Operation Falling | Operation Series Book 1

Chapter 32

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Some of the characters in this chapter will speak in Yoruba, their native language and I'll be putting the translation of their words in English in a bracket next to them for understanding.

This is to avoid confusion when you get there.

Happy reading!

Chapter Thirty Two

CYNTHIA

We finally arrive at a neighbourhood I never knew existed in all of our area.

I've always been surrounded by high buildings, fine restaurants, exquisite malls, beautiful mansions that I've forgotten that some people somewhere don't drive in exotic cars and live in mansions. They don't enjoy the luxuries that we often overlook.

I look around at the surroundings, feeling ashamed that sometimes I don't eat just because I don't have appetite and yet, I can see hungry looking children who might not even know what having no appetite means. Some looks the same age as Sam and they look far from healthy, they are probably suffering from nutrient deficiency.

At that moment, I couldn't blame Tayo's stepbrother from wanting to take money from Michael by force.

What if the last time he ate was the day before yesterday? Or days before that?

We get down from the car and Tayo walks in between Michael and I, holding one of our hands as she leads us to where she and her mum stays.

When she opens the door to her place, it took a lot for me to not burst into tears. The door opens into a room that looks so small, my bathroom at home is almost bigger than it. The only things in the room is a mattress, bags containing the few clothes they own, two buckets, a kerosene stove and pots.

And on the mattress, Tayo's mother lay, shaking from what is probably a cold. She opens her eyes to see who entered and when she sees us, she tries to sit upright. I quickly rush over to help her and I almost yank my hand back with how hot her body is.

"She needs drugs badly, I think she has a cold and probably malaria and typhoid since Tayo says she vomits." I explain to Michael and he turns to Kunle. He removes some money from his wallet and gives it to him.

"Get her some food and drugs. Narrate to the pharmacist what Cynthia has just said and buy the appropriate drugs." Michael tells him and he nods. "Make sure you get back quickly." He adds.

"Alright." Kunle replies and goes out of the room.

"Tayo, egbon e nko?" (Tayo, where is your brother?) The woman asks Tayo in Yoruba and Tayo goes to meet her. It never occurred to me that she might be unable to speak English.

"Awon eni yin ti mu won lo ago olopa. Gbogbo owo ti won koko ko fun mi ni broda mi tigbalowo mi." (These people have taken him to the police station. All the money that was given to me at first has been collected by him.) She explains.

"Se awon lo koko fun e lowo to fe fi bami ra ogun tele ni?" (Were they the one that gave you the money that you wanted to use to buy drugs for me before?).

"Beeni ma." (Yes ma).

"Je n teteya dupe lowo won nigbanaa." (Let me quickly thank them then). The woman tells her and Tayo nods her agreement.

At the moment, I can't be more grateful to Nanny for teaching me how to speak and understand Yoruba. It would have been a shame if as a Yoruba, I can't understand what Tayo and her mother were saying.