(…continued…)
Cynthia opened the door and left.
“Girls of these days will not
listen,” her mother said to herself after Cynthia left.
About ten minutes
later, Cynthia came into the house sweating.
“Why are
you sweating?” her mother asked her with shock on her face.
Cynthia
was surprised by the question and stood for a while.
“Did you
hear me?” she asked again.
“I heard
you mummy,” Cynthia replied. “Why are you asking?”
“You went
to see Chuka alone in his house this night and you come back sweating. What did
you do?”
Cynthia
burst into laughter and sat down.
“It is not
funny? Did you do it?”
“Do what?”
“It.”
Cynthia kept
laughing.
“I am not
joking. Did he touch you?”
“He did
not.”
“Then why
are you sweating like this?”
“The
weather is hot. Even you are sweating.”
“Yes but
this kind of sweat you are sweating, I don’t understand at all.”
“Mummy
don’t worry about me. Nothing happened. When I got there, he was even sleeping.
He managed to open the door for me. After staying for a while, he asked me to
go so my mother will not burn him alive while looking for me.”
“Thank God
he knows.”
“Mummy sef.
If I want to do it, will it be under these circumstances, with someone who
cannot take me shopping?”
“Don’t mind
me my dear. I am just being protective.”
“It’s ok
mum. I understand.”
Cynthia went into
the room and met Mabel asleep. She nudged her.
“Are you
not praying this night?”
“Mmm?”
Mabel asked, sleepy.
“You want
to sleep without praying. Come to the parlour let us pray.”
“Ooohm,
cover me in your prayer.”
“No. Come
let us go.”
Cynthia
held her by the hand and pulled her up.
“Be going, I
am coming behind you.”
Cynthia
went to the parlour.
“Mabel is
sleeping,” she told her mother. “So I woke her up so we can pray before
sleeping.”
“Ok,” her
mother replied and put off the radio.”
Mabel
came out to the parlour and they prayed. Then Mabel and Cynthia went to sleep.
Their mother listened to radio for a while, then she made sure the doors were
locked, and went into her own room.
The next morning,
they woke up and did their normal routines, then their mother went to work.
Mabel prepared for work also.
“You will
stay alone in the house today,” Mabel said to Cynthia as she did her makeup.
“No. I have
some things to do in school today.”
“Are you
sure you are fit for school stress?”
“I am
fine.”
“Ok. What
time are you leaving?”
“Around
11am.”
“Ok. Can
you help me go to my house and check how things are before you go to school?”
“So that
whoever is looking for you will now jam me abi.”
They
laughed.
“I knew you
would say that. I was joking.”
“So what
will you do about it?”
“I won’t be
free to go there today, unless I plan to sleep there.”
“No you are
sleeping here.”
“That means
I will not go there today. I will go tomorrow. I will call Mama Risi and ask
her to check for me.”
“Does she
have a spare key?”
“No. She
doesn’t need to enter. She knows whatever goes on in the compound.”
“Ok.”
When
Mabel was done with dressing up, she got up to leave.
“What about
your meds?” Cynthia asked her.
“I forgot,”
Mabel said checking her timepiece. “I can’t take them now. I am running late.”
“You need
to take them o. Even if you just eat a slice of bread.”
“No. I will
take them when I get to the office.”
She
put her drug pack into her hand bag and confirmed that she hadn’t forgotten
anything. Then she left for the office while Cynthia lay on the bed and waited
till it was time for her to go to school.
In the office,
Mabel did her work with as much efficiency as she could muster. Her
well-wishing colleagues were glad that she was back and they did not hesitate
to let her know from time to time.
“Thank
you,” she would always say. “I am glad to be back also.”
During
the work hour, she got calls from Coker and Oge. They exchanged pleasantries
and she continued with her work.
When
it was about closing hour, something happened that made her regret resuming
work with as much commitment as she did.
(…to be continued…)
-©2015.Chinedu Isaac
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