Swapped

twenty-two

Adamma's Pov

The bike rider has barely stopped his vehicle when Mrs Helen runs towards us and pulls me into her embrace. She smells of curry and some other spice I can't place. "Where have you been, ehn? Do you know how worried I was?" She asks, turning me around and looking all over my body. I wince when I feel an ache in my waist.

"Sorry. What is it? I don't know why you stayed out late like this. Just take a look at the time." She says, sounding agitated. "You're supposed to be resting. You just came back from the hospital. You haven't even taken your afternoon drugs." I remain silent as she continues to rant.

She finally leads me into the house. Once Joseph sees us, he jumps from his seat. "Where were you?" He asks in a disturbingly calm voice.

I ignore him and make my way to a couch. The soft and cozy feel almost makes me sleep off but the curious eyes looking at me wouldn't really appreciate it if i did.

"Nene, I'm going to ask you this one last time and you better give me good answers. Where did you go after I left you at the tutorial? You don't even remember anywhere."

Upset at how he is addressing me, I stare up at him with a frown. "Don't yell at me." I reply.

"I'll speak to you however I want to. Do you know how worried we were? Where were you?"

"Joseph, just leave her. She's back and that's what's important." Mrs Helen says, holding unto Joseph's shoulder.

"I just need an answer. She should just tell me where she was, finish."

I sigh in exhaustion before resting my head backwards. "Did you know there was a fight outside?" I ask Joseph.

"Yes. Why do you think I'm so upset?" He replies at the same time Mrs Helen's eyes widens.

"There was what?" She asks, sounding astonished.

I guess she didn't.

Though extremely fatigued, I explain to them everything that happened today. Well, excluding a few minor details if you know what I mean.

"Wow. So we were right to be worried. Something could have happened to you. Living here becomes more and more dangerous everyday." Joseph says thoughtfully. He turns to me and my chest tightens at the heavy emotion in his eyes. It tightens even more when he pulls me in for an unexpected hug.

"I'm glad you're okay. Please don't do something like this again. If you're going anywhere, make sure I know about it somehow." He whispers in my ear.

I stare up at him through my lashes before nodding slowly. My arms on their own will go around his muscular frame. The smell of cooking spices intrudes my nostrils as I feel Mrs Helen join in the hug. I swallow a lump forming in my throat before sighing.

After a little while, I start to feel uncomfortable and decide to break the hug. "So..." I start before clearing my throat and shifting on the couch, "I'm really tired. I'll be going to bed now."

"Oh yeah but you'd have to take your drugs first." Joseph says, stretching his hand to reach for a small white nylon that I think contains my medicine.

"Yes and there's something I have to tell you...the both of you actually." Mrs Helen says, for some reason avoiding eye contact with either of us.

"Did something happen?" Joseph asks, handing me some tablets and a sachet of water. I gulp them down at once. Ugh...awful.

"Nothing. It's just that your daddy is getting released tomorrow." She says and I turn to her not quite understanding. I, of course, wondered at some point about my father. I mean, since I got here, I haven't seen any man claiming to be my father. Then again she said 'getting released', which leads me to my next question...