It all started two years ago. The year of the brutal pandemic and lockdowns all over the world.
SEPTEMBER 6TH, 2020.
11:30 PM
My phone went off and I picked it up. It was my dad, Adesoye. We'd barely spoken lately.
"Good evening sir."
"Evening, how're you doing?"
"Fine, thank you sir."
"I didn't know you'll still be awake."
"I am."
"Your mum and her brother just went down to your Agu's place. They said he's not feeling too well."
"This late at night? All the way to Ogun state?"
"Yes, they'll be back by morning."
"No problem."
"Goodnight."
"Goodnight, sir."
I informed my friends and we said our prayers for him. My Agu.
SEPTEMBER 7TH, 2020.
THE DAY OF THE LOSS.
10:30 AM
My phone rang. No caller ID. I reluctantly picked up.
"Didi." The cheery voice came through.
"Hey. Who am i-"
"It's Kene." I could hear the excitement in her tone.
Kene? I don't know a- Oh!
"Kene, the pot breaker!" I blurted out the god-awful nickname we'd given her after the unfortunate incident, my eyes widening in astonishment, lips stretched into a grin.
"Yes." She giggled and the aura changed. "How're you doing, Kene?"
"I'm great! How've you been?"
"You sound... happy..."
Weird.
"Yeah. Why wouldn't I?" I subconsciously raised a brow.
"That's surprising because I called to extend my condolences."
"For what?" My confusion heightened.
"Oh my God! You didn't know?"
"Know what?" My heart thumped in my chest. I hoped it wasn't what I was thinking.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. I had no idea. If I did, I wouldn't have, it isn't my news to break."
"Get to the fucking point Kene!" My patience was wearing thin.
"We lost Grandpa." She said in Igbo, our native tongue and it seemed as though time stopped.
She's definitely joking. This is a joke. It must be an expensive joke.
The agile man I bestowed birthday wishes on barely three days ago couldn't have joined his ancestors so soon. At his age, he walked even faster than I did, he took a solo road trip to Delta state barely a week ago. No. There was far too much life in him for him to be presumed dead.
My Agu couldn't be dead!
I let out a small chuckle. "Kene, this is the first time we've spoken in about eight years, you're definitely joking right?"
"N-"
"I know we're very humorous people but you know that joke is far too expensive, right?" I tried to steady my breathing.
YOU ARE READING
OGBUEFI
Mystery / ThrillerWhen she loses one of her favorite people in the world to the cold, bony hands of death, twenty-year-old Didi is forced to cope with the loss all the while trying to understand the madness that led to the death being ruled as a murder with her mothe...
