Chapter 14

Emilie.

Someone's crying. Wait, crying? Why is there crying? More importantly who is crying?

I hear the cry and I'm up before I can even open my eyes. As a result, I run smack into the door and am alerted by a sharp sensation climbing up my feet. 

Is it possible to break your toe? Because the pain feels like I have definitely mangled something down there.

Biting back a yell (and a curse), I finally open my eyes and check the offended toe. It looks an angry red and is throbbing crazily. I walk- rather limp downstairs to the find the source of the commotion. 

Of all the families to end up with, why did I have to end up with this bunch of barbarians who have little or no regard for sleep.

"Just one hour, only one oh, that's all I asked. I really need this sleep, I was up all night guys, is it really too much to ask that I get an hour's worth of shut eye?" I plead questioning both parties involved hoping my shaky voice won't give away just how close to tears I am. I'm sure there's no need to get riled up over incomplete sleep.

"What happened?" I ask after I am certain I can talk without crying.

"Ask him!" Unique throws, eyeing Dan Dan. He looks exactly how I feel.

"But i'm asking you unique. What happened?" I counter, staring her down. 

"He started it! I asked Dan Dan to turn down..." She starts but before she can go any further Dan Dan Interrupts with an awful scream.

"I said my name is not Dan Dan, it is Danny, common sense you don't have!" Dan Dan-er, Danny interjects earning him a whack against his head from me.

"Why did you scream like that? Are you mad?" I ask gaping at him because this mystical creature standing here cannot be my brother whom I have known for almost eight years. My brother doesn't scream like this, no one screams like this.

"Please, ask him!. He has been behaving like he's abnormal since Sunday! Stupid boy" she hisses eyeing him.

He throws out his palm at unique in a popular gesture known as 'waka' and I quickly push myself between them, before all hell breaks out, shielding him from uniques angry blows, because let me tell you, the girl can hit.

"Stop it!" I yell out angrily against Dan Dan's wails and Unique's angry growls. With all their noise, it feels like an animal farm.

"Daniel! Stop screaming" I say as calmly as I can manage after prying both of them apart. He holds his head bawling, his face wet with tears and snot.

I rub his head hopping to placate him. It takes a while and he doesn't stop entirely, but finally, he reduces his voice to a more recommendable level. My head is throbbing now along with my toe. I massage my temple quietly. 

"Where are the twins?" I ask

"They took precious to the basketball court"

"Wow! How long have they been gone?"

"As long as you've been asleep" she retorts still clearly fuming that she can't pound her junior brother to a pulp. Catching her earlobe between my thumb and index finger I give a hurtful squeeze.

"Ow!" She cries

"Watch your mouth!" I warn, finally releasing her ear.

"Did daddy say how long his presentation will take?" I ask, Unique just shakes her head and looks away, rubbing her ear angrily. 

I can't believe I over slept, I told tobi I'd be at her house early in the morning. I should go now, I'll call on her my way there. I begin to leave when Dan Dan stops me in my track.

"Mumu!" He throws at Unique. 

Her face contorts with rage and I have to act fast because in an instant she lunges at him with all the force of a wounded animal slapping and kicking him, I am forced to place myself  physically between them to restrain her from tearing him apart.

"Don't call her a mumu" Agape corrects. I whip my head around to see her seated calmly in an armchair, applying nail polish carefully to her toes. Has she been sitting there watching these two fight the whole time? Unbelievable!

"We're of better stock than that. Call her a simpleton" she goads, laughing to herself like she has told a private joke. 

At this, Unique Bursts out crying. I struggle to hold her back but, (I do not exaggerate when I say, she is very strong), she storms off in tears yelling how much she hates the family and how she wish she had never been born. You know, the whole deal.

I sag with melancholy and relief at the same time, my anger slowly building up again seeing as the commotion has died down and I can focus clearly.

I turn the full glare of my stare on agape, it should burn a hole through her brain that is, considering if she has any, but she just shrugs as if to say "she had it coming".

"You don't get to talk to her that way. Check your words Agape!" I chide crossly sending Dan Dan upstairs to apologise to his sister.

"Eh eh, she had it coming, she's rude and you know it. Besides, don't talk to me like i'm one of them, like i'm a child" she warns getting up to leave.

"Then stop acting like one! Grow up!" I thunder, because that's really the only way to describe how I sound, standing mere inches from her face. 

Even Agape looks taken aback, no scared, scared is more like it, heck even I am freaked out. What just happened? Where did that come from? She lowers her head quietly  staring at her feet.

"Has mama come for today?" I ask walking away, noticing the clean floors and table tops. 

She nods quietly avoiding my eyes. I want to apologise at the forlorn look on her face but instead I say;

"I'm going out now. I told Tobi I'd come over, I think I over slept. I need a place I can at least get decent sleep. When i'm back, the house better be in order and I mean it agape!" I warn.

*                         *                        *

I arrive Tobi's house, its a good distance from my house, but its walkable so I decide to trek.

She'd better have a quiet corner I can sleep in because I will murder someone if I don't get to sleep. My head feels fuzzy and the Sun's glare I'd making it too hard to look up without squinting.

Greeting the old baba at her gate on my way in, I pray harder now, that there's a surface, any surface at all... To lie on. I knock on her front door, count to ten, then knock again before someone answers. 

On the phone last night, Tobi sounded like this house was a war zone, but seeing her mom now, she doesn't look like someone who has faced war of any kind.

"Good afternoon ma" I say kneeling slightly, Yorubas love the respect thing and Tobi's mom is no different. Her face breaks into a warm receptive smile. 

"How are you my dear?" She greets ushering me in.

"I'm here to see Tobi" I say, like there's anyone else I'd be here to see. I sneak a peak around taking mental notes.

The house seems to still be standing, it even looks prettier than the last time I came, I'm sure its all thanks to Tobi's mom, she really has a talent for interior decor.

"Your friend has been in her room since yesterday. I don't know what burnt in her pot that is making her act like that" she calls from the kitchen.  I give a small embarrassed laugh at this. 

Is tobi extra? Yes, does she sometimes exaggerate situations? Pretty much. Is she the all time biggest drama queen I know? Without a doubt. But even with that, I know there's no smoke without a fire. Tobi won't just be hysterical without cause. 

"Um, ma? can I see her?" I ask 

"Please do. And as you're going, do me a favour, bring them both down and take them out"

"Them?"

"Yes. That god awful boy from next door is with her in her room. I trust my Tobiloba, but I don't trust that boy" she spits in distaste clucking her tongue. 

I have to bite down to stop myself from laughing as I climb the stairs. I think I have an idea just who this 'god awful boy from next door' is.

Reaching her room, I turn the key without thinking twice and launch myself into Tobi's room.

"Sup Tee" I say in greeting. 

I am met with an awkward silence. I look up and stare at the figure sprawled out on the bed. Not Tobi, isn't this Tobi's room?

He, yes he struggles to get up, upon sighting me and I am forced to look away out of embarrassment, thank God he is at least fully clothed. 

"Oh, sorry... Isn't this Tobi's room?" I croak feeling my mouth go dry. 

"Nope, two rooms down" he says in a clean accent-less baritone voice. He glares at me, then turns to grab something from behind him him. Taking that as my cue, i seize the opportunity to flee.

Definitely not Tobi's room. 

Counting down and knocking this time carefully, I wait until I hear Tobi's soft voice.

"Come in"

I sigh in relief as I open the door and see her seated on her bed, her duvet pulled up to her waist. She looks like she was in the middle of describing something, her hands are frozen in mid air as she looks up and smiles at me.

Her eyes are puffy and swollen, but not red, thank God. She hasn't been crying all through the night then.

"Sorry I came late Tee, I over slept" I say in one quick breath diving on her and engulfing her in a bear hug. She simply laughs patting my back. 

"There there" she says. 

There's a bunched up part of her blanket that I curiously pull back to reveal an adorable midget.

"Who are you?" I say in friendly greeting, the little girl looks up at me with bright eyes and giggles.

"Tee, there's a happy child in the blanket. Or a blanket on the happy child" I say pinching her cheeks as she crawls away laughing.

Flipping myself unto my back on Tobi I stare out at Alex. There's enough space on the large bed, to contain two more of me, but I choose to lie on Tobi instead, that's more fun. 

"Sup Alex" I call out in greeting.

From the door way he isn't so visible, but from my spot on the bed (sitting on top of Tobi) I see him in all his 'god awful' glory.

"Hey em" He says stretching as he stands from his perch at the far corner of the room.

"Tobi, you changed rooms?" I ask as she struggles to get me off her. The little girl is seated at the far corner of the bed watching us all with curious eyes.

"Yeah, my mom was doing one of her redecorating and here I am"

"You didn't inform me" I say staring pointedly at her. It takes a while for her to realize and immediately she starts apologising.

"God! I'm sorry Em. Jesse is staying in that room now. I told you my aunts came, its a full house. They've mostly gone now sha, but he's staying for a while"

"Who's Jesse?"

"My cousin, hope you didn't walk in on him..."

"What?! God no!"

"He and his sister Ruth..." she pauses pulling the little girl towards her before continuing.

"...are staying here for a while. He has this chess tournament thing, that's why. He is such a nerd."

"A fine nerd" I mutter to myself tickling his sister.

"I heard that" Tobi warns 

"Heard what?" Alex asks looking up from his phone for a bit.

"Nothing!" We both say in unison. Alex simply shakes his head at us and returns his attention to his phone.

"My brother has a girl friend" I announce

"Wait, your brother?... Which one? No, lemme guess... Salem?" 

"How? How?? How did you get that on the first try?"

"It just felt like it'd be him" Tobi shrugs holding a laugh.

"So, your brother has a girl friend and you're here drooling over a nerd." Alex puts in never looking up from his phone.

"A fine nerd. Never forget it" I adjust.

"So, I don't come and you immediately call Alex? I'm hurt Tobiloba" I say in mock pain. She finally manages to push me off her and throws a pillow at me.

"I didn't 'call him', he heard the noise and came over" she says her voice dropping a little.

"How chivalrous" I say.

"I'm a ladies man. I spread love" Alex jokes taking a little bow.

"Tobi's mom wasn't feeling the love sha"

"What did she call me this time?"

"I believe the word was 'god awful' " I inform through my laugh. Alex begins laughing too.

"That's new" Tobi says rolling her eyes

"I know!" both Alex and I yell still laughing.

"She doesn't want you to put her sweet innocent daughter in the family way, she doesn't trust you."

"Sweet and innocent my foot, you've seen her manuscripts haven't you?" Alex mocks wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"There is a little child here people!" Tobi warns, pointedly ignoring us both.

"You mother will wash her eyes out with acid if she ever sees it" I add.

"Which is why she won't" tobi warns wagging her finger at both of us. I make a closed zip sign over my mouth and so does Alex.

"I have to go Tee" Alex says finally, walking to the door.

"What? Why?" She questions a little bit too eagerly if you ask me.

"My dad needs my help" he answers simply giving a small shrug.

"Aw, stay now Alex. I just got here" I push, pouting. 

"Don't worry, I'll come back. I just need to fix a few things" he assures

"Okay"

"Oh, I called Taveshima, Anne and Doofan, they should be here soon"

"Taveshima is back?"

"Yeah"

"No waaaaay" Both tobi and I cry in surprise.

"He said he had a gift for you Tee, that should cheer you up" Alex adds.

"Thanks Alex"

"Don't mention. I'm going. Take care you guys" he says waving as he exits the room.

"Byeeee" we both call out.

I settle into the quiet of the room getting lost in the number of revolutions the fan makes when tobi clears her throat lightly.

"So, you wanna talk? Or..." I start, pausing a bit.

"I don't know, maybe... Maybe just leave it... I mean, I'm in a better place now than yesterday, mentally I mean"

"A better place? Seriously? Where did you cop that off? Sounds so instagram-y" I joke

"You're mad"

"You don't say? But you know, we can still hang. I mean, why waste today? Besides, Taveshima, Anne and Doofan are coming, who'd want to miss that?" I say watching her brows crease into a frown.

A tiny hand reaches out and tugs at my hair, getting a fistful.

"Hey there you, what do you want?" I ask, releasing the little girl's— Ruth's hand from my uncombed mane.

"I think she likes your hair. I don't blame her sha" Tobi says watching her.

"Aw, she's so cute"

"School's starting soon. Aren't you going to make your hair?" Tobi asks 

"I dunno Tee, I'm so lazy. Plus braiding hurts too much abeg"

"You can just style your hair the way it is, ah, oyinbo pepper, gimme your hair please"

"Take it, please!"

"Speaking of school, you and your sibs  haven't gone for your regular back to school shopping? 

"Nope, but maybe later today"

"Alright, I need to get a few things, maybe you can help me"

"Sure thing T"

"But you're good right? Honest?" I say after we fall silent.

"Yes em, I'm good"

"And if anything happens you'll tell me right?"

"Definitely."

"You won't call Alex first before calling me?"

"Never! You're my person"

"Good, and never you forget it"

"We're going to be okay Em, no matter what" she says wistfully. I look up at her and nod.

Of course we are!.