FAVOUR
It was a bond that seemed never to be broken by anyone. Smiles, joy and laughter were all you could ever hear. We gave no room for sadness or any form of hatred. We always found a reason to laugh and smile even when people thought it's not worth it. Not that we were fortunate to have all that we crave for, but the unity and sense of contentment always kept us going.
Ma and Da were the happiest people I've ever seen in my life. Da really had a great sense of humor and most likely turns our sad moments into a joke. Ma never stoped laughing at his jokes and funny gestures. Sometimes, I wondered if that was what attracted her to him in the first place.
Ma has a very cute and beautiful smile, she never stoped smiling and sometimes I found it a bit difficult to predict her mood. She has a round face that is decorated with dimples on both cheek. Her well built body was what I prayed for at her age; tall, black , and an attractive body shape. But she's got just one eye!
Ma is a detective. Most times, she spent all day at the station. Due to the nature of her job, we do not bother when she don't get home on time. Any day she manages to be home before sunset, she spends most hours of the night studying. On many occasions, I've watched her from the door to the little library she and Da made for themselves due to their work description.
I've always admired Ma so much. She was strong and hard-working, she took whatever cane her way no matter how hard it was. I knew that behind all her smiles and laughter, behind her strong and rigid appearance, there is a stressed and soon to be broken woman. I see and feel her pain inspite of her effort to hide them. I do over hear her and Da a few times having a long conversation in the midnight. It doesn't sound like an argument though but I felt it's something that has to do with work. She woke up sometimes looking like she never closed her eyes. Oh I mean eye! But the quick flash of her dimples changed the questions scattered in my head like an equation waiting to be arranged, solved and possibly be answered.
"Good morning Ma" I greeted her every morning; the times I see her. We don't normally wake up to see her. It's either she left very early in the morning before we wake up or she didn't sleep at home that night. Well her job didn't stop her from being a mother and wife. Ma made sure she gave us the attention we needed. The happiest moments of my life is waking up to see her making breakfast and joining us to eat the breakfast too. Yea, she sometimes make breakfast without staying to eat. Sad. But we were still happy that at least she didn't forget her home responsibilities.
"Fav my dear, you and your sister should clean up the dishes, there is really too much to wash. I won't be home on time to help you with that. Daniel you can do the flowers and cut down those bushes around it" Ma told us as she flashed her dimples. We were all sitted at the dinning table waiting to have breakfast.
I had wanted to frown at her request cos I had a book I needed to finish so badly but the sight of her dimples mesmerized my heart and I nodded sheepishly. Fortune as well nooded without looking up at her.
"Ma I need to go to the gym practice this morning, I told you about it. Why do I have to do the flowers and the bushes?" Dan frowned. Fortune raised her head for the first time during the breakfast and looked at Dan and back at me, we both burst out in a very loud laughter that got the rest of us at the table quiet and staring at us. I held Fortune's right hand as we laughed uncontrollably.
"You know you girls are getting on my nerves with the way you laugh so loud. Don't you know some people might still be sleeping right now." Dan blurted looking more serious.
"Sleeping?!" Fortune and I shouted in disbelief. Our eyes widened and seems to be popped out from the socket if we stretched it any further. We threw ourselves in another fume of laughter, this time Ma and Da joined. Dan looked confused and dropped his spoon furiously on the table.
"Why in the world are you guys laughing?.
"Oh I forgot the only reason you're still not in bed is because Ma made breakfast. Food is the only thing that wakes you up and you think our neighbors are like you" I said between laughter.
"I think you need to take that gym class more seriously. Last time I checked, Charles has broad shoulders, Piki has muscles and your gym instructor is much more than the whole class put together." Da said between laughter too and we all joined him in throwing ourselves into another laughter.
Ma and I has the loudest laughter in the house. I could see tears dropping from Fortune's eyes. She does that often when she laughs uncontrollably.
"So this is the point right?" Dan laughed. " It's about how I look. Come on, you guys know gyming isn't about broad shoulders and muscles. It's about fitness"
"Fitness?? You said fitness Dan?" Ma asked giggling.
"Look who is talking about fitness when he's the laziest of them all" I laughed trying to control myself from engaging in another mind blowing laughter.
"He can't even clear a simple garden. The last time I checked, he was the one that left the flowers almost without life because he couldn't live up to his responsibility of watering them". Ma smiled trying to put a spoonful of fried eggs into her mouth.
"Ma, you know I'm really not good at flowers and gardening, why keep bothering me with it?" Dan said trying not to look at our faces.
"What are you really good at Dan?" Fortune asked. We all looked at Fortune and then back at Dan.
Fortune isn't really a good talker. Sometimes, I wondered what she might be thinking about at a particular time. I looked back at her and I saw her flashing the dimple on her right cheek at Dan who was looking thrown aback.
"Well anything that isn't gardening of course"
"Oh I see, gyming". Da scoffed "then end up looking like a starved bingo"
"Da!" He shouted, this time laughing so loud with the rest of us.
This is how happy we were in my family. Non of us took things to heart even if you were the one being teased. Inspite of all these, we do not loose our respect for our parents and of course Daniel. We teased each other but we knew our limits to which is a joke and an act of disrespect. Da doesn't tolerate any verbal abuse or physical voilence. We cooperate and respects each other's privacy no matter the cost.
On a fateful day, Da left very early in the morning as well as Ma. I was alone with Fortune and Daniel. I shared a room with Fortune my twin. Yea my twin! I guess I'm older than her or maybe she is. I don't know. Ma never told us who is older, even if she did non of us would have accepted. Our room is painted with pink and sky blue; our favorite colors. Though I prefer pink to blue just as Fortune prefers blue to pink. We decided to paint the room with our favorite colors because non of us would have allowed the other's preference. The color combination was beautiful which made neither of us complain, though Dan sees the colors as childish and girlie but nevertheless, we didn't care.
Charles, Dan's friend came to visit that Saturday morning. He and Dan where supposed to go the gym together but they changed their minds because of some reason I really did not know. They decided to play video games. Video games! Gush! I hate the sounds that came out from it and the most terrific part of it was that they can't keep quiet while playing the so called game; they make hell of noise arguing over nothing and that shit annoys me.
"Oh my God Dan why are you this annoying!" I blurted as I covered the book I was reading and sat up on the bed. I looked at Fortune who was sitting opposite the bed. She was wearing a headset and painting as usual. Fortune loves painting and she is so good at what she does. She spent most of her time painting and listening to music and she hardly engage herself into any form of conversation with anyone but me. She was free around me more than anyone in the house I guess, but still she talked little. Painting had been her hobby since childhood and I must commend her for the beautiful portraits in our room and that of the other rooms.
"Woah! I guess you can't hear that silly sound coming from the sitting room." I hissed. Of course she can't hear or notice it. She was rarely distracted from her hobby due to the headset. Even without them Fortune found it difficult to complain and that left me with doing all the talking. Yea. I knew when she was uncomfortable with something. With the way she looks at me and her body gestures I could predict her mood; though she is always quiet and difficult to predict atimes. But this time she's not even listening. She was so into the music and her drawing.
"Gush Fortune!"
I ran down the stairs along the hallway and went straight to the living room where Dan and his friend Charles were playing the annoying video game. I was thrown into bizarre on what I saw.
"My goodness" I said under my breath
They seemed not to notice my presence and that got me more upset. Why in the world will our sitting room look like a mad man's dynasty ; littered popcorn, spilt juice, chocolate raps, dishes used in eating whatsoever it was they ate and jezz Dan's laundry. What the hell was his dirty clothes doing on the sofa! That was actually more than I could take. How could he be so unreasonable and irresponsible. Fortune and I just did the mopping earlier that morning. What the hell!
"Hey" I said sounding calmer than I thought I would. I walked to the front of the TV in order to get their attention, which I did. "Don't you think you guys are being too noisy and.." I stopped looking around the dirty room and back at them " ... dirty?" I waved my hands around them. I looked back at Dan and then Charles who was looking at me in a ridiculous manner. I really can't read the expression on his face. He looked confused or maybe.... What? Was he checking me out? Whatever, that wasn't why I was there. Dan on the other hand was pissed as he looked up at me. "Why are you both staring at me like that?"
"How is that your business please?" Dan finally said picking up one of his dirty shirts and tossing it back on the sofa!
"Dan why are you being unreasonable. Are you really asking me if that is my business. Really?"
"Can your get yourself out of the way so we can continue playing?"
"Seriously? Why on earth will you leave your laundry on the sofa in the sitting room. Look around you Dan, see how messed up everywhere is. Who would believe Fortune and I cleaned up this place few hours ago."
"You and Fortune?" He scoffed "where is she? Why isn't she here bluffing with you? You are always complaining. Fav just get out of my way." He said trying to continue not minding my being an obstacle. When he saw that I didn't move, he looked up at me emotionless as his shoulders sagged.
"We will clean it up" Charles said looking at me and then back at Dan "we will also reduce our voice."
"Do you ever clean up whenever you mess things up here? I wasn't even talking to you." I said still looking at Dan. I guess Charles knew I wasn't in for jokes. He kept quiet and went for his phone.
"You better clean this up Dan. Before Ma and Da gets home." I glanced at their faces and walked out.
"Oh bring down your voices too. I'm warning you two." I added and walked down the hallway heading to my room.
Stupid!
"Did you just call us stupid? Favour!" Dan shouted from the sitting room.
Wooh! did I say that loud? I thought I murmured.
"Yes you guys are stupid since you are not responsible enough to do things as matured minds just as you claim to be." I shouted back. I was angry I didn't mind saying what was on my mind. They do that often and needed a piece from someone. Not just anyone; me!
Since Fortune can't bring herself to talk, then I'll do the talking. They never did that when Ma and Da were around. I was tired of cleaning up before they got home. Though Fortune continued doing the cleaning when I vowed not to anymore. She was scared of what Da and Ma would do if they came home to meet the mess. I assured her we were not going to be blamed but she said she hates when Da and Ma were angry. Nevertheless, I couldn't let them take advantage of her being quiet.
I walked into our room and slammed the door. I noticed as Fortune took off her headset at the sound of the door. She looked at me that kind of look that demands an explanation. I'm used to answering her facial questions. I looked away from her and picked up the book I was reading.
"Seems you've gone nuts Fav! You called me stupid?" Dan banged the door as he walked in without hesitation. Fortune looked surprised and confused at the same time. She looked at Dan who was still holding his game pad and looking angry. I didn't care about the look on his face, someone needed to talk shit out of him. No one else can but me. Fortune returned her gaze at me which was still asking the same question "what's wrong"
"Oh please Daniel stop shouting. You and I know you are wrong here. Always wrong. This isn't the only time you're acting like a child. Someone needs to tell you. We are tired of putting your ass together." I shouted back.
"So that's why you called me stupid? Not just me but my friend Charles. Really?"
"Look at you. Look at how biased you are. So out of all I told you down there, you just picked 'stupid'. I can't believe you're still acting more stupid than I thought!" I said looking at him from his toes up to his annoyed face.
"Fav!" Fortune shouted in disbelief.
"You know what Favour, I've had your attitudes up to my throat and I can't condole it anymore. I can't stand here and watch you insult me. I promise I'll get back at you!"
"Oh please just shut up."
He tried running over to the bed, maybe to hit me or something but was stopped by Fortune. Oh bless her. I was scared behind my rigidness that he might hit me.
"You know Da won't forgive you if you hit anyone talk more your own sister" Fortune whispered to him. I sat cross-legged holding a pillow between my thighs and tried to concentrate on the book. Fortune looked at him and asked him to leave which he did and banged the door behind him.
"Don't forget to do your laundry!" I shouted after him.
Fortune looked at me in a way that.... Oh I knew that look! We threw ourselves on the bed and laughed uncontrollably.
"But hey you have to answer to Da" she said after we've laughed enough.
"Yea I know. I am wrong." I said leaning back to face her drawing. "Amazing".
🌹. 🌹. 🌹. 🌹. 🌹
Favour😍
Fortune❤️
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