned the ignition off.

  “I’m not sure. Can I check my schedule and get back to you. I don’t think, I-I...”

  I hadn’t seen Okem in a long time, and I thought I’d be spending the next few days catching up with him, but I dared not tell Albert after what I’d just experienced.

  “Because Okem is back?” he asked in a sarcastic tone.

  “No!” I responded calmly, turning to look at him.

  “Then why?” he demanded.

  “I believe we can go to the movies.” I conceded, too tired to argue.

  “Why did you hesitate at first? We’ve been having a great time together.”

  “I wasn’t sure if my grandmother had anything planned for tomorrow.”

  I lied to save face.

  “I’ll pick you up tomorrow then.”

  “Okay. Have a good evening,” I said, leaving the car defeated

  * * *

  After Albert left, I leaned on the front door for a moment to ponder his reaction when he saw Okem. If I didn’t know any better, I would have said they had known each other before, but I knew that not to be true. Tired of my wandering thoughts, I ran to my room to change before I headed out to look for Okem.

  “Okem just left in a huff,” Ifedi said when she saw me heading toward his room.

  “What do you mean he left in a huff? What happened?”

  “I don’t know! Are you asking me?” she asked wide-eyed. “Okem left to see you at Albert’s right after he returned, but before I knew it, he was back. Didn’t you see him?”

  “He was there briefly.”

  “What happened at Albert’s? What did you do to make him so mad?” She was gazing in anticipation.

  “I have no clue. I was stunned that he would drive an hour to see me and then leave right away. With the traffic between Ntebe and Ide, that must have been an additional thirty minutes, but I guess—”

  “You guess what?” she blurted.

  “Never mind,” I said. “Did he say where he was going? When he’s returning?”

  “No, and no. Your grandmother should never have told him you were there. I found out after he’d left, and I had no clue he would come looking for you. Such a—”

  “Don’t bother,” I said, stopping her mid-sentence. I was sure she was about to rain insults on my Okem. What I wasn’t sure about was why she was so irritated. If anyone should be upset, it was I, and I wasn’t even nearly as perturbed as she was.

  “What happened in Ide?”

  “He came in briefly but refused to stay. Said something about just having returned and then left. It was an interesting afternoon. I’m tired. I hate dealing with adult tantrums.”

  “Be very careful, my dear,” Ifedi said, shaking her head slightly.

  “Why?” I scoffed. “Why is everyone acting so weird?”

  “Why are you the only person who doesn’t see what’s going on? Don’t you see how Okem looks at you?”

  “Hmm! The same way you, Grandma, or even Albert, look at me. Am I missing something?”

  She appeared stunned for a moment.

  “Apparently.”

  “I still don’t know what you’re talking about, Ifedi. I’ll just have to wait for him to come back to resolve this issue.”

  Okem didn’t come back that day. The following day, after I returned from the movies with Albert, he was home, acting as though nothing had happened. He apologized for disappearing, and we spent the next few days catching up like old times and discussing our plans for the future.

  * * *

  The last week I was home, Okem found another reason to be furious with me. After I came back from watching a soccer game with Albert, he refused to speak to me or even look in my direction. The following day, he apologized, and everything was fine again. As all these things were occurring that holiday—Albert, Okem, Okem’s moods, and my grandmother trying to marry me off to the highest bidder—I frequently thought about Luenah, but my chaotic life never gave me any chance to settle down, let alone get teleported there. My last encounter at the shrine never left me, though. Everything my grandfather told me kept coming back to me. My instinct told me that not only were our destinies connected, but our mission in Luenah could be one and the same. I couldn’t say how, though.

  Chapter Seven

  WITHIN MONTHS, THE border clashes between Ntebe and Ide resurfaced. Up to ten riots occurred between the Ntebe-Ide boundary points within a space of one week. The report in Ajidi was quite vivid in its description of what had transpired in the final encounter; rioters tying white cloths around their heads brandished machetes and other dangerous weapons and chanted war calls as they marched through the streets. Without warning, a truckload of youths from the opposing faction jumped out of a moving truck. As both factions attacked each other with their weapons, passersby ran helter-skelter, and the market nearby erupted in fire. Screams of terror filled the air as people dragged their children out of the way. Traders jumped on bikes and moving cars to escape injury. A few stayed back to salvage their wares since it was obvious the market would burn to the ground before the fire service would arrive at the scene. Mobile policemen and riot police arrived as the youths were still wielding their weapons and shouting obscenities at one another. No one had been reported dead yet, but an ambulance carted a number of people to the hospital. Several more were being treated at the scene. The market was still on fire, and the few traders who tried to douse it with buckets of water had long since given up and run for their lives. A gas station nearby had burned to the ground. Fire service had arrived on time to prevent the fire from spreading underground where hundreds of gallons of oil were stored. The police fired gunshots and tear gas into the air to disperse the rest of the warring youth. They ran in every direction, abandoning their truck and other belongings. Only the weak, terribly old, and the injured remained on the scene. The air was so dense with the tear gas and smoke from the fires, it was impossible to see. Several shops along the bounda
ry were looted. Many were vandalized.

  It was the end of the final semester of my second year. Albert had been kind enough to drive six hours from Ide to Ajidi to pick me up from school and another six the following day to bring me back home. As he came close to the boundary, I was stunned by the carnage. Unable to breathe from the smoke, I urged him to wind up the windows, but the air was so dense that the smoke still found its way inside the car. The destruction had brought me near tears. Albert saw my pain and placed one hand over my shoulder.

  “Don’t worry. When I finally take over, I’ll put a stop to all this. Will you help me achieve that?”

  This was my first time hearing Albert mention his future position.

  “What sort of help do you expect from me?” I asked, grateful for his concern.

  He turned to look at me, sparking a light in me from the sincerity in his eyes.

  “I want you by my side when I’m in charge. Do you think you’d be up to the task?”

  “I don’t know,” I said, shaking my head slowly. “And I’m not sure what you’re asking.”

  “Don’t worry. It’s not even a good time to bring up that topic. Let’s just focus on getting you home safely.”

  We were only thirty minutes from Ntebe. In the silence that ensued, I pondered Albert’s statement and smiled as I imagined what he could have meant. Although the horror of the riot still plagued my mind, I felt I had achieved something meaningful from this experience. Besides the fact that it brought me closer to Albert, it reminded me that I could have a purpose after all. I was still smiling when I heard a loud screeching of tires as Albert swerved dangerously to the right.

  “Buffoon,” he cursed loudly.

  It took a second for me to realize what the issue was. An old man with a wheelbarrow truck had crossed the street without looking, and we almost hit him with our car.