SHADOW OF THE PAST

15 Diana's Return

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A Year After…

Diana was later discharged from the prison and ousted back to Nigeria.

She arrived in Nigeria with nothing, and due to shame she had nowhere to go. She would have gone to her parent's house in Lagos, but she recalled telling them she was coming home with her fiancé, and it would be disgraceful for her to show up there empty-handed and without a man to show off as her husband-to-be as she has claimed years back.

She made up her mind to go over to Mrs. Esin. She knew Mrs. Esin would accept her back no matter the situation. She knew she could help cover her shame as she had done in the past when she was pregnant twenty-something years back.

An hour later…

She arrived at Mrs. Esin's former house, where she gave birth and breastfed Zoe before she fled with a man and went abroad abandoning Zoe with the poor woman.

When she arrived in the area, she noticed a lot of changes in the environment where she had lived for four years.

At first, it was very difficult for her to locate the actual place. But, after minutes of parading the whole neighborhood, she finally located the house.

She was so convinced about the changes because the house was formerly painted green, but newly painted brown and yellow.

She stepped into the compound that was occupied by so many tenants. The house is a face-to-face apartment of twelve rooms in total.

“Why you go dry your clothes on top of my wire?” an angry woman holding a bucket scolded a lady who had sundry her clothes on her rope for sunning clothes. “Na every tenant for this house get rope, only you no gree tie ya own rope.”

“That doesn't mean you should squeeze my clothes to a corner.” the young lady argued.

Diana shook her head and wondered if she could still cope in this kind of environment again. She remembered how she used to pick fights with other co-tenants back then.

An elderly woman came outside to settle the issue. As the elderly woman stepped outside, Diana could recognize her to be the landlady.

She approached her after she noticed that the matter has been settled…

“Good evening Mama Kano.” she greeted her respectfully and the landlady wondered where the strange lady knew her from. It was obvious that she couldn't recognize her anymore.

“Good evening my dear,” she responded to her greetings. She knew the strange young lady that stood before her might have known her so well for her to call her by such a name.

Mama Kano is a name given to her by any tenants and neighbors who resided in that area. The reason behind the name was because she was born, bred, and married in Kano state. Later her husband moved down to Abuja where he had a house of his own. She usually expresses her experience and the life she lived at Kano to everyone that comes to rent an apartment in her husband's house. Hence, she was been referred to as ‘Mama Kano’ by all.

“It's me Diana Mrs. Esin's daughter.” she introduced herself and it took Mama Kano some minutes before she could recognize her.

“Haaaaa… My old-time friend… Mrs. Esin.” she drawled as she remembered the name of one of her tenants and close friends years back.

Her response made Diana wonder if Mrs. Esin still resides in the house.

“How is she doing? And how is your daughter?” Mama Kano asked as she ushered her to where she could be seated outside the building. She offered her a seat and took hers thereafter.