In The Dark – Episode 7

A Story By Stanley Oluwatosin

I left for my room after having the last piece of suya with Kelvin. I was beginning to like kelvin,he was most of the time calm and quiet but we just connect naturally. I got to my room and my phone signified there was a new message. I clicked on the message and it was from Jordan. In the message he said he got home not long ago and he did not know if my mom would still be scolding me by then which was why he decided to send a sms. I smilled and called him after reading his message. He sounded happy when i called and he told me how worried he was thinking i would be scolded by mom becos of him. I told him mom did not complain and we talked for a while before hanging up. I took my bath and retired for the day.

I woke up 6:30 on Tuesday morning, i said my prayer and went to mom’s room be4 coming back to dress up for school. I wore a straped pink&black crop top on a high waist blue tight jean trouser and a blue pair of snickers with a pink chain bag. Ever since mom gave me the chain and ring dad got for me,i saw it as a last gift from my dad which i had to treasure and i promised myself never to remove it, if possible i would pass it on to my daughter when i have a family. I pulled out the chain over my top and wore a gold earring to match. I put on my wrist watch and wore a ‘Smart collection’ perfume before leaving for the kitchen to get breakfast.

I met kelvin in the kitchen, i greeted him and asked if he had boiled the water for tea. He replied yes. I was about leaving the kitchen when he said “Smart collection”, i turned to face him and said what did u say? He smilled and said “your perfume,its a product of smart collection”. I smilled and replied yes before leaving for the dinning room. Wondering how he got to know the name of the perfume collection i was wearing. I had my breakfast and informed mom i was ready for school before d driver took me to school.

The receptionist greeted me warmly and i went to my department. It was few minutes to nine when i arrived but unlike yesterday,the hall was filled up already. I greeted some of my course mate be4 settling down in an empty sit. I checked my whatsap and i saw a message from Jordan ,he said he would be leaving for school later in the day and wont be back until weekend. ‘I wonder why everybody that makes my life fun always end up disappearing’ i thought. I replied his message with ‘stay safe’ and logged out of whatsap. Minutes later a man came into the lecture room and introduced himself has the government teacher. After the government class i left to have lunch at the school cafeteria. I got my order and settled in an empty sit and I was about starting to eat when two girls came to join me,they introduced themeselv as Simi and Toke. I also told them my name and they asked alot of questions about the school i graduated from and the university i would love to attend. This two girls sure love to talk alot as they went on and on about their choice of school and their reason for choosing the school. I would’nt love talkatives as friends so i excused myself after my meal and left for the general class.

We had mathematics as the general subject for the day. I hate mathematics as a subject and if i had the chance,i would have removed the course from d list of compulsory courses. After the lesson,d teacher gave us an assignment to submit on the following day and i was full of thought,not knowing who would help me to solve the mathematical problems.

I arrived home by 3:00pm and met mom’s absent. I called her and she told me she had a bussiness transaction to carry out and would be back soon. I saw and greeted kelvin in d living room and headed to my room. I took my bath and had a change of clothe before going to the dinning room,to have lunch. There was nothing on the dinning table when i got there, so i asked kelvin ‘whats for lunch?’ he said mom told him to wait for me be4 making lunch in order to know what i would want to have since she wont be around to have lunch with us. I said ‘ok’ and left for d kitchen. I was about putting the pot on fire when kelvin came into d kitchen and said “ready to cause another disaster?” I smilled and told him yesterday incident was a mistake and am a good cook. He asked me what i wanted to make and i told him rice. He then suggested we make the meal together if i wont let him make it alone. While cooking we discussed about different things like celebrities, the government and school. I was surprised he was intelligent and well informed about everything. During the conversation,i got to know he was a civil engineering OND holder from kwara state polytechnic. Just as i had thought, he told me he had to work to further his education because his mom was not financially stable at the moment. He did not talk about his dad and i did not bother to ask. The rice was ready and we ate together on the dinning table, after which, i went to my room to have a nap.

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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 whole 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”.

My phone ringing tone woke me up, i sluggishly checked the screen and the caller I.D displayed Khole. I hurriedly picked her call,heaven knows i missed her alot. At first i acted as if i was angry with her and she apologised and told me she has been bussy with school. Khole asked after mom and Jordan. I told her everything that as happened and she kept on shouting ‘I said it!!’ into the phone. I had to put the phone away from my ear for sometime. After shouting for a while i could hear her asking if i was stil on phone. I replied her and she started giving me relationship tips. She went on and on even though i told her i was’nt dating Jordan yet. After what seemed like eternity khole said she had a lecture to attend and would call me back when she is done. I told her i will do the calling and dropped the call.

Time checked 5:00pm and mom was not back yet. I placed a call through to her and she said she will be going to church from her super market. She also said we should make fried plantain and egg for dinner. I ended the call with mom and went to inform kelvin of what we would be making for dinner. I found kelvin in his room and after informing him of what we would make for dinner we headed to the kitchen. Kelvin asked me if i could make the meal and i told him i could try,he then smilled and said he could teach me if am ready to learn. He told me i cant be with my mom for the rest of my life and i cant possibly take a maid with me every where i go,so i have to learn how to make anything i eat. He sounded like a brother so, instead of getting angry with him for trying to boss me around,i agreed to start learning how to cook from him. The cooking lesson with kelvin was interesting,at first i did cut the plantain into a wrong shape but with kelvin’s correction, i was able to get the perfect oval shape. After frying the plantain,we fried the egg and set the table for dinner. I was so excitedly anxious to tell mom that i fried the plantain and eggs with the help of kelvin. After the cooking i asked kelvin if he could help me solve some mathematical problem and he said he would give it a trial. Kelvin saw the questions as cheap ones and he teased me about been a lazy student in mathematics. Kelvin put me through as he solved the assignment and the topic got more understandable for me. Been done with my assignment i was on my way to my room when my phone started ringing,at first i thought it would be khole calling to continue her sermon but the caller I.D displayed Jordan. I accepted the call and we talked for a while. He promised to be back by friday and he invited me to his birthday which will be taking place at his resident on sunday. Finally we decided to meet at our hotel on saturday. I ended the call and went to stay with kelvin in the living room.

Mom got back by 6:30pm,we had dinner,after which i told her i made the meal with the help of kelvin. She told me she was proud of me and blessed kelvin for taking as his younger sister. We saw a movie together and we all retired for the day.

I woke up 6:30am on Wednesday morning,i greeted mom and kelvin,had my breakfast and left for school. Before the literature class in the morning,the mathematics assignment was collected and everybody’s book was returned during lunch apart from mine. Since we would be having mathematics class after lunch i did not bother to go and see the lecturer privately. The mathematics class was more fun since i was able to contribute due to the understanding i gained from kelvin,i was happy i was getting better in a course i once hate. After the lesson the mathematics lecturer said he had an announcement to make, he cleared his throat and said ” I am highly disappointed in you all over the simple question i gave you to solve. This is an entrance exam to higher institution you are all about to take,you all need to buckle your belts. Only one out of a hundred student solved the question to my desire and got the answer correctly,her booklet is here with me and she go by the name….ehm…’WILLIAMS NANCY’ Please applaud her as she come forward” I could not believe my ears as i heard my name. All eyes were on me as i composed myself and walked forward to collect my booklet,he shook my hand and told me to keep it up as he handed my booklet over to me. After handing my booklet to me he left the hall and i went back to my sit. Am sure many of the students now saw me as a GURU in mathematics as they kept on requesting for my booklet and asking me to explain some areas to them.

After the day’s lecture,i went home proud of myself and proud of kelvin,its not all about the handsome face but the intelligence got me really tripping. Ohh i so much love people with something upstairs. When i say something i mean BRAIN!

…to be continued