Adenike Ekon ✔

20. Graduation day

In the past month, Adenike had busied herself with preparing for the competition and rewriting her grandfather’s book.

Her grandmother’s health had been decreasing as the days went by. Her dad was occupied with work. He hardly visited during the weekends, only when the work was less.

Through all that, her family was understanding. Adenike's mother didn’t complain about her writing on the dining table during breakfast, lunch, or dinner. She understood why she did that. Adenike was finishing the final touch to her grandfather’s book.

The book she realized was set in an ancient village in Lagos, Eti Osa LG. Adenike wondered if he grew up there. Perhaps, he had a relative of some sort.

The story followed a young hero Chetachi as he navigated the street of Lagos. Adenike was fascinated with her grandfather's writing style.

She thought about how much of a writer he would be if he lived.

The story was meant for her to rewrite, if fate was useless a few months back, then, Adenike knew that fate was authentic.

“Ade,” her mother called. She turned from where she sat on her chair, with headphones on. Keyboard spread on her desk.

When she saw her mother's teary face. Adenike dropped the headphones on the table and rushed to her.

“It's your grandmother—” she broke into a fit of sobs.

“Don’t tell me, Please,” Adenike pleaded. She didn’t want to hear the bad news. She held her hands on her ears trying to block the world.

If what she thought had happened then she rather not hear it said aloud.

“I was about to say that—”

Adenike shushed her by placing her fingers on her lips urging her not to say what she thought she would say.

“Your grandmother's  high blood pressure had decreased miraculously.” Her mother grinned amidst the tears falling from her eyes.

Adenike wipe away her tears, she thought she lost her grandmother. She had lost hope, she didn’t know how she would live with herself if something happened to the old woman.

“What did you think I was going to say?” she asked.

Out of embarrassment, Adenike pushed the door closed. She opened it a tiny bit and removed her head.

“Nothing,” she smiled.

“Get dressed we are picking her up from the hospital.”

Adenike was very excited that her grandmother would come back home.

How funny it was, that two months ago, she didn’t want her to visit and had a fight over that.

She rummaged through her wardrobe looking for something to wear. The twins were already there. The twins had a very strong connection with their grandmother, especially Kehinde. The knitting class had worked out perfectly for him.

Adenike came upon a T-shirt and jeans. She concluded it was the best outfit she would wear.

The clothes reminded her of  Precious, they hadn’t talked after she went to their house.

When she met her in the hallway on a school day, she pretended she never knew her. And Adenike did the same.

—❣—

Anwulika and Adenike bonded over time. They talked more and spent a lot of time together.

Rokibat had joined a Quranic competition and hung out less with them. The holiday was near, the group had made plans for that.