Ini

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕿𝖜𝖔

Inioluwa got out of the tricycle and looked at her two storey building home. She took in a deep breath before pulling her luggage out of the tricycle and dropping it in front of the gate of her home. She zipped open her bag and took out five hundred naira from it as she grudgingly handed the driver the money.

"The money too much oga." She complained and the driver laughed. Her nose scrunched up in annoyance as she wondered if her complaining about the amount of the transportation seemed funny to him.

"Na the economy." The driver replied but Inioluwa still felt that she was being cheated. She couldn't pay three hundred naira for a tricycle, that was unfair to her.

"Oga, no na. I can't collect two hundred naira, add hundred naira na." She pleaded and the driver grumbled before handing her three hundred naira. With another grumble, he drove past her.

Inioluwa stared at the retreating tricycle before letting out a hiss and pulling her luggage with her as she pushed open a small door on the compound's gate and got in. She watched as children ran around the compound playing silly games and a smile crept up her lips.

"Aunty Ini!" One of them yelled which got the attention of all the children. They ran towards her and engulfed her into a group hug. Her smile never left her lips as she hugged all of them back, she loved this place.

"What did you buy for us?" Another asked and Inioluwa feigned forgetfulness. The truth was that she actually had plans to give them a surprise treat but the little boy she had given money cut her plans short–although she didn't regret it.

"I'm sorry. Next time, okay?" She said and they all nodded and dismissed themselves as they continued running around the compound. The women in her compound continued to stare at her, as she pulled her luggage towards the door of the stairwell. With a polite smile, she greeted them and they did reply, but her mother had told her to be weary of them.

She sighed as she stared at the old, but familiar stairs. She stared back at her luggage before letting out another sigh–it was going to be difficult to pull her luggage on the stairs and so, she had to carry it.

She held her luggage a few metres above the stairs as memories flowed through her mind. She remembered how her mother would buy a new ankara and see a beautiful dress, before telling her to take pictures of her wearing the dress.

Inioluwa remembered how proud her mother was anytime she wore new ankara or hollandis. Inioluwa smiled at the memory before dropping the luggage in front of her apartment. She pushed the gate that barricaded the house from the outside, the luggage still being pulled beside her.

She stared at the door before twisting its handle and getting in. She closed the door before happily shouting, "maami, I'm home."

She took in a deep breath as she tried to familiarize herself with the homely scent her house had. She looked around the living room and smiled at how old fashioned her maami had made the house look. From its cathode Ray tube television that no longer worked to its worn out sofa and carpets. Her maami had refused to renovate the place because she felt it was a waste of money, but Inioluwa thought otherwise.

She left her luggage in front of the door as she walked towards the wall where the family pictures were hung. She touched a specific one as her heart ached in remembrance. She missed him and wished he was here with them. 

Jide Balogun had been the father that anyone would ever want. He was caring, loving and very calm unlike her mother was hostile, sometimes aggressive but still sweet in her own ways. She loved both her parents but missed her father's presence more. 

A teardrop threatened to spill as she recalled her father being in a vegetable state three years ago before finally going to the other side. She took in a deep breath when she heard the passage door open.