Ada (A Short Story)

Chapter Seventeen

With how distracted I was while driving, I was surprised, but thankful when I made it to my destination in one piece.

The sky was almost dark when I arrived due to the traffic that I had found myself stuck in, and as I got out of my car which I parked on the street as usual, I became nervous. My hand shook slightly when I lifted it to knock on the black, metal gate. The knock was almost timid so I knew I definitely wasn't heard. Sucking it up, I gulped and knocked again. Harder this time.

"I'm coming!" I heard a familiar small voice shout from the other side.

Some seconds went by before the loud sound of the entrance door being opened was heard, and eventually the person approached the gate. "Who is that?" She asked making me smile.

"It's Ada." I replied.

"Ah! Aunty Ada!" Nmah exclaimed gleefully.

I could hear her as she hurriedly opened the gates before pulling me into a tight hug, wrapping her slim hands around my waist. I smiled as I kissed her head that was now reaching my shoulder. She was getting taller everyday and I felt a tinge of guilt that I was rarely around physically to witness it.

"I missed you." My younger sister said as she looked up at me, her hands still holding me close. 

"I missed you too, love. Look how pretty you look! And tall too!" She grinned shyly at the compliment before moving away and gesturing for me to come inside.

"Mama will be so happy to see you." She said and I gave her a dry smile. I'm not so sure about that.

After locking the gate behind me, we moved into the house. My mother was upstairs in her room as Nmah informed me so I went there, taking my time while climbing the steps as if it'll make any difference and I won't still get there. I knocked on the door tentatively when it was finally before me.

"O gini? I thought I told you not to disturb me, Nmah." I heard her say from behind the door.

I gulped and closed my eyes briefly before replying, "Its Ada, mama."

It was quiet for a while before finally, I heard shuffling and then the wooden door was pulled open. I stared at my mother face, very much like my own, as she stared back at me pensively.

I knew immediately that she knew.

She left the door and moved inside, prompting me to do the same as I closed the door behind me.

My mother settled down on the bed and I could see her bible and her rosary beside her, I knew then that she had been praying.

"Mama..." I began but closed my mouth shut as I didn't know what to say. I hadn't planned for this conversation. But then again, was this the kind of conversation that you could plan for? How do explain to your mother why you became a sugar baby and probably ruined someone's marriage? I didn't know about the last part because I hadn't heard from or about Richard since the news broke this morning and I was more than fine with that. Hopefully we keep that same energy.

"Why?" I heard her utter quietly, more to herself than to me. "Were we that desperate, Adaobi?" She calls me by my full name.

"But we were, mama." I say as I go to sit by her side on the bed. I'm happy when she doesn't recoil from me or such. I want to speak further but I don't. I know she doesn't need to be reminded all we had done through. How we had no food to eat, how badly her business was failing, how we couldn't pay our bills and we were kicked out of our home, forcing us to squat with my best friend in her two bedroom apartment. I didn't need to remind her of all that. I could never forget and I doubt she can either.