The Second Path

Epilogue

Song: Neverending story by Stray Kids

Epilogue

TWO MONTHS LATER...

"Do you have to go today?" Daniella asked me while adjusting her glasses to look outside the car window, "It's clearly drizzling outside."

"I have eyes." I argued, clearly seeing the condition of the weather.

"You know..." Davina paused uncomfortably and turned her head to look back at me from the passenger seat, "you can't be doing this forever. Sooner or later, you will get tired. Then you will have to stop."

Despite how painful that sounded, I knew she was telling the truth. But it has been only two months, and two months felt too soon to be giving up.

I just stared outside the window beside me and only said, "I made a promise to him."

Neither of the double Ds said anything after. Also not aunty Vivian that was in the driver's seat.

Actually, aunty Vivian was always quiet whenever I was around and we've barely had a conversation together. The longest one we ever had was when she asked how kaka was doing and that was all. Just an entire four-word sentence conversation.

But with time, I know we will probably get along, even though we didn't end on a good note last Christmas in Mansur. The only reason why I was even able to stay in my cousins' house was because Kaka convinced aunty Vivian to let me stay.

"I will see you people at home." I said while breaking the little silence and reaching for the door handle.

"Don't forget today is the last signing of Kauna's adoption." Daniella reminded, "Aunty Rejoice will be very angry if you don't come."

Aunty Rejoice was the double Ds next door neighbour in their estate. She was an Akwa Ibom middle-aged widow who had two grown married children. But she looks after two other little children she adopted few years ago and Kauna was going to be the third one. She was a very devoted and loving woman who believed her purpose on earth was to raise children from poor backgrounds.

Kauna's original name was now going to be her baptismal name; Sarah. But we were still allowed to call her Kauna since it was now her middle name. And now that she was officially going to be aunty Rejoice's adopted child, she will be known as Sarah Attah and not Kauna Audu anymore.

"You know I can't miss this one." I scoffed at Daniella's last sentence while opening the car door, "I have never even missed any of their past meetings before. I will take keke after I'm done here."

"Take taxi." Aunty Vivian finally spoke.

Then it hit me that Davina has warned me countless times that her mother hates it when we use keke-na-pep or okada (motorcycle). Even though it has been two months, I was still trying to adapt to this new ajebo life in Abuja. It was so different from Kaduna.

"Okay." Was all I could say, even though I was still planning to use keke-na-pep. Sadly, my okada days were gone since okadas were banned from Abuja.

"Take the umbrella at the back." Davina said to me once I stepped one leg out of the car.

I picked up the green umbrella from the back windscreen side and finally got down from the car.