STAY WITH ME

Chapter 3

Shontelle

"Good morning, mummy",I greet and enter into the kitchen.

"Good morning, nwam",she says, her eyes glued on the egg she is breaking

I look around the kitchen to see a birthday cake but there is none. I look at my mum and she is wearing an apron and underneath it is red short and a white T-shirt. On her hair was a net.

Her brown eyes stares at the egg she is stirring and I look at her pink lips hoping she will wish me happy birthday but didn't. My mum is short, plump, light skinned, has an oval face and has the prettiest smile.

I frown and walk out of the kitchen and went to the sitting room and sink on the couch. There are two couches, one sofa and an armchair and a center table at the middle. In front of me, is a TV and home theater, a dispenser behind the sofa and an air conditioner, a standing fan.

I turn to look at my elder brother, Kenneth as he hold onto the remote tight like one of my siblings will take it from his hand. I throw one of the parlor pillow on him and he looks at me angrily.

"Ogini?(what)",Ken asks in Igbo.

"What day is it today?",I ask and he furrow his eyebrow.

"Saturday".

"Saturday what?"

"20th of May. What happened?",he asks still clueless.

"You really don't know what it is?",I ask as calmly as I could.

"Forget it",I throw another pillow on him and hiss.

I stand up from the couch and walk into the room,I share with my immediate elder sister,Frances. I lay on the bed and try not to wonder why they would forget my birthday.

My room is very spacious,painted blue and black. There is a king sized bed and drawers at each side of the bed. And a lamp on one of the drawer. Two sofas infront of the bed. A TV and home theater. A mirror stand and a door beside it that leads to our closet.

I mean I spent my last birthday in the hospital, my whole body ached and I couldn't move a muscle. I was weak and what was worst, I saw my mum cry every for two months. It was horrible.

"Baby",a voice snaps me out of my thought.

I sit up and look at the door. I see my dad smiling at me. He is wearing a black trousers on a white top and a palm. He is really tall, dark skin, thin, bald, has a brown eyes and no beards.

"Sir?",I ask as I play with my fingers.

"Get ready,we are going out",he spurn to leave and halt.

He turn to look at me and grin, "Happy birthday, sweetheart".

He spurn and leaves my room. I smile and enter into the bathroom.
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"How was school yesterday? Did they bull-"

"No, they didn't. But it felt longer without Rejoice and when I went to visit her after to school, she wasn't home. I told mum and she said she will call her dad and then will get back to but she hasn't.",I begin to play with my fingers to keep me distracted.

He hold my hand and caresse my hand. That little gesture made me feel better. But I can't help but wonder if my bestfriend is okay. I know she is going something but doesn't want to tell. And she knows I am one to worry.

"Don't worry. Rejoice is fine,she is just going through a phase-"

"Why don't we go through it together as sisters? Why does she lock me out when she is going through a phase? It is my right to worry about her.",I stop and start crying.

My dad stands up from where he sat opposite me and sits beside me. He pulls me to his chest and allows me cry on his shirt. He strokes my hair as I sob.

"Here is your order,sir",the waiter says and I pull away from my dad's shoulder and wipe the tears on my cheeks.

"Happy birthday dear",he says and walks away.

I smile and look at our order infront of us. Boy, I am hungry.
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"Enter into the house. I forgot something inside the car",my dad says and I nod.

I push the door open and enter into the house but the house is dark, I guess everyone has gone to bed. It seems they truly forgot my birthday.

The light is switched on and I hear voices shout, ' happy birthday'. I look and I see my family smiling and laughing, I never expected such surprise. I have no idea when I burst into tears. Rejoice comes to meet me and hugs me as she kiss my forehead.

Rejoice is dark skin, oval face, brown eyes, cute dimples, tall and slim. She is wearing a blue gown on snickers and her virgin hair is tied into a bun.

"Do you really think we will forget your birthday? How can I forget my bestfriends birthday? I just wanted to celebrate it with you for the last time,so I decided to make it memo-"

"What do you mean by last time?",I arch an eyebrow and my mum walks to me.

"Happy birthday my love",she hugs me.

Everyone present hug me one by one and I smile. My dad enters the sitting room with a cake and drops it on the center table. The cake has a big number 14 on it and some noreos and berry toppings. I look at my family and I smile. I will never trade anyone of them even for the riches of the world. They are my strength and joy.

"Blow the candle,Elle", Rejoice yells from behind me and everyone laughs.

"Shut up",I say and blow out the light.

"Yay!!", everyone yells.

My siblings are singing the Happy birthday song for me Nigerian style and my parent and Mr Kingsley, Rejoice dad laughs so hard, I know their stomach will hurt sooner than later. My mum holds unto her stomach as my dad wraps his hand around her waist. And I feel so happy seeing my parent this happy.
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"Where is Rejoice, mummy?",I ask my mum who is with my dad, Mr Kingsley and two of my Aunt.

"Your room honey",she replies and continue talking to them.

I enter into the room, I see her sit on the bed, her head is bowed low. There is a drink and two slices of cake on the table. Just by looking at her, I know she is hurting and that breaks my heart. Whenever she is scared, worried or nervous, she tugs her black hair behind her ear, hit her legs on the ground nervously or play with her fingers.

"What happened?",I ask and I sit beside her.

She cries on my shoulder and I stroke her hair. I begin to cry also because I have never seen her like this before. She is usually strong headed not weak. I wipe off my tears and she wipes off her tears also. She pulls away from me and sniffle.

"My mum is alive",she shocks me and I gasp.

"What? I thought your dad said your mum is dead",I ask confused.

"He didn't know how to break it to I and my brother that our mum abandoned us. She sent my dad a divorce letter and he didn't sign it because he still loves her. We all want to court on Friday, she was fighting for custody which she won. So after this term, I am travelling to Australia to live with my mum.",she ends sadly.

"So you will leave just me here",I say sadly

"I will always call to update you. And you can come to the University of Australia to study",she suggest and I nod.

"Look at the bright side. You always want to have a complete family of your own in Australia",I say and she hit me and we both laugh and hug eachother.

I rest my head on her shoulder and we both talk about random stuffs and laugh. And I am missing her already.