RIPPLES E. 2

Ripples got the highest hit and will be running this month. Catch up on Episode 1 by clicking here: [Read E. 1]

My name is Folasade Nnenna Metuh. My close friends call me Bam Bam. Don't even ask me how I got that nickname because I can't remember. To my mom I will always be Sade. Though, now I'm guessing you want to know how I ended up with Yoruba and Igbo names, I'll explain. 

An Igbo businessman and a beautiful Yoruba lady he met at a conference, fell inlove, got married, had me after two adorable boys and have remained happily married. My dad made sure I schooled in the Eastern part of the country, so I got to learn and can speak Igbo fluently. Having a Yoruba mother made it easy for my brothers and I to have perfect control of the Yoruba language. My English language skill was honed by my teachers while I picked up Francais in the course of my various trips to Paris. 

To my close friends, I am a workaholic and I don't blame them for taking that stance. As the CEO of my family's multinational company, which by the way is one of the most renowned and largest exporters of Aluminum and Steel in the country, I love my job, the intense responsibility and the everyday wins. Yeah, I love winning just like I love looking pretty. 

My walk-in wardrobe lined with the best apparels from the most expensive designers in town gives me joy anytime I feast my eyes on them. My growing collection of fast cars is becoming a hobby my mom hates. You can call me a rich girl, its okay but don't think I got it all on a platter of gold. I wasn't born with a diamond spoon. I had to work for every drop of diamond or silver I am enjoying today. 

When my brothers decided to tow their own paths in business, I bravely opted for the reigns of my dad's dead company. With the best and most efficient team handpicked by me, it took me three hard and long years to resuscitate and turn the fortunes of our company and my family around. Today, ALMITE Group is proudly the most sought after Aluminum and Steel Manufacturing Company in the West of Africa. So yes, I deserve the numerous awards gazetted on the walls of a special room in our family mansion and the living room of my home; a cute house which sits on a large plot in the expensive part of town. My interior design, courtesy of my best friend; a leading interior designer, will make you drool. 

Did I mention that I am thirty three, an International Business Manager, happily single and not eager to walk down that proverbial aisle, to my mom's chagrin? Yes, I admire my parents strong bond, but being tied to a man is not my definition of being successful or accomplished. My idea of a happy and successful life is when I can visit any part of the world, dine at five star hotels, add a higher professional degree to my already bulging bag of degrees, mentor the youths, help the less privileged, score a major investment or hit it big at the stock market. As much as my mom would love to attach me to the most eligible bachelor in town; Dapo, her best friends pretty and wealthy son, I have no time for men and relationships. 

Okay, let me rephrase; I do not have time for the wealthy Dapo, who always looks like a model in one of those fashion magazines I never get to look at, his overbearing attitude and cute face that gets almost every girl gushing and fighting dirty just to get their hands on him. Dapo around me always leaves me dead inside but don't tell my mom that. 

I also have little patience for fools especially when I sense I am probably behind on my schedule. So you can understand my anger when the crazy cave man drove into my car and offered to use a rope on my new baby when I'm already running late for a mentorship program I am supposed to be the guest speaker at;

"I said get down! If I drive off with you nothing will make me come back here or stop for you to get out!"

"Madam I will not get down in this rain. In fact even if you hire all the thugs in this Abuja they will not be able to eject me from this car right now. How can you, my sister be sending me out in this heavy rain? Are you not a Christian? Don't you have elders in your village?" He yelled while folding his arms over his chest.

Sister? Elders? This man must be demented, I thought angrily. How did I get involved in this mess of yelling with a total stranger at a lonely spot in the rain? I could have just called my PA to come get me and the car, contact the insurance company and handle the situation. But I was too angry to think straight. You are too short-tempered; my moms voice rang out in my head. I shut it off and turned to glare at the man who was staring back at me with bloodshot eyes.

What if this guy is a kidnapper or an assassin? My overactive brain processed and my heart lurched as I tried to create more space between us by gluing myself to my door. What should I do now?