It has been 5 days now and Ada haven't said anything to me, i in return has been avoiding Vincent like a plague.
Got a message from Diamond that she has been missing me and wants to see me though Ebuka has said he is not going to Visit Miss Lola during the break, his family is very strict so he doesn't go out much at home.
Princess was coming today like she told me, we have talked severally and last night she said she finally was going to visit and i agreed.
Mama was in her shop in front of the yard, the day seemed gloomy, cloudy and threatened a downpour.
The air was damp and the temperature was a little like a cold one.
"Mama good afternoon" I greeted as i headed into her small stall seating down a small bench in front mostly used by customers who came by to have a whiff of smoke or fellow women who needed a little bit of gossip.
"Johny good afternoon nwam" She threw back without looking at me, she was preparing the floor for her buns.
"Mama one of my classmates is coming here today"
she looked up at me gazing intensely into face and i looked back hoping she asked who that was.
"Who is she?" Mama finally asked.
"Mama how did you know it was a she?" I asked in surprise mopping at mama like a strange alien.
"johny you are my son, i weaned you and watched you grow" I could see shiny pride in mama's face, she was happy to have proven to me i can barely hid things from her at least not the things i didn't bolt down inside in a dark corner of my mind.
I wish i could open up and tell mama every truth i hid within.
"Ok yes mama it's a girl, Princess she is an ambassador's daughter and a good friend of mine in class" I said looking down at my shoes.
"She is welcome, at least i will get to thank some of these your friends in school for taking care of my son" She smiled then resumed what she was doing- beating the floor.
I got up to leave bringing out my phone to type the address to princess on my way out of the stall.
"Johny remember to come and help me when i start frying these buns and call that brother of yours to come and stay here and look after things so i can get the fire and oil for my buns ready" Mama said after me.
"Ok ma…. "
" Ugo mama is calling you, she is in the shop" I threw at Ugo who was busy playing wrestling with a band of his partners in crime, sweats dripping down their body letting off a cracky look in the chilly misty air.
He waved brushingly at me still engrossed in his present task- wrestling Desomond. Vincent's little brother who was just the small version of Vincent in terms of a chubby fat body and nosy attitude.
Mama said they inherited that signature trait from their mother who was more or less avoided by many women in the neighbourhood, nobody wants Mama Vincent's trouble.
"Ugo if i come there and catch you eeehn you will not like yourself, common go and answer mama before thunder blast you there…"
He reluctantly abandoned his match and started walking towards mama with a tight frown and inaudible mumbles to himself.
Clear cut sun rays were now penetrating the cloudy atmosphere sending bright straight beams of rays sandwiched between pale air.
my phone pinged and it was an SMS from princess.
["Sky i just got here"]
I jolted up immediately took another look at our small sitting room, it still looked poor but at least it was cleaner than Ugo would like.
A heightened sense of the environment raped me, the old chair with strategic holes, the table and the large old t.v, the white washed blue interior paint.
Closing the curtain that separates the Bedroom from the living to make sure she didn't catch a glimpse of it, i dashed out to meet her.
The lexus jeep that took her from school was parked just a few feet from mama's stall in front of the yard, walking past mama's stall ugo was seating inside still wearing a frown like a criminal who just received a life sentence.
The back door of the jeep opened and she stepped down, a beautiful rose coloured chinos tight trouser revealing the flawless legs in all it's straightness and glory, the hips that would make any man believe she was a high class university chick.
A white top inside complimented by a rose coloured Jacket thrown over it and a tiny sparky chain around her neck.
She wore light make up that made her face shine with painful beauty, hairs packed to the back into one pony-tail.
"Sky" she smiled at me.
"Wow you look beautiful" I said smiling back.
"Thanks, its good to see you sky" she replied betraying some hidden shyness.
"Amadi, i will be spending some time here please you can go home i will call you to come pick me when am through" she said to the driver through the front window and we watched as he drove away with trails of dust following him because of the untarred ghetto roads.
"Follow me" i said, i introduced her to Ugo who was quick to ask for some tips.
"Aunty buy buns for me" He blew out unexpectedly.
"Jesus Ugo shut up and since when have you ever called me brother?" i intoned in a little grip of embarrassment.
"Hahaha ugo don't mind your brother, he is just jealous.. here take, buy enough buns as you want" She said laughing handing Ugo a #1000 naira not, could tell he would be richer than Bill Gates through out the week as he excitedly threw more than 10 'Thanks you" at her rushing back to mama's shop joyously.
"Thank you for that Princess, come lets go see mama. I told her you are coming" i said taking her by the hand and led the way into the house.
"Sky your mum is around and you told her?"
Obviously she wasn't expecting that…
We went straight to the backyard to the kitchen were mama was frying the buns, the bubbling oil turning the milk coloured flour mixtures into crisp reddish brown balls of ecstasy.
"Mama she is here" I said Princess standing just beside me in the open kitchen.
Mama looked up, dropped the large spoon full of little holes she was using, wiped her hands on her wrapper and stood up making towards us smiling.
"Good afternoon ma" She greeted bending her knees slightly and he face tilted towards the floor.
"Good afternoon my daughter, how are you?" Mama asked still beaming with smiles.
"Am fine ma"
"What about your parents kwanu, Ha dikwa mma? (They are good?)" Mama asked again.
"Yes mama" She replied
"God bless you my daughter, you are welcome" Mama said touching her chin slightly.
"Thank you ma"
"Oya sky take your guest inside and go buy drinks for her" Mama said opening the tied edge of her wrapper to get me money for it.
"Mama don't worry about the money" I said, princess eyed me and smiled almost like a little laugh, I winked at her.
"Mama i thought you needed help to fry the buns" I asked mama..
"No no i can manage, don't worry. Go and entertain your guess thats the first thing you need to learn – entertain visitors .." Mama threw back without looking at me, turning the boiling already reddish brown balls of buns.
"Mama let me help you" Princess said.
"What??" I asked looking at her like a ghost..
"Yes i want to help mama" she said again.
"No my daughter don't worry, go and take something am already rounding up" Mama said.
"Mama i will love to help you show me what i can do" She said without listening to mama, removing her Rose coloured Jacket thew it at me to hold "Sky go, i want to stay here with mama"
she also handed me her phone to hold for her and oh my world! it was an Iphone, and i even thought i had a good phone but she doesn't even come to school with it
I shrugged and walked out with the coat, at least it will be the only cloth she have on that won't have a little bit of charcoal stain on it, wonder why she was happy offering to stay in our kitchen that looks quite old from the black smoke stains on the wall, roasted cobwebs that threw out a shade of brown and not to talk of the stove used was not a kerosene stove but firewood.
Princess stayed with mama in the kitchen not less than 50minutes, i could hear occasional hearty laughs from them sipping out from the kitchen.
Afterwards mama brought her in to the sitting room and went out to her stall with newly fried buns.
we sat down for a long talk, bought some fried chicken from a nearby Bar, a box of hollandia yoghurt which she barely touched before giving them to Miracle with Ugo rushing after her.
5:30Pm she called Amadi to come pick her up and he arrived without wasting any precious minute am sure he has been hanging around somewhere close.
"Sky i have to go now" She said wearing a bit of a white face.
"I enjoyed every bit of today, thank you so much" I said holding her hands.
"Me too, i don't know if i can make it again but we will see in school right?" she asked.
"Well of course we will"
"And Agatha won't be there right?" She asked which nearly threw me of balance.
"Princess, i have nothing with Agatha" I said.
"I didn't imply that, just asked if she would be there" She said again.
"No she won't and your body guard too" I said..
She smiled and got up straightened her jacket and we walked out together towards the front door so she can enter the already waiting car.
Just as we got to the front yard Ada passed, paused for a while with a red-faced glare beaming on me and princess before hissing hard and walked into the yard.
"Sky who is that, she doesn't look too happy seeing you?" she asked looking into my face.
"Naaah just our neighbour, she is never happy seeing anybody.."
We went to mama's shop to announce her departure.
"My daughter thank you so much for helping me" Mama said..
"No problem mama"
Mama handed her a black nylon with some buns inside..
"Thank you so much mama" she said taking the little nylon with a smile on her face.
"Sky your friend told me you are a good boy in school" Mama said to me, i let out a weak smile.
"Bye-bye ma" she said as she and mama hugged for a little while.
"Greet your parents for me nwam" Mama replied and walked back into her shop while i walked princess to the car.
she gave me a slight hug before jumping into the car wearing a bit of a long face with dreamy eyes.
"We will see in school" I said getting to feel an untold sway of sadness knowing she was about to leave.
"Yes we will see, Amadi lets go…" She said.
As the car shuddered to a start, she looked at me with those dreamy eyes.
"I wish what i told mama was true" She said..
Watched on with an alien melancholy feeling building inside and a sense of guilt i couldn't deny…