He Already Came

Lanre opened the door and saw her mother standing in front of her room. “Maami!” She said. Her mom looked at her, she thought her eyes were deceiving her. The Lanre she knew was not the type to sleep early. It was only 9 pm and it seems she was the one that woke up her daughter from sleep.

“Were you sleeping already?” Lanre’s mother asked. Lanre nodded her head. She was afraid to talk, lest she burst out crying in front of her mother. “Well, I won’t take much of your time, you must already know about what I came to tell you since Ify is your friend”. Mrs. Olayinka said to her daughter.

Lanre’s heart skipped into hiding on hearing Ify’s name. It was as if the name itself would cause it to bleed. But could she really blame Ify? It was not Ify’s fault that she lost Kehinde.

“What is it that I already know about?” She wanted to ask her mom this, but she was afraid she will get caught. She just kept mute waiting for her mother to continue. She leaned lazily on the door post and forced a yawn out of her mouth to make her mom believe she was indeed really sleepy.

“You must have worked really hard at the shop today this one that you are yawning up and down”. The mother said. Then she went ahead to tell Lanre why she had come to see her. She told Lanre that Mrs. Ochuzi, Ify’s mother had called her. She wanted to invite her personally for Ify’s engagement party.

“She said Ify is getting engaged with the son of the Governor of Lagos state”. Mrs. Olayinka said. “Look at how lucky your friend is, she is going to marry the son of a governor. I’m glad you are both friends. At least, it means my daughter did not moved around with non entities. One day, your own husband will come”. The woman said to her daughter.

Lanre forced a smile on her face flashing it to her mother. “He already came, I pushed him away!” She had said in her head. But she dared not say it out.

“We will be going to Lagos this coming weekend. It is going to be this Saturday”. Mrs. Olayinka said before telling her daughter to go back to bed while she also go and take her night rest as she had work waiting for her the following day. Lanre stood up. Just when she was about to close the door, her mother made her stop.

“Lanre, are you okay?” The mother asked. Lanre nodded her head indicating she was. “Ehn! Did anybody say anything?” The mother asked with her hands holding her ears trying to catch words she could not hear.

Lanre knew the act was to make her talk. “Mama I’m ok! I just don’t feel like talking. Odaro!” She said greeting her mother good night before locking the door knowing that the tears had already started falling.