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The pile of material that I always left on my table or sewing machine was not there. I saw them neatly stacked into a carton at a corner of the room. The tables and chairs were all dusted, windows, clean and clear. There were not much clothes left for sale.
I started my day with calling the customers who had been calling me and coming to check up on me, booked appointments with them then I went over to Mrs Idika's house to take her measurements for a 'kimono' jacket she had been wanting to make. As always, She was excited to see me, commented on how 'fuller' I now seemed, a compliment I actually loved to hear. While she talked on and on about the things she had been seeing on Facebook, I also wanted to contribute, tell her,
"Ma, that your son, you were trying to pair me with that night, I have met him. Infact we've paired ourselves. "
I never voiced it though . I could not.
When I later returned to
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INBETWEEN Inbetween 23
There was a loud noise coming from outside. Voices were raised in disagreement very close to my shop. I came out and saw that Aku had gone outside. I stood outside, waiting to see something. After a while people started running out from the shop just before Madam Chinaka's own. Aku also ran out from there. Then she looked at the door I was standing."Come here you, you! " I shouted in annoyance.She clapped her hands and came to me, laughing. "They are fighting! they are fighting oo" she told me excitedly."And you are there, It's like you want to follow them to station? "The Landlord had connections with the police and in violent cases like that, he did not waste time to call the them.Aku went in while I kept standing at the door. People were still struggling to see what was going on inside."Aunty if you see drama eh! " She was screaming behind me.I turned t
INBETWEEN Inbetween 24
The March morning sun did not seem so happy. It was furnace hot- attempting to roast my fair skin black. I was standing at the junction waiting for Keke; early in the morning, it was always difficult to get one around my neighbourhood. If one finally came around, they did not like to go to my work area because of the distance. They seemed like people afraid of working for money because I understand the distance and I pay accordingly.The body lotion I applied was conflicting matters more. I kept dabbing my face with a white handkerchief till it was all wet and stained with the brown powder I applied that morning . There was a gutter behind me and for a split strange second, I considered sitting at the edge. I watched as a Keke approached and immediately sped off when I mentioned the address of my work place .Unable to find an empty Keke I hugged my hand bag to my chest, moving from feet to feet. A car rolled
INBETWEEN Inbetween 25
"Why are you smiling like that? " I asked .It was a stupid question. My own smile could actually be broader than his that was just done with a side of his lips."Let go of your clothe. It did nothing to you. "I agreed and freed my poor dress that I could have torn without noticing. It was the effect of being under his gaze."I should be going upstairs, " I said.He walked to where I was and began tucking my hair behind my ears."You are beautiful, " he said."Thank you? " I replied, unsure of the sudden compliment.I tried so hard to compose myself so I do not look like a silly teenager being complimented for the first time."There was a man," he began. His face was just a few inches from mine. I found it strange listening to him when he was that close to."The man was a taxi dr
INBETWEEN Inbetween 26
Tunde came through as promised; he brought me to work. He dropped me in front of the work building. He explained he had a meeting to attend so he drove off as I went in.I had carried home some materials for the bridal train and worked on it overnight. It was a miracle that I still had energy to continue working in the shop. I thought of bringing the electric machine at home to the shop, but the news of robbery around the environment discouraged me each time .I was still working on the dresses when Aku came in. "Aunty, there's a man that is looking for you outside, ""Yes," I nodded.I was certain, it would not be Tunde because she already knew Tunde by his name and Tunde now just walked in without warning.I stood up from the seat and slipped my feet into my flat shoes before hurrying outside the shop.Ike was standing outside. Surprised, I laughed. W
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I woke up to the effect of the light sneaking past the closed curtain. I had never known how to sleep with light . One of my neighbors decided to do blues this morning. Wrapping my arms around my waist, I thought of how I slept. I remember just lying there and staring into space not even daring to turn lest I catch Ike's eyes on me .I look at his side of the bed and he was not there . I stood up and strolled to the bathroom door, he was not there either. Matching out of the room on bare foot, I realized that the song I was hearing was coming from my sitting room.There was an inviting aroma coming from the kitchen. I redirected to the kitchen and he stood there with a trouser, loosely hanging on his waist that I could see the line of his briefs . He was shirtless, dedicated to the egg in the frying pan. I stood at the door, arms folded, staring at his well tanned upper body imagining what would have happened if I returned his kisses l
INBETWEEN Inbetween 28
Everyone wore their grief in different colors of emotions. Some had craving, others had no appetite. Some had too much anger and irritation, others laughed too hard, that their eyes twinkled and you would see the sadness they were trying to cover; it could have been pretence. But people likeWisdom managed to lighten up the mood on some days. Other days, his jokes were failed jokes but I listened and smiled at the resigned look he always had on those days.Auntie Maimah refused to come downstairs. Her food was carried up to her room in a rectangular stainless tray and in flowered porcelain plates. Most days, I loved to take up the food . I would sit and watch her eat or I would stare at the dark surface of her plasma Television on the wall which was always off recently. She would pinch her eba and smear it with finger prints of soup then abandon the food untouched half way."Please eat more," I would say.She
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I sat with Michelle, Stella, Ada and Ike on the same pew. We all came with well tinted glasses . I know it is called 'sun shade' but we are not for fashion today- We're hiding our pain.We wore blue ankara dress with red designs on it, all sewn in a simple blouse with a front zip and a pencil-cut skirt. My mother could have been anywhere in the church or outside the church.. She was a habitual late comer. Auntie Maimah sat in the front pew with Nneka and Wisdom at her sides. She was the only one who wore white. Her eyes were red and round and seemed it was sinking into her sockets. She was not wearing a shade. She just sat staring at the choir as they ministered.People on my seat cried silently but I noticed, they dabbed around their covered eyes too often. I was trying to be strong so I chewed the fruit gum in my mouth , imitating a nonchalance that I could not feel. Each time I stared
INBETWEEN Inbetween 30
I returned to sitting behind the sewing machine after a week. I tried to properly utilize my time to make up for the time I lost while we arranged for the burial . Aku got admission into the university, I was happy for her but her absence pained me. Ignoring the age difference, she was actually a good company.Looking out from my office window, I could see the houses close to the rail; the unpainted houses with black charcoal drawings on them.There was a little commotion on that side. Two girls were being dragged about by older women. There was so much noise also but I could not make out a word. Some women even hit the girls. After a while they started to disperse leaving the two girls with just three women.I returned to the table, where I began looking up styles on the internet. I picked up a drawing pad and began to sketch new designs adding up the ones I saw online. Once in a while, I reached into m
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