Cold At Dusk

Chapter five

"The both of you are quarrelling again " Michelle stated when they were in the kitchen which was downstairs.

Kamsi just shrugged and looked for water to drink.

"Did you tell Mama ?"

"No."

There was silence. She did not want Michelle to know that her daughter was the reason they were quarrelling. She did not want the quarrel to also be a reason her daughter would no longer come to stay with them.

"It's not a serious quarrel." Kamsi said.

Michelle moved to the dining and she followed her.

"Michy, look at me " she said, extending her hands to the side.
"Is there any indicator of pregnancy showing on my body?"

Michelle came closer and touched her breast and Kamsi moved back immediately.

"I don't know," She then replied, "You added a little plus your breast is obviously paining you. When did you see your period last? "

"I don't think I saw it last month. "

Michelle sighed, "Honey, you should go for a pregnancy test. You are not supposed to be told." She said, her voice sounding like she was scolding her.

"I will once we get back home"

"Do you want us to buy a strip from a pharmacy around? "

"No, it will not be accurate," Kamsi opposed.

Michelle laughed, "It's what I have been using, madam accurate."

"Not one from village," Kamsi said, also laughing.

She was only delaying. She did not want the news that would hurt her just yet. She did not want to get hopes up, that was why she walked away instead of answering Mark when he asked. She did not want to be too excited yet the excitement was starting to cook from the pit of her stomach.

"I'm the God mother. I chose first," Michelle said suddenly.

Kamsi smiled, wiping her eye. " She can have two God mothers. You and Maka."

"Right! You want a she?"

"I'll take anyone but I have thought of a she as my first born, " She replied.

It tasted good on her tongue - A discussion about her child. She could now choose a gender, she could now talk about her own baby. She was silent imagining it - Her own baby growing in her womb. She was smiling, lost in her thoughts, all her worries now distant. Maybe Michell was still talking, maybe she was not, at that moment, she did not care.

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Sunday.

She had slept early still she felt it when her husband's arm was snaked around her at night. She did not see him when she woke up.

She slipped her leg into a slippers at the foot of the bed and walked to her box. Her dress was not in the box. She spun around frantically, wondering at what moment she had removed it. She clearly remembered packing it with her shoe. Her nude and transparent block heels were in the box. She did not understand.

She walked to the wardrobe even though she knew she had not brought out her dress, the yellow Buba she wanted to wear. Her dress was there, her blouse on a different hanger, her wrapper on another hanger and they were ironed. Mark had helped her iron last night when she had planned to iron in the morning. She felt stupid.

She brushed and began heading downstairs, hoping to see Mitchell as she descended their floor but the whole building seemed devoid of people. It seemed she was the last to wake up in the house . In her black and white striped pyjamas she walked to the general kitchen.