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"Likkkkeeee I don't get how do people be comfortable subjecting their children to poverty haaaa omo reason why some children go into cry because their parents can't afford to provide for them."

- Hanthoniaaa
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~ She dey sleep no wake her ~

~ Me I need my oyoyo mma ~

~ All of you should keep calm first ~

~ Eyo ~

I let the hard pillow fall hard and tight at the back of my head so it could cover my ears from the eardeafening noise.

~ She bring anything come sef? ~

~Before, sister say she dey manage all these celebrities we dey watch for Faith house. She talk say she dey manage their salary ~

~ E-eh? Bu... ~

"I'm awake!" I jolted up. I knew it was my siblings and I didn't want them to stretch my lies.

"Sister!" Destiny squealed and ran towards me before jumping and landing hard on my tummy.

"Welcome," Mary moved closer. The resemblance between the both of us was so uncanny. We could act like twins and an outsider would believe. I remembered when someone thought we were twins cause of how alike we looked, not knowing I was four good gigantic years older than her. I also looked her age cause of how much others said i cheated nature. Even Abasifreke looked the oldest amongst us three.

"You sound grim," I said to Mary.

"Cause I am," Mary scoffed, replying me with her earlier tone. "I hear say you dey do well."

"Of course," I bragged, giving Destiny my phone. When Gloria, Afanide, Jessica, Faith and Betty saw the phone in Destiny's possession, they moved closer to me so they could have a closer look, leaving Wisdom, Jeffery, Abasifreke and Mary.

"And then you deserted us, your family!" Yelled Jeffery, the official fourth born since he came out before Gloria.

"Can you like chill please?" I fanned my hands in a dramatic way. "I didn't abandon you."

"H- h- h- h- h- he's r- r- r-" Afanide kept slapping his thigh as he tried to let his words out. All ten of us kept staring at him in silence. "R- r- r- r- right."

"You see?" We all could finally speak once he was done. "He wasn't as worst as this when I was at home."

"When you come home last?" Attacked Wisdom. I knew they were furious at me. But who planned to go home when there's nothing to show for it?

"Mary, atleast you're more responsible than this." I continued, ignoring Wisdom's question. "Why didn't you help Afanide out?"

"With what time?!" Mary cried. "It's either we work on farms or we sell things on the road or we do little Labour like sweeping people's compound or washing people's cloths. Even them Jeffery drop out of school. Watin you want make I do?!"

I let out a sigh as I watched my younger sister's eyes grow red. "Then you, you just left your own family. Even Mma thought you were dead!"

"Where's father?" I asked instead.

"He never—"

"Hope, your papa don come!" Mother interrupted Abasifreke as she announced father's arrival.

We got up, I held destiny in my arms as we strolled out. Indeed, dad was back. He had a rack folded in one arm and a sac sucks wrapped around his legs.

"Hope?" Father asked in a surprised tone as we welcomed him by letting him sit on the bench while Abasifreke rushed to get him water to drink. "I bless this day, I thought I won't see you before I die."

"Papa," I trailed. "Stop talking about death. I was busy with work, that's all."

"For four ye—" Father began coughing while mother sooth his back. "—years?"

I kept quiet cause I knew I had no excuse and can't keep lying. "Well, as you see am, na your family be this."

I nodded slowly. "I plan to pay for Abasifreke and Mary's jamb."

Mary's face automatically lit up after hearing that. She seemed to have forgotten she was mad at me minutes ago. "But they'll have to read pretty hard so I'll know my money is going to good use. I'll also try to way bill a phone for both to use. I'll be able to communicate with you guys through that means and Jef—"

"Ah sister," Mary moved towards me. "Thank you o. Abeg, forget watin I tell you earlier. You see Afanide, he'll be my number two priority from today."

I laughed at my sister's words. Big women was sweet Sha. The respect I got fit me. All this promises I planned to do with my first month salary.

"And Jeffery," His ears stood after hearing his name. "You'll take me to your schools. I'll talk to the principal and also Betty and Destiny's head master.

"Are we going back to school?" Jeffery asked for confirmation.

"Yes," I nodded, "You all will go back to school."

My phone began to ring in Destiny's possession. I retrieved it and looked down at the caller ID.

Christy.

Why she dey call me?

"Excuse me?" I said to my family. They were all excited about going back to school as they discussed among themselves.

I strode to the back yard and stood close to the kanel tree. "Yes?"

"Is that how you speak to me now?" Christy said over the phone while I rolled my eyes. "Where are you?"

"Why you wan know?" I fired, scratching my forearm after it got stung by an ant.

"Alright, I'm sorry and worried too." Christy's tired voice could be heard over the phone. "Forgive me?"

"You don't know the girl code sisters over misters so why should I?" I poked the inside of my nose.

Christy sighed over the phone. "Alright, chicks over dicks right? Sure. Forgive me and come back home."

The smile on my face grew further. I kind of missed her but didn't want to let it show. "I can't.... I'm in my village. But I'll be back in a week's time. Guess what? My mother is pregnant."

"Again?!" Christy yelled out of shock. "Una never take care of the ones wey dey ground, another one dey come."

"Na so we see am o," I folded my arms. "E-eh, the bodyguard job—"

"Baby been talk say he go teach you how to cash out since the bodyguard job no favour yo—"

"They've given me the job!" I fought the urge not to scream out of joy.

"Lie!" Christy found it hard to believe.

"I bold?" I spoke demonstrating with my hands. "I know fit lie to you na."

"Abeg do dey come, here's boring without you." Christy rushed once I heard Baby's voice in the background. "Babe them don bring light, I wan plug my phone."

"Aright na," I nodded. "Catch you up later."

The line went dead as I realized how much I had missed her vibe.

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The next day, Jeffery took me over to his school and to Destiny and Betty's school. I promised the Principal and Headmaster of various schools that I would try and pay before next month. Atleast, I would have collected my salary by then.

It was finally time for me to go back to Lagos. I was more happy than anyone cause it felt like my home was holding my destiny.

"Sister, don't go!" Cried Destiny as I reached and grasped her in my arms.

"I promise to come soon," I reassured her and the rest of my family. "I'll try not to take four years."

"Ah," Gloria opened her mouth. "One year is even too much."

"Come on my birthday, come on my birthday!" Betty chanted while I ruffled her hair.

"I will," I lied. I couldn't remember any of my siblings birthday except from Abasifreke and Mary.

"Mummy, Daddy." I dragged my own ears as a warning sign. "Mbok, go to any family planning seminar. No more child after this one in your tummy. Abi make I speak pigin? Mama, papa,"  I placed my hands on my waist as my siblings began to laugh. "We no wan build country. Abeg, take care of the ones for ground first."

"We don hear," Father smiled, holding my mother in his arms. I squinted my eyes not trusting him, but smiled at how sweet my parents were acting.

"I'll be leaving now. Oya you two," I pointed at Abasifreke and Mary. "Carry my box."

Both sisters helped to carry my luggage while Destiny was still in my arms. I decided to take her to the park since she cried very loudly whenever I tried to place her down. I turned, said farewell to my mum, dad and the rest of my siblings before getting into the taxi.

"Remind mum and dad about the family planning o," I drew Abasifreke's ear. "And you, I need improvement with Afanide."

Mary nodded as Destiny dragged the hem of My top. "Please don't go~"

"Will you come down," Abasifreke scolded.

"Destiny," I called. Forcing little Destiny to look up at me with big doe eyes. "I just want to go to the city to drop my box. I'll come back tomorrow."

Mary and Abasifreke shared a look. "Promise?"

I smiled at Destiny. "Promise."

Destiny wiped her eyes at the reassurance then I placed her gently on the floor. She held my waist tightly in a warm hug before moving over to Mary. I waved my siblings one last time, as Mary lifted Destiny up so she could have a better view of me.

I knew I lied to Destiny, but who promise help? Village life, godforbid. Bodyguard, here I come.

I sat still on my assigned seat as I stratergize every move I was going to make while becoming a bodyguard.

This was going to be a piece of cake.

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This is just a filler. Christy asked for forgiveness and both Hope and Christy are cool now.

Hope thinks the bodyguard job would be a piece of cake. In a scale of 1 - 100,how wrong do you think she is?

And do you support Hope's parents and their lack of family planning?

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Word count : 1660

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-Eddy