Mabel dialed her number but was told that her
number was ‘switched off’. They were worried.
“Where
could mummy have gone to?”
After
a while, Cynthia remembered. “I think she went to see Mimi. She put to bed last
week.”
“Are they
still in the hospital?”
“No, they
came back last night. I think mummy is in their house.”
“Okay.
Their house is not far from here. Let’s go and check.”
They left to go and see Mimi who
was one of their neighborhood friends. They got to know through Mimi’s mother
and their mother who were close friends. On their way, they met their mother
coming back to the house.
“Mummy good
evening,” they greeted her.
“Evening my
loves,” she answered and hugged them. “Has it been long you came?”
“Not very
long,” Cynthia answered.
“I went to
see Mimi. You know she put to bed last week. They came back last night.”
“Eiyaa. How
did you know we came?” Mabel asked.
“It was one of these boys that came to tell me
that you came.”
“How is
she?”
“She is
fine o. I enjoyed carrying her baby oo.” She gave them a suspicious look.
They
laughed.
“Don’t
worry. You will soon carry your grandchildren.”
“Amen oo.”
“Let me use
this opportunity and see her. I don’t know when next I will be free to come
around,” Mabel suggested.
“Okay.”
They
went back and saw Mimi. She was in the sitting room with her husband, mother
and some visitors. They exchanged pleasantries. Mabel and co stayed a little
while and left for their house.
“What do I
offer you?” their mother asked Mabel when they entered the house.
“Offer
who?” Mabel asked her. “Who is the stranger here?”
“Don’t mind
me o.” her mother laughed. “I always forget.”
“Is it
because I got my own apartment some months ago?”
“Which
months? It’s been more than two years.”
Mabel
went to the refrigerator to get water or anything she could drink.
“You don’t
have anything cold here,” she said.
“We have
not had light for two days now.”
“Why?”
“No one
knows exactly. Some say the transformer is faulty; others say it is from the
transmission line.”
“What about
your generator?”
“It has
been long I used it. Moreover, that generator cannot carry the refrigerator.”
“You will
need a generator that can carry your fridge.”
“Do you
need to bother yourself? It will be expensive o.”
“And so?
You deserve the best from us.”
“Helping
Cynthia with her schooling is a lot for you.”
“I know.”
“Mabel this
is my final year o,” Cynthia said. “Forget the generator till I finish my
project.”
They
laughed.
“Get a rich
boy friend,” her mother teased her.
“Mummy,”
“I am
joking o.”
Mabel
opened the windows well.
“Here is
stuffy o.”
“Let’s go
to the backyard then.”
As they passed the kitchen, Mabel
saw some food stuffs on the table.
“What are
they for?” she asked her mother.
“I wanted
to cook soup before Mama Ejima came
and we went to see Mimi. It can wait.”
Mabel
carried a tray of Egusi and went out
with them.
“That thing
will take your time o,” her mother told her.
“Not if we
do it together.”
“If you say
so.”
They
sat on a bench and removed the back of the Egusi.
Cynthia also joined them. They told stories as they worked on the Egusi. Mabel’s mum brought her up to
speed on news she should know. Before long, they were done with the Egusi.
“Bring the
vegetable,” Mabel told Cynthia. “Let me cook the soup before I go back.”
“Mabel,”
Cynthia called, giving her a look.
Mabel understood. Cynthia wanted
her to tell her mum what happened. She did not say anything. Cynthia went to
the kitchen and called Mabel again. Mabel went to see her there.
“Tell her
na,” she told Mabel in a hushed voice.
“I don’t
know if I can tell her. She may say she told me but I didn’t listen.”
“Just tell
her.”
“Any
problem?” their mother asked from the backyard. “What are you looking for?”
“I have
seen the knife.”
(...to be continued...)
(c) 2014. Chinedu Isaac
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