The Inbound Fates

Chapter Two

Tamara

I cursed lowly as my hand burnt from touching the frying pan. I was running late since I had missed my alarm. George wasn’t helpful in the morning either since he had slept late yesterday. I finished packing the girl's lunch and safely placed them in their bag packs.

“Girls, Thomas will be here soon.” I shouted at the girls who were still eating their porridge. I approached the dining table to help Gina with her food when I noticed the mismatched socks she had on as well as the inside out uniform blouse she had on.

“Tadala, didn’t I instruct you to help your sister dress?” I snapped at her as I helped Gina out of her chair to dress her properly.

“Mum, I tried. You know how stubborn she is when I try to help her.”

“You should have tried harder.” I mumbled as deep down I knew Gina could be stubborn as a mule especially since she claimed to be a ‘big girl'.

I dressed her properly and then helped her eat. I was just righting her socks when Thomas, their bike transporter, knocked on the door. I quickly pulled on her shoes then checked Tadala over before I ushered them out of the house.

“How are you this morning, ma’am?”

“I'm fine, Thomas, how are you?” I replied as I walked with him and the girls out of the compound. He had parked his bike outside and I had to help him settle the girls on it.

“I’m fine. I have to remind you though that I won’t be able to pick up the girls in the afternoon. So make sure you remember to pick them up.” Thomas said and I groaned.

“It was just once, Thomas, get over it.”

“Yeah, once means it is possible to happen again.”

“Okay; I won’t forget.” I gave in and he took the girls bags from me.

There was this certain day when he had told me he would not pick up the girls and I ended up forgetting until the school had called. Thomas made it a habit of teasing me about it and I didn’t take offense from it because I knew he was just being worried. Thomas was a distant cousin of mine and he took the girls to school for free. I only gave him what I could as he didn’t allow me to settle a price on it. Sometimes he even rejected the money I gave him but sometimes he took it.

“Ready to go?” Thomas asked the girls and they cheered for him to get going.
I waved at them before going back to the house. I sighed upon entering the kitchen at how messy it looked. I had not even prepared George's breakfast yet and knowing him, he would be up any moment from now. I started on his breakfast as well as I began cleaning the plates after. By the time the breakfast was ready and served in food warmers, I was almost through with the cleaning as well.

“Hey, morning.” George walked into the kitchen with a dirty plate that he must have used for a late night snack during the night.

“Morning,” I took the plate from him then deposited it in the sink before I approached the charcoal stove to get the water I was heating for him.

I carried the hot water to the bathroom before going back to the cleaning. When I finished,  I began moping the floors from our bedroom then the girls bedroom before going about the rest of the house. I was dusting out the living room when George called me.

“You called for me?” I asked when I got in our bedroom and he pointed at the dirty pairs of overalls.

“How many times have I talked about this?”

“Sorry, George, I don’t know how I forgot about those again. I have been-”

“Excuses after excuses. You know what; if you don’t want to be washing my work suits then I can easily do it myself.” George yelled and I sighed. I didn’t want to argue about this because I knew I was in the wrong.