I strode with exhilarating confidence to the gate. I finally found a way to pay her back for her evil ways. Like a flash she zoomed past me into the house and locked me out of the house. It took a while for me to see how I had been outsmarted. I began banging the gate. Martin came to open it after few minutes of relentless banging.
He was drenched with sweat and panting. He scowled when he saw me silently telling me he was unhappy I stopped his game. "What were you doing outside? "
"I went to meet Dara and I saw her and John kissing."
His eyes grew wider and he came closer interested "Kissing? "
I dismissed his interest "Yes, but that's not the issue now"
"What is? "
"I think I'm in trouble again. I wanted to go and report her but she outsmarted me and locked me outside "
The magnitude of what happened dawned on him just then. "Uh oh... "
I became perplexed and began to shiver. All of a sudden I mustered courage. Come to think of it, I've done nothing wrong. She did the kissing not me. She deserves to be punished not me.
I marched straight for our apartment and met her on the way coming towards me. She smirked and put her hands on her waist daringly. "Mummy is calling you ". I paused and stood observing her. Her wicked smile passed so much message but I didn't know what to make of it. I tried to read how much trouble I am in but she looked away from me expressionless.
"I've told you, if you like keep standing there. " She swished past me leaving me in my turmoil. I dragged my feet to the doorstep and with a quick prayer and a cross signal I opened the door knob.
"So now you have added fornication to your many sins?" she attacked me as soon as I stepped inside. I could see the brand new cane laying by her side on the chair. She leaned her head on her arm expecting a response from me".
"fo...rnnication?" I asked puzzled. "What is fornication? "
"If I slap you ehn, your brain will communicate the meaning to you"
I stepped back "Sorry ma" I still couldn't quite figure out what she meant by it but it was a word I had come across in my bible several times but couldn't check since I owned no dictionary. I knew it to be something bad as it was always associated with hell fire. I would do now such thing.
"I didn't fornication ma" I nervously responded.
She burst into laughter. "What sort of English is that?. So you are so daft now that you can't construct sentences? "
I just shook my head in response before my mouth put me into another trouble. She stood up and picked up the cane walking towards me slowly.
"Look at me closely" she pointed to her eyes. "I am aware of what my daughter is doing with John. You have no audacity whatsoever to stop her from having a boyfriend. Who the hell do you think you are".
I lost it, she had finally succeeded in making me dumb. Did she actually know what she's talking about.
I tried to make her see the magnitude of what she's saying "But mummy they were kissing " .
"Which is why I'm going to deal with you. She said you told her to do that".
I jumped back and raised my hands innocently "No mummy, I did no such thing. I told him to leave her alone " tears began to drip down my cheeks.
"And how is that your right? I ask again." she pulled her ears "Listen to me and listen good, don't you ever dare interfere in my daughter's affairs okay"
I was dumbfounded and managed only a nod. The next thing I felt was the cane on my head. "is your mouth mute? "
"Yes yes ma" I hastily said scratching my forehead.
"Now get out" I looked at her swiftly before going out. Sometimes I wished could strangle her. Who supports their child in forrm..mica...tion or what did she even call it. Her words came back to mind and I became angrier. How can Dara say I thought her. I touched my lips. I haven't even done that before. Yuck! I felt disgusted and promised myself then to only kiss my husband.
Dara was waiting for me by the playground pavement and she stuck her tongue out at me immediately she saw me. I became pissed. "Formicator" I hissed. I saw her eyes widen and relax when she could not figure out what it meant. I smiled inwardly. My payback was served.
It was getting darker and there was no light yet. We eventually stopped playing and just sat down. I got up and went to play with Bingo. He jumped up and yapped happily as I got closer. I had gotten more confident since the last time and learnt it was harmless but playful. I began throwing biscuit bones at it and it jumped up and caught it.
Others came closer when they saw the fun and packed biscuit bones also. It became disordered and confusing for Bingo as it couldn't collect from 5 places at once. Eventually I got fed up and left them to go and sit on the verandah. I began picking up stones around me and thinking of a game when my uncle showed up.
"Bro Femi! " I squealed drawing their attention. I ran to hug him and got squished as others joined. "How was work?"
I asked.
"Work was fine. What have you guys been up to? "
"we were giving Bingo biscuits " Dara chirped
"Come and tell us a story of the tortoise " I pleaded
He laughed "Hold up, I just came in. Won't you let me have some rest at least "
"Okay 5 minutes " Martin's raised 5 fingers at him and he laughed. "Okay then ". He was my favourite in the household. He had ever beaten any of us and had so many fun activities in his brain. He was like our amusement god.
"Ruth!!! " My step mum called from inside.
I scowled "MA! " I ran inside to meet her.
"Go and spread a mat outside for us to eat and come back here "
I did as she said and went back to pick up each person's meal and placed them on the mat. "Come and eat your food o " they were back with Bingo and hurried to the mat instantly as soon as I made my announcement. I noticed the plates werent complete and went back in.
"Mummy there is one plate left "
"Yes I know " I waited for her to serve it. Instead she said "its yours that is left. Your are on punishment for this afternoon. You will go to bed without food ". I slowly retraced my step back outside. They were all munching and babbling that they didn't notice me pass. I went to sit with Bingo and looked hungrily at its biscuits wondering how tasty they could be.
I picked up one and examined it. It smelt weird with a little scent of fish. I bit the tip and spit it out instantly throwing the rest of it away. "Bingo your food is disgusting " I chided it like it was its fault he loved such a meal. He whimpered in response and snuggled me as a consolation saying I understand your pain.
"What are you doing? "
I looked up and saw my uncle. I wondered how long he had been there. "Nothing "
"Why are you not eating? "
"Mummy said I'm on punishment. No food tonight " .
He leaned on the dog's shed "Why not? " .
I proceeded to narrate the events of the day to him and he just smiled when I was finished. He pulled me up "come" .
I followed him obediently to the boys quarters. I was a little excited. None of us had ever entered his room before. He always told us it was his sanctuary. I stopped at the door. "Come inside now". I couldn't believe it. It was like getting to heaven the first time.
I entered and all of a sudden my countenance changed. It wasn't the heaven I anticipated. In fact it could be the devil's abode. It was so small and scattered. He had a cloth hanger which wasn't doing its duty at all as all his clothes were either on the floor or on the bed. I stood by the corner as he went to his crumbling shelf which gave way and fell as he opened it. He brought out a nylon and removed a pack of biscuit from it. My eyes lit up and I collected it as he stretched it towards me.
"Sit down". I looked at the pile of clothes on the bed and changed my mind. Sanctuary indeed. "I will eat it here and fast so that mummy won't see me".
"Okay do that then but don't tell others about it." He looked at the bed just then and at me "You still have to sit down though". He shelved the clothes down to the floor. I almost gave a cry but caught myself in time. I calmly sat down and began munching the biscuit with relish. This was better than any beans meal my step mum could ever make. My uncle's stuffed laugh made me open my eyes and I saw him looking at me.
I became shy instantly like someone caught in sin and I drooped my head. He couldn't help himself again and started laughing. He placed a bottle of Fanta in front of me. "Drink that with it".
"Thank you " I murmured with my mouth full a I picked up the bottle to down the content. My moment of enjoyment wasn't to last long as I heard my man being called out by my siblings as if I was lost. I became scared and dropped my biscuit. He noticed my fear and got up. "Wait here". He went outside for some minutes as I began praying under my breath.
He came back in after a few minutes. "You can go out now. I told them I sent you on an errand to get me toothpaste okay ". I sighed with relief and nodded. "Thank you bro Femi ". I hurried outside and saw them in front of the TV when I got in. Nepa had somehow brought light excluding my uncle's room. I laughed inwardly. Sanctuary.
I slid into their midst and joined in their discussion of which food a dog liked best. My step mum walked past us into the kitchen. She stopped and looked for me. When she saw me she continued what she was doing. She later called us into the kitchen to wash plates. I was to wash while others rinsed. We carried the plates outside and began taking our time with it. Dara got tired on the long run and went inside. Kingsley, Martin and I were left. When we were done Martin had an idea and poured the soapy content on the floor. We all began sliding our feet to and fro singing.
We will we will rock it...
It was a very popular commercial on the TV then and we enjoyed every bit of it. We increased our voice into the night till Dara and Charles came out to join us. They pulled their slippers and came onto the soapy floor. Martin kept pouring more on the floor the more it dried. We fell down severally and got up laughing at ourselves again. That night we forgot who we were for sometime and just simply had fun.
We fun wasn't to last for a long time as whatever has a beginning must surely have an end. In this case, the end was a disastrous one. Our singing came to an end when Dara was about to fall and held me for balance. Unfortunately, I was also about to fall. We both fell and hit our heads on the culvert close by. The next thing I heard was "Blood!". Now who had that blood I knew not. I closed my eyes hoping not to bleed out.