--Ebony

As I stood, still enthralled, I felt her arms encapsule me and her laughter rise in decibels, causing my ears to hurt a bit.

“Mmasi!! I know I’m beautiful, there's no need to stare, you're making me blushhhh.”

Then we both burst into laughter.

I loved she and Nene, they were much more of family to me than most of my actual family. But as the duration of our hug stretched, I felt my smile turn sheepish, and my need for space increase so I let go. Noticing my struggle she burst into laughter, and rising up, flashed me a megawatt smile, picked up her calabash and made to move,

“Uuhh, before I forget, remember to tell your father to come meet me at Udemmiri tomorrow. I’d go myself but I’m in a hurry, and since you’re already here, just tell him for me iyé. ”

At first I was surprised, then my discomfort surfaced

“Just tell him yourself, please. If he finds out that I know you, he'll hit me.”

Surprised at my outburst, she said

“ Honestly I’d go myself, I’d still go regardless of whether you tell him or not, but honestly if you can let him know that would be great. It's important.”

With that she began to make her way to the smallest of all her huts, so I asked,

“What exactly is he supposed to come for?”

without turning she shouted back at me,

“He’ll know what it’s for, just deliver my message. Tell him that he has be there really soon, his time is almost up!.”

And smiling she went on, carrying on to her destination, and although she meant to not be heard, I did hear her say,

“He’d be a fool to not know why he was called.”

Close to her hut she turned to me, a puzzled expression on her face,

“Aren’t you supposed to be at school? Why are you here?”

my silence stretched, and my smile turned taut,

“Listen, Nene might not be obligated to go to school, but you are. And on behalf of your parents I’ll have to reprimand you.”

So I waited to hear the same kind of words I'd hear from my parents,

“Never miss school again just to come over here, I won’t keep you here against your parents wishes.”

watching me shesmiled,

“I’m not your father or mother, but just be careful. Don’t skip school iyé?”

Then, she walked into her hut.