THE FAMILY DINNER

👆3.

GRANDMA and grandpa sit in the sitting room. Grandpa holds a book and grandma is talking with my mum.

. I had greeted them and Nike and Kayode were on my back asking a bunch of question like how did I grow taller like I'm supposed to stay on the floor forever. It's not difficult to guess I had alot to deal with. Damilola is with Moyo upstairs maybe talking about fashion. One thing they have in common.
We were waiting for the rest. The television isn't turned on yet because the little ones weren't there to control the remote. Grandma looks younger than she used to. It's been over three years since I had seen her. She still look fragile though with her circular goggle. Her smile still reminded me of sunshine after a rainy day. Olamide, she had told me secretly that that was the name of one her lovers back in the day. My grandmother was quite an interesting woman who back in the day, she was and is still fierce. She is a great storyteller and we could stay in her study and she would tell me stories about her life or some fiction. I liked her life stories better.
She had told me a story about my dad once. She said he didn't like eating when he was young. He could throw the food away when no-one was looking but grandma always found out. He was quite a struggle she said once. Then he got into the secondary school and attended one of the schools in Lagos. St Gregory's ,I could recall. After a term, he literally ate anything he saw. I rolled with laughter. I guess that explains alot but what I love most about Grandma was her shiny black hair with streaks of Gray hair. Her hair was curly and soft and sometimes I wished mine wasn't so ....
"sister Olamide " little voices sang my name. I sighed. Before I could blink, little children surrounded me and hugged my legs tightly. dennis and Timmi looked at me from below. Toyin stood at the corner with her mother, aunt lolade. Her husband Jerome was in the balcony trying to get their load into the house. Aunty Lolade had a bright smile as she came in. I almost screamed. Three years has really been a long time. Her skin was glowing and she looked fairer than before. She wore a blue jumpsuit and wore some shades. Her red heels was another thing I adored. As if someone caught my thoughts before me, someone said "OMG aunt Lola, America has done you good" Nike said with her hands on her hips. Aunt Lola Chuckled. Toyin was awfully quiet as always clinging to her mother's side. She stared at me as I began to stroll in the kitchen. I noticed a new face. A girl like thirteen held two bags tightly to her chest. She cut her hair and wore a green gown. She's a helper I guess. Mum watched me and smiled " Be a darling Olamide and take Dennis and Timmi to the room. " I nodded and took them to Wole's room. Wole 'S room unlike mine was painted in midnight blue and his shelf was a distance from his bed. The television in his room directly cut across the bed. Dennis and Timmi didn't wait much before jumping on the bed with all joy. I watched them. They looked so adorable but my mind kept wandering back to Toyin. She wasn't like any regular seven year old. She was always quiet, very mysterious but she was a beautiful child. Unlike her brothers, she had very light brown eyes and her lips were small and pouted. She had light brown hair. It was full like mine. They kept jumping until Wole came. They seemed to fear him more than me. As soon as he saw them, they came down and tried to straighten the edges with their small hands. Wole watched them and smiled then whispered something into their ears. Soon they were all grinning at me. What did Wole do now??
" sister Olamide.. I want a cookie"
Dennis said so softly. Shit!
He ratted me out. Why do I have a feeling I'm about to be turned into a Robin Hood. Soon Timmi smiled "I want one too"
I watched Wole. His hands in his pocket. "oh well... The children have great taste for food".
"I'm sorry.. I"
"sister olamide please... Please... " they kept on begging holding the hem of my gown. I sighed. I surrendered. I looked into their eyes and I couldn't refuse them. Who would?
I went back downstairs to the kitchen and I met Wara chatting away with the new face. Wasa saw me and beamed again" hello Olamide"
The other girl watched me with curiosity.
"Does she work here too?"
EXCUSE ME?!
I couldn't blame her I guess. My gown had stains on them already from washing those plates and there wasn't really much going on on my face.
"she.. "
"Yes I work here. My name's Olamide "
Wara looked at me puzzled but I knew what I was doing. I knew how to entertain myself. As soon as I said that, a kind of tension was released. She broke into a smile.
"my name's Edna"
The kitchen was quiet for a while. I tried to busy myself so that I could sneak and collect the cookies. I wasn't smart enough " Olamide, what do you think you are doing?"
Before I could speak, Edna blurted "Give her jor! Look at her.. Poor thing.. It's not our fault that we are what we are and you know the worst part? " she asked as she dropped the napkins she was holding "We are never appreciated! Talk about our madams.. Those women are something else" she sneered. This was getting interesting. As if Wara read my mind, she said "does that mean your madam is wicked?"
She sneered and folded her arms. "she... She is something actually... Always working.. Never stays at home in fact work plenty for me at that house. Dennis and Timmi don't give me trouble but that Toyin...." she trailed off. I chuckled. The irony of it all. I wondered how badly aunt Lolade would have treated her for her to blurt out everything without thinking. She may be hard working but she sure has some wisdom issues.
"I know yours maybe bad too. Madame Lola says that Aunt Toluwa has an elder daughter. That one is probably in her room talking to one yeye boy."
I was getting angry with this woman's behaviour and I promised myself that after the dinner, aunt Lola would fire her.
I took the cookies and left the kitchen but before I left, I turned towards her "You know Edna, sometimes the daughters don't just sit in their rooms but help in the kitchen and get cookies for the junior ones" with that, I went upstairs. I got into my room and found Kayode on the bed. Nike and Dami were reading some magazine. I narrated my ordeal to them and they really had a laugh. " her face would have been so priceless" Nike said as she laughed. I checked the time. It was about twenty minutes past six. Mum says the dinner would begin at seven. All the food had been cooked and almost everyone was here. Everyone except that aunt and Shola. Shola... . My phone beeped again. It was from Bryan again. He texted something related to his family. Before now, my Bryan was an orphan and the state took care of him, made sure he had everything except a family but just last week, he was adopted. He told me she was a lovely woman. His new mother and she tells him that he looks so much like her. He told me they had a resemblance..he had never sent her picture though but I'll wait. Whenever he is ready. Now, he tells me he is going to meet the rest of his family. I hope they take him in like his foster mum. I hope they love him the way I did. Or more than I did. My family.. Did they love me? Was this all just formalities sake? I sighed. For the next three hours, Ive got to manage it. To believe they loved me. I watched Dami who tried to intercept into my mind. "Let's go downstairs.. I think someone's around"she says as she dusts her skirt and stands up. Nike stands too and Kayode follows suite. I stand up and we all go downstairs. True that, someone was at the door. Mum hugged her and I realised who was around. I can never miss the oblong head, slender legs and fair body. Shola. She was here. Kayode held me and smiled. "Talk to her? " Nike nudged. I shivered. I don't want to talk to her. "ahh calm down sister..my hand isn't wood o" Kayode whispered and then I realised I was squeezing his hand. I let go and mouthed sorry. It took a while before the rest of the family noticed us four standing by the staircase. Shola watched me with keen eyes. She brought someone along. he spoke to my dad. I stared at her. She smiled lightly. "How's my baby sister"
I smiled and reached out to hug her. We hugged briefly and smiled. Her eyes spoke different from what her mouth would probably say. We were great actors..
I went to speak to mum who told to me to instruct Wara and myself to begin the arrangement for dinner. The wooden table was an old one. Older than me. It stretched out long enough to take everyone in the house. I brought out more chairs from our storage room(where we put things that we have in excess like chinas, chairs, buckets and the rest) . Wara brought in the England wares first but before she put the plates, I put on the table cotton. I loved the cloth because it was bright and had butterfly designs on it in a darker shade of the cream colour. She laid them down and brought out the chinas. Wara went the kitchen to get glass cups while I set the plates like mum instructed. My phone beeped and I was almost done so I decided to check the message later. I realised that everywhere was suddenly quiet. Too quiet
I decided to go to the sitting room, probably something was happening . My body suddenly froze. Everything suddenly started going tipsy in my head. I got everyone's attention when the China I held fell to the floor.
"Olamide.. " he whispered
"Bryan" I whispered back
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HEYYYY.... GREAT READERS... I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING QUITE PATIENT WITH ME... THANKS!!
..OKAY.. this chapter had a lot of contemplating. There was a bit of tension with shola around and I'm sure y'all want to find out how the dinner is going to turn out... Then Bryan😵..im itching with excitement to write the next chapter and about the dinner
OK.. Here's a deal...I want comments.. Like really really really really bad because comments make me feel my work's been appreciated and plus your comments help to correct stuff so please point those out. Thanks. I got you hooked up here right??
Get ready for more surprises😂.....