Chapter 3: Others?

After a while, mummy stops crying and says I should go get something to eat.I look at her reluctant to stand up but she urges me the more.

"Please go and eat something Kemi please."

"Okay mummy." I stand up and move to the kitchen. I look around and could see that everything is still the way I have left it, that would mean that Shola and Ayo have not served their food yet.

This children ehn, why haven't they eaten yet?

I serve a small portion for myself and also serve in two other plates so I could give to them. I place them on a tray and walk out of the kitchen. The three of us share a room since there are only two bedrooms in the house, so they will definitely be there.

"Shola! Are you inside? Please open the door for me o" I say in a loud voice standing at the front of the door because I couldn't open the door considering the tray I am carrying.

"Okay sister!" I hear Shola's voice from inside before the door opens slightly.

She pops her head out a little and looks up at me.

"Are you coming in to tell us the truth now?" She asks giving me a look like 'dare lie again and you will go eat elsewhere.'

I sigh and nod in agreement. She smiles broadly and open the door wider before running to the bed. Ayo is sitting on the bed holding a crayon in his hand drawing. I walk to the bed and place the tray of food at my side before turning to Ayo.

"Ayo, what are you drawing?" Let me see." I say stretching out my hand to him but he didn't move nor answer me, he just focuses on what he is drawing.

"Sister Kemi, leave him alone joor. He's been like that since and won't even allow me see, just because he can draw well. Shola says and Ayo gives her a hard glare before continuing with his drawing.

"Ayo my boy, will you show me when you're done?" I press on.

He nods but didn't say anything. Is he angry because I didn't answer his question earlier? Ayo has a passion for drawing and he's really good at it. Even at his age, he once drew a full figure of mummy. It was so perfect that we had to add it to our family album of pictures. I sigh and bring out the food from the tray.

"Why didn't you serve food for yourself and Ayo, Shola?"

"I was about going to serve it before you came with it." Shola replies as she collects the food.

I give the other one to Ayo.

"Eat first Ayomide."

He shakes his head, "I will eat sister Kemi, let me finish."

I nod, "If you say so then."

"Who is taking you away sister Kemi?" Shola suddenly asks me. I knew she was still going to ask anyway.

"No one, Shola. Although I'm going somewhere tomorrow and will be back after some time..."

"Where?" Ayo cuts in stopping his drawing.

I smile slightly, "Somewhere....em.. not too far, just around."

"Will you come to visit?" He asks me.

I look at him and bit my bottom lip to stop myself from crying.

"Yes my love, I will."

"I'm done." Ayo suddenly says and stretches the drawing paper to me.

I reach for it and collect it. Taking a look at the drawing, my eyes meet a familiar figure on the paper, or am I seeing things?

"Who is that man? I saw him today, do you know him?" Ayo asks.

I stare at the drawing in shock and confusion; it looks like the creditor from earlier, or is it not?

"This....This person you drew, where did you meet him?" I turn to Ayo.

"He was passing in a big black car, he stopped and called me by my name, then he said he would take care of you and I shouldn't worry."

Oh my goodness.

"I don't understand Ayo; he called you by your name?"

Ayo nods.

"This man here? Or did you not draw it correctly?"

"I drew it well sister Kemi." He frowns.

"Wait, say it in the same way he said it."

Ayo stares at me for a while before obliging, " He said, "Hello Ayomide, don't worry at all, I will take good care of your big sister, Kemi." That's what he said."

"But.."I pause and turn to Shola. "And where were you when that happened?"

She looks at me and then at Ayo.

"I know nothing o, sister Kemi. I don't know what Ayo is talking about. Maybe it happened when we both stopped walking together. He was annoying me, so I left him behind on the way."

I never mentioned my name to him or my sibling's name. Did he carry out an investigation on us? Has he planned this all along? Or did my father tell him?

"Do you know him sister Kemi? He looked nice." Ayo says.

I sigh and place my hand on my head. Where is all this going to? My head is about to explode.

"Em....wel.... don't mind him joor. He... em...He was a friend of mine at school then, he.....em...He made money recently and came to em.... to visit."

Shola narrows her eyes at me.

"I don't know sister Kemi, but I just don't believe you." She shakes her head.

I feign a smile, "I'm serious Shola, that's the truth."

They stare at me for a while before sighing in unison.

"Okay then. Is he the one you're going to visit?" Shola asks.

"Em...ye... yes, he is."

"You can keep the drawing sister Kemi, I drew it for you anyway." Ayo shrugs before taking his food.

I smile at him and stare at the picture once more. Who on earth is this man? If he is like this, then how about his brother that we really owe money? I think there's more to this.

After we all finish our food, I tell Shola and Ayo to go have their bath and they both drifts off to sleep and after that, I sit down on the floor with my back resting on the wall as reality hits me again.

I'm going to be taken away by a total stranger, who knows everything about my family while I know nothing about him? What would he ask me to do there? Will he give me to his brother since he's the one we owe?

Oh God! What's going to become of me now? Hot tears steeam down my cheeks and I cover my mouth with my hands to muffle the sound.

I will regret this, I know but my family's safety is more important than mine. They're my everything, so I have to bear through this.

"Sister Kemi?" Ayo's voice startles me and I quickly wipe my tears. I couldn't see him clearly because the room is dark since there's no power.

"Ayo? Why are you awake?"

"Sister Kemi, are you crying?" He asks me in a sleepy voice.

"Me? No! Go back to sleep Ayo."

"Your voice says otherwise sister Kemi, you're crying right?"

This kid!

I clear my throat, "Seriously Ayo, I'm not crying, please sleep now.

"The Lord is your strength sister Kemi." Ayo says.

I smile at his words and nod, "Amen, my boy, amen."

He didn't say anything afterword, so I assume he has return to sleep again. Yes, the Lord is my strength, so l'll be fine. I try to close my eyes to get some sleep but I hear muffles coming from outside the room. I don't need to go and check to know that its mummy. I'm sure she hasn't been able to fall asleep either, I'm not in a good state to console her so I remain sitting and shut my eyes as tears roll down my cheeks. I wonder what is going through daddy's mind right now. Does he regret this, or is he thinking of gambling some more?

All through the night, I keep thinking about numerous things and didn't sleep a bit. My stomach growls loudly reminding me that I didn't eat anything at all.

I rub on my stomach, "Sorry buddy, I couldn't find any appetite to feed you."

It's a new day and looking through the window, I could hear how the birds are chirping happily and see the sun shining brightly, but it looks dull to me. I turn to look at the bed and see that Shola and Ayo still sleeping soundly. It's Saturday so they would not go to school today.

"Kemi?" I hear my mummy's voice call my name and I turn to the door.

"Yes, mummy?"

"I'm sure you didn't sleep." My mummynsays in a low voice from the other side of the door.

I sigh and stand up to open the door.

I feign a smile, "Good morning mummy."

My mummy stares at me with sad eyes. "I was right; you have dark circles under your eyes." She points out.

"You have it too mummy." I point out as well.

She shakes her head and we both chuckle before mummy pulls me in a tight hug.

"Should we run away? It's not too late Kemi."

"And where would we run to mummy? Do you think he wouldn't find us?" I pull out of the embrace slightly and place my hand on her right shoulder. "I'm sure I will get through this, I just need you to be strong for me, mummy, jowo( please)."

My mummy smiles lightly and nods her head. "Yes my dear, I will."

Where is daddy?" I ask her after we pull away from the hug.

"Why do still ask about the man who put you in this mess?" My mummy asks mefrowning deeply.

"Where is he mummy?" I press on.

"I don't know o! And I don't even care, I sent him out last night."

My eyes grow wide in shock.

"Why did you do that mummy?"

"Because seeing his face makes me mad the more."

"I get that mummy but you know it's not safe outside. What if something bad happens to him?"

"Do I look like I care? Stop talking about him and come with me joor. I know you didn't eat anything yesterday, so I already served you food in the sitting room."

I sigh and nod before following her. Just as we enter the sitting room, we hear a knock on the door. I and my mummy look at each other before looking at the door. I could see the fear in my mummy's face as she turns pale.

I think it's them; they have come to take me away.

"I will get the door." I say as I set to move but mummy stops me.

"No, let me get it instead." She move pass me and walk to the door. With a heavy sigh, she reaches for the door and opens it.

Seeing the look on her face, I confirm that it's them. Do they have to come so early though?

A tall young dark skinned man wearing a black suit walks into the sitting room. His beard is smoothly shaved and he has a piercing on his right ear. His dark eyes show a bored expression. If not the deep frown on his face, he could have been handsome.

Ugh! I can't believe I'm talking about looks right now.

"I have been sent to get Kemi." He says plainly before dipping his hand into his

pocket.

Did he come alone? No armed men? I bet he did not.

"That's me." I say in a low voice.

"Shall we then?" He asks.

"Can I at least say goodbye to my family and get my things?"

"I was told you do not need to bring with you, any belongings. You can say goodbye to your family but be quick, I don't have time. Meet me outside." He says before leaving the sitting room.

My mummy moves closer to me.

"Go...Go em..Go and have.." She couldn't say what she wants to say before bursting into tears slumping on the floor.

I bend down and pull her into my arms patting her back.

"Don't cry mummy, you will make me cry too."

"Mummy why are you crying?" I pull away from the hug and turn to the direction of the voice. I see Shola and Ayo standing close to the wall opposite us. They move closer to us and Ayo bends down beside mummy.

"Mummy, Shola asked why you're crying." He says trying to look at mummy's face but she is looking at the floor.

"Mummy is just very sad that I'm leaving, that's why."I say, telling a half lie and half truth.

"Are you really leaving sister Kemi? So early?" Shola asks me.

"Yes my love, but I will be back really Soon, I promise."

"Then why is mummy crying like you're never coming back?" Ayo asks.

I smile slightly. He is always thensmartest, despite his age.

"She's just going to miss me a lot, that's why."

"I will miss you too sister Kemi, you're leaving too sudden." Shola says tears forming in her eyes.

This is exactly what I have been avoiding. I don't want to see them cry.

"Don't cry Shola, I will be back soon."

"Don't forget to call us when you get there okay?" Ayo says his eyes already clouded as well.

I wish I could my boy, I wish I could.

"I will my boy, now give me a hug?" I widen my arms and he rush into my arms now crying loudly. Shola also joins and I hug them both tightly crying with them.

"Let's.. Let's stop crying now. It's not like I'm going to die." I say patting them both on their backs.

"Kemi, it's time to go. We have to get there in the next four hours."I hear the voice of the man that had come to get me say behind us.

My siblings pull away from our embrace and turn to the man.

"Is our sister going with you?" Ayo asks. I quickly stands up and place my hand on Ayo's shoulder.

"He's taking me there, he's a friend of mine." I say to him.

He frowns at the man before turning back to me.

"I don't like your friend, he doesn't even smile."

I smile and pinch his cheeks.

"Thats how he is. I'm going now, I will be back soon , okay?"

"Please come soon sister." Shola says looking at me with sad eyes.

"I will my love." I turn to mummy who is still sitting in the floor with her hand on her jaw.

"At least give me your blessing mummy, so no evil eyes shall see me."

She looks up at me with teary eyes before standing up and moves close to me.

"You'll be fine my darling. You're a strong girl and I believe you can overcome anything. Olorun(God) will never allow any evil come to you." With that, she pulls me in a tight hug and kisses my cheek.

"Wrap this up quickly, we really need to go." The man says and I sense annoyance in his voice.

"Mr black suit, don't be mean! Don't you know it's sad to leave your family behind? Or don't you have one?"

I quickly pull away from the embrace as I hear Ayo blurt that out and pulls him close to me.

"Don't.. Don't say that Ayo, hmm?"

Ayo frowns but nods.

"But I still don't like him." He says.

I smile, "I know."

I turn to the man and see he is staring at Ayo with a deep frown on his face, as if wishing he could strangle him.

I move from my family waving at them.

"Bye-bye!" I look at Ayo before saying, "Ayo, tell daddy to stop blaming himself and change for the better instead, okay?"

Ayo nods and waves at me. I will miss him the most. I wave back at them before leaving the house with the man whom Ayo called ' Mr.Black suit.'

As I walk out of the house, I turn around and see Shola and Ayo standing by the door still waving at me.

I smile and wave back at them.

"Get in." Mr black suit says or rather commands and I turn around to see that he has opened the door to the back seat of the white limousine.

I wonder how rich these people are to use cars like this. I should be grateful that he didn't ask them to bring me in a sack.

I stare at the car dreading to enter inside.

"Do I also have to carry you in?" Mr black suit asks and this time he is scowling deeply. I slide into the car and sits down with a heavy heart. I am waiting for him to close the door but he didn't so I reach for it but he stops me.

"Did you think I opened the door for you? Move inside, I'm sitting with you." He frowns at me.

Okay, so in conclusion, all rich people are rude.

I move inside and he slides into the car before shutting the door. The glass is tinted so my family wouldn't see anymore but nevertheless, I still wave at them. The car starts and here we go, to a place I have no idea about.

As the car drives through the streets, slowly making its way out of Ajegunle, tears roll down my cheeks and I burst into tears as I couldn't hold it in any longer.

"You should wait a little longer, there would be enough time and reasons to cry when you get there." I hear Mr. Black suit say beside me and I raise my head and turn to him.

"Could you tell me where we're going?" I ask him.

He didn't say anything in return, he simply cross his right leg on the other.

"Drive faster." He says to the driver at the far end of the driving seat.

I stand up from where I'm sitting and move over to the long seat at the right side. He stares at me in puzzle before shaking his head. He reaches for wine at the side and pour a small quantity into a glass.

He sips from it, "Care for?"

I look away from him and shut my eyes.

I hear him chuckle softly.

"You are a strange one, others are usually scared."

Others? Wait, what?

Xoxo