Nadia!
Episode 7
The next morning, Nadia had decided to go to the police to report mama and Frank. She got up early and did all she was supposed to do, and then she told Ruth there was something very important that she must attend to. She picked up her bag and stepped out of the house but just as she was about leaving the compound. Mama called her, she had a soft spot for this woman and even though part of her didnt want to answer she found herself walking towards mama. When she got there mama offered her a seat before talking.
”Nadia, I hope I didnt interrupt your movement o, you know you girls are hardly home. You go our very early in the morning and return late, we barely have time to chat. Hope I didnt stop you from something very important. ”No ma” Nadia replied. ”You see my daughter” mama continued, ” I have always loved and admired young and hardworking children like you, I see how you and your sister work hard, I also see how responsible you girls are. Even without the guardance of your parents you have managed to stand all by yourselves. May God bless and reward you in Jesus name. ”Amen”, Nadia replied wondering where the conversation was heading to.
I am not really an old woman she continued, I am just like this because of struggling and sickness…., and then she smiled weakly. But I was not always poor, the wickedness of the world made me poor, and I lost all my children. Then a sad look came on her face and Nadia was by now carried away by her story. ” I used to have a daughter like you ” she continued, I used to have other sons too, but one by one, I lost them because I couldn’t meet up with the requirements to keep them alive and safe. My daughter died because I couldn’t afford 15,000naira, small 15,000naira. I lost two sons because of money too, and then this strange illness came, I thought I would be dead by now, but God through my children, through you, through your sister has kept me safe, when she said this she wiped the tears that have gathered in her eyes with her wrapper.
It is God that brought you girls to this compound. I know you love me, my heart tells me you love me, your sister loves me too and I called you here this morning to let you know that I love you too. You are both my daughters, I lost one but God gave me the two of you to keep me alive and to replace the one I lost. Nadia my child thank you so much, God bless you so much, God keep you and your sister safe, whatever you out your hands will be blessed. Those that have wronged you will come and seek your help, you will be great in the society, one day a good man will come and marry you. God bless you again my child. thank you so much. ”Amen mama” Nadia answered. By this time Nadia was already crying. She was weeping because a few minutes ago she was about to go and call the police on this same very woman that had just blessed her with words of prayers, this same woman who had taken her as a child. Nadia felt so terrible that she continued sobbing, mama could not understand the reason she was crying, but she made sure to console her. After some time Nadia left to her own room. She will no longer go to the police, infact she will remove any I’ll thoughts of mama from her heart, but then she was going to confront frank when next he come, she will confront him and know why he chose to follow the part that could destroy their mother’s. The mother he claims so much to live, yes! The is what she is going to do. She picked up her small purse and called onto Ruth and they both left to the market. They have started their lessons and so need to go early sell early and close early so that they can go for their evenings lessons. Since they’ve opened an account with the bank, they keep their sales at home till Fridays before going to the bank to pay in the weekly savings they’ve gathered.
That evening, when they’ve closed from lesson on their way back, Nadia told Ruth all the prayers mama had prayed for them. It was then that Ruth told Nadia that mama birthday was coming up in two months time and frank had plans of surprising mama with a small celebration, Ruth wanted both of them to buy a gift for mama for the upcoming birthday and Nadia liked the idea, buy she was not Stoll happy and comfortable with the mention of Frank’s name. Whenever his name is mentioned, she remembers the ID card and the incident from that night. She wanted him to pay for his sin but she knew whatever actions she took now was definitely going to have it’s effect on mama. Ruth’ has been going on and on planning a party that is two months away if only she knew that Nadia was hearing nothing of what she’s been saying, her mind is so far away!
What could Nadia be thinking of now?
Episode 8
With the JAMB, WAEC exams and mamas birthday few weeks away, Nadia and Ruth became extra ordinarily busy, they knew they would not be around during mamas birthday because it fell on same day as their JAMB exams and so they decided not to let mama know that they won’t be around so as not to spoil the excitement she was planning on that day, they decides to do things that would make her happy before that day and so in the mornings they would be at the market selling, Ruth had learnt how to make ice creams and kunu and zobo drinks, and so they have added that to their sales of pure water. They no longer rented coolers they now buy their pure water and put them in mamas fridge. Mama also gave them coolers with which they use in hawking, they have employed two girls and one boy who sell the ice cream for them. At the end of the day. They pay them for their services. So when they went for their lessons, business does not stop. Nadia told one of the boys to give whatever he sold daily to mama. She still pays him, but he gives whatever interest he made to mama. Mama could not contain her joy, daily she prayed for Nadia and Ruth.
The jamb exam day finally came, Nadia and Ruth woke up early, they wanted to leave before mama would wake up. But just as they were about sneaking out of the compound, mama who had woken up very early in anticipation for her birthday caught them. ”These two sisters where are you sneaking off to so early.?” She asked, Nadia and Ruth stood staring at each other, eventually they had no choice but to open up and tell her the truth about their exams.. Mama just stood staring at the girls, she turned her back without saying a word and headed for her house, Nadia and Ruth ran after her trying to explain to her that they didnt mean to hide it away from her, they just didnt want to spoil her day. Finally mama nodded that she understood but no Nadia and Ruth no birthday. It took another one hour for Nadia and Ruth to convince mama to go ahead with the birthday since everything has been set in place. Finally,she agreed but not without letting the girls know that she won’t be as happy as she would have been if they were around. The girls smiled , gave her a peck before heading out for their exams. Mama prayed for them and wished them success.
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Stanley was so disappointed when he couldn’t find the girls who had made their mother all Moody despite all the preparations and the surprise they did for her. And he couldn’t hide his disappointment from his mom.
”Mother am not happy at all o, after months of not seeing you, after all the money Frank and I had put in to make this birthday a success, you wore a gloomy look all through, simply because some girls are absent. Who are they self? Why are they so important that you didnt even show me that you were excited to see me. Mother am not happy at all o. Just then Frank stepped in with a smile on his face, ”bro please dont be angry with mom, you won’t understand how she feels, Stanley turned and looked at his twin brother before replying, ”and you understand?” ”Yes I do, I understand because I have met these girls, I have stayed with them for some time and they are like drugs Stan, drugs that you can’t so without, they are simply amazing” he concluded.
Stanley burst out laughing, see this my oshe’ brother, I thought you’ve only met them once and you are here singing like you’ve known them all your life, Frank turned and said you see why I said you wouldn’t understand? Yes! Its true I’ve met them just once, but it doesn’t feel as such, I feel like I’ve known them all my life. ”Really?” Stanley asked mockingly, mom see this your son eh, he said turning to mama, he is really high, he is high o, he was same person that called me and told me of some Small girls staying in same compound with you and now he is here sounding as if he is describing his babe hahahahaha, he started laughing again. Frank looked at him and then looked at mama, ”mom don’t mind him o, he does not know anything that’s why he is misbehaving, just forget him and enjoy tour day, don’t worry when Ruth and Nadia finish their exam we will all go out and celebrate another birthday for you, I promise. When mama heard this she smiled before going inside to dish some food for herself. Meanwhile Stanley was still laughing at the whole drama. Stan you don’t just have sense at all, I won’t stand here and exchange words with you, with this frank turned and walked away with Stanley still laughing. ”Frank is in love with a small girl o, he shouted as frank walked away. He was happy, he couldn’t help but thank God for their lives. Early last year he and his brother’ would have been shot dead for armed robbery, with the help of his brother he was able to escape after obtaining a gun shot on his right arm. He managed to get to an uncompleted building where he was also saved by a small beautiful girl, who helped him remove the bullet from his hand. He had feared that his brother was dead, he had left the building in the early hour’s of the morning and tried to leave the Town. He passed through the bush part that leads to the only river in the town hoping to escape by boat, when he got to the river and found no boat or any means of escape he was left confused, and he was still trying to figure what next when he fell down and passed out. He does not know how his brother found him but frank found him there by the river, frank has always rescued him at dire moments, he remembers opening his eyes and seeing Frank, he remembers the feeling of knowing his brother was alive. He loves his brother beyond words, together they had vowed never to return to that life of robbery again, they had promised to live a decent life and God has been helping them. And now he knows his brother was in live with one of those girls. He just knows it. He smiled to himself again, thanking God for where they are right now.
To be continued!
What next?
Written and composed by Excelrhymez
