Mary's diary

4

Rain was falling. Just drizzling lightly, when Mary came back from school. Her hair and clothes were slightly damp and she felt dirty. The day had been long. Too long, it seemed to go on forever. She went upstairs, peeled off her uniform and tossed it in her dirty clothes basket. She looked at the wall clock. It was 4:30pm. Where's Joshua, she thought to herself. He was probably playing football with his friends as he always did.

After a long hot shower, she sat down in front of the mirror combing her hair. Just then her phone rang.

"Hello," She said immediately she picked it up.

"Hello baby," Said a familiar deep voice. Mary smiled.

"Hey," She responded softly.

"How are you, love?"

"I'm okay. You?"

"I'm good. But only because I've spoken to you. I miss you," Simon Egbe said. He was in SS3 as well, but a commercial student.

"Miss me?" Her whole body was suddenly filled with warmth. "But you just saw me today."

"Mmhmmmn," He paused. "But I really still do miss you."

She laughed. "Okay, so.... "

"Soooo..." He mimicked her. She laughed again. "What are you doing now?" He asked her.

"Just nothing... Uh, trying to get on with some home work right about now."

"Okay," She could almost see the smile on his face. "How bout you ditch that homework-"

"What no-"

"And come outside, I'll take you out."

Mary liked the idea but she couldn't.

"No, I cant-"

"I know, I was just joking, babe." He laughed. "I do really want to take you out but not while you're studying to become a hot nurse..."

She laughed. "A hot nurse?"

"Mhhmmn. You're going to be one drop-dead gorgeous nurse. I'll deliberately fall sick just to have you attend to me."

They talked on for an hour before Mary heard the sound of the front door open and shut. "I'll call you back, babe," she said and dropped the phone.

She was the only one at home and a past experience had taught her to always keep her ears down whenever she was home alone.

"Who's there?" She asked. No one answered. She came to the stairs. "Who is there?" She asked again. The past experience came into her mind. Her heart began to pound. She silently began to admonish herself for not locking the doors after coming in.

"Hey sis," Came Joshua's perky but deep voice from the kitchen. Mary breathed a soft sigh of relief. He came out holding a piece of bread and butter. He was soaking wet from the rain outside.

"Ugggh- please have some decency to go and change."

"Okay," He said and pulled off his uniform shirt. "Not here, upstairs" She almost hissed. "You're soaking up the floor."

He eyed her and ran up the stairs.

Gingerly, she began to mop the floor filled with Joshua's large foot prints. That was when Salome came in. She looked devastated.

"Hey, Sal, what's up?" Mary smiled to her sister.

She didn't reply but just trudged upstairs.

Weird, Mary thought. She just dismissed it immediately.

"Who's hungry for some dinner? I know I am." She immediately got to cooking. Slicing the onions, chopping the carrots, mincing the meats and in a short while, she had prepared their evening supper.

She glanced at the wall clock. It was 9:00pm. Their father was yet to come back from work. It was a Friday and he usually came back as early as five in the evening. Wonder what's keeping him, she thought.

"Joshua," She called. "Come help me set the table."

"No," He said from upstairs.

"Will you please."

She heard him hiss and the sound of his video game pause. In a second he was flying down the steps.

She and Joshua were setting the table when their father came in. And he was not alone.

"Hey dad," Joshua greeted him.

"How are you, my son," Mr Adekoya responded.

"I'm fine, sir."

Just then, he noticed his father had a visitor with him. It was a lady. Mary had stopped what she was doing and was staring at her.

"Good evening ma," He greeted. The woman was pretty and young, not much older than Salome.

"How are you, Joshua," The woman smiled, revealing a pretty set of teeth.

"I'm fine, ma" He quietly excused himself to go and call Salome to dinner. Mary was still staring at her.

"And you must be Mary," The lady said warmly. Her eyes shone bright. "Your father has told me so much about you. You're so pretty."

Mary did not speak. Their father never brought a woman home, she thought. So what was going on?

Mr Adekoya laughed awkwardly. "Of course she is." He diverted his attention to the food. "This looks delicious. Where are Salome and Joshua so that we can dig in?"

Just then, they came down the stairs. Salome, wearing a long drawn look over her face.

The lady wore a radiant smile and hugged her. "Oh my, so beautiful too."

She smiled wearily. "Aunty Grace, good evening."
They began to chatter.

Wait, Salome knows her? Mary nearly said aloud. She decided that she didn't like this woman at all. Infact she almost despised her.

They sat down to the food.

"Very tasty," The woman, Grace said immediately she took a bite.

"That's my Mary. One of the best cooks out there." Her father laughed.

"So, Dad, who is... aunty Grace?" Joshua asked immediately he swallowed his food.

Took the words right out of my mouth, Mary said inwardly.

"She's uh- She's my fiance," Their father said staring lovingly at Grace.

"SHE'S YOUR WHAT?"

Mary felt the air knocked out of her.

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