The world of SOLA- Chapter 4
He saw the children too and played with Dele who was their first born. Dele took to him like kerosene to fire.
Mr. Owolabi was very impressed with his attitude. He entertained Tunde very well. It was while Tunde was playing with Dele that he asked him where his aunt was.
"Auntie had gone to plait her hair" was the reply.
Soon afterwards, Sola herself entered the sitting room. She did not know that a visitor was there. She looked at the man and recognized him instantly. Yes, this was the man who was asking for her name yesterday. What was he doing here?
Dele seemed to know him too. They play together like old friends.
"Good afternnon, Sir" she greeted him politely.
"How are you, Sola? I hope you are not tired after yesterday's big work?"
Tunde asked, smiling at her.
"I was just about to introduce you to each other'cut in Mr. Owolabi. "I didn't know that you two have met before".
"I saw him at the party yesterday” said Sola. “I don't even know his name.
“Then, I will introduce him," said Mr. Owolabi. “Tunde Omole, Miss Sola
Ampitan.”
Tunde and Sola greeted each other and shook hands. Tunde was very happy. He had now jumped over the first hurdle.
A few minutes later, Tunde announced that he wanted to be going. Mr. Owolabi went with him to his car, looked at it and said that it was good. Then, Tunde drove off.
He thereafter became a regular visitor to Mr. Owolabi's house, sometimes he would meet Sola, while other times he would be told by Dele that she was not around. Whenever she was around, she tried as much as possible to avoid him. He
knew this, but was just bidding his time.
Meanwhile, he severed his relationship with the girl hanging around him.
As a bachelor who had almost everything going for him, (a good job, a car and other
good things of life), there were so many girls who were very eager to become Mrs.
Omole in future. Only he was not interested in marriage with any of them. But they were always around. There was even one in their office who was keenly interested in him. A polytechnic graduate, Rose, was a beautiful fair complexioned girl who was very diligent at work. Some of his colleagues were trying to impress the girl, but she had eyes for Tunde. He had planned to move around with her casually. But this was before his eyes fell on Sola's beauty. Now, all his plans were just for Sola and no other girl. He was surprised at his thoughts.
"Tunde, you are becoming jaded," he repeated to himself once again.
"You are already planning the future with a girl whom you hardly know. You, who have vowed not so be serious with any girl for the next five years. You wait till Segun hears of this!"
One evening, he came to the house and saw Sola sitting alone in the living room. She was reading a newspaper. As he was a regular visitor to the house,
Tunde did not knock, but just went in. He had earlier seen Dele outside as he was just parking his car. Dele told him that his parents had gone to a party. Tunde ask him where Sola was and was told that she was in the sitting room.
"How are you, Sola” asked Tunde.
Sola was very surprised. She did not see Tunde until he came and stood in
front of her, smiling.
“I'm fine-fine, thank you”, she stammered. The cheek of him, thought Sola. He did not even knock before entering.
“I was told that Mr. And Mes. Owolabi had gone to a party”, said Tunde.
“Yes,” replied Sola. She could not say anything more. She was too embarrassed.
I have come to see,” said Tunde. “Won't you invite me to a seat?"
“I am sorry,” Sola replied. “I thought you came to see Baba Dele.” She was very confused. What does he want, she wondered, I hope he doesn't want to get serious about me.
Tunde sat down on the next chair and was looking at her, wondering what she was thinking about. She's very beautiful, he thought. What I don't understand is her cool behaviour towards the male sex,
He became very nervous. Keep your cool, Tunde, he calmed himself. Say something to her.
"Sola, I have been thinking about you since that day I first saw you at the launching,” he began” I don't know whether you feel the same as I do because I notice that you try to avoid me every time I visit here"
"I have not been avoiding you or anybody for that matter. You can't expect me to wait on your hand and foot anytime you are here," She said angrily.
"You come here not to see me but Mr. Owolabi."
"Don't blow your top because of that please, pleaded Tunde. "I visit here
regularly because of you, you know I love you, Sola I don't know whether you will think about it, or is there someone else?"
"There's someone else. I've already got a boy-friend, so will you please
leave me alone?
"I am sorry Sola. I didn't know that. The man must be lucky."
"yes he's lucky," she replied quickly to cover her lies. 'So, I hope you will stop asking Dele anything about me when you visit here in the future."
"Good night, Sola, good luck with your man,” Tunde stormed out of the house in anger and pains.
"Good night, Sir," said a voice behind him as he was going to open the car door. He looked back and saw that it was Dele. His anger cooled a little.
"Thank you, Dele, Extend my greetings to your parents when they come back," said Tunde as he entered his car.
"I will, sir," He drove off. He was very sad and angry at the same time. He was so much in love with this girl. All his plans are nothing as far as she was concerned. And she told him off like that. All right, he would not say anything to her again if he should visit the Owolabis in future. The love could got to blazes.
After-all she was not the only girl around.
He parked at the nearest hotel and ordered a bottle of beer and drank it in a daze. He was angry, sad and confused at the same time. He felt he could be snubbed by a girl like this! Segun his friend would be surprised if he should hear this! The handsome and carefree Tunde getting so serious with a girl that he could not even see straight!! He, who had vowed not to be serious with any girl for the next five years. He had planned to enjoy his freedom to the full.
After taking some bottles, (he stopped counting after five), he felt he was a little drunk. He then went home and just slept off. After Tunde left her, Sola tried to concentrate on the newspaper, but could
not. She was thinking deeply about the man she had just sent away with her false anger. Yes, her anger, was false. She had been thinking of Tunde for some time now. She knew she liked, if not loved him.
Because of this, she had tried to be out of the house any time Tunde came to visit her brother-in-law. But that would not do. She kept thinking about him.
Then her father's words kept coming to her mind any time she found herself
thinking about Tunde,