A Break Apart

CHAPTER 18. Unplanned Meeting

I was still battling with the sleep in my eyes as I dragged my feet behind Mum to lock the front door like she had asked me to.

"Tell Natty I'm off to work. I'll see you guys soon."

"Yes, Mummy," I said, rubbing my eyes with the back of my hand.

"And make sure you take care of her," she added.

"Oh, please... I'm not her babysitter."

She chuckled. "Alright. Bye, baby." She walked out of the house to her car.

"Bye." I waved with a lazy smile, and then I sluggishly closed the door.

I got back to my room and met Natasha in the exact position that I had left her, covered in my blanket from her head down to her feet. I watched her for a moment, forgetting how sleepy I was earlier, and then I flew on top of her like a skydiver.

"Wake up, sleepyhead!"

"Ouch... did you lose your brain under a rock?" she grumbled under the cover.

"C'mon!" I climbed off her body and sat beside her on the bed. "Are we going to spend the whole day in bed? It's almost nine o' clock, and Mum just left for work."

She uncovered her head and looked over her shoulder, her sleepy eyes blinding out after they came in contact with the light in the room. "She left already?"

"I spoke English."

She covered her head and laid down again.

I dragged the blanket off her. "Get up!"

"God... Nadine!" She propped up and swiftly turned in my direction, eyes wide awake. "You know, for someone who has eight siblings, I hardly get enough sleep. So can you please...?"

"You have a point, but still, I won't have you sleep the whole visit until Austin comes to pick you up."

She laughed. "I won't."

"Fine. I'll let you sleep a little longer while I have my bath, and then-"

"Oh, thank God!" She grabbed the hem of the blanket in her fists and laid down with it.

I rolled my eyes. "And then you'll run the list of your siblings from top to bottom. I need to get it right once and for all."

"We are not doing that again! What you need is a doctor to check your memory because I think you've been suffering from partial amnesia," she said from underneath the blanket.

I grabbed the pillow that laid beside me and hit her head with it, but she played dead. "It's not a request," I said, getting off the bed to the bathroom.

"Just go and have your bath!" I heard her yell.

I got out of the bathroom, and Natasha was still in bed. I smirked, went back in and came out with a bowl of water. I sprinkled the cold water on her exposed face and, with a scream, she jerked up.

"God! You're worse than my eight siblings combined." She swung the cover off her body, climbed down from the bed and stomped to the bathroom.

"Since you want to act like a kid I'll gladly be your Mama!"

"You're not nice!" she yelled from the bathroom.

"Love you too!" I yelled back.

I got dressed in a baggy trouser and a white tank top, and then I sat at my vanity to blow-dry my hair, which I left hanging on my shoulders afterwards. I picked up Chimamanda Adechie's Half of a Yellow Sun from my wardrobe and walked to my bed.