This chapter is dedicated to 9ja_green_ink & fortunemitchell2003

The void between Everything...
Everything is going to be alright.
Take great comfort in those words,
regardless of if they prove true, or otherwise.
In small moments of serenity such as this,
Do not question the mistakes, or the wrong choices, or the uncertain future.
Just affirm, and affirm again,
"Everything is going to be alright."

~◇~◇~

I look longer, before placing my head back on his chest. Somehow, listening to his beating heart fills the gap between my skipped breaths.

A few moments after, I close my eyes and allow myself to really believe that he's alright. We both look up when someone knocks on the door.

Michael saunters in, hands tucked in his pocket. "Uhmm, Ivan's mom is on her way here." He says.

I turn around to look at him. He sighs as I drop a short kiss on his forehead. I allow the kiss linger, soaking up as much of his scent to last me till I visit tomorrow. When I stand up, he takes hold of my hand and says, "I love you, Boma."

"Cool." I reply, glancing shortly at Michael who is lost watching us, then back at Ivan, who looks like he's about to cry.

I smile, coaxing him into letting go of my hand. He whispers bye as Michael and I walk out of the door, shutting it as quietly as possible.

We walk through the hallway in utmost silence, observing the serenity that accompanies being advantaged and sick. As we round the corridors into the VIP parlour, I'm not surprised by who we come face to face with.

It's a weird moment of silence, my thoughts aren't processing much, and from the look on her face, she's also having a moment of blank space. The soldiers behind her make such a mockery of the situation. Her son almost killed himself, and here she is, flaunting security.

We should have taken the other route.

"Boma." She finally breaks the silence. Her voice is cracked, but still, it carries a certain density, similar to the voice of staunch, wealthy, english women. Like people who have spent a lot of years drinking chamomile or jasmine tea, reading victorian novels, and absorbing sunlight in weird large straw hats.

As she pulls me into a hug, I feel my body stiffen. Her perfume has an acrid citrusy smell, surrounded by a hint of rose or lavender, it's hard to tell over the loud citrus. I watch Michael snicker silently when she starts sobbing.

"I'm so sorry about the other day. I was so ashamed that I couldn't come to see you."

See me? Yeah right.

"That's fine. I'm alright now." I reply cautiously.

"Have you seen him?" She pulls a piece of finely folded white handkerchief from her recherché leather handbag, dabbing her eyes gently, like any added pressure could cause her skin to crumble.

"He's waiting. " I reply.

"Alright. " she pats my cheek before marching on with her soldiers.

I call out to her, "Mrs. Adebayo, please don't say anything harsh to him, he's still quite fragile. "

I feel her gaze linger on me, as I walk off with Michael who can't stop snickering.

"What!" I finally ask him, infuriated by the snickers

"You just had a stand off with her obvious royal majesty. " he laughs.

I roll my eyes, "sometimes, I desperately wish your happiness was infectious. " I walk into the lobby to meet mom's open arms.

On her neck, I inhale the scent of time and stress before looking up.

"How's he?" She asks

"He'll live. " I state. She smiles and wraps her arms around me again. "Have you seen Dr. Anthony?"

"Not really. " she replies.

I break the hug and walk to the nurse's station.
"Hello. Uhm. Good morning. Is Dr. Anthony still around?"

"Sorry dear, he just rounded up with his shift." She smiles.

"Okay, thanks." I smile back before walking to meet mom. I punch Micheal in the chest and wave bye when we leave.

As mom drives out of the hospital, I can't help but acknowledge how much of a chaos my life really is.

"Did he see you?" Mom asks

"Ivan? Yes."

"Did you guys..."

"No. We didn't do anything mom, he's trying to recover from almost dying."

"I didn't mean whatever you think I meant. I wanted to know if you guys talked."

"We did."

"So are you guys good?"

"Well he did say he loved me, and I said cool, so I guess we're good."

"You said cool? Who says cool when someone says they love them?"

"Me."

"Are you stressed?" She asks and I break out into laughter. She starts laughing too.

The both of us laugh for a while, letting all the nerves simmering between us evaporate.

"Please, get it." She says when her phone begins ringing.

I grab it and respond. "Hello?"

"MINA! Ibaate!" A woman shrieks into the phone. I recoil at the loudness.

"It's a woman. I don't know who." I tell her. She signals me to place the phone on her ear. I'm liking how adventurous she's becoming with her driving.

"Clara. Good morning. No sorry, I had to take my daughter to see a friend. Yes, Boma." She glances at me with a mushy smile.

I don't get it.
Who is this loud woman who knows me?

"Oh, really? I didn't expect you guys till the weekend. Yes it's this friday for the traditional. And Saturday for the white."

Expect who?
Who's you guys?

"Okay. I'm so sorry. We're only a few minutes away. We'll be with you soon. Yes. You'll finally meet your niece." She laughs, looking at me again with another one of those mushy smiles.

Niece?
Who?
Me?

"Alright. Bye. " she pulls her ear away. I stare at the phone in horror as the woman hangs up.

"Are you going to tell me why I'm someone's niece?"

"Yes." She says slowly. I have a feeling I'm not going to like this story.

"So, when we traveled, you know that friday, to the village to get..."

"I get it. What happened when you got there?"

"So...it happened that friday, I left that morning with Tee and he got you guys those stuffs..."

"MOM!"

"Fine. Before my father got married to my mother, he got two other women pregnant. But shortly afterwards, they immigrated, and so, I have two elder sisters, and no, we're not distancing ourselves from them."

"What!" I'm flabbergasted.

Wasn't I just talking about chaos?

"They're only here for the marriage and after that they'll go back to the village. "

"It's just Monday, and the wedding isnt until Friday. That's a whole week, and where are they supposed to sleep? Definitely not my room."

"Nobody is sleeping in your room, Boma."

"I can't believe you. It sounds like you've known the whole time that these people-"

"My sisters. Your aunties. "

"You knew these brand new aunties were coming over, and you didn't tell me."

"Honestly, I forgot. It was straight to your prom and then the hospital, and then I didn't expect them today." She says.

"Who's bathroom are they going to use?"

"They'll use mine."

"This is..."

"That's enough. Be nice." She whispers as we pull into the gate.

I see two beefy women with barely any neck or elbow. But not only that, there's a kid with them. A little girl, she doesn't look more than six years old.

"They brought a kid mom. A kid. Did you know that too?" I whisper.

"Shhh." She steps out of the car with a bright beam spread across her face. My mouth hangs open as she rushes into an embrace with the women who can't seem to have enough of her. The little girl doesn't get involved in the hug, she's waving at me frantically, a toothy grin rubbed all over her little brown face. I smile back so I don't break her happy little heart.

Soon enough, they finish with their precious sisters reunion, and mom opens the gate, guiding them and their luggage into the compound.

A few moments later, she walks out, and opens the door, "I don't want you to be rude to them. I raised you better. I know you're stressed, and it's unexpected, but we'll make it work."

With that little word of advice and obviously nothing left for me to say, she turns on the engine and drives into the compound. We both get down.

"Bomate, come and greet aunty Clara and Aunty Ibiwari."

She just had to.

I walk around the car, sluggishly, dreading my arranged future for the next five days.

"Oh hey. " I chuckle when the little girl grabs me into a tight cuddle, her small bronze face beaming seriously. I can't help it, so I lean forward and reciprocate the hug.

"Good afternoon, Aunty Bomate." She says. Her little voice reminds me of high school fresh toads.

"Afternoon sweetie. "

"My name is Imba. I'm eight years old. I live in Buguma."

Eight?

I look up at the women, and then at mom who now looks prouder than most days.

"Hello Imba. It's really nice to meet you. You have pretty eyes, and I can't wait for you to tell me all about Buguma. "

"Thank you Aunty Boma. I love your hair, and you have beautiful eyes too, and yes, I have a lot of stories. " She smiles some more.

"Wow. You're really smart." I tell her. She attaches herself to my waist and I pull her along, laughing as she refuses to let go.

"Imba." One of the women scolds her. She frowns lightly before letting go.

"Good morning Aunty Clara," I smile, she smiles back. "Good morning Aunty Ibiwari. " I bow. She nods approvingly.

"Morning dear." Aunty Clara, the beefiest of the two places her hand on my shoulder, a suspicious smile creeping gently unto her face, "you have grown so big. Wow." She says. Everyone starts laughing so I join them, even though I wonder if she ever saw me small.

"Let's go in and get everyone settled. " mom says.

I can't wait.

"Welcome to our house." Mom unlocks the front door, "please make yourself comfortable. Bomate will you get your aunties and little cousin some refreshments? "

Why can't she see how exhausted I am?

My eyebrows knit as we argue with eyes. Afterwards, I walk into the kitchen. I hear as she explains to my brand new aunties that I'm stressed from spending the night in the hospital.

I return with a tray of chilled orange juice, some salted butter crackers, and a bottle of cashew nuts. I hand them over to mom and walk up to my room, having exhausted my nice-o-meter.

Once there, I crash on the bed, decluttering my mind and enjoying the comfort of being home after a long day.

I take off my dress and walk into the bathroom, a shower seems like the perfect way to start a new day.

After showering, I'm caught between reading my bucket list, and wearing a new dress, when someone bangs my door.

Well that's a goodbye to my peace and privacy.

I unlock the door, ready to pop an attitude.

"I smashed the cut off!!" Chinny screams.

"Arrrrggghhh!! YES!! Oh my god!!" I grab her into a joyful spin.

~°~°~°~°~°

More drama loading. Stay tuned for the week of THE TEE'NA WEDDING. Don't go any where!!
Remember,

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