Ini

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕱𝖎𝖛𝖊

Inioluwa fidgeted with her nails as she thought of ways to ask her mother about what was going on but she couldn't. Folashade sat beside Inioluwa as she picked beans.

Folashade kept stealing glances at Inioluwa as she noticed her sister's giddy movement. She wanted to ask her what the matter was but she thought against it.

"Where's maami?" Inioluwa asked so suddenly that it made Folashade yelp. She cleared her throat before she shrugged.

"Maybe in her room but now that she seems better, she could be in the kitchen. I'm not sure." Folashade said and Inioluwa nodded before drifting off again into her thoughts. She thought about the woman she had seen. For some reason, she wondered if it was her imagination but she knew deep down that it wasn't. She wanted it to be a dream, an imagination but whatever the unknown woman had told her, it only itched her further into finding out the truth.

"Are you okay?" Her sister asked, snapping her out of her thoughts. She blinked a few times before gaining composure.

"Yes, I'm fine. I want to talk to maami, I'll be back." Inioluwa hastily said as she got up from the stool she sat on and left the balcony.

Folashade stared at her sister as her eyebrows drew together in confusion. She watched the retreating figure of her sister and asked herself if she had gone mad. It was beginning to get more than obvious that something was bothering Inioluwa but Folashade couldn't care less about it.

She rolled her eyes and focused on what she was doing.

⁕⁕⁕

Inioluwa paced back and forth in front of her mother's room as she thought about the best approach to her mother. Why was she bothering herself? She thought to herself but something kept telling her that her mother was involved somehow.

Inioluwa wondered what question she would ask her mother. Maybe she would ask if her mother knew the woman who always appeared to her in all white or maybe she would ask if her mother knew the Orisa Ife Folashade had earlier said. She just couldn't decide because a part of her told her that this was crazy. Of course it was, she said to herself as she turned around to leave but halted in her steps when a vision flashed through her memory; it was a memory of that Calabash with blood filled in it.

Her heart rose and fell in rapid breaths as she reached out for the door handle. She was afraid of the response she might get from her mother. She didn't want to jump into conclusions that her mother had anything to do with what was happening but she couldn't help doubting her mother's innocence in all of this.

"Maami." She said softly as she peered into the room. Her mother was sitting near the window, a Bible in her hands. She seemed to be praying and Inioluwa knew better than to bother her mother.

She let out a sigh and was about to leave when her mother said, "Inioluwa, wa." (T= come)

Inioluwa walked towards her mother before sitting on the floor in the front of her mother. This reminded her of the way her and Folashade would sit in front of their grandmother whenever she wanted to speak to them. She crossed her legs as she shifted her weight, trying as much as possible to be at comfort.

"Ṣe o fẹ lati ri mi?" Her mother asked and she took in a deep breath before nodding. (T=Did you want to see me?)

"Maami." She began, thinking of a pleasant way to start. "Nkankan n ṣẹlẹ si mi ti ko ye mi." She explained but her mother said no words in response. Abike knew exactly what Inioluwa was saying because almost immediately she closed her Bible and put it beside her. (T= Something is happening to me that I don't understand)

"Kini itumọ?" Abike asked and Inioluwa shook her head, unable to find the right words to express what was happening. (T= What do you mean?)

"Obinrin yii wa ti Mo ti rii. O wọ gbogbo funfun o si n woju. Ṣugbọn lana, Mo ri obinrin miiran. O wọ gbogbo dudu o si ni-" Inioluwa was about to say more when her mother interrupted her with a fervent cough. (T= There's this woman that I've been seeing. She wears all white and keeps staring. But yesterday, I saw another woman. She wore black and had-)

"Maami, let me get you water." She said and her mother nodded and gestured for her to hurry. She continued coughing even when Inioluwa had left the room to get water. Her heart leapt as tears filled her eyes. She knew that time was elapsing and Orisa Ife was not patient anymore.

As Inioluwa rushed into the kitchen to get water for her mother, something dawned on her. She knew her mother was lying and that made her heart ache because now she was more suspicious of what her mother might have done. She recalled everything she had seen or dreamt and shuddered as she poured out water from a plastic jug into a small cup.

She rushed past Folashade who was carrying the beans she had picked into the kitchen. She paid no attention to the look Folashade gave her as she hurried into her mother's room.

"Maami, take." She said as she handed her the cup. Her mother took the cup from her and lifted it to her lips as she took small sips. She tried her best to avert her gaze from Inioluwa's looks. She knew that her daughter was suspicious but she couldn't tell her the truth. She was afraid of losing her daughter before Orisa Ife would finally take her away.

"Maami, as I was saying-" She started but was cut short when her mother began coughing again. She narrowed her eyes in wariness as her mother drank water from the cup, trying again to avert her gaze from Inioluwa.

"Ara mi ko ya ju, mo fe sun. Iwọ yoo sọ fun mi nigbamii, dara?" Abike said as she handed Inioluwa the cup.(T=I don't feel too well, I want to sleep. You'll tell me later, okay?)

"But-" She started and the stern glare her mother gave her immediately shut her up. She simply nodded and left the room.

⁕⁕⁕

Baba Ade held his staff for support as he walked carefully to where his small stool was. He itched his grey beard as he wondered what was taking Ope so long. Ope was his apprentice and the next Olori Alufa in Araba village (T=Chief Priest)

He took a small Calabash that had rice in it and shifted his weight on the stool as he tried his best to be comfortable. Being an Olori Alufa was one that came with a sacrifice. He had left his wife and taken his son, Ope, at a tender age, to the village to fulfill his destiny.

He never complained about his job but now that he was getting older, it was hard for him to do it all. He tore the pure water sachet he was holding as he drank to his satisfaction.

"Baba Ade." He heard in a whisper and whipped his head around, trying to find the voice. He stood up, still holding onto his staff for support as he walked around the small place whispering chants.

Eventually, the owner of the voice came into view. It was the woman in white and she looked angry. Ade bowed his head in respect as he knew who this was. He also knew what she came here for, he had seen it in his dreams and visions. There were all strict warnings but he couldn't do what she asked him to, it would hurt Abike.

"Mo ni ifiranṣẹ kan fun ọ Baba Ade." The woman in white said and fear caught Baba Ade. Orisa Ife was mad and he could tell. She was no longer patient, she wanted her back. (T= I have a message for you Ade)

Ade swallowed saliva before nodding. The woman in white stepped forward and made sure she was face to face with Ade.

Her eyes glistened in red as she said, "O fẹ rẹ bayi. Ko le duro mọ." (T= She wants her now, she can no longer wait)

Author's Note.
To all my silent readers, I still love you, but to all my readers that vote and even comment, I love you more. Lol😅

Thanks for taking time to read, and as promised, I'd be giving y'all steady updates till Ini is completed.

Remember, don't be a SILENT reader, vote+comment+follow.

Vee.