FED UP!

(…continued…)

She folded the paper well and put inside her hand bag and they moved out. Outside, they saw people they knew in groups chatting and getting set for the service. Others were going into the church hall. They exchanged pleasantries with those they knew and went into the church hall, set for the service.

Almost immediately they went in, the service started. They participated in everything in the service with full attention, from the prayer session, the praise and worship to the message. At the end of the service, they were truly blessed.

  “So this is how midweek services are now?” Mabel asked her mother.

  “Yes o.”

  “I have been missing o.”

  “A lot.”

  “I will not miss services again.”

  “Me too,” Cynthia added.

                They exchanged pleasantries with those they knew as they went outside. They met pastor’s wife talking with some women.

  “We are leaving,” Mabel’s Mother said to her as she hugged the other women.

  “Ok. Hope you were blessed in the service?”

  “Very blessed.”

  “Alright, take care of my sisters for me.” She turned to Mabel, “Don’t forget all I told you.”

  “I won’t ma.”

  “Mama Mabel, I hope you are aware of our women’s meeting coming up next weekend?” one of the women asked.

  “No o. I was not informed.”

  “Maybe you were not in the last meeting but I am sure text messages will still be sent.”

  “Ok.”

                They left.

  “Can we see people going in our direction?” Cynthia asked when they got to the church gate.

  “No o,” Mabel said. “I don’t want any embarrassment o.”

                She went ahead of them and flagged down a keke. She bargained with him, they entered and left. The church was not too far from their house but they spent a lot of time in hold up.

  “When will this traffic issue change in this country?” Their mother asked.

  “Well, we have voted for change, let us see what will happen,” Cynthia said.

                After moving for a while, their mother asked them whether they needed to buy anything.

  “What are we cooking this night?” Mabel asked.

  “I cooked soup in the afternoon.”

  “You went home?” Cynthia asked her.

  “Yes I did.”

  “So you can be in church on time to follow me and see mama.”

                The keke entered a pothole.

  “Ooohm.”

  “Sorry madam,” the keke driver apologized.

  “Since you have cooked, I don’t think we need to buy anything then,” Mabel said.

                They endured the rest of the journey till they got home. There was no light when they got home.

  “What do we do?” Cynthia asked.

  “Is there still fuel in the generator?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “We will need to buy then.”

  “Look out for Chuka na.”

  “No. I will get it from black market, not far from here.”

  “Let us check the gen first.”

                They went inside their house and dropped their bags. Mabel and Cynthia went to the backyard to check the generator. They discovered that there was no fuel.

  “Where do we get now?” Mabel asked Cynthia.

  “At the junction. It is very close.”

  “Are you sure we will not ask Chuka to help us?”

 “No please. It will look as if we only call him when we want him to run errands for us. Forget that he likes me and can do anything to please me, he is bigger than running such errands.”

  “Ok. If you say so.”

  “Let me get the gallon.”

  “Get a small one I can carry. We don’t need to get much fuel. Just enough to charge our phones.”

  “Ok.”

                Mabel went inside to get money and also tell her mother they were going out.

  “Why don’t we leave it?” her mother asked her. “NEPA will still bring light.”

  “We can’t be sure. And my phone is down.”

  “Ok. Don’t waste time.”

                Mabel met Cynthia outside and they left. They got the fuel and came back.

  “Did you reply Segun’s text message?” Cynthia asked

  “For what?”

  “I was just asking, because even pastor’s wife said you should not do such a thing.”

  “I am not a kid na. I will not. Even if he calls me now, I will not pick.”

  “What about Mama Risi? Have you spoken with her?”

  “No. You just reminded me. I will call her when we get home now.”

  “I just hope those hoodlums are gone for good.”

  “They are. If not, they would have trailed us to the hospital and even to church.”

                As they entered the compound, they met Chuka. He exchanged pleasantries with them and went close to hug Cynthia. Cynthia gave him her hand to shake.

  “My wife, what is wrong?” he asked smiling.

  “Is it me?” Cynthia asked.

  “Yes my love.”

  “Chuka please leave me o,” Cynthia said laughing. Mabel laughed.

  “I have been worried about you since I heard you were not feeling well.

  “Thanks.”

  “I was so worried that I lost appetite.”

  “Story for Simbi. And you are smelling pepper soup pepper soup.”

  “It is just this evening I had to manage and eat something.”

  “And you ate alone.”

  “I didn’t know I will see you. I don’t mind trekking long distance to get it for you. Should I?”

  “Please leave me o.”

                He saw the fuel can Mabel was carrying and asked whether they went to get fuel.

  “Yes o,” Mabel replied.

  “You would have called me na,” he said, winking at Cynthia.

  “It is not far na.”

  “Yes but I don’t want my wife and inlaw to suffer.”

  “Buy a car and take me shopping, then I will consider you.” Cynthia said.

  “Only. You will see me in action tomorrow.”

                They laughed and went towards their house. Chuka went to see some friends gisting on the road.

                When they got to their backyard, their mother hurriedly came out holding Mabel’s phone.

  “Mama Risi called,” she said anxiously.

  “Did you pick?” Mabel asked her, dropping the fuel can. “Any problem?”

  “She kept calling so I picked. There is problem o.”

  “What happened?”

  “When I told her you were not around, she said something about smoke in your flat.”

(…to be continued…)

-©2015.Chinedu Isaac