She quickly turned her face away “Goke, please stop it. I need time. I’ll have to think about this and get back to you” she told him.

He moved away and sat back in his seat “I totally understand. I’m sorry if I rushed you. It’s not my nature, I just really like you and was expressing my feelings that’s all” he explained.

Seyi remained quiet. She was beginning to wonder if sneaking out and lying to her mum so she could see Goke was worth it. She began to feel so uneasy and uncomfortable. She didn’t feel free around him anymore. Deep down, she wanted to go back home but didn’t know how to tell him. “What have I gotten myself into?” she asked herself.

Just as the thoughts were running through her mind, she began to feel her tummy churn. “Goke I’m not feeling too good” she told him. “I think I need to use the toilet, my tummy is rumbling” she placed her hand on her tummy and began to retch bending over ready to vomit.

“What is the problem?” he asked with so much concern. “Will you use the toilet at the eatery?” he placed his hand on her shoulder.

“No. I think I’ll just go back home. I won’t be able to make it to the eatery. Please can you take me back home?” she asked looking so unwell. 

“Okay if that’s the only choice we have, then let me drop you” he started the car and quickly turned around. He drove pretty fast, looking at her from time to time to ensure she was okay.

When he got to the gate leading to her estate, he asked “where is your house?”

Seyi pointed straight “just keep going”.

He drove a few meters.

“You can stop now, thank you” she said still holding her tummy and bending over. “I’m sorry, I spoilt our plans, we will have to reschedule. I’m really sorry” she explained as she came down.

“It’s okay, I’m glad I was able to see you again. Please think about all I said, take care of yourself.”

“Okay bye” she shut the door and rushed towards the gate. Thankfully, she had a copy of the key to the gate and didn’t need to wait for anyone to open the gate for her. She ran through the kitchen door and went straight to the toilet. It was in between her room and Bayo’s room. The two rooms shared a toilet and bathroom. Everyone but Mr. Cole, who was in the sitting room watching TV, were in their rooms.

When she was done using the toilet, she went to her room.

 “Sister Seyi, what happened?” Bolu asked. “I thought you went out.”

“I’m back” Seyi said as she dropped her bag on the floor and threw herself on the bed.

“What happened?” Bolu was both curious and inquisitive.

“I wasn’t feeling too good” Seyi answered hoping that was sufficient enough to quench Bolu’s thirst for information.

“Sorry, how are you feeling now?” she asked with concern.

“Much better, strangely” Seyi herself couldn’t explain what just happened. One moment she was fine, the next moment she was so uneasy so much so her tummy began to rumble.

She thought of either calling or sending a text to Goke but as she brought her phone out of her bag, she got disinterested and instead flung it on the bed.

“What did you eat?” Seyi asked Bolu. Hunger pangs were beginning to set in. The feeling of excitement had masked the hunger all along.

“Jollof rice and chicken. Mummy left yours in the warmer” Bolu told her.

Seyi stood up to change her cloth before going to the kitchen. As she was about walking out of the room, she took a closer look at Bolu. “Is that makeup on your face?”

Bolu giggled.

“It’s not funny Bolu, what are you doing with my make up?”

“It was mummy’s own, not your own” Bolu immediately became defensive. “Is it only you that has make up?”

“That’s your business, just don’t touch my things. Did mummy allow you use her make up?”

“She is sleeping” Bolu said and stuck out her tongue.

“I pity you, let her catch you. How old are you that you are using make up?” Seyi hissed and left the room.

“Leave me alone” Bolu said rudely.

Seyi went to the kitchen and found the warmer on the tiled kitchen counter beside the microwave. She dished the rice into a ceramic plate and took a piece of chicken from the pot then went to the dining to devour the meal.

As she took the first spoon, her phone rang, it was Goke. She picked it after the second ring.

“Hi Goke” she said.

“Hello Seyi, how are you feeling?”

“I’m better, I’m really sorry I messed everything up” she told him.

“Haba, it’s okay. I’m glad you are better now. We can always meet some other time. Make sure you rest well” he sounded very caring.

“Thank you, I will”

“You are welcome dear”

There was silence.

“I love you” Goke said without mincing words.

Seyi didn’t know what to say. She didn’t feel it was right to tell him she loved him too when they were not dating. More so, she believed “love” was a strong word to use just anyhow and she wondered if what she felt for him was love of something else. She felt a strange and entirely new feeling she had never experienced before. She was both excited and uneasy at the same time. She wasn’t just settled deep within her.

“Thank you” she mumbled and immediately ended the call. Her appetite was gone, she managed to finish the food.

She couldn’t keep it to herself any more. She needed to talk to someone and the only person that came to her mind was Sope. She sent a WhatsApp message to her but noticed it didn’t deliver.

“What could be wrong?” she wondered. “I hope my data has not finished?” she said as she quickly checked her data balance. “Oh no, the useless thing didn’t even last two weeks” she was annoyed as she took her plate to the kitchen, washed it and went to her room.

On her way to her room, she decided to check on Bayo. His room was directly opposite hers. As she tried opening the door, she realized it was locked.

She knocked “Bayo open the door” she said and waited for his response.

“I’m coming.”

“Why are you always locking your door, only God knows what you are always doing” Seyi was getting tired of waiting.

“Didn’t I say I’m coming?” Bayo repeated himself as he opened the door.

“Sorry sir, I didn’t know we had to have special IV before we can enter your room now” Seyi said sarcastically as she walked into his room.

“Sorry, that’s not what I meant” Bayo apologized.

As Seyi walked into the room, she spotted their mother’s internet modem on the bed. “What is mummy’s modem doing here? You know she mustn’t know, she has warned you not to use it because it’s for her work” Seyi was referred to as ‘small Police’. Bayo hated when she snooped around looking for loop holes with which she threatened him and Bolu.

“It was just this afternoon I took it, I wanted to watch something on YouTube, please don’t tell mummy” he begged.

“On one condition” Seyi said with a mischievous smile as she sat on the bed.

“What condition?” Bayo asked already nervous.

“Share Hot spot with me, my data just finished” Seyi was smart and always had a way of making her younger siblings do whatever she wanted.

“But mine isn’t much, that was why I took mummy’s modem” he told her hoping she’ll understand.

“Then mummy will know you took her modem” Seyi said cunningly.

“Fine, only little.”

“Deal” Seyi replied. “Where is your phone?” She asked.

“Beside you” he said reluctantly.

Seyi turned to her right and saw his phone close to the pillow. She picked it and handed it over to him “type your password.”

Bayo did and quickly closed the YouTube app.

“Is it on?” she asked.

“Is what on?” Bayo was distracted by the app he was closing.

“The Hot spot of course, what else?”

“Oh,” he turned it on “it’s on. I’ll have to put my password on your phone” he informed her.

“This is not the first time I’m using your wi-fi, I don’t need the password,” Seyi was so confident of that.

“Well you do because I changed it” Bayo smirked, glad to have faulted her smart mouth. He stretched his hand to collect her phone then he typed the password. Immediately he did, a WhatsApp message from Goke entered her phone. Bayo wasn’t the inquisitive type but for reasons, he clicked the notification and opened the chat. “Who is Goke?” he asked, still looking through her phone.

“Give me my phone” Seyi struggled with Bayo to collect it.

“Chill I know him” Bayo said as he enlarged his profile picture. “This is Feyikemi’s boyfriend” Bayo said still stirring at the picture.

“What? Who is Feyikemi?” Seyi was dumbfounded.

“Sijuade’s senior sister” Bayo replied and added “how do you know him? I heard he is a very bad guy. He knows how to get any girl, as in he is that bad” Bayo emphasized.

“Who told you all these things? Who is Sijuade?” Seyi could not believe her ears.

“My classmate. We just started talking some weeks ago. She was even telling me how she is so concerned about her sister because of the guy she is dating and that she is always with him” Bayo told her.

“Are you sure about this, Bayo?” Seyi’s head was spinning.

“Very serious.”

“I swear guys are useless” Seyi said, stood up and walked towards the door still shocked about the news she had just heard. She was so lost in thoughts, she forgot her phone.

“Your phone” Bayo picked her phone and stretched it to her.

Seyi turned back and collected it.

“Do you still need the Hot Spot?” Bayo asked.

Seyi continued walking out of the room without even realizing Bayo was talking to her.

“That’s weird” Bayo said wondering what was wrong with his sister. “Let me quickly return mummy’s modem before she wakes up” he turned it off and went to his mum’s room to return it, praying and hoping she was still sleeping.

Alas, as he opened the door leading to her, he saw her wide awake. She was sitting up in bed wearing her glasses about opening her bag. He froze.

“What is it?” Mrs. Cole asked wondering why he looked so dazed.

“Nothing ma” he said, his response obviously contrasting his fearful appearance.

“Is your sister back?” Mrs. Cole asked. She wasn’t ready for Bayo’s drama.

“Yes ma, I think she is in her room” he said. “Should I call her for you?” He added, trying to get out of the room as soon as possible.

“No don’t worry” she said as she opened her bag searching for something. “Where is this modem again?” She asked already getting upset.

“Your modem?” Bayo asked.

“Yes I can’t find it and I want to use it”. She said without looking up as she kept searching the bag.

“Wait, I think I saw it on the dining table” Bayo lied, let me go and check. He left the room without waiting for a response from his mum.

He lingered in front of the door for some minutes and knocked on the door.

“Come in” Mrs. Cole said.

Bayo opened the door “this is it” he stretched it to her.

“Mrs Cole collected it “why is it hot?” she asked him, looking at him above her glasses.

Bayo had been caught red handed and he knew it. “Em…em” he stammered. “I’m sorry ma” he apologized.

“That’s what you always say. I know what I’ll do to you. When you don’t have money to buy anything tomorrow during break time in school and when you don’t have and money for credit and data, you will know you are sorry.” His mum meant every single word she had just uttered.

“Mummy please it won’t happen again, I promise” he begged.

“My friend will you get out of my room” she shouted at him. “What you did is called stealing and lying, in case you didn’t know.” she hissed.

Bayo left the room feeling bad.  

Mrs. Cole brought out her laptop to work. She turned it on and waited for it to boot. As she did, her mind went to Emeka again. “What is wrong with me? Emeka and I are both married. The past is in the past” she tried convincing herself.

She picked the complementary card he gave her and looked at it again. “He must be well to do” she said as she replayed in her mind the 15 minutes she had with him some hours ago. “Who says I cannot call him? It wasn’t like I asked for the card, he gave me” she told herself as she picked her phone and before any opposing thought came, she was already dialing his number.

Unfortunately, he didn’t pick the call.

Mrs. Cole dropped the phone, disappointed. “I don’t know what I was thinking. Am I a child?” She reasoned.

She decided to focus on her work, she had a presentation the next day at work and had not finished preparing the PowerPoint slides. As soon as she opened the document she was about to work on, her phone rang. It was Emeka. Her heart began to race, her fingers trembled as she reached for the phone and picked the call.

“Hello” the male voice which brought back old memories said.

 She was speechless.

“Hello?” he repeated himself this time around in a questioning tone. “Please who is on the line?” he asked politely.

“Hi, it’s Funke” she managed to gather some words. “Is this Emeka?” she asked even though she could bet her next month’s salary, it was him.

“Hey Funke, so good to hear from you. You won’t believe it, I was just thinking about you. I was saying to myself “why didn’t I collect your number?” I’m so glad you called” he sounded excited.

“Really? That’s interesting. I was hoping my call wasn’t too early” Mrs Cole confessed.

“Early? Of course not. The timing was just perfect” he said. “So how are you doing?”

Mrs. Cole knew that her life took a down turn when she made that decision that day in her father’s house. She wished more than anything that she was Mrs. Nwafor not Mrs. Cole.

“Fine, I guess” she told him.

“Hmm the Funke I know is not doing too fine from that voice” he said.

Mrs. Cole began to remember the love and care Emeka once had for her. He knew her so well. He knew when she meant ‘yes’ even if the words coming from her mouth was ‘no’. 

She chuckled “I’ll be fine, thanks” she didn’t want them going down that lane.

“You know it won’t be a bad idea for us to see again, say to discuss what’s up with us and the likes. What sayest thou?” he asked.

Mrs. Cole remembered the funny way he always spoke, composing his sentence after the pattern of the Old Kings James version of the Bible. “so you have not changed this your way of speaking?” she chuckled.

“No my lord, thy servant changest not his way” they both burst into laughter.

“In that case, they handsmaiden shall be so delighted to honour thine invitation” she said.

“That’s good, I’ve always known you to be a good learner” he complimented her.

“Thanks dear” she had said ‘dear’ before she realized it. She covered her mouth wishing she could take it back. Although dear these days was a general term used to refer to friends and meant nothing, she hoped it wasn’t going to bring back memories because it was one of the pet names they used for each other.

“We could meet at Evelyn’s Kitchen. I hear the food there is really nice. It’s not too far from where we met. Is that okay” he asked.

“Oh I know the place, haven’t been there before though. I guess we could try it out.”

“Okay great, is tomorrow okay?” he asked.

“Yes, what time?”

“You’ll be the one to decide that, my work is very flexible as a matter of fact, I work from home most times” he told her.

“Okay, I usually leave the office by 4pm but I could leave earlier. I usually pick the children around 4:30 so let’s work towards 2pm. That should be fine” she said.

“Okay cool. Tomorrow 2pm it is then.”

“Yes” she smiled.

“Thanks for the call, you made my day” Emeka told her.

“Well, it was actually you that called” Mrs. Cole said.

He laughed “oh that’s true, anyway it was so good hearing from you again. Take care of yourself. See you tomorrow” he told her.

“You too, bye” she gradually dropped the phone, smiling as it dawned on her that she was going to see Emeka the next day. She was so excited and really looking forward to it.

As she was basking in the joy of the moment, Mr. Cole opened the door leading to their room and barely acknowledging her, walked straight to the wardrobe, put on a T-shirt, changed his shorts into a pair of jeans, “I’m going to the bar” he told her and left.

Mrs. Cole watched him but didn’t say a word. The mere sight of the man, dampened her countenance. When he left, she resumed working on her laptop.

After about 2 hours, she was tired and decided to suspend the work. She saved it and shut down then laptop then went to the kitchen to fix dinner for the family. 

She was in a good mood that night, she decided to make pancakes, she knew all her children liked it. Bolu came to join her in the kitchen.

“Where are your siblings?” she asked her.

“Sis Seyi is sleeping, bro Bayo is in his room” Bolu replied.

“That boy is always in his room and I’m sure the door is locked as usual” Mrs Cole said as she measured out the flour.

“Guess what’s for dinner” Mrs Cole asked, excited. She always liked the beam on Bolu’s face every time she smiled.

“What mummy? What?” Bolu jumped with excitement.

“Pancakes!” Mrs Cole smiled.

“Yeeeeeeeey thank you mummy. You’re the best” Bolu said and hugged her mum.

Mrs. Cole was moved by her daughter’s gestures. As Bolu held on to her, she remembered why she was still in this marriage. She knew her children where worth all the sacrifices.

“Why don’t you go and call your brother so the cooking can be faster” Mrs Cole told her.

“Okay mummy” Bolu said and zoomed off to call Bayo.

As was her usual custom, she barged into the room without knocking or being told to come in. Bayo, on the other hand, wasn’t prepared. His door wasn’t locked this time around.

“Bro Bayo, mummy said…” she froze immediately she opened the door. Her hand glued to the door knob and her words stuck in her mouth. The innocent girl was traumatized by what she saw, it was the last thing she expected to see when she opened the door to her brother’s room.

“What’s your problem, Bolu? Don’t you know how to knock?” Bayo asked, angry and ashamed at the same time. He had been caught red handed and there was no hiding this time around.

He quickly put on his trousers and a T Shirt “I said you should get out of my room” he shouted at his sister who was still in shock. Her innocent mind could not comprehend what she had just seen: her brother masturbating. As he kept shouting at her, she transited from shock to fear. What she had just seen, nothing or no one could ever wipe off her memory. “What could be worse?” She wondered. She felt like a terrible sinner. She began to blame herself, tears immediately began to well up in her eyes.

“What is it? Why are you now crying?” Bayo asked, wondering the reason for the tears.

The tears began to flow and she began to sob. Bayo walked up to her and began to pat her but as he did, she cried more. He didn’t want their mum to hear so he began to beg her to stop crying. This only made things worse. “Bolu please I’m begging you, stop crying” he pleaded.

Mrs. Cole heard Bolu’s voice and from the kitchen shouted “What is going on there?”

Bayo pleaded harder “Bolu please don’t let mummy come and see you crying. I will buy you sweet” he tried to bribe her.

Nothing he did or said pacified her.

Mrs. Cole couldn’t take it anymore. She left what she was doing in the kitchen and went to check up on Bolu. “Bolu what is it? What happened? Why are you crying?” she asked as she squatted to the level of her height.

Bolu couldn’t speak. No words could come out even if she tried. She looked petrified. She threw her hands around her mother’s neck.

Mrs. Cole hugged her “It’s alright my dear” she said softly as she looked up to Bayo who was standing in front of her and asked “what happened?”

Bayo shrugged his shoulders. “Mummy I don’t know, she just got to my room and started crying. Maybe a bee stung her or something” he lied but unfortunately for him, he was terrible at lying.

“A bee? From where would it have come? Won’t there have been a bite mark on her body?” Mrs Cole asked, not convinced with his reply. She patted Bolu on the back, “Sorry my baby, stop crying, mummy is here now you hear?” she consoled Bolu who gradually stopped crying and managed to gather the strength to whisper in her mum’s ears “mummy I’m scared”.

Mrs Cole couldn’t fathom what could have made Bolu scared all of a sudden. She wondered if it had anything to do with what she opened up to her about her uncle, Gboyega earlier that day. “Don’t worry my baby, uncle Gboyega will never step into this house again” she assured her.

Bolu stopped crying but remained quiet.

Mrs. Cole stood up wondering what could have triggered the panic she just witnessed Bolu have. It was a drastic contrast to the excited Bolu that had just left the kitchen. “Come, I’ll put the TV on Cartoon network for you” she told her as she held her hand and walked towards the sitting room.

“Bayo, join me in the kitchen, I’m preparing pancakes” Mrs. Cole told Bayo.

“Okay ma” Bayo followed them behind, his heart racing as he prayed within him that Bolu would keep her mouth shut about what she had just seen.

Mrs Cole turned on the TV while Bolu sat on the couch opposite it watching Peppa pig.

She returned to the kitchen and with Bayo’s assistance, prepared dinner. As the last pancake slice was being fried, Seyi who had just woken up and was very hungry walked into the kitchen.

“Ope o (Thank God) pancakes. I’m so hungry” she said as she cut a little from the fried slices.

“Sleeping beauty is awake” Mrs Cole said smiling at Seyi

“And she is hungry” Seyi said. “What inspired pancakes?”

“What can I say? I was in a good mood and I felt like making them, it has been a while.”

“Yes it has” Seyi agreed “where is Bolu?” it was unusual not seeing her in the kitchen when her mum was preparing any food she liked.

“She is watching TV in the sitting room” Mrs Cole told her.

“That’s unlike her” Seyi said. “I hope she is okay”

“Bayo go and check on your sister?” Mrs. Cole instructed him.

“Who? Me?” he asked, almost stammering.

“No, your twin brother in Japan” she said sarcastically and hissed. “How many people are bearing Bayo here?”

“Don’t worry mummy, I’ll go and check on her” Seyi said and left the kitchen. When she got to the siting room, she met Bolu sleeping. She took the remote control and reduced the volume of the TV.

“I better wake her up, dinner is ready” Seyi thought. She tapped her gently “Bolu…Bolu” she called her name in a soft tone.

Bolu woke up and initially looking around wondering where she was “where is mummy?” she asked Seyi, with sleep still in her eyes.

“She is in the kitchen. Food is ready” Seyi told her.

Bolu got up and went straight to the kitchen.

“B Baby, how are you?” her mum asked her with a smile.

“Fine.” She usually didn’t say much whenever she just woke up.

Mrs. Cole served two slices of pancake in a plastic plate and offered Bolu. “Is two okay for you?”

Bolu nodded then collected the plate and went to the dining.

“How many can you finish, Seyi?” Her mum asked as she took a plate ready to serve her.

“Four for now” she smiled.

Mrs. Cole served four slices in a plate and gave Seyi. “Pour out juice for yourself and your siblings.”

“What of you?” Seyi asked “don’t you want juice too?”

“And for me too. That’s how I always forget myself”, she shook her head.

Seyi took three glasses and a plastic cup then poured out the chilled chivita she took from the fridge.

“How about you Bayo?” Mrs Cole asked.

“Me?” Bayo seemed disoriented and agitated.

“Bayo what exactly is wrong with you tonight? Why have you been shaky and jittery? How many slices can you finish?” Mrs Cole asked, holding a plate for him.

“Four…four is okay ma” he stammered.

She served his food and handed it over to him. “Go and sit with your sister on the dining table” she told him.

“Mummy please can I go to my room?” he asked.

“No! Go and stay with your sister. When did that rubbish start? Don’t let me get angry with you this night” she snapped at him.

“I’m sorry ma” he apologized and took his food to the dining.

The dining table was wooden and oval shaped, it was surrounded with six chairs. Bayo sat three chairs away from Bolu while Seyi sat right beside her.

Mrs. Cole came to join them at the table. “Bayo when you are done eating, go and iron you and Bolu’s uniform for school tomorrow. Okay?”

“Okay ma” he answered.

“Seyi, I know you are tired of staying at home. Are you sure you don’t want to start considering A-levels?” Mrs Cole asked her.

Seyi knew her mum was right. It had been five months since she finished from school and the universities she had applied to study Law didn’t seem forthcoming. “I’m beginning to consider it, mummy. I’ll get more information about the good ones available” she told her mum.  Seyi wanted nothing more than to be out of the house.

Bayo was the first to finish his food, “mummy thank you” he said as he stood up and took his plate to the kitchen. He washed it and went to his room.

“Mummy thank you for the meal” Seyi said. “I think I’m ready for bed, it appears I’ll be sleeping early tonight” she told her mum.

“Alright dear” Mrs. Cole said then quickly added “before I forget, how was Sope’s place? Hope you enjoyed yourself.”

“Sope’s place?” Seyi wondered what her mum was referring to.

“Is that how fast you have forgotten how you were begging me that you wanted to go to Sope’s house?” Mrs. Cole juggled her memory a bit.

  “Oh, Sope’s place. It was fine. I didn’t stay long, I wasn’t feeling too well so I asked the driver to drop” Seyi lied again. It’s true what they say, ‘you always use one lie to cover up another.’

“Really? Hope you are fine now” Mrs. Cole asked.

“Yes mummy, much better. Thank you.”

“That’s fine. Take your sister inside. Both of you should go and sleep. I’ll wait for your daddy to come back” that was Mrs. Cole’s daily burden.

“Goodnight mummy” Seyi said as she held Bolu’s hand “let’s go and sleep”, she told her baby sister.

“Goodnight mummy” Bolu said as she followed her sister.

“Goodnight dear” Mrs Cole said as she watched them go inside.

___________

To be continued..

Hope you were blessed by this. Be sure to share and drop a comment.

 ________

Read: 
Burning Coles 1
Burning Coles 2 
Burning Coles 3  
Burning Coles 4  

here if you missed it.