Her Mistake

∆ FIFTY TWO ∆

Dedicated to abigael_2004 .

My palms rubbed my protruding belly making sure to reach every part of the expanding skin. I was just four months pregnant and the stupid baby was already announcing to the world it was inside of me.

Sighing, I pulled down my white singlet, it hugged my belly like a second skin. I picked the purple kaftan on my bed and sliped it on. It concealed my bump perfectly; I was glad.

Grandma let me stay in my dad and his older brother's old bedroom. It was empty when I got here a month ago save for the bed, dressing mirror and wardrobe. The room was deserted hence dusty so I had to do a lot of cleaning to get it back in shape.

The cemented floor was cleaner just that it was a little dusty since I hadn't swept it since the beginning of the week. My neatly laid bed was next to my wardrobe and the dressing mirror across the bed.

I moved to my dressing mirror from my bed. I picked my water bottle from the table and took a swig. I packed my hair up after and made for the door. When I got to the door, I remembered the real reason I went to my dressing table.  I picked my phone and left the room.

Grandma was in the living room legs sprawled on the table and a tray of uncooked beans on her lap.

"Where are you off to?" She let out a cough. She had a matching African print scarf of her dress untied on her head.

My hand went to my back. "My friends are waiting for me downstairs."

"Have you washed the clothes I asked you to wash?"

I nodded.

"The plates in the sink nko?"

I nodded.

"What about the pots? I hope you didn't leave them for me?"

"I washed them all, grandma." I moved closer to the wall so I could lean my back.

"Ehn, my room. Have you cleaned it?"

I nodded. "I made sure to do all my chores."

"Who will now pick the beans? Or am I the only one that will eat it?" She asked with a frown etched on her face.

I picked the bucket of beans next to her and the tray and made my way down stairs. Felix saw me and came to help, he collected the bucket of beans from me, I murmured a thank you and we both sat on the bench.

"You look pretty." He said, flashing his pearly whites.

"Felix, stop it. I'm not in the mood for your games." I balanced the tray on my lap.

"I'm serious." His lips were curved up and his gaze holding mine.

I hissed and took a handful of beans; he joined me.

He was crazy to say I was pretty. My weight had doubled, I was competing with an elephant now. My skin was darker even when I tried that CaroWhite lotion Jazz gave me. It worked for a few days and then my skin became darker. The worst of them all was my nose. It was like it was growing the same pace with the baby and my nostrils, ehn, just one deep breath and I'm sure I would inhale the whole of Modakeke. So what exactly did he find pretty about me? I hissed.

"How's your head now?"

"It's better." I took a glimpse at him. I liked how the brown T-shirt fitted his build. It also went well with the black shorts. "I took some drugs, I feel better now."  I turned the beans in my hand into a small bowl.