Vagrants

Chapter 63

I stayed locked up in my room for days, refusing to eat or go anywhere even after the curfew was over. I got a call from my boss and explained things to him saying I needed some time.

I got weaker and even lethargic. Seyi had to come over to explain things to me, he sometimes sat outside my room door and try to sing or tell jokes to make me laugh but even the funniest of jokes couldn't make me smile.

I got a call from Aunty Kemi and I was told they couldn't claim Abisola's bodies. The police brutally cremated all of them as though they were trying to hide the evidence but from who?

Aunty Kemi invited me home so I could mourn with them but I declined. Why would I go and mourn when there's no body to touch? There's no body I could cry on or even tug at to get up. Besides, they didn't want me home so if I go there now, things would just become worse.

They lost their obedient and decent daughter and if the disobedient and indecent one comes home, it would even make them cry more. My presence would definitely remind them of Abisola because we were very identical to each other.

Seyi kept coming every day to get me to get out of my room but I didn't budge. I wanted to stay locked up in there because I knew I'd never see Abisola again. With the help of Mr. Bakare, he broke the door open.

"Go away!" I cried. "Fix the door back."

They both stood in the door way watching me with mouths agape. Bimbo and her mother rushed there when they heard my voice.

"She has opened up." They said while rushing there.

"Quick! Get food and water." Mr. Bakare ordered and Bimbo dashed away quickly.

Mrs. Bakare came to sit beside me and hugged me. "It's okay now, my dear. You've cried enough."

"No!" I cried more. "Abisola has gone. She didn't even stay till I gave birth and she didn't even get to know that I'm having twins."

"It's all God's will. That's why..." Mrs. Bakare tried to assure me.

I tore apart. "God didn't do it. This was planned by our government. They killed my sister."

"But you said your sister went to visit a friend. How did this happen?" Seyi asked.

"I don't know." I shrugged. "It's because she's in Lekki and it's all my fault."

"No. Don't blame yourself." Mr. Bakare said.

"If I wasn't pregnant, I wouldn't be away from home and I'd have stopped her from going out during the protests." I sighed. "You're right. I shouldn't blame myself, I blame Damba and the day I met him because if not for that, I'd still be home and with my sister."

Bimbo walked in with a tray of food. "You should blame the circumstances and not anybody."

"I'm not eating that food, if it is for me."

"No. I came here to eat and watch you cry." Bimbo took a seat.

"You're not taking care of yourself and it'd be a shame if you lose those beautiful souls because of the stupid country." Seyi shook his head.

"I'll not lose these children. They're twins and they'd remind me of the fact that I was also a twin." I replied.

"Then why don't you eat and make them see this world?" Mr. Bakare asked.

Seyi signaled to them. "I'll handle it. Thank you."

After they left, Seyi told me jokes and tried so hard to make me smile which I didn't so he just fed me, anyway.

"So will you resume your normal activities?" He asked.

"You're asking me to forget Abisola." I was at the brink of tears.

"No, no. You were working when she was alive, Does it mean you were ignoring her existence?" He asked.

"No." I shook my head.

"Same way working doesn't mean you're trying to forget her." Seyi smiled. "You need to work so you'd exercise and make your babies healthy too."

"Okay." I nodded.

"So you're going back to work?"

I shrugged.

"Good. We'll talk about that later, for now let's focus on your food."