Cynthia just stood, leaning on the
wall. She was pinging and observing what was going on. They were silent for a
while. It was Mabel who broke the silence.
“I thought
you are on your way to church?” Mabel asked.
“On second
thought,” Glory said. “Church can wait till the next midweek service.”
“Why will
you miss service?” Mabel asked.
“So I can
stay with you for a while.”
“It is not necessary.”
“I insist.”
“Okay.”
“Then I
will go with Miriam,” Oge said.
“I think I
should also leave,” Cynthia told her.
“Okay. How
do you intend going?”
“I will get
to the house, dress up and go to church. Then after the service, I will come
here straight.”
“Okay. Tell
mummy that I will see her in the evening.”
Cynthia
left with Oge and Miriam. Glory stayed with Mabel all morning. They didn’t talk
about the incident. Glory just brought up topics and gossips that would cheer
her up. Then they watched movies and reality shows on TV till both of them
slept off on the bed.
They
were woken up by a knock on the door. Mabel stirred and checked the time. It
was 2:25 pm.
“How long
have we been sleeping?” Mabel asked.
“Who are
you asking?” Glory answered, getting up.
“Never
mind.”
Glory opened the door. It was
Cynthia.
“Welcome,”
she said to Cynthia.
“Thank
you,” Cynthia said, entering with a nylon bag.
“What is
that you are carrying?” Mabel asked her.
“Food from
mummy.”
“You went
back home?”
“Yes. When
I told mummy I was coming here after church, she insisted I follow her back to
the house and bring food for you.”
“Did you
tell her anything?”
“No. you
told me not to, right?”
“Yes.”
“You
haven’t told your mum what happened?” Glory asked, looking surprised.
“Not yet.”
“Why?”
“I will
tell her when I see her this evening.”
“Don’t fail
to tell her o.”
“I will
tell her.”
Cynthia
went to the kitchen with nylon bag.
“What is
it?”
“Rice and
stew.”
Mabel
helped her dish the food for herself and Glory. Cynthia poured the rest in
pots.
“You are
not eating?” Mabel asked her.
“Not now. I
ate in the house.”
Mabel
and glory ate while Cynthia ate biscuit she came with and flipped channels on
the TV. When they were done, Cynthia helped remove the plates and washed them.
They chatted for a while and watched Telemundo. After a while, Glory begged to
take her leave.
“Thank you
so much for stopping by,” Mabel said to her.
“What are
friends for?” Glory replied and carried her bag. “Will you go to work tomorrow?”
“I have not
even thought about it o. What will I do?”
“Take a
sick leave.”
“Will they
give me?”
“Talk to
your supervisor.”
“I will
try.”
“No
problem. I will still check on you tomorrow.”
“OK.
Thanks.”
Glory
left and Mabel locked the door behind her.
“How is
mummy?” Mabel asked Cynthia.
“She is
fine but she kept looking at my face to know if something is wrong.”
“Mummy
sef.”
“When I
told her you will come to see her this evening, she relaxed.”
“I guess I
need to dress up then.”
Mabel
dressed up and left with Cynthia. They boarded a taxi and went to see their
mother.
“Hope you
will tell her?” Cynthia asked Mabel when the taxi was getting close to the
house.
“Yes I
will. At my own time.”
“Okay.”
When
they got to the house, Mabel paid the taxi man, and they entered the compound.
They said ‘hello’ to some young boys playing football in the compound. In the neighboring
compound there was a football viewing center where young boys went to watch
matches. It was unusually quiet.
“Is your
club not playing today?” Cynthia asked one of them.
“No.” he
replied. “We played yesterday.”
They
knocked on their door for a while but there was no response.
“Haba.
Where did mummy go?”
“I wonder
o.” Cynthia said. “Let me check the backyard.”
She
went to the backyard but her mother was not there. She knocked at the back door
but got no response. She came back to Mabel in front.
“No
response.”
“Let me try
calling her and know where she is.”
Mabel
dialed her number but heard an auto-response that the number was calling was ‘switched off’. They were
worried.
(...to be continued...)
Chinedu Isaac
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