She couldn’t sleep so she got up and went to the
bathroom. She checked the basket that contained her dirty laundry. There were
many clothes there because she did not wash over the weekend. She decided to
wash them. She played a playlist of music from her phone as she washed.
After washing for
a while, she heard banging on her door. She wiped her hand with a dry cloth and
went to answer the door.
“Who is it?” she asked when
she got to the door.
“It is me,” she heard Cynthia
say.
She opened the
door and let Cynthia in.
“I have been knocking since,” Cynthia said. “Where
you not hearing me?”
“Was it not twice you knocked?”
“No o. My knuckles are now
paining me from knocking.”
“Sorry. I was washing and
listening to music in the bathroom.”
“You got me worried o.”
“The music was too loud I
guess.”
“Or your mind was wandering.”
“Wandering from where to
where?”
“Even this your door sef,” Cynthia
continued to lament. “The thing can break somebody’s hand.”
“Sorry na.”
Cynthia dropped
her bag on the bed and went to the fridge to get drinking water while Mabel
went back to the bathroom to continue washing.
“Did you meet Chidinma?” Mabel
asked Cynthia.
“Yes o,” Cynthia replied.
“Did you get what you went
for?”
“Yes I did.”
“So what kept you there for so
long?”
“She staged
me with gist.”
“Really?”
“Yes o. I had to pretend my
phone rang and I spoke with you before I could take my leave.”
“Hmm. What was she gisting you that made her hold you
hostage.”
“Don’t mind that girl. There is this new guy
she met and she is crazy about him.”
“Chidinma and guys. She will
not focus on her studies and finish well.”
“That’s what I have been telling
her but she doesn’t want to listen.”
“She keeps saying she has to
help herself through school.”
“By selling her body and
dignity?”
“I wonder. But I don’t blame
her too much sha. If not for you and
mummy helping me out, I don’t know what I would have done. I might have done
the same thing she is doing.”
“Does she not have parents?”
“They are in the village and they
are not doing anything.”
“Really?”
“Yes o. She is the first
person to go to University in her house.
“Eiyaa. Are they are that poor?”
“Yes but if you see her, you
will not know.”
“Village girl is forming ajibo. I can imagine.”
“You will not know that her
parents are in the village sef. The
way she packages herself eh.”
“Ok oo.”
Cynthia joined Mabel in the bathroom.
“Leave Chidinma matter joor,” she said. “Are you done with the
washing?”
“Almost done washing but I
have not rinsed any of them yet.”
“OK. Let me help you.”
“Ok. Thanks.”
Cynthia helped
Mabel rinse out the ones she had washed till they were done.
“Where are you spreading
them?” Cynthia asked Mabel.
“Downstairs.”
“Kai. Carrying this heavy bucket
down your staircase is not funny at all.”
“It is not heavy na.”
“We have to share it. Bring
another bucket.”
Mabel got a
bucket and they shared the washed clothes. Then they went downstairs.
“You people need an elevator
in this building,” Cynthia said panting.
“I have told you to start workout but you will not hear.”
“Leave that one. Workout is
for fat people and I am not fat na.”
“Exercise is for fitness not just
for sliming. Ordinary two flights of stairs you climbed and you are panting
like you ran marathon.”
They laughed. They
spread the clothes on the clothes line behind the house. As Cynthia stooped to
pick the last cloth to spread, she felt a sharp pain in her back and shouted.
(...to be continued...)
Nedu Isaac
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