The Notebook

West Africa

Ikot Ekpene, 1911

The door to the bedroom flew open.

"For the love of God Inem, wakeup! Didn’t you say you had a...?" the thought forever going unfinished because Inem had lurched off the bed in a motion that nearly toppled her.

"Iya mmi Uwem! How long have I slept for?" she cried.

Barely steady, she wobbled to the washstand placed near the small window at the end of the room.

"Hand me my clothes from the bench, please" she begged in reference to the wooden assailant from seconds ago.

Uwem languidly walks to the bench with the exaggerated look of annoyance a scolded child would possess.

"Let’s hope the day you live without me never comes!" she said tossing them to her.

"Let’s hope not!" Inem whispers automatically.

She glanced into a chipped blurred looking glass, and hastily worked her fingers to unravel the scarf she had secured her hair with the night before.

Good! It still looked presentable...ish.

She dressed hurriedly and in a short moment later they were walking out into the morning sun-drenched village.

The two girls have been friends since childhood, and now governesses at the Qua Iboe Missionary school. Uwem lives next door with her mother, Nkoyo; and her little brother, Freke.

"Would you be joining us today?" Inem asked.

"Huh?"

"The trip. Would your class be joining us?"

"Of course. Where are we going again?"

"Great! Do you even listen to me when I speak? I said we were going to the newly refurbished menagerie," she illuminated emphatically. Define "newly refurbished". A month before, a hedgehog was added to the herd. That is refurbished, right? "It’s not much, but it serves its purpose. The children will be exceptionally taken with the place, and I thought if I incorporated that into their lessons, it would make an enormous difference for them, especially Oto. I’d imagine."

"My head is throbbing okay? So, cool it!" Uwem retorted rubbing her temple.

"I mean it, Uwem. The place is Perfect! There, one can teach things that matter with practical and vivid examples. The world is not a kind place, the very least we can do is arm them to face it. Efficiently!"

Uwem paused to look at her.

"Why, that is incredibly amazing, Inem. One problem, where do we find this person?"

As they came to a halt in the hallway of the school building, they exchanged looks of a brash realization of the impending doom before swinging the door open.

The schoolroom was painted in what used to be a frothy white and creamy yellow color; and furnished with a well-used and ceramic confectionary stand she had made, tiny desks, and chairs scattered about the room. A desk-drawer placed at the far end of the room, a chalkboard, and the most captivating section of the class: a mural-covered wall with handcrafted 'arts'.

"Emesiere everyone! Sleep well?" she said crossing the room to her desk.

"Yes Miss Bassey!" they chorused.

"How wonderful!" she said mentally scolding herself. That is, it! This is the last time she lets Uwem take her anywhere. The last time. "You may sit. Otobong, I remember you were the most excited when I mentioned the trip earlier this week. Still feel the same?"

"I never— " he began in protest, but asked, "it's Friday already?"

"Ntoro, Oto."

"That means we won’t see you again until Monday?"

"Yes. Oh, you sweet-."

"Well, thank God! I was already dreading this day, and it’s not even noon yet. Get on with it if you must!"

She walked right into that one.

Just the other day, the boy had said something equally gruesome when she asked them what they wished to do for the whole school day. He chirped: "You ask us this each day; do you not know how to teach or are you just incompetent?"

Children.

Struggling to regain her composure as the class sniggered on, a tall slender boy pranced by startling her. The second person this morning.

"What now?" she yelled through clenched teeth. "

"Emesiere, Miss Bassey, the headmaster wishes to see you. He says to come quickly!" he said breathily.

"Be careful, Nse! Thank you, I’ll be there shortly. Get to class."

She turned back to the class.

"Conduct yourselves! Otobong, that includes you too, your majesty!" she admonished walking out into the hallway.

"Uwem mbok watch the children. The headmaster sent for me," she called out, not bothering to wait for a response.

When she reached the front of the door, she lifted the rusted brass knocker and jammed it against the moldy door. "Duk di!" commanded the voice. Inem slowly pushed the door open as both men stood up in acknowledgment of her. That NEVER happens.

"Duk di my dear. This is Mr. Essien Emana, he wanted to speak with you," Mr. Ebong said almost beseechingly.

Inem looked up at the man. A tall middle-aged man in a remarkably tailored wine-colored Usobo wrapper secured at the waist; starched white chieftain shirt; and a superbly polished mahogany Esang, that gleamed.

"Good Morning Obong mmi," She said curling her lips into a welcoming smile.

He was momentarily stunned by her enthusiastic welcome. What a delightful child!

"Oh my! Where are my manners? How are you, Miss Bassey?" he stumbled.

He had intelligent kind eyes that reminded her of her mma, and he looked her in the eye. The way one rarely did, because it meant allowing the other person to truly look at them, too. As an equal. Either that or what her mma had always said: "Ase owo iso, ase akop usem—a person who maintains eye contact during conversations, seeks understanding."

Such trivial things were rare.

"I am well, Obong mmi."

"Nice to meet you, my name is Essien Emana. I am a private butler and a dear friend to the late Obong Anwan Ntantafion. My Lady passed away two months ago, and before and during her illness we searched and hopped to meet you."

She gasped. "My God! I am sorry for your loss sir. I pray God mends your broken heart, Obong mmi. But pardon me, why were you looking for me?".

"Oh, bless you, my child!" He looked like no one had said that to him and meant it. "When she was alive, he continued, she charged me with the management of her properties. Said properties are why I am here."

The headmaster had sent her back home that morning. I mean, who would function after such an ordeal?

"What?"

Mr. Essien gestured her to sit on the bench placed beside the wall and pulls out a small black notebook, and a notecard bundled together with a rose gold satin ribbon from his briefcase and offered it to her.

"She specified that £20,000 be allocated to you."

"What?"

"Pardon?"

"I'm sorry but what? Why? I mean, I haven’t done anything to earn this. Why would she voluntarily throw her money away?"

He regarded her closely. "Miss Ba-."

"Please call me Inem. You’re about to give me all your money. You may call me Inem."

"Very well. Inem, My Lady was a believer, in the strength of people. She used to say: 'sometimes even the brightest diamonds deserved a little polish.'"

Inem laid curled up on the bed. Crying. Again. At this rate, she could fill a basin. Suddenly a knock at the door interrupts her glorious concert of self-pity.

"How dare you leave me alone with those tiny dev-, are you okay sweetie? Oh, darling! What is the matter?" Uwem said Crouching down to hold her.

"I’m rich, Uwem!" she hiccupped.

"Oh darling, that’s not something to cry about."

"A man came to the school today and offered me £20,000."

Uwem jerked. "What?"

"Here! See for yourself."

"Yes, of course, and he also gave you a new house," she mocked. Her expression changed when she saw the luxuriousness of the book and its associates.

Inem nudged her to read.

"Dear Miss Inemesit Bassey,

My name is Lady Ntantafion. My, how you have grown! Your mother, God rest her soul, was a dear friend. When I heard she had passed, it felt like a part of me had died. Yesterday, Owo mmi found you. The last time I saw you, you were just a tiny little thing.

Please forgive my curiosity, it could not be helped; I admired you from afar. I am grateful I got to watch you for a bit. Thank God we didn't meet, you don’t need an old geezer like me telling you what to do, or how to be. Besides, you, my dear are a brilliant and competent young woman.

Please accept this selfish token of my endorsement and go be who we both know you can be. The notebook attached, fill it up with the adventures you will surely encounter.

Let her live through your eyes!

Forever Yours,

Obong Anwan Ntantafion

October 1910."

"Inemesit Bassey! Do you know what this means?" she beamed.

"Wait, there’s a catch!”

"Hm?"

"It stipulates that I must spend it alone."

"So? What’s the problem?" Uwem replied nonchalantly as she ceremoniously fingers the satiny ribbon.

"Did you not hear-."

"I did. What’s the problem?"

"Of course, you'd say that! Who goes about giving people money? What am I to do with that amount? How can I just simply spend it alone, Uwem? It’s unheard of!"

Uwem stopped fondling the package for the first time in what seems to have been ages.

Inem had started pacing around the room at this point. She looked terrible.

"Don’t be obtuse, Darling! First, you look dreadful, second," she categorized, "second, you are the cleverest person I have ever met. There, you happy? Good, because God knows your looks aren’t what they used to be."

"Be serious for once, Uwem. Please!"

"I am! Your looks aren’t what they used to be."

She chortled between snorts. Uwem was the only person who could do that.

"The money is a welcoming perk indeed. Without or without it, you would have still left this hellhole! Also, it’s clearly written here what you must do."

"I know. But I-."

"Don’t do that. Pull yourself together and regret it later."

"I hear you. Now, hand it over!"

Mr. Essien came back to the school the following week during lunch break.

"Good afternoon, sir. Please come in. How are you?"

"Very well, my dear. I apologize for bothering you again Miss Bassey, but it is paramount I know your response. Did you give much thought to our discussion?"

Did she? Is that what he asked?

"I mustn't leave my family, sir."

"I see," the old man regarded her thoughtfully, "ask yourself this: if I stay, what more could I possibly offer them?"

"Excuse me?"

A spitfire.

He chuckled. "Forgive me Miss, but I only meant that as a compliment that it was meant to be, you see."

"Compliment?"

"Of course! With money, your options are limitless. And in this case, the money is yours to keep. You're given an opportunity to be a helper, so, help yourself help your community."

"I suppose," She sighed.

She was folding, so, he decided to tip the pot.

"A private library, my dear."

She schooled her face into a perfect expression of innocence, looked up at him.

"How will I get the money, sir?"

"Hm? How cheeky!" he chuckled, "when the papers are signed, we would go to the bank together and sign it over to you. You will have complete access of course, but they just require a little 'masculine' presence which is also why I am here."

"Oh, Of course." That's right! How could a woman want or need money? "You wouldn’t have the papers with you now, would you?"

"As a matter of fact, I do," he said retrieving the intended document, and offered her a pen from the ink jar on her desk, "I'm certain you will accomplish remarkable things, Miss Bassey." He cheered.

"Thank-"

"Inem! Inem!! Wake the hell up! We’re late!" Uwem called.