Just do it √

Seven

     

  I was spending the night at Abike's again. We were seventeen days into the holidays and I had spent thirteen at her house. I had gotten used to being here because I spent my first and second term holidays here but this time I insisted on staying with my mom but it didn't make much of a difference.

She'd pick me up in the mornings and drop me off at night using night shifts as her excuse. Sometimes she'd leave me here for days and not bother taking my calls.

I had her buy me a phone when I realized I'd need a means of communicating with her regularly. My mom was getting distant and I hated that she didn't trust me enough to tell me what the problem was. At a point I suspected she'd lost her job but Abike said she had seen her at the hospital when she went for her checkup. I dialled her number again.

'Stop disturbing your mother, maybe she's busy with a case. If you kill her battery, she won't be able to call you back when she's done'. Abike said from her reading table.

'There is always power supply in the hospital, battery is not a problem'.

   'The person you have called is not answering...'

I pressed the end button.
'You are supposed to be studying with me right now, Mandy not being a mama's girl'.
'I'm really not in the mood Abike abeg'. I collapsed on the bed.
'Okay but you have to chill, she's coming to get you tomorrow morning'.

'Nneka is so tired, she'll get you in the evening'. Mrs Dapo gave me the usual excuse the next morning.
'It's fine, can you take me down there instead?' Her eyes widened in panic.

'Sorry honey but I'm late for work and your house is not on my way'. That was indeed, true.
'Take care you girls and do not turn the house upside down'. She hurried to her car and drove away.

        Thirty minutes later I got a call from my mom.
'Amanda I'm so sorry I can't come and get you'.
'I understand'. If I was given a cookie anytime I said that but didn't mean it, I'd be fatter than Abike.
'You've had breakfast?'
'Yes mom'.

'Who are you talking to babe?' I heard in the background.
'Get out'. My mom said away from the phone.
'Are you okay mom? Is someone there with you?'
'No baby. I'm going to bed now, I had a stressful night. See you later?'
'See you'. She hung up.

I walked into the kitchen where Abike was torturing her nanny with her disoriented childhood stories. I grabbed her and pulled her to her room, not wanting the nanny to hear our conversation.

'I want to go home'.
'Jeez, you say that like you are in prison'. She gave me a look to show she wasn't pleased.
'Not like that, I feel there is something my mom is not letting me in on. There is someone in the house, I heard them when I was speaking to her on the phone'.

'Okay Miss paranoid detective. Why not just ask her about it?'
'I did but she brushed it off. I'm going home, now. I just need you to go back and distract your nanny with your senseless talks while I sneak out'.
'I'll let your insult slide this time but are you sure you know the way home?'
'Yes, now go!' I pushed her out of the room.

I waited until I heard the nanny begin laughing along with Abike before I made a run for it. I opened the gate discreetly and hoped Abike would remember to lock it. I walked to the end of the street before flagging down a taxi.

'Federal housing'. I said in sync with the woman beside me who was heavily pregnant.
'Hundred naira'. The driver said dryly.
'Haba driver. From diamond to federal no be fifty naira?' The lady queried and the driver began wheeling the car onto the road.