Brotherly Love

Chapter 7

Nana began to consciously loosen his hold on Andrea. No one needed to tell him this was getting out of hand, he knew.

Andrea tried pushing harder into him but Nana had lost interest.

'No Andrea, I can't do that.' Nana replied.

Andrea rose to look into her brother's face. She couldn't see much because the lights were out.

'Why not?' She questioned.

Nana pushed Andrea off and got out of bed. He began to pace around the bed.

'Please, what is wrong? You are scaring me.' Andrea cried out.

Nana walked to his window and stared out. He didn't have an answer for his younger sister.

Andrea jumped out of his bed and walked up to him to hug him tightly from behind and cry.

Nana wriggled himself out of the hug and walked out of the room, to the kitchen. He needed to clear his head. He punched his fist hard on the wooden counter.

'Damn it, Nana! That's your own blood sister!' He scolded himself. He walked to the sink and turned the tap. Cupping his hands, he fetched a portion and rinsed his face. He wished he could immerse his whole body into the cool water.

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Andrea stood transfixed at the spot where she had been hugging Nana. The tears didn't want to stop pouring. She felt her heart might just stop beating. Andrea was perplexed. She sank to the floor and wailed. She needed love, her body ached to be touched.

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Nana heard Andrea's heart-wrenching wail. His first thought was to run to his room and comfort her, but he restrained himself and stared at the opened tap.

A part of him wanted to go and hold her and tell her everything would be fine. Another told him to stay away. Finally, after what seemed like forever, he turned the tap off and walked slowly to his room. He had expected to see Andrea at the same spot he left her-but she was gone.

He turned and headed to her room.

Nana turned the knob and realised the door had been locked from inside. He banged hard on the door.

'Andrea please let me in.'

Maybe he has been too hard on her, he thought to himself. Maybe he should have just kissed her and it would have ended there.

He banged harder on the door.

'Andrea please.'

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Andrea sat behind her door, holding her knees to her chest and trying to stifle her loud sobs. Her forehead was rested on her knees. She could feel the vibration from the force Nana was using to bang on the door. She cried more, using her hand to cap her mouth.

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

The phone rang loudly, rudely interrupting Nana's sleep. He groaned angrily and buried his head deeper into the pillow. Last night hadn't been easy on him either. He had had to stop banging on Andrea's door when he realised she wasn't going to answer. Downcast, he had dragged his feet back to his room and settled on his bed. Nana had allowed a few tears to fall-he really felt bad for Andrea.

Nana exhaled loudly in relief when his phone finally stopped ringing but frowned when it began again. He stretched out his hand and picked it.

'Hello.' He answered in a croaky voice. He really wasn't in the mood to be answering phone calls at this time.

'Yo! My boy! You still dey bed?'

'Yeah, who this?' He asked.

'O my boy, make you shun dat life'

'O, I no know the number o' Nana replied defensively.

'Ibi me, Slick. You no save my number?'

'O chale, I did. I change phones.' Nana smiled. Jerome Nii Quaye, known as Slick even by his parents, was the one calling. A classmate from school whom he had lost touch with these few months at home.

'Aaaa ok...chale I dey come your Der now o.'

'Eeii, this early morning?' Nana asked while forcing himself to sit up in bed.

'Chale, ECG come visit my house o. Two solid days no light. I dey come charge my lappie and phone. I dey use my old boy en yam to call you. Abi you people di3 you get light every time.'

'Oh ok, sorry. Yeah you can come.' Nana replied.

'Nice one! I hope your kiddie sis dey Der o'

'Masa! You dey come charge your tins or ron my sisto?'

'O bros, sorry wae. You, make I bof and come. Make you find sometin for me to chop o.'

Nana shook his head and ended the call. Slick was just another being from a different planet. No wonder most people found it hard to believe that he had been the third best science student in the whole school.

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'Chale!. Your sis fine o! You see the body!' Slick exclaimed. He just couldn't sit still in the couch. He was either commenting about Andrea's body, cracking jokes or replying the numerous messages he had received on his phone.

Nana chose to ignore his little display but noticed that Andrea really looked good in her bum shorts and black crop top. Her wide hips had been accentuated and her flat tummy made the top look sexier on her. He noticed Andrea's thighs had grown bigger and her colour had lightened a bit-his heart skipped a beat. She had been loitering around the hall since Slick arrived and hadn't spoken a word to him the whole morning.

'Chale Nana, make you give me chance eh. She dey bi! I promise I go treat am well.' Slick said.

Nana just stared at him and moved his attention to replying messages on his phone.

'You no go biz me?'

'Slick! ' Nana said with a stern voice.

Slick raised his hands up as if in surrender and turned to look at the TV.

'Chale, you for shining your eyes for your sisto. Take care of her well so no guy comes to break her heart.' Slick stated.

His statement got Nana thinking-was he really taking care of Andrea like he was supposed to?