When We Cross Our Stars

8-At That Moment

"Where were you?" Augusta Onyeka asks me as I enter the house totally drenched from the rain.

"Out." I answer.

"Don't give me that answer. I'm your mother."

I raise my brows with a mocking smile on my face. "Really?"

"I'm tried of this. Whatever this thing is. You have done enough already. Just stop it. You have punished everyone enough. Your father is never home-"

"Oh mother," Bitterness dripping from the last word. "That has nothing to do with me. It's totally your fault you can't keep your man. Nobody else's fault."

She slaps me. I smile at her. "Now we are done can you move out of my way? I really need to get to my room."

She stares at me in shock of my attitude. "You are an ungrateful, wicked and stupid girl!"

"Aww!" I fake excitement. "Thanks mother. I learnt from the best." Saying that I make my way passed her through the stairs. I don't make it to my room before I hear a crash on the floor. I know she broke something and I'm just praying it wasn't the figurine they bought from Thailand last summer. I had taken a liking to that poor thing. But knowing my mother, it was already half way across the room.

I bang my door shut when I reach my room, locking it behind me. My back pressed against my door sliding down to the floor- I cried.

I saw you today. Outside my window, throwing stones at it like you normally did. It was raining and at that moment it felt real. Like we were back in time and everything that happened the last few months was the illusion.

I ran out withouts a second thought. Going to you. Looking for you. But you weren't there. At that moment I realized that maybe, just maybe you were never here.

⚜

The next morning was blissful. Kamsi was the person who came to wake me up and I followed her few minutes later after I brushed my teeth and washed my face. No matter how much my aunt thought she loved me, I didn't want to give her second thoughts when she saw me in all my Godzilla glory.

"Uncle Good morning." Uncle Acho was the first person I saw as I opened the door as he was coming down the stairs.

"My daughter how are you?" He smiled at me. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes uncle."

He nodded. "Oya come and join your sisters. I'm sure they are in the kitchen."

Walking behind him I tried to not think about a lot of things but I failed badly. My sisters. He called them my sisters. He called me his daughter.

"Mummy Sister Chrisè is here o." I raised my head as Bobo's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

I saw Kamsi smile at me and gesture for me to come to the kitchen. I wasn't a shy person I liked to think. I was just socially awkward. I never was a person who was very okay with strangers.

"Chrisè how was your night?" I hear my auntie's voice before I see her. She was sitting in a chair in the kitchen with a tray on her laps as she sliced some onions.