“Two heads are better than one.”

           —African proverb.

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C H A P T E R 34:

The sight of the old family house brought some kind of unsettling feeling to May's stomach. She couldn't believe she once lived here with Edric and his family before they moved out.

The storey building looked like it was going to collapse any time soon with few cracks on the wall and the paints peeling off. Some of the room windows were broken and nets torn.

Mama and Papa Edric lived here like the building wasn't scary enough. It was bending to the left side of the house and needed renovation badly but Mama and Papa Edric wouldn't agree to vacate from the building just so their children would buy a new comfortable flat for them.

"I can't leave this house." Papa Edric would stubbornly say, "it was passed down to me by my father whom also possessed it from his father..." and on and on he would boast about how his eldest son would also inherit it from him in future.

Their children had to leave it that way because it was of no use trying to convince their parents that the house was no longer good to live in.

May tore herself back to the present as she finally hovered her fist on the door in front of her. After some time, she heard Mama Edric's voice demanding whom it was at the door.

May replied, "Mama it's May."

Mama got to the door, opened it and hugged her daughter in-law. "Welcome, my daughter. It feels good to see you. Come in,"

"Where is Papa?" asked, May.

"He is at his workshop,"

"And Maryam?"

"Hmm.. That your friend.." Mama Edric snapped her fingers together repeatedly as she tried to remember his name.

"Tega?" May asked.

Mama Edric's face lightened up, "Yes! Yes him. He came earlier today, said something about taking her to the ice-cream shop."

"I see.." May only said, not sure if it was right that Tega was already winning over her daughter's heart and trust. Many things were just happening so fast between them that it became hard to think straight.

Tega was single and searching so ever since he came in contact with May at Efua's engagement party, he had made sure they never loose touch. Even if he knew she was married, the old feelings he had for her way back—which he thought had died,— stubbornly resurrected.

The way she smiles, the way she laughs, walks, talks, just everything. He saw no fault in her. For him, everything about her was simply amazing and he just couldn't help falling in love with her for the second time.

Everytime, he would seat down and wish that she was his forever.

Unfortunately for him, it wasn't exactly the case with May. Her heart belonged to another. That person whose name seems to occupy her mind everytime. Since she could hardly get that person out of her head, she decided that she needed some distractions. And distractions she got.

The several dinner they had together, the days he would take her shopping, buy her surprise and expensive gifts, shower her with love and kindness, Tega sure was a good distraction for her.

But sometime along the line, May began to feel guilty. She felt like she was using him and it wasn't right. Later on, she began to question her intentions. Was it only about the distractions or was everything just an excuse for her to get more closer to him?.

She didn't have an exact answer to her troubling mind but she was afraid that he was gradually stealing her heart away.

At cedar court high, he had gathered some courage just so he would open up his true feelings to the girl he was badly crushing on. His hopes tattered when she declined his request to be his date and went after their class prefect, Frank.

May was sure she didn't like him then, she didn't see any thing special in or about him, she didn't feel anything more than being friends with him but now, she couldn't say the same. They were getting more acquainted as time passed by and she got to see some special attributes he possessed.

Mama Edric entered her kitchen and May followed suit, dropping her bag on the kitchen counter.

"I am cooking egusi soup," Mama Edric announced, taking off the pot's cover and stirring inside the pot with a cooking spoon.

May looked around in discomfort and a scrunched up nose, "Mama, this place is a mess."

Mama glanced over where May stood, "Although, I don't like that you called my kitchen a mess but it's alright."

May simply smiled at mama then, searched around for the broom.

"It's over there," Mama Edric pointed to the side of the kitchen cupboard after allowing May to search for awhile.

"You know," Mama Edric began, "I might look young and healthy physically but the truth remains that I'm actually getting old. No one is ever around to assist me in doing the chores around here. I do it all by myself so sometimes, I get really stressed out. Reasons why you caught this kitchen dirty today," She sighed, "Although, i had in mind to clean it up after I finish cooking.."

"Mama," May drawled, already tired with her rants, "I will just do it for you then."

Mama Edric sang praises to God as she watched her daughter in-law sweep the kitchen floor effortlessly.

"Woah!" Mama Edric exclaimed in awe, "You've really changed, May."

"Is that so, Mama?" May laughed.

"Yes. I still remember vividly the time you were pregnant and brought to this house. You refused to touch or help with anything. You made it clear that you couldn't cook or do a chore all because you weren't brought up that way and I had to let you be. But to be sincere, I wasn't happy that my daughter in-law was lazy but now, I can say that your looks match your use. You're no longer just pretty, you're hardworking as well. Kudos, My daughter. I'm proud of you."

"Thank you, Mama. I am learning to become a better person than I used to be." May explained.

"Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!" Sang little Maryam as she rushed into the kitchen to give her mother a hug.

"Mommy good afternoon, Grandma good afternoon," She greeted both adults she found in the kitchen after they had finished hugging.

"Afternoon my grandchild," Mama Edric responded.

May pinched her cheeks lightly, "How are you?"

"I'm very fine, thank you. Mommy, Uncle Tega bought me ice-cream and bonbon sweets." she announced excitedly, showing her mother the large cup of ice-cream and a pack of bonbon sweet she had inside a polythene bag.

"Awwwn that's so nice of him. After he gave you the ice-cream and sweets, what did you say to him?"

With a big smile, Maryam responded, "I told him, 'Thank you.'"

Ruffling her hair tied in puff puff—an African hairdo parted and tied into several bun,— May asked, "So where is uncle Tega now?"

"He dropped me off and left, said he was going to text you."

"Okay now, go to the sitting room and eat your ice-cream while you wait for Grandma's specially prepared egusi soup."

"Yay!!!" Maryam screamed excitedly and rushed out.

"I have never seen her so happy at the mention of other meal asides noodles and cereal before in my life," May admitted, "What did you do to my child?"

Mama gave a short laugh, "I always recharge her stomach with my spicy, delicious meals and of course, she is now used to it."

"Thank you so much mama. I am happy Maryam has a Grandma like you. I'm very sure you wouldn't let her turn out to be like the way I was."

Mama Edric nodded, "Of course. After now, she'll be assisting me with the house chores. If she could do little little things for me, then slowly she will turn out to be a hardworking lady in future."

May's new phone buzzed just when she was about adding something to what Mama Edric had said.

When she checked who had texted her, it was Tega. She typed back and in no time, his reply came in. She didn't know how long she was staring at her phone and smiling until mama, who had been watching her all the while, cleared her throat noisily.

May looked at her.

"Come seat," Mama Edric sat down the pot of egusi on the cupboard with the help of a towel, and turned off the stove. She sat down and patted a stool close by, "Come seat," she repeatedly.

May obediently sat, "Is there a problem, Mama?"

"Tell me," Mama Edric ignored her question, "All these changes I've noticed about you, what is the real cause of it?"

May's red from lipstick lips pressed downwards, her brows drew in quizzically and her palms opened in confusion, "I don't understand."

"There must be a reason. Tell me, is it because of a man?"

Face palming herself, May shook her head sideways, feeling slightly embarrassed by Mama Edric's questions.

Mama used her finger to raise May's chin up so that she was going to look into her eyes, "May, do you love Tega?"

"Mama," May drawled hesitantly, finding it hard to get the reasons to why mama Edric would ask such questions. It was weird especially since the fact that they had never sat down and discussed something close to this before.

"Just tell me. Do you in anyway love him?" Mama Edric pressed on further.

"I certainly don't hate him. But love? Mama that is a strong word to use for what I feel about him,"

"What kind of feelings do you have towards him?"

"I only see him as a friend." May hoped she wasn't lying to herself, "He is a friend trying way too hard to get his way into my heart,"

"And how do you feel about that?"

Silence ensued for a minute before May spoke, "I don't know what to feel about that. Like.. how I'm I supposed to feel?"

"My daughter, I know you like Tega even if you might say you don't love him. I know he loves you. With the way he looks at you, I see admiration in his eyes and then, he tries all his means to make you happy. He even bought you a new cellphone," Mama Edric drew closer to her and placed a hand over her shoulder, "Listen to me attentively. It is okay for you to feel your feelings. They're welcomed. It is okay that you might no longer like my son and it is okay that you might be seeing other men. I won't judge you. Yes, I won't. I refuse to criticize you for that because I know the pain you have endured in the hands of my son. But I am only telling you this because I want you to do the right thing first before you get too attached with these young men and also, I want you to be careful enough in order for you not to make the same mistake you made with my son. I hope you've heard me?"

May gave a nod, indicating that she would take heed to mama Edric's advice.

"That's good." Mama Edric gave her a pleased pat on her shoulder.

As May stood up to exist the kitchen, she said, "Thank you for your advice, mama."

"You're welcome," then, suddenly it flashed across Mama Edric's mind, "Wait. May, do you know Edric arrives tommorrow?"

"No?" surprised, it came out more like a question from May's lips.

"Well, he would be back tomorrow from travel so I want us to do something." Mama Edric informed and then, whispered, "I have a plan."

"and what is that, mama?"

"Shussh.." Mama presses her finger on her dry lips, "Come, bring your ear. Let me whisper it to you and let's work out the plan together."

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Yay! I'm so happy I defeated laziness today. Although, I am not satisfied with this chapter but what do y'all say about it?

I want to hear your thoughts and get notified that you voted.

One love,
Africa.