Adesuwa - Episode 1

 

1995
Adesuwa:

"Adesuwa! Adesuwa wake up. Ade!" I mumble sleepily at the light tapping on my shoulder.
"Dara wake your sister and come to the parlour for morning prayers!" I heard my mom shout to my twin sister who was lying beside me and I frown. They just can't miss one morning prayer in this house sef?
"Ade mom__"
"I know. I know." I pull myself to a sitting position on the bed and pout at my sister . She shakes her head at me as she throws her legs off the bed and stand.
"Let's go before they take all the available chairs in the parlour." My eyes clear of sleep at this. She's right.
"Come on!" I jump out of bed and rush into the parlour like I'm actually excited for another morning devotion. I just don't want to be one to sit with our father this morning. I don't think I can take his wahala this morning. My eyes light up when I see my favorite chair empty and I dive for it when my brother comes into the parlour yawning.
"Ouch!" I swear silently as I slam my toe into the hard chair with all it's foam padding almost gone.
"You see yourself now?! Be looking for chair you'll park and sleep abi?" My mom throws from her perch on the other side of the parlor while I'm trying to rub my sore toe.
"I'm not looking for any chair to sleep!" I snap back before I can hold back and she scowls at me.
"Ade, use your sense." Kola, my elder brother growls at me.
"I hit my foot and mommy just__" I start to whine.
"That's enough! This early morning and you guys are already letting the neighbors know we're awake. And we're always the one shouting and praying every morning and night." Father finally snaps at all of us and I clamp my mouth shut

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/adesuwa

. I look to Dara who shakes her head at me. I just roll my eyes at her. Let them be forming good kids. I don't have that power.
"Kola, where is your brother?" Dad asks when everyone goes quiet and I realize that my little brother isn't in the room with us.
"I told you to wake him." My mom accuses Kola who frowns.
"I woke him oh. That boy too like sleep sef." Kola grumbles.
"Gideon! Gideon!" Mom starts yelling.
"Iye it's too early to yell. Dara go and bring that boy here." Dad instructs and with that he pulls his Bible out of the corner of the chair.
Gideon comes in rubbing his eyes after a few minutes with Dara behind him.
"Come and sit here with me, Gideon. I know you will want to continue part 2 of your sleep while we're praying." Dad says to Gideon who doesn't even grumble. He just sleepily walks to sit beside our father then wraps his wrapper around his shoulders.
  Seeing that everyone is settled, I gingerly stretch out on the small sofa and close my eyes.
"Ade lead us in worship." I nearly groan when I hear my father say this.
"Ade? Are you sleeping?!" Mom shouts at me and I relunctantly pull my eyes open.
"Good morning Jesus, good morning Lord....." I start singing and the whole family join in.

****

"Gideon! Gideon!" I impatiently tap my brother's shoulder as he lays snoring lightly on the chair.
"Gideon!"
"I'm singing. I'm singing!" He suddenly jumps off the chair and starts singing. I burst into laughter at his confusion when he looks around to find the parlor empty.
"We finished morning devotion half an hour ago." I giggle at him.
"Ah! I must have fallen asleep halfway." He laments as he starts to look around for our mother.
"She's in the kitchen. I don't know why but she seems unusually mellow since the call Dad had after the prayers. Better go and get ready for school before she regains her usual gragra." I don't have to say anymore before the ten years old boy grabs his wrapper and hurries off into the room. I smile at his back as he leaves and I notice my father walk into the room pulling his shirt on. My eyes goes up to the wall clock on the wall. It's just a few minutes past six. Dad normally leaves at 8 for his shop where he deals on wood.
"Daddy, are you leaving already?" I intercept him before he passes me. I can't let him leave before collecting the money I asked him for days ago. Today is the deadline.
"Ade, I'm not in the mood today." He says and my face falls.
"What about the money?" I ask in a quiet voice.
"Money? Oh the class excursion." He scratches the back of his neck and I know this isn't going to go my way. I can already feel tears stinging the back of my eyes.
"Today is the deadline. I told you just last weekend."
"Yes, I know. I know. Let me go and come back first." He says.
"Dad! Today is the deadline." I repeat like he didn't hear me the first time.
"Things are hard, Ade. Maybe next time."
"But it's my last excursion in school. We're almost done with NECO. I'm graduating next month. Dara and I are__"
"Ade let your father go. Don't be a brat." I turn to find my mother glaring at me with her hands on her tiny hips. My hands ball into fists as I try to not cry.
"We're going to be the only one in our class not going." I turn back to my father and his face falls.
"We'll talk when I come back." He says and with that, he sidesteps me.
"But_!"
"Ade, go and get ready for school." Mom says in a firm voice but I stand dejectedly watching my father leave the house.
"This isn't fair!" I snap as I race past my mother and into my room to let the tears fall. I throw myself on the flat bed and press my face into the pillow.
"It's not fair. Everyone already looks at us like we're the poorest in class." I mutter as I sniffle into my soft pillow.
"It's just a stupid one day excursion." I raise my head from my pillow to find Dara standing above me with sad eyes. I wipe my face of tears and sit up on the bed.
"I know but I don't want them to look at us differently in class." I tell her as she comes to sit beside me. I stare into her identical face and wonder how we can be so different. She's just so quiet. So unaffected.
"They already look at us differently. We still owe the school last term's school fees." She says and I groan.
"I really wanted to go."
"I know. Me too but we can't pressure dad for these things. You know how much he favours you. If he says he can't afford this for you that means he really can't."
"God, I hate this life. How are we even going to get into the University with our situation?" I ask her.
"I don't know but trust Daddy to find a way." She assures me.
"Kola is still at home learning dad's trade, remember?"
"That's because he hasn't been given admission yet. Come on, we're going to be late for school. You know how much you hate picking dirty for being late." She pulls on my hand to get me to stand and I pout.
"I don't want to go." I complain but still stand anyways. Mom would not let me remain at home for nothing anyways.
"We can get some mangoes on our back." She smiles as she says the words that she knows I can't resist. Mangoes.
"Not even mangoes can make me go today. Mom will have to deal with that." I fold my arms to look tough just before we hear our little brother's wailing from the parlor. Mom is already in action.
"Ade! Dara! One of you should enter the bathroom right now. You girls are going to be late!" Mom screams from the parlour and Dara stifles a laugh.
"Coming!" I yell after rolling my eyes.
I guess I'm going to school after all. I can't take a beating with today's heartbreak.