Coro Wahala (23)

Friday Morning……

(Rume enters the room.)

Rume: Mummy!

Aghogho: Yes? What is it? 

Rume: Mama Segun is waiting for you outside the kitchen. 

Aghogho: Why? What does she want today? (Rume shrugs. She goes outside and finds Mama Segun tappinh her leg furiously on the floor.) Mama Segun, good morning.

Mama Segun: Good morning, Mama Ovie. 

Aghogho: What exactly is wrong this time? 

Mama Segun: Mama Ovie, you know it’s because I really like you that’s why I decided to do what you asked me to do. You said I should not talk back at my husband, give him food to eat, respect him and all that. Do you know that I’ve been doing all that? 

Aghogho: (Beaming) That’s good.

Mama Segun: No, it is not! It is not! My husband has refused to touch my food not to talk of eating it.

Aghogho: I don’t understand. 

Mama Segun: What is there not to understand? I even greet him but he doesn’t reply me. Ahhh! Emi! (Me!) That man is ignoring me like I don’t exist. I know what he’s doing ooo, he’s trying to frustrate me. 

Aghogho: Since you know, don’t give in! Keep doing what I asked you to do. 

Mama Segun: Me? Ọlọrun ma jẹ! (God forbid!) I’m not doing that again. Never! If he comes, I am not giving him any food. I can’t be cooking and having it get wasted. Do you know my friend even saw him…… 

Aghogho: (Cuts in) Not again, Mama Segun. What is wrong with you? You still listen to those friends of yours? You will destroy your home with your own hands, that is, if you don’t kill yourself with hypertension.

Mama Segun: They saw him. Am I supposed to ignore that? 

Aghogho: Stop saying that, Mama Segun. This is an opportunity for you to build your own home the way you want. 

Mama Segun: And what if the man you’re trying build something with is going about jumping from skirt to skirt?

Aghogho: (Exhales) You know what? Let’s go to your house and talk more about this. 

***********

Afternoon…… 

(Rume is in her room, decorating Vwede’s hair with hair pins and ribbons. She was done with the make up and was about to take some pictures. The pictures she had posted on Instagram had had many likes and comments. She was going to organize a paid DIY makeup class for beginners on Zoom and she was excited about it. Staying at home was worthwhile after all. Jato was with them, volunteering himself as Rume’s assistant.)

Rume: Jato, bring that ribbon for me. (Jato hands it over to her. She uses it to tie the last knot and stepped back to look at Vwede. She nodded satisfactorily.) Okay, time to take pictures. Jato, open that curtain so Vwede’s face can show very well. (To Vwede) This one is very important. I’m going to use it as a flyer so it has to be perfect. Now, give me your fine style. 

(Vwede nods and poses. Rume snaps quickly with her phone.)

Rume: Another one. Wait. Turn to your right a bit. (Vwede turned.) That’s not your right, that’s your left. No….not like that. No…..like….. (She goes over and positions Vwede the way she wanted.) Yes, like this. Don’t move until I tell you so. (She takes another rounds of pictures.)

(After taking some pictures with different poses, she stopped and sat on the bed, looking at the pictures one after the other. Jato and Vwede rushes to her side and begins to stare.)

Vwede: (Proudly) See how beautiful I am. 

Rume: Yes, you are. The pictures needs a little something to make it perfect. (She thinks for a while and stares at Jato.)

Jato: Why are you looking at me like that? I did not do anything.

Rume: I know. But now, you’re going to do something.

Jato: I don’t…….

Rume: Go and change this your shirt and come here. You’ll take pictures with Vwede. (Jato rushes out excitedly. She sees Vwede frowning.) What is it? 

Vwede: Why do you want to take his pictures? I’m the model, not him. 

Rume: Anybody can be a model and…… 

Vwede: (Matter of fact) No! I am the model, not him. 

Rume: Fine. You’re the model. I just have a brilliant idea and he has to be a part of it. (Jato returns.) Good, I like this one. Now, both of you should stand there. 

(Jato stands in front of her and Vwede pushes him.  Soon, they begin bickering at each other.)

Rume: (Firmly) Will the both of you stop that? (She goes over and makes them stand side by side) If you argue here again, the end. Understood? (They nod their heads.) Now, smile. (Both of them smiled as she clicked away.) Nice. (Pointing to the chairs beside them.) Take those chairs and sit on them. (She takes the picture.) Good. Now, Vwede, push your chair away and stand behind Jato’s chair.

(Vwede hesitates. She sees the smirk on her brother’s face and is angry.)

Rume: Will you do that now or you want Jato to be the model? (She does as she’s asked.) Jato, cross your legs like a rich man. Vwede, put your had on his shoulder and smile. Both of you. (Jato smiles, obviously having fun. Rume takes the pictures.) Good. I love it. Now, Vwede, your turn. Sit on the chair. (This excites Vwede as she pushes Jato out of the chair and sits comfortably on it.) Jato, sit on the chair’s arm. 

Vwede: (Raises her voice in protest.) Why? But I was standing when he was sitting down! 

Rume: Vwede, if you say one word again……Jato, sit there. Both of you should smile joor. (She took some more and she was done. She looked at them.) These are perfect. Amazing. I’m a genius. 

Jato: Let me see. Let me see. (Rume showed it to them, Jato looking at them excitement and Vwede disinterested. Her show had just been stolen by her brother and she didn’t like it one bit.)

*********

That same night…… 

Aghogho: Ovie, please, pause that movie so we can pray.

Rume: Mummy, it’s almost finished. 

Aghogho: If we wait till the end, many would have slept off. See them…. (Pointing at Jato and Maro) …..already sleeping. Pause it jare. (Ovie took the remote control and paused the movie.) Ese, please, pray for us. 

Ese: Father, we thank You for today. Thank you for everything You’ve done for us. We say may Your name be praised forever. As we’re about to go to bed, please go with us. Guide and protect us. No evil will befall any of us in Jesus name. When we wake up tomorrow morning, it will be to Your glory and praise. In Jesus’ name I pray. 

All: Amen.

Ese: Goodnight, everybody. 

Aghogho: Goodnight. 

(Ese wakes up Jato and Maro. She carries Fega in her arms and leads her children inside.)

Okiemute: Yes, before I forget, Ovie, I need to ask you. Why are there paints on the floor outside? 

Ovie: (Confused) Paints? I don’t know about paints. 

Okiemute: Well, you’re the only one who paints and draws in this whole house. I went out this afternoon and saw different paint stains on the floor. 

Ovie: Yes, yes. I remember. Maro threw one of the paints away when Jato was working. I asked him to clean it and I thought he had. I’ll clean it tomorrow.

Okiemute: You’re already giving paints to your cousin to draw, abi? Did they tell you they want to be a painter like you? Did they? If you want to remain with your stubbornness, you can. Don’t drag those children to it. 

Ovie: I already apologized about the stains. I’m not dragging anyone. 

Okiemute: Instead of you to be motivating them on how to read their books, do well in school and be someone great….. 

Ovie: I’m going to ignore the fact that you think I can’t become great as an artist. 

Okiemute: We’re talking about law, medicine…… 

Aghogho: That’s enough! 

Ovie: No, mum. It’s not. It’s good he’s eventually opening up about how he really feels about my choice. My choice! Not like I don’t know anyway. Since I came to this house, there is nothing he has not complained about, especially when it has to do with me. 

Okiemute: I have nothing against you. 

Ovie: Ohh really? With all the attitude. Don’t do this. Don’t touch this. What does that mean? If you think I’m happy to be here, I’m not. 

Okiemute: Then go back to your house. You have a house, don’t you? Be the man you want to be. 

Ovie: Yes, I am becoming the man that I want to be. It’s just something you won’t understand. I have tried to make you see reasons with me, but no. My choice of school, the course I studied and my passion, you detest. Why? Because you don’t understand it. 

Obaro: Ovie, it’s okay. 

Ovie: No, it’s not. Bros, it’s not. Nothing I do pleases him. Luckily, Rume is studying the course he wants in the school he wants, she is now the apple of his eyes. Does he know what she really wants? No, he doesn’t.

Okiemute: And you do? 

Ovie: Yes, I do. Because unlike you, I take out time to listen rather than force my choices down other people’s throats. 

Aghogho: (Yelling) Ovie, I said that’s enough! I will not have you disrespect your father. 

Ovie: (Sarcastically) Yes, mother. (He gets up and walks into the room, Rume behind him) 

Okiemute: (To Aghogho) You see the son you’re raising? See how you’ve spoilt him. He even dares to talk back to his father. 

Aghogho: (Raising a hand at him) Ohh please! Spare me all that. Don’t sit before me and act all innocent. You have a fault in all these too. (Standing up) Obaro, goodnight. (She walks away, leaving the brothers staring at each other.)

(To be continued……..)