Finding Freedom by Sue Searles

Author:Sue Searles
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781621354857
Publisher: Clean Reads

Thirty-Four

(Abuja Metropolitan, Nigeria)

- Wednesday, 7th October -

* * *

Morning arrived with a vengeance, the brilliant Nigerian sun drenching the room in sweltering heat. Emily sat up and yawned, surprised at how well she’d slept. She trundled along to the private bathroom and stepped inside. Even though the small room wasn’t as elegant as what she was used to back home, she was grateful that she had some degree of privacy and didn’t have to share a bathroom with other guests on her floor. The showerhead spat out water erratically, but she managed to get herself sufficiently clean. Heeding Leon’s advice to never drink water from the taps, she brushed her teeth using the bottled water she’d ordered last night. She smiled when she remembered her eloquent dinner companion and wondered if Kayode would be at breakfast this morning.

Emily pulled on a pair of hipsters, a baby doll blouse, and a pair of sandals, and dabbed on a light layer of makeup. She carefully folded her birth mother’s piece of cloth and pushed it into a side pocket. Throwing a handbag over her shoulder, she locked the hotel room behind her. Today marked the first day of her search, and she was a bundle of nerves to be setting out into the unknown. She headed for the dining room first, not knowing what the day would hold or when she’d be able to grab another bite to eat.

Anxious not to miss Kayode, her heart skipped as the elevator carried her to the first floor. She scanned the dining room and her heart sank when she didn’t see him. Maybe he came for an early breakfast. A foreign family occupied the table where she’d sat last night, so Emily settled into a chair in the center of the room. The dining hall seemed warmer today, as the early morning sunlight filtered through the trees outside and danced on the tabletops. A waiter gave a welcoming smile as he approached.

“May I take your order, miss?”

“Sorry, I haven’t looked at the menu yet. What do you recommend for breakfast?” She braced herself. Last night, she’d nearly gagged several times over the ugali that Kayode had passionately suggested. The sticky fish sauce and chewy meat had stuck in her throat, and the odd smell had forced her to hold her breath between bites.

“Akara is most popular.” The waiter rocked back and forth on his heels.

“Please, can you tell me what akara is?”

“Certainly, miss. Akara ground beans, mix with tomato and spice, fry in palm oil. You want with ogi on side? Ogi is ground corn.”

“Um…yes, thank you.” Emily didn’t want to sound rude.

She scanned the room for any sign of her new friend. Kayode’s absence reminded her that she was completely isolated from everything she knew and, coupled with her first full day in the city, she felt intensely lonely. Just having someone to talk to last night had bolstered her confidence, giving her a tremendous sense of courage and belonging.

The dish of akara and ogi arrived after just a few minutes, and she had to admit it wasn’t bad.

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