This week was all about everyone finding out things they could never have thought possible. When Mrs. Okorie has a heart attack, it is Funke, her nemesis, who saves her life.
When she gets back home from the hospital, she visits to say thank you, and then Funke has to listen to the doctors’ diagnosis… and Mrs. Okorie’s friendliness gets a bit too much for her.
After agonizing for a bit about getting involved with this ill woman, Funke decides to be there for her. “We are not the best of friends, but we are two human beings that can show a little compassion to each other now and again.” It was a touching reminder that everybody needs somebody to lean on.
Other things are coming to light. The police have identified the lady in the toy box as Gina, the ex-girlfriend Larry has been trying to find. Tests showed she’s been dead for fifteen years (she was only identified by her ID found on her), and Chief is understandably distraught.
Larry’s job is far from over though. Chief now more than ever wants to find out who killed his daughter and chopped her into pieces. He wants Larry to connect with the policeman he paid to take the heat off Larry over Mrs. Benson’s murder, and get whatever leads they have on Gina’s case.
The “misplaced” case file is handed to Larry with a death threat should anything about it be traced to the detective- who beats Larry up before giving him the file. We see Larry scanning the list of people who purchased that toy box. When he eventually sees Deji’s name, he will know. In the meantime, he and Tari are still miserable without each other.
Tari’s mother is still around, and stressing her out so much, it’s unreal. She’s not even pretending to mourn her break up with Uncle P. Flirting like a teenager (even with Aisha’s lesson teacher!) and lying about her age as usual, are just a few of the things she’s been up to. She even arranges to bring a drummer and a guitarist to the house and then proceeds to dance like a woman possessed by spirits, after which she suggests going out for more music and dancing. Poor Tari refused to go, of course. Me sef I’m tired.
Leo is home from Calabar, and his mother suggests some counseling with Father Ajayi in addition to joining the teenagers’ church again. The boy eventually goes to meet with the minister properly at the church, after a disastrous first meeting over dinner at their home, but not much comes out of it either. He feels misunderstood and alienated from his parents, especially his mother. Ese for her part feels like she’s fighting this on her own, that Kay isn’t really with her on this. Sigh.
Chuka has been in the doghouse for “manhandling” Kiki last week. Besides sleeping in the living room and longing for a bed, he’s also sex-starved. All Kiki wants now is for him to tear up the legal agreement he literally arm-twisted her into signing, but he’s too afraid of her leaving him for another man, and his only insurance is that agreement.
When Chuka cuts off all her money so she can show him a little respect, Kiki leans on Tai. Going back to Tai wasn’t a one-off thing apparently. The two are back together and he even gives her his debit card, which she accepts. Yes, after forming small, Kiki accepts the boy’s card. Gosh. Just when we thought maybe, maybe Kiki could be a decent person.
Tai’s says his dream is to make her happy. I chuckled gleefully when the card was declined after she shopped with it a bit. Silly girl didn’t realise how little money there was in Tai’s account, and cleaned it out in one afternoon. The boy got the alert and went “Whoaaa, what kind of shoes did you buy?!” Hahahahahaha! Luckily, a stranger who had been eyeing her offered to pay for her lunch. When Chuka sees her new shoes and realises he must take care of her or some other man will, he gives in and tears the legal agreement. Chai!
Whether a Tari or a Larry, a Chuka or a Kiki, a Mrs. Okorie or a Leo, you have to agree that human beings are designed for different things, and loneliness truly isn’t one of them.
