Aminat sang through the passage to the main entrance. After lunch towards the evening, she decided to say a temporary bye bye to her kid brother before they will take off God knows when.
Little or completely had she forgotten about the worry of leaving her brother to the mercy of Azeez and his sisters. All her mind was mentally in Lagos. Or Dubai! Yes Dubai. He said he'd be leaving so soon for the paradise after their in Lagos. That was one of his main reason for his premature departure.
"You're going to say bye right"
Yemisi's voice stopped her and she nodded in affirmation.
"Okay then. Tell Alhaja that we'd see comfortably after Christmas. And my regards to your dad"
Aminat nodded at every word before leaving the building. It was still hot in the afternoon. It was believed that after the 25th of December, there's no more Christmas. Or, Christmas does not start and end before and after the 25th.
That literally interprets that Christmas had ended with the view that Aminat could see. Everybody had returned to their normal bustle and hustle.
Her father's house had changed look enormously with just being away for a couple of weeks. He had painted the walls yellow like he had always wished to. His dreams came true through her. She chuckled loudly in her mind.
"Ekule óò!"
Her greetings interrupted the children's tits and giggles. They stormed out in numbers to welcome her.
The noise of "Auntie Olamide!!!" Deafened the ears of the stubborn occupants who refused to show up as early as possible.
Still struggling to let go from the children who stubbornly held to her legs, her heart sprung up and her eyes brightened when it laced on Hassan with books coming to the house. He wasn't wasting time at all. He started attending coaching because of his admission.
He didn't looked surprised after seeing her sister for the first time in what seems like months of being apart from her. He was offended, but rather envious.
"How're you?" Was the first thing he said when he got closer. He looked uninterested in her surprise arrival but Aminat mistook it for his weariness at where he was studying. Besides, Hassan wasn't a smiling face.
"I'm fine. How's study?" She shuttered with a failing heart.
"It's fine. Why are you here?"
The words slipped from his lips before he could hold it back. He reached for the nearby bench and settled on it.
Aminat checked him out again. Her heart was trampled in guilt when she discovered out that he had changed a bit. He wore a multi colored shirt with a white singlet which revealed because he didn't buttoned up. His tight fitting black jean trouser caught her in awe. To crown it all, he slipped on a pair of Aba balenciaga palmwears.
"Where did..." She stopped. Where did he get the money to afford what he was putting on, no! No!! How would that sound?
"Did Alhaji gave you any money?" She'd rather ask.
"Yes. Last week. Five thousand naira"
"That was all?!" She furrowed her brows.
"He gave me some. You should know this man very well. He tried and gave me some, what if he hadn't given me anything. You'll beat him?" He laughed and she admitted with a helpless nod.
"Why are you here?" He asked again. But it felt it like that was the tenth time he'd insist on the issue.
"I'll be leaving today"
She had expected a long period of silence with the both of them getting emotional; him crying more. Though nobody said anything after she spoke, but he was obviously not bothered, that wasn't the usual or expected thing.
When she saw the tension was cool enough to convince him to stay strong, Aminat went over to him where he was sitting and hung her arm on his shoulder.
"See Hassan, if I follow this man to Lagos, I'll make money. This guy is very rich! I'll use his influence to build my modelling career then I'll arrange for you and mum to come over to me so we can enjoy our lives forever!"
Hassan, who wasn't bothered her sweet talks burst into a fit of chortles when she was done.
"You?! You that only went to somewhere in this village. Because the place was sweet and good, you forgot me completely and you are just only here today to tell me you're going Lagos. Is it the same you that I'd trust? Nah!"
"I'm sorry"
Hassan kept mute.
"Hassan!" A tear strode down her cheeks. Was she being selfish all these while by staying to herself at Yemisi's place? In Tlay's warm embrace, in Ayoola's and Temmie's expensive gifts and jewelries?!
"Do you want to do your ekun iyawo here?" He chuckled loudly.
He had grown toxic. Aminat noted.
She rose up from his side and went straight to her mother's room to receive her blessings and bade her temporary goodbye.
Aminat's mother, Kanyinsola Abdulkareem saw a human figure in the dim lighted room. The face was vividly not shown, but she would know the person even in sickness. It was her first daughter and child, Aminat.
"Olamide! Is this you?"
"Mummy it's me" Aminat crashed into her mother's arms and wept. Kanyi's crooked hard palm patted her softly.
"It's okay. I'm so happy for you. Happy married life" she smiled genuinely.
"You're leaving today?"
She nodded continuously, looking up to her mother. Her body was hot against hers. She must be ill. She thought aloud. She looked too old at outworn at fifty. Obviously she wasn't taken care of.
"Mummy"
"Mm?"
"If I get to Lagos I'll send you anything to take care of yourself. I'll send it through Hassan. I have little time left, I still want to visit Alhaji. And I don't want to keep my husband waiting. He's such in a hurry"
"Okay. Safe journey" she replied warmly. Her warm soft voice broke Aminat more. But she was leaving. Leaving her behind.
"Moimi, take care of yourself" she sobbed again, burying her head on her tummy. The pain ate every hint and bit of her brain. Her heart was not in peace. She felt so useless.
Kanyin thought her daughter was crying so much because she was leaving her behind. Or she was literally doing the ekun iyawo. But Aminat had her reasons. Seeing Yemisi being pampered by her children, not only financially but physically and emotionally.
And she had been with her mother for almost two decades of being at loggerheads with her. The only complain she had was her poor financial status. She never knew was not everything to take of someone or make them happy.
The number one reason behind Kanyin's premature old look was the stress and pain she was enduring as the meekest wife of the four problems Alhaji married. And she gets no benefits from it. Not even when her first child's became the family's source of income. Before then, Aminat nor her kid brother was supportive either.
Aminat wanted to pour her heart out I her mother and confess her realization of her not being the ideal daughter but she couldn't. She won't understand her easily and it'd consume a lot of time trying to explain. But keeping it in her heart wasn't roses as well, it was heavy and painful for her heart to weigh. She endured.
"You told you don't want to keep Ayo waiting, now go!" She urged with a pat but Aminat was amazed.
"You know his name?" She smiled because her heart was relieved a bit.
"Of course. He calls me often" she nodded in affirmation, a bit surprised that her daughter was happy that she and her husband were on good terms.
"Now go to your father" she urged again and this time she had a bit courage to leave the room or leave her mother. When she was about to pull the door closer to herself, she looked back with a sad smile.
"Take care"
"I'll"
After she was done with her father, she went back to Hassan. He hadn't changed his position since she tearfully left him to their mother's room.
"Hassan"
He looked quickly in response.
"Paste your account number to our WhatsApp chat wall. I'll send you some money very early tomorrow morning. Buy mother some dru... Take her to the hospital rather then for treatment" she explained and turned to leave.
"Olamide"
She looked back, raising her right brow up.
"I think Tlay's account got hacked or something is happening. Can you believe he's following me on Instagram. Or probably it's my time to shine"
Aminat chuckled at her brother's last words. Hassan rarely smiled. But the grin on his face was genuine and no one would deny he wasn't amused. The fact that he wasn't sure if the follow was original or fake, he was so happy amused her sister more.
How would he react when he knows they're legally married. Probably he'd be pleased with her again. She knew she had lost his confidence, probably his love for Ayo would make things up.
"He's following you too!" He paused and his jaw dropped.
"Kid bro! We'd talk things over on WhatsApp. Bye!" She left a surprised, amused and jaw dropped Hassan and raced back towards Yemisi's place.
Her heart leaped in joy at the final turn outs of things but stopped when she saw Azeez repairing a motorcycle alongside with his criminal friends. It was broad daylight, they can't harm her when people are so much there.
She couldn't believe she was now totally free from irrelevant stress from farm works, Azeez's intimidation and harassment, Kafayat's rude and hurtful words, Ruth and Susana's bully and gossiping. Even if they'd gossip about her, that'd be celebrity gossip. She prayed to God for a goodlife and he was faithful. Finally!
"Olamide!"
The voice sounded no other than Hadiya's. She was already late but she'd have to wait to inform her briefly. Besides it was getting late bit by bit and the way to Yemisi's place was so scary and dangerous in the night.
"Hadiya! I can't wait too much. You know what I'm going to Lagos with my husband"
"Alhaji Mustapha?" She frowned.
"Nah. Someone younger approached and won me over''
"Wow" was all Hadiya could say to her friend's plight.
"I'm yet done with packing and we are leaving tonight. I got to go. Bye!" Aminat waved her off before she could ask why her husband left all day to run over to travel in the night.
It was so obvious that she was happy with her new arranged marriage. If the fellow wasn't a well to do and not only younger, the Aminat she knew for almost two decades won't approve of the marriage. She'd leave all questions to her DM.
When it was getting darker and darker! Aminat heart would miss a beat and raced uncontrollably loud and fast after. She wasted time. She knew.
But the sight of farmers just coming back from their farm calmed her down a bit. Every male voice she heard in the woods sounded as good as Azeez.
But when she the gate was finally opened for her to come back in sound and safe, she offered a quick prayer before running to finalize her packing.