EXODUS

6

Waking up feeling light and happy, Grace sets a new dressing time record and hops down the stairs joyfully singing at the top of her voice. She ballet dances to the dining table and drops her chair on the floor besides the dining table. She playfully pokes Deborah on the head, "Morning munchkin. How was your sleep?"
"Sweet. Looks like yours was too."
"Well, well, well, I had a nice sleep."
"Adupe."
Turning to Eunice, she queries, "You can't greet abi? See her head."
   "I didn't know you were going to answer. Besides, I thought you were annoyed with me."
"Annoyed? Because of why?"
"Well, Mom gave me my project money and she hasn't given you yours. On a normal day, you would still be annoyed with me."
   "Well, I'm now bigger than that. Don't know why I'm not annoyed though. Guess I'm used to it. Abeg don't use that one to kill my high spirits. Where's Mom?"
  Eunice points to the kitchen in response to her question. She stands up and moves to the kitchen. The elderly woman turns around  immediately she hears footsteps behind her.
"Morning Mom."
"Morning Grace. How are you doing?"
"I'm feeling different."
"It's obvious. This one you're smiling and smiling."
    "Ah! Ah! Human being can not smile in peace again ni?"
"No na. This one is just very different." Her mother comments.
"I'm hungry oo." Grace states. Immediately, her surprised mother turns to stare at her. "Ehn? You're hungry? Is this my Grace? When did you start becoming hungry?" She questions turning her this way and that.
  "Egbami. Mom can't I be hungry again?" Grace jokingly asks beaming with smiles.
"Oda oo. Go and wait in the dining room for me."
Grace obediently leaves the kitchen for the dining room and takes her seat. Twenty minutes later,  the children bade their mother bye and leave the house.
   Seeing them leave, she goes to her room and picks up her phone. She dials a number with the contact saved as 'Spy' and waits for the reply at the other end.
"Hello ma." The voice comes.
"Hello! Good morning."
"Morning ma."
"She has left home oo. But she's extra happy today. Infact she didn't whine about her project fee. She left happily and even complained about hunger."
"I feel like it's a good thing ma."
"Ah! It's not oo. She hasn't asked for food herself in a long time. Maybe she's trying to hide something."
"Okay ma. I will check her up today."
"Thank you very much ehn. My God will reward you."
"Have a nice day ma."
  "And you too. Ese gan oo." She drops the call and returns to the kitchen.

   "Decorum!!!!!!" Folafunmi, the class captain shouts at the top of her voice while trying to bring the raging class to a still. After a few seconds, the noise dies down and she gets down from the chair she stood on before. "So, we are going to have a brief meeting concerning the project Mrs Williams gave us."
"Ah ah! Shebi that's the work of the project manager." A boy putting on blue geek glasses says as she tries to get a seat.
"She this boy sha. Sadiq, infact you're the secretary of this meeting." Grace says as she stands where Folafunmi was previously standing. Shouts of "ose!" "opporr!" "Sadiq!" "secretary secretary!" rent the air as Sadiq takes a pen and a paper and settles down.
"So, I got help choosing the best idea with the most attractive theme from Overcomer. Appreciation please...."
The students respond as they jam their hands together. Grace clears her throat and continues, "So we have to options, should we act out the drama or just do a lecture caricature? We have to speak oo. I can't just decide for us." Grace urges her classmates to contribute.
"Go on Ademide."
"Before you say." The class roars with laughter before Ademide continues, "So can you like tell us what the lecture caricature will look like."
  "Okay. It will be like we're giving normal lectures. But a different person will handle the themes, the characters, the plot, the setting, the language and every other thing sha." She explains.
"Ehn?" Somebody shouts.
"Who go follow you do that one. Me wey never see that book for eyes like this." Akinola, a talk lanky boy interrupts.
"Yes oo."
"Me sef."
"Abeg that drama go dey manageable."
"Na drama we go do."
Everyone drops their opinions and Grace nods in acknowledgement. She raises up her hands to motion for silence.
"Okay guys. Drama it is."
"Can we go?"
"Yes you can."
Everyone sets to leave while Elizabeth comes to meet Grace.
"Follow me go staffroom na."
"You and who?"
"Please na. I'm packing economics note to Mr Babatunde."
"Oooo."
"I promise you two pinpops." Elizabeth stylishly bribes her friend.
"Oya na." Grace agrees.
"See her mouth." They set for the staffroom and immediately they enter, almost all the teachers begin to acknowledge Grace and she responds to their greetings. After they leave, one of the teachers says, "Omo daada ni omo yen oo. O gbeko gidi gan."
"Beeni oo. Omo daada ni."

Ekuule oo. For those that don't understand yoruba, this is me greeting you after a long time. How's everything? Happy new month 🤗💗. May this last month of the year speak good things for us. I'm sorry I waited this long. I will do something about that. I can't believe Mrs Ojo complained about Grace being too happy 😂😂😂. Nigerian mothers are never satisfied. Do have a lovely weekend and don't forget to vote and comment. That little 🌟 doesn't bite you know 😉.

Yours In Ink; Bethel ™