“I’ll explain everything soon.”
Mum had said that.
“I’m sorry, I won’t be able to make it today.”
“Sorry, dear. Something came up.”
Looking back at those words now, I couldn't believe I had never thought much of them.
I hadn't realised they were little signs pointing me towards something I wasn't ready to see.
The direction my family was heading.
The direction towards falling apart.
“What makes you think they’re getting a divorce?” I asked my brother over the phone.
“You know I came home as a surprise, right? They weren't expecting me at all. But when I got there...” He paused. “They didn't exactly look happy to see me.”
“What do you mean?”
“The whole house just felt... cold. Mum was trying to act normal, but I could tell something was wrong. Even Dad was acting strange.”
I swallowed.
“Then what happened?”
“Last night, I heard them arguing in Dad's study.”
My heart tightened.
“What were they saying?”
“I couldn't hear everything. I didn't want to get too close because I knew they probably didn't want me to know what was going on.”
“Then how did you know it was about divorce?”
“I was about to leave when Mum came out of the study.”
He paused again.
“She was really angry. She yelled, ‘Dont act surprised when i finally leave you!'”
I went silent.
“Oh.”
“Yeah.”
“And Dad?”
“He left the house.”
“When?”
“Last night. He didn't come back.”
My heart dropped.
It was that serious?
I stared blankly at the wall in front of me, trying to process everything.
Then another thought came to me.
“Wait. Did Mum and Dad tell you where Dara and Divine have been staying all this time?”
“I thought they were at home.”
“So did I.”
“Wait... where are they?”
“With Uncle Bode.”
“What?”
“Yeah.”
I could almost hear the surprise in Dotun's voice.
“I’m just as shocked as you are,” he said.
I placed a palm over my forehead.
Suddenly, everything started making sense.
This was why Mum had been acting strangely.
Why she kept making excuses.
Why she had dropped us off at boarding school and barely visited.
YOU ARE READING
Rats, Roses And Paper Bones
Ficção GeralDoyin is used to being silent. After a false accusation forced her to leave her old school in shame, she arrives at Longford high ready to disappear. No one knows what she's running from, and she intends to keep it that way. Between low self worth b...
