Chapter 12 - Embellishment.

"What's going on here?" The VP looks around. 

"Thank God you are here. I..." Mr. Rotimi sharply replies. Sen. Cynthia takes two steps backwards. 

"When I was told my Nephew was unconscious, I felt like killing myself..." Oh, sweet lord! That's the problem with Mr. Rotimi, he never goes straight to the point. He is the only man in the entire universe who can turn a two minutes movie summary into a four hour movie series with conclusion. He just keeps going. He never stops. 

Sen. Cynthia takes two more steps aback. What is she doing? She winks at me. I turn my face to the ground. I didn't blush. I didn't want anybody noticing what she did. I can feel Amanda's eyes on me. She would be so disappointed when she finds out about everything. 

"Cynthia, where do you think you are going to!?" Amanda calls to Sen. Cynthia who was already at the verge of leaving. Mr. Rotimi pauses. 

"She is trying to escape. Useless!" Mr. Rotimi adjusts his glasses. 

"Escape?" Mama buts in. 

"Cynthia, come forward." The VP orders. 

"I hate you," She whispers to Amanda as she comes forward. 

"I know, darling." Amanda replies with a smile. 

Mama turns to face the VP. 

"Please, I don't know what is going on here. I really don't care. I just want to speak to my son. Mr. Oluyemi, can I take him home now?" Oh yeah, The VP's name is actually Mr. Oluyemi. I totally forgot. We've all called him the VP for so long, we've forgotten his real name. 

"Oh. I am sorry. Yes, you can go with your son. Timmy, stand u-"

"No!"  Mr. Rotimi interrupts. 

"Excuse me!?" The VP voice hardens. 

"I am not done with my story. Infact-" 

The VP shrugs. His face, flushed with impatience. 

"Then, get on with it! All you've said for the past ten minutes is how you felt when you found out your Nephew was injured. Who gives two shit about that?" Mama says as she places her hands on her waist. 

"Woah!" Sen. Cynthia smiles. 

"Ma'am." The VP mutters. He hates immoral words. Especially when it is said in front of his students. 

"Oh. Sorry. What I am trying to say is." Mama pauses with a sigh and stares at me. Immediately, I activate my puppy eyes. She sighs again. 

"I just want to speak to my son. We don't know the kind of trauma he is going through right now. Just look at him." Mama points at me. Everyone stares at me at the same time. 

"He hasn't said a word. Please, may I take him home now?" Mama turns to face the VP. From the look on her face, you'd know she is genuinely worried for her son. 

"Yes, yes you can. I apologize for Mr. Rotimi's behavior. He is just a bit shaken up by the news of his Nephew's injury..." Mr. Rotimi stares at me, with contempt in his eyes. 

"Isn't that right, Mr. Roti-" 

"Okay." Mr. Rotimi  interrupts the VP again. He removes his glasses. He opens his glass case and brings out a white material. 

"You want me to go straight to the point, I will." He stares at Mama whose patient level reduces by the minute . 

"What I was trying to say is." He uses the white material to clean his glass. He puts the material back into the case and wears his glasses. 

"Sweet lord!" Mama stares at the VP whose facial expression begs for forgiveness. Amanda and Sen. Cynthia giggle at the same time. The VP gives them a stern look. 

"Just go straight to the point, dear sir." mama's voice, stringed with frustration. 

"Okay. I caught Timmy and Cynthia making out." 

"What!?" The VP yells. 

"What do you mean by you caught my son and Cynthia making out!?" Mama takes a step forward. 

Amanda just stands there, motionless. 

"What do you mean by making out?" Mama, who is already directly in front of Mr. Rotimi asks. Her heels make her taller than he is, giving her the advantage to slap him from above. 

Mr. Rotimi clears his throat. 

"Well, I caught -" 

"Its a big fat lie." Sen Cynthia stops him in his tracks. She walks to where Mama is and takes Mama's right hand. Wow! What nerve. 

"Excuse me?" Mr. Rotimi reacts, shocked at her choice of words. She should have found a better way to say what needed to be said. What nerve!? Sen. Cynthia ignores him. She is on fire today. 

"I was told Tim had a fight with Ade who gave him a hard punch to his stomach."

"Really?" Mama frees herself from Sen. Cynthia's grip and sits beside me. She rubs my head gently with her hands. 

"I didn't know that." Mama gives the VP a harsh look. The VP looks away. She wraps her arms around me. 

"Go on, Cynthia." The VP says, totally avoiding Mama's questioning eyes. 

"Ade was receiving all the attention and treatment from our Medical team, while Tim just stayed here, all alone like a wounded animal left to die." Sen. Cynthia pauses, allowing what she said to sink. 

Mama's look becomes more scornful. 

The VP scratches the back of his head. He looks so uncomfortable right now. Mama would surely give him a mouthful after this gathering. I smile. 

"So, I thought -" 

"Sir, Can I go now?" Amanda says, cutting Cynthia off. The expression on her face displays anger and disappointment. She knows what Sen. Cynthia is trying to do. Manipulating people's minds has always been her gift. With that cute face and that beautiful voice, even the devil will for fall her lies. 

"I thought you came to see Timmy?" The VP enquires with a shaky voice. Sen. Cynthia's confession has landed him in a very tough position with Mama. 

"Yes."

Awwwwwn. She really came to see me.

"I can see he is fine," She adds. 

"Okay you can go. Coordinate your class. I don't want to hear noise coming from that class."

"Thank you, Sir. Goodbye." She waves at me with a smile. It wasn't actually a smile. It was just a movement of the lip to signify indifference. 

"Bye." I say, with a smile. 

She turns back and waltz out. 

"You can carry on with what you were saying, Cynthia." The VP says. 

"Okay s-" 

"And please, try to be considerate." He mutters. 

Mama scoffs. 

"Go on, dear girl. Don't leave anything out of it." 

"Thank you, ma. Since nobody was paying attention to your son. As the social prefect and his friend, I decided to come and check how he was doing." 

"Hmmmm. Isn't that the work of the health prefect?" Mr. Rotimi questions her, folding his arms. 

"Yes, sir. She was too busy, so she asked me to come on her behalf. He told me he had a splitting headache and he was feeling dizzy." 

"Oh really? And nobody could attend to my son." Mama stares at the VP, nods her head and signals Sen. Cynthia to go ahead. 

"So, I offered to give him a hug and he agreed." 

"Ha! You see!" Mr. Rotimi sharply responds like a kid who was given a handful of sweets. 

"Please, Sirs and ma. Don't get me wrong. My parents trained me to be a free person. As Igbos, there is nothing wrong in giving a brother in need a hug." 

Sen. Cynthia would make a really good lawyer. 

So, now I am a brother. I shake my head. 

"Gbam! You are right about that!" Mama yells, hitting her legs hard on the floor. The VP jolts. I smile. You can take the girl out of the village, but you can't take the village out of the girl. 

"So, Mr. Rotimi caught me hugging him. Ever since, he has been accusing me of making out with your son. He doesn't even know what making out means." Sen. Cynthia smiles. Dimples! 

"So, what does it mean!?" Mr. Rotimi protests. 

"What does it mean, my daughter?" Mama enquires. 

"Yes ma. When a guy and a girl are kissing romantically, it is considered as what is called, making out." She gesticulates shabbily with her fingers. 

Mr. Rotimi adjusts his glasses. 

Mama gets up. She walks majestically to where Mr. Rotimi is. 

"So, you knew my son was injured by your rascal boy." 

"Ma'am." The VP tries to control Mama. Mama looks back at him with anger in her eyes. The look on Mama's face compels the VP to stop in his tracks and swallow his words. Not even superman can stop her now. 

"As if that wasn't enough, you still accused my son of allegedly makiiiing out." She gesticulates the same way Sen. Cynthia did. 

"Obughi ya, isn't it?" Wow! Mama only speaks Igbo whenever she is angry or whenever she is talking to someone who understands the language. 

"O bu, Nne, it is, mother." Sen. Cynthia replies sharply in Igbo. She has this Engli-Igbo accent. If you didn't listen attentively, you'd think she spoke English. I am not surprised she can speak Igbo. Harrison speaks the language fluently. Whenever he wants to keep Bolaji and I in the dark, he speaks the native tongue. He doesn't know I understand what he says perfectly. After all, I am Timothy Chukwuneku Chigozie. I have heard all sorts of Secret and stupid things from him. Amanda never replies in Igbo. She ignores him most times. 

Mr. Rotimi clears his throat. 

"Well, I-" 

Wai! Mama lands an ugly slap on his right cheek. Mr. Rotimi holds his cheek with his right hand. He removes his glasses. 

"How dare you sl-" 

Wayai! She prints him an uglier and hotter slap on the other cheek, sending him two steps aback. Mama takes two steps forward like a vicious warrior. 

"jeez." Sen. Cynthia retraces her steps. 

"VP! She just slapped me!" Mr. Rotimi protests, rubbing his left cheek. The VP urges him to stay quiet.

"If you ever lay a false claim on my son, I will castrate you! I ga-ahu m, you'll see me! Timmy, let's go." Mama storms out. I stand slowly. I stare at Mr. Rotimi who is still in shock. His face is a magnificent sight to behold. Sen. Cynthia chuckles. Mr. Rotimi turns to face her with raw hatred in his eyes.

"Excuse me, Sirs." She walks out.

"Timmy, where are you! " Mama yells, her voice echoing from the distance. I stare at Mr. Rotimi's face one more time as I head out.

"Hope you are alright?" Mama drops her bag on the table. 

"Come and unzip my dress." I force myself out of the chair and I go to unzip her dress. I start for my room. 

"Where do you think you are going to?" Mama asks with brisk bossiness, compelling me to stop. I turn around to face her. 

"I just called the family doctor. He would be here soon. Don't you think you should be here when he comes?" 

"I am so tired. My head is pounding. My stomach hurts. I haven't even pulled my uniform yet. Please, Mama, when he comes, wake me up." 

"Okay." 

Slowly, I turn, heading to my room. 

"Don't you think you should take some drugs for your head ache. At least, before the doctor comes." 

I inhale deeply. 

"Where is the drug?"

"Its on the dinning table. After you take it, you can rest. I'll call you when the doctor comes."

"Okay." I head to the dinning table. I take the drugs to the kitchen. I swallow the drugs with a bottle of cold Coke and I head to my room. 

"Hey. Timmy. Wake up." Mama taps me gently. I grumble and mumble as I roll on the bed. 

"Wake up, son. It's eight in the morning. You need to eat something." 

What!? Eight? I force myself up. I yawn and stretch at the same time. 

"Ututu oma, Mama, good morning, Mother." 

"how are you, my boy." She leans closer and kisses me on my cheek. 

Ouch! My butt hurts. Surprisingly, my headache is totally gone. My stomach is fine. I feel good. The only thing wrong is my breath. I am sure it smells like a rotten subway station. 

"

Wait. Let me go and get your food." Mama rushes out. She comes back with spaghetti and fried rice sauce in a big tray. She drops the tray on a shelf beside my wardrobe. 

"Come on. Eat. After eating, go and take the drugs the doctor left for you on the dining table."  She gets up from the bed. 

"On second thought, brush your teeth before you eat. Your mouth smells like decayed armpits." 

I smile. 

"The doctor came?" I ask. 

"Yes. He attended to you. You don't remember? He even gave you an injection..." That explains the butt pain. 

"Wow. So, I slept from that time till now? That is amazing." 

"The only thing that was amazing is how you screamed when he injected you." Mama walks to the door. She reaches for the doorknob, opens the door and heads out. 

"Make sure you brush your teeth before eating. If you are hungry, call Bimbo!" Her voice becomes thinner by the minute. 

"And-----------take-------on the table." Her voice struggles to find its way to the room as she moves further. 

"Okay, Mama," I yell. I didn't hear what she said. I will have to go check the dinning table later to find out what she was talking about. 

"Ana m ala, I am going. Bye, son!" She yells. Her voice becomes more faint each second that passes. 

"Ijeoma, safe journey," I yell. 

I rush to the bathroom. I use my hands to cover my mouth, enabling me to perceive the odour Mama was talking about. Mama was right. My mouth really smells like decayed armpits. Immediately, I take my brush... 

"Good. Now, I feel good." I carry the tray to the dinning table. Ouch! Every step I take comes with an agonising pain on my butt. Surprisingly, my phone was lying next to the tray of fruits. I place the food on the table and I rush to get the phone.  I guess that's what Mama was trying to tell me before she left. I wonder what made her change her mind. I switch it on. Oh God! That's the problem with Infinix phones. When you want it to boot slowly, it boots fast. Whenever you want it to boot fast, it boots slowly and loads all the apps one by one.

"Come on!" I yell. 

My stomach replies with a long groan. I drop the phone on the table and I head to the kitchen. Whenever it's ready, I'll come for it. I reach for the top shelf and I bring out a spoon. I take out a cold drink from the fridge and I head back to the dinning. I pick up the tray, placing it in front of the master chair and I sit. I take a gulp of the drink. Mama always encourages me to drink water before eating anything. I guess I am used to it already. 

My phone vibrates, notifying me I have messages on whatsapp. Oh yeah, I didn't have a chance to switch off my data when Mama seized it. I ignore the messages as I continue eating my food. Hum! Hum! Hum! The phone has been vibrating non stop since it came on. I try my best to ignore it. The vibrating stops. Thank God. I inhale deeply. 

"You have ten whatsapp messages from whatsapp. You have one missed call. You have one text SMS from VP, " The phone's computer voice tells me.

Already half way through my food, I drop my spoon on top of the table, take a sip from the drink and I reach for my phone which is close to the mid section of the long dining table. The phone is too far ahead. I stand and I stretch further, enabling me to get the phone with ease. I scroll and I click on whatsapp. I have ten unread messages. 

"I am fine. Is Mama back?" From Bimbo. 

"Huh? Yes. Something bad happened. That's why I couldn't reply. Sorry." I reply. Why do I keep apologizing to Bimbo. Amanda sent a smiling face emoji. She was last seen on whatsapp last night. 

She really felt disappointed when she found out about me and Sen. Cynthia. 

"I am sorry," I type. No. I'll talk to her when I see her. I clear the message. 

I inhale deeply. 

"I am deeply sorry about what happened." I send. It is marked double, indicating the message has been sent. 

The VP message pops up. I forgot about that. I click on the message and it reads,

"How are you doing?" I raise my brow in amusement. Why would the VP ask me that. Wow! Mama really made an impression yesterday. 

"Thank you, Sir. I am doing good. Our family doctor took care of it. I am sorry about the whole issue." I reply. 

"Hey Timmy. Are you still alive?" Bolaji's damned message pops up. The one that got me into trouble with Mama. I click on the message and I tap the Voice Note button. 

"You are a fool! Your stupid message landed me into trouble with Mama. I don't know if you think of different ways to annoy me! Stupid boy!" I send. 

I drop the phone on the table and I carry my tray to the kitchen. My phone rings. I drop the tray carelessly on the kitchen cabinet and I rush to get the phone. Woah! Its from the VP. I clear my throat as I pick up the call. 

"Hel- hello, Sir." 

"Good Morning, Timmy. How are you?" 

"I am fine, Sir. Good morning, Sir." I answer immediately. 

"So, how is your mother? I called her phone but her number has been unavailable since yesterday. Is everything alright?" 

"Yes,yes. She went to work, Sir. She doesn't work with her phone on, Sir."  Come on. Enough with the Sirs. 

"Okay. Some of your class mates asked for permission to come visit you at your place. Since, today is a public holiday, I decided to grant their request." 

"Sir? Today is a public holiday?" I ask, totally confused. 

"Oh-" The VP responds. 

"My friends want to come over!?" I interrupt. 

The VP chuckles with that thick baritone voice. 

"Calm down. Today is Opening day. The day the school was built. So, you forgot?" 

"Oh. No. Yes, Sir. I forgot." I scratch my head. 

"Why do you think you are not in school. Did I tell you, you have been suspended or expelled?" 

"Yes, Sir. I thought I have been suspended." I mutter. 

"Well, no. You haven't been suspended. Make sure you come to school tomorrow. So, since I can't talk to your mom, are your friends allowed to come?" 

Yes or no, yes or no, yes or no. I can't seem to make up my mind. None of my friends have come to visit me before. 

"Are you there. Make up your mind, Timmy. I have wasted too much time on this call." The VP snaps. 

"Huh? Yes. Yes, Sir. They can come." 

"Okay. They are all here. Wait let me inform them." He removes the phone from his ears. 

"Guys, you are permitted to go." I can hear noises in the background. 

"Alright. Good bye." 

Oh God! What have I done? 

"Wait, Sir." The VP hangs up the call. 

The tray I put on the kitchen cabinet clashes on the floor.

I sit on the master chair. I rest my elbow straight on the dinning table, enabling my palms to hold my head. 

"Oh My God. What will I do now? I mutter.