August Visitor

After I had broken up with mercy for the third time, I felt dejected, I knew this time,it was really over.
I confronted her as regards the fantasy guy I read about in her diary, she had been spending her nights with him under the guise of evening fellowship.
"Don't bother calling me," I said and walked out, ignoring her l pleas.

Just when I thought I made a mistake by not forgiving mercy despite her plea, I met sandra.
Sandra and I clicked, I discovered a new part of me I never knew existed. We barely knew each other for a week, but I felt I had known her almost all my life as we had so much in common. Even our last names.
Last weekend, I sat down in my room devising a way to finally tell Sandra how I felt, even though I knew it would be easier since she felt the same way, as she had constantly deliberately instigated the topic.
"You better say what's on your mind now before it's too late," she would say.
"Alex!" mama's voice called out from the living room, "come ooo, we have August  visitors in October." she sounded more excited than usual.
As I dragged my feet out of my room, I wondered what visitors could make mama so excited.
"At least it isn't mercy," I thought to my self. "She doesn't have the guts to..."
"Sandra!?" I exclaimed in shock when I entered the living room.
"Oh you are here," mama said, "have you met your uncle Lawrence and his daughter sandra?"

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THE OTHER ROOM: MADE FOR MORE

It's a really busy day at the office today, I'm really famished, all I want right now is a nice meal, I haven't had anything since morning, and it's already 1pm. I mean who wouldn't be, except they were engaged in fasting anyway. I'm starting to get grumpy thanks to the rumbling of my stomach. Even  Naomi, my colleague who is sitting two tables away from me could hear it. That is why she is chuckling now, she probably thinks it is funny.
"So what would you like to have for lunch," she asks as she is standing up.
I stop typing to get an answer amidst the rumbling in my stomach.
"The usual," I say with a smile.
"white rice and beans again today?" she asks, glaring at me.
"Sandra don't you ever get tired of eating the same thing everyday?"
 Though she has a point, I just can't bring myself to take swallow outside, I prefer to prepare it myself.
I was about to reply when our department head walked up to my desk to drop some files in a brown envelope.
"Make sure you finish work on them," he says, " the manager needs them urgently."
I wouldn't have believed it if someone told me the day would go like this in the morning.

While I'm here buried in this pile of work, Naomi is out for lunch, and she is taking a lot of time, and to crown it all up, someone is eating close by, and i can sniff it. The aroma coming out is really nice, as I close my eyes to have more effect, I feel the person is enjoying a plate of fried rice, and dodo (fried plantain).
"Sandra!!" Naomi's voice calls out, I barely saw her come in.
"so now you are using your supernatural power to imagine what Fred is eating in his cubicle?"
"Hey, its not my fault. Blame it on the hunger I feel right now." I retort as I grab my lunch from her And begin to devour it.

Clock ticking, papers flipping, fingers busy on systems. Everyone is doing one thing or the other as no one wants to be caught idle since the CEO is at work today. At least thanks to Naomi, I was able to have lunch.
I notice my phone light blinking to indicate an incoming call, I really don't have the time to chitchat  with anyone right now but the caller ID causes me to pay attention to the phone.
"why is mama calling me at this hour, she should know that I'll  be at work by this time na," I say and reluctantly pick up the call.
***                 ***                     ****
"I seriously don't have time for this," I say as I hang up, "how will mama give me a call during work hours, only to ask about my love life." I tell Naomi, who begins to giggle.
I'm exasperated, so. I take it out on Naomi;
"Naomi if you laugh at me again I swear I'll knock you out."
"Hey, am sorry." she replies with a smile as she put both her hands up

Work is over now and i'm on my way home, I can't help but remember mums call. I'm actually getting tired of her incessant clamour for me to find a man and get married. "I wonder when it's a lady that goes out to find a man," I think to my self as I open the door to my apartment.
 I understand her concern but it's not my fault that work has been demanding, I have to work hard every single day to cloth feed and shelter her and my siblings, so I barely have time to date.
The last relationship I had was with Felix, he was sweet and nice but he was also possessive, he made it clear that he wanted a full time house wife, and that is nothing near my path, I did not struggle to see myself through school only to become someone's full time house wife. No lady who has struggled as hard as I did to get here today would want to end up in the kitchen.
I still have a career to build, I know I'm made for greater things. I simply can't waste my potential in the kitchen, living room or the other room for that matter.

AMANDA

I'd grown quite fond of Amanda, my wife's niece. She was my sole companion since Favour found a job that kept her out until very late in the night. When she first arrived Lagos, the principal at her new school had advised us to enroll her in JSS1, a far cry from the SSS2 in which she'd been back at the village. Now she'd moved up to JSS2 and was quickly developing into a woman. A few of her classmates already teased her and called her an early bloomer.
"Uncle welcome," she'd say, and grapple me each time I returned from work. She was a heavy hugger, so you had to have consumed about five wraps of fufu to withstand the power behind her hug.
"Ooooooh! How are you?" I'd ask, struggling to retain my balance.
"Fine, uncle."
"Good. Take this to my room and bring me my food, I'm famished."
I'd pass her my briefcase and plant myself in the wooden chair in the dining room, my weight making it squeak as it scraped the tiled floor.
"Thank you," I'd say, rolling up my sleeves as she set the food before me. Then I'd settle into the plate of pounded yam and vegetable soup.
She'd sit on the red couch across from me and begin to write in a book and I'd ask: "Is that an assignment from school?"
"Yes," she'd say and scratch her head in frustration. "Me I don't understand it o."
"What subject?" If she said Math, I'd yawn and feign fatigue because Math and I had never been friends. "Amanda, I'm really tired now. Don't worry, come later so we can rub minds and do it together." I'd smile uneasily and  head for my room, making sure to avoid her eyes as I went.
"By the way," I'd turn around sharply like I'd  forgotten something, "the food was tasty."
She'd grin and thank me, but she never came to my room anyway.

Last week, Amanda and I repeated this ritual and after a while, there was a rap on my bedroom door.
"Yes? come in," I said, as I sat up on my bed. I was shocked to see her sobbing as she came in. "What's wrong with you?"
There was no reply.
"Did you hear me? What's wrong?" I moved toward her and helped her sit on Favour's makeup chair.
"Uncle," she said, sniffling, "I can't do it."
"Do what?" I asked, perplexed.
"Aunty will kill me if I do it," she continued, hyperventilating as she spoke.
"Ok, calm down and talk to me. Why will your aunt kill you?"
"I cannot rub mind and DO IT with you."

                                                                                   By: Oguche  Joseph.