My Mother's Daughter

Moving on

It's been Five days since the burial, we were all still dressed in black attire mourning our mother and for the most part, my father had been quiet. Usually, the first thing he would do when he woke up was to ask me or any of my siblings to put on Ebenezer Obey or play some K1 DE Ultimate but he didn't do that lately. He just ate and spoke to us occasionally.

You don't notice how differently people grieve till you are in a house with three grieving people. Wale was getting ready to go back to work as his leave was coming to an end and he had to resume so today we were following him to the market to buy foodstuffs he was taking with him back to Lagos where he lived with his girlfriend Adora.

Adora was friendly and my mother liked her. She loved how passionate she was about feminism and her ability to get almost anything done especially in a society where women are told to be silent to progress.

" I'm sitting at the front " Shade called from inside the house to my brother while he poured water into the radiator with my father supervising.

I step outside to join them when my phone vibrates and Olamide's name flashes on the screen and I quickly answer.

" Guyyy ASSU has called off the strike!! " she screams " I can't wait to be back in school. I've missed Iya Moria and Shop 10".

I let out a little chuckle. It seemed unfamiliar. Of course, the only thing Olamide could think of was food. " are you sure? You know every time they are always saying the strike has been called off but it's not "

" For real this time it's been announced " she replies " I saw it on Twitter " she adds.

Her sources sounded sketchy but it was the fact that she thought to call me that mattered " thank you"

" How are you holding up ?" she asks.

" Honestly, I feel like a robot. I don't even.." before I can complete my sentence I hear Shade's voice letting me know that it was time to go so I hurriedly say my goodbyes to Olamide and make my way to the vehicle.

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I hated this trip.

Everyone at this market know my mother and I could see the pity in their eyes when they looked at us and the side " Eyah and she was a good woman " they muttered frequently anytime we passed or bought something.

I hated it.

I know they meant well but I hated it. I gate being pitied or looked at with pity.

The people at the market didn't even negotiate with us, any price we called they agreed to which was good for my brother I guess.

I hadn't brought up what Olamide had said but Shade also was it online and announced it in the car so my father concluded I would be accompanying Wale to Lagos.

He lived on the Island which made it easy for him to drop me off at Yaba before heading to his destination.

I let out a sigh of relief when we loaded all the things we got from the market into the car and were on our merry way out of the market.

The longer I stayed home, the worse I'll feel.