The Lives We Lived

29: History over breakfast.

Kemi dished the last spoon of fried egg into the large bowl and then carried the dishing bowl to dinning table.  She hadn't been able to go back to sleep after Osa had woken her up.

Whatever the reason he had left mama,  she was happy. She was beginning to think that the old witch had won. She dropped the bowl on the table and stared at all the things required to make breakfast that sat on the table.

She raised her head when she realized that no one was downstairs at the moment.  They were supposed to be in church in an hour.  She had woken both Sandra and Efe up so they could have their bath. 

"Efe," She yelled.  No one answered. 

"Sandra!"

She shook her head and walked up the staircase. Osa and his family members were all alike.  All the alarms in the world couldn't wake them up. She walked to the bead curtain and set it aside to reveal the passage way that led to the rooms. 

She walked to Sandra's room first and threw the door open. Sandra was awake,  standing in front of the walking length mirror and staring at her naked body.

"What's going on here?" Kemi asked, her eyes running down Sandra's lean form. Sandra was much slimmer than she remembered. "Aren't you going to church?"

"I am." Sandra grabbed a towel from the chair behind her and wrapped it around herself.

"You haven't even had your bath." Kemi sighed. If there was one thing she hated,  it was going late to church. It didn't matter if it was her church in Lagos or the one here. 

"I'll have my bath now." Sandra murmured. She put her braided hair into a hair net and walked towards the bathroom. 

"Hurry up. Breakfast is ready." Kemi.

"Aunty, I'm not eating. I'm not hungry." Sandra said, slamming the bathroom door shut. Kemi stared at the closed door, unable to decide if she should talk to Sandra about her tone.  Sandra was usually cheerful not acerbic. This was not the time to pick it up.  She also had to have her bath and eat.

"Just hurry up."

Kemi left the room and walked to Efe's room. She knocked on the door that led to his room. 

"Who is it?"

Kemi's sighed and her shoulders relaxed. At least he was awake.  She was almost sure that she would have to wake him up again. "It's me.  Breakfast is ready."

"Really? We usually don't eat breakfast on Sunday mornings oh." He opened the door and stood before her, smiling. He was already dressed in a turquoise Ankara shirt and trousers with black shoes.  He smiled again and Kemi found her lips lifting.

"Why?"

"Because you're not here to cook for us." He tapped her nose.

She found her cheeks heating in a blush. It had been long since someone actually complimented her for making breakfast. Osa's way was to wake up, eat and leave.  She couldn't forget the bitter war she had to engage in with mama over breakfast for Osa. Once again, she wondered why she met Osa first and not Efe.

"I'm going to wake Osa and then have my bath."

"I thought you said he was in mama's house."

"He was. He is here now."

"That's good. I've been wanting to see him. "

"You'll have more than enough time to talk to him. Go and eat." Kemi urged him on. She waited for him to walk down the passage way before she continued her journey to the room.