The Clichés of Trinity Academy

¶Twenty Three

I woke up with a hurting back because of my position on the floor. At first I was confused as to how I ended up on the floor in the first place and then the events from the previous night immediately flooded into my brain. My mom had cheated. My dad had divorced. He married Charity's mom. Charity wasn't my stepsister, she was my half-sister. She was still a sister regardless. I wondered if she knew about who I was to her. Before I could really ponder on that thought, my phone rang from my desk and I groaned in pain as I tried to stand up.
The caller ID showed that it was Grace calling.
"Hello?" I croaked into the phone, my throat hurt from the little shouting and crying I had done the night before
"What do you mean by "hello"? Where have you been? I've been trying to reach you since last night! I'm on my way to your house so text me directions now!" Grace said in such a rush that my brain couldn't even process all she said until she clicked off.
Once I understood, I quickly texted her my address, realising we had never visited each other before. It took my brain a little bit more time before I realized that tonight was the night , the dinner was today and my emotions had already been through alot.
I sat on my bed trying to recollect my thoughts and make a plan.
Firstly, Adaeze breathe. I took a deep breathe and tried to reason. Brush teeth. Bathe. Go downstairs. Eat. Avoid mom. That sounded like a plan, even though I wasn't sure if my mother was still in the house or not.
After cleaning up, I felt better and unlocked my room door to go downstairs. Just like last night the whole house was silent. I wondered if Isaac had already gone for his lessons at school and if Grandma had gone for her routine Saturday market and if mom had left last night. What if I was alone in the house? That thought didn't sit well with me.
I went to the kitchen to make something to eat and saw that my mom was sitting down there, her head bent towards her fingers. I couldn't tell if she was crying but I didn't want to find out. I was too angry at her to care.
"Goodmorning ma," I found myself saying. Angry or not, she was still my mom and I'd always have to greet her in the morning.
She looked up, shock and sadness written all over her face.
"Goodmorning Adaeze, I hope...", she kept quiet and the words 'you slept well'  hung in the air. That was her routine with us. But obviously, getting called out on cheating wasn't exactly routine, she cleared her throat, "I made you breakfast, it's in the pot, grandma went to the market and Isaac's gone to school,".
"Thank you ma," I said as coldly as I could. I didn't want to go near the pot while she was still here.
"Your... your father, is coming here later today, to pick you up, he's taking you and Charity to the dinner, I'm leaving for a little bit because I know you and Isaac must be very angry at me right now," she choked up a bit and tears filled her eyes.
I lowered my head to avoid looking at her because if she cried I would cry. I didn't really want her to leave, but I also knew it was the best decision for now, if she stayed everything would be uncomfortable and terrible.
"I'm sorry Adaeze," she said and I nodded because I knew she meant it, but it didn't mean anything to me. What was she exactly apologising for? For cheating on my dad? For making us grow up without our father? Or making us feel like he chose to leave us without saying goodbye?
"Take care of yourself well," I said.

So she left.

And then I cried some more.

***

It was around twelve in the afternoon when Grace knocked on my door. I was too happy to see her that I threw myself in her arms. No one had come back home yet and I had been by myself.
"This one you're this excited to see me what happened?" she said with a laugh. "You wish I was excited to see you," I joked. "Shut up, you know you're obsessed,". It wasn't until we were seated in the parlor that she noticed my puffy eyes.
"Guy, have you been crying? Did something bad happen with Damien?"
I hadn't even thought of Damien yet and that made me feel like a bad person.
"No, not at all, it's just that-" I narrated the entire story of last night and this morning to her,"-and that's why I've been crying,".

"That's messed up,".

I nodded in agreement.

"Well, the only way to get over family issues is to get cute, now come let's go to your room and fix you up," she said lifting up three bags I hadn't even noticed she was carrying.

"We have to look hot tonight, maybe one of us might win best dressed," she teased as I led her to my room.
I nearly died of laughter at the idea. "When Amira is alive," I teased. "True true, but we'll still be hot tonight,".

***

We spent the next couple of hours deciding on make-up looks and accessories and gisting about our dates. Grace gushed about how utterly cute Marcus had been last night when they were texting. I felt awkward knowing that Damien and I weren't exactly a thing like she and Marcus were, but then again, tonight was filled with possibilities.
Grandma came back some time around two and I filled her in on my mom, although I was very sure she already knew, she and my mom were close. She complimented Grace and I and teased us about boys for a bit, before she chased us away so that she could sort out the things she got, grandma wasn't fond of being helped with market things.

We went back to my room and Grace mentioned that Bolade had announced he wouldn't have a date because he wanted to feel free to dance with "the ladies" and she spilled about how Charity was going to the dance with Edwards, but strictly as friends. I couldn't even imagine Edwards asking anyone out, he just gave off the aura that he was fully content with himself, like he would marry himself if possible.

"Speaking of Charity, have you talked to her yet?" Grace asked as she brought out her dresses. Yes, I said dresses.  "Honestly no, should I?" I asked.
Grace looked at me with her "duh mumu" face. I picked up my phone. "How should I even start a conversation?" I asked. "Video call her!"
I frowned, but followed Grace's advice anyway, she was the queen of destroying awkward moments.
My heart went into a little frenzy as I saw the words 'Ringing' on the screen.
Charity picked up on the second ring. "Hey sister!" she screamed, dragging the sister. She knew. Her face was so close to the camera that she looked like an egg, and I couldn't help but laugh. Thank God that Charity wasn't as awkward as I was about situations.
"So daddy and I are on the way to come pick you up," she said and turned her phone to show my father at the steering wheel. He smiled at the camera and my heart stopped briefly because I almost couldn't believe that all this was truly happening. You'd think that after last night it would really get into my head that my father was really and truly back, but I  still felt like I was floating in some weird alternate reality.
I waved shyly at him and he waved back before Charity turned the phone to face her again. "Grace is here too,"I said.
Grace was suddenly behind me waving and making pouty lips at the camera.
Charity squealed again, "You guys we're going to walk in together looking like one power squad!"
"Exactly!" Grace said, her energy and Charity's combined, was slowly energising my previously drained self.
"You guys get your things ready we're close by,".
The moment the call ended, Grace picked up her three dresses, "Guy I still don't know which one to wear,".
I was already dressed and all that was left was to wear my shoes.
"If you like don't pick one, I'll just leave you and go," I said standing in front of my window to take some pictures.
Grace muttered something about how no one cared about her as she tried to decide which dress to wear and I just had to smile because at that moment, things didn't feel that terrible anymore.