FED UP!

(...continued..)

  “What do you have in mind?”

  “I will think and get back to you later.”

  “Think? You know you have suffered Blood Pressure issues in the past and you want to think?”

  “Don’t worry about me. I need to get to the root of this issue once and for all.”

                Cynthia came into the room and announced that she was done with the soup.

  “Who wants to eat?” she asked.

  “Who is in the mood for food?” their mother said.

  “Mummy this is why I didn’t want to tell you.” Mabel said, “I don’t want you bothering yourself.”

  “I will eat later. Meanwhile what will you do about work. Are you ready to face your colleagues?”

  “I was thinking of taking sick leave.”

  “Will they give you? You know how important you are in your office.”

  “I will call my supervisor when I get home.”

  “Why not call her now.”

  “Okay.”

                Mabel dialed her supervisor’s number and she picked. After exchanging pleasantries, Mabel told her why she was calling. The supervisor told her she had heard what happened and intended giving her few days off. She asked Mabel if she could make out time and see her in her house in the evening of the following day. Mabel agreed, thanked her and then hung up.

  “She agreed to give me some days off.”

  “That’s good. That means you are sleeping here this night.”

  “Mummy but..” Mabel began to say.

  “Shhh. I don’t want to hear it. You are staying here. I need to keep an eye on you.”

  “There is no light here.”

  “And so?”

  “How will I cope?”

  “Was this not where you grew up.”

  “Mummy things have changed.”

  “We have generator.”

  “The one that is not working. Let me go and come back tomorrow morning.”

  “No. That’s final.”

  “Ok ma.”

                Mabel lay back on the bed in despair.

  “The generator may start,” Cynthia said. “Let me try it and see.” She went out.

  “Wait for me,” Mabel said and went with her.

                They went and checked the generator. There was enough fuel to test whether it would start or not. They tried starting it, Cynthia first. After a while Mabel opted to try.

  “No,” Cynthia objected. “You will soil your cloth.”

  “Don’t you have clothes I can change with?”

  “I do.” She stepped aside and let Mabel try.

Mabel did but the generator did not respond.

  “Let me call Chuka to come and help us,” Cynthia said and left Mabel still trying to do something.

                Cynthia called a neighbor who came and tried. He checked everything, told them what needed to be fixed and added.

  “Where do I get them?” Cynthia asked.

  “Along the express road, not very far from here,” he replied.

  “Ok. How do I locate the place?”

He opted to help them buy the things needed to make the generator start.

  “Come and take money,” their mother who just came out of the backyard door said.

  “Don’t bother,” Mabel said. “I will give him money.”

  “No my dear. Let me handle it. I don’t want you to change your mind about the new generator.”

                They laughed. She told Cynthia where to get the money. Cynthia brought it and gave Chuka who went and got a new plug, fuel and oil. He fixed the generator and put it on. They thanked him and their mother offered him tip.

  “Don’t worry ma.” He said. “It was my pleasure, for Cynthia’s sake.”

                Mabel gave Cynthia a funny look.

  “You didn’t tell me,”

  “She is still doing shakara. If I can give you light, I will do anything for you.”

  “Go away jo,” Cynthia said.

                They laughed and he left. They went inside, only to perceive the smell of smoke everywhere.

(...to be continued...)

-Chinedu Isaac