Behind the Mask✔

Epilogue

"Sissy Jasmine" AZ and Hana exclaimed and attacked me with hugs as I came out of my room ready to go out. I smiled at them and crouched trying to tune out mum's laughter because we both knew these two won't let me out of here on time

"Yes babies " I said as sweetly as possible

"Are you going out?" AZ asked and I nodded

"To where? " Hana asked and I smiled wistfully

I was going to Felicia's grave

"To see someone " I answered her hoping she would let me go but my seven  year old sister wasn't willing to let me go

"Can I come with you?" She asked and I shook my head

"Why?" The twins chorused and I sent mum a pleading glance and she smiled mischievously before calling the twins "AZ, Hana come here now "

They frowned slightly and dragged themselves towards mum and I breathed a sigh of relief and after blowing the twins kisses and giving mum a hug, I left the house.

I had ordered an Uber and when my ride finally arrived, I called Bimpe and Jemima that I had left the house. They would meet me at a junction close to the cemetery.

I adjusted the black turban I tied to cover my hair which matched with my black blouse and trousers and looked at the small mirror in my hand and sighed at the eye bags that had stubbornly refused to leave my face. Leaning into the seat, I wiped the tears in my eyes before they extended to my cheeks.

It never got easier.

After seven  years, the pain of Felicia's death hadn't eased even after Mr Obi was sentenced to life imprisonment and the justice I wanted for Felicia was served, it never got easier. I only got used to the fact that she was not here anymore but the pain never really left. I had accepted that she was gone but I just missed her a lot. Her smile, her pinches , her reckless laughter, her ocean of gist. 

The vibration of my phone beside me jolted me from my thoughts and I looked at it and saw it was Bimpe calling

"How far?" Her voice came when I picked up the call

"I'm good. Are you guys already at the junction? "

"Yeah, where are you? "

"I'm almost there "

She sighed "Okay , be fast "

I nodded and when I remembered she couldn't see me , I spoke "Okay "

I ended the call and tried to stop myself from drowning in my thoughts so I don't miss Bimpe and Jemima. I notified the driver about our quick stop before our destination and he nodded. Soon enough, we picked them up and forged ahead.

When we got to the cemetery, I paid the driver and we went in.

"This doesn't get easier " Jemima said when we got to where she lay and Bimpe and I nodded showing our agreement.

I squatted and my friends followed suit and for a while, no one could speak. It was as if we were all pondering about the turns our lives had taken. The rough patches, the smooth roads, good times and bad times. Through it all, we stood by each other and we never forgot our Fefe.

I couldn't help a wistful smile at the silly nickname we gave her. I remembered how mortified she looked when we gave her the name and let out a low chuckle and my friends smiled at me.

Who said high school friends don't last? We had been together through thick and thin. We had laughed, cried, fought, played and done a lot of things together.

Life throws wheat  and chaff at you and it's left to you to sieve out the chaff and enjoy the wheat and we did that by cutting off Aramide when we found out she was the one that sent Bimpe's pictures to Joseph. It turned us to more than friends, it turned us to family, to sisters and we fought for Bimpe until Joseph and Aramide were rightfully expelled. I shook my head in newfound pity for Joseph who had received blows and severe beating from dad. The sight wasn't quite exciting because I remembered how it felt being on the receiving end of dad's anger. His fist making contact with my face countless times and my body beneath the soles of his shoes. He had apologised countless times and begged to be part of our lives and after some time, mum finally agreed. He came to see us every week and sometimes took the twins out. Mum could never go back to that marriage but it was fine and for the best and  since the happiness of the twins was not at risk, it was fine.

Bimpe's parents settled their differences and had welcomed a baby boy . We laughed at Bimpe when she complained that her brother never let her sleep and always seemed pleased when everyone paid attention to him. Jemima's parents got back on their feet financially and in their marriage and we were all satisfied.

I looked at my sisters, not friends and I smiled and they smiled back at me and I could swear Felicia was happy looking at us from where she was and we wanted her to stay happy that's why we started our little NGO against rape and we were elated when we had many sponsors.

Our troubles were not yet over because life is not a bed of roses but we had cut off toxic people, disconnected from those who didn't care about us and stood by each other. We had learnt lessons and we were still learning and we knew that the lessons life gives us would soon be used to acquire blessings.

We were stronger, we were happier, we had moved on and we decided to stay that way.

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So that's the end of our book but my own journey as a writer continues in Lara's Rose and so does yours as a reader 😉

Hope you liked the ending?

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