FED UP!

(...continued...)

Mabel brought her phone and checked the calls she received and missed the previous day. None was from Coker. She checked the messages also. None from Coker.

  “Why didn’t Coker call or send SMS?”

                She dropped her phone and continued with the clean up. Risi soon came, greeted her and stood by the door.

  “Come in dear,” Mabel told her.

  “My mummy said you need help.”

                Mabel smiled and said, “I told your mummy not to bother. I can handle it.”

  “But I can help you clean up faster.”

  “Ok. Which one will you help me do now?”

  “Let me pack the trash.”

  “I have already done that.”

  “Have you sent them downstairs?”

  “No.”

  “Let me do that then.”

  “You can’t be carrying trash for me na. what will people say when they see you?”

  “So what do you want me to do? I can’t stand here and be looking at you.”

  “Help me arrange the things I scattered while cleaning.”

                Risi set to work immediately. She helped Mabel do the much she could. Soon, they were done with the clean up in the house.

  “What about the trash?” Risi asked Mabel. “You will not take it downstairs?”

  “I will do that later. It is not much.”

  “Ok.”

                They stood for some seconds surveying their work.

  “Your room is fine o,” Risi told Mabel.

  “Thank you,” Mabel replied. “What do you want to eat?” she asked Risi.

  “Anything you have.”

                Mabel thought for a while. Then she checked her groceries cupboard.

  “I don’t have any snacks,” she said.

                Risi kept looking over her shoulder in search of something that would interest her.

  “DO you want to eat noodle?” Mabel asked her. “I remember I have some packs left.

  “I like noodles,” Risi answered with her face lit up. “Can I cook it?”

  “Do you know how to cook noodles?” Mabel asked her, surprised.

  “Yes, but my mummy doesn’t allow me cook it.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes aunty.”

  “Ok. I will allow you cook it so you can learn ok.”

  “Ok aunty.”

  “But you will wait, let me shower first.”

  “Ok aunty. Where can I wash my hand?”

                Mabel took her to the bathroom and helped her wash her hand, then Risi sat on a chair and waited. Mabel rushed a bath. Then she went to the kitchen.

  “Risi come,” she called.

                Risi met her in the kitchen. She lit the stove.

  “Aunty is your gas cooker not working?”

  “It is working but I can’t allow you use it so you don’t hurt yourself.”

  “Ok.”

                Mabel stood there and told her what to do. She watched Risi as she cooked the noodles.  When she was done, she helped her dish it.

  “Aunty I told you I can cook,” she told Mabel, excited.

  “I was telling you what to do.”

  “It is not even hard sef.”

  “Cooking is not hard, as long as you know what to do and you are careful not to pour hot water or oil on yourself.”

                They went to the room with the plates of food. As Mabel ate, she dialed Cynthia. Cynthia picked and put her up to speed on happenings in the house. There was no challenge. Mabel hung up when she was done with the call.

  “Risi!” they heard her mother call.

  “I am coming!” Risi shouted.

  “Finish up and go answer your mummy,” Mabel told her.

                Risi rushed her food, thanked Mabel, kept her plate in the kitchen and left.

  “I will come back to wash the plates and pot,” she said as she left. “Let me answer my mummy.”

  “Don’t bother about it. I will handle it.”

                Risi left. Mabel locked the door behind her.

(...to be continued...)

-Chinedu Isaac