Bayo is on the phone, trying desperately to get through to Funmi ... his love. He has called her fifteen times already, but she has not answered. His heart pounds. He needs to hear her voice, like a crack addict and his substance.
Funmi is in Musa’s house, doing the dishes. She intentionally ignores Bayo’s calls. She doesn't want to deal with the drama of lying about her location.
Musa is at the ATM. He has to transfer funds to Zainab. She had asked him for money to buy a new phone. He had promised to send it that afternoon. He can't afford to look bad before his crush. He told Funmi he had to get something from his boss, so he left her at his place.
Zainab is on the phone with Uche. She's trying to calm him down. He told her he needed some money to complete his little brother's hospital bill. She is assuring him that she'll get some money shortly, and send it to him. She was waiting for Musa to transfer the money.
Uche's palms are sweaty. His heart is racing. His mind is clouded with thoughts. How could he not have used protection, he thought to himself. He has to send the money to Ekaette so she could go ahead and have the abortion. He just got off the phone with Zainab, and she promised to send the money shortly.
Ekaette is slipping into depression. She is sitting in the hospital restroom staring at the poison she's holding. Her wedding is in a week. Now she's pregnant for another man. She understands her church will have to run a pregnancy test in a few days. Her fiancé had not touched her in months. How could she explain her way out of this mess.
She thinks of Sule, her fiancé. Then she thinks of her mother, and her head almost explodes from pain. Uche has to send the money or she'll end her life, she thought to herself.
It been five minutes since Sule wrote "My beautiful princess. Looking astonishingly beautiful" on Ifeoma’s photo on Facebook.
--The Circle
Culled from whatsapp by Ike Onwubuya
