The Lives We Lived

34: Morning Way

A/N: SORRY FOR ANY ERRORS IN THIS PART. PLEASE POINT IT OUT. I LIKE CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM.

"Stop it."
"Let me go."
"Mama No."
"I want to leave."

Osa woke up with a start soaked in his own sweat. Sleep, they very thing that eluded him had brought about these nightmares. He sat up and forced himself out of bed. He leaned towards the bedside table, picking up his wristwatch. He was grateful that it glowed in the dark. He didn't want to wake Kemi up.

"Osa?"

Too late. She was awake. He dropped the wristwatch and got back on the bed.

"Go back to sleep."

"Were you having a bad dream? What did you dream about?"

It was no dream. His mind had reenacted the incident and now, it played over and over again like a song stuck on repeat. They had only been in Lagos for two nights and those nights had been haunted by one nightmare.

"It was just a nightmare. A silly dream. I'm fine now." He lay on his back and stared at the ceiling, recalling how he had to fight his way out of mama's house. Mama had held his torso and Ruth had sat on him. Mama had told him that was the best way for her to get all the children she wanted. He turned away from Kemi and shut his eyes.

"Was it the same dream you had yesterday?"

"Kemi, please, I have to be at work early this morning. This is not the time to discuss this." He said.

He felt her draw close to him. He couldn't stop his skin from freezing up. He hoped she wouldn't notice. His body had developed a mind of his own. A mind that hated Kemi's touch. A mind that was repulsed by Kemi's physical presence. A mind that wanted no form of intimacy with the woman he loved.

Kemi smuggled beside his body, placing her hand around his torso. For her sake, he tired to slow down his breathing. He focused on keeping his body relaxed. In a couple of minutes, Kemi's breathing had slowed to a deep even pace and his body was still rigid but he refused to deny her the comfort she sought.

* * *
Kemi was surprised to wake up alone on the bed. She got off the bed, said her prayers and hurried to the kitchen. She thought about the conversation she had with Osa that morning. There was something different about Osa. He was distant. She busied herself with preparing both their lunch and breakfast. The four-burner gas cooker aided her preparation of rice, stew, pancake and hot water.

Her hands touched the kitchen utensils but her mind embraced the issue that plagued her heart. Osa's nightmare was the chief of all the issues. Who was Ruth? What did mama have to do with this?

She was yet to find out what mama had done to Osa. What could a mother have done to upset her son like that? Mama was fine before they returned from Mayokun's house. Sandra was the only one they met. Efe had taken mama home.

Kemi couldn't believe her ears when Osa said, "Good riddance."

The sound of footsteps on the staircase forced her to focus on the present. Osa walked down the staircase, crossed the living room and stood beside her, peering into the content of the pot. "You're dressed. Why are you rushing off to work?"

"Well, Mrs Johnson," Osa began, placing her hand around his waist. "I'm going to work so I can earn money and you can retire early."

"Oh really?" She found a smile teasing her lips.

"Actually, I'm going to prepare the office for the new secretary's arrival."

"Won't you have breakfast first?" She walked away from him and threw open the white cabinet that stood over the cooker. She brought down two white plates from the stack of plates nestled against each other. "By the way, isn't your secretary supposed to prepare things for you?"