Save Shade

13

Smiling calmly to herself, Shade goes through Keziah and Keturah's pictures on her mobile. She swipes to the right and sees one of the three of them and smiles in joy. Gone were the days when their house was her abode. Those days when she would have long sleepovers at their place and no one will question their joy.
  A knock goes at the door and she looks up in anticipation. The knock goes again and Abeni calls out to her.
  "Shade!"
"Ma! I'm coming." She hurriedly rises up and puts on black flip flops as she walks to the door.
  She turns the door knob and opens the door. Abeni waves her over and she follows her to the living room.
  "What are you doing inside?"
"I'm not doing anything. Too tired to study so I'm just there." She replies folding her arms at her back.
  "Ehn ehn? Since when did you become so jobless in this house that you now have time for frivolities?" Her step mother asks annoyed.
  "No ma. I was just trying to..."
"Will you keep quiet?" She barks at her making Shade jump in fright.
   "Am I the one talking that you're trying to talk? O ma baje o(you are spoilt o.) You really lack home training infact. What sort of nonsense is that?" She asks standing up in annoyance. She moves towards her raging with anger as the latter screams and runs to hide by the drape curtain separating the living room from the dining room.
  "Just thank your stars that I'm in my best mood this afternoon. Just thank your stars. Now, since you have nothing doing, you will go to my room and pack my dirty clothes from my laundry basket and wash them for me. When you're done with that, you should report to my room for your next assignment." She states and trumps out of the living room leaving Shade mouth agape.
  "What's going on? Did I do something to annoy her? Or is it pregnancy hormones? But she really doesn't look pregnant? Or did Dad offend her and she's reacting to it by passing out the aggression on me?" She soliloquies going into the kitchen. Her tummy grumbles in protest as she steps into the kitchen. She holds the tummy and bends a little scrunching up her face.
  "Ouch! I actually forgot to eat since morning. Ah!" She groans in pain holding firmly on to the washing basin. She bends over double and winces in intense pain biting her lower lip to muffle her cries.
  She hits her tighs a few times and shakes her head before the door opens again and her step mother storms in.
  "And what is going on here? Can't you answer me?"
  "My tummy...." She cries out in pain her fingers biting into her cloth covered stomach.
"You're not getting to me young lady so you better stop that nonsense you're doing right now. I mean it! Now out of this place!" She shouts again making Shade trudge out of the kitchen in severe pain. She moves to the washing room and sees the pile of clothes sitting on the tiled floor near two basins and a bowl. She slugs past them still holding her tummy and rubbing in circles to the washing machine. She plugs in the machine and struggles to carry the bucket of water. Non decisive, she tries again though looking at the door as if waiting for help. She shakes her head negatively and goes out the door to the living room where Abeni is sited, attention on her phone.
  "Auntie Abeni." She calls in a whisper as the latter turns to look at her with disgust.
"Please I need help with pouring water into the machine. I can't carry it because of the pain coming from my stomach." She goes on nevertheless.
"Who mentioned you using the machine? You're using your hands of course. We both know that I love having my clothes hand washed. You of all people know that better, so don't give me that trash. You're making dinner, so don't spend eternity washing those clothes." She submits and returns her attention to her phone.
  A lone tear runs down her face as she slowly turns to go. As soon as she steps into the washing room, she involuntarily burst out in tears.

What got into Abeni? Well I'm wondering too. Like, what's going on? I'm as surprised as you are. I really hope this is not the beginning of hard life for Shade.
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   Yours in Ink; Bethel ™