VILE

Chapter 26: The Present

Tomike looked at herself in the mirror, her eyes were puffed up, her nose red and dripping, her cheeks were swollen, but her heart was still hurting like crazy. Her body was already telling her it was enough by stopping tears from coming out of her eyes, but her soul still ached, her heart was still heavy and she was sure she was nowhere close to unburdening it.

She felt guilt, anger, sadness and a mix of other gloomy emotions. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. They were planning a big 80th birthday party for Iya Bose soon, but now here they were, all sitted in the living room planning her funeral.

Tomike started sobbing again, but there were no tears left to cry. She remembered the song by Ariana Grande, No Tears Left To Cry and she let out a quiet chuckle, not sure why thinking of it was funny.

She put on the tap and let water fill up her cupped hands, then poured it over her face. She wished the water could wash away the pain too.

There was a knock on the bathroom door.

"Tomi are you okay?" A feminine voice asked with a British accent. It was Jide's wife, Helen.

"Yes, yes. I'll be right out" Tomike replied in a cracked voice.

"Alright dear. We are waiting"

"Yes Aunty"

Everyone was at Iya Boses' as they all made preparations for her funeral. Iya Bose's son, Jide, had flown in his family from the UK right after her death. His sons and wife were now back in Nigeria.

Bose's husband who was bearly seen on a good day due to his work, was now present to support his wife. Temilade's family was also around, her husband and four kids.

Tomike was lucky enough to have spent every-day of two weeks with Iya Bose before she died in her sleep. She died smiling which Tomike found very annoying. What was she smiling about, as if leaving them all behind was anything to laugh about.

In the days preceding her death, she talked about what heaven would be like when she got there, she talked about seeing angels. She talked about Dayo, his likes and dislikes, she also talked about reconciliation and forgiveness. Iya Bose talked a lot in her last days. Not like she had the strength to, but she did.

When Tomike would occasionally look at Bose while these talks were going on she saw sadness in her eyes, as though she knew and was preparing herself for her mother's passing. But for Tomike, she chose to have hope that Iya Bose would be fine, and so nothing could have possibly prepared her for her dear grand aunty's loss.

Tomike looked up at herself in the mirror hanging above the sink again, and realized the water she splashed on her face did little to nothing in concealing her wrecked face.

When Iya Bose first passed, Tomike was in denial. Even after seeing her body, touching it, she still didn't believe it. She hoped she'd wake up from her slumber. She looked so beautiful asleep, like she always did when Tomike watched her sleep. When she wasn't waking up Tomike hoped it was a dream she'd soon wake up from. Like the terrible dreams she had when she was younger where she saw her step father come back for her and throwing Iya Bose down the stairs to her death. She prayed she would wake up soon from the nightmare like she always did.

But as she sat on that couch in the living room and watched the people Iya Bose had loved most and who loved her most plan her departure, the realisation dawned on her. It was like a sudden rain storm began and she couldn't hold it in anymore.

She didn't want anyone watching her breakdown because she had always been the strong one, so she dashed off to the visitors bathroom and let out all the tears she had been holding back. She knew there was no use running though, because everyone in the living room could hear her loud sobbing and crying.

The pain of Iya Bose's death was so difficult for her to bear because it brought back memories of her mother, of the pain and emptiness she felt when she died. To Tomike she was reliving the entire experience.

As she dried her face with her hand, she took one last glance at herself in the mirror and held on to the door knob. She took in a deep breath which she released crying again, there were still no tears. She let go of the knob not sure if she wanted to leave the toilet. She didn't want to see anyone, she just wanted to cry till she died.

"You are strong Tomike, you can... you can do.. this" she stammered to herself, her voice trembling. She held the knob again, and this time before she could back out she opened the door. The room fell silent as she walked in and everyone was watching her closely. Her face was to the ground but she could still tell as she felt their eyes on her as she moved to sit down.

As she sat, Temilade who was beside her gave her hand a good squeeze, and as she looked up to see her, she nodded as a show of support. Her face too didn't look good as it seemed she had had her fair share of ugly crying.

The meeting continued, but Tomike was no longer in it. Her mind had now traveled to the past as she replayed all the memories she had of Iya Bose in her head. Life was unfair, it took good people like Iya Bose, but left sick bastards who raped little girls alive.

Tomike's consolation was in the fact that Iya Bose had lived a good and relatively long life. She saw her children, and grandchildren. She left a legacy that was going to last a very, very long time.

**********
Two chapters, one day.... 💃💃
Ok, so you know what to do, vote, share, add to your reading list and don't forget to comment as well. I'd love to hear from you.
How do you feel about Iya Bose's death? I feel sad😞. But life has to go on doesn't it?
Xoxo💕💕
Val 💓