My Mother’s Daughter
Ariyike! I kept my eyes closed and counted slowly to ten. I didn’t
have to look at the illuminated face of my bed-side clock to know it was just 6
am. I waited in the dark, wondering if she would give up and let me be. On the
third count of ten, I heard my door creak, gently fracturing the silence. She
was so, so predictable. Light crept in from the hallway but I kept still,
feigning sleep.
“Ariyike!” she called in a
dramatically loud whisper. She snapped on the lights and the sudden
illumination felt like a physical blow to my eyes. Immediately, I felt the
beginnings of a splitting headache.
“Ariyike, wake up, it’s six
already.” She said pulling the sheets off of me.
She really was predictable. I got down from my bed
and pushed myself into a half kneeling position.
“Good morning mummy.” I said
automatically.
“You should start getting ready.”
She said ignoring my greeting and marching into my room.
“We
don’t want to be late for the senator’s Birthday Brunch.” She said throwing
open my wardrobe and peering inside.
“Mummy, I have lectures today…”
She paused and turned
wounded eyes on me. You would think that after dealing with that look all my
life, I would have become immune to it by now. Not even the fact that I’d been
expecting this scene to pan out this way and that I’d been bracing myself for
it helped. That hurt, no-one-cares-about-me look worked every time.
“But your lectures are in the
afternoon.”
“Yes mummy, but I have a test to
prepare for and…”
“But I told you about this two weeks
ago!”
“Yes, but…”
She sighed
dramatically, those large, beautiful eyes misting over on cue.
“Okay, no problem. I’ll have to go
all by myself then.” She said.
“Mummy…”
“Don’t worry.” She said shutting the
wardrobe carefully.
“I’ll
just have to face your father and that whore on my own.”
You’re leaving me all alone, just like your father did.
She didn’t have to
say the words. They hung in the air between us, like they always did every time
I said no to her. She turned to look at me, looking vulnerable and fragile. A
cloud of sleep-tousled hair framed her heart shaped face. She was one of those
few lucky women whose eyes were naturally heavily lashed. High cheek bones and
a small petit nose served to emphasize full lips that were almost always in an
alluring pout. I could see why daddy had fallen for her. The same beautiful
damsel-in-distress act was probably the reason why he picked himself up from
her feet and left. Her tiny nose flared slightly, the only indication of her
anger at me.
“Okay mummy, I’ll go but…”
“Awwwww my darling little girl!” she
flew at me and smothered me in an embrace.
“Thank you!”
“I’ll have to leave early to get to
school on time.” I said.
She went back to the
wardrobe and threw it open.
“Let’s see, what do we have here?
You need to look stylish and elegant.”
I sat on my bed and
listened to her prattle on. It sure was going to be a long morning of dresses
and accessories and hair and make-up. Yet again, she’d manipulated me into
doing what she wanted. Or so she thought. She turned to me, holding a dress up
for me to see with a triumphant smile on her face. I scoffed inwardly while
returning her smile. I’d been the one to do the manipulating and things had
gone just as I wanted them to. After all, I really was my mother’s daughter.
*
As expected, the
brunch was just another excuse for over-dressed socialites to show off. Picture-perfect
smiles that bellied the strong animosity they all felt for each other. I doubted
if there was one person in that room who liked even one other guest. Including
me. I won’t go as far as saying I disliked everyone at the brunch. I just
really couldn’t be bothered with any of them. Even disdain shouldn’t be wasted
on people who weren’t worth the trouble.
I hung on my mother’s arm like the
priced crutch I was, back straight and my chin up and my ankles daintily
crossed like a sorority sister. I had a smile on my face that mirrored mother’s
beautiful one. I nibbled on my food and chatted politely with the other guests,
saying all the right words, laughing behind my fingers at their inane jokes at
the right moments. Just like mother
taught me.
Daddy and his wife
were seated across the room from us and of course, every time the women at our
table started to titter, she would scowl and shoot murderous looks our way.
Which was what mum wanted exactly. Why did daddy always end up with such
predictable women? I saw her speak furiously in daddy’s ear before stomping out
of the room. My eyes followed her to the doors even though I’d already
dismissed her from my mind. I had bigger fish to fry and was awaiting the final
piece of my carefully laid plans to fall in place. I peeked at my wrist watch
and looked once again to the doors.
“Are you alright love?” mum asked.
“Yes mummy. I’ll have to leave soon
if I’m to make that class.” I replied.
Her eyes went large
and mournful on cue.
“Can’t you wait just a little
longer?” she asked.
I made a show of taking
a plaintive look at my wrist watch this time and bit the corner of my lip.
“But..”
“You know how it upsets me when your
father shows up with somewhore else
to rub in my face!” She whined.
“I’ll miss the test and…you know Dr.
Fashola can be very nitty-picky when it comes to…”
“Fashola? You mean its Dare
Fashola’s test you have this afternoon?”
“Yes mummy, how do you know my
lecturer’s first name?!”
“Don’t worry your pretty head about
that.” She said flicking one slender wrist airily. “I’ll have a chat to Dare
and sort it out. Just promise to stay.”
I sighed
dramatically feigning indecision.
“Okay mummy, but just for a little
bit.” I said, putting a check on a test I’d missed a week earlier.
“Thank you darling!” she said air
kissing me on both cheeks. No big smothering hugs in public. With one last look
towards the doors over my shoulder, I excused myself to go the bathroom. I
caught daddy’s eye as I walked by his table and he smiled at me, our first form
of contact all afternoon. I stopped at his table knowing I would face the
consequences later, but I didn’t care. Not even mommie’s biggest tantrum could
stop me right then. I leaned over and wrapped my arms around him. Something
else I would get a tongue-scalding for.
“How are you doing Pumpkin?” He
asked half turning in his seat to return the hug.
“I’m fine daddy.” I said
straightening up and right on cue, bumped into the guy behind me.
“Oops! Sorry!” I exclaimed, grabbing
the guy’s arm to steady myself.
“Are you alright?” He asked.
Daddy jumped up and
came around to fuss over me as well.
“Yeah…I’m fine.” I gave a small
musical laugh. “I wasn’t looking where I was going, my bad!”
“I’m really sorry.” He said to me
and then turned to my father. “Good afternoon Sir.” He said shaking daddy’s
hand politely.
“How are you?” Daddy replied. “Ariyike,
this is Jimi, his father is a new client of mine. Jimi, meet my daughter,
Ariyike.”
“Hello.” I said shyly. “Pleased to
meet you.”
“The pleasure’s all mine.” He said.
Oh no, it is all mine I thought, giving myself a mental
pat on the back for perfect timing.
“Jimi is in his final year.” Daddy
said, “Should be off to Law School in a few months.”
“Oh that’s great!” I said feigning
surprise. What daddy probably didn’t know was that he was top three in his
class, was president of the Law Students’ Society, had captained the team that
won the last African Human Rights Moot Court Competition and liked his women
tall, skinny and leggy. I always took pride in doing my homework thoroughly.
“Ariyike here is an Economist,
second year.” Daddy offered, beaming at me proudly.
“Economics.” Jimi said. “Must be the
reason we haven’t met.”
I smiled benignly,
flashing my dimple and knowing it was lost on him. I was sooooo not his type,
but a girl could try, couldn’t she? Plus I hadn’t gone through the elaborate scheme
to get an introduction just to have it all fall apart around me.
“It was nice meeting you.” He said.
“Maybe I’ll run into you sometime at Uni?”
“Same here.” I replied.
“Are you heading back there today?”
he asked.
“Well, yes, I’ve got a late class.”
I replied.
“Great, I’ve got a students’ rep
meeting, I could give you a ride back.” He said.
“Thanks!
The day couldn’t
have gone any better. Now I would get the chance to kill two birds with one
stone, talk about catching a lucky break!
*
When he pulled into
the car park, Diana was waiting for me like I’d expected her to be. Our last
class had ended almost an hour earlier but I knew my tweets would have caught
Diana’s attention.
“Hey Babes!” I beamed brightly
getting out of Jimi’s car. “Jimi meet my best friend Diana. Diana, Jimi.”
“Hello.” Jimi said, smiling at
Diana.
Diana sized him up
in one cool look. With a flick of her hair, she dismissed him and for all the
attention she paid him, he might as well not have been there. You really have
to give it to Jimi, the way he handled her snobbery. With a slight flicker of
an eyebrow, he withdrew his proffered hand and turned to me instead.
“I need to run.” He said. “I have to
get to that meeting.”
“Thanks for the ride.” I said.
“Hope to see you around.”
“Yeah, see you around.”
We watched him drive
away in silence.
“So, what’s the story with him?”
Diana asked.
I shrugged.
“Dad and his father do business
together from time to time.”
Diana scoffed.
“It’s me, Ricky, stop messing about.”
I laughed. “What are
you…”
“Ariyike!”
“Okay, fine! I kinda like him, but
he’s always been just cool and polite with me. Are you happy now?!”
“So if he doesn’t seem to know that
you exist, why bother at all with him then?” she asked.
“Well, I think that’s starting to
change.” I said smiling coyly.
“Hmmnnn really?”
“Yeah, we had a moment today.” I
sighed contentedly, my smile growing.
“How do I put it? I’ve
known him for a while now but it’s like I suddenly turned a corner and there he
was and I’m wondering how I missed it for so long! ” I sighed, trying to make
her understand, willing her to.
“I…just
the thought of him, it makes me happy.” I smiled, letting the sweet bubbly feeling
fill me up, letting myself go.
“I
want to talk to him, about everything and nothing. I want to know everything
about him. Know what secrets lie behind those mysterious brown eyes. I want to
find out what’s beneath that cool-boy-doesn’t-give-a-toss façade he puts on.” I
heaved a huge sigh and returned from my private little world. I watched Diana
watch me with that shuttered look of hers that masked what she was thinking.
This was probably the most honest I’d ever been with Diana and I wondered if
any of it had got through that rock-hard armour.
“Anyway,” she said after a heavy
silence. “Don’t get your hopes too high. Guys like that.” And a Girl like you. She shrugged, dismissing me like a worrisome
pet.
I’d just practically
barred my soul to her and that was all she had to say to me! The fact that I
meant every word made me livid but I squelched my anger. There was really no
use wasting the emotion on Diana because it would be humanly impossible to keep
up with the anger tab every time she was mean.
Just then, Banky,
Diana’s boyfriend arrived to pick her up. His arrival almost unnerved me. I
guess I was still feeling vulnerable from my heart-to-rock conversation with
Diana and an irrational part of me felt like he could see my confession hanging
in the air. Well, I don’t do vulnerable so it was yet another emotion I
squashed on the spot.
I’d known Banky
since our first year at Uni and I quite liked him. He was one of those people
who seemed to have it all while still keeping a level head. Despite his love of
fast cars and partying, he was pretty down to earth and very unassuming. For
all his good looks and fancy toys though, he was a tad boring, your typical
shy-boy-next-door. Diana’s words, not mine. I often wondered how a guy like him ended up
with Diana. Well, probably for all the reasons Diana ever dated any guy: he was
super-hot, had more money than sense (dating Diana was proof enough of that)
and getting him had been a challenge Diana couldn’t resist.
Watching him with
her, I realised that he really did care deeply about her and it wasn’t just
about being with the most popular girl. I felt a surprising rush of pity and
something else I couldn’t quite figure out. Maybe it was just anger at Diana,
but I squelched the emotion again. Anger and Diana, dumb combo.
Within the week, Jimi
had invited me to see the Theatrical Society’s rendition of The Gods Are Not To
Blame. He had extra tickets so Diana and Banky could come as well, like a
double date of sorts which suited me just fine. I was glad he would get a
chance to hang out with my closest friends and hopefully, he and Diana could
start afresh on a better note. As far as plans go, this one was going even
better than I could have wished for.
After that, we went
on a few more dates and I started to see less and less of him. So much for
thinking that was going somewhere. Well, thanks to mum, I had something to help
me take my mind off things. As part of the payoff for escorting her to the
senator’s birthday, she got me an iPhone 5. What can I say? I’ve got my ways.
Of course Diana’d had one for ages before then but who’s keeping tabs eh? So it
came as no surprise when we accidently swapped
phones and seeing as she’d had little time for me and my boy troubles in recent
times, I was left with no other choice than to give her phone to Banky.
“This isn’t Diana’s phone.” He said
frowning down at the phone.
“What?! But I took her phone by
mistake at the hair dresser’s, of course it’s hers!” I replied.
“She just got the 5s a few days
ago.” He said.
“So…whose phone is this?!” I asked
in horror.
“I dunno.”
“Oh God, so where is my phone?!”
“Let’s try calling Diana to see if
she has your phone.” He said.
“Or we could find out who owns this
one and if they have mine!”
“Yeah, good idea.”
He unlocked the
phone and thankfully, it didn’t have a lock code. His fingers skimmed across
the screen and accidentally resumed a video that had been paused probably by
the mysterious owner. Well, not so mysterious
owner anymore. We both stared transfixed at the phone, unable to move or utter
any words. Even after the video ended after three agonizing minutes and thirty
seven seconds, we stood there, still starring at the little box of wonder I bet
the designers at apple never intended to cause so much trouble. It quite seemed
that while Diana might not own an iPhone 5 anymore, Jimi did. Plus, to put it
mildly, he liked things kinky and liked to keep errr mementos. Quietly, Banky handed the phone to me and walked away
to his car. I watched him go without saying a word even though I really hated
myself for the pain I knew he was feeling. I’m
so, so sorry I thought but the words wouldn’t come.
*
I lay in bed in the
dark as always, wondering what drama to expect from mum today. To be fair,
she’d been supportive in her own weird way about my heart break and the whole thing with Diana. She’d smothered me with
attention, taken me shopping and off on a spa weekend. When I’d finally seen
Diana, she’d looked right through me and dismissed me as she always did. No
apology, no explanation, not even a sorry, pathetic lie. What did I expect
really? After all, this was Diana and what Diana wants, Diana gets. It doesn’t
matter who pays for it or who gets hurt in the process and I would have been a
fool to think my being her best friend would have made a difference. And Jimi?
I guess she was as much a challenge for him as he was for her.
My phone beeped and
I picked it up from my night stand. I smiled when I read the message. When all
the dust had settled, I’d found an ally in seemingly the most unlikely place.
And he’d needed the support just as much as I had seemed to.
Hey! Sorry to text so early, hope I didn’t wake you. Just wanted to
check on you and see that you’re okay. B.
I heard a floor board creak and I knew I had
a few minutes before mum was in my room.
Hi! I’m fine, you? No you didn’t wake me, couldn’t sleep. :’( See you
at Uni later.
The door opened and mum snapped on the
lights. I hardly noticed. All I could think was how I had missed it for the
better part of two years.
Do you want to go get something before lectures? Or maybe just a
coffee? B.
I smiled up at mum and threw off the covers
before she could do it. I’m so glad I finally turned that corner and saw him,
as in really saw him.
Sure!
I pushed myself into my customary kneeling
position.
“Good
morning mummy.”
Great! I’ll pick you up at eight. See you then. B.
Well, what do you know, it isn’t only Diana
who gets what she wants after all.
_________________________________________________________________________________
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