"Amen." the whole family chorused.
Soon forks, spoons and knives were in the air, taking the regular path to the mouth then back to the plates.
"Hmmmm...looks yummy..." Kola salivated as he uwrapped the moist banana leaves, revealing a moist- steaming moin-moin.
"Yea, I love the scent of these leaves" Tunji agreed, directing his fork towards Kemi's lips.
She pushed his hands away roughly, wondering if he's lost his respect for her parents.
"Its been a long time, since we ate as one big family." Dapo noted, working his mouth.
"Yea..." Cassandra agreed
"Just that we've got an addition." she winked at Sasha, who did a thumb up.
"Addition? Kenny is a family member.." Kemi spoke up, mouth ful.
"maybe she meant the omo Igbo sitting close to me." Kenny replied savouring some fried fish.
"kenny noni! Tell me why I shouldn't love you! Hian!"Sasha laughed out loud.
"Can we all keep quite, and observe some table manners." Barbra spoke up, she knew where they were driving at. Joyce was beginning to feel uncomfortable too.
"Aunty Kay, you aint eating?" Kola observed ignoring his mother.
"You know all these pregnant women, they like shakara too much." Cassandra replied.
"Yea...shakara is meant for the 'legally' pregnant ones." Kenny added.
Williams coughed, he was decoding all the infos they were trying to pass across.
"can someone pass me the palm oil sauce, please." Tunji spoke his eyes on his plate.
"Sure." Sasha gave Kenny the bowl.
He attempted to pass it over Joyce's head only to let it drop, as expected the red-looking sauce splattered all over Joyces's cream-coloured evening dress.
"Holly Molly!" she shrieked.
"Oops...oh my God! Sorry..sorry please o" Kenny apologised, attempting to wipe off the sauce, only to smear the dress with his already stained hands.
" Stop it!" Joyce squealed, her lips quivered
"Kenny you must be out of your mind! What the heck was that?" Kemi scolded, while Joyce looked herself over, pitying herself
"But he said he's sorry." cassandra spoke up- she cared less.
"Abi o!" Sasha pulled Kenny back to his seat.
"You both shut up! Now Kenny apologise properly!" Kemi's voice was rising.
"There's no need for that..." Joyce said in a teary voice.
"Sorry" Kola and Dapo chorused.
Even Barbra wanted to murmur some apologies, but a sharp kick from Cassandra stoped her.
"That's palm oil for you...it shows its beauty by staining your dress." Tunji chuckled.
"it aint a big deal, just let it slide ma'am, your Moin-moin is cooling off."
Joyce simply sighed picking up her fork, she could feel Williams eyes on her. She wouldn't blame him, she got herself all that. She's going to talk to him, he should warn his daughter to steer clear her path, else she'd be forced to starngle her...
"Is that one cold? let me give you a fresh one." Dapo offered placing a wrapped moin-moin on her plate, not minding Cassandra's glare.
"You know what I don't like ehn? How can a full grown up be acting 'l too know'" Sasha said to no one in particular.
"Yes o! Must especially all those Oshi omo Igbo" Kenny hissed.
"The Igbo's I've come across are very nice o" Tunji chirped doting on his wife.
"hmn! Then you're lucky, the ones we have around here are purely home breakers!" Kenny said with spite.
"That's so true my guy!" Sasha grunted.
"the both of should excuse us, since you've finished eating." williams instructed almost choking.
"But..Big Daddy, we aint full yet!" Kenny complained.
"Doesn't matter! Now run off to your room! Good night!" He said firmly.
"What about evening devotion?"
"Pray in your room! Good night!" Barbra snapped.
"Okay o...good night o" Sasha pulled herself up.
"God sees our heart o, we've done nothing wrong o!" Kenny said pushing his half-eaten food away.
The cutlery that flew towards their direction, sent then running in different directions.
"Useless children!" Kemi fumed.
"Just let me catch you!"
"I thought you've changed her, she was so nice when she came back." Dapo stated.
"Yea, I guess Kenny just put on the flames again" Kemi hissed.
"You aint a saint either, you just threw sharp objects at them. " Tunji chided, to the amusement of others.
Joyce was fuming helplessly, it isn't easy being alone in the midst of people who think alike, its seems nobody took those urchins seriously. Barbra, Kemi, Dapo, and Kola were nice to her, except Williams himself, those devish duos and ofcourse the witch sitting across the table-Cassandra.
She'd handle them one after the other. She just pray her baby turns out to be a male. The thought of having a male child excited her.
Sasha lay on her bed, enjoying the warmth from the sun, as its rays bathed her unclad thighs-her very natural source of vitamin D. She could stay-on like that till evening, as there was nobody to kick her out of bed.
Thank God the -almighty-Kemi left with her husband the night before, else she'd been screaming her name up and down the house. It took her- Sasha alot of energy to plead with Kemi to leave her behind. What was going to Lagos for? After all, she's written her final paper, Kemi agreed after Kenny informed her that they would both fly to Lagos for their PostUTME which is coming in a few weeks.
Sasha sighed, hugging her pillow tightly. It was like nobody's home because her mother resumed work, even Kola and Cassandra all went to school. Her Father left home very early, his pregnant princess-Joyce is in her room-as usual.
Sasha spread her legs, as the warmth the sun rays increased its intensity.
"So sweeet.." she yawned.
"Sasha?" the door creaked open.
"Yikes!" she gasped, pulling the covers over her half unclad body.
The least she needed that moment was someone invading her 'privacy'
"Oops!" Kenny froze, as he watched her cover herself nervously.
"Next time you should knock!" Sasha eyed him.
"How was your night?" He strolled into the room, ignoring her eyes.
He placed the glass of juice he's holding on the dresser.
"pullease....Kenny! I'd appreciate it if you would leave this minute! I'm almost Unclad!"
"I'm going nowhere!" He snapped.
"Kenny, please nao..." she resolved to begging.
"No!"
"Kenny tori Olohun, please..." she rubbed her palms together.
"hmmm...why are you still in bed? When your mates are attending to their husbands!" Kenny feigned anger
"Husbands? " Sasha scoffed.
"Uhmm." Kenny drank his juice half way.
"Here, drink this up!" he offered her the glass. She drained it obediently.
"Good girl! Now get yourself outta that bed and clean up!" He ordered.
"Yes Papa!" Sasha laughed.
"Who's papa? I'm your husband!" he snapped.
"Yes sugar plum!" she laughed some more.
"Hian! Sugar plum? This girl! You have spoil finish!" He shook his head walking to the exit.
"Waiting at the living room!" he added over his shoulder.
"Okay." she sprang out of bed.
Sasha watched the door close, a wide grin plastered on her face. Kenny was a twin indeed!
++++++++
The duo chattered like magpies as they filled ther empty stomachs with whatever food they could find. The large tins of beverage were the 'centre of concentration' as they used it to make different foods ranging from tea to deserts.
"uuuhhh lalalala" Sasha sang as she spread a thick paste of milk,bournvita and sugar on a slice of bread.
"yummy yum! This is what I call Sugar candy Kingdom." she savoured the dripping bread.
"lemme have a bite.." Kenny licked his lips.
"have it all boy! I could easily make another."
"soo sweet!" Kenny scratched his ears.
"Big daddy's gonna slash our throats today." he added.
"oh yea! So we better enjoy our lives now!" Sasha mumbled chewing a chunk of Suya.
"What do they expect? They didn't leave breakfast for us! Not even left overs."
"Its like that Ibo woman ate our breakfast." Kenny chirped.
"No she can't!" Sasha replied moving a spoonful of powdered milk towards her mouth.
"This is 'chocolate plus banana delicacy' " Kenny said excitedly spreading a thick paste of bounvita on a half peeled banana.
"Looks so inviting..." Sasha giggled, rushing to take a bite.
"I'm even tired of eating sef!" Kenny made a face.
"Don't get tired jor! Its our turn to shine!" Sasha said licking her fingers noisily.
A loud cough filtered through their ears making them freeze.
"Omo Ibo is up!" Kenny sighed regaining his composure.
"Don't talk to her!" Sasha whispered.
"Yea, she should look for our trouble first!" Kenny agreed munching some suya.
"Oh my God! What a waste of resources!" Joyce shrieked walking into the dinnning room.
"What on earth is wrong with the both of you? Do you know how much a tin of milk costs?" She scolded.
Sasha exchanged looks with Kenny who signalled to her to keep quiet.
"What rubbish!" Joyce hissed, the sight of the teenagers alone was enough to annoy her.
"Just look at how dirty you've made the table covers...what sort silly kids are you?" she continued.
The duo continued to savour their 'food' without a second glance at her. Sighing quietly she turned towards the kitchen.
"Missy! Come..come..come...what were you saying? I'm sure you weren't talking to us." Kenny called after her licking his fingers.
..."hmmn" Sasha washed her hands, as Joyce turned to face them.
"I thought you both became deaf." Joyce spat.
"the truth is, we never knew you were talking to us." Kenny replied feigning innocence.
"I don't blame you! I wonder how were brought up! Imagine the rubbish you're doing with those beverages...just look at how you disorganised the whole place..." Joyce said looking irritated.
"Ose! Mrs I too know! Spare us those thrash you're saying." Sasha eyed her.
"Who's talking thrash? Haven't I warned you never to talk to me anyhow?" Joyce queried.
"Uhn Uhn! Madam, we were eating 'peacefully' before you became a disturbance." Kenny raised his palm up.
"Rubbish!" Joyce snapped.
"The only rubbish we have around here is a pregnant slut!" Sasha shot back.
"You can keep insulting me, i'm not surprised! You talk to your parents that way, don't you? A dominant gene from your mother." Joyce said spitefully.
"I won't have you insult my aunt!" Kenny slammed his hands on the table.
"Chillax bros, everybody's got one!" Sasha patted Kenny.
"I can now see the dominant gene in you!" she pointed at Joyce.
"Your mother was a W.hore right? A home breaker too, I suppose? That why you are carrying a bastard in you."
"That's my girlie!" Kenny clapped.
"I'm warning you for the last time...steer clear off my path! Else I'd be forced to strangle you." Joyce fumed.
"strangle her? So that's your mission? " Kenny asked bewildered.
"My head is too strong o! Tell your fellow witches that My blood is bitter!" Sasha rang jumping to her feet.
"you think this dada on my head is just for decoration? Ehn?" She asked loosening her dreads.
"Tell her what she wanna hear!" Kenny urged.
"what can you do? Small witch!" Joyce too was in the mood.
"ehen! Big witch! Tell the whole world your real identity." Sasha clapped.
Joyce tried to speak, but her ringing phone stoped her. Her face fell as she saw the caller Id.
"Hello?" she began.
"Hello, John, I can hear you " she muttered running to her room.
"Whoever John is!" Sasha hissed after her.
"nonsense! We sure dealt with her!" Kenny snapped his fingers.
"Ah! Booda mi! She's playing with fire ni!" Sasha said giving Kenny a high five.
************.
Williams turned off the SUV, turning then to glance at the beautiful woman sitting beside him. The song 'I love my baby' by a Nigerian artist-Wizkid was filtering through the speakers, as the AC made the atmosphere chilly.
"Errrm..thanks. " Barbra muttered opening the door of the vehicle.
"Just like that?" he queried.
Barbra stoped her movement. What does he want again?
"you're looking so beautiful, you know." his hands caressed her cheek.
"Errm...I think we should get out of the car now, the kids...they might be watching from their room." she said nervously edging away from him, those butterflies were beginning to flutter.
"Okay..." Williams sighed disappointed.
Barbra trudged into the house with Williams following closely, her heart a bit light atleast after the 'romantic night out'- as Williams named it
"Williams!" Joyce sprang to her feet, when it seems the couple didn't notice her seated on the sofa.
"hey...Joyce...how'do?" Barbra greeted.
"I'm fine! Williams I need to talk to you!" Joyce wasn't looking good.
"Errm...I'd excuse you." Barbra said climbing the staircase.
"Can't wait till morning?" Williams faced Joyce.
"It can't wait! Just listen to me now o! Before I expode." Joyce said full of rage. The sight of Williams coming home by 10pm with his 'darling' wife made her feel unwanted.
"Warn those devilish kids of yours! I'm not their mate! They should stop getting on my nerves! I can't have some bunch of bastards calling me names." she ranted.
Williams sighed, loosening his tie- atleast that should ease the anger bottling up in him.
"Did you hear me at all? Or you've suddenly gone deaf too!" she squealed.
"I did, I was just wondering which 'bunch of bastards' you were gibbering about." Williams replied in a cool voice.
"That witch called Sasha et'al! I might be forced to murder them one of these days!" she threatened.
"Murder? My kids? You won't dare!" Williams spat.
"are they more important than I am? I am your wife for crying out loud!" Joyce yelled.
"You are not my wife!" Williams thundered.
"I'm carrying your child!" she squealed.
"A child I'm not even sure if its mine?" he grimaced.
"I see..." Joyce sighed searching for words.
"Maybe when you wake up one day, and discover I'm gone with my child, you'd know my worth." she said in a fierce whisper.
"The door is always open." Williams replied carelessly.
"What?" Joyce covered her mouth in fear. Her body trembled as she watched Williams saunter up the stairs. She was losing it- she shuddered.
TBC TOMORROW AT 11AM.
