REUBEN Episode 1 – Blessing-Enejo Abrahams Elleywrites
I had an ene-my even as little as I was, Mom was the enemy I was going to get k!lled by my own hands.
Daddy had forgotten his guπ in the car one day when he picked me up from school to get his usual bole (roast plantain) and groundnut across the express road.
I glanced at the guπ, and then at Daddy across the express road. He would never allow me to touch his guπ and would always keep it away from me each time we were together. But on this day, I picked it up when he wouldn’t return from where he went to get his usual after like 5 minutes.
It was quite heavy, unlike my toy guπ. I knew what a real guπ was capable of doing even at the age of 9 and in Jss 1, I used to see it in movies whenever I visited Lanre my neighbor cos his older siblings loved w@r films. So, I wanted to try Daddy’s guπ on Mom.
By Blessing-Enejo Abrahams Elleywrites
He pulled over that day and told me to give him a few minutes so he could get bole (roast plantain) and ground nut from Iya Wande his regular customer across the express road. He never misses to have the combo before lunch every day. And as soon as Iya Wande sights him from afar, she’ll start grinning revealing her dentition and chanting his name with hands in the air. One would think maybe Daddy was the one responsible for her breakfast, lunch and dinner if it was your first time hearing her chants.
“Mr Kola Kollinton ééyán mi atata (My special person)” She would always say.
I loved the way she would always hail him and hearing that alone brings a smile to my face as I would always sit in the car waiting for Daddy and at the same time, anticipating her regular chants.
But on this day, I wasn’t in the mood for all that paparazzi.
I pointed the guπ before me with a finger on the tr!gger. Don’t be sc@red, I wasn’t going to pull it just yet, I was saving my own but!et for my Mother. Wondering what she did? I’ll tell you.
“After Dad dropped me off before our gate one day, he told me he wasn’t going to come in because he had an assignment in the office being a Police Officer, so he drove off almost immediately.
I opened the gate after I bade him goodbye and went straight to our flat but Mom wouldn’t open the door after bang!ng severally on it. I knew she was in cos I couldn’t find the keys under the foot mat but I sat on the pavement wondering why she wouldn’t open the door. I would stand and peep through the living room windows countless times but would find no one as her windows remained shut and with curtains down. I knocked severally on the glass windows too but no response, so I went back to the pavement to sit for a few minutes.
“Is everything ok with her ?” I asked myself and then different thoughts came running through my mind.
Mom never used to keep friends, and that day wasn’t even a market day, but I knew she was inside the house. I stoop in an attempt to go and knock on Aunty Alaba, our neighbor’s door when I started to hear Mom’s laughter. I was startled, and then turned and went back to peep through the living room window when the living room door opened all of a sudden and Mom came out in the company of a very dark pot bellied middle aged man, both laughing so aloud.
“Reuben, when did you get back ?” She quizzed as soon as she sighted me.
I screened the man from head to toe, I had never met him before.
“Is he your son?” He queried in a local accent smiling from ear to ear.
“Yes o, he’s my only child” She said smiling so sheepishly, and then turned to me.
“Reuben, say hello to uncle” She added.
“My uncle? Your brother or Dad’s?” I asked in a low tone.
“He’s my friend, his name is Uncle Opaluwa” She said still smiling from ear to ear.
He quickly dipped his hand in his pocket and brought very lean notes and stretched forth his arm.
“My boy, take for sweets” He said with a grin.
As little as I was, I knew something wasn’t right. I also knew that Mom was up to something but I couldn’t really figure out what it was. I ignored them and walked out on them into my room and after a few minutes, Mom came to me after she had seen him off.
“How dare you treat my guest like that” She ranted.
“Who really is he? Does Dad know about him?” I quizzed with folded arms.
“He’s my guest not his and hey, not even a word about him to your father” She warned pulling her earlobe.
“Why?” I asked.
“No why, but it’s a warning” She said and then left for her room.
Daddy returned from work that day, we were all in the dining having dinner.
“Daddy, uncle…” I said but Mom looked up swiftly giving me an ugly stare. I quickly swallowed whatever it was I had to say and then continued eating.
“Reuben, what were you going to say?” Dad asked staring at me but I shook my head.
Another day, they forgot to lock the living room door and I arrived home with Dad. Mom noticed on time and she made him hide in my bathroom. I was so pressed so I had to go ease myself but as soon as I opened the door, he jerked startling me.
“Please don’t shout, I will buy you a bicycle. Your daddy must not know I’m here” He begged but I ignored him, peed, and then left the bathroom. Mom later smuggled him out when Dad went into his room and from that day, I knew Mom was hiding something from Dad and me.
Dad had finished buying his bole and was waiting for the road to be free before crossing over, I quickly opened my school bag and put the guπ in it and at the same time saying silent prayers for Dad not to notice and not follow me into the house, and for the man to be at home with Mom again that day.
“Oshod! Oshod!! Oshod!!!” A bus conductor yelled before dad but he shook his head and then finally crossed over and handed me a bole with a wrap of groundnut.
“Reuben, you’re moody today. What’s wrong?” He asked.
“Nothing” I said taking a bite of the hot bole.
“Ok” He said shrugging his shoulder and then started the car.
My prayers were answered cos Dad left as soon as he dropped me off without noticing his guπ. I went toward the entrance door and tried opening the door but it was locked and couldn’t find the keys, I started banging on it. She opened after a few minutes adjusting her wrapper and I immediately knew that the man was around. I ignored her and went inside without saying a word.
“Reuben! Reuben!!” She called hurrying after me as if she had read my mind.
I threw open her door and there the man was lying st@rk n@ked in Mom’s bed. He grabbed the bed spread as soon as he saw me and struggled to cover his n@kedness with it but I immediately unzipped my bag, brought out the guπ and then flung my bag aside, he immediately threw his hands in the air.
“Reuben, please, that isn’t your toy guπ but your Dad’s, put it down” Mom said with popped eyes.
I turned and looked at Mom, and then I pointed the guπ at her.
“The game is over, dear Mother” I said as tears welled up my eyes.
To be continued.
Do not copy without giving credit to the writer!
#OpraDre REUBEN REUBEN REUBEN REUBEN
