Dedicated to Victoria_yemi

TOBI'S POV

My eyes read the word boldly written on the small sign board; welcome to Modakeke. I heaved a sigh. My life was taking a drastic turn all because of the stupid baby. I touched my stomach and felt the small bump forming. Never in my life did I ever think I would get pregnant at this age. No one ever thought or wish such upon themselves.

"Ouch!" I yelled as the car entered into a pothole. Grandma grumbled and said to the taxi driver, "baba, e rora na."

The rickety, old taxi made a threatening sound, like it was going to fall apart. Grandma and the old taxi driver were now chatting away in the front seat in our native dialect. I was with some of our bags  in the backseat as we made our way to the house.

The last time I was here was when I was seven. A year after grandpa had passed away, it was then grandma decided to taunt our lives. She would visit any day and any time she wanted, the old woman was probably lonely and wanted some drama in her life.

The vehicle slow movement gave me chance to be able to get a good view of the environment. We were at the market, it was very noisy and all the traders had their wares displayed in attractive ways.

Ding!

I casted my gaze to my phone on my laps, a tap on the screen brought it alive.

Zara❤💋:
I'll miss you😭😭😭. Call me when you can. Luv you loads😘😘.
4:23PM

It was a response to my text of living for Modakeke. I spoke with Anna on the phone. she cried. I did too. This was hard on us all and it was all my fault. I'd miss her too. Our nonstop chattering, our gossip, the never ending bickering. Everything about the both of them.

I decided not to reply the text but call as soon as I'd settled home. It sounded strange but it was my new home now. Mum still hadn't say a word to me. At least dad warned, gave words of advice and gave me a sum of money. Remi hugged me, we cried together. Sister Deola gave encouraging words and some money. Mum just watched as we left. She didn't even wave and it hurt.

The car came to a stop at grandma's house. The three storey building was different now, it was grey instead of the pale blue color.  The gate fence was no longer there. There was a damaged borehole. Two cars were parked in the compound.

A knock on the window of the car disrupted my thoughts. "Shey, you will not get out of the car?!" Grandma yelled.

Quickly, I got out of the car and walked towards the house.

"You will not pack the bags, abi?"

I moved swiftly to the back of the car and took out grandma's bag and my bags. I set them on the floor, closed the boot and struggled with pushing my large box to the gate.

On getting to the gate, I heaved a sigh and sat on the box.  Grandma shouted my name from the taxi so I continued with getting the box into the house.

Two guys were sitting face to face on a wooden bench. In between them, there were cards and with them they held their individual cards making sure to prevent the other from getting a glimpse. Both boys were engrossed in their game so I passed by without them noticing me.

Grunting, I struggled with getting the heavy box upstairs. Wasn't it only a couple of jeans and blouses I had packed in here? I stopped at the second floor. It was either as a result of my tiredness or because of the shuffling I heard behind the termite infested door.

The shuffling continued and there was a loud shrill; I shuddered. The noise coming from the second floor ceased. I pressed my ear carefully to the door; I received silence. A loud bang came from the flooring making me fall to the floor out of shock.

Still in shock, I grabbed my box and pulled it to the third floor then rushed downstairs to get the rest of the bags. Grandma bid the taxi driver farewell and we both walked into the gate.

Both boys from earlier, jolted up on noticing my grandma's presence. They both came together closing up the space between them where their cards were placed. From their legs, my eyes caught on the naira notes that were now on the bench.

Simultaneously, they both dipped their chest. "Ekasan ma."

They were of the same height, the guy on the left head was perking up. The guy by the right had on blue ripped jeans which I noticed grandma frown about.

"Didn't I tell you to stop wearing rags?" She pointed one of her wrinkled fingers at him.

"Mama Oye, na wetin boys dey wear now be this." He mumbled.

Grandma gave me her bag to hold, tightened her wrapper on her waist and moved to the dark skinned boy. She held him by the collar of his African print shirt, pulled off his green beanie and used it to hit his head muttering words in Yoruba.

His friend moved far from him making sure to stash the money on the bench into his pockets.

Grandma stopped hitting beanie guy, he moved far away from her, hands on his head and a frown etched on his features.

He was dark skinned, his face was a little lighter than the skin of his body. I also noticed his knuckles were much too darker than his fingers. He had a fro, one his beanie had perfectly concealed till grandma grabbed it. He had a thin frame. Beanie guy had very long eyelashes and scanty eyebrows, he had a mole at the end of his right eye and another on the bridge of his nose. He had very small lips and small eyes too.

"The next time I see you in this rag ehn, I'll use cutlass to cut off those thin legs of yours." She warned, giving him a death glare. Grandma turned to me, "meet me upstairs." Then she walked away.

The fair guy got into a fit of laughter while beanie guy sat on the bench murmuring, his frown still on his face. 

"That woman na witch, aje."

"Shebi I tell you say make you no wear am." The fair guy got out roaring with laughter.

Beanie guy hissed. "I know say na today she go come back?"

The fair guy continued to laugh. He had fine set of pearly white teeth, bushy brows and just enough eye lashes for his big, black orbs. He was bald, the sun shining on his scalp and his lips were pink. The maroon T-shirt he had on fitted like a second skin while he had on joggers and a pair of palm slippers on his feet. Beanie guy was barefooted.

"I sha-" fair guy stopped, and our eyes met. He held my gaze for a few minutes before roaming his  eyes around my body. I shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, my eyes moved from him to the dumbbells next to the bench.

Beanie guy seated on the bench looked up, gazing at me. I became more nervous.

"Shey you will not come upstairs?!" We heard grandma yell with footsteps.

Hurriedly, we all shuffled trying to get something to do.  Fair guy started to work on the dumbbells, beanie guy wore his beanie and picked a broom. Wait, where did he get that from? He started to sweep the compound. I picked the bag I placed on the floor and made for the stairs.

I halted in my tracks as grandma came in view. She was still in her purple lace kaftan, the scarf was tied on her waist now showing off her receeding hair which was styled with black African rubber.

"So, you don't want to come upstairs, abi?" She glared.

"E mabinu ma." I turned around, the guys were still working.  Grandma and I started to move towards the stairs. She stopped and asked, "what of the blue bag?" She frowned, "I didn't see it upstairs."

I also had not seen the blue bag. The one sister Deola said mummy had packed a few things I'd need. The last I saw it, it was in the back seat with me in the taxi. I ran out of the gate with the bag in my hand. The space where the taxi had parked was empty, my heart dropped.

"Where is the bag, Oluwatobiloba?" 

I turned to face grandma. "I-I....think. Erm...I forgot."

She removed the scarf round her waist and hit it on me, luckily I was able to dodge it with just the end hitting my hand.

"You better talk before I pounce on you!" Grandma had started to take long strides towards me. Quickly, I dropped the bag with me and moved farther away from her. The passerby' had started to find the scene before them appealing. Why go to the cinna when you can watch drama on the street for free.

"Don't make me come after you, Tobi. Where is the bag?"

My heartbeat accelerated. "I... forgot... erm... forgot... it in the... erm... taxi."

Beanie guy and fair guy had gathered by the gate of the house now.

Wham!

Wham!

Did I get hit by a caterpillar truck? My hands were still pressed on both my cheeks, my eyes were blurry and my legs felt jelly like. I clasped my eyes tight and opened them, I could make out both boys with mouth wide open.

Grandma was still ranting away after the slaps she had given me but I couldn't hear her due to the loud ringing in my ears.

Glossary
1) Baba, e rora - Please, take it easy, old man.
2)Ekasan ma - Good afternoon ma.
3)Na wetin boys dey wear now be this - This is what is in vogue
4)That woman na witch, aje -That woman is a witch, I swear.
5)E mabinu ma - Sorry ma .
6)Shebi I tell you make you no wear am - I told you not to wear it.
7)I know say na today she go come back - I didn't know she waa coming back today.

A/N
Does this book still exist? Well, yes. The update confirms it.

Quick question, do I have readers who depend on the glossary?  It'll be nice to know.

Next update is tomorrow. Maybe later today sef.

UNEDITED

What was the last song you listened to?