By Omolara T J
Love is indeed sweet when you are with the right person welcome to the Jacob’s family.
“Dear, welcome back hope you had a stress-free day at work” Mrs Jacob smiled to her husband.
“Yea! Thanks” His eye brow jacked downward as if there was a secret up sleeves.
“Is everything alright honey why are you cutting corners with your eyebrows” She asked intriguingly.
“I missed my period” He replied.
She smiled looking at her timid, funny husband for the past fourteen years of their marriage that was the figure of speech he had created to inform her about his cravings for sexual intercourse on similar occasion.
Isn’t that funny? Yes it is. Keep reading.
“Okay sir, Don’t worry I would fly you over to Jerusalem” she teased him.
“That’s my bea” he managed to say his eyebrows still downward.
“Freshen up and let’s have our dinner of plantain frittata and sponge buns with your favorite pineapple juice” She said swiftly.
“Yummy,” He said salivating.
“When will the kids be home for the third term break I have a surprise for them” he added.
“Next week their school sent a mail to our joint email address I should pick them up on Wednesday hopefully”
“Oh! That’s good endeavour you prepare something nice for them, I trust you anyways”
“Hmmmmm.. I would be heading upstairs let me go and prepare the way” she said beaming with smile.
“Which way? Oh I almost forgot for our Jerusalem trip. Occupy till I come” The duo bursted into laughter.
*****
I know you are smiling already mbok seat properly don’t allow your phone fall off keep digesting.
Every student is hereby advised to buckle up we are aware the first toppers have access to scholarship for the next session.
“Hello Dad, next week is our break I like mummy to prepare my favorite” Flora Jacob said selfishly.
Lucia, her elder sister, snatched the phone from her to speak with their father.
“Good morning dad, Please don’t listen to her vain request just tell mum to prepare anything can’t wait to be home and have some of mum’s delicacy she is the best cook in the world anyways so any meal would be great” Lucia said boastfully .
Flora stretched forth her hands to grab the phone back but it was too late her sister already divulged her words she walked away lividly.
“Flora!” Lucia beckoned on her from behind.
Flora kept walking till she finally entered her hostel
*******
A group of JSS2 students sat together to have what they call group reading. Flora was the group leader, no doubt. Right from her basic school till the present time she had always topped her class.
“What is pollution?” She asked turning her eyeballs eastward towards where Tolani was seated.
“Polution is … is …is… Am sorry, I don’t remember what I read” Tolani Larafe replied dumbfounded.
“Why are you always like this few weeks to vacation or holidays” Gloria another girl jerked.
“I just can’t place my hands on what is wrong also you perform so well in class on every normal day but once its our mid-term or examination period you start fluctuating like a generator without fuel in it” Deborah added.
“That’s enough” Flora said to calm everyone down. Aside the fact that she was intelligent, she also had what we can call an inherent leadership ability.
Leadership will make some sense when the leader possess more quality than their follower’s, grab a smoov (chapman) drink. Let’s kwantinue.
Everywhere was silent. Flora stood up to lift Tolani up from where she was sitting and guess what Tolani was all soaked in tears.
“I am sorry I can’t do this anymore” Tolani said.
Shock ran across the other girls’ spine they thought it was their harsh words that made her vented such response.
“I can’t keep this any longer” Tolani continued.
“What?! “The other girls chorused in shock and dismay.
“I have a story to share with you” Tolani said as she continued sobbing.
********
“Foolish man, infidel, kill me since you are a murderer” Tolani’s mother said to her husband.
“You call me foolish, Haaa… this woman you are toying with the lion’s tail. If I beat you now people who were not there when you opened your dirty mouth to call me a fool would call me a beast” Tolani’s dad responded.
“Insolence! Don’t you look like a beast even your mother and father are parents of a beast, Come near me I would pour this hot water on you”
“Did you just mention my parents as beast, You mean your inlaws are beast I can’t bear this any longer” He replied as he stretched forth his hands for a blow.
“Argh…… Am dead ooo he has killed me, my ancestors I am coming to join the invisible choirs” She dramatized.
“Mum………. Please stop fighting with daddy” Tolani pleaded she was in basic three and before then her father and mother had always been acting up as undertaker vs John Cena in a wrestling match.
My mum and dad fight almost everyday even our neighbours got tired of settling their disputes everyone has their personal issues to settle. Often times I would lock up myself in my room to cry all night I thought that was all life meant to be unhappy at times why I got to Basic Five. I sat down to watch a telenova series when my dad came in with another woman. I thought I had seen it all. The next day mummy did the same.
The guy mum brought home that day was a drug addict. Since that day till date, he fingers me. It hurts knowing that under my parents’ roof I am being molested without the consent of my parents.
Since then till now, going home for vacation is never my joy. How I wish the school would just let me stay in the hostel alone.
“Ha……”Flora said.
“We’ve been friends for over two years and half and you never mentioned this” Flora lamented.
She had always admired Tolani and every time she had wished Tolani could be her best friend before now.
“Yes, we are reading mates but I was never close to anyone specifically that I could have share this with I am psychologically sick” Tolani concluded.
“How can we be of help” Deborah said spreading her arms into the air other girls too felt bad.
“Help? There is possibly little or no help you can do am only sharing this with you so that you can know the reason for my mood swing and academic problem.” Tolani said.
“I would be of help, there must be a way out of all this mess” Flora said.
The other girls casted glances on Flora what was she up to again this time.
******
Mrs.Jacob drove her blue Honda Element car into Holgate International Schools. It was vacation. She couldn’t wait to see her beautiful girls. She had always thanked God for the gift of them to her and husband.
“Mum, Good afternoon ma” Flora and Lucia echoed in unison.
“God’s gift, How are you doing” she hugged the girls she has always called them both God’s gift indeed they were gift from God.
“Good day ma” Another voice echoed from behind.
Mrs. Jacob turned to see who the young girl was and guess what it was Tolani.
“Mum, meet my best friend her name is Tolani” Flora jacked in.
“Oh! I see. How are you Tolani?” Mrs. Jacob said giving Flora a “you never told me you have a best friend look”
“Mum her parents won’t show up to pick her up can we help her to our place today and then by tomorrow she would leave for home” Flora pleaded.
All this while Lucia stood still looking at the play her little sister was putting up, She knew Flora had always mentioned Tolani as one of her casual friends but when did he status quo upgraded to best friend.
“Okay, Tolani are you sure your parents won’t be bothered about this idea” Mrs Jacob cut in
“No ma, I would call them since its late already that I can’t make I home” Tolani said.
“That response isn’t okay by me, I will speak to your mum that you’ll be staying over at my place tonight and tomorrow I will personally take you home” Mrs. Jacobs replied
“Thank you mum” Flora gave her mum a big peck
******
“Dinner is served girls, the dinning is set” Lucia said opening Flora’s room slightly to inform them about dinner.
“Let’s go Tolani” Flora said.
“Thank you so much,Flora for accommodating me in your home” Tolani said
“Glory be to God” Flora responded.
The whole family blessed the food they were all set for the dinner of Rice,Plantain and fish sauce.
*******
“Useless man, woman wrapper I have been told that you flirt around with young girls in the vicinity jumping from dark skinned to light skinned colour”. Mrs. Larafe shouted lividly at the top of her voice.
“Now you are Jealous that another woman will soon take your place in this house?”Mr. Larafe responded.
“Jealous of what? Is it of the gonorrhea or the syphilis or AIDS in your body tufiaka (God forbid), Association of foolish married men president” She added.
The duo heard a knock on the door, Mr. Larafe thought it was one of their supposed peacemaker neighbor’s he reached for the door to vent words on whoever was at the door to his amazement he saw a total stranger with their only daughter. So many questions ran across his head.
“Good morning sir” Mrs. Jacob and Tolani echoed together.
“Morning please how may I help you and Tolani go and drop your bag in your room” Mr. Larafe showed Mrs. Jacob to their unkempt living room.
“Thanks a lot sir, I would be leaving very soon anyways”
“Oh! You are welcome and Thanks for accommodating Tolani over at your place”
“Oh! It’s nothing, I should be leaving now sir”.
“Okay, Madam its our pleasure having you here this morning”
“Alright, Tolani bye dear”
“Bye ma” Tolani
responded from dinning.
********
“God, I am tired of my family status help mummy to love daddy and vice versa. Indeed when two elephants are fighting the grass on the field suffers the loss. Heavenly father avenge for me” Tolani prayed silently in her room.
********
Mrs. Jacob flashed back at the scenario that popped out of Tolani’s family earlier that day.
Why would parents be that negligent about the drama they put up before their wards? Flora wouldn’t mind if Tolani stays over at her place for decades all that matters is that Tolani is safe from the acclaimed molestation.
“Dear God, save this family if not for anything do it for the sake of the girl” Mrs. Jacob sighed.
*****
Days later, Tolani had developed a seizure she couldn’t breathe well it’s been weeks she discovered her ill-health but her parents were either in one quarrel or the other.
On one of the occasion she had an attack she lost her breathe while their neighbor was frying plantain while her parents wasted away in their arguments.
“Mum” Tolani managed to call she was dying helplessly on the floor.
Her father pushed her mother towards Tolani room the door flung open that was when they saw Tolani on the floor hopeless they rushed her to the hospital.
“Foolish man” Tolani’s mother said to her husband as she paced across the hospital.
“Are you a mother or a murderer all you know is to pick up fight with me. You didn’t observe if the girl was alright all this while”
“Fatherer you that observed and didn’t do the needful, please am not in for all this talk of yours” she replied.
The doctor walked past just in time
“Doc, what’s happening please speak to us”
“You brought her just in time, she is safe”
“I would like to see you sir” The doctor pointed to Tolani’s father
“For what sir? I am her mother she suckled this breast for nine month. Say anything you want to say here or else my husband knows me that I am a mental case”.
“Oh! Oh! Your girl has been diagnosed with asthma”
“How?” The duo chorused.
“I don’t know too, but it must be hereditary” The doctor said.
“I know that this isn’t in my family but it’s from yours” Tolani’s father said.
“Laughing! Nonsense man so you think my family has health issues, see who is talking your aunty is on the wheel chair battling with stroke your uncle aunty’s mother is having epileptic seizure. Don’t let me even start at all” Tolani’s mother said.
*******
Few days later, Tolani was discharged from the hospital under medication and medical care.
Later that evening, the Jacobs came to pay Tolani visit Flora was all around her gleaning she wished she had moved closer to Tolani before now.
“We brought you this” Mrs.Jacob pointing at the beverage she had brought for Tolani
“Thank you ma” Tolani managed to say.
“You are welcome, we would’ve on our way now”
“Thanks ma, Good bye” Tolani waving at Flora and her mum.
********
Days later, Tolani’s mum was preparing beans for lunch when her daring husband came in
“Can’t you greet? I don’t even know how I managed to end up with you” Tolani’s father said.
“Awnnn! Goodman why don’t you greet first before you start with your brouhaha am not in for your regular argument let sleeping dogs lie ooo” she responded.
Tolani peeped to see what was happening it was the regular combat in their house she withdrew back to her room.
Minutes later the beans got burnt giving a chocking odour.
Tolani suffocated till she gave up the ghost, Yes she died.
“Is it not your stupid food that is burning pathetic” Tolani’s father alarmed.
The whole kitchen was in total mess with smell.
“Tolani, I need to go see her in her room” The careless mother said.
“What?”
“She is dead” The doctor said as he turned back to go.
“Arghh! You killed my daughter witch” Tolani’s father lamented.
“No, I didn’t kill her” Tolani’s mother wept on her kneels.
***The End***
When the destiny of a glorious child is tied into the hands of negligent parent(s), the loss will be painful.
Dear readers, parents please let your children live we may say they are too young to understand but they understand beyond what we think.
It is called the home not the ring for boxers or wrestlers, pay attention to the little ones in your homes they also want peace. Children are God’s heritage treat them as one.
I hope this refurbishes a home.
Save a child
#Tolani
#Dexterity
Just Believe
I Believe. Lady Omolara T. J
Ignite 