Baby steps

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kindness is the only true disease we should spread

*******************************************

Agatha had been tasked with taking the children to the school Nnamdi had discovered around their residence.

Their enrollment was one of the things they had conversed about through out the weekend. Agatha was still a bit skeptical with getting the children being accustomed to a home which would only be temporary.

She had spoken to her husband about the visit she intended to give Iheanyị where he was being held but he shot down the idea.

Nnamdi believed the children was their main priority. Being besotted with the children was a mere understatement when it came to Nnamdi.

Agatha carefully dished out her meal of porridge yam with smoked fish, garnished with uziza leaf into four food flasks, her husband's inclusive as she prepared herself to take the children to school.

Nnamdi had a class that morning and would have been the one who sought out the school. He dashed into the kitchen with a smile, placing a kiss on his wife's lips as he retrieved the flask in her hand.

Agatha helped him fix the collar of his shirt caressing his chest while at her task. The children busted out of their rooms each smacking their lips rapidly as words flew out of their mouths.

Nnamdi stared at the children with glint in his eyes. He reached into his pockets and fished out naira notes and placed them into their hands. Adaugo the eldest got a fifty naira note, Chijioke and Obanma had twenty naira notes to themselves.

He placed kisses on their foreheads before he dashed out. Their mouths hung open and their eyes trailed Nnamdi as he practically ran out of the house.

Their eyes descended on Agatha,  Chijioke 's hands on his forehead as he scrunched his nose in mild disgust at the gesture.

She simply shrugged and continued with her preparation. It was amusing the way the children reacted to what Nnamdi did. She knew they were not used to such.

"Daa are we going back to our old school when mummy wakes up?" Chijioke stooped low to tie his shoe laces as the questions emerged from his mouth

"Nna m I don't know yet. Let's wait till she wakes up ịnụ". Agatha understood the boy's concern but she had no powers to wake their mother up. On the other hand Obanma was engulfed by happiness as she stared at the note in her hand.

The joy she felt  reflected on the smile that was bestowed to Agatha when she zipped up her gown.

Adaugo had dressed up properly before stepping into the room. Puberty had whispered a tune of modesty and her body begun to dance to the rhythm.

Agatha had relinquished her perfumes while Nnamdi purchased deodorants for her. Agatha was still expectant the idea of the little girl menstruating always rang in her head.

Agatha stared at the young girl with her two younger siblings, still amazed at the fact that he had become an instant mom.

"Adaugo prepare tea for your younger ones, we're running late already. Let me have my bath"

Agatha quickly left the children and divested herself of the clothing she had on before proceeding to prepare.

"Obanma bịa see this  money has the head of a soldier while this one has the head of a fine man" Chijioke extracted the ten naira note from his short and stretched it towards the young girl, who assessed the two pieces of paper.

"Yes" She replied slowly her interest piqued as she tried to understand what her brother was revealing to her.

"Can you remember what that soldier did to Chidiebere's father?"

"He took him away"

"That's what they do! Even this money now that has this man's head on it can just go away. Why do you think uncle Nnamdi gave us this money for nothing?"

She clamped her lips shut as the memories of her class mate's father being dragged out of his home reflected on her mind.

She had slowly budded  a mild acrimonious feeling towards men in the force after that incident. Chidiebere had been the one who always gave her free bon-bon sweet and stopped doing so after his father was taken away.

Chidiebere's father had been arrested because he couldn't pay his debt on time. He had duped a woman who was married to a soldier.

"Eziokwu!" She declared suddenly grateful that her elder brother had hinted his thoughts to her.

"Dee Chijioke I chọrọ igwe ya?  Do you want to take this money?"

Chijioke pretended to have a deep thought about what he had proposed then retrieved the naira note Nnamdi had given the little girl.

Adaugo who was present while all these went on couldn't object to Chijioke's dubious act because she had once played the same trick on him.

Obanma relinquished her twenty naira note and heartily accepted the new money she received while they waited for their aunty.

Agatha threw on her gown, applied a little bit of powder and lip gloss. She stared herself in the mirror with delight as she evenly smeared the gloss on her lips by smacking them together.

"Ngwanu! Let's go!" Agatha yelled as she slipped her legs into her shoes while motioning for the children to run outside.

Obanma kept her eyes on her money as they geared up and set out to seek a school.

Adaugo had witnessed everything that had happened but felt compelled to ignore them because of Chijioke. He had even given a stare which she realized meant

"You did it to me too"

The red school gates guarded by an old man were gently pulled apart as Agatha and the children arrived at the premises.

A polite greeting was exchanged between Agatha and the old man and he pointed her in the right direction.

"Ọ nwere anything for us?  Is there anything for us?"

The old man's inquiry was accentuated with a smile that bared his colored teeth, his facial wrinkles even more pronounced. Agatha's eyes trailed his grey hair noting semblance between him and her mother before she passed away.

It felt unfair that an old man who probably had many geriatric diseases knocking at his door steps still had to fend himself. The country really did nothing for her elderly.

Agatha imagined his bones squeaked just like the king's own, expectancy was written over his features as she dug her hand into her bag.

She instructed Chijioke and Adaugo to move forward while she sought for her purse that always managed to hide in her bag every time.

Obanma clung to her, holding her hand firmly as she tried to figure out where she kept her purse.

"Nne chere nnu ! Let me get something from the bag"

She released Obanma's hand, gently pulled down her bag and finally fished out her purse.

She fished out five hundred naira notes and handed over to the man who almost dislocated her arm as he shook them in gratitude, chanting praises in their native dialect.

Obanma gently tapped her aunt and handed over the ten naira note which was in her possession to her. The smile she bestowed on the little girl made her heart leap with joy.

She laughed heartily as she placed the naira  note in the man's hand. He chuckled lightly and instructed Agatha to return the money.

Obanma was adamant in taking back her gift as she quickly moved forward and presented the naira note herself.

The old gatekeeper heartily blessed her as he accepted the money. .

Obanma gifted him a smile as he thanked again for her kind gesture

"Nwa nke a amaka! This child is beautiful! You are indeed a blessed woman " The old man exclaimed as the pair left to catch up with Chijioke and Adaugo.

Agatha and Obanma exchanged subtle grins as she patted the little girl's head.

They headed to the principal's office, Agatha's eyes drinking in the school environment.

The various bungalows painted yellow spread across the compound. The storey buildings scattered beside the principal's office she suspected were for the older students in secondary school.

The buildings had a different color from the first set she saw. They were painted blue and white, a high podium colored green and white as the national flag was situated in front of one of those buildings. The school field for extracurricular activities laid beside the Nigerian flag which danced around because if the wind.

Agatha appreciated the extensiveness of the compound. She knew it meant the children had enough space to play around as well. School wasn't just a place to learn, it was also a place to make genuine friends and have fun or so she thought because it had been the same for her.

She met the principal who happened to be an elderly woman in her sixties. Her awards which Agatha didn't pay much attention to were spread across a shelf together with books.

A calender which bore the picture of the school with their motto situated beside the shelf. Knowledge is Power!

Trophies which Agatha assumed were collected by students on behalf of the school were also boldly displayed behind the woman who was clad in a blue native attire, with a scarf secured on her hair.

Her mahogany tabled glistened and Agatha's eyes feasted on the wood, impressed with how much care the woman made sure was accorded to her table, as she sat on the visitor's chair that was accorded to her.

"This school is the best in the region, if not even the state" The woman began rubbing her hands together like a trader who was ready to extract funds from a customer.

"Not only do we have well qualified teachers we happen to groom these children with subjects that simply make them intellects.

We are also very adept in other extracurricular activities, mostly sports activities that promote these children in the country. These are one of the students that were recruited by the state to represent them at the state level in various games. She gestured at a picture that displayed children smiling with a trophy in their hand. Music and creative arts is also inclusive in these activities.

One of our students happened to win big at the last The voice Naija show which was hosted in Lagos. "

Agatha's head snapped towards the direction the woman gestured and she saw the boy smiling beside the popular presenter and musician Darey.

"We have a school bus that conveys these children from their homes to the school for those who happen to be situated in regions that are distant from the school.

The children's knowledge will be tested with an aptitude test that we will assign to them.

It'll help us know if they are indeed qualified to be in the classes you have presented in your application form. "

Agatha nodded her head in affirmation a bit terrified that the children hadn't prepared for any test.

The principal made a quick call requesting for assistance in her office.

" My secretary was delivered of twins today. Her water broke right there this morning. It was quite a fiasco" She offered with a grin

Agatha bestowed a smile on the woman and gently rubbed Obanma's hand. Agatha and Chijioke were busy gawking at the numerous trophies they saw.

"Oh Mr Tokumbo, I'd like these children to be tested immediately please, while I discuss other important matters with their mother. Their classes are written on this application form "

Mr Tokumbo quickly fished out three papers with questions and led the children to the office were they were to be tested.

Agatha had almost corrected the principal when she mistook her for their mother but decided to ignore.

Three more  papers emerged and was placed into Agatha's hands. It had fees, list of books and other important items required of students.

"Mrs Peters, this is the right place for your children to be in"

Agatha and the principal conversed about other important things which concerned the children while their test results were bright in.

"It seems your children are qualified, though the boy fairly passed. He needs to put in more effort, his class is quite competitive"

Agatha smiled radiantly, she did not care if they were fairly average. The children had done her proud by passing.

"I'd like to make the payments today but I'd like the children to start immediately. I wouldn't want them to waste any more time at home"

"That is no problem really, Mr Tokumbo will direct you to the accountant's office once you're ready to go to the bank. The children will be guided to their various classes immediately"

Agatha hugged the children, promising them prizes for passing their tests.

"Obinna told me all the answers" Obanma opined. Chijioke and Adaugo laughed at the utterance but Agatha knew better.

Agatha pulled the little girl aside and spoke extensively to her.

"Tell him to go away ịnụ. Other children might tease you if they find out you're talking to a ghost"

"He has gone already daa, don't worry! Obinna said we will be fine "

The children were taken away while Mr Tokumbo still came back to assist Agatha.

"I love the uniform I saw on the children outside" Agatha began her eyes still fixed on the smartly dressed students who seemed to be fetching flowers. It had been a beige shirt with a black trouser or skirt.

"The management has scraped this one out. The new one would be worn by the students starting from next week. It seems there are too many duplicates and they want something unique. But it is truly a lovely uniform" Mr Tokumbo opined

"The new one is not grey and white is it?"

Mr Tokumbo's eyes widened as he heard the words

"How did you know ma?"

"Me!" Agatha exclaimed with a chuckle trying to assuage the nervousness she felt

"I only guessed"

"it was one accurate guess ma.. We're here"

Agatha looked up and saw the directives on the door and quickly knocked. She finished the business of enrolling the children before going to her shop.

Later that day while the family conversed during dinner she mentioned the incident with the uniform to Nnamdi and they agreed on taking Obanma to a church.

The day turned out well, the children claimed they settled in quite well among their peers. The only problem was the loss of Obanma's shoes and water bottle.

Agatha was quite terrified when she saw the girl looking like someone who had fought in a war. Her body was dirty and her shoes were absent.

Apparently the girl had so much fun that she misplaced her belongings with her peers.

Nnamdi was the one who tucked the children in after series of happy screams and yelling. He loved playing with the children and his playful  nature happened to get them to do their home works on time.

Nnamdi arrived his own room looking like a ghost. It seemed the children had emptied a bottle of powder on his head.

His amused wide couldn't help herself from laughing as he pulled her in for a kiss.

"Chijioke warned against being pecked, I almost laughed when he ran out of the room screaming no!"

Agatha and her husband chuckled as they tucked themselves in.

"I love you" Agatha whispered into his ears as she rested her head on his chest breathing in the fragrance that engulfed him.

Nnamdi beamed a wide smile at his wife before rolling her over to give her a proper goodnight kiss that happened to lead to an intense love making.

While their snores wafted in the room, accentuated by  random kisses he placed on her head and face,Agatha truly wondered if she was deserving enough to have a kind man as a spouse.

*******************************************

Author's notes

Hey everyone!

How are we doing? Hope we enjoyed the chapter!

How many of us were duped at a young age?😭😭😭

My elders always happened to exchange my cash with a lesser denomination. Thank God we grew!

Who's your favorite character so far and why?