(Episode 15)
Christmas in November
John came into the house. Silence had its arm around the house. The children had all gone to sleep. It was a one bed room with just one bed. John slept on the bed with either of his wives; he had a roaster for them. One day on and one day off; it was Margret’s turn. Usually whenever it was her turn Jacinta always evoked fire and brim storm but for the past few days they have been into some form of alliance. John didn’t like that at all for it meant more trouble for him. One being against meant he had the support of the other but the other against him? It felt like he is against the world. A loner’s journey.
He had gone out with friends and had a few bottles and didn’t leave money for dinner. After locking the creaking door, he had to tip toe so that he wouldn’t step on the children. They laid on the ground. Crowded, leaving little space for one to ambulate freely. His wives were awake but pretended to be asleep when they had footsteps. It was Margret’s turn to warm the bed and also give quality service to the stomach,
John stepped on Jacinta, who was lying close to the bed,
John: “sorry!” he whispered as she groaned. John wasn’t drunk but tipsy. He had a very strong head,that was what his friends usually said. For him to be drunk that means he would have to drink a crates upon crates, he’d always say,
“Na ten bottles I dey always start with. Na my foundation bi dat! After ten bottles I go stretch legs na den my drinking they start!”
True to his words, that was how it worked for him. He wasn’t being hilarious when he said drinking for him started from ten bottles. And he consumed gin more than brewed beer. Whenever his friends were going to take just few bottles they dare not call him. For what was he going to do with just a bottle?
He tapped Margret, and she rolled as if she were fast asleep. Tapped harder.
John: “Maggi!”
Margret: “na wetin na?” he bent his head and his breath punched her nose. It stench of alcohol, “abeg shift! See as you dey smell like mess!” Jacinta giggled.
John: “abeg I dey hungry!”
Jacinta sat up,
Jacinta: “welcome,our husband!” he knew something was up. The usual name she called him was “Oga John!” but “our husband?” that was strange.
Puzzled, he sat and looked at her as she rolled her hands over the eyes like one who was just waking up,
John: “Hah!” unconsciously he said.
Margret: “wetin na?”
John: “Nooo…na di name wey she call me surprise me na!”
They both said, “You no bi our husband?”
John looked pleased, the perplexed feeling had gone with the thin air,
John: “Dis wan wey una don dey talk well. E bi laik say God don touch una heart oo!”
Margret and Jacinta exchanged look, Jacinta gave a nod,
Margret: “Eh, we realize say we bin dey annoy God as we dey disrespect you so…”
Jacinta cut in,
Jacinta: “…An God say na man bi di head of family!” John was giggling like a child who had a full bottle of soft drink all to himself,
He rubbed his hands against each other and licking his lips,
John: “As una don realize know make una come una perform una duties na!” the two of them climbed on the bed, “Noooooo!” he screamed, “una wan ki me? No bi wetin I mean!” they were giggling, “I dey Hungr..!”
Margret: “but we want give you work-out food first na!” he pointed to his zip and rubbed his head.
John giggled,
John: “work-out food for threesome? Hmm… Eh, but na after I don chaw first na! “ he patted the two of them, “una know say dis tin need to get ginger first na and na food go bring em!”
Jacinta winked. The elder daughter was awake but pretended to be asleep. She was giggling in whispers; for she knew the dangers of been caught.
Margret with her growing stomach left to get the food. John removed his shirt displaying the palm-size pot belly shone as the light landed on it. Carried away he started whistling,
Jacinta: “Our husband you wake the children na!”
John stopped,
John: “Ah no mind me. As una dey treat me di tin just carry my sense go!” he tapped her playfully, “ Di carry my sense go!” he giggled again rubbing his head, she pouted her mouth at him when he wasn’t looking.
Margret was back holding a tray as Jacinta dropped a stool before John and the tray was dropped on it. He was salivating, rubbed his chest with vigour then his mouth before opening the two plates laid before him,
John: “ah! Ah!” they were standing over him. The smiling and romantic gestures had turned stern. He looked up at them and looks at his plates, the bigger one had Garri in it and the smaller was filled with water. He smiled and looked at them,
John: “Make una stop to play na! Oya go carry soup come abeg!”
Jacinta opened her gun first,
Jacinta: “You dey mad!”
Margret opened hers too,
Margret: “if you know want make we do anyhow eh! Begin dey chop dis food with di soup wey we carry give you!”
John: “But na water na!” he sulked.
Jacinta: “ehen you no go tank God say you even see Garri with water chop. You leave money for food?”
Margret: “Useless man! You go wake up comot like dat come come house expect say make your slaves wey you keep cook food for you!”
Jacinta: “Oya begin chop am before we change for you na!”
John: “God dey look una ooo ! Dis tin no good ooo! Diaris God ooo!” they hissed, “I know say dis sweet sweet sometin dey behind em!”
Margret: “Oga John begin chop oooo!” with his hands he molded the Eba dipped it into the plate of water and threw it into his mouth wearing a frown. They smiled looking at each other. The children were awake but they dare not sit up. They giggled. John was eating and pleading but the women weren’t ready to listen.
……
Chief Audu had paid for Jane’s hospital debts and Jake’s treatment had begun. It was now Jane’s call to fulfill her end of the bargain. She was to start that day. For days she has been bracing up for that day. Jake had asked her how she got the money to continue the treatment. The boy was just too smart.
Jake: “Mum.”
Jane: “Yes,baby!”
Jake: “How did you get the money to continue my treatment?”
Jane: “God sent an angel!”
Jake: “Really?” he smiled.
Jane: “Yes,baby!”
Jake: “he came from heaven?”she nodded smiling for she knew were the little man was headed, “But mummy you always said that God doesn’t send angels directly from heaven as helpers but uses humans!”
She laughed and embraced him,
Jane: “True,baby! God sent a man to be of help to us!”
Jake smiled,
Jake: “That means I’ll be back and kicking soon right?” a pickle of tear dropped. The boy was dying, the treatment was just to keep him alive for a short term. It slashed her heart knowing her son would be dying soon there wasn’t nothing as torturous as that. She nodded; quickly wiped her eyes so he wouldn’t see the tears, “Mum, I miss school and my friends and Tochi and Emmanuel!”
More tears stood in the eyes,
Jane: “Don’t worry baby. You’d be on your feet soon!” he nodded and smiled.
Amarachi had gone to the hospital to stay with Jake pending on when she would return. Jane stood in front of the mirror and made sure what she wore wasn’t revealing. She was to resume by 7 in the morning. Her phone rang. It was Chief,
Jane: “Good morning, sir!”
Audu:”Jane, my dear! How are you?”
Jane sighed,
Jane: “I’m okay sir!”
Audu: ”when would you stop siring me?”
Jane giggled,
Jane: “Sorry,sir!”
Audu: “that’s bera! Unless you want plans for me to leave this world anytime soon!”
Jane: “God forbid ooo!” they giggled.
Audu: “ready? Ready?”
Jane sighed,
Jane: “yes sir!”
Audu: “brace up for the young man is a party freak! Be ready to meet his place in a mess!” Jerry had moved to his place. Audu had to make him leave, “Good luck, my dear!”
She said a thank you. Chief made her more tensed. Jerry was such a mess. Did she have the strength to handle another pressure?
Chief sent Donald to drop her at Jerry’s street as she walked down to the gate. When she got to the door before knocking she did the sign of the cross. She heard a voice ring out as she knocked,
“Who is that?”
She moved away from the door, catching her breathe. Fear gripped her. No one came out. She knocked again!
An average guy came out with sagging boxers and singlet, opened the door, “who are you looking for?”
It wasn’t Jerry. It was Kingsley. Jane stuttered twitching her nose and stepping backwards. He was directly into her nose. He smelt of weed and liquor. Jerry yelled,
Jerry: “who the f**k is disturbing my crib this early?”
Kinglsey replied,
Kingsley: “Na wan fine bae like dat oo!” Jane heard rushing footsteps towards the door. What has she gotten herself into? It was Nnnamdi and Jerry. They pushed each other as they got to the door. Jane turned to leave,
Jerry: “Hey shawty!” Jane turned,
Jane: “I’m not a shawty!” she shot at him,
Nnamdi: “woah! Na machine gun oo!”
Jerry: “what are you doing in my house!” he said biting his lower lips. Jane was irritated but she couldn’t deny noticing his pink lips, a little dented by cigarettes and weed. He was very handsome.
Jane didn’t know were confidence came from and she stood looking into their eyes like erring kids,
Jane: “Didn’t your father tell you that he hired a nanny for you?”
Nnamdi and Kingsley burst into laughter,
Jerry’s eye became bloodshot,
Jerry: “You can come into my house and insult me. Get the f**k outta here!” he yelled.
Jane: “fine! Enjoy your pathetic life!” he charged towards her but his friends held him.
Angrily, she left. She was never going to go back there! A song blared from her bag. It was a call. When she brought the phone out it was chief.
Jane: “Oh,my God!” she was going to tell him,
Audu: “where are you?”
Jane: “Chief, I can’t stand your son!” he sighed, “ I’m quitting! I’m out!”
Audu: “We had a bargain. Quitting means I’d stop your son’s treatment!”
With anger she ended the call,
Jane: “to hell with you! To hell with you and your son!” she yelled on the street like one having a crush on insanity.
