“God!” she whispered as her body shook with fear. The result was out!
Another message came in.

Esther: Have you checked yours?

Her fingers were trembling. She put the phone aside and buried her head in her hands. Her heart was beating fast. She needed to be calm. She dashed for the door and went in search of Lolade. She found her in the living room, sitting on a couch and facing the TV, remote in hand.

“Lolade!”

“Hmm,” she muttered, her gaze fixed on the screen before her.

“Lolade, waec result is out!”

“Really? Have you checked yours?”

Tomini shook her head and went to sit beside her.

“Come and help me check. I’m so scared. Please,” she pleaded, desperately.

She had a gut feeling she failed chemistry but didn’t want to find out on her own. She had written the exam in disorientation. She was bound to fail.

Four minutes later, Tomini was staring at her phone screen, her heart beating wildly. Her eyes pricked with tears as she felt her cousin’s arm pull her shoulders towards her.

“It’s okay,” Lolade said softly.

“I knew I was going to fail chemistry. E8! I knew I might fail but a part of me still hoped a miracle would happen, someway, somehow. God!” She placed her right palm over her eyes in a bid to keep the tears from falling. It was futile. They rolled down her cheeks. Her shoulders began shaking as her sobs grew louder.

“Tomi, it’s okay,” Lolade embraced her fully. She rubbed small circles on her back as she sobbed.

After a while, Lolade drew back from the hug. She placed a hand on her chin and pulled her head up.

“Look at me, Tomi. You will re-take the exams. You will ace it. You will go to uni. You’re not going this year doesn’t mean you’ll never go. In a few years, it most likely not matter that you didn’t pass chemistry at the first attempt. It won’t matter that you had to wait a year before going to uni. Know that God has the best plans for you. He’ll make it all work out for your good. You’re not a failure. You’ll do it again and do it better. I know this. It is okay. It’s okay.”

They fell into a comfortable silence as Tomini drank in her words. What about her dad? What would he think? What would he say? How was she going to tell him?

Lolade broke the silence, “You’ll show daddy when he comes back from work right?”

“I don’t know.” Her voice was low. Her heart felt heavy and she swallowed hard.

Lolade gave a short laugh. “You don’t know my dad. You don’t. You think he’ll flog you or what? If anything, daddy will buy or do something to cheer you up and make you happy; especially because he knows you wrote the exam days after your mum’s passing.”

The smile on Lolade’s face was contagious. She couldn’t help but smile a little.

***

Esther: Hello Madam

Esther: Why did you leave me on read?

Tomini smiled a little on seeing those messages. She didn’t need to let her problems make her bitter. She should be happy for her friend’s success, she lectured herself.

Tomini: Sorry jare

Tomini: Congrats girl, I’m so happy for you

She replied within seconds, asking if she had checked hers. She said yes and went offline immediately. She didn’t want to share her failure with her. Her friends and classmates knew her to be smart and intelligent; she used to teach some of her mates who had difficulties with some subject areas. Now she had failed chemistry. How was she supposed to let people know?

She busied herself with movies on Lolade’s laptop till night came. Lolade reminded her to inform her uncle of her WASSCE results but she refused vehemently. Lolade didn’t push the subject and she thought she was going to let her be and tell them in her own time.

She was wrong. After prayers the next morning, big mummy asked her to stay behind while her cousins left the living room.

“Lolade showed me your results. Why didn’t you tell us it was out?” big daddy questioned, his eyes trained on her. She lowered her head.

“Tomi,” he called out. She slowly raised her head and met his gaze. “It is alright. You only failed chemistry but it’s better you re-do all the subjects next year instead of merging results and all that. Next year, hopefully, you’ll be in a better state and will be more than prepared for the exams. Don’t think about it too much. Okay?”

She nodded and returned her gaze to the tiled floor.

“Tomini, we don’t at all blame you. We understand what happened. You were not in a good state when you wrote that exam. You’ll re-take the exam and by the grace of God, you’ll do well.”

There was a lump in her throat and she swallowed hard. “Thank you, ma.”

“Alright. Make sure you have breakfast,” big daddy instructed in an authoritative voice. He walked to her and pulled her to his side.

“Tomi, my baby!” He rubbed her shoulder affectionately before ruffling her hair. “I’ll see you later.”

He went to his wife and gave her right shoulder a soft squeeze before making his way to the door.

***
“Tomi, your daddy is here,” Gbola announced from his position at the door. He ran off immediately without shutting it and his sister barked at him.

“Hey! You can’t close the door abi? Is this how you met it?”

He appeared at the door again, stuck his tongue out at his sister before slamming the door close. Lolade hissed loudly and got up from the bed.

“Tomi, let’s go,” she beckoned to her. Sluggishly, she rose from her lying position, her heart pounding.

Getting downstairs, her dad was seated on the three seater sofa adjacent big daddy.

She bent her knees slightly in greeting.”Good evening, sir.”

“Good evening, sir,” Lolade greeted, mirroring her gesture.

He nodded and faced the wall adorned with family pictures. She could not read his expression.

Her throat tightened. She wanted to cry. Why did she feel the urge to cry? She swallowed hard and remained standing.

Lolade sauntered into the kitchen. She came in minutes later with a tray of juice and a glass cup and went back into the kitchen. Tomini who had taken her seat by then stood to follow her into the kitchen but was stopped by her father.

“Sit back down,” he instructed coldly.

She blinked back tears and let out a breath. Things would have been easier if her mum was here. She did as he said and kept her head down.

“Ehn Tomi, do you have your result here?” big daddy asked.

She shook her head. “You should have printed it out. Anyways, since you have it on your phone, there’s no problem. Go and get it and come and show your daddy.”

She went and fetched her phone. She opened her gallery and found the screenshot of her WASSCE results. She walked towards her uncle and held it out to him.

There was a deep frown on his face. “I said show your dad.”

Her fingers shook as she stretched her phone out to her father. Her heart was beating fast.

He took it and stared at the screen for seconds. One minute passed, two, three, and he was still staring at the screen.

“Wale,” big daddy called. Her father dropped the phone beside him and took a look at her. His stare was cold and unnerving. The little courage she had mustered flew out the window.

“You failed!” he finally spoke. “Oluwatomini, you failed!” his voice grew louder.

He wasn’t done. “As a father who did his best for you, sacrificed for you to have a good life, good education, do I deserve this? I went the extra-mile to get you extra teachers, paid extra money! How many fathers will do what I have done? I’ve tried for you, Tomini. I’ve tried. But you’ve chosen to be a failure!”

“Wale, calm down,” big daddy’s voice was calm.

“Don’t tell me to calm down. This is my child we are talking about here. Just because you’ve housed her for a few months doesn’t make her your child. I talk to her however I like.”

Both men were staring at each other now. Big daddy drew his gaze to her before looking back to her father.

“Wale, calm down,” he said again. This time, his voice did not sound calm. He sounded like he was trying hard to maintain his composure.

“She failed only one subject – chemistry. She wrote that exam a few days after her mother’s passing. It’s not her fault. It’s no one’s fault.”

“Your mother always spoilt you. Always! I’m the only one that ever disciplined you. All your mother did was sit at home all day and she still could not raise you well!”

Tears escaped her eyes and she used her palm to wipe them off. She would cry later…alone.

Big daddy stood and walked to stand in front of her father.

“Wale, do not speak about my sister in such manner. Do not.”

Her father rose also and they stood face to face.

“She was my wife. I can say whatever I choose to. Tomini is my child. And she’s leaving this house this minute.”

He turned to her and gestured to the stairs. “Get your things, now!” he yelled.

Big daddy chuckled and turned to her. “Don’t move. You’re not going anywhere.”

Big mummy and Lolade appeared in the living room with confusion written on their faces.

Frustrated, she heaved a sigh and blinked back fresh tears. She would not cry here, she said internally.

Her father laughed humourlessly before lunging and pushing her towards the stairs with great force. She lost balance and quickly grabbed the railing.

“Go!” he yelled, breathing heavily. Big mummy rushed to her side and held her to herself.

“What’s going on?” big mummy asked confused.

The tension in the room was thick and silence ensued as her father stared at her uncle for seconds. He took one look at her and left. Big daddy ran his hands down his face and walked up the stairs.

Big mummy sat at her down and she broke down in uncontrollable tears. Big mummy prayed over her and she began to calm down. Lolade gave her a glass of water. She drank it all in seconds.

***
They didn’t eat dinner together that night. Lolade and Tomi ate together at the dinning and cleared their own plates. The living room was deserted and quiet.

After dinner, they went back to their bedroom. She picked up her phone from the bedside table and saw a text from Zion. She double tapped on the notification.

Zion: Hey Tomini. Is it okay if I call you? I feel led to pray with you.

Her puffy eyes watered again as she read the text. She replied with a simple “Yes” and waited for his call.

“Are you okay?” Lolade asked, noticing her watery eyes. She reached over and placed a hand on her laps. Tomini nodded as the sound of her ringing tone filled the room. Lolade went into the bathroom and she answered the call.

“Hey!” He sounded excited.
As she opened her mouth to speak, tears began to fall. Her voice was cracked as she said, “Hi”

“Are you alright, Tomi? You sound…off.”

She began to sob. She was tempted to cut the call as embarrassment enveloped her. Why was she crying on a call with Zion? She gave in and cut the call, wiping off the tears that had betrayed her.

He called multiples times. She refused to pick but held the phone in her hands and stared at the screen.

He called again and she felt a nudge to pick it. She did and the first thing she said was, “I’m sorry. I’m…I don’t know. I’m not very okay right now.”

“It’s okay,” he said, all excitement gone.

“Are you okay? I felt a pressing need to pray with you. I firstly dismissed it and just prayed for you. But it kept coming back to my mind; that I should call and pray with you.”

“A lot is wrong, Zion.”

“Tell me, please.”

She blew out a breath and blinked back tears. “My mum died a few months ago, while I was still writing my waec. She died during labour. The baby died also. My result just came out and I failed chemistry. I wrote that exam the day after her burial. Of course I was gonna fail. I don’t know. I expected it but I was still shaken when I saw the result. I need a credit in chemistry to get admission for my choice of course; whether the course I really wanted or the one my dad wants for me. I still need chemistry. I just don’t know why these stuff have to happen to me. My dad came over today and fought with my uncle. He rained insults on me and demanded I packed my things and come back home. My uncle refused and he pushed me forcefully to the stairs. I almost fell. He left and I don’t even know!”

Her shoulders dropped and she shifted on the bed. She had never felt so much pain in her life. It was too much for her to bear.

“Wow,” he said and paused.

He spoke again after seconds. “You don’t have to bear these burdens by yourself, Tomi. You have a father who cares that you’re in pain. He wants you to cast your cares on him. He’s always with you. He’s here right now; in the midst of your pain and troubles. Jesus never said we’ll be free from troubles, whether or not we’re believers. But he said, in this world you’ll face troubles and tribulations. But be of good cheer. You have overcome the world.”

She was silent as he spoke. “These troubles, give them to Jesus. He already paid the price for your salvation, joy and peace. But you have to unburden yourself and let Jesus take care of it all. He is your ever present help. He’ll help you through the pain.”

He began praying for her, declaring God’s words over her and she wept. Lolade came out of the bathroom and looked at her confused. She shook her head at her.

Zion began praying in tongues. Two minutes into his tongue-speaking, she began to utter words she did not understand. Her voice grew louder as she spoke in mysterious tongues. The call was cut suddenly but she simply put the phone aside and continued speaking in tongues. Lolade joined her and held hands with her. She did not know how long they prayed for. But at the end, she felt peace envelope her. Her heart felt light. She later read a text from Zion where he explained that his airtime finished during the call and that he'd speak to her later.

The next evening, big daddy called for her and they sat side by side on a couch in the living room.

“I saw your dad today. He agreed to let you stay after Bamike and Grandma pleaded with him over the phone. You’ll stay here for now.”

Her heart leaped with joy.