with mostly motorists moving at high speed not minding the slippery roads.
Micheal was one of them, he sped at a limit too high for a road full of potholes, with the headlights on and wipers flicking left and right; he cared less. That ride was his third in two years, he always got a new one as soon as he smashed the former, courtesy of his ever-nagging mother.
A light blue Nissan sped past him splashing the muddy water on his posh ride, he glowered at the occupant. His anger increased when he saw that the occupant was a female, he's never had a soft spot for females not after the numerous heart breaks he suffered. The only females he liked and cared for was his mother and of course Sasha, talking about Sasha... Was she actually a friend? Perhaps they just knew each other.
He shrugged as he stopped the wipers, its stopped raining. A small rusted signboard caught his attention, he quickly glanced at the business card he was holding in between his finger.
That must be the street- he thought swerving car to the side of the road.
"Next time use the 'signal' mumu!" An angry Motorcyclist shouted as he sped past him.
"Signal?" Micheal scoffed as he drove slowly into the street.
The street was filled with gravel' from one end to the other, thanks to that;else he'd be struggling with potholes.
"Like I've seen that before." he thought aloud as he drove past a Oak tree. He gave up trying to remember when, cos it seems a maze was covering 'thinking faculty'.
He pulled up close to a duplex, glancing at the business card then back to the building.
"This should be Sasha' house nao." he said looking more confused.
"Or is Mr Williams her neighbour?" he asked scratching his stuble.
"Who I dey pine?" A tiny looking man clad in a brown kaftan-the gateman asked, as Micheal got out of his car.
"This is Number 14B right?" Micheal asked assuming the man before him was the gate man.
"Eh mana! Na me be the gateman, who I dey pine?" the gate man asked again.
"Errm...please Mr Williams lives here?"
"Yes, who I be?" The gate man asked
"My name is Micheal, I need to see him."
"Okay, I hope I no be that small- small boys coming to my Oga children ko?" The gate man asked letting him in.
"I've been here before." Micheal smiled. He was there to see Sasha months ago, just once.
"Ehen! I no recognise me nao." The gateman laughed.
Micheal held the ofice file tightly while the other free hand pressed the door bell continuously.
"Hold on! Do you wanna weaken the battery?" a female voice snapped, whilst turning the keys.
Micheal smiled, he knew that voice, even in the dream land, no two person' had that personnality.
"Good morning." he said still smiling as Sasha opened the door.
"Hi...uhm..you?" Sasha stuttered. Taking a quick glance behind her she whispered;
"Mike I told you my parent don't want me bringing male visitors home."
"I actually came to see Mr Williams, I don't know if he leaves here."
"Williams? My father? What for?"
"he is your father? Wow...my father works for him too." Micheal said suprised.
"oh yes...your father came few days ago to see him too." Sasha said still holding the door.
"Sasha who's at the door?" williams voice boomed
"Erm..I... Come in." Sasha stuttered letting the fretful Micheal in.
"Good morning sir!"
"Morning young man." Williams replied.
"I'm Micheal and I'm here to..."
"Maybe you should sit down first." Williams gestured to a sofa.
Sasha exchanged quick glances with her siblings and they filed towards the dining section. That venue would be good enough for them to hear 'everything' Micheal and their father said.
"You invited him again?" Cassandra asked Sasha.
"No..."
"Then what's he doing here? Now dad's home...what are you gonna explain?" Cassandra continued accusingly.
"Can't you gerrit? She said she didn't invite him" kenny snapped.
"Dad's gonna roast your bum in mum's oven." Kola chirped.
"I tell you! Sasha is gonna see pepper." Cassandra said shaking her head.
"why don't mind your business and leave me alone? Amebo!" Sasha retorted, looking irritated.
"Would you-kids lower your voice please, I've got an important discussion here." Williams boomed from the living room.
They fell silent, each one straining their ears to here the on going discussion.
Sasha gulped down some water to push the 'chewed yam' threatening to give her a 'chest attack'. Yam of course, was a delicacy; if not anywhere but in a house occupied by the Yoruba'. The Williams family was not left out as they ate yam cooked in different styles; with deep concentration. The main dish was boiled yam, then some fried ones- each person may choose to eat it plain or with fried eggs, palm oil sauce, melted butter or stew. One might think a yam festival is taking place.
Sasha eyed her father across the table, whatever was making him so excited- his voice was booming all evening. To her suprise, her father had offered to cook dinner, whatever it was that made him so light hearted was indeed a blessing.
She licked some palmoil off her fingers as she turned her gaze to Joyce. As usual she was mute, she dares not talk; who would she talk to in the first place? That woman should leave her father's house already.
Her mother was giggling softly as she listened to her father talk, who knows maybe he's feeding her lies. They should atleast reserve their talks till when they get bed; can't they see that they're making Joyce uncomfortable and also eating the almighty yam also known as 'chest attacker'.
"Daddy...you don't mind sharing the joke with us.." Cassandra said winking at her father.
"Akproko!" Sasha squeaked almost forgetting she had food in her mouth.
She coughed slightly as the yam almost went the wrong way, the whole situation got complicated when the food decided to lodge in her chest.
"Water..." she croaked.
"Chest attack!" Cassandra said excitedly as she watched her sister gulp down water.
"sorry dear." Kenny patted her back.
"thank God for my life." she sighed as her family laughed at her.
"And you Cassie, don't worrry, your share won't pass you by! You must have chest attack today!" Sasha snapped her fingers, before turning her attention to her 'story-telling' father.
"That boy must be crazy." Barbra giggled.
"I'm telling you, its like he's trying to get at his father or something...crazy kids." Williams continued.
"true enough! If not, he'd have given his father the documents. He really wanted his father fixed in hot soup." Barbra agreed.
"Which boy?" Sasha couldn't help asking.
"Amebo!" Cassandra stuck out her tongue, she made sure her mouth was empty before talking, she definitely won't give her sister the opportunity to jeer at her.
"Micheal, the boy that came this morning." Williams replied.
"Ehen! What did he do?" Kola spoke for the first time.
"Some office documents got missing, he found them; instead of giving to his father, he brought them over. What do you think? He apparently wanted his father in trouble." Williams explained.
Barbra laughed once more and the kids joined her except Sasha.
"stubborn boy! And its only kids with dreadlocks that can do such wickedness." Cassandra commented sticking out her tongue once more.
"Yes oh yes! Just like the one I have in my house...so stubborn...very very naughty species" Williams pointed at Sasha, and everybody laughed once more.
"Ah ahn! Dada mi...laugh nao...abi sen binu si mi ni?" Williams asked.
Sasha managed a smile, her thoughts not with them. To her Micheal did a very good job, he deserved a hug for a job well done- there's no use helping a selfish father who doesn't have you in mind. She'd have done worse than he did if she were in his shoes.
"Hmmmm." Joyce sighed, washing her hands- she've cleared her plate already.
As expected, all eyes turned to her.
"It's only in this family, that everybody gets amused if a child is naughty." she made a face placing her used napkin in her plate.
"Well that why we are 'the Williams' . Always happy, full of joy, bubbling with laughter....learn to live with it madam." Cassandra flashed her a smile.
"Errm..Sasha?" Barbra called just in time, as her mouth was already shaping words.
"Would you and Kenny come to my room after the meal? i've a message from Kemi."
"Post-utme right?" Kenny asked fishing out onions from his eggs.
"Yes! How did you know that?" Barbra asked happy for the change of topic.
"She told us too, we spoke on phone this morning." Kenny replied.
"Good night." Joyce rose to her feet.
"Good night"
"Yea good night to you o." Kenny said sarcastically.
"yea, and please dream of us." Sasha winked puttting her left hand around Kenny.
"And me too" Kola chirped innocently.
"and I tell you...that nightmare would an experience you would forever remember." Kenny called after Joyce who was already walking away.
"Auntie Kay" Kenny called out, hitting his fists on the door.
" we've got blisters on our hands already." Sasha yelled angrily.
"Ease up kids! She's gonna open up." Ashley assured them, she'd followed them down to Lagos. Her sister had asked her to go check up on Kemi.
"Are sure she's in?" Kenny asked Sasha, ignoring his mother.
"dunno! Aunty Kay!" Sasha knocked the door furiously.
"After all the 'journey's tiredness', now I've got blisters....oh my! And this afternoon sun ehn?" she complained.
"sorry omo mi...she'll open up" Ashley assured her.
"Me I'll not take sorry o." Kenny pouted as his mother pulled him closer to her.
"See, somebody is opening the door." Ashley said as she heard sound of keys.
"Ah! Mummy Kenny! E ka bo! Welcome ma!" Tunji greeted her, he was looking pleased.
"It took you hours to open the door." Ashley feigned anger.
"I'm so sorry ma, please come in." he took her bag.
"I was freshening up and Kemi was sleeping."
"It took you hours to freshen up?" Sasha glared at him
"We're not gonna start fighting now abi?" Tunji laughed.
"not yet! Just that i've got got blisters already." she pouted.
"And I said i'm sorry!"
"Fine then."
"Sasha take the bags to the guest room, whilst I get them something to drink." Tunji said walking to the fridge.
"Its like you're expecting a househelp!" Sasha mumbled, picking up the bags with Kenny giving her a helping hand.
Tunji laughed as he poured out some juice for Ashley. Sasha was back again, he missed her alot.
"Its like she's your fighting mate" Ashley said taking the glass from him.
"not always." Tunji laughed.
"Where's Kemi?"
"In the bedroom, lemme wake her up." Tunji rose to his feet.
"No...let her sleep, I did like to run a bath" Ashley replied.
"No kini? Wake her up jor! She should welcome us properly jare!" Sasha puckered.
"Is she not supposed to..." Kenny stopped talking as Kemi emerged.
"Mummy!" Kemi exclaimed excitedly as she half-ran to hug her aunt.
"Oh my God! Did you see that? Her belly is so big." Sasha whispered.
"Yea, bigger than Joyce' own" Kenny whispered back.
"She's still got the strength to run? Na wa o" Sasha pressed her own flat tummy with her fingers.
"You two have lost your mind? You didn't greet me!" Kemi feigned anger.
"Errmm sorry o, good day." Kenny greeted.
"And you Sasha?" she pointed at Sasha who was still pressing her stomach.
"sorry Auntie.." Sasha walked towards her.
"How does it feel having a big round tummy?" she asked
"Omo yi ti baje tan!" Kemi slapped her hands off her stomach.
"sorry now...Auntie I've missed you" Sasha laughed still caressing Kemi's belly.
"how would you miss me? When you're so engrossed with Joyce, mum told me everything." Kemi tugged at her cheeks playfully.
"So funny! Sasha threatened fire, but she's yet to do anything o!" Ashley laughed.
"Are you people not the ones that won't let her do her 'work' " Kenny defended his friend- pouting
"who's this one pouting for? Pampered kid!" Kemi pulled his lips.
"eh ehn! Kemi, leave my son's mouth alone o!" Ashled laughed.
"Don't mind her o! When she gives birth, I'll bully her baby." she added kissing Kenny's lips.
"yes!" Kenny stuck out his tongue.
"me abi? Don't worry, shebi your mother would leave you here?" Kemi snapped her fingers.
"Kenny don't get scared jor, be counting the number of times she hits you, her baby will pay o!" Sasha clapped.
"See who is talking? Can you even face common Joyce?" Kemi sneered.
"excuse me..." Tunji cleared his throat, as he emerged from the kitchen.
"Would you all join me at the dinning room?" he winked.
"We're already on our way Mr chef!" Ashley teased.
"Honey don't give them our food o, they're threatening to bully our baby!" Kemi said.
"bully? That's easy nah! I''ll help them do the job".
"ehn! Even you too? I won't play with you again." Kemi puckered.
"Play ke? My in-laws are here o, no dulling." Tunji stuck out his tongue.
The sound of their laugher echoed as they filed to the dinning room,- a happy family.
TBC AT 10PM.
