In The Dark – Episode 6

In The Dark – Episode 6
A Story By Stanley Oluwatosin
On my way home from school i hoped that mom will be around to listen to my experience on my first day. I arrived home and hurriedly got out of the car,i saw my uncle’s car parked outside so i was sure my mom was home but with a visitor. I got in and met my mom and uncle mike disscussing. I entered and greeted uncle mike and hugged mom. She briefly asked about school and i left for my room. Few minutes after taking my bath, i was about coming out for lunch when i heard mom’s and uncle Mike’s voices,arguing and shouting at eachother. Mom’s voice could not be heard clearly but every single sentence made by uncle mike was clear enough to be heard two buildings away. “Just because our stupid parent thought you could handle the bussiness better,they willed all the family wealth to you forgetting thet you are just an ordinary woman and a wh0le me MIKE was left with leftovers to feed on,Lillian if you refuse to forward five million naira into my account for my wedding anniversary, i will so deal with you!!” uncle mike thundered. I could hear mom telling him how wasteful he was and promising not to send him a penny. I wanted to go down stairs and probably settle their misunderstanding,but i knew mom would not like it if i go without been called upon. I remained in my room and heard uncle mike threaten my mom while mom kept on telling him he could not hurt a fly. Some minutes later i heard uncle mike zooming off out of our compound in anger. After his departure i went to mom’s room,she was lost in thought when i got to her, i had to tap her on her shoulder be4 she noticed my presence. I asked her about the argument with uncle Mike and she explained how wasteful uncle mike has been and he was requsting for a huge amount just for his wedding anniversary. I told mom i was worried about d threats he made but she waved it aside and said they were all empty threats. I tried to make mom feel better by telling her about my first day at school and her face lightened up when i told her that the literature teacher seems to like me. We talked for a while before i told mom i wanted to meet Tori for my lunch. Mom then smilled and said ” which tori? The one at Ibadan right?” at first i thought mom was joking not until she continued and said “you know they are both sec sch graduates and they have been planning on putting in for jamb this year. I had to let them further there education since they cannot be maids here forever,u know? They have their lives to live. I paid for their Jamb registration fee and gave them #50,000 each for their upkeep. I also asked them to come back for there school fees when they gain admission into higher institution. So my dear they are no longer here,they left after u left for school. We now have a new house help. He his a good boy,a friend recommended him to me and his name is Kelvin. I sent him on an errand,he should be back soon.” I did not know what to say after mom ended her speech but the fact that she kept all this from me and i could not even say goodbye to the maids that has been like a sister to me was painful. I told mom how upset i was and she decided to bribe me by putting a call through to the two of them,one after the other. I told them how much am missing them and wished them all the best in life. We ended the call and mom started dressing up for church.
After mom left, i went into the kitchen to make noddles for myself. After putting the pot on the gas cooker,i turned on the light. I then went into the store room for the noddles. I could not find the noddles on time so i had to come back to the kitchen and i met flames coming out of the hot pot already. I was confused on what to do so i quickly poured groundnut oil into the pot and went insearch of noddles again. I searched every where but could no find any pack of noddles,i was about leaving the store when my leg hit a carton on the floor, i looked at it carefully and i saw cartons of noddles carefully arranged on the floor. I happily picked two pack of noddles and rushed to the kitchen. The sight that welcomed me in the kitchen took my hapiness away,there were flames everywhere and the pot already cut fire, i was at lost on what to do so i ended up getting a large quantity of water and poured it into the pot, the fire went up and increased, i ran away from the fire with tears, confused on wot to do,i paced around with my hands on my head.everywhere was already filled with flames. Suddenly i heard a foot step and someone appeared at the entrance of the kitchen, he quickly put of the gas cooker and he hurriedly got a lid to cover the pot, immediately he covered the pot, the fire went off. I was coughing so much i could no speak, he led me out of the kitchen to the dinning room,he then closed the kitchen door and brought me a cup of water. I took d water from him and looked at him with surprise. He smilled and said “Hi, my name is Kelvin and i work here,its nice meeting you”.
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After he introduced himself as ‘kelvin’, i wanted 2 say smth but i ended up coughing,he stood be4 me nd kept saying ‘Takecare’ while i responded with a smile. He later left nd went to the kitchen,sure he was tidying up my mess,now d thick smoke has reduced but there were stil enough 4 anyone to gusse there was a fire accident here. Some min later i had stop coughing and had enough strength to walk on my own. I went to the sitting groom and settled in a couch.
I did no realise i was asleep until the horn of a car outside our gate woke me up. At first i thought it was my mom but when d person knocked and waited for a response be4 knocking again i knew it was a visitor. I opened d door and standing in front of me was Jordan. I did not know if i should shout in excitement or i should ask him wot he was doing in my house. I had mixed feelings but i was able 2 keep a straight face. He smilled nd said “Happy to see me?”. I just smilled and let him in,he settled in a chair opposite me nd i asked if he would love 2 have anything. He told me he was on his way 2 get lunch and decided to check on me. At d mention of lunch i realised i was yet 2 have a decent lunch and my stomach started grumbling. Jordan asked if i would love 2 come with him,i hesistated for a while be4 agreeing to go with him. I went to my room and had a change of cloth then i went to the kitchen to inform Kelvin. When i got to d kitchen i met kelvin preparing vegetable soup and the kitchen atmosphere was free from smoke already. I greeted him from d door and told him i was going out with a friend. He turned to face me with a smile nd that was when i noticed his dimple. He had a lovly fair skin with a handsome round face and dimple on each cheek. He said i should be safe and i left wondering what a guy like kelvin is doing as a maid, the only answer that came to my mind was money, yes! Probably his family is brooke at the moment. Jordan and I had lunch at ‘Royals’ we both had jollof rice and chicken after which we decided to get suya at a s₱0t. It was surprisingly fun to be with Jordan,he had finally buried his rude self and he was more of a free and jovial guy than a regular cool guy. When we got to the suya s₱0t,he dared me to finish a stick in a minute. I took up the challenge but the peper would’nt not let me succeed. He and the aboki selling suya had fun laughing at me and calling me ajebur. I threw back the challenge at him and he finished a stick in less than a minute. He went on braging and telling me he was older than me at all level,so i should start respecting him by adding ‘brother’ to his name.
I checked my time and it was some minutes past six, i knew without been told that mom would be home by now. Jordan was talking with some other guys we met at the suya s₱0t,i tap him on the shoulder and said ‘Brother Jordan lets go home now,its getting late’ he pushed me playfully and said ‘ok younger sister’. He then paid for what we have eaten and bought two seperate pack before leaving.
The ride home was interesting as Jordan played music and he would sing along. I condemned his vioce and he would sing louder. Finally we got to our compound and he decided to drive in. We met my mom outside,she was on the phone with some one and had a drink on the small table beside her. We waited for mom to end her phone call be4 greeting her. She responded and recognized Jordan,she asked after his parent and school. Jordan later said he would be leaving after he rejected the offer to have dinner with us from mom. I saw him to his car and he handed one of the packed suya to me,we exchanged phone number and he left. I knew i was in for scolding and a long sermon from mom, but this time around she disappointed me.
Mom was in,side the livingroom when i got back, i greeted her again and she asked about my outing,i just responded with a smille and she asked if i can stil have dinner and i said no. Since she cant eat alone, she asked me to join her on the table. Mom asked if i had met kelvin and i remembered the event of the afternoon. With her question i was sure kelvin did not tell her about it. I told her yes and she ate in silence. Mom called on kelvin to join us at the living room where we saw a movie. Few minutes after the movie ended, mom said she was sleepy and she excused herself. I was left alone with kelvin in the living room and i did not know how to thank him for saving me from the fire accident and keeping it away from mom. I brought out the suya Jordan got for me and asked if he wanted some. Kelvin noded positively and i placed the suya on a small table between us. We took turn 2 eat from d suya as we watched an uninteresting movie. In d middle of eating i said ‘thank you’ to him nd he said ‘u are welcome’. He dipped his hand in2 d suya pack and he brought it out empty,i did d same nd there was only a piece remaining,i divided it in2 two nd gave him 1,we both laughed as we ate d last piece.
…to be continued