Alacrimia | √

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Eartha and Eniiyi were still seated on the couch, long after the movie had ended. Eniiyi didn't think this was because the movie was that interesting. Her mommy had gone into one of her trances again. The girl was still trying to get used to it already since all these days.

So, she waited patiently, still snuggled into her and watched the credits roll in on the TV screen.

But as she stared on silently she couldn't help wondering all over when all this would stop. When she'd let them go back to Daddy, instead of sitting here all day and feeling sad.

It was rather unnecessary, if somebody asked the girl.

Thankfully, her mommy came out of her reverie quicker today. She sighed and pat Eniiyi's head.

'Interesting movie, huh?' She stood up from beside her daughter and stretched.

Even though she was smiling, Eniiyi could still see the slight worry lines that were beginning to form in-between her eyebrows and at the corner of her eyes.

She wanted to shout at her for putting herself through all these willingly and for nothing when they could just go back. But she wasn't sure why she'd made them leave Daddy - Daddy wouldn't even tell her why when they talked. But she knew for sure that it had all been her mommy's decision.

So, instead, she shrugged and nodded. 'Yes, ma.'

Eartha glanced out at the wall clock to the side. 'Ugh, it's this late already?'

'Not really, the sun's just come out.' Eniiyi frowned at her. 'Why? Are we going somewhere again today?'

Eartha paused from yawning to properly stare at the girl, like she was noticing her for the first time. 'No, but I'm expecting someone. Adekunbi, you don't like it? You don't like us going out for fun?' She frowned in surprise and went back to reclaim her seat beside her daughter.

'I thought you loved it . . .' she murmured the last part.

'Mommy, did you ever ask me what I wanted? For the past eleven days, did you?' Eniiyi concentrated on frowning at something invisible on the floor, not wanting to look at her mommy's face.

'Well, I just thought . . . but we're all good . . ' Eartha heart skipped a bit when the girl wouldn't reply back. 'What did you want, Adekunbi?'

'I just wanted to go back to my Daddy. To see my Daddy!' Eniiyi now looked up at her mommy, her gaze angry and pained.

Eartha heart plummeted at this. Oh, no. Not again! She couldn't do this! She couldn't keep on doing this!

She looked away from her daughter. Did the girl even know how much she ached for her husband everyday? How she'd wake up at midnight and feel the side of the bed only to come up empty. How he'd call her phone and she would just stare at the it till it's battery almost ran out, using all her willpower to not grab the phone and cry into it? How she had to tamp down the bullstrong urge to just up all this and go back to Osogbo immediately?

But Adekunbi most probably didn't know all that. And she wasn't about to start telling her now. The girl still blamed her for making them leave him and she didn't want her rubbing it in.

She combed a shaky hand through her thick, black mane.

'Um . . . I'll try to do something about that. Um, I could arrange for a stay over during school holidays with him . . . you'll-'

'That's not what I want, Mommy,' Eniiyi said quietly. 'I want us to go back to Daddy and be a normal family like we used to be. Can't you see, none of us is happy this way! You sit down all day and stare into the distance, lost in your thoughts. The bags under Daddy's eyes get puffier everyday!'