Chapter twenty - one

Amanda kept

on crying like a baby. Kelly and Praise was trying to console her, but she didn't stop.

" Amanda, please, it's okay " Praise said rubbing Amanda's back.

" my... uncle...my... uncle " Amanda couldn't stop herself from crying. Her heart was in pain. Amanda was very close to her Uncle. After her dad, Uncle David was next.

The first phone Amanda used, it was her Uncle that bought it for her. Amanda also felt for her dad more. And that's because Uncle David and Mr Maxwell were very close. They were the only boys out of five children.

Those days, Uncle David and Mr Maxwell were the once that provides for for the family after their father died. Uncle David is older than Me Maxwell with ten years. Auntie Wealth is the first child, Uncle David is the second child, Auntie Agnes is the third child, Mr Maxwell whose name is Leo Maxwell, is the fourth child, while Auntie Docas is the last child.

Leo Maxwell had changed his name from Leo Alexander to Leo Maxwell, because he doesn't want to answer the same sur name with his brother.

back to Amanda

" my daddy would always tell us about him and my uncle. How close they were and how close they still were before he died " Amanda said cleaning her eyes.

" Praise... Praise, you remember when uncle took us to shop rite? he bought us anything we asked for. We were shy and we didn't want to spend much of his money, even though we loved to" Amanda said as tears started rushing from her eyes again.

" I remember " Praise said cleaning her own eyes. Amanda called Samuel on the phone.

" I want to come home" she said.

" no"

" but I want to see uncle " she yelled.

" stay in school. when they've set a date for his burial,i will call you "

" okay" she said with a down voice. " how's daddy? " she Alex worried.

" he's not doing well " Samuel replied.

" is he there with you? " she asked

" yeah "

" can you give him the phone? I want to talk to him " she said drawing her nose. After a while, her father spoke.

" my daughter, how are you? " he said trying to fake his voice.

" I'm not that fine, but are you? " she asked worried.

" I'm fine. You know your daddy is a strong man " he dropped a fake smile.

" why are you lying? "

" what? why will I lie toy daughter? " he kept o smiling.

" because you don't want me to know that you are devastated " she said then burst into tears. " you... you... are hhheart broken. But daddy you shouldn't lie to someone that already know the truth " she kept on crying.

" I... I... I'm a strong man. I... I'm your father, I can't be weak and tell you I'm weak " tears fell from his eyes.

" daddy, I know you are in pain, and I know that you can handle it because you are strong " she said still crying.

" yes " he said then took a deep breath. " goodbye. when you are done with your year one, then you'll come home " he said then cut the call.

After an hour of being quiet, Amanda decided looked at the time, it was already 3am and nobody in her room was sleeping.

" you guys should sleep " Amanda said as she turned to look at both of them.

" no " Kelly replied.

" why? " she asked.

" we can't sleep and leave you like this. We are a team. We are best friends. We can't sleep and let you cry you eyes out" Kelly explained.

" yes" Praise nodded.

" so you guys won't sleep until I sleep? " Amanda smiled.

" yes" Kelly replied.

" my uncle is already dead. And I should save my tears till the burial day right? " Amanda thought.

" you mean all the tears you released only this night, is not all the tears in you body? " Kelly asked.

" I drink water everyday " Amanda said.

" when my mom's mother died, I did not cry at all. But instead, I enjoyed myself at the day of the burial. Praise remember? " Amanda said.

" yeah. You drank that you mistakenly turned the drink on your body. But the soup succeeded in pouring on your body" Praise said then they all laughed.

" we couldn't find water. All we could find was alcohol and non alcohol drinks " Amanda said.

" yeah, then we saw a tap. So we used it to wash the soup off Amanda's gown" Kelly said.

" amanda, remember when we used to bath together?, me, you, Justin and Fabian" Praise said.

" what, you guys used to bath together? " Kelly said surprised.

They talked and laughed for few minutes before they all slept off.

the next day. At the boys campus, Fabian's room

" I don tire o, why una go dey waka with nakedness ( I already tired of, why will you guys walk round naked?) " Collins complained.

" we are in the boys campus. We bath together. And what are you even hiding when we all have the same thing " Fabian said wearing his underwear.

" please tell him" Justin said wearing his shirt.

" Kelly called oh, Justin " Collins said. Justin rushed to pick his phone. He called her back, but she wasn't picking.

" why is she not picking " he asked still trying.

" maybe she went to church " Fabian said.

" ohh that's truth " he said then dropped the phone.