(...continued...)
As she got to
the first floor, on her way to the second floor where she lives, a door opened.
Mabel increased her pace and walked up the stairs in twos.
“Aunty Mabel good morning,” Risi greeted as
she peeped through the door.
Mabel stopped when she heard the
little girl’s voice.
“Morning my dear,” Mabel answered and
relaxed. “You didn’t go to school?”
“No aunty.”
“Why?”
Risi did not answer.
“Risi who are you talking to?” Mama Risi
asked and came to the door.
“It is aunty Mabel,” Risi answered.
“Good morning ma,” Mabel greeted her when she
came out.
“Morning my love,” Mama Risi answered. “You
did not go to work?”
“No.”
“Is all well?”
“Yes. I have been ill for some days now. I
just couldn’t go today.”
“Eiyaa. So how are you feeling now?”
“I am getting better.”
“I have been worried. I even came to your
house yesterday evening and in the night but there was no one there.”
“I went to
see my mother.”
“Ok. How is
she?”
“Very fine
ma.”
Mabel
made to turn and go up but stopped.
“I was
asking Risi why she did not go to school today.”
“Hmm,” Mama
Risi sighed and folded her hands on her chest. Risi looked up at her mother and
kept quiet.
“Is she
okay?”
“You know this private school thing.”
“What happened?”
“The fees are very high. I have not been able
to pay enough for this term so they drove her today.”
“Oh. Ok.”
That was not the answer Mabel
was expecting but she got it anyway. She wished she had not bothered asking but
she looked at Risi and felt pity for the poor girl.
“How have you been paying it before?”
“I have been managing well. But since my son
got admission in the university, the admission process sapped me. I even had to
borrow to complete his bills.”
“Oh I see.”
“Since my husband died, it has not been
easy.”
“Mama Risi, don’t be thinking like that.”
“I told you this because you asked. This is
not the kind of story you tell everyone. I am not asking you for anything ok.”
“I know. I will still see what I can do
within the week.”
“I will be grateful but don’t stress yourself
ok. You have helped us a lot.”
“It’s ok.”
“Aunty thank you,” Risi said, ran and hugged
Mabel.
“Don’t worry, you will go back to school ok,”
Mabel said, hugging her too.
“Ok aunty.”
Risi let her go and Mabel saw
tears in her eyes. Mama Risi was also sniffing. Mabel was moved the more and
made up her mind to pay the girl’s fees even if her mother’s generator had to
wait a little longer. She continued up to the third floor.
When she got to her door, she
was taken aback by what she saw.
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