CHAPTER THREE

CHICHI

Chichi, a very beautiful light-skinned lady opens the door to her apartment quietly and closes it gently with extra care. She tiptoes up the stairs but her effort was proven whacked as the light comes on, she stops abruptly as she meets her mom, whom she was trying so hard to avoid, sitting at the top edge of the stairway "where are you coming from by this hour of the day?" This is the question she had hated all through her lifetime, which made her stay away from home since she was a teenager. She can't believe the person whom she chose to harbor under her own roof will still police her around at her age. She rolls her eyes "work" she says as she squeezes her tiny self through the little space left from the wall to where her mother was sitting just to escape her mother's round of interviews. "oh oh! Work around this time? Do you not know what the time says? If you have children to take care of, would you be walking in from work at this hour?" Her mother stands up inquisitively, always in a rush to remind her she is unmarried "oh! I forgot you don't even have a husband yet" Chichi is so tired of this and she won't take it anymore, she attacks her mother "Don't you have a husband as well? Cause last time I checked, you are still under my roof, go to your husband's house mama" she walks into her room and slammed the door. Her mother stood in absolute shock, taking her time to understand if her daughter just insulted her or if she was imagining things, she moves close to the door to her room and replied so her daughter would hear even with the door shut "Thank God I have a husband whom I found and got married to when I was 23, and my husband has a house, even though we fight a lot, at least I have a husband to fight with and in case you are not

aware, I stopped baring children when I was 32

which is your age and you haven't bore one nor

found a husband yet" Chichi turned on the stereo in her room, blasts music at a high volume at least if her response failed to send her off her back, the volume of the music should.

The next day, this was a Saturday which she had

looked forward to all through the week but staying at home with this woman is far from the peace she had wished for. Susan's call had given her the break free she needed; a time out with the girls by evening would calm her nerve. She wasn't even excited about the announcement Susan talked about, all she keeps hearing is time out and she is so grateful. She picks up her dirty clothes that have been arranged neatly in a bag "Off to the laundry!" She says out loud to anyone who cares to listen as she stepped out of her apartment and shut the door behind her.