CHAPTER FOUR

           CHAPTER FOUR

rubber band counting “mom, I sold everything, and some customers even dash me money” she tact smiling, excepting her to react positive, Nnenna mood didn’t change

“Bless the name of the Lord” force word out of her mouth, looks at her as she managed to smile

“how is father doing?” She asked, Nnenna looks down, tears drop down,

Kaima gaze at her father “what do you want me say?” gaze at Mazie Okorie, fling her head in dismay. “look at your father, take a look at him” she said so bitter, Kaima knew deep in her heart, it was just a matter of days left if his not taken to hospital. She went cold, turns to her mother, sad cloud her face with pains in her eyes.

       “Why don’t we take him to hospital?” Nnenna gaze at her.

” I know mommy, but if we don’t do something. Daddy will die, we must accept the truth” mute. Nnenna place her hands on her forehead “we have to do something about it” she caution

Nnenna sobs, her eyes reddish and wet with tears “where are we going to get the money! who can I ran to?”  her voice crack

“Chinasa has offered for help, since she can afford it, why not” she caution

She spits out, “over my dead body. How could you brought out such suggest” she rebuke, she fling her head in stigma. “if my husband was in good health, Chinasa won’t dare, if I ever accept anything from chinasa, let this earth swallow me” she swore, hitting her chest she said in language

“Mom, Chinasa is still your daughter, no matter what” she caution

         “Would you, advise me to encourage her in that outrageous things she is doing, I never did such and I will not encourage my daughter” she proclaimed

“Mom, nobody is asking you to encourage anybody, we need help, father is dying” she console

“I will do no such” Nnenna said with authority, folds her hands, Kaima give up, without fighting further, knowing how stubborn her mother was.

“But I still insist we take him to hospital, his condition is not getting any better” she exclaimed, Nnenna glare at her, Kaima adjust a bit

*************

Nnenna picking dried clothes spread on a rob in front of the house, she keeps herself company with a song, sound like an inspiration song, place each cloth she picks on her arm.  Efa walks in

“well done ma, Good evening ma” she greets almost at her kneels,

she glares at her with a frown “how may I help you?” she grunt

“I’m here to see Chinasa” meekly, knowing really well, Nnenna was never going to take it lightly with her, knowing how much she abhorred seeing her

“Take a look at yourself, how do you describe this you wore”. gaze her from up to down. frowned “you're no different with those sluts in the street” Nnenna said not minding what that word would sound to her. she turned back to what she was doing

Efa was tear into piece, she couldn’t hold her anger

           “Look woman, I wouldn’t stand here and watch you abuse me, whatever I do with my life is none your business” frown, it wasn’t enough to express the anger. “look if not for chinasa. I would have given you the insult that you won’t be in a haste to forget, what rubbish” she roars pointing at Nnenna, her voice could be heard across the street. Chinasa came out to meet the drama, as Efa was pulling out her wrath. chinasa divested, she knew her mother had say something that warrants the insult she was getting from Efa, she walks to Efa

“Efa what’s this now, what happen? why are you abusing my mala. like that” she mumbled, so furious

“Look, I can no longer endure it, she’s your mother, then warned her” she snort

“What have you not say, mm…., what is left, keep spitting it, daughters of Jezebel” she brutal leaving

“What’s your problem, why all this?” she consoled Efa

“did you just heard her?” she yelled, vibrating

           “Are you going to fight my mother, why are acting as if you don’t know her, calm down” holding her shoulder.

Chinasa. Joy of her mother, the reason Nnenna was called a mother, after Five years of marriage, she received all sorts of abuse from her mother in law, and people who called her names. The day she conceived Chinasa, the world heard her testimony. Chinasa was her mother pride, she was given a very special treatment than all her children, she was indeed beautiful, with her a good figure, every street she passes, no man born of human don’t admire her, she was a true definition of her mother when it comes to beauty, pride of her mother, she is like a morning sun, Chinasa was one of the most brilliant. “smart child” head teacher called her, she was top in all class, she always wins the best pupil, the neatest and diligent pupil in her class. Her admission to secondary school changed her, she wanted to merge with the trend, forgot mom will be disappointed to see her new form, Chinasa broke the mommy rules just to fit in. to mingle with the most famous and fashionable student, of course she won a lot friends and fans. this prove she’s always on top whether bad or good, a slay queen, she was so Loving and caring, willy to sacrifice anything for her family, so supportive, the family state drives her into what she is now. Nnenna never give up praying for her, she knew Chinasa mean good for the family but didn’t want her take the step she’s in, Chinasa was still love more than her other children.

***************

        Atmosphere not looking bright, the dark cloud circulates the sky, it’s still afternoon, looking at the climate you can’t differentiate, only with the time you can differentiate, of course it’s the raining season, what you do, you have to hasten up to avoid the rain giving you a bath, the lands always wet, some street form swimming pool, because of bad road

“I have to be in the hospital by now” Kaima exclaimed, light launched from the sky as the thunder joins

          Bolade kept her eye busy with the atmosphere “ah…, is not going to be a small rain, God must be very anger with the earth” before she could finish and thunder launched this time it wasn’t expected cause the light didn’t exist. “you must hasten up, this rain no be here…,” she said, flinging her head, as she prophecy, Adex walks in from the house “Bolade, please where is my phone? I didn’t see it, where I was charging it” he query

         “You won’t check well..., you’re already laying accusation, please check your phone well” she runt her mouth rudely. she always talks to him as if she senior someone before him. Adex always have to discipline her with a slap or beating, to see if she can get back to her sense but her persistence is way too much, she still runt her mouth when she gets freedom from him or when Bisi is around to defend her, when Adex get hold of her, he ensures he pour out his frustration on her, no matter how long it takes him, he stays patients, till he avenge. It always when their Mother is around, if not he keeps beating her till she gives up in tears. This time it’s her lucky day. Kaima, was just right there, he won’t want to embarrass himself in front of kaima.

It starts drizzling

“Ok...” he nods, about leaving “kaima, how is your father health?” he tact

“We're hoping on God” she managed to say, her voice breaks down, she wanted to be strong talking about her father condition but talking about it, left her in tear. “I will be going now” she exclaimed. now the rain gets serious

“To where, can’t you see is raining?” he caution

“Need to go to the hospital to see my dad” she exclaimed, she rushed out in a hurry, not waiting for a feedback.

********

          “Kaima! Kaima!” the voice sound familiar, she turns, thick darkness already crowned the atmosphere, the rain comes with so much force, she twitches in cold, her two hands hold to her arm, she shivers in cool. A lightning and thunderstorms, almost cut her off balance, as she has turn she freeze, her bone has been weakening.

        Is Adex. race towards her, he stops. trying to caught a breath, his hand held on his knees, his mouth wide open to get enough air as much as he can, he looks from left to right

“You run so fast, do you know how long, I have been calling you?” he exclaimed, till painting

“I needed to escape the rain” she retort

“Which rain, when you’re beaten already” he stood irate, now he feels the cooled in his bones, started shivering “can’t you go see him tomorrow. Beside, your mother is always there with him” he caution

“I have to go see them, I have to deliver this to my Mom” she had a nylon force in between her arm “so why are you here?” she managed to speak again.

“To take you back home, is not safe” he proclaimed, without being told he want to be around

“I do appreciate, your concern towards me but I’m not going back” she whispered

“That’s fine, since I’m here already I can keep you company” sight a building, the shell is enough to be away from the rain.  “let’s just wait here, when the rain stop we can now go” he walks towards the building, she joined him.

Under the building “why would you leave your house just to be here with me?” she tact smile.

       He makes a love sign with his fingers, place it in his left chest, she smiled. “since I can’t emerge your class, is it also a crime to be a friend” he put his two hands into his pocket, stretching his body to relieve stress, as he keeps his ears wide open, not to miss a clip of her retort. She glanced at him with a smile, she wanders in her mind why she never finds Adex attractive

“his cute, so charming, good height, sexy eyes, brilliant, loving and kind but I still haven’t caught a feeling for him” she said to herself, staring at him. “shouldn’t I give him a try, maybe I might have caught feeling for him” she said in her mind, he smiled, starring at her so charming

“Mm…, you won’t get me with those eyes” still speaking to herself

He stretches his hand; the rain drops on it. “the rain has stop, let’s go now” he tact without a glance at her, took her hand, their wears sock, so wet, as it dry bit by bit on their body as the wind blows heavy, the freeze in cold.