Perfectly Imperfect

~4~

                           

                                ~Kunmi~

Mayowa went berserk.

I sat on the sofa, eyes fixed on the TV. It was tuned to Africa Magic Yoruba and in the film, they were showing, the husband was beating their maid in front of his wife even though he was having an affair with her. The wife kept begging him to stop but he did not yield to her pleas. I hated films like this but I kept my eyes on it anyways. I pretended to be engrossed in it while Mayowa lashed out all she wanted.

"I can't believe you embarrassed me in front of my friends. I just wanted you to play the piano. For Christ's sake, what's the big deal in that?"

I ignored her.

Mom, who was also in the sitting room was pressing her phone and my younger brother was playing a video game on his tab, tilting it this way and that way.

"I'm talking to you, Kunmi. You won't give me the silent treatment."

I took calming breaths, knowing that I'd have to reply here if I did not want her to keep going on and on.

"You asked me before the dinner and I told you that I wasn't going to play. If what I did embarrass you, you had it coming."

She stopped pacing to stand directly in front of me.

"Really? What's the big deal in playing the piano. You used to love it. You used it play it every morning and night and every single time."

And you used to tell me I was disturbing you with that sound every single time.

"Do you remember how hard you whined to Aunty Moria to buy you that piano? Do you even know how much it costs? And then one day, you returned from school and suddenly decided you were going to stop playing, that you were going to drop music altogether. What on earth is wrong with you?"

I could feel the tears brimming in my eyes and I tilted my head backward to stop them from running down my cheeks. I closed my eyes and I was back at the music studio in my former school. I could hear Tara's voice. I opened my eyes with a start.

"I'm going to bed now. Goodnight." I said, stood up, and walked past Mayowa.

'Is that what I get for everything I just said? Is that the reply I get?'

I ignored her and was about to walk past mom when I heard mom say.

'You should have just played it.'

I paused, heaved a sigh, and turned back to Mayowa.

'I stopped playing the piano. I stopped music altogether. Don't remind me again and please don't return that piano to my room. Throw it out or dash someone.'

My voice rose 10 shades and I had to take calming breaths

But you've picked music again. And you're going to be in the music studio, studying music and playing instruments.

I stopped at that realization and I mentally concluded that I'd ditch Music to study Visual Arts.

I'd rather fail a subject than face this demon.

This particular one.

                               **********

The first thing I did in school the next day was to go to the Arts department to drop out of music class but I was told I couldn't. That they already processed it and blah blah blah.

I should have never picked it in the first place. What on earth was I thinking? What kind of human does that make me?

A monster.