Peace In The Silence

☮️4🙊

        “ We’re moving back to Nigeria.” Mum says again and I shake my head .

“No.” I sign and my mum smiles “Its funny how you think I’m asking.” She says and I turn to Yinka.

         “You agree to this?” I sign and he just shrugs, “I see no reason not to, Dad would’ve wanted us to.” He says calmly and I stare at him incredulously.

        “Daddy would’ve wanted us to huh? Well newsflash, daddy is dead, he was killed there and nothing on God’s green earth will make me go there.” I sign angrily.

           “Shut up Miriam!” mum yells and I turn to stare at her “I’m not even speaking remember?” I sign  “Good then you might as well listen, we're going back to Nigeria, argue all you want but you will go.” She says and I shake my head no.

          “You and Yinka can go, but I’m not moving anywhere.” I sign my hands moving faster as I get angry.

“Miriam..” my mum begins but I caught her off “I watched him blown into pieces remember? We all did.” I sign and I watch my mum’s shoulder droop in defeat as she sinks to the bed.

   “Ten years Miriam. Ten…almost eleven now that it has happened but hardly does a day go by without me remembering that unfortunate day. But I won’t let it stop me from moving forward with my life, I won’t let it stop you two either. We are moving to Nigeria Miriam and that is the end.” She says and I shake my head opening my mouth to speak but nothing comes out, I shut it and try again but it remains the same and for the first time I regret not being able to speak.

      “Miriam.” Yinka calls softly standing by the foot oy door, turning around to avoid facing him, I continue reading my book.

       “ You’re really going to do that ehn? Keep malice with I and mum.” He says and in a bid to reply him, I pick up my phone and plug in my earphones and continued reading.

“I know that no music is playing guy so you can hear me.” He says walking into my room and sitting on the floor in front of me and I sit up before taking my earphones off.

      “I didn’t ask you to come into my room.” I sign and he shrugs “Well I got tired of waiting for her majesty to grant me access to her castle.” He retorts.

      “What do you want?” I sign even though I knew why he was here “Um let’s see, a lot of things but talking will do for now.” He says and I grind my teeths in exasperation.

  “You should stop doing that.” He says and I glare “I would when you and mum stop coming up with stupid ass plans.” O sign  throwing the book I was reading at him.

      “What the fuck was that for!” He yells rubbing his temple where the book hit him “Do you think I’m stupid enough that I won’t know that you’ve been the one telling mummy about how you want to visit your roots and all that nonsense?” I ask and he looks away.

       “No naa, answer me, shey you’re the one that wants to talk .” I sign and he turns to face me “Yes. I admit it, I had been pestering mum about visiting our roots but I meant it only as a holiday visit, nothing more than that.” He says and I stone him with another book.

   “Guy naa.” He protests “Hope you’re proud of yourself?” I question and he frowns “I was meant to, but based on how you’re taking it, I’m not anymore. Wait sef, why are you being like this over relocating back, apart from the fact that Daddy died there.” He says and i glare.

      “Daddy was killed there.” I correct and he sighs “Yeah whatever, what’s your deal with it?” he asks and I sigh, “Maybe it’s the fact that by going back there we’re signing our own death order?” I sign and he frowns.

“ You’re being hysterical Miriam, just because daddy died like that doesn’t mean the same will happen to us.” He says and I snort “If they didn’t have mercy on the man why should they have on the family?” I sign and Yinka frowns.

       “That was then, now it’s different, things have changed, there’s freedom of speech.” He says and I shake my head “Nothing has changed between then and now, freedom of speech my potating ass, like it wasn’t the both of us who watched how innocent protestors were shot dead during the last nationwide protest.” I reply and he rubs his face.

       “Miriam. Nothing will happen to us, no one will hurt or harm us, I’ll protect you and mummy from anything okay?” he says and I shake my head  “That’s a joke if ever there was one.” I sign and he looks up at me frowning.

       “You don’t get I do you? It’s still a country that only knows lies… that people like dad are silenced, and if they don’t find a way to kill us the moment we step foot there, you’ll probably be on their list. Because you’re becoming just like dad. And people like daddy suffer and die in a country like that.”