THINGS IN BETWEEN

1

FINALLY, THE FIRST CHAPTER IS HERE. ENJOYYY.

Life isn't always a bed of roses and even roses have its own thorns, I realised this after the demise of my parents. Life for me, has not been like the days you knew me to be Todun's roommate enemy turned friend and probably Ahmed's girlfriend. You might have been used to referring to me as the sassy, choosy and nagging girl but all that ended when I  started shouldering the responsibility that a  parent should and this has made me realize several things that will take me several years to write down.

"Sis Tamilore, how many cubes of sugar do you want me to add to your cornflakes?" Tolu, my younger sister who is always in dire need of money asked for almost the third time since I left the kitchen, to sweep the living room which is always left in a mess anytime she and Tanto, my immediate younger sibling stay up watching late night movies. It has been seven years since we lost our parents and that day to me, still feels like yesterday. I can remember vividly, the man in the mask with a knife held to my throat as I opened the door that night. The sight of the body bags containing my parents, people running around the stretcher and the blaring of sirens remained fresh in my mind. My return to school didn't help a bit, I had to survive under the sympathetic stares that I hated so much and finally, the heartbreaking breakup. Absolotely everything makes me blame myself over and all over again.

"Two," I screamed in annoyance and used the broom I was holding to dust off the dirt on the centre table.

"What about water, cold or hot water?" She asked again and this time I realised that every word she spoke was intentional, just to get on my nerves.

"Anyone," I replied and continued what I was doing even though I would have preferred cold water, cornflakes in warm water gets soggy quickly. No matter how much she decides to disturb me, I am determined not to give her what she asked for, how on earth does she expect me to find that amount of money when I am unemployed? It has been almost three years since I finished my  service as a youth corper. Before then, I had done several jobs to keep body and soul together but now that I need a proper job but with no connection, luck seems to frown at me.

"Sis, do you know where my black T- shirt is?" My younger brother whom I am two years older than asked me with his towel, tied around his waist and water still dripping from his body. Questions like these make me think I am some sort of compass that is used to find lost things.

"Do I wear it with you?" I asked with a grin and watched him twitch his face in displeasure. "And how many times will I tell you that you should wipe water off your body in the bathroom and not to go around in your towel?" I added and attempted to wipe him with the broom I was holding but he ran as fast as his leg could carry him to the room we share. The thought of my siblings being more obedient if I was a guy crossed my mind but I dissuaded it as I continued sweeping.

A loud honk right outside our two bedroom apartment called my attention and I walked to the window to see who it was. Remilekun does not honk as loud and rude as whosoever that was just did, I muttered, returned the curtain to its former position and continued with what I was doing. I loud knock against the door brought me back to a standing posture, I mentally did an evaluation of who it could be and stayed rooted to the ground. Something in me still felt very afraid of opening the doors to visitors; unknown visitors.

"Tamilore, are you at home," The unknown visitor called my name and knocked vigorously, surprised at the sound of familiarity, I dropped the broom I was holding and rushed to open the door. An aunty whom the last time I saw her was at the funeral of my parents stepped into the living room. She had almost the same face and stature just like mine the different things was that she looked more robust. Before the demise of my parents, I have heard many people commenting the look I got from my father and his sister. Aunty Rose's jewelleries glittered as she turned and the bag she carried looked exactly like the one I had seen one of the ladies who interviewed me carried at the last company I went to in search of a job.