Wasted Years (Episode One)

Episode six

Wasted Years
(Episode 6)

The sound of my ringing tone woke me. It was Dakota calling, I picked the call immediately.

"Good morning," I said weakly.

"Hi baby love, I saw your missed calls. I left my phone in my hotel room and was having a few bottle of beer with some old friends. I am sorry baby." He said nicely. It was unusual of him to have apologized that easily without being egoistic.

"Your mother and I spoke." I paused.

"oh good, what did she say?"

"She asked me if you and I were still seeing each other."

He chuckled, "Why did she say that?"

"I should be asking you Dakota. You and I have been dating for almost nine years, I talk to your mom all the time, why would she ask such a question?"

"Ah! you have started o. Mama that is suffering from amnesia, she doesn't remember you."

"What are you insinuating? Mama suffering from amnesia? When and how? I am just hearing this for the first time."

"I forgot to tell you, she has memory loss problems. You remember when we had issues and you left the house, I called her and told her we broke up, so she probably has forgotten that I called and told her again, that we've reunited." He said convincingly.

"Hmm, okay. I have heard you. You didn't tell her that I sent those gifts to her."

"I did, shebi I have told you that mama is sick with memory loss issues, leave her alone please."

"Okay, I have heard you."

"I am on my way back with my sister Eno. It's long vacation, so she will be coming home with me."

"Oh great, what of your other sister?" I asked excitedly.

"She will stay with mama. I can't take the two of them and leave mama alone in the village."

The call ended coolly. I was impressed that my suspicion wasn't true. I rushed to the kitchen and made different delicacies for Eno his younger sister before I left for the office that morning.

I came back from the office early because of Eno, I'd wanted to see her. Dakota had told me she was brilliant and beautiful too. As I alighted from the car, she didn't need to be introduced. She rushed at me and hugged me tight to herself.

"Sister Ifure," She said shrilly. She was twenty five, but looked nineteen; young and smallish on a low cut hairdo.

"How are you and how did you know it's me?" I asked smilingly.

"I have been seeing your pictures in brother's phone." She said. "Sister, thank you for all the clothes you used to send to mama, my sister and I, my friends in the village envy me when I wear them." She said with a childish grin.

"You're welcome. Come on let's go have lunch. I made you something special." I said as we walked excitedly to the house. I hugged Dakota warmly, and while Eno and I were eating he was playing games at the sitting room.

Eno was like my own sister. We cooked together, spent time together before bedtime, and I took her to many places in Lagos; beaches, ice cream joints etc. She liked me, and told me everything about herself.

"How do you people cope with mama and her amnesia?" I asked the question as we were driving home from a shopping mall one evening.

"Amnesia? Mama doesn't have amnesia, Abasi kan o!" She exclaimed.

"Do you know what amnesia is?" I asked.

"Yes sister, people that don't remember things."

"And you say your mother doesn't experience that?" I asked.

"No. We don't have such sickness in my family." She replied with a disgusting shrug.

"But Dakota said mama isn't well, that she is suffering from amnesia."

"Why would brother tell a lie like that?"

"A lie?" I asked.

"Yes, a big lie!" She exclaimed. "Sister, let me tell you something, you're like a woman like me, and I will not want any man to do to me what brother is doing to you."

"What do you mean?" I asked, marvelled at her words.

"I was surprise to hear that you are still staying in brother's house o. Meanwhile, he came to the village to introduce the girl he is getting married to in December."

My tongues where tied instantly, I tried to slow my breathing and find a place to pack the car.

"When mama asked him of you, he said that he can never marry a woman who has done so many abortions. That he is not even sure you have a womb. Mama told him that he must marry you, but he declined. He said he won't. That he wants a fresh girl." She shrugged casually. "The girl he brought to us is so fat, she isn't even as beautiful as you are. Brother Dako said she is a medical doctor."

"Wha...t...what are you saying?"
I stopped, took a breath because I knew I would stutter even more if I didn't.

The world blurred before my eyes as I managed to drive home that day. My heart was dead. She'd noticed my sad countenance, so she held my hands and said soothingly, "I would have really loved my brother to marry you sister. You're a very good woman." But I looked at her like I was reading something on her forehead.

I walked to the sitting room and met him there, sitting like he owned the world and can fuck with it.

©Vicky Bon
August 2018