Stronger Than Pain

Chapter Fifty Three

*Nneka*

I sat still on the wooden bench outside, my hands clasped tight and placed in between my legs. I angled my knees a bit so they can fuse together while I lower my head to stare down on my black slippers.

Tobe and Stan's voice rang inside the old bungalow which my husband had built for my family when the going was still good. They were arguing strongly with mum, their anger being the fact that it's been over an hour past the time of the scheduled meeting, yet Emeka and his family was yet to show up. I shook my head bitterly, mentally slapping myself for ever agreeing to come for it. The most painful part being leaving my kids including the newborns with Mma, just because of the meeting. As these thoughts ran through my head, I sighed loudly.

Stan stormed out while mum followed suit. Tobe was trailing behind them, her tone a bit low as she calms our brother down.

"If they're not here in thirty minutes, I'll be on my way back home!" Stan screamed in anger.

"Can't you understand that your sister needs this? We are all doing this so she can have her home!" Mama reiterated. Stan glared at her but mum wasn't having it. "See, you must stay here until they come! Why are you all making it seem as though Nneka's home is more important to me than her?"

"Is it not Mama?" Tobe sneered. "Isn't it obvious?"

"Shut up Tobe!" Mum shouted turning to give her a demeaning look. Tobe smiled and shook her head.

"Can you all stop these?" I said quietly. "Mum, I left my little kids for this meeting. Weren't Emeka the one who scheduled for the meeting? Weren't he the one who chose the time? Why then is he late?"

"And I'm still wondering why you left those kids at home Nneka!" Mama noted angrily.

"So I should have boarded a public transport with my few weeks old babies cos of this?" I retorted, clearly irritated.

"Your friend would have brought you if you had asked her! Mma wouldn't have denied you!" She added.

I stared up at mum, the angry veins in my face relaxing as I laughed mockingly. "Really? So she's now a friend Mama?"

"It's not important but you should have brought them down, your husband's family would have been thrilled setting their eyes on them, and all these anger would be easily flushed down the drain!" Mum argued.

"I won't.... " And a horn blast as a car drives into the compound cuts me off. My heart began to race faster than I'd expected, with my mood changing like a bulb. I watched mum put on a smile as she retied her wrapper while trotting out. Tobe and Stan walked over to me with Stan lowering himself to my right. Tobe gave me a reassuring glance before settling on my left. I lowered my head, staring at my black slippers again.

From where I sat, I could hear Mum's chatter with no response from whoever was walking with her. As their footsteps approached, I kept my head lower, fighting the urge to stare at whoever it was.

"Let me get the benches behind the house" I heard mum say with her footsteps quickly fading away.

Whoever they were stood still with no greetings transpiring between them and my siblings. The coldness between us all was overwhelming that at a point, I felt this chilly breeze brush through my skin, giving me immediate goosebumps.

And without opening my eyes or looking up, I was certain that whoever it was was staring hard at me. I could feel the eyes blazing into my skull.

Mum's approaching footsteps created a warmth that filled up the entire space.

"Here, please sit down" I heard her say, with the bench making a dull sound as she placed it on the ground. Some shuffling feet made me understand that whoever they were, was finally seated. And I looked up.
Emeka, his mum and Tee.