Written By: Josh Effiong

TRISHA

At Trisha’s place,

She’d woken up at 6:00am and quickly replayed the past evening incident in head.

“I’m sorry I stressed you Mr. unknown” Trisha muttered smacking her head. While she was about placing her feet into the flip-flop beside her bed, there was a knock on her front door. And in just a few steps, she found herself at the door.

“I hope it’s not Smith who’d come to take me to work ’cause emmm…” she soliloquized and peeped through the window. There stood a school bus at the tail end of her stairs. Unlocking the door quickly. Trisha was greeted by the sight of a beautiful young girl in the company of a lady whose age could be placed between 25 to 30.

“Mum.. I’d thought you were meant to come pick me up today?” The little girl questioned.

“I’m sorry. I got pretty busy with work”

“Another excuse again huh!”

“I’m sorry my love,” Trisha said slowly

“Come give mummy a hug,” she said with her arms wide open but her child never took a step. Turning to the young lady, she said softly

“Thanks ma’am”

“Oh! You’re welcome”

“Please. Kendra should be brought back to school on the 20th of next month. If you have any reason not to bring her, do put a call across to us” The lady said and waved Kendra goodbye.

                                °°°

At the hospital,

Bryan had been resuscitated and had his wounds tended to properly.

“Please you’ll need lot of rest” A female doctor on ward round said.

“For how long?” He asked

“Does that really matter, anyways four to five days will be okay”

“Damn. What the fuck!” Bryan exclaimed.

“What did you say?”

“No. Nothing” Bryan sassed with a disapproving look on his face.

                                °°°

Trisha had regretted on different occasions why she did not abort her daughter.  She just could not do it, even though it was the only option her mum brought. The poor woman wanted to evade excommunication from her religious women league for housing a child of hers who was pregnant at 16.

It was going to be a whole lot of work for Trisha; joggling her work with fending for Kendra.

“I’m sorry mum I was too harsh on you,” Kendra apologized while stepping into the living room.

“You don’t need to. I should do the apologizing, okay?” Trisha replied as a tear dripped from her left eye.

                                °°°

She quickly prepared herself, fixed breakfast and left for work with Kendra who was uncomfortable with using public transport for the first time. All Trisha did through the long lazy drive was plead with her to understand with a promise of a cup of ice-cream on their way back.

Getting to her workplace, Trisha was welcomed by a crowd going in and out of the compound.

“What’s happening mum?” Kendra questioned.

“Here she comes…” Trisha heard a familiar voice said from a distance pointing to her direction.

                                °°°

This was a once in a lifetime happening. The orders of the dresses modelled by Trisha had outnumbered the clothes which were available in their stock. Last time a bomber harvest of this sort occurred it increased the firm’s income and this one was not going to be an exception.

“Hey! Good morning,” a chocolate skinned lady greeted.

“Hi,” Trisha replied with a perplexed look.

“I’m June. Let’s start off from there”

“I’m Trisha”

They both smiled and shared a handshake.

“I perceive this will be a long discussion,” Trisha said

“As you can see I am just arriving let’s make use of my office” she added ushering her into the reception.

“Good morning ma” Kendra greeted

“Yeah. Thanks princess”

Kendra signaled her mum with a wink and ran off.

“Where’s she headed?” an inquisitive June asked.

“Oh! That? She wants to say hi to my boss”

“Oh! how sweet. Such a beautiful creature, she must be your sister, right?”

“Yeah… Right”

While they made their way into the office June got an emergency call and immediately took her leave. This was a relief to Trisha as she exhaled heavily.

Josh Effiong is a 100 level student at the University of Calabar where he majors in Science Laboratory Technology. He writes his thoughts.

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