Lit Up

Chapter 7

A sound of a wail jolted Fikayo from her deep sleep. She rubbed her eyes with her right hand, sat up and pulled her duvet off her body. She heard another wail which caused her to slide quickly into her flip flop slippers, her heart racing. She ran to her door, flung it open and raced to the living room, not bothering to shut the door. The sight before her shook her. Her heart beat harder as she wondered what had caused her mother’s outburst. Her mother was on the floor, her legs shaking as tears streamed down her face. Fire was on her knees beside her, holding her shoulders.

“Gbenga ti pa mí o!” she exclaimed, hitting her hands on her thighs continuously. She placed both hands on her head, rocking back and forth while screaming.

“Fire,” Fikayo shifted her gaze to her sister who looked confused and distressed.

“I just heard her scream. I don’t know what happened.”

“Mummy, please calm down,” Fire drew her mother’s body to her, rubbing circles on her back in a bid to calm her down. Fikayo was still rooted in the same spot she had been in, behind the three seater sofa. “Just tell us, what happened?”

“Yeeeeeeee! Mo kú mo dáràn. Tèmi bá mi,” she cried, rocking her body back and forth again. Fire released her and Fikayo watched in confusion. “Gbenga ti pa mí! Your father has killed me!” she slammed her right hand on her thigh, tears rolling down her cheeks.

“Aaaaaaah! After all my prayers, after all the fasting, the offerings, everything! Going from one program to the other, church to church, nítorí okùnrin olórí burúkú yìí!” She turned to Fire, grabbed her shoulders and shook them vigorously.

“Your father has killed me! Ah! Your father has impregnated another woman!”

Fire placed her hands on her mother’s and pulled them down, holding onto them.

“Mummy, breathe,” she said coolly. Their mother nodded but her legs still shook in agitation.

“How did you know about this? Was it Daddy that told you?” she inquired. Fikayo snorted, shaking her head. Their father would obviously never spill the beans. She must have heard from a source that could be incorrect, except she was stalking the lady in question herself.

“Mummy Shola saw him entering a baby store with a pregnant woman o! It’s Mummy Shola that told me. She even took a picture of them together so I know it’s definitely true. Ah, mo gbé!”

She placed her hands on top of her head again. Fikayo noticed she was breathing heavily and hoped her blood pressure was not rising all because of her useless father. If she died because of him, he’d just marry his baby mama immediately.

Now, her mother stood up and walked to the couch where her hand bag sat. She searched the bag and brought out her phone, fumbling with it speedily. She placed the phone before Fire.

“Can you see? Your father, Olugbenga Adeyele, with a pregnant woman! That I’m sure is carrying his child.” She turned the phone to Fikayo as well.

“I’ve never bothered about the other women. All I wanted was for Him to come back to me, to come back home. I didn’t mind the philandering. But this!” she cried in a pain filled voice. Her head shook repeatedly, the pain in her puffy red eyes evident.

Fikayo felt tears prick her eyes but blinked them back. Her mother jumped twice before running to the picture frame of her father hung on the wall, grabbing it forcefully. Fire followed and stood some inches behind her. She looked at her sister with what Fikayo recognised as fear. Fikayo approached them, halting right beside her sister. Tears were now streaming down Fire’s face. The next sound that pierced through the air was that of glass shattering. Her jaw dropped as she stared in horror at her mother’s form; her face wet with tears, her hands vibrating as she kept her gaze on the broken glass and picture lying on the tiled floor. She broke out into a loud cry, pulling at the twists that sat on her head. She fled the living room and the sisters looked at each other. Fire closed the gap between them and pulled her sister’s body into hers. They buried their heads in each other’s shoulder, weeping together. They held onto each other tightly, as though they were drawing strength from each other. It felt like she was in a movie. It was too surreal. It was too much. She stepped back from the embrace, looking at her sister’s tear stained face that mirrored hers. Without a word, she left to the solitude of her room, to the comfort of her bed, to the warmth of her lit cigarette.