Just do it √

Twenty

I tossed and turned for minutes but couldn't drown the noise out. I would have placed a pillow over my head but I didn't want to suffocate in my sleep.

Marcel and his father had made it a tradition to settle their scores at night leaving me with no other option than to wait for them to conclude and go to sleep. I was never able to make out what they said but the gravelly undertone of their voices travelled through the walls.

I wondered if my mom slept through the whole thing or just decided to stay away from it. For the past couple of nights I'd wanted to go out there and find out what the problem was but I always managed to hold myself back. I knew they had their differences and didn't exactly see eye to eye but neither did my mom and I but you'd never find us disrupting nightly peace so, letting my curiosity get the better of me, I tiptoed out of my room to the front of the visitor's room.
I leaned against the wall feeling like a creep.

'Stop being ungrateful'. His dad said sternly.
'I'm grateful enough to those I owe gratitude, you are not one of them'. His voice was steely.

There was a silence so tense I felt it from outside the room. It stretched out for too long so I retired to my room to avoid getting caught eavesdropping.

In the absence of their vibratory disturbance, I easily fell asleep.

I was up pretty early the next morning. My body had adjusted to the school's allocated time for rising so at 5:00am every day, I wake up. I lay on my bed scrolling through my phone and thirty minutes later, Kunle started his usual morning devotion.

My mom backed him up as he murdered the tune of regular worship songs. They spent fifteen minutes praying while I listened and subconsciously said amen to some prayer points I agreed with.

Five minutes after they were done, I moved to my bathroom, brushed my teeth and washed my face. I got out of my room to proceed with chores. I swept through the living and dining rooms after which I proceeded to do last night's dishes.
Mom walked in while I was doing them, already dressed for work.

'Good morning mom'.
'Morning dear. I have to be at work early today, we are expecting some inspectors. There is nothing in this house so I left money in your room so you can go to the market and get some things. There is bread in the fridge, all of you can have that until you are back'.
'Okay. What am I making?'

'Anything you like, I trust you with this stuff. Don't go to the market alone, let Ekpe accompany you'.
'Yes ma'. She placed a grateful hand on my shoulder.
'What would I do without you? Take care of the house, I love you'.

I smiled as she walked out. Whatever magic Kunle was working, I was a fan.

'You know it's weird to smile at yourself while washing plates'. Marcel remarked as he sauntered into the kitchen. This whole living arrangement would have been a little more bearable if he wasn't a part of Kunle's luggage.

I finished with the dishes and turned to face him after rinsing and drying my hands. He wore a grey polo and black sweatpants that almost completely covered his feet. He had this tired yet cocky look like he was exhausted but too stubborn to admit it.

'What's for breakfast?'
A plate of humility and a glass of lime juice to slap that pride out of your body, I thought.
'There is bread in the fridge and tea on the dinning, help yourself'.
He nodded and shuffled out of the kitchen.

I returned to my room and drafted a text message to Abike. She was getting operated on today and she made me promise not to show my face there or call her, she said it would make her nervous and I didn't want her running out of the hospital with her mom at her heels.