Handling Grief

Chapter Seven

My two weeks suspension started the next day. It was horrible that day. Aunty Chichi and Dianne left the house very early. I didn't get any pocket money or food to eat while I was at home. I had to manage the fifty naira change I had left with me from yesterday.

"None of this would have happened if you were still here, Dad. It is absolutely unfair that you had to leave me"

I wasn't feeling sad. I was getting angry. I literally felt like punching someone in the face. I had to leave the house.

***

"How long would this last, Aunty?" I asked my now snobbish Aunty that night.

She suspended her typing at her laptop, removed her glasses and eyed me.

"I can see that you still don't want to apologize. You want to know how long your punishment would last, abi?"

"Please, Aunty Chichi, I didn't mean it like that" I pleaded on my knees.

"Mirabel, get out of my sight!"

I am finished!

***

The next day was another hellish day. Seriously, I never even thought there would be a day where I would feel so sad yet angry and bitter yet insecure.

I had made up my mind that Thursday night that I was going to see my mom. It seemed to me that Doctor Richard was getting pressured by his family members to stop taking care of my mom.

I didn't blame them. People could disregard him if they see him spending time with an insane woman. Lagosians would call him many names, one of which would include, ritualist.

You might be confused. Well, our daily news in Lagos, or maybe in Nigeria as a whole, is always brother A killed sister B for money rituals. We have even heard of some of them raping goats and mad women! So, most probably, Doctor Richard would be part of them.

I had never looked at it from that angle and when I did, I was more than determined to see my mom that Saturday. This over determination without proper consideration added more salts to my wounds.

"Where do you think you are going to, young lady?" my aunty asked.

I halted then turned around to meet my aunty on the dining table.

"I want to go and see my mom" I told her.

At least if I come clean, she'd probably let me go.

She began to laugh. They were short laughs. They were coming and going. She was acting weird. In fact, she was acting too weird than she usually did.

"Dianne, come and take a look at your foolish cousin"

Dianne appeared from the kitchen with a confused and at the same time, concerned look. It was then I realized that for five weeks, I hadn't even seen her let alone spoken to her.

She looked very brilliant this morning. I was very sure Aunty Chichi did not buy her the necklace and bracelet she was putting on. And the shoes? No, my aunty Chichi could not afford these accessories...

"What is it, Mummy?" Dianne asked her mother.

"I gave this idiot punishment because she was rude and she's still being rude!"

Diane looked at me, "Beg her" she advised me, voicelessly.

"Please Aunty, I am sorry. Can I go see my mo..."