Ifechukwu woke up the next morning to pee. After peeing, she felt very thirsty. She went back to the girls' room only to find out that there was no water in the room. She groaned in disappointment as she pondered about the journey downstairs.
She proceeded with the journey downstairs anyway. When she got to the hallway, she sighed deeply, opened the door to the living room and went in without shutting the door behind her. She reached for the light switch, flipped it and the lights came on. She made her way to the kitchen but stopped in her tracks when she remembered her dad had put some bottles of water inside the bar. So she walked to the bar instead. She opened the bar door and she froze. Large bundles of neatly packed naira and dollar notes fell out in a heap. Ifechukwu was confused and astounded. It was just five in the morning so she tried not to scream.
"What the hell?" she said.
"My model," a familiar voice called from behind.
Only one person called her that but it wasn't possible.
Ifechukwu's eyes bulged out of her eye sockets in shock as she turned around. She screamed in fear when she saw who had called her.
"What is it? Aren't you happy to see me?" the person asked her.
"I… I… erm… I…," Ifechukwu malfunctioned.
The person moved closer to her but Ifechukwu moved back. She almost fell but she held on to the front bar.
"I'm not going to hurt you, Ifechukwu," the figure said but Ifechukwu didn't want to listen.
Ifechukwu shook in fear.
"I wonder why she would be screaming in the middle of the night," Ifeyinwa said as she entered the living room.
"Maybe she came to drink water and fell. Always behaving like a witch," Ifesinachi replied.
They both laughed.
They saw that Ifechukwu had her back to the wall.
"Ife, are you all right?" Ifeyinwa asked with worry.
They noticed the figure standing in front of her.
"Mum?" Ifeyinwa called.
Ifechukwu still against the wall shook her head in fear and disagreement.
"What?" Ifeyinwa mouthed.
Ifeyinwa and Ifesinachi slowly walked towards them in fear but then the figure turned to face them.
"Jesus," Ifesinachi shouted.
"Oh, my God. How?" Ifeyinwa shouted too.
"My darlings," the figure called.
Ifesinachi vibrated. Ifeyinwa held Ifesinachi tightly to herself. Ifechukwu just kept breathing hard.
Tochi paced around the living room. He was unable to think clearly. Tobe just stood by the door. Zimuzo and Ziko tried to not sit far away from the figure. They were scared but they were also curious.
"What is going on?" Ifechukwu asked no one in particular.
"Are we all having the same dream at the same time?"
With her head buried in her palm, "I don't know. I don't know," Ifesinachi answered. She raised her head, "maybe if we all keep staring, the dream will go away. Or we can just pinch ourselves," she suggested as she pinched herself.
"Are you kidding me? She is sitting right in front of us and just beside Sister Ifechukwu," Tobe stated the obvious and it heightened the tension.
Ifechukwu exhaled deeply. She slowly turned to face the figure.
"Is it…," she stammered again.
Everyone's eyes went in her direction.
"Iss…Is it really you?" Ifechukwu asked.
The figure just smiled.
"Why are all of you here this morning? Are you saying your morning prayers without me and Daddy?" Kene asked as she entered the living room.
All eyes turned to her and she could read fear in their eyes. She scanned the room and, "Obara Jesus… Aunty Monica?"
Kene's heart skipped.
How on earth could she have thought she would wake up to such a weird morning?
She tried to fall but Tobe held her immediately.
"Take it easy, mum," Tobe said to her.
She looked at his face and Tobe could see his mum's distress had intensified. He led her to the front. They got to the front and Aunty Monica was just smiling.
"What is happening?" Kene asked, trying to catch her breath. "Aunty Monica, is it really you?" Kene asked again as she tried to touch her.
"Don't touch her, mum," Ifeyinwa interrupted her movement.
Kene swallowed and turned to look at her children.
"Why are you all reacting this way? Why are you acting surprised? You all wished for me to be here," Aunty Monica queried them.
There was confusion in the room. Suddenly everyone seemed like they were questioning themselves as they glanced at one another.
Tochi walked closer a bit. "What are you talking about?" he asked her.
"Yes, Aunty. What are you talking about?" Tobe asked as well.
Aunty Monica glanced at their faces one after the other. Then, she pointed a finger at them one after the other as she said, "Every single one of you wished I was here to help, whether financially, with advice or to just be there," she informed them.
The room was silent. They all seemed as though their brains had been addled. Ifechukwu conceded as she ground her teeth.
"She's right," Ifechukwu said in a whisper loud enough for anyone to hear.
Tobe helped Kene sit down close to Zimuzo and Ziko after they had shifted a bit to create space for Kene.
"How?" Kene asked.
"Come on, mum. Tell me you have not wished that she was alive. Tell me, that you have not wished that she didn't do the fibroid surgery or that you haven't yearned to hear her voice or listen to her bits of advice," Ifechukwu sighed.
Kene looked down in guilt.
"Well, I have," Ifechukwu sniffed. "I have wished that she didn't die. I have wished that I understood the other part of my dream that showed that after her surgery was successful, I saw that I was cut open too. Meaning that it would go successful but I would be hurt," she bit her nails in tears.
"There is no day that I don't think of you, Aunty."
Everyone tried to fight back their tears.
"I wake up in the morning, I remember how you are the first person to call me every morning. I pray, I remember how you drag me to church when I'm not feeling up to it. I brush my teeth," she let out a nervous laugh, "and I remember you taught me how to brush my teeth. I cook and I remember how amazing you were in the kitchen and the things you taught me about cooking. You were crazy," she laughed again, "but you were our crazy great aunt."
Ifechukwu looked at everyone. Aunty Monica had no emotions whatsoever but she was moved.
"So, why won't I wish she was here? And yesterday, we all did together during breakfast."
It dawned on everyone. Ifechukwu picked up her phone and ran out in tears. Zimuzo swallowed. Ziko was indifferent.
After a while, Kene stood up and walked to sit where Ifechukwu had sat beside Aunty Monica.
"Please, babies, excuse us for a moment. Please," she begged her children.
"Just don't touch her mum," Ifeyinwa warned Kene and they all left the room.
Kene and Aunty Monica watched them leave. Kene turned to Aunty Monica. She hesitated before she spoke.
"You know that you do not belong here," she sighed deeply. "But I cannot say I want you gone. I want you to stay and never leave."
"I know," Aunty Monica smiled.
Kene stretched to look behind Kene.
"You did that?" she asked.
Aunty Monica nodded.
Kene nodded in appreciation, "thank you," she mouthed.
"You're welcome but that isn't all I came with," Aunty Monica responded.
Surprised, "What else did you come with?" Kene posed.
Aunty Monica tilted her head whilst grinning cheerfully.
"Wait for it," she said.
Ifechukwu ran into the living room screaming with excitement.
"Oh my God, oh my God," she said.
"What is it?" Kene quickly stood up.
"Mum, my YouTube and Instagram are blowing up," Ifechukwu responded happily.
"What?" Kene asked confused.
Ifechukwu's siblings rushed in.
"Sis, what is it? I heard your screams," Ifesinachi inquired.
Ifechukwu turned to look at them with so much zing.
"My YouTube is blowing up with numbers. I don't know how but my YouTube and Instagram are on fire," she told them.
"What do you mean your YouTube and Instagram are blowing up with numbers?" Ifeyinwa asked in confusion.
"I just started seeing these notifications and my phone has been vibrating non-stop. See."
She made to show them her phone but then, Ifeyinwa, Ifesinachi and Tobe's phones started ringing. They excused themselves to take the calls.
Tochi's phone beeped and he clicked on the email that entered.
"Oh, my God. Oh, my God," he exclaimed.
"What is it?" Kene asked as she turned to look at Aunty Monica who was just grinning from ear to ear. "These children want to give me a heart attack.
"I got an admission, Mum," Tochi divulged to her.
"What did you say?" Ifechukwu asked him in surprise.
"I said…" Tochi tried to reply but was cut short by the screams of Ifeyinwa and Ifesinachi.
"Why are you girls screaming? Do you children want the village people to come and start knocking on our gate?" Kene quizzed them concernedly.
"Guys, you won't believe what just happened. Three customers just called now to buy bulk hairs from me," Ifeyinwa said.
"You don't say. Same here, I just got calls from some people who want me to arrange some special packages for them," Ifesinachi happily said too.
Ifechukwu swallowed, "wait. This is not a coincidence," she stated.
Kene hid her face by trying to act clueless. Ifechukwu turned to Aunty Monica and everyone understood what Ifechukwu was all about.
"No, Aunty, don't tell me you're involved," Ifechukwu said to her.
Aunty Monica chuckled lightly, "then I won't," she uttered.
"Oh my God," Ifesinachi voiced.
"What is happening in this house this morning? I have been hearing screams. Are you people running mad now?" A mature male voice thundered. He entered the living room and everywhere became still.
"Paco, good morning," Aunty Monica greeted.
Paco's shoulder lessened and he glanced in the direction the familiar greeting had come from.
"Good Lord," he shouted but nobody else moved.
"What in the devil's name is going on here?" Paco asked trying very hard to conceal his fear.
"Devil?" Aunty Monica asked him as she stood up.
Paco turned to glance at everyone but no one seemed taken aback as him.
"What is going on?" Paco asked them.
"I don't know, Dad. It may seem as though our harmless wishes in your absence yesterday were strong enough to invoke the dead," Ifeyinwa told him.
"You all made a wish?" Paco asked, confused.
"A harmless wish, Dad. We didn't know it would cause any effect," Ifechukwu explained to him.
Paco covered his mouth with his palm.
"Dead. Don't use that word. I am alive in your hearts."
She turned to Ifechukwu, "Remember, my baby, till eternity?"
Ifechukwu took a glance at her parents.
"God forbid," Paco spitted.
Aunty Monica frowned.
"Come on, my family. I am sure others will be happy to see me, so let's drop this awkwardness," she said and tried to close in on them. Everyone spread out except Kene and Ifechukwu.
Aunty Monica smiled, "Okay," she put her hands in the air. She went back to sit.