BABY TUNMISE

Chapter Eight

Itunu did not discover that the yellow cardboard was missing until four days later.

She was on her period, looking for one of the set of panties that she usually used during the time. She brought out all of her clothes from her bag and when she found it, her mind went to the yellow cardboard.

And then she realised that she couldn't find it. There was no way it could have disappeared, just like that.

Someone had taken it, definitely.

Itunu remembered her dream...was it really a dream?

Apprehension settled in her stomach and she felt like puking. What if it was not a dream? What if someone was really in her room that night, what if it was the kidnapper among them?

She searched everywhere in the room, just to confirm. The yellow cardboard was nowhere to be found.

Somebody had been in her room while she was sleeping, she realised.

This is getting out of hand.

Fear gripped Itunu. She wanted to call her mother again, but then she decided there was something more important to do, first. Before she forgot, she hurriedly wore her night dress from the night before and raced out to find her aunt, Tamilore.

Tamilore was in her room, and her husband was there too. Itunu did not expect that at all. She wasn't as free with her aunt's husband as she was with her aunt, so she comported herself.

"Yes? What do you want?" Tamilore asked tiredly.

"I...I um. I wanted to ask for the keys to my...my room," Itunu said.

"Why? You know I don't like leaving keys out, because children could lock themselves in or even misplace the keys..." Tamilore started to oppose.

"Please, aunty Tamilore. I need it."

Tamilore frowned, "Why are you insisting?"

"Maybe she wants her privacy. You know she's now a big girl," Dipo cut in, a small smile playing on his lips.

Itunu felt her skin crawl with his statement.

Tamilore chuckled in spite of herself. "Okay then. I'll look for it for you and give you later."

Itunu nodded, "Okay Ma. Thank you." As she left their room, she hoped her aunt didn't just say that to dismiss her.

She went back into her room. She picked up her phone and dialled her mother's phone number. She tried calling her over ten times yet not one time did the call go through. Itunu became scared; she was going to have to stay here.

She was sad, and she thought about how it felt to have a dad. At least if she had one, if her mother couldn't come and pick her, her dad would be another alternative. They could lie to the police that she had an important exam to take. Hers had died when she was a toddler, so ever since Itunu could remember, she didn't have a father---or know how having one felt like. Her mother never remarried since then.

She shook her head when Titi, the housemaid came to knock on her door, informing her that lunch was ready. Itunu was on the brink of tears, so she went to wash her face in the bathroom and wiped it, and then she came outside.

* * *

Tiwa looked very sad, so Modupe asked her what was wrong.

She whimpered, "I'm going to have to redo a whole year. A whole year!"

Her sister pursed her lips. "I'm just tired," she empathised with her.