Save Shade

7

Mrs Alonge sits outside the hut with a thatched roof glancing impatiently at her black wristwatch as she looks up again letting out an annoyed hiss at the crowd gathered outside to see ye herbalist.
  Abeni looks at her out of the corner of her eye and shakes her head.
"Maami you know I have better things to do. See this crowd now." She complains.
  "Oh please! I'm fighting for you and you're fighting against me. What is all this? What is the better thing you have to do? Is it not to carry that witch to the hospital? Not in my lifetime."
"What I know is that Shade is not a witch. Someone that doesn't even allow me do anything in the house. She practically does every single thing without complaining." She states as he hits her palm to her left leg in order to kill a persistent mosquito.
  Mrs Alonge doesn't replies but instead catcalls a young boy putting on a white buba and pants standing at the entrance to the hut. He looks up and acknowledges her call with a smile as he runs to her happily.
  "Ekaaro ma!"
"How are you doing jare?"
"Fine ma. Good morning." He immediately switches to the English language as he turns to greet Abeni who dismisses his greetings with a wave of her hand.
  "What is Baba doing inside?"
"An Engineer is here to see him for some cases. But as soon as he is done I will tell him you're around. All these ones can wait till whenever." He says still bean in with smiles.
  "Ehn ehn? Okay. See me before I go then. Thanks so much." She says as he gives a mild bow and runs back to the entrance of the hut.
  "Maami I thought you said this is your second time here?"
  "Ehn. What did you see?"
"How come that boy knows you so well?"
   "What kind of question is that? So I have started looking suspicious to you abi? It's not your fault, it's your father that decided to be selfish with your custody."
  "You haven't answered me o....." Abeni pesters.
"The first time I came, I gave him a cash gift. That is why he remembers my face. Satisfied?" She sarcastically asks her daughter as the boy runs to them again.
  "The engineer has left. You can come in now ma." He says urshering them in as he immediately takes her bag and goes before her. A few of the other guests try to protest but the boy tells them she has a previous appointment with the old man.
   Abeni looks around in disgust as the old man exchanges pleasantries with her mother.
"Hello my daughter." He calls out looking in her direction. When she doesn't reply, her mother taps her and she jerks in response before turning to look at them.
"Baba is greeting you."
"Good morning sir." She says looking from his brown scattered teeth to the white turned brown lace damask he has on, to the blood stained white cloth,red cloth with a million cowries attached to it spread on the wall behind him. She lets out a hiss in anger before she notices the movement of his mouth.
"..... really loves you. That is why she decided to go out about your matter. Infact I already made consultations but I refused to tell her the outcome." He says looking directly at her.
  "You see, that girl is a witch. She killed her own mother and has decided to kill you too just after she kills all the children attached to your destiny though. She really means business and she knows what she is doing."
   "Ah! My head o! Baba what can we do? That was why I came to you o. I just knew it that you will do something about it. Baba please help me." Her mother cries out holding her head and breasts at intervals. Abeni who doesn't act concerned looks on while the herbalist puts on a smile.
  "You see, I already did that one before you got here. I cried on your behalf to the hearing of the gods and they replied me. There's a solution. We are going to make an appeasement."
  "Appeasement ke? Why can't we just kill her one time?"
"Ah! Maami, someone's daughter?" Abeni shouts looking at her mother in shock.
"So she didn't know before deciding to waste my own unborn grandchildren?"
"I have never even been pregnant!"
  "That's because she's eating up the babies before they get to your womb!" Her mother screams back with a higher fervour.
   The herbalist raises up his hands in a bid to stop them but shakes his short beaded staff and this succeeds in gaining their attention.
  "Abeni, how do you intend on snatching your womb from this girl if you are as kind hearted as this? Ehn? Anyways we are going to need her sponge, toothbrush and hair comb for the appeasement. Get them here and leave the rest for me." He says as Mrs Alonge hisses at her daughter and opens her handbag. Without counting, she drops some new naira notes on the floor beside him and stands up to go.
  "Thank you so much Baba Eweloogun. We will be back with the items as soon as possible." She assures him and goes after her daughter who already stands beside her blue 2022 Toyota Venza. She storms off to meet her before someone calls out to her and she looks back to see the boy from earlier.
"You told me to see you before you left ma." She nods and hands over two #1000 notes to him. He beams happily as he takes it from her.
  "May the gods answer your prayers." He says and runs off as she mutters inaudible words and walks to the passenger side of the car. Her daughter gets in and drives off without talking to her mother.

Appeasement???? Did I see that alone?? Wahala be like having a step daughter o😂😂😂😂. The boy had to run after her even in that situation. What would you have done if you were Abeni? Mrs Alonge? when the boy ran up to her.
   What do you think is happening actually??? I'm confused too😔😔. Please vote 🌟 comment and share. Much love 💖❣️

  Yours in Ink; Bethel ™