"Alright, let me think… let’s make your last name Onyeike, and you originally come from Mkporo, in Ebonyi. If you can, see if you can develop a sweet little south eastern ascent; make e dey so slight, nothing extravagant. Let’s say you’re twenty-six. At that age, you’ll likely be working somewhere for a living. Is that enough to get you started?”

Melody closed her eyes for a few moments. “That should work perfectly. Leave the rest to me. Is that an official wish?”

Doing his best impression of Nkem Owoh, Osuofia, Kendy replied, “Make am so.”

Tingle. Flash. “All set, my Gee,” she said with a wink.

Her new accent sent chills up his spine. “Ooh, that’s sexy…”

By this time, it was nearing 5:20pm, so the pair decided to start walking towards the pool at the front of the apartment building. Stepping outside, Melody’s face became a symphony of childlike wonder. “Wow… this is incredible! I can feel the breeze, the warmth of the sun… it’s better than I ever imagined it would be.”

After finishing her unintended reenactment of the opening scene from The Sound of Music, Melody squeezed Kendy in a tight embrace. “Thank you… I really am a lucky, lucky angel. I love being your girlfriend, my Gee.”


“Remember, all life has to offer you. Not because I allow it, but because you deserve it. Period.” A couple of tender kisses later, they were headed off towards the pool.

As they leisurely walked through the complex, Kendy asked, “So, Melody Onyeike, tell me all about yourself.”

She giggled, responding, “Well, I grew up in Abuja, mostly in orphanages. My birth parents abandoned me at the door of a maternity home when I was just a baby. I tried to get adopted several times, but the system is really messed up. I also tried to stay away from foster homes, having heard way too many terrible stories about them. Thankfully, I developed an artistic talent in middle school and high school, and was able to combine that with a great essay about my childhood to attend the University of Abuja on scholarship. I have a bachelor degree in photography, and just moved here into Aba at the start of the year to try to start a new life from scratch.”

“Photography? Nice,” Kendy nodded approvingly. “Have you done many jobs?”

“Just a few odd jobs here and there, haven’t really hit my stride yet. I did create some web space to house a portfolio with samples of my work. Plenty to convince anyone that my background is legitimate.”

“Cool. So, I guess we were attracted to each other online based on our mutual artistic interests? And then, the day I saw you on the road...”

“Definitely,” Melody responded. “I also really liked the fact that you had such a strong self confidence. Having the upbringing that I did, self esteem was in seriously short supply, but talking with you about the great things it had brought you in your life convinced me that I ought to check it out. I will work on my self-confidence.”

Her face slowly turned rather serious. “That, by the way, is completely true. It’s clear to me how important your self confidence is in your life. Seeing the incredible person it’s made you into, I want to be a part of that too.”

Kendy was floored. He had no clue where beautiful, magical beings such as angels stood on philosophical matters, but he had learned long ago that, if anyone or anything expresses any interest in religion or God or true philosophy whatsoever, you find a way to nurture and encourage that feeling. Otherwise, you run the risk of pushing them completely away from the idea altogether.

He smiled. “Well you’re in luck. Tomorrow, we’ll listen to my favourite podcast. Oh, and one of my childhood friends is giving the production tomorrow, so I think you’ll enjoy that quite a bit.”

She beamed, wrapping her arm in his excitedly. “Sound’s wonderful.”

As they approached the pool area, the pair could tell that the sound system had been hooked up. Melody’s eyes widened, and a huge smile slowly appeared on her face. “What is that?”

“That, my dear girl, is country music.”

She paused momentarily, taking it all in. “I love it!”

As they entered the pool area, the party was in full swing, with both the kids and adults enjoying the sounds of Teni’s 'You Can Be Anything'. Tochi and his friends were in the pool, fully engrossed in a game of touch-n-chase. As Kendy was about to go over and say hi, a squeal came from the area by the grill.

“MR. KENDYYYYY!!!”

Sopuru’s seven-year-old daughter, Sochima, ran up and tackled Kendy full force before he even knew what was going on.

“Jeesu, Sochima! You go soon turn into some kind sumo wrestler one day!” It was all Kendy could do to keep from falling completely on his back. “How are you doing, cutie? Working hard in school?”

Sochima nodded. “Yaa! I got a check plus in reading this week. Oh! And we just had our cultural day choreography dancing yesterday!”

“That’s right, your mother told me that was coming up. I’m really sorry I couldn’t make it. I had a big performance of my own yesterday.”

“That’s okay, I bet we both did great!” As she smiled, it was clear Sochima was missing a few of her teeth.

“Kendy! ‘E don reach when you go show up!” Sopuru walked over from the grill area.

“Hi, Sopuru, great party you got going here.”

“Thank you, dear. Now, forgive my being nosey, but I need to meet this pretty lady I caught a glimpse of in your apartment,” she said in a motherly tone.

Laughing, Kendy made the introductions. “Melody, this is my neighbor, Sopuru Jojo Kalu-Uduma. Sopuru, this is Melody Onyeike, my… girlfriend.” Kendy hesitated momentarily. Even with their bond, the two of them hadn’t formally decided on any titles for their relationship yet. However, his concerns were quickly alleviated.

Girlfriend. I love the sound of that, Melody thought in his head.

Sopuru extended her hand. “Melody, a pleasure to meet you, my dear.”

Shaking her hand, Melody replied, “Likewise, Mrs. Jojo Kalu-Uduma.”

“Oh, honey please! It’s Sopuru. Mrs. Kalu-Uduma just makes me feel old.”

Melody giggled. “It shouldn’t. How old are you? Thirty-two? Thirty-three?”

Stunned in flattery, she stammered, “Oh, no… thirty-eight actually.”

“What?! No way! You must be using some miracle product. What’s your secret? Come on, what?” Melody may have been a little persuasive, but Sopuru was responding very positively as they chatted.

After a few minutes, Sopuru turned to Kendy. “We’re actually just about to start the karaoke contest. Now, I happen to know for a fact that you know every last word of Tekno's 'Boys Ana-agbaka'. So I guess the only question is, how much blackmail is it going to take to get you up to that microphone?”

Melody gasped in excitement. “Kendy, you’ve got to do it!”

He tried his best to back out of it. Kendy was never one for public shaming, which is what this...