I couldn’t stop looking at the slip in my hand. They had improved, my grades had improved, just a little anyway.

‘You don’t have to keep staring at it, it won’t change if you take your eyes off it’. Rasheed said. We were seated at the front of the administrative block with Abike, waiting for Mrs. Dapo to come pick us up for the Easter break. Vivian had left already and Rasheed should have too but he insisted on waiting till we left.

Henrietta stood a couple feet away with Chris, they had grown tight over the term much to Vivian’s annoyance. I didn’t approve but Hen was happy and I didn’t see any harm in it.

Chris hugged her tightly before moving to join Marcel who was leaned against the wall, impatiently tapping his left leg.

Hen sulked to us and dumped herself beside Abike. After the midterm test, they hadn’t been seeing too much of each other because while Hen stayed in arts class, Chris was sent to humanities, just like myself and Rasheed.

‘It’s just the Easter break, we are not graduating. Besides PH isn’t that far from here, he can always come visit you there’. Abike said to Henrietta.
‘Shebi it’s you that will pay his transport?’ Hen asked sourly.

‘He is capable. Is his father not junior Otedola?’
Rasheed and I kept looking back and forth between them as they bickered on.

‘Why is he still in his compound wear?’ Abike inquired
‘He is helping Marcel sort things out, they’ll leave after everyone else’.

The familiar honk drew mine and Abike’s attention to the gate. She got up immediately and began rolling her box down with Hen behind her.
‘Your official ride is here’. Rasheed said as we rose together.
I smiled and looked at him.

‘What?’ He asked
‘Aren’t you going to tell me to study as usual?’
He laughed.
‘I’ll miss you small sha’.
‘Awn. I’ll miss you too beloved rat shit’.
‘I don’t know how I manage with you’. He picked up his bag and began walking in the direction of the gate.
‘Bye-bye!’ I yelled. He didn’t turn but I could tell he was smiling.

Mrs. Dapo had parked in front of the administrative block and was now trying to pry a dramatic Henrietta away from Abike. I reached just as Hen released her and was about to attack me.
‘I will tell Chris you snore, I swear I will’. I quickly threatened and she backed off.

‘I’m gonna miss you’. She sobbed, wiping imaginary tears and I patted her shoulder.
‘Abike omo mi, kilode?’ Mrs. Dapo questioned, sounding alarmed. Abike simply rolled her eyes.
‘Mommy what is it now?’
‘Where did all you flesh go? Why are you so skinny? How come no one called me?’

‘Skinny ke? I still look like two bags of garri’.
‘My friend keep quiet. Were you sick?’
Abike opened her mouth to lie but I beat her to it.
‘Yes. She’s been having this stomach issues but she wouldn’t let the nurse call you’. Mrs. Dapo’s eyes went wide.
‘Bike is that true? Se oya werey? Why would you do that?’

‘Mommy it’s nothing serious’.
‘It’s a lie o’. Hen spoke up. ‘She cried so much I could feel her pain’.
That was a little exaggerated but appreciated.
‘We are going to the hospital once we drop Amanda off’. Mrs. Dapo said and got into the driver’s seat.

Abike sighed and took shotgun, usually, she’d insist on sitting behind with me but today I was the enemy.

Ekpe smiled at me as he came to help me with my bag without saying a word, I didn’t understand until I turned to go inside and saw my mom by the door, smiling. She hugged me for what must have exceeded a minute and took my schoolbag, ushering me in.

‘How was school?’ Her change in attitude left me speechless, I kept staring at her like she had grown a moustache.
‘I made eforiru. Change and come join us in the dinning’
Us? A clattering in the kitchen drew my attention there.

‘Babe! A little help please?’
I was aware of my stuck heart. I felt every bone in my feet press into the tiles and refuse to move. I heard more shattering, then a long sigh and the platter of big feet as they made their way to the living room. Images of a shirtless, smiling man flashed through my mind and I blinked.

‘Amanda, this is Kunle’. My mom said with a bright smile, pointing to the man before me. He was dark, a shade darker than my mom. He wore a white t-shirt and black sweatpants.
‘It’s nice to meet you Amanda’. He said with a smile similar to Sir Dominic’s. Working up a smile of my own wasn’t difficult.

‘The pleasure is mine. Thanks for keeping my sister company’. I forced out.
His smile increased a bit and I saw something flash through his eyes like amusement.
‘Your mother’. He stressed. ‘Is great company’.
‘Uhm, let’s get you settled in’. Mom stuttered and began for my room.

The room looked bright and warm, like it had been cleaned out not long ago. She caught me watching.
‘I didn’t change the position of anything, just cleaned and changed the bed sheets’. I nodded and she stood for a while, balancing her weight between her legs before moving out.

Lunch was uncomfortable, for me at least. Kunle had a rare sense of humor and many times I caught mom staring at him like and ice sculpture of Chris Hemsworth. They’d tell inside jokes and laugh till I cleared my throat to remind them of my existence. I was beginning to think my mom had some sort of personality disorder; how she had gone from gloomy and sick to cheerful and sweet was beyond me.

They cleared the table together and asked me to go rest while they did the dishes. I plugged my earpiece into the IPod Rasheed had gifted me and drowned their laughter with the music.

She must have knocked but the music was too loud I didn’t hear so I was startled when I opened my eyes and saw her sitting at the edge of the bed.

‘Sorry for scaring you, I thought you were asleep’.
Watching me sleep would be creepier but I kept that thought to myself.
‘Baby, I know seeing Kunle here might be a lot for you but I promise he is harmless. I will not make that mistake twice, he and his son just need a place…’

‘His son?’
‘Yeah, he has a son. His school vacates tomorrow’.
‘Mom, you brought a man and his son to share the same living space with us?’
‘I was only being nice’.
‘Like you were to Eric? You are always being nice, refuge of the homeless and most likely, heartless’.
She breathed in heavily, shutting her eyes momentarily.

‘I am trying so hard not to slap you right now. I am your mother and i…’
‘Demand respect; I get it’.
‘No you don’t. No mother will tolerate all the insults you give me. Kunle is here because his house at Maiduguri got burnt down in this bokoharam crisis’.

‘Doesn’t he have family members?’
‘Aren’t you going to sympathize with him?’
‘Who is going to sympathize with me?’
The tone of my voice made her flinch.
‘What is going on here?’ Kunle asked from the door, still in his white t-shirt and sweatpants.

‘Nothing. Mommy was just kissing me goodnight’.
He looked out the window where the day was still bright and back at me but I looked away and dragged the covers up to my chin. I replaced the earpiece back in my ears but before I pressed ‘play’ I heard my mom say;
‘I hope your son is nicer’. Kunle chuckled and said;
‘He isn’t any more delightful than she is’.

……………………….

The sizzling sound of frying onions woke me up the next morning. Mom was pouring in the tomato paste when I walked into the kitchen.
‘Mommy good morning’. I greeted
‘Morning dear. I fried chicken o but don’t touch it if you haven’t brushed your teeth'.

Kunle sauntered into the kitchen as I was munching a fat gizzard. He was tall, if he wore heels he’d collide with the top of the door. He had on a black polo and black shorts that looked exactly like the one my mom had on. They must have shared her room since his son would be occupying the visitor’s room.

‘Good morning, sir’. I greeted
‘Morning my dear’. He said as he placed a kiss on my mom’s cheek.
‘You shouldn’t have gone through the trouble of making all this food, that boy never appreciates anything’.
‘Cut him some slack. How is he getting here?’ Mom inquired, pouring two spoons of pepper into the pot on the cooker.

‘I texted him the address via his principal, the woman is fond of him for some reason’.

There was a knock on the front door.
‘That must be him, I’ll get the door. Mandy, help me stir this’. Mom excitedly said and handed me the spoon before skipping to the living room.

‘You are so big’. She screamed from the living room. Kunle stood beside me chewing loudly on a fleshy chicken.

‘Your mom said you are a great cook’. He said and I shrugged.

‘Aren’t you a sweetheart? Your dad made you sound like a rascal’. Mom’s voice was getting closer, she sounded delighted.
‘He has a tendency of doing that’.

My hand stilled.

Mom laughed and I could feel her presence in the kitchen.
‘Amanda, say hello to Kunle’s son’. I turned and faced him.
He was in casual wear; blue jeans and white polo.

‘My dear, what is that your name again?’ Her hand rested on his shoulder.
He smiled revealing a broken tooth.

‘Marcel’.

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An update in less than a year? What has gotten into the girl?
Don't get used to it sha😒