Dawn at Twilight

04 Uncle Tee(completed)

       "I promise to come back Vera"
           
___________________________________

Johnny's Mum walked in.
  "Aunty!"
  "I just came back, and why are you not with Johnny?. Don't you know he came here to spend time with you"

I felt very weak inside of me. Thinking of it made me realize I got carried away and forgot about Johnny because of Uncle Tee. He has been right all this while, Uncle Tee finds a way to take my attention away from him.

  "Sorry aunty," I explained. "The lights went off and Uncle Tee called me, I will go meet him now.
I sprang of the bed ready to fix things.
Despite it all, Johnny's Mum gave me a cheery smile, maybe to encourage me.

Stepping forward, Johnny's Mum surveyed Uncle Tee from head to toe.
  "Why are you not putting on clothes, it's very cold?.
  And why did you call Vera?" Not hesitating she questioned Uncle Tee exactly how investigators do to criminal suspects.

Uncle Tee self-consciously patted his chest.
  "Em...my clothes?...oh yes, it's really cold, was just looking...about to change to another one before you came" he stammered and staggered over his words. Uncle Tee talked smoothly, the sudden change surprised me.

  My eyes narrowed slightly. "You want to change?. But you..."
  "Yes Vera, you can go to Johnny. Later you can use my phone am busy now. Common go now." Uncle Tee cut in between my words.

I nodded and walked away sluggishly, why would Uncle Tee tell Johnny's Mum he was about to change when he was hot instead and sweating, and he also told me he is busy with the phone like I asked for it in the first place.

Thought of Uncle Tee clouded my mind, I dragged my feet away from his room and then stopped as I started to hear their voices.
  "Tee I hope all is well with you"
  " Yes, am fine ma."Uncle Tee replied.
  "I know Vera is close to you, but remember she is a girl child and you are a male. I understand and trust you are a responsible person but this genders doesn't work together at all.
Vera is still young and not open in any way possible, please she is an only child, I hope you understand."
  " Vera well ma I do understand"
  " Thank you, they will soon be back from the meeting by the way"

As soon as the conversation ended I hurried to were Johnny was. "Vera is still young and not open in any way possible...". Aunty's words replayed in my head. I didn't know what she meant but she sounded serious to take such words as a joke. What exactly was wrong? I asked my self.Was it the answering Uncle Tee, or the games on his phone, or the secret play.
No, none of them looks wrong or something a girl child shouldn't do. I concluded it not concerning what I should know and focused on Johnny.

  "What did he give you this time"  Johnny welcomed me with a question.
  "I played some games on his phone and he also told me about...that all" I remembered it was a secret play. Secrets are not meant to be told.
  "Okay, go back and continue, because am going home and I don't want to play anymore. And we shouldn't play to much, we will soon be writing tough exams by next year" my jaw dropped in shock. I didn't imagine Johnny will get this angry.
He never talks in this manner to me and now he is going home.

  "You can go if you want to, I can stay at home without you and still play and read as well" I replied in defence.
Johnny gave me a disappointing look, took his things and left.

In my life I have never felt so lonely and left out, as Johnny left the gate I realized how his presence alone kept me company. Who would I be with through out the weekend, Uncle Tee was out of the option, my parents are busy and I don't have friends to fill up the space.
As soon as my parents were back, Johnny's Mum told them about the quarrel Johnny and I had and she went home to make sure he is okay.
That was the worse weekend I had, Johnny didn't show up not even once, Uncle Tee would give me his phone willingly not only for games this time but mainly for the secret play, occasionally he would show me some videos of naked people which I didn't find comfortable with. The remaining of his stay in my house was the opposite of what I expected, I avoided Uncle Tee and his phone untill he left after a week to his new apartment.
Weeks felt like years, pushing through all odds, I was writing my final exams to be a senior student.

It was Christmas and finally I cheered up knowing for sure I will be receiving gifts, new clothes and shoes, in fact everything new. To sum it all Johnny and his Mum were coming over to see my parents for some good news.
Finally I will get to see Johnny and apologise for everything I did and we will get back to the way we were. It was a dream come true.

It was twentieth December, we all seated around the dinning table after a good dinner.
  "Barrister this is very nice, I have always known you as a good cook" Johnny's Mum said while wiping her hands. She was one of the few people who calls my Mum by her profession. It has been a habit since we were growing up.
  "Thank God o, my mother did her work"she replied to the compliment.
  "Before we forget, now we are together, share the good news so as to add to the celebration. Vera leave the dishes, you can do that with Johnny later" my Dad said and called out to me from the kitchen.
  "Okay am coming!" I replied with excitement and giggles.

We were now together, ears open and ready to rejoice to the good news.
  "First of all I will like to say a big  thank you to you two, you've been more than friends but family to me and my son all these years. Finally God did it for me and I got a call from the company I placed job in Suleja, arranges have been made and we are moving in two days time. I will get Johnny enrolled in a good school immediately we adjust."
  "Wow, thank God that's a good news from you"my Mum said cheerfully. You could see the genuine smile from cheek to cheek on their faces. They hugged and wished each other good luck on every of their endeavours.

I felt numb and empty, it felt like the remaining happiness I stored for today was pierced and spilled away. Tears dropped down on my face, a strong force I couldn't process held me to the chair, the only thing I felt was the tears pouring down non stop like there was a whole drum of it waiting for that moment. Johnny glanced to my direction probably to see my reaction, the look he saw broke him as well.
   "Oh Vera, it's ok. We will visit from time to time"Johnny's mum tried consoling me.

Just then it dawned on me it wasn't a dream or imagination. I couldn't help it anymore. I let loose everything holding me from making to much noise. I cried hard and I felt the pain this time. Yes, I felt it in my head, deep inside of me, it was like I was injured somewhere I couldn't see physically. The more I cried the more it came, I remembered how I missed him, finally got to see him, preparing to make up for what happened and then he is leaving.
  "How is this a good news?" I asked with a coarse voice.
My cry changed everyone's mood all at once, they began to see it was'nt really a good news I guess. Johnny came over and took my hands in his. "Please ma before we leave, I want to see Vera inside alone"
  "Of course, go ahead" my Mum said to him.
  "It won't be easy for them at all, they are really close" I heard Johnny's Mum say.

  "Vera am going to miss you"
Johnny's arms were around me so tightly, I could barely breathe but that wasn't the problem. I just couldn't give him simple reply.
  "Look Johnny, I know we haven't been in good terms and am very sorry, it has been my fault but I planned to make things right, you can postpone the date a little further, Johnny if you go am going to be alone, you know I don't have friends, must you even move, you Mum can work from here after all Suleja is not really far..." I kept on asking and answering myself between tears under his arms.

He pulled me away gently, wiped away the tears on my face held me and looked straight to my eyes.
  "Vera you know it's not possible and I should be the one saying sorry, I didn't understand you and I think I was jealous. Don't think of my absence for too long, get to meet other people in your new school and you will make new friends. With time you won't feel my absence to much."
  "You will come back soon and you won't forget me right?"I went right under his arms again.
Johnny and I haven't really had such an emotional moment before like this. The whole thing felt new to me.
  "I promise to come back Vera and just know that I really love you just like a sister"

Separating from Johnny was a shock that took me a long time to recover from, I felt every second of my holidays like a school project.
My parents got me a phone as a Christmas gift surprisingly. I was already conversant with phones so it wasn't difficult, I always got in touch with Johnny but they never visited like promised.

If this chapter interested you even a little bit please vote and leave a comment🙂.
Have a nice weekend dears😗💗