The Chosen One

Chapter Nineteen

 
 
"Good morning, mom, and good morning, dad." Alex greeted his parents, who were in the sitting room with his sister, as he entered the house with the old man.
"Good morning, son. Hope you slept well?" His mom asked. 
"Yes, I did. Thanks mum" 
"Good morning, Baba Agba." The three of them greeted the old man simultaneously. 
 
"Dad, mom, I'm really sorry for how I behaved last night." He said, as he sat down on a sofa his sister was sitting on, behind the one where his parents were.
"I really didn't mean to. I guess I did that because the whole thing happened too suddenly. I'm sorry for letting my emotions get the better of me, especially you, dad. I really love you, and I'm always grateful to have you as my parents." He apologised. 
 
"Come over here." His father slapped the sofa, indicating that he should sit between him and his mother. They both moved to the edges of the seat on both sides, to create a space for him. 
 
 
 
He stood up to join them, as his father said. 
 
"We understand you, although what you said last night hurt me, I know you are bound to act that way." His father said. 
"We are sorry as well for keeping the whole secret hidden from you, for so long. We only did it for your good." His mother said. 
 
"I understand, mom," he replied.
"I've been meaning to ask, is that the smell of alcohol oozing from your mouth?" His mother asked.
"Yes." He scowled.
"He said that I had to drink it, that I would eventually do it one day," He made eye contact with the old man, who had been sitting on the third sofa all along, "although I resisted, but he was keen on me drinking it, which I eventually did, in order not to disrespect him." He quickly added, to prove his innocence. 
 
"He had to. There are some things and practises that he needs to engage in henceforth, that oppose your beliefs." He explained, and went to his room.
 
"What?!" Alex asked, seeing his sister's eyes fixated on his, and staring at him.
"So I have to remind you before you will greet me?"
"Oh, sorry, big sis," he smiled and went to sit beside her, "it skipped my mind because I was engrossed in apologising to my parents first." He said.
" So? "
"Good morning, sis. Hope you slept well?" He winked at her.
"Okay, fine." She replied.
"Thanks, big sis." He hugged her. 
"Eww. I can't withstand the smell of the alcohol. Go brush your teeth this instant." She disengaged from the hug. 
"Is it that obvious?" He asked, looking at his parents.
"It nauseates me, so for your information, young man, it is!" She affirmed.
"Okay, I'll be back soon. Let me quickly brush my teeth." He said.
"Better!" His sister replied.
 
 
"Breakfast is almost ready, so join us soon." His mother said, as he walked to his room, to brush his teeth.
 
They had rice, sauce, and chicken, for breakfast.
 
"I don't know if you're up for it, I'll like you and I to take a stroll around some part of this town." His sister said, while they were eating.
"That sounds good and fun. Whenever you are ready, I am." He smiled.
 
After breakfast, while he was still in his room, Brian called to know if he had apologised as he advised. They also spoke about some other things.
 
"Do you remember what I told you when I turned sixteen?" Alex asked him. 
"That was two years ago, guy. Be specific. Do you know how many girls I've dated from then until now?" 
"Lol. Remember I told you the following day after the celebration that there is a lady that always shows up only on my birthday celebrations, but she stopped coming since my 14th birthday celebration?" 
"I think so. You know, my memory is kinda foggy. So, what's up?" 
"The lady is my sister, guy!" I texted him. 
"She knew you were her blood, not just blood related, but her brother all these while, and she decided not to spill it out?" He replied. 
"Yes. It really surprised me. She never showed signs that we were related at all." 
"Just imagine the pain she had felt over the years, compared to yours." He replied. 
"I don't think I could cope with that if it were me in her shoes." 
"Do you have her picture, yet?" Brian said, out of the blue.
"No?" Alex replied. 
"Okay. I thought you had, if so, I'd have told you to send one of her pictures to me, to see if she is beautiful." He sent, with a wink emoji. 
"I think you have hit your head against the wall, for saying this." Alex joked. 
"What's the age difference between you two?" 
"Guy, I don't know! Stop all these. I know where you're driving." Alex sent, with a laughing emoji. 
"Fine, you caught me. Sorry." He replied, and sent a sticker of a person raising his hands in surrender. 
 
 
 
Due to the stroll, Alex had to end their talk.
 
"You ready?" His sister knocked on the door to his room. 
"Sure. I'd be out in a few minutes." He answered.
 
Since it was simply a stroll, he quickly put on a black round-neck shirt and a blue pair of shorts.
 
"I'm set." He informed her, as he got to the sitting room where she was.
 
 
"How did you feel when you used to come visit me on my birthdays?"
"Why do you ask?" She smiled
 "I'm just curious how it was for you to know that I was your brother, while concealing the truth from me. I couldn't do that if I were in your shoes." Alex said.
"Well, at first, when Baba Agba told me that I was only privileged to see you on your birthdays, and that I would not act or let you know that we were related, I was really heartbroken. But I had to concur when he told me the reasons." She explained
 
"What were the reasons?" Alex inquired. 
It was not time for you to know the truth" she replied, as Alex had thought.
"So, I had to do as he said, until I travelled to England for my studies."
 
"Have they been the ones sponsoring your education? And were they the ones that built Baba Agba's house?"
Yes, of course. They have been the ones taking care of both of us. Where do you expect him to see the money to build the house?" She smiled, and continued, "The house is one of the best and most well-structured houses here."
"I thought as much, even considering the fact that he employed a cook." Alex added.
"He possesses many things that the majority of people in this town do not. He has a personal borehole, a generator, and other things. You probably would have been complaining to go back to the city if it weren't for the generator, regardless of the reasons you are here, because the light has not been restored since two days ago, according to Baba Fakunle." She said. 
"Man! This town is so wack."
"Now, you see the impact of your parents in our lives." If not for them, we, maybe including you, would not be living a luxurious life like this." She said.
 
 
"Do you have some pictures of our parents?" Alex asked, after a brief period of stillness between them. 
"Sure," she said. She looked around, until she pointed at a vacant bench under a tree. 
"Let's sit over there." She said.
"Are you sure it's safe to sit there?"
"Relax, everyone knows me through Baba Fakunle. Despite being exiled, he is a respected person in this community."
"Okay, if you say so." Alex agreed. 
 
"Here they are." She gave him her phone, as they sat on the bench. 
 
The first picture Alex saw was of him during one of his birthday celebrations. It was saved in her phone's image app's "Family" album. 
 
"Awwn, you even have my pictures." Alex said.
"And many more. Some you don't even know of. I have the pictures of your fifteenth and sixteenth birthdays." She said
"But I didn't have a party for that, because I stopped throwing birthday celebrations after I turned sixteen and you stopped coming when I turned fourteen. " He replied. 
Sure. Your parents sent them to me the day you took the pictures."
"Oh, I see. " He smiled.
 
Alex scrolled down until he saw a picture of a man and a pregnant woman, with a girl.
Is this you and them?" He asked.
"Let me take a look." She collected the phone from him and said, "Yes, we had the family photograph, a few weeks before your birth." She said, and, gave him the phone back.
"Unfortunately, they never get to have a picture with you." She said, in a sober tone.
 
The resemblance between him and his biological mother was obvious. He had the same spherical face and tiny nose like her, while Vivian resembled their biological father; she had a tiny eyebrow like him.
 
 He was so engrossed with the pictures on her phone that he didn't realise he had been looking at them for more than twenty minutes. 
 
"That's okay," she said, abruptly taking the phone from him. 
"You must have spent over twenty minutes looking at the pictures." She added .
"Look at how you're talking with certainty about something you are not sure of." He retorted.
"I'm sure you spent over twenty minutes on my phone." She aclaimed.
"Are you wearing a watch that is not on your wrist, or where is the phone you used to check the time?" He swung her hands. 
"You don't do that to your sister. How dare you call me a liar?"
"I never did. Maybe you think you are." He smirked.
 
Vivian chased after him, while they laughed.