Coro Wahala (2)

Next day……

(It’s Sunday afternoon. The Jobomes are back from church and relaxing after lunch. Okiemute is reading news updates on his phone.)

Rume: (She enters the sitting room with a small suitcase in her hand. She is wearing a blue, straight gown and brown gladiator sandals.) Dad, mum, I’m ready. 

Aghogho: Ready for what? Where to? 

Rume: I’m going to school naa. 

Okiemute: I thought you said you would go tomorrow. 

Rume: Yes, but I have to go. I was told we would have an early morning lecture tomorrow.

Okiemute: Oh…okay. Let me get my car key so I’ll drop you at the park. (He gets up from where he is sitting.) I hope you have enough money for transport?

Rume: Yes, daddy. But I need money to get some things.

Aghogho: I was expecting that. I knew you would ask for money. 

Okiemute: Don’t mind your mother. I’ll send you some money tomorrow morning, okay? 

Rume: (Hugs her father) Thank you daddy. Thank you mum.

Okiemute: I’ll be back. (He goes inside the room.)

Aghogho: Rume, as you’re going to school, please be careful. See this corona virus they’ve been talking about, it’s no joke. 

Rume: I know that, mum. 

Aghogho: Don’t go and start hugging people ooo. Don’t shake anyone too. 

Rume: Mum, I’m not a baby. I know…..

Aghogho: Keep quiet and listen to me. Just stay safe out there, okay? (Rume nods.)

(Okiemute comes out of the room. He has changed his outfit.)

Aghogho: I thought you were only going to drop her at the park. Why did you change your clothes? 

Okiemute: I remembered I have to see Mr Lewis to pick up a file. 

Aghogho: (Rising from her seat) Yes, you said so earlier. It’s all right, I’ll see you later. (She hugs her husband and daughter.)

*******

Aghogho is bored. There is no one to talk to and PHCN has just taken the light. She takes a book and goes outside to sit. Mama Segun passes by a while later and comes to sit beside her.)

Mama Segun: My sister, happy Sunday ooo.

Aghogho: Same to you. How was service? 

Mama Segun: I didn’t go to church jare, but my children went to a nearby one. 

Aghogho: Why na? Attending church is very important.

Mama Segun: I know, I know. I will go next week. 

Aghogho: Better. By the way, I didn’t see you yesterday again. How did the party go? (laughing) I’m sure everyone noticed you at the party. 

Mama Segun: (Rolls her eyes) Look, let’s talk about something else. 

Aghogho: (Sits up) Why? You were very excited about the party, what changed? Wait, don’t tell me you had a fight with your friend? Was she angry because you came late?

Mama Segun: I wish that was what happened. 

Aghogho: Then tell me. (She sees Mama Segun is still reluctant to tell her.) It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it. So, how is….. 

Mama Segun: (Interrupts her) I didn’t get to the party. 

Aghogho: (Exclaims) No way! Why? 

Mama Segun: Traffic! The hold-up in this Lagos, only God will save us. (Aghogho is laughing and it annoys her.) I knew you would laugh that’s why I didn’t want to tell you. 

Aghogho: (Trying to stop laughing) I’m sorry, my sister. It’s normal classic Lagos tale now. You are not a stranger to these things. You were born and raised here, it should be part of your system already. Saturdays are for owambe, like you Yoruba people call it. There will definitely be hold-up na. (She continues laughing.)

(They hear the honk of a car and watched as the gatekeeper rushed to open the gate. A silver Honda Accord car drives in and a beautiful, tall, slim, fair-complexioned lady in her late twenties steps out. She is wearing a flowered skirt and top, a black pair of heeled shoes and a black clutch purse. Wrapped around her right wrist is a white rosary. She walks just in front of the two women. Her name is Nneoma Maduka and she is a nurse.)

Nneoma: (smiling) Good afternoon, Mrs Jobome.

Aghogho: Good afternoon dear. Welcome. You came back late from church today ooo.

Nneoma: Yes, I went to see some friends before returning. Tomorrow is another busy day. 

Aghogho: Yes, you’re right. Your friend has gone back to school ooo.

Nneoma: Oh…..okay. I’ll chat her up on Whatsapp. Later, Mrs Jobome. (She starts to move towards her apartment.)

Mama Segun: (She had been looking at Nneoma with contempt, clapping her hands and frowning.) Hey, come back here. 

Nneoma: (Turns to look at her) Are you talking to me? 

Mama Segun: (Sarcastically) No ooo, I’m talking to myself. (Nneoma remains where she is, placing a hand on her waist.) So, you will say you did not see me sitting here, abi? Is she the only one you saw seated? 

Nneoma: Please, I don’t have time for trouble this afternoon. I need to rest. (She hisses and walks away.)

Mama Segun: (standing up, furious) Did you see that? I told you that girl has no respect, you said I was lying. Now you’ve seen it with your eyes. If not for you and because today is Sunday, I would have slapped sense into her head right now. 

Aghogho: (Still in shock at what had just happened tries to calm her down) Mama Segun, it’s okay. Sit down. 

Mama Segun: (Still ranting) That small girl insulted me. Can you imagine? A whole me! You see the way she was walking with her two left legs? Ashawo! (Facing Nneoma’s apartment) You are lucky today is Sunday, I would have dealt seriously with you. 

Aghogho: (Now angry) That’s enough, already. I will not have you call her names. If you don’t want to sit, you can go to your house. 

Mama Segun (sits down but she is still furious, tapping her legs on the floor.) It’s because of you ooo. Because of you. That girl is not up to the age of my younger sister. That’s the problem we have with children of nowadays, all these small small girls. Once they just have a car and house, they think you and them have become mates. All these things she’s flaunting, if not for sugar daddies, where will she get them?

Aghogho: Ahh! Mama Segun! Mama Segun!! Enough with that. She has an apartment and a car does not say she’s sleeping around. She is a nurse and…..

Mama Segun: (Cuts in) Leave that thing joor. All those ones she’s doing is to cover face. Do you think it’s the money she gets from nursing that she uses to get all the things she’s flaunting? This is what all these Lagos girls do everywhere; they have rich men sponsor them and they boast about it on social media. 

Aghogho: I do not dispute that fact, but I am very certain Nneoma is a decent girl. I know it. 

Mama Segun: How do you know? Because she’s acting all sweet and nice to you? My sister, don’t be deceived. Shine your eyes! 

Aghogho: Don’t say what you don’t know, Mama Segun. But wait ooo, you and Nneoma used to be friends. You were asking me to greet her for taking care of Segun a month ago when he had malaria. What happened between you both? 

Mama Segun (hisses) Friends? I can never be friends with that one ooo. Thank God for opening my eyes. The God of my father in the Lord, Baba Agbara, does not sleep. She was using all those things to deceive me, but I know better now. Look let me tell you, run away from her. I’m the only neighbour you can trust in this compound. Don’t you see how she looks like all those girls from the marine kingdom? 

Aghogho: (jumps from her seat) Ahhhh! Mama Segun! All these from your mouth?! You know what? I think it’s time you went to your house. 

Mama Segun: You are sending me away? 

Aghogho: No ooo. It’s getting late, I need to prepare food for my husband before he returns. You should do the same too. (Without waiting further, she picks up her book, enters the house and locks the door behind her.)

…………to be continued.