A Nigerian Christmas: Twelve Days Before Christmas (IN WORKS)

°THURSDAY°

       
            ~23rd, December 2021~

Kolade was the best date ever. I would always be game to go on any date with Kolade, double date, triple date any kind of date, cause he's good company. As long as we remained cool, during the concert last night he seemed cool, like I didn't break his heart hours ago. He was just him, taking the heartbreak like it was nothing. He was a great date for the concert, and I was hoping it wouldn't be our last. He knew all the songs the gospel artist sang, from the beginning to the end, and he didn't mess up the words to the song. He sang like he was the composer. His vibe at the concert made me so happy, that my family noticed and I tried to ignore their eyes throughout the evening even when they wanted to meet him, especially Tana and Sam who wanted to know about their ridiculous bet.

Today the house was quiet, everyone was inside or outside, by outside I mean Tolu and Daniel, they didn't attend the foundation's event yesterday cause Daniel took Tolu somewhere. I missed my sister, even though we hadn't made up, seeing her around was eye-pleasing. We haven't seen since the day of our altercation, Daniel was feeding her nonsense and she was happy with the nonsense. It was good he wasn't around so there won't be something for him to lie about.

The quiet vibe of the house was from yesterday's event, no morning prayers, no kids screaming at the top of their lungs, and no guys playing PS5 early in the morning after prayer. Everyone was inside and it felt good in some type of way. The aroma of Ayamase sauce pushed me downstairs, and I couldn't be happier to see My Mum by the gas cooker giving the sauce a last stir before switching off the burner she used.

"Mama the Mama... this sauce can cause pregnancy. No wonder Daddy married you." I hype her while she giggles happily serving the sauce into a bowl.

"otide."

"Ehn na... If he smells this sauce he might propose again." she moves to smack my back but I'm too fast to run out of her reach.

"O le ki yan abi?"

"I have greeted na. I'm greeting you."

"Omo komo." We laugh.

"Mama the mama," I say still laughing. I leave her in the kitchen after scooping a little quantity of the sauce into a bowl with a little white rice. As I sit on the sofa about to take my first spoon Victoria comes downstairs crying.

"Are you okay?" I ask looking at her swollen face.

"Yeah." she walks towards the kitchen but I stop her

"Mum is in the kitchen." she pauses before she joins me on the sofa. "Want some?" She shook her head while I shrugged and continued with my food.

I was on my third spoon when Victoria decided to speak out "How are you?" that was the first how are you question I have been asked since I got home and I know what it meant.

"I'm fine."

"Not that. How are you after the incident of four years ago?" I knew what the question meant but I want to play safe. "How are you, Toni?"

"I thought I was fine. I mean everything just happened within a snap of the finger." I smile. "I tried to tell myself, Tolu just misunderstood, if I explained she would understand me." Victoria looks at me wanting me to continue. "I knew deep down I wasn't fine. Something felt missing, I so much wanted Tolu to believe me, not Daniel, I wanted her to know the truth... Then I was cut off from my family for two and a half years. I was offended and lost. I felt anger, then I was fighting Timini and Moyin for what they had done. I found it hard to forgive."

"I'm sorry." Victoria hugged me both our eyes were red from crying and the hug meant a lot. "I'm sorry I wasn't the big sister I should have been."

"It's okay. I love you all no matter what."