Continued...
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, with sadness written on her face.
Cynthia greeted her.
“Do you want to see
him to say goodbye?” she asked Cynthia.
“No, He has gone
far,” Cynthia said with a lump in her throat as she sat down.
“You can still call
him back and tell him goodbye if you want.”
“When he comes back,
we will see. It is not as if he is traveling not to come back again. He may
even come back today sef.”
“Anyway, he said he
will call you when he gets to the village.”
“I heard him say
it.”
“You mean you have
been peeping?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you come
out since?”
“After what happened
last night…”
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
“Something must have
happened.”
Mabel
came out to the sitting room.
“What happened?” she
asked after greeting her mother.
“Chuka has traveled,”
her mother said
“I know. Cynthia
said something happened last night.”
They looked at Cynthia, waiting for
an explanation.
“We got a bit
emotional last night,” Cynthia said looking at her fingers.
“Oh my gosh,” Mabel
said sitting close to Cynthia. “Did anything happen?”
“No. I ran back home
before anything could start happening.”
“Good for you,” her
mother said.
“He would have
collected free o,” Mabel said, laughing.
“Am telling you,”
Cynthia said, joining in the laughter. “All these sympathy situations sef.”
“Anyway, enough of
Chuka,” their mother cut in. “We have clean up to do.”
“Now?” they asked
her.
“After our morning
devotion.”
They did their morning devotion.
Then they swept, cleaned and washed. When they were through with inside, they
went to the part of the compound that surrounded them. When they were done,
they bathed and had breakfast.
“When are you going
to your place?” Cynthia asked Mabel when they were eating breakfast.
“In an hour’s time,”
Mabel replied.
“Why so early?”
“I might need to do
clean up there also.
“We will go
together.”
“Ok.”
“Are you sleeping
over there?” their mother asked.
“No. I will move
back by next week.”
“I don’t know what
you saw in that house that you prefer it to here.”
“It is cozy and
private.”
“And there is always
light,” Cynthia added.
“I like it when we
are together here.”
“You have to get
used to staying alone o. What about when we get married?”
“I am getting used to
it but it is not easy.”
“I always sleep here
na,” Cynthia said. “Unless something happened and I had to sleep over in school
or in Mabel’s place. Just like when she wanted to…”
“I will just throw
this spoon on you now,” Mabel said, smiling.
“Finish your food
first so you don’t choke,” their mother said and went into the kitchen to drop
her plate.
They
finished their food and took their medicine. Cynthia brought her balm and Mabel
massaged her.
“Your hand is not
strong today,” Cynthia said as Mabel massaged her.
“Go and call Chuka
na,” Mabel replied.
When
they were done, they got ready to leave. Mabel went into her mother’s room.
“We will soon be
leaving,” she told her mother who was sewing one of her cloths.
“Ok. I just got a
text message about an emergency women’s meeting in church. So I will be leaving
also.”
“Ok. Is it about the
National Women’s Conference?”
“I doubt. I am not
in the planning committee for that one. I think it has to do with the women in
church.”
“Ok.”
“From there I will
go to market.”
“I and Cynthia will
do that in the afternoon. Don’t bother yourself.”
“I just need
something to keep me busy will evening when you will come back.”
“Your radio is still
working abi?”
“Radio is radio.
Human beings are human beings.”
Cynthia
came in and told Mabel that she was set to go.
“Take care of
yourselves,” their mother said to them.
“We will,” they
replied and went back to their room.
They
took their handbags and left the house. Their mother locked the door behind them
and went back to get ready for the women meeting.
“Did you call Mama
Risi?” Cynthia asked as they walked towards the gate.
“No,” Mabel replied.
“Is it necessary?”
“It is o. So you
will know the situation of things.”
“There is nothing to
be afraid of.”
“Just call her and
confirm.”
At the
gate, Mabel brought out her phone and dialed Mama Risi. Mama Risi picked and
told her that there was no problem.
“Any strange
movements?” Mabel asked.
Mama
Risi told her that she did not notice any. Mabel hung up. They flagged down a keke and left for Mabel’s place.
...to be continued
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