(...continued...)
“Mabel
Mabel,” she called and ran out of her room.
She saw the backyard door open and
called Mabel the more. On rushing out, she ran into Mabel coming into the house
carrying a bucket of water. They almost collided.
“Mummy
where are you rushing to?” Mabel asked, dropping the bucket of water.
“I have
been calling you since,” her mother replied, relieved.
“I was
coming to answer you. What is the problem? Good morning.”
“I woke up
and didn’t see you. I was worried.”
“Worried
for what na? This is 6:30. I shouldn’t
still be sleeping by now.”
“I also
heard noise in the compound so I thought…”
“You thought
I hung myself on the mango tree?”
“My dear eh.”
“You are
funny.”
“What am I
supposed to do after what I heard yesterday?”
“I have
told you severally that I am fine. I am getting over what happened.”
“Ok.”
“It hasn’t
been long I woke up. I went to fetch water to tidy up the kitchen and mop the
floor.”
“Okay my
dear. What is the noise in the compound about?”
“Just yard
quarrel.”
“Between
who and who this time?”
“One of the
new tenants and Michael.”
“Mcheew. They
are always quarreling and disturbing people in this yard.”
“Is Cynthia
still sleeping?”
“Yes she
is. Should I wake her to help you?”
“No. Leave
her. She slept late.”
“We still
need to do morning devotion so I will have to wake her.”
“Ok. Let me
drop the bucket in the kitchen. I will join you in the room.”
They
went inside. Their mother woke Cynthia up for morning devotion and Mabel joined
them. After the devotion, Mabel and Cynthia cleaned up the house while their
mother prepared for work. She was a civil servant. While they were still busy,
they heard a knock on the door. Cynthia answered the door. It was their neighbour.
“Good
morning Anty Janet,” Cynthia greeted.
“Morning my
dear,” she replied. “How are you?”
“I am fine
ma.”
“Is your
mother around? Has she gone to work?”
“She is
getting ready to leave. You can wait here in the parlour let me tell her you
came to see her.”
“I think I
should leave her since she is already preparing for work. I was hoping to see
her quickly and leave.”
“You are
here already. Let me tell her.
Their mother called Cynthia from
the room and asked who knocked on their door. Cynthia told her it was Anty
Janet. She told Cynthia to tell her to give her few minutes.
“Anty you heard her,” Cynthia said to the
woman.
Aunty
Janet came in and sat on the couch in the parlour. Mabel came out from the
kitchen and greeted her.
“Mabel my daughter-in-law,
how are you?” she asked
“I am fine
ma,” Mabel replied.
“You don’t
come to see us again.”
“I have
been very busy with work and other things lately.”
“Ok my
dear. You don’t want to ask after your husband?”
Mabel
giggled.
“You must
wait for my son to make money and come and marry you o,” Anty Janet said
laughing.
“Anty anty..”
Their
mother came out ready to leave and met Anty
Janet in the parlour. They exchanged pleasantries.
“Since you
are already leaving,” Anty Janet
said. “We can leave together so I can see you off.”
“Okay.”
“Mummy I am
going back this morning o,” Mabel told her.
“So soon?
But you are not going to work today.”
“No I am
not but I need to clean up my apartment and see some of my friends who will
come around to check on me.”
“Will
Cynthia go with you?”
“Yes na,”
Cynthia said. “I will not leave her nor forsake her.”
“Good. You can
help her do what she wants to do in her house and make sure both of you come
back here later.”
“No problem
mum.”
“Won’t you
eat something?” Mabel asked her mother.
“No. I will
eat in the afternoon at the office.”
Mabel
and Cynthia bid their mother goodbye as she left with Anty Janet.
“I heard
noise in your house last night.” Anty Janet said as they walked towards the
main gate. “Is there any problem?”
“What kind
of noise?”
“It sounded
like someone was sick or something.”
“No problem o. Everything is fine.”
Mama
Janet didn’t seem convinced but she decided not to push further.
“I heard
the new tenants quarreled this morning.” Mabel’s mother said, changing the
topic.
“It is
still the same issue about pouring water in front of the house,” Anty Janet
said.
“Mcheew. I
was thinking it is something serious. Let me rush. I am running late.”
Anty Janet escorted her to the
gate and came back in. She flagged down a tricycle, entered and they left.
In
the house, Mabel made breakfast. She fried egg and made pap to be taken with
bread.
“What are
your plans for today?” Cynthia asked Mabel.
“I will go
to my house later this morning. Then in the evening I will go and see Mrs
Biodun, my department supervisor in the office.
“Do you
need me to go with you?”
“You are
still supervising me?”
“No. Is it
bad to stay with my beloved sister?”
“Alright.
Start getting ready then.”
“Oh Noooo!”
Cynthia exclaimed and put her hands on her head.
(...to be continued...)
Nedu Isaac
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