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The family had gone out when Becky brought out the small pile of books that Yomi Makanjuola had given her. She made a mental note of her chores and checked to see if there was any that she had left undone.
βWhat kind of books are these?β
She looked at them, reading the titles out loud and wondering if they werenβt too advanced.
βThe Magic of Thinking…?β She had never seen books like this before. Leaning her back against the wall of her room, she opened one and began to read, but the words were unfamiliar and hard to spell. Frustrated, she dumped them by her side and stared at the corrugated iron roof. The weather was hot and sticky and the heat from the roofing bore down on her. Beside her, Bolutife was sleeping and sweating, his little body rising and falling in peaceful rest.
What kind of life do you want for your child? Do you want him to grow up in the village that his father left?
She hadnβt been able to get Yomiβs voice out of her head, and the more she thought about what he had said, the more she realized that her life was going in the exact opposite direction of what she had desired. She had wanted to escape the poverty and hopelessness of her fatherβs house yet here she was, stuck in a village with no hope of getting out soon or the life she wanted.
βHow can I even leave? What will Mama say?β she wondered. The old woman had taken a chance on her, bringing her to the village to recuperate and she didnβt want to disappoint her.
βThree children are playing!
They are playing!
Three children are playing!
They are playing!β
Becky got up to look outside the window. There were three children indeed, naked and running around the street with crudely made kites. They were between the ages of seven and nine and she wondered why they were not in school before she realized that there was only one school in the community that had been razed by marauding cows. The children did not have any hope of attending school. She sighed and sat back down as her eyes fell on the books. She picked them up again.
**********
Florence was in awe of Philomenaβs home. She had never seen a color television before, neither had she seen a carpet before. She stared at the intricate red and brown pattern and dug her fingers in the soft armchair the servant had settled her in. Still spellbound, she raised her eyes to the chandelier and gazed at the twinkling yellow lights in the glass.
Someone cleared their throat and she sat up self-consciously. It was the servant. βMadam said I should bring this,β he said.
She watched him set down a tray on a low black stool beside her. There was a cold bottle of Coca Cola, and a plate of fried fish and roasted groundnuts.
βThank you.β
As soon as she was sure that he was gone, she brought out a piece of paper from her bag, put the fishes in and placed it back in her bag. Philomena came in some moments later.
βDidnβt Alfred give you some fish?β she asked seeing just the groundnuts in the plate.
βOh, he did. Iβve eaten them.β
βAlrightβ¦β Philomena replied unconvinced.
βSit down and tell me how to be rich!β Florence said earnestly, setting the refreshments aside.
βIs that why you donβt want to take your refreshments? Relax, there is a lot for you to learn.β
βAlrightβ¦β
The front door opened and a man came in with a briefcase.
βGood afternoon madam,β he said.
βObi, you people are back?β
βYes madam, Oga will soon come inβ¦β
The door opened again and Uche came into the house. He was frowning.
βGood afternoon sir,β Florence got up.
βWelcome dear,β Philomena said.
βHmm,β he replied neutrally and walked in without another word.
Florence looked askance at her friend.
βLet me go and see him, he must be tired from his trip. Alfred will bring you more fish.β
*********
βWhat is that woman doing here?β Uche said as soon as he heard the door open.
βWelcome my husband. I invited herβ¦β
βYou invited her. Are you stupid?β
βMy husband…β Philomena got on her knees and clasped her hands. βPlease let me explain.β
βExplain.β He took off his belt and rolled it around his hand.
βShe said she wanted to be rich like us. Then I thought about those goods, the ones we just got from the border. I thought it would be good for us if she sold them. Sheβs very good at selling thingsβ¦ she will give us half of the profitβ¦β
Uche let down his hand and smiled at her. βSo you can think like this?β
βI thought about usβ¦β
βYou did, I am very happy. Iβve been worried about how we would sell those goods.β
Philomena smiled. βLet me go and serve your foodβ¦β
βNot yet, come and lie down, I had a very long trip.β
βSheβs waitingβ¦β
βLet her wait.β
**********
Florence hummed around the house and sang of miracles and a better life. Her husband, Wole, a schoolteacher, couldnβt mark his scripts.
βWhat is making you so happy?β
βThings are about to get better for us in this family.β
βHow is that going to happen?β
βI went to see my friend, Philomena, the one I toldβ¦β
βI know Philomena.β
βYes, she has promised to give me some goods to sell. She will even give me a shop to sell them in.β
βAnd what did you say?β
βWhat do you think I told her? I told her I was grateful.β
βBut you told me you thought there was something fishy about her.β
βI donβt think thereβs anything fishy about her.β
βPhilomena. Sit down and let us think about this. What kinds of goods is she asking you to sell and why canβt she sell everything on her own?β
βWole, what sort of questions are these?β
βThese are questions you should have asked her. Why is she being kind to you when she wasnβt good to Sewa? Or isnβt that what you told me?β
βLook, this is all I know, I donβt want to live like this anymoreβ¦β
βLive like how? I know we donβt have everything but weβre happyβ¦β
βWe are, or you are? Look, there are people who are rich in this life and they donβt have two heads. Why canβt we want more?β
βWhy should we want more? We canβt all be richβ¦β
βWell, I want to be rich, I donβt know about you.β
βFlorence, donβt accept those goods from her.β
βYou must be joking. I will accept it and we will all enjoy the money.β
βI donβt want her money.β
βWhere do you think the fish you ate with your food came from? Sit there deceiving yourself. Christmas is this week, do you have money for us to spend? Or are we all going to share two eggs again? I did not come to this life to suffer, Iβm taking those goods.β
βAnd if they are illegal?β
βThey canβt be illegal.β
**********
Christmas was two days away, yet the joy of the season was absent from the relationship between Annabelle and Toye. Annabelle cried continuously and Toye avoided her, not wanting to say something unkind to her. The shame of what had happened at Annabelleβs parentsβ and the debt he had incurred weighed on his mind and for the first time, he began to think that he had made a mistake leaving Becky for her.
He pulled on his trousers, thinking about how he would get his weekly report to Bala unnoticed when Annabelle began to moan.
βWhat is it?β
βI donβt know, I just feel pain.β she held her hand on her abdomen and curled up on the bed.
βWhen did you start feeling this?β he asked, going over to her side.
βThis morning but it has become unbearable.β
βWhat did you eat?β
βWe ate the same thingβ¦β she moaned again.
βTry to sit upβ¦β he helped her up and that was when they saw the blood stain on her gown.
βToyeβ¦! The baby!β
βWhat do I do?β he asked anxiously.
Annabelle started to cry.
**********
Toye stroked Anabelleβs head and held her hand. A nurse ran past them with a file in her hands.
βIβm sorry Toye, Iβve put you in so much troubleβ¦β
βStop talking, you need to stop thinking about that. The doctor says you need to rest. Donβt bother about anything, I want my baby to be alright.β
βI should have just kept quiet. I wouldnβt have brought this shame upon us.β
βAnnabelleβ¦β
βWhat is going to happen to us Toye? My parents have refused to accept you. Is this baby going to be a bastard? Will I never marry you?β
βYes you willβ¦β
βHow? You heard all my father said.β
βWeβre going to get married in the court. Just the two of us, Clara and Doyin.β
She stopped crying and looked at him.
βWe donβt need our parents to consent to our love. They will accept us when they are ready. But for now, we have our lives to live.β
Annabelle smiled. βYou really love me.β
βDonβt you know that by now?β
**********
It was a few days to the end of the year and Becky was depressed. She still hadnβt heard from or seen Toye.
βWe have a letter from your husband,β Dapo, Toyeβs youngest brother said to her, standing by the doorway. βMama is calling you.β
At the front of the house, the family had gathered to hear from Toye. Fijabi, the postman had the letter in his hands. Becky wondered why no one had called her to read the letter but shrugged the concern off.
βHe says he has sent some money to you.β
βYes, you just gave that to us,β Baba Abegunde said.
βHe also sends his greetings to everyone. He says that very soon, he will send for Funmi.β
Funmi danced in her seat to the annoyance of Funto.
βHe also says that the beverages are for Baba and Mama.β
βDidnβt he ask about me?β Becky asked.
βWhy donβt you keep quiet and letβs hear what the man has to say. Has he finished reading the letter?β Dapo said.
βSorry.β
βAs I was saying, he also says that Dapo should take start preparing for his examsβ¦β
βIβve told him that I donβt want to go to school. I want to do business.β the young man murmured.
βAnd lastly, he says that Becky and her son should be allowed to go back to her parents. He says and I quote, βlet us accept that what happened between us was a mistake and go our separate ways.β That is the end of the letter.β
βHe didnβt say when he would be coming home?β
βNo Baba.β
βThank you,β Baba Abegunde said solemnly. βA mistake?β he said when Fijabi had left. βMama Toye, do you hear that? Your son says she was a mistake.β
Mama Abegundeβs eyes were on Becky. She was sitting still, staring at the sand.
Becky should just take heart nd move on.She is still very young nd has long years of opportunities ahead of her. Toye will sure regret all hs actions,Weldone Sis.
View CommentBecky should just move on with her life I beg, this Toye is just a sorry case
View CommentYes oo. Becky should move one. Nice one Lola.
View CommentBecky….dont worry…the mistake according to Toye will be a stepping stone, thanks to the prince!
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