Just do it √

One

       I walked up the stairs into the verandah where my grandfather was seated on his favorite armchair with his glasses on, reading a newspaper. His totally white hair, glaring in the afternoon sun made him look like Wole Soyinka.

'Good evening Alade.' I greeted. He didn't like to be called baba so I called him Alade which means the crowned one.

'Ayo Mi, you are back. How was school?' he asked smiling at me.
'It was okay. What of iya?'
'She is inside.'
'Okay. Let me go inside.'

I almost collided with my grandmother who was storming her way out into the verandah.

'Where is that your useless father?' She asked.
I gave no reply.

Growing up with them, I realized saying anything to her when she was on a rampage only made things worse for you.

'Didn't you hear me? Buburu orire! I am talking to you!' She shouted louder. I had gotten used to her calling me names especially the she had just used, bad luck.

'Yemisi!' Grandfather intervened. 'The girl just got back from school, let her go inside.' He said

'She has to provide her father.'
'How?' He asked then signalled me to go inside.

While inside, I could still hear their voices. Alade was speaking calmly, perhaps still reading his paper while iya was shouting at the top of her voice and throwing insults at my father.

I sighed as I thought of what he could have done this time. My father and I lived with my grandparents. I had heard iya tell him the day before that a fool at forty is a fool forever, she said the adage fit him perfectly.

I didn't know my mother, iya bluntly told me that she ran away from here few months after my birth and I knew it must have been because of the treatment she received.

I too felt like running away sometimes but what would become of Alade if I left?

       I undressed, not bothering to check the kitchen for food, I knew there wouldn't be any. Iya only made food available once a day and I already had my share in the morning before going to school. Besides, I had cultivated a habit of buying food at school with the little money I saved.

After undressing, I didn't hear any noise outside. I peeped into Alade's room and saw him sleeping and snoring lightly. Iya must have gone to a friend's place to complain again.

I decided to rest a little before she got back and was rudely awaken when she did by her yelling.

'Aramide! Aramide!'
'Iya!' I responded and ran into the kitchen.

'Who took the money I kept under this pot?' She asked, pointing at the biggest pot in the kitchen.

'I didn't take it.' I said as calmly as I could.

'What do you mean by that? You were the only one I left here except you are calling your grandfather a thief.'

'God forbid.' I said.
'God forbid what? Me?' She asked and started hitting me immediately. I managed to run out of the house.

'You are not going anywhere tomorrow, you'll pluck oranges and sell in the market till you earn back my two thousand naira!' She yelled for those who were now watching to hear.
'Thief.' She said and went inside. I could deal with that.