Peace In The Silence

☮️10🙊

    
        
          “Miriam‼! Yinka‼ come down now.” Mum yells from downstairs and looking at myself one more time in the full length mirror making sure I’m well put together.

          A pair of black boyfriend jeans with slight rips, a white tank top worn over a black long sleeve tee shirt finished off with a pair of black doc Martens.

     I quickly brush my hair edges and my eyebrows before applying a light coat of mascara.

Sighing I pick up my discarded school bag and sling it over my shoulder before grabbing my notepad and it’s pen trying to calm my nerves as I go downstairs.

         “Finally.” Mum says with a sigh before moving me to the dining table where bowls of cereals were placed. “”Stop yanking at your braids, you’ll get a headache.” She says slapping my hands off from pulling at the braids she insisted I get.

   
       “Miriam what is this I’m seeing?” she asks and I frown looking at what she was staring at; my pink tips and roots. “Hasn’t my hair always been dyed like that?” I sign and she frowns, “Didn’t I tell you to wash it off, you’re going to school and it won’t be permitted there!” she yells and I give a light shrug.

       “ You’re shrugging ehn? Miriam you’re shrugging? Yinkaaaaa‼” she yells moving to the staircase and there’s slight footsteps heard as Yinka  appears at the staircase adjusting his oversized white shirt which he wore under an ash coloured vest with a black jeans and doc Martens before slowly walking downstairs.

          “Oya fast fast we can’t be late.” She says leading him to the dining too when she suddenly stops, “Olayinka Coker, didn’t I ask you and your sister to wash off the dye from your hair?” she asks and Yinka shrugs eating his meal “I’m asking you a question and I need answers now Yinka.” Mum says angrily and he drops his spoon.

      

          “Yes.” He says picking his spoon up “Yes what?” she asks and Yinka drops his spoon back “Yes you asked us to wash the dye off our hair.” He says and she nods “So what now happened? You forgot?” she asks and we both shake our heads “We didn’t see any problem with our hair being dyed, it’s always been like that.” He says.

       

         “E shanumi ooo Òlorun..” mum says  looking up before turning back to us. “So me that asked you to wash the dye off I’m stupid abii. I’m a fool baa?” she asks and Yinka sighs “Mummy you know that it’s not like that now, it just that there was no problem with us carrying dyed hair back in New York.” He says and mum shakes her head.

          “That was in New York‼ what is accepted in New York is not always accepted in Nigeria, and what’s accepted in Nigeria is not always accepted there. There’s a lot of difference between here and there.” She says and I nod “Like issues of human rights and freedom of speech.”  I sign and mum turns to me.

        “Miriam. Miriam. Miriam. How many times did I call you?” she asks and I raise three fingers “ Don’t let us start this morning, let’s not enter the same trousers today. Now if you guys are ready let’s go.” She says picking up her handbag and we quickly clear our plates before grabbing our bags and heading out, walking behind mum who was muttering about how she was going to be seen as an irresponsible mother.

      

       Stopping at a red light, mum turns back to us before holding out her hands and we put our hands in hers and she squeezes them.