PART 5: THE UNFINISHED PROJECT
Stanley begins to distance himself from Susan. Susan finds it not very comfortable and as a good sister she decides to find out what could be going wrong. She wouldn’t want to live on assumption.
“Brother Stanley, what have I done wrong? I realize you are cold towards me these days.”
“Nothing Susan, I am only trying to sort out some things which are personal; very personal issues.”
Susan knows this is unassailable brick wall, so she rests her case for the day. She is at the same time not happy knowing that Stanley will be leaving campus in some few days time. She is beginning to be depressed without knowing why.
A couple of days later she calls two of her friends and together they get on to talk with Stanley. He remains impenetrable. Stanley to Susan seems to be like a pigeon that has found grains elsewhere. She couldn’t agree with what she is imagining in her mind. Is Stanley in love with somebody she doesn’t know of?
Susan gets back to her hostel, locks her door and begins to cry. She cannot imagine losing touch with Stanley. For the first time she realizes that she didn’t just like Stanley but she is in love all along. She takes him for a friend and confidant and her protective big brother but as she gets more mature she finds herself so attached to Stanley that she cannot go two days not seeing him.
She wonders how she would be able to handle it for days, weeks and months without having him around; Stanley has written his last exam in school to qualify him as an engineer; he will be away any moment from now. Having one thing or the other to do with Stanley has become her habit; no matter how flimsy it may be.
“Stanley, I just made my hair.”
“See my bruised hand?”
“What would you say about my dress?”
Stanley too is ever ready to listen to her. He takes her as his pet sister. Susan has grown to become his delightful pet. But his pet has grown more attractive by the day. As a godly friend he keeps reminding himself that she is a little sister under his cover. He thought he is abusing his position as a trusted hand; for this reason he gags the free rein of his affection for his adorable pet for so long.
As his departure day draws near, he trusts that by avoiding Susan, she will be gone from his heart and world forever. Since he was born he had never had a female acquaintance that makes so much impression like Susan. By the day she grows larger, impressive and vivacious; he finds her irresistible.
He utterly gasps one of those days knowing that he is no longer in control of how he feels toward Susan. The more he wants to cut her out of his mind the more he is feeling strangulated by his oppressive self-will. It is as if his heart is being remotely controlled by forces out of this world.
Is this what love is?
On the last day in school he is seen packing his clothes into a bag. He has packed every other belongings together the previous night.
He is lost in thought and seems gloomy. One of the family drivers Mr Adenrele is seen assisting him to move his things. The last thing is his bag. They get it into the car and they enter, the car starts off and as they get to the school’s main exit gate Stanley shouted.
“Please stop sir.”
The driver is seen to be afraid: “What is it Stanley?”
“I have an unfinished project in school.”
The driver turns the vehicle back to the school environment and he directs him towards Susan’s hostel. He jumps out of the car and runs toward her room. He knocks frantically; her roommate comes to the door.
“Susan is not in.”
He pushes her aside and enters to see her. She isn’t in truly.
“Please where is she?”
The lady feels the desperation in him: “She didn’t tell me.”
He stands for a while and tries her phone number. It is switched off. He rushes out, by instinct he asks the driver to take him somewhere. The dutiful family driver has to obey him. He walks out of the car towards a serene rocky space in a far corner of the school. It is a quiet but not lonely a place. Susan loves to be there for prayer and personal reflection. Sometimes she brings her school books along to read there.
Susan on this occasion is oblivious of her environment. She sits with her back to a tree and bowed her head in deep thought. She suddenly wakes up to reality when she hears Stanley’s voice.
“Susan!”
Susan couldn’t say a word as she is languorous and having fretted her soul for some days she is tired of everything. All she could do is look up to him with tearful eyes.
“What is it Susan? Your eyes are deep red, tell me what.” Susan has been weeping for days knowing that her jewel is about getting out of touch. Who is going to fill the vacuum has been her question.
Tears pour out copiously down her face and she couldn’t say a word for a while in spite of his many questions. Then he knows he has to be quiet for a while. He sits beside her, silent.
“I thought you have gone? I thought I hurt you and you have to leave me without saying goodbye. I thought somebody has maligned my character or that somebody lied about me to you. I thought you have found a new friend; and even at that I thought I deserved to know, as your true friend.”
“None of those reasons Susan.”
“Then what?”
Stanley begins to sweat and is silent for the meantime.
“Tell me or leave me Brother Stanley. I have begun to adjust; I cannot keep the hurt anymore.” Susan rises to her feet and he follows quickly and he holds her back.
“You are my pet sister. I wouldn’t know how you would feel that your trusted brother is in love with you?”
“I use to be your pet sister three years ago, I am a big girl now; and you know this.” She smiles for the first time.
“Susan, I love you.”
“I didn’t hear you. What did you just say?”
“Susan, please I love you. I cannot go without letting you know this. I also don’t think I can live without you anymore.”
“But you left me these past few weeks? What is wrong? Is there something I don’t know? Did you try your luck elsewhere and it fails and you are coming to me as your last option?”
“It is not what you think Susan.”
“Ok, let me know why I have to suffer rejections these days before you finally surfaced to declare love for me?”
“I wanted to run away from loving my pet. I didn’t know I was foolishly running away from my shadow. I didn’t want to hurt you or take advantage of you and the same time I have to question my love for you. I never plan to fall in love for you; but I have liked you from the first day we met here on campus.
“I was only being the good brother before it dawned on me that I am in love. It is struggle of love. Then love conquered me.”
Susan looks into his face and draws him closer, and she presses him tightly as if it should last forever. She sighs and giggles.
“This must be a dream; ah this must be a dream. Lord, tell me it is a reality.” Susan could not pretend her reaction.
“It is not a dream. This is our reality.”
“If it is not a dream, please don’t go today stay till tomorrow please. I have missed you.”
“I will Susan.” Stanley dialed his dad immediately. “Dad, I have an unfinished project, I will be around next tomorrow. The driver will bring my things.”
“Ok my son.” His dad responds from the other end.
“I love you so much Stanley. I love you.” She stammers as she holds him closely one more time and smells him copiously.
She releases him and they walk to the driver who has been waiting for close to an hour.
“Sir, sorry for the delay.”
“Oh, no, no, it is my job to take care of you.”
“Meet Susan, Susan meet Mr Adenrele.”
“Oh, Stanley; this is the unfinished project.” He smiles to Stanley and he winks back while smiling also.
“Susan, don’t mind Mr Adenrele.”
Susan curtsies with respect. She is very shy. She is a girl falling in love for the first time.
“I will be coming back home next tomorrow.”
“How about your mom and dad?”
“I have called dad. He will inform mom.”
Mr Adenrele drives them back to the campus and he zooms off leaving the two lovebirds.
The next two days is rapturous and filled with indescribable affection that pulsates at a crescendo. They talk about the future and have nice time together. The tickling time stands still for the two of them.
The next tomorrow comes, Stanley and Susan holds one another’s hand as they walk to the bus stop. This is relationship taken to the next level.
He enters the taxi which would take him downtown to the transport pack where he plans to board a bus or car back home.
“I will miss you,” Susan waves smiling enthusiastically.
“I will come around soon, my dear,” Stanley replies.
They keep waving at each other as the taxi goes out of sight.
