(...continued...)
“Mabel
Mabel,” she kept calling and ran out of her room.
She
saw the entrance door open and called Mabel the more. On rushing out, she ran
into Mabel coming into the house carrying a bucket of water.
“Mummy good
morning.” She greeted. “Why are you shouting my name like that? Is there any
problem?
“I woke up
and didn’t see you. I was worried.”
“Worried
for what na? This is just 6:30.”
“I also
heard noise in the compound so I thought…”
“You thought
I hung myself on the mango tree?”
“My dear”
“You are
funny.”
“What am I
supposed to think after what I heard yesterday?”
“It hasn’t been long I woke up. I went to
fetch water to tidy up the kitchen and mop the floor.”
“Okay my
dear. What is the noise in the compound about?”
“Just yard
quarrel.”
“Between
who and who this time?”
“One of
these new tenants and Michael.”
“Mcheew.
Trouble makers. It is a normal thing.”
“Is Cynthia
still sleeping?”
“Yes she
is. Should I wake her?”
“No. Leave
her. She slept late.”
“We still
need to do morning devotion so I will have to wake her.”
“Ok. Let me
drop the bucket in the kitchen. I will soon join you.”
They
went inside. Their mother woke Cynthia up for morning devotion. After the
devotion, they cleaned up the house while their mother prepared for work. She
was a civil servant. While they were busy, there was a knock on the door. It
was their neighbor. Cynthia answered the door
“Good
morning aunty Janet.”
“Morning my
dear,” she replied. “How are you?”
“I am fine
ma.”
“Is your
mummy around? Has she left for work?”
“She is
getting ready. You can wait for her in the parlour.”
Aunty
Janet came in and sat in the parlour. Mabel came out and greeted her.
“Mabel
mabel my inlaw, how are you?”
“I am fine
ma.”
“You don’t
come to see us again.”
“I have
been very busy with work and other things lately.”
“Ok my
dear. You don’t want to ask after your husband?”
Mabel
giggled.
“You will
wait for my son to make money and come and marry you o,” Aunty Janet said
laughing.
“Aunty
aunty..”
Their
mother came out ready to leave and met Aunty Janet in the parlour. They
exchanged pleasantries.
“Since you
are leaving,” Aunty Janet said. “We can leave together.”
“Okay.”
They
left the house. Mabel and Cynthia bid their mother farewell.
“I heard
noise in your house last night.” Aunty Janet asked after they had walked for a
while. “Is there any problem?”
“No problem
o. We were praying.”
“But it
sounded somehow.”
“I don’t
know what you heard. It did not come from my house. It must have been another
house.”
Mama
Janet didn’t seem convinced but she decided not to push further.
“I heard
the new tenants quarreled this morning.” Mabel’s mother said, changing the
topic.
“It is
still about the same issue about pouring water in front of the house.”
“Mcheew. I
was thinking it is something serious. Let me be speed up. I am running late.”
Mama Janet escorted her to the
gate and came in. She flagged down a tricycle and entered.
In
the house, Mabel made breakfast. She fried egg and made pap to be taken with
bread
“What are
your plans for today?” Cynthia asked Mabel.
“I will go
to my house later this morning. Then in the evening I will go and see Mrs
Biodun, my department supervisor in the office.
“Do you
need me to go with you?”
“You are
still supervising me?”
“No. Is it
bad to stay with my beloved sister?”
“Alright.
Start getting ready then.”
“Oh my God!”
Cynthia exclaimed and held her thigh.
(...to be continued...)
-Chinedu Isaac
No comments:
Post a Comment