FED UP

(…continued…)

                Chuka hugged her tight and held onto her, gently stroking her back, just above her waist. Cynthia did not resist the hug.

  “Thank you so much,” he said into her ear as he ran his finger from the base of her spine area to her bra.

                Cynthia felt her knees shaking. She freed herself from the hug.

  “I really have to go now,” she said and went backwards.

  “My regards to Mabel and your mum,” he said as he watched her recede into the darkness, then he took the food flask and went into his house.

                Cynthia stood outside the door for a while, calming herself down.

  “If I had stayed a little longer, I would have done it o,” she said to herself and exhaled through her mouth.

                When she was sure she was calm, she opened the door and went in. Mabel, who just had a bath, came out to the sitting room. Her mother was sitting on the couch listening to a radio program.

  “You stayed too long?” her mother said to her.

  “We were talking.”

  “I know you were talking because I was hearing your voice from here. But your talk took too long.”

  “You know he is traveling tomorrow.”         

  “Is that so?”

  “Yes.”

  “I hope you did not give him any parting gift?” Mabel teased her.

  “For what na?” Cynthia said laughing.

  “As a reward for all his labours.”

  “You are not serious.”

  “Has he travelled finally?” her mother asked.

  “No,” Cynthia replied. “He will come back together with his brother.”

  “His parents in the village may decide that he should stay with them for a while or ask him to go stay with his elder sister,” Mabel said.

  “But he will still come here to take his things before going.”

  “Even if…”

  “Why are we even talking about this sef? He is not my fiancé. He can go wherever he wants na.”

  “You are forming iron lady now abi…continue.”

                They laughed. Their mother changed to another radio station.

  “Every time, you and radio,” Cynthia said, checking the notifications in her phone.

  “What else should I do?” her mother asked, laughing. “I don’t have your type of phones to keep me busy.”

  “What will you do with it if you get it?”

  “I will find out what it is you people do that makes you always press phone.”

  “We will have to put on the generator tomorrow if this power outage continues,” Mabel said. “At least we can be watching TV.”

  “Yes we will. It is very important.”

  “Tomorrow is Saturday which means we will not go to work and have the opportunity to charge our phones there.”

  “As long as I am not drawing the generator,” Cynthia said.

  “I am still feeling hungry,” their mother said.

  “Should I put another plate of food for you?” Mabel asked her.

  “No. The one in the pot is for tomorrow.”

                Mabel told her mother all the things Ejike got for her and asked her whether she wanted any one. Her mother asked for the bread and Mabel told Cynthia to get it for her. Cynthia got it and also came out with her drugs and balm. She gave her mother the bread.

  “Who will volunteer to massage me?” she asked, holding up the balm.

  “You know I need rest,” Mabel said. “This dizziness…”

  “You know I just finished cooking,” her mother said. “This waist…”

  “Ok o,” Cynthia said, laughing. “You are now giving excuses abi.”

  “Is the back paining you badly?”

  “Not really. I just need the massage so I will feel better.”

  “Can you take your pain reliever and manage till tomorrow?” Mabel asked her. “I will do it for you myself.”

  “Ok.”

                Cynthia took her tablets. Their mother took the number of slices of bread she wanted and gave the remaining loaf to Cynthia to keep. Cynthia did and came back to the parlour. She surfed through the internet on her phone. Mabel did the same while their mother just listened to radio. They talked about whatever issue any of them brought up. When there was nothing else for them to do or talk about, they said their prayers and went to bed.

                The following morning, they heard a knock on the door. Their mother answered the door. It was Chuka. He was holding the food flask.

  “Good morning ma,” he greeted.

  “Morning,” she replied. “How are you?”

  “I am fine.”

                He handed over the food flask to her.

  “I came to return the food flask,” he said. “Thank you so much for taking care of me.”

  “You are welcome. You are like a son to me.”

  “Son-in-law. I claim it.”

  “I did not say that o. It is not in my power at all.”

                Chuka laughed.

  “I am going to the village now,” he said.

  “Is it not too early to leave?”

  “No ma. My village is a bit far, and there are some people my brother wants me to meet before they leave the village.”

  “Ok.”

  “Is Cynthia awake?”

  “Not yet.”

  “OK. When she wakes, tell her I checked on her.”

  “Ok. I will.”

  “I will call her on phone when I repair my phone or if I get a new phone today.”

  “Are you not coming back here again?”

  “I should but it depends on what my parents decide. I really need something doing.”

  “You have people who can help you; I wonder why they are not.”

  “It’s well ma. Let me be going.”

  “Ok my dear. Take good care of yourself ok.”

  “I will.”

  “Don’t fight o.”

  “I will not,” Chuka said, laughing.

                He waved at her, turned and left. Cynthia’s mother stood and watched him go. When he got to the gate, she turned and went back inside. She met Cynthia peeping from the window.

(…to be continued…)

-©2015.Chinedu Isaac