I was filled with apprehension for reasons I couldn't comprehend when we entered into Vincent's home.

Chijioke came to the house as promised and we once again trekked to the junction to get an uber. He claimed he couldn't drive that was why he used the uber and he knew I wouldn't be happy if he brought Alec along.

The good driver dropped us in front of the huge gates of Vincent's home and we walked into the house.

After greeting Timini, Vincent's gateman, I swallowed at the first sight I saw. The dog was lying lazily underneath the carport. It raised it's head in our direction and just ignored us.

Touché.

"Oh poor Jackie." Chijioke started heading to where the dog was lying. Alarms blared in my head, my heart skipped and lodged in my throat.

Was he expecting me to follow him?

I looked towards the entrance of the mansion and decided to take cautious steps towards it. Hopefully Jackie would ignore me.

Chijioke turned and caught me taking my third step towards the mansion. He raised a brow in confusion. "Where to?"

"I'm just going to. . .you know the sun is really hot and I just. . ." I kept spluttering nonsense as I walked away slowly.

"You're really scared of dogs?" There was a hint of surprise and amusement in his tone.

"Who said that?" Probably Stephen.

Chijioke gave me a malevolent smirk and took heavy strides towards me.

"Chijioke what are you up to?" I asked taking equal steps backwards. Chijioke broke into a run and grabbed my arm before I could even say jack.

"Chijioke no no no. Stop! Chijioke stop it I'm not joking!" I yelled as he dragged me towards the bored dog. The dog just kept watching us with disinterest.

Chijioke was laughing. "Come and say hi to Jackie."

"No!" He thought this was funny? If not for my rib cage, I was very sure my beating heart would have fled.

I pulled and pulled and even tried to bite but Chijioke was strong enough to hold me. I eventually gave up and followed reluctantly when we were already close to the dog.

"Hey girl!" Chijioke squatted in front of the dog and started rubbing its fur. The dog looked so. . .sad. Was it possible for an animal to show such intensity of emotions?

"Is it sick?" I had stopped struggling against Chijioke but my heart was still in my throat.

"Probably just neglected," Chijioke sighed. "You want to pat it?"

Never.

"No. I don't want to get fleas."

Chijioke just chuckled and shook his head. "Let's go inside."

The air-conditioning was on full blast just like I was used to. And the house was quiet as usual.

"Vincent!" Chijioke hollered sitting on a couch. I heard doors close and open and a girl walked slowly into the sitting room. I noticed she released a sigh of relief and roll her eyes as she wiped latter covered palms on her skirt.

"No dey shout abeg."

"Hello to you too, Victor," Chijioke grinned from ear to ear.

The girl hissed so loudly, a snake would have been jealous "I don't even have your time." Winner turned her gaze to me. "I don't know you."

"She's my friend."

"Chai!" Winner exclaimed dramatically. "Of all humans on earth you decided to be friends with this fufu." She shook her head in mock pity. I managed a small chuckle.

"Won't you guys introduce yourself?"

"Shut up!" Winner eyed Chijioke who raised his hands in surrender. "Why are you two here?"

"We came to see Vincent. He's in right?"

"I've not seen him since morning sha. I've not seen either of them since morning," Winner was talking in a quiet voice now.

Chijioke dragged a palm down his face and let out a frustrated sigh.

"Can I see Constance?" I didn't know when I said that but I know I wanted to say it.

"No." Her outright refusal shocked me. "Constance has not been good."

"I want to see her still." My voice was steely and I was glaring at the smallish girl. She gazed back at me with the same intensity.

"You guys should leave before my mother returns from the market abeg o."

"We're supposed to go out today. Our school has a basketball competition and Vincent is supposed to be there."

Winer seemed to contemplate for a while. "See, I want to go and continue my chores. Do whatever you want and leave immediately," she said turning back to where she came from. "I don't think my mother would be happy if she comes back and sees you guys here."

Chijioke looked at me when Winner disappeared through a door. "Let's go and see Vincent."

"Ehn?" Was he being serious? Definitely not.

He stood up from the couch and stretched a bit. "Oya na."

"Wait you're serious?"

"Yep." He popped the 'p' as he walked to the staircase. He stopped in front of it and looked at my still form.

"What is it?"

"You know Vincent hates me shey?"

Chijioke gave a humorless smile. "You think so. Just come let us go and see him." He didn't wait to see if I would move before climbing the stairs. All the memories of how it happened that Saturday played vividly in my mind's eye as I ascended the staircase with Chijioke several paces ahead of me.

I unintentionally paused when I reached Constance's room. As if Chijioke sensed my brief pause, he turned.

"I want to talk to her."

Chijioke nodded and continued to Vincent's room.

I knocked the first time and there was no answer. Knocked the second time still no answer.

"I'm not hungry!" Came Constance's surprisingly angry voice from the other side of the door on my third knock.

"Erm. . .it's me. Nairobi." There was no response. Just silence.

"The door is open."

I released a breath I didn't know I was holding and pushed the door open. I came face to face with Constance who stood few feet's from the door staring at me with wide eyes that expressed unbelief.

Then those big brown eyes turned sad and turned away from me.

"How are you?" I asked following her to her bed.

Constance didn't say anything. She just sat mute on her bed.

"Why did you stop coming?" Constance voice came out in a broken whisper. Its shards pricked my heart. "I thought friends consoled friends. Is that not how it works? CJ, Olamide, Israel and Alec usually come here to see Vincent. I thought you would come for me."

"Constance I'm very sorry. I just couldn't come." Because your brother said so. But I couldn't say that. She needed to love her brother not see more reasons to wonder if she was just supposed to hate him.

She came closer and threw her arms on me. I held her into the embrace with my own arms. Constance started crying.

"I know they are lying. I know my mummy cannot be dead. I asked my daddy once but he just looked at me like I asked a very bad question. People only die when they are old, don't they?"

Poor child. I realized I had never been so wrong in my entire life. Constance shouldn't have known. She couldn't handle the grief.

Constance sobs got louder. She wailed painfully on my bosom and it broke my heart.

"Connie don't cry-"

"My mummy cannot die. She can't be dead," she cried her shoulders heaving with each sob.

How was I supposed to console a grieving nine year old? I had absolutely no idea.

"I have been waiting so long for her to return and now I hear she's dead. Nairobi I made her angry the last time I saw her. I think it's my fault she died."

"No it's not. It's not your fault."

"But how am I supposed to live without her? Daddy is never around and Deji doesn't care about me."

"Deji cares."

"Deji hates me! Ever since he told me those terrible things. He hasn't ever tried to console me or make me miss her less. He is always yelling and making me feel bad. What if he truly killed my mummy?"

I hugged Constance tighter.

"I don't hate you Constance" I heard Vincent say. I looked up to see Vincent and Chijioke hovering at the door. He was looking leaner. There were bags under his eyes and his hair was overgrown and forming miniature dreads. His brown eyes looked dull and didn't fail to show how bad he was coping with everything that was dealing with him.

Vincent came into the room leaving Chijioke at the door. He squatted in front of me and Constance. He didn't acknowledge me at all. Constance stared warily at her brother who stared back at her with evident exhaustion.

"Why do you keep saying I hate you?" He asked with a low voice. "Why do you think so? Do you know how bad I feel whenever you say that? WHAT AM I DOING WRONG?!"

"Don't yell at her like that!" I yelled back at him. This boy was unbelievable. He still had the heart to shout at her? Even after hearing her say all that?

"WHY SHOULDN'T I?!" Vincent faced me.

"Please let's all calm down," Chijioke finally intervened.

"No no. Let her give me a reason why I shouldn't be worked up about this whole thing!" Vincent was standing and facing Chijioke who was already in the room. He was pointing his fingers at me and it annoyed me. Why would he yell at Constance like that in the first place? I understood Vincent was grieving too but he was supposed to know that this was a time to be gentle with Constance. He was just being plain heartless.

"Vince calm down."

"Don't fucking tell me to calm down. I'm tired. How can I be trying so hard to make sure this girl is happy and she would open her mouth and say I hate her. Like I'm tired of the ungratefulness!" Constance was already crying beside me. Trying so hard my foot! This guy was unbelievable!

"Vincent stop abeg!" I yelled standing up in anger. "What is wrong with you?" Was he always this insensitive?

"Shut up and get out! What are you even doing here?! You know everything happening now is your fault right?"

Pointing filthy fingers as usual.

"VINCENT CALM YOUR FREAKING HORSES DOWN AND STOP BEING PATHETIC!" Chijioke yelled, His dark face almost looking red due to rage or so. "See how Constance is crying. Can you try keeping your bitterness to yourself at least?! I can only imagine how you have been treating her all these while."

"I. Am. Doing. My. Best. You of all people should know that!"

"I don't."

Vincent looked taken aback by that. "What? Do you know how hard it is for me?"

"That's because you're not helping yourself. You're still holding on to the grief like it's supposed to complete you or something. Why were you in her room listening to her violin audios?"

"Be-because. . .I had to."

"Bullcrap! You have a problem Vincent. Okay, go for therapy, ị jụ. You don't want to freaking heal for reasons best known to you and at the same time you don't want to keep your pain to yourself."

Vincent stared at Chijioke with a pained expression. "Stephen fed you that bullshit too? How can you say that?"

"Vincent. It's the truth." Chijioke voice was softer now.

"You people should just kuku bring down the house." Winner stood at the door with her hand folded across her chest glaring at us. "Why are you guys just shouting anyhow?"

I expected Vincent to respond rudely but he didn't. Winner's gaze shifted to Constance who was sniffling on the bed.

"Oh God. What is wrong with you people?!" She came intoto the room and squatted in front of Constance wiping her cheeks. "Why is she crying?" When no one answered her, she hissed and consoled Constance. She whispered something into her ear and Constance nodded. Constance stood up from the bed and intertwined fingers with Winner. Winner stood up too and glared at us again before heading out the door with Constance trailing behind her, still wiping her eyes.

"We're supposed to go out."

Winner turned sharply and glared hard at Chijioke. "Go out to where? Go without her." Then she left dragging Constance along.

Chijioke looked from me to Vincent. "Vincent," he called placing a hand on the taller boy's shoulder. "I know you're grieving and all. I know Nairobi opened old and new wounds-" what on earth was this boy up to?! "I know aggression is part of your grief, but please think of the consequences of your actions on Constance."

"I swear I'm trying, bro. I am. She doesn't understand."

"Constance is still very young. Imagine what you're feeling is what that child is feeling too. That amount of pain you're feeling is also what she's feeling. Her father is hardly ever around and all she has is you. And now she believes you hate her. You are not helping both yourself and her. Stop yelling at her at any little thing. If she asks about her mother answer her with a smile. If you keep getting grumpy when she talks about her mother, she might start having difficulties talking about her to anyone. Please Vincent if you can help Constance heal it would be easier for you."

Vincent didn't say anything. He just kept clenching his jaw. Chijioke patted him twice before turning to the door.

"I want to-"

"You're going with us, Vincent," Chijioke interrupted him without sparing him a glance. Vincent muttered something along the line of why are they always on my case under his breath before following Chijioke.

He probably didn't know how lucky he was.

I'm back!😎
Thoughts?

Vote. Comment. Share.
See you tomorrow.