Yellow Tales of a Nigerian Housemaid (completed)

Chapter Forty Two

"I still don't understand why you always make an exemption when it comes to her. For Christ sake Mama, there's a prayer we've organised already!" Aunt Oby yelled.

Mama was seated on a cushion in the common room. The windows were wide open with the curtains tied in a knot to let in more air. Mama's chair rested on the wall right beside the open window with her head leaning perfectly on the head rest. She was chewing a soft gum, puffing and popping gum balloons at intervals. She was placing her fat legs on the centre table, crossing and recrossing them on each other every passing minute.

I was standing beside Mama, my back resting on the wall too. My eyes darted from one end of the room to another, occasionally stealing glances at aunt Oby. I didn't want her to catch me staring at her, with her raging hormones and anger, who would want to be her victim?

"How can you just push the family's well-being aside for a meagre competition? How can you suspend a prayer session the whole family have agreed on just so Nneogo can go for a silly competition?" Aunt Oby was still raging on.

"I don't know why you're so angry" Mama responded calmly, obviously not affected by her rants. She lifted her legs off the table and rested them on the floor. She then leaned forward from the cushion, lowered her head, shoving it into her palms.

"I didn't cancel it, I only shifted it a bit to allow a 'human' write an exam" Mama continued stressing on the word human.

"This isn't an exam, it's an ordinary competition!" Aunt Oby yelled the more.

"How would know the difference when you didn't concentrate in school?" Mama shot back, lifting her head off her palms. "What's the difference between competition and exam? Is a competition also not an examination? Aren't they given questions to answer?"

"They aren't the same thing Mama. Competition is not examination" Aunt Oby replied turning to her. Her eyes darted sharply at me and I lowered mine to avoid her gaze.

"Anu ofia (Wild animal)! Onye nzuzu (Fool) Iti boribo (illiterate)!" Mama cursed resting her back on the cushion again.

"Mama stop cursing me because of this silly girl. Atleast I went to school, I know many who didn't" She responded rolling her eyes.

"So you're indirectly calling me an illiterate Oby? Did I ever argue that I wasn't one?" Mama asked sitting up. "Look Oby, I'm a proud illiterate who has managed to send some people to school even though they don't deserve it. It's so bad that instead of coming back with a certificate, they brought a penis home!" Mama was standing now. "By the way even as an illiterate, I'm still more knowledgeable than you'll ever be!" And with that, she stormed out of the common room.

I was huskily walking behind her, hurling like a shadow. Mama nearly rammed the door into my skull, I guess she never knew I was following. Her horrific expression when she heard me scream out explained it all.

"And why were you walking like a haunted ghost? Couldn't you have made a sound?" She barked obviously trying to calm herself. I kept mute, lowering my face to the floor.

"Are you hurt?" She asked nonchalantly, walking over to the bed and laying on it. I nodded and walked in too. I carefully closed the door since my poor brain kept telling me that someone might also be behind me. I walked over to the other side, right beside the wardrobe where I laid my school bag. I lowered myself to the cold floor, dragging my buttocks to the wall to lean on it. Settled, I pulled my bag closer and zipped it open. I searched for my food and nutrition notebook and began studying it.

I was still hovering over my book when the door flung open, and hit forcefully on the poor wall, producing a sharp deafening sound. Mama who was obviously deep asleep jerked up, with me racing up too from where I sat.