Just do it √

Two

I had just gotten back from school that day. Alade, Iya and a strange lady were seated in the living room discussing. The lady seemed to be in her mid thirties, she looked fresh but some fading scars on her face told of some bad experiences she must have had.

From the look on Iya's face, anyone could easily tell she didn't like our visitor. I greeted them and went into my room.

An hour later, Alade called me into the living room, he asked me to sit on the stool beside him. I was surprised, he never let me sit when we had visitors. He saw the confusion on my face and urged me further, I sat.

He cleared his throat the way he always did when he was about to spill spoilt milk, all was not well.

'Ayo. This lady here is named Nneka and...' He hesitated then glanced at me. I always looked calm on the outside.

'She is your mother'. I wasn't prepared to hear that.

'My mother? The one who ran away more than a decade ago?' I didn't realize I had said that out loud until I heard Iya's laughter. 'Yes o. That very one'. She said.

'Yemisi!' Alade scolded, causing Iya to shut up. 'Ayo, hear your mother out'.

'I'm listening'.

'Amanda'. She called me by my rarely used English name. "I'm sorry I abandoned you. I assure you that you never left my heart, I thought of you every single moment throughout the last thirteen years and that is why I have come back here for you'.

'Come back for me? Why did you leave?' I asked, still keeping calm. She looked over at Iya then her eyes fell to the ground. I knew she wasn't going to tell me.

'Ayo, your mother has come to take you with her'. Alade said.
'Baba you know I will not go with her. I have no reason to go with her'.

'Your mother is offering you a better life and a brighter future. I know you always wanted that'.
'If living with her is the only way to attain a bright future then I love darkness'.

'I told you that my Aramide will not leave her Iya'. Iya boasted.
'I am not staying because of you iya. If it were just you, I would have fled a long long time ago'. I said and left the house.

I went to the stream. I never went there before, I collected water from the borehole. It was amazing how peaceful the place could be, I sat on the edge and dipped my legs into the water, so soothing.

I couldn't believe I was pissed off, I always thought I'd be glad if my mother came back but it seemed I didn't even know myself. Not many people visited the stream and the few that did didn't bother talking to me.

All the while I spent at the stream, only two questions ran through my mind; where had she been? Why did she choose now to resurface? There was only one way to find out so I headed back home.

When I got there Alade wasn't in his room. Iya and our guest were making dinner. I offered to help but the look Iya gave me was enough to send me into coma. I was expecting that considering the way I had spoken to her earlier. Ms Nneka just stood staring at me so I went to my room.

She came into my room after some time to inform me that dinner was ready and I told her I wasn't hungry. She stood at my doorway for sometime perhaps contemplating on whether to come in or just mind her business. I would have preferred the latter but she went with the former.

She sat on my bed and just kept staring right into my face. I wasn't not the type to shy away from eye contacts so I stared back at her but she wasn't ready to back off.

'Why are you staring?' I finally asked.
'You look so much like my mother'. She said calmly and I could see the sorrow in her eyes, I almost fell for it.
'Please leave. I have work to do'. I said, still staring at her. I tried my hardest to make my voice sound harsh but she just wouldn't go away.