The journey toward the East Cambridge

Chapter 17

The journey toward the East Cambridge

Farid was about to raise his hand to stop Amina from doing what he knew she was planning to do, but he closed his mouth, his lips trembling. He felt that Amina had done enough for Bayo already. Farid had hoped that when Bayo hit a dead end, that would be the end of it, but Amina's next suggestion had revived Bayo's hope. Farid clenched his fist, feeling frustrated.

Bayo breathed out — after thinking hard — and gave Amina a doubtful look. He asked, "Can you help me with the address?" Bayo's voice was hesitant; he would have preferred not to ask.

"You see," she started, her words measured, "you might not know the place and…" Amina trailed off, inviting Bayo to fill in the blanks.

Feeling impendency, Bayo tapped his foot nervously as he narrowed his eyes. 'What can he do without the address?' He pondered, hesitant to burden Amina with his unreasonable request. The lateness of the hour weighed on him, aware that Amina likely had other commitments. Bayo's eyes flickered to Farid and then away, and he sighed, 'This one is too protective of her.'

Amina was also having a hard time deciding what to do. She considered going to the place herself since she thought her presence would be more helpful in this unusual situation. After debating with herself, Amina silently exhaled, squeezed her fist gently, and fixed her gaze on Bayo, "I'll take you there." She said, noticing Bayo's mixed emotions.

Amina gave a mock smile and laughed at herself. She had other things to do today, but she pushed them aside. "If..." she began, hesitating as if she was afraid to spoil the moment, "...you feel guilty about the trouble you..." she paused again, weighing her words, but continued, "...basically caused me, then you'll have to make it up to me." She sighed and wondered why she felt drawn to this guy, who challenged her to do things she typically wouldn't. She sneaked a peek at Bayo and thought, 'And then there's his mysterious mission that intrigues me.'

Bayo eyed her suspiciously, not sure what Amina wanted from him. He had met people like her before and didn't trust them. He thought cynically, "Humans are always looking for something in return, and that's never going to change." He looked away from Amina, his eyes filled with memories of past encounters. He had learned the hard way that people always had ulterior motives. He felt resigned to this reality, which had shaped his worldview.

"So what do you think?" Amina whispered, her voice trembling with hesitation. Her heart pounded as she waited for Bayo's answer. 'Why do I even want him to owe me?' Amina held her shaking pinky finger, feeling nervous and confused.

Bayo looked at Amina and Farid, his eyes shifting between them. "You know," He started, his voice strained and blunt, "I appreciate your help." Bayo stopped and exhaled a heavy sigh, "But if I have to owe you a favor," He glanced at Farid, "I need to know that it's something I can afford." Bayo was tired of these games. He had enough trouble with Èsù and didn't need any more complications. He wasn't sure what Amina was after, but he was cautious.

Amina smiled genuinely, her voice gentle, "What do you think I'll ask for?" She laughed to ease her mind and walked forward, "It's definitely something you can do or give."

Bayo followed Amina quickly, but Farid got in his way again, walking between them. "Ami…" He faltered, not knowing how to say it, but he gathered his courage, "Since you're going, I hope you don't mind if I come along?" He saw Amina nod indifferently and added, "I'll prepare something for you."

Bayo smirked, shaking his head as he watched them with detachment. He wondered how things were before he came. He sighed and thought, 'It's no different from my hometown… Starting a relationship is hard.' But he knew that after winning their hearts — which he knew was not easy for the Ijebu-Remo women — they would adore their husbands and embrace their traditional role as homemakers.

After twenty minutes of wandering around, they finally emerged on Oxford Street, where Amina held a hot dog almost as big as her forearm. The mustard and relish dripped from the bun, filling the air with a mouthwatering aroma. Farid looked at Amina with a satisfied grin, then glanced back at Bayo, who trailed behind them. His smirk was unmistakable as if he had just won a bet. But his smile faded when he saw that Bayo was not bothered by his taunt.

Bayo's face was a blend of irritation and amusement. He was annoyed that they had wasted so much time at that club on Duster Street for nothing but a hot dog when he had more pressing matters to attend to. But he also admired Farid's boldness, which amused him. Farid had openly admitted his financial situation to Amina, unlike Bayo, who had kept his broke status a secret. Bayo sighed quietly, 'I hope it works out for you guys.' He thought to himself, but his words were vague. He didn't know what he wanted.

As they walked along the street, Bayo noticed a commotion ahead. People were rushing in one direction as if they were late for something. He wondered what was happening when he spotted two men in suits and hats, one black and one brown. They stood out from the crowd and seemed to be heading towards a building nearby. "Professor Percy," the man in the black suit said, his voice respectful but eager as he approached him, "This project you're working on is going to be amazing," He paused, his eyes sparkling with curiosity. He wanted to know more.

Professor Percy gave him a subtle look and smiled politely, 'Oh, reporters,' He thought to himself. But he had to be courteous because this was the head of the media company that had come to interview him personally. Professor Percy shook his hand firmly and smiled confidently. He cleared his throat as if choosing his words carefully, "This project," He said, "is a joint venture..." he didn't name the partners involved since he knew the media already had that information. He continued, "... and I'm sure it's going to advance the field of physics of high-energy interactions of electrons and photons."

As they discussed the scientific project, a young man dashed past them; excitement illuminated his face. "It's the environmental survey for the electron accelerator!" he exclaimed eagerly. Clearly a science enthusiast, he had been closely following the project through the media and was eager to witness it firsthand.

Bayo's thoughts raced as he observed the passerby and the professor. The sight stirred a sense of inadequacy within him. How could he grasp the significance of such a project without access to the media? The realization dawned on him that he was completely unaware of such developments, highlighting the vast gap between his world and the world of progress and innovation. Clenching his fist, he couldn't help but contrast it with his stagnant hometown, where change was a foreign concept. It struck him then that he needed to broaden his perspective and adapt to the rapidly evolving landscape of technology.

Bayo was still bewildered by what he had seen - this was a different world to him - when Farid came back and motioned for them to hop into a taxi. Bayo looked at the red cab suspiciously but followed Amina, who seemed at ease. Bayo sighed and wiped his sweaty palm on his pants. 'This is only the second time I'm in a taxi; I hope Farid doesn't expect me to pay,' he thought, his face showing the inner conflict in his heart. As soon as they got in, Amina gave the driver the address.

The cab took them to East Cambridge, another poor neighborhood in Watertown, but Bayo noticed a street named Otis that looked different from the rest. It had a touch of elegance that contrasted with the stench of poverty. Bayo scanned the surroundings, seeing a variety of people speaking different languages. He felt a hint of moisture in the air, indicating they were near a river. He compared this place to his own and decided it was slightly better. The poverty here was not as suffocating.

They got out of the cab, and Bayo paid more attention to the environment. He frowned when he heard the same loud and harsh noises of machines and factories that he heard in his neighborhood. He clenched his fist unconsciously and kept walking. He was used to this noise, but that didn't mean he liked it. Amidst the roar and clatter of machinery, he heard the soothing sound of flowing water, but he couldn't tell where it came from or what they called the river.

Suddenly, a truck loaded with timber passed them, heading deeper into the neighborhood. Bayo's eyes lingered on it for seconds, but he said nothing. Before he could resume his walk, another truck came from the opposite direction, carrying something covered with a tarp. The two drivers exchanged greetings briefly and then went on their way. This pattern repeated itself for the short time they were on the street, and Bayo furrowed his brows at it. She saw the confusion on his face, but Amina didn't offer any explanation, and Farid didn't seem to care. Bayo realized that they were not surprised by this.