SIX

It was Sunday morning, the morning before resumption from the mid-semester break. Dave had already woken up early by 4:05am. He had barely slept throughout the night. 

He was beginning to wish that school wouldn’t resume the following day as his injured feet had not fully healed, and of course, he’d continue to see his old friend, Julie.

Somehow, he couldn’t deny that seeing her troubled him much. But he needed to be a man like Lindsey always encouraged.

Stretching on the mattress, he sat in a yoga position as though he was having a meditation. Using his right forefinger, he then cleared out the debris that clung onto his eyelids. 

After moving his head upwards and sideways to free himself of any tiredness and bring him to full wakefulness, he got down from the one-foot tall bed and knelt by his bedside with his hands clasped like a Catholic on his way to receive Holy Communion. 

He muttered some words of prayers to God for his love and faithfulness towards him especially with his mental health in the past month, and for a supportive friend like Lindsey.

He also prayed for a wonderful day ahead. And when he was done, he leaned by the side of his wooden bed, and after some minutes of the feeling of discomfort the bed caused to his back, he carried his pillow to support it. 

Taking his phone, he went through his gallery and looked through the pictures of his cousins. He smiled at the crazy ones and laughed a little with the back of his palms covered on his mouth when he viewed the craziest, in order to prevent him from laughing too loud. 

Katie and Nicki were fond of heaping his phone with lots of pictures and photo bombing whenever he wanted to take pictures of himself. He found it very difficult to delete them as most of them were humorous; it also made him feel good anytime he was in a bad mood. 

Moving on, were Sam’s and his wife’s picture. He felt happy due to the support he had received from Sam and his wife, Presh. 

Presh was not very outgoing to any other persons aside her husband and the kids. She acted cold most of the times Dave tried to reach out to her. She wasn’t hostile to him as she made sure he was well fed and allowed him to feel at home, but somehow her distance from Dave made him feel like he was not yet welcomed in the family. 

He had learnt to cope with what fate had put in his hands of being an orphan, sometimes he cried and wished his parents were alive…but still he was glad with the love shown to him by his cousins. They were more like his parents and siblings combined. 

Looking at the picture once more, he prayed silently that his foster parents would live long to be there for him in the nearest future so he could be there for them too, and for the sake of his cousins…he wouldn’t imagine them being alive with their parents snatched away by death’s ugly hands from them at a very young age like it did to him. 

It would be very devastating for them as they were very close and a loving family.

It was very difficult to find such harmony; especially with the hikes of divorce…he believed their marriage was one ordained by God.

As he was still thinking about his lovely family, a call came in from Sam. It was unlike him to call very early in the morning, and so he wished nothing had gone wrong with any of them.

“Hope you are faring well?” the male voice echoed through his phone’s speaker.

“Sure, I do. How ‘bout you?” 

“I’m okay. Was just curious coz it’s just unlike you to stay this long without saying hi to us.” 

Dave released a heavy sigh.

“I’m sorry about that. I’ve a lot going on right now. I even barely have time for myself as a result of the stress my studies give me.”

He was about asking about his two cousins, before they all spoke through the phone.

“Hi Dave! How’ve you been? We miss you so much. Please don’t forget us. We love you and make sure you come back home with good grades.” 

He could hear their dad laugh over the phone, it seemed they had drag the phone from his grip, as they spoke in unison the same words like a rehearsed chorus of a song.

“Hi my pumpkins. How’re you two doing? I believe you’re all faring well. I promise I won’t forget y’all. It’s not really easy here. The lectures and studying can get stressful most of the times that it gets very difficult to reach out for those who you care about and care about you in turn. But I promise to make up for last times.”

He paused, waiting to hear a reply from the other end of the phone.

“Sure, we do understand. But we are sure you don’t let a day pass without speaking to Julie.” The two girls released a short laugh as they spoke simultaneously.

“Not really.” Dave’s voice went cold, with a fake smile that lit up on his face.

“Don’t gimme that ‘don’t really vibe’. I believe you two are dating now.”

Dave pursed his lips.

“If not? Why have you failed to reach out to your world best sisters in two months.”

“Are you still there?”

Nicki spoke next.

“Not yet. I’m still here.”

Dave responded to the two questions at once.

“I know you two are trying to be sarcastic.” Dave continued. 

“I remembered speaking you two about two weeks ago. I know both of you have missed me. Don’t worry. I won’t let the distance grow too far again.”

“You had better not. We’ve made new dance videos that we wanted you to see. But dad won’t let us. He has limited our play time to two hours a day.” Katie spoke through clenched teeth.

“Why has he done so?”

“He wasn’t happy with our grades and he claims it was as a result of the much attention we have given to our phones and favourite soap operas.”

Katie released a short hiss before she continued.

“We would try our best this time though. We don’t want to let him, mum and you down.”

Dave smiled with pride as he received the acknowledgement.

“Yes, I’d be very glad if y’all improve on your performances. If you don’t, I won’t help you with your videos anymore when I’m on holidays.”

They all frowned, even though they know he was only bluffing.   

“Sorry we pressured dad to put a call through to you this early. We would be starting exams soon, and dad has given us limited access to our phones. He is very serious about us making good grades in our papers.”

Nicki spoke softly.

“I so much appreciate the efforts you two put. That was so thoughtful of you. I love you so much. I always have you in mind. It’s even very funny your call came in just after I was done glancing through pictures of dad, mum and the both of you.”

The girls blushed at the other end. He knew they would react to his last statements. It was as though he could see them. He had known them like the tip of his fingers, as they were very easy to be bought with words. 

“Sorry once more for waking you this early.” Nicki continued.  

“We would let you rest, but make sure you man up and ask Julie out…and please don’t spare us any details when you eventually do so. And please do ensure to send us pictures of you two together. Thank you in anticipation.”

Katie said as the two girls let out a mocking shrill.

Dave was having a mixed feeling of joy and sadness. Every time he attempted to let go, a thought, a feeling or word from family and friends who had known how close they were would bring back fresh memories of the lovely times they shared together and it made him feel bad.

But he was sure getting used to it now.

No matter how hard he tried. He couldn’t deny it was very difficult to claim that he had forgotten about her knowing full well that her absence had even made his heart to be in more want for her.

Attempting to end the call, he spoke on.

“Okay I’ll. Please, I’d like to go now. Love y’all. My regards to mum. Speak to you soon.” He then hanged up the call quickly, and still remained in the position he sat before the call.