Mama Wunmi narrated how the plan will unfold… “I know that Omowunmi was invited by Debo to a Valentine day party here in Lagos and I think she will go because she is smitten with him. The plan will be to smuggle Folarin into the venue of the party unknown to Omowunmi. Just in case Debo is planning something like a proposal, Folarin will definitely have something to say about that.” Folarin listened to Mama Wunmi without saying a word. He looked up and down and finally said. “Mama, I am scared. What if we manage to pull this off and get into the venue, then I on stage, would Wunmi give me any audience or listen to my apology.”
His mother spoke up, “Listen my boy, love is not easy. It doesn’t stop when you profess it to the other person. You have to keep working at it. Even when difficulties come during the relationship, you have to exhaust all the available options. Son, you have to give it a try. Look into her eyes and tell her you love her dearly and that you are sorry for whatever happened between you two.” Folarin was scared and worried. He was in some sort of dilemma.
He was at crossroads between Omolara and Omowunmi. He still held some fondness for Omowunmi, he hadn’t seen Wunmi since that fateful day in London. Love, he wasn’t sure. Perhaps if he sees Omowunmi, then he would know how deep the feelings were. As for Omolara, he hadn’t promised anything to her yet. He needed someone he could tag along with, a friend he could speak with after work, she was doing a good job filling that void for now, but he wasn’t sure there was an ounce of feelings for her. He knew he had to tell her at some point.
Mama Wunmi said she knew the manager of the venue for the valentine gig. She said she could ask him for three tickets for the two of them. She wasn’t sure if she could get a front row ticket but at least she was sure she could get three tickets. She placed a call to the event manager, and asked him if he could make available three front row tickets. He told her that he still had some tickets yet to be taken up and that he would be delighted to give her three tickets. She quickly paid for the tickets by transferring money to the account of the event manager.
Everything was ready for that day, the tickets were paid for. The old women decided that they will wear disguises on that day so that Omowunmi would not recognize them at the venue. They also decided that nobody should mention anything to Omowunmi. She should not have an idea what the trio were planning. The plan was firmed up and Mama Wunmi left for her house.
February 14th came quickly, yet another valentine day had arrived. Folarin woke up that day looking glum. His mother knocked at his room door. She came in and tried to cheer him up. She assured him of her support and that of mama Wunmi. It was his big day and he had to say a prayer or two to the heavens. They were interrupted by a knock at the door. Mama Folarin said, “I’ll get it!” She walked briskly to the door, she opened the door and there was Omolara standing there. Mama Folarin asked her what she was looking for. Just as Omolara was about to reply, Mama Folarin barked… “Look here, Lara or whatever you call yourself…Did they send you to me? Please tell them that you didn’t see me oh… If I see you near my house again, they will look for you in this Lagos. Don’t ever come back here, go and look for someone else…omo jati jati.” She slammed the door and went back. Went she went back into the house, Folarin asked who was at the door, she said it was the gardener who had just resumed for that day. Folarin went into the room and got dressed up for perhaps the biggest day of his life so far.
Back at Omowunmi’s house, the day began like any normal day. Wunmi and her mother were having breakfast at the dining area, when Wunmi’s phone rang. It was Debo on the line. Wunmi got up and went to her room to answer the call. Mama Wunmi got up and followed her to eavesdrop. While she was doing that, she overheard a bit of the discussion that sounded like Debo telling Wunmi that he had a surprise for her and that he would invite her on stage for the surprise. When she heard this, she quickly rushed back to the table. Wunmi finished the call and arrived back to the table, she noticed that her mom looked apprehensive.
She asked her mother if there was any problem, and her mother said that she remembered that she had an errand to attend to, she grabbed her things and told her daughter that she would be back much later in the day. She slammed the door behind her and left. She got to Mama Folarin’s house later that morning and told her what she had heard on the phone. Mama Folarin summoned her son and they all sat down to tweak their plans further.
