Joy to Joy

Chapter Fifteen

As mom drives us out of Brian's house, I stare at Akunna's house.

I wonder what is happening there now? Maybe Akunna and his mom no longer talk with one another.

My mom breaks my line of thought with one statement.

"The landlords for our apartment and my shop threatened to throw our things out." The tone in her voice is tense, but she still manages to hold the steering wheel steadily as she tells me.

"What? I did not know." I rub my face in dismay.

"It is not something I should bother you about, but maybe your father is right. He should not send you abroad to settle yourself. We can continue to live like this."

Mom, you know I don't want that. I tell myself.

"I tell him to buy a house, but he will not hear. I tell him to beg his boss for a promotion, but he is too proud. What kind of ridiculous proudness is that?" I expect her to let go of the steering wheel, but she doesn't.

None of their fights should be my business.

I would do anything not to go another night in that apartment, with fluctuating electricity, having to lock our doors every time in fear of robbers, and no certainty of if we would get thrown out of the house.

It would be nice to see a country with the opposite. A safe place with more job opportunities so that my mom's problems would reduce by half.

...

My parents spend the night discussing what they should have spoken about in the afternoon.

"What do you mean by 'I will be paying for the foodstuff now?' After shutting down my shop, that's all you can say?" Mom does not stop there.

"Look at your daughter and son, Osas. He has been studying non-stop for almost two years at the university. Now he is returning to us with no degree because of a strike? Do you want your children to suffer the same limitation as their parents?"

I am on my bed and cannot do anything but listen.

"That is your problem. As far as I know, this strike nonsense will not last. It has happened before; it will end soon enough. Joy?" My dad calls at my room door.

I leave the bed and walk to the door.

"Yes?"

I can imagine Faith and her siblings eating popcorn while listening to them argue.

"Do not be crazy about abroad like your mom. There is nothing there that isn't here. Many people are suffering there as well."

"Okay, dad."

"Please do not feel bad when we do not pay the tuition deposit."

"What?" My mother beats me to it.

"You will decline that admission offer tomorrow to end this charade." He glares at my mom before retreating to his bedroom.

"Mom, he cannot be serious."

"Go to sleep Joy. I will make sure that does not happen." She rubs my shoulder, and I retreat to bed.

The next day, I wear my church shoes while listening to my parents' clashing voices that echo from the corridor to the living room.

"Can you see how bad things are now? Osas will stop schooling just because of the ASUU strike,"

"Why are you like this? This strike covers every public university in Nigeria, so they are all closing,"

"Chai." I sigh when they appear in front of me.