Ready or not?

School closed early as usual on Friday and the girls decided to head to Grace's home. There, they were going to get ready for Bright's party. Also, that was where they told everSchool closed early as usual on Friday and the girls decided to head to Grace's home. There, they were going to get ready for Bright's party. Also, that was where they told everyone they would be that evening because they didn't want anyone in on what was going on. Margret, Joana, and June told their parents they were running a school project at Grace's place. Veronica said the same to Hakim.

Grace and Efe lived on the top floor of a one-story building. Their apartment was at the third door to the left. They walked up the stairs to the front of the apartment as Grace brought out her keys to open the door. Just as she struggled with the keys in the keyhole, Mama Favour, her neighbor came out from her apartment.

"Ah Grace, you don come back?"(1)

Grace sighed, her eyes and hands still on the frustrating lock. Here she goes again stating the obvious, she thought. Mama Favour, like most housewives, was one of the few nosy neighbors in the compound, the only one living upstairs and Grace's regular tormentor. Grace despised her most especially for her gossiping. Nothing Grace did in the house could get past Efe knowing, all because of her.

"Yes ma," Grace said with an effort.

"And your friends come with you too." (2)Mama Favour said as she walked closer, her hands on her waist.

"Good evening ma." The rest of the girls greeted her in unison.

"Una well-done." She replied as she studied Veronica, who she was seeing for the first time. Veronica's eyes met her gaze and stared right back at her until Mama Favour shifted her eyes to Grace.

"What about your brother?"

Grace's frustration seemed to grow with each passing second as she fumbled with the keys.

"He is at work ma." She murmured.

"Ahan!" Mama Favour exclaimed. "Na so the work tough reach nowadays?"(3)

Grace didn't answer.

"You know I just dey ask because I no see am last week and now e con be like sey e no go show this week again--"

"Why don't ever mind your fucking business for once?" Grace yelled, cutting her off, turning from the door and facing her. "You have three little children, but yet you still find the time to meddle in other people's problems. No wonder your husband is always leaving all the time because he can't stand your--"

"Grace," June called, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Come on, it's okay."

The aura around grew thick with an awkward silence as Grace realized how she had disrespected the older woman standing before her. Margret took the keys and opened the door in one try.

"Yay, it's open." She said breaking the silence but no one seemed to move. They all wanted to see Mama Favor's reaction.

"I'm so sorry-" Grace tried to apologize before Mama Favour cut her off.

"No no, there's no problem." She said. "I no blame you at all, na my fault. Na me cause this nonsense wey to make small picking wey never see anything for this life dey insult me with all these grammar just because of I dey show concern... Next time dey."(4) She said and started walking back to her apartment door.

"Please don't be angry ma, she is sorry." The rest of the girls tried apologizing on behalf of Grace but she wouldn't allow it.

"Make una just keep quiet before I go unleash my madness on top una head." She said finally with a glare then walked into her apartment.

The girls walked into the living room and Grace, ignoring all of them, went straight to the balcony.

"What is up with her?" Joanna asked. All of the girls turned to Margret who was with Grace for most of the day.

"Don't look at me, I don't know," Margret said with her hands up. "She's been moody throughout today and she didn't say why when I asked."

"Well it has gotten worse now and someone has to go talk to her."

"Not it!" Margret, June, and Joana said in unison, putting a finger on their nose just as they did.

Veronica was bewildered.

"I can't believe how childish you girls are." She said, shaking her head as the rest of the burst into laughter.

"Well you caused all this in the first place so it's only proper you fix them," Joana said in between her laughter. "We'll be in the room getting ready while you do so, go on now."

Veronica eyed them in anger. The girls turned their backs towards Grace's room and continued laughing all the way. After they left, Veronica turned to the balcony. Grace was staring down into the street. Something was clearly on her mind.

Veronica sighed out loud to announce her presence.

"So spill, what's up with you?" She asked.

"It's nothing," Grace replied.

Veronica raised a brow.

"Oh, it's something. That outburst to your neighbor made it pretty clear... Now, are you going to bottle it up again until you yell at another older person, or are you going to talk now?"

They were silent only for a brief moment before Grace spoke.

"Ho-"Grace said then paused to gather her words together. "How are you still calm, despite all of these? You just act like you've been here before."

"Oh, I am terrified," Veronica said and gave a short laugh. "I don't know, I guess I tell myself that showing myself panic wouldn't help any of us in this situation... Look, I'm not good with this pep talk stuff, but I can assure you that our plan would work."

"You don't know that," Grace muttered, her eyes still down on the street. "This night could go both ways and if you haven't thought about that already then maybe that's why you are calm... Yes, if it goes well, we could catch our killer but if it doesn't then-"

"Then Raymond dies." Veronica interrupted. "And there'll be nothing we could do to cover it up like Sylvester because other people would be present meaning you would be caught."

"Yes but it's not just about me, it affects all of us too. If I am arrested and I get interrogated, Lord knows what I would tell the police. If they find out what we did with Sylvester then it's not just me anymore, we all go down... I can't let that happen to you guys." She said almost in tears. "Especially Margret, she has been through a lot in just one week and she's already getting better, I don't want to drag her down."

True, Veronica thought. Margret was stronger than she gave herself credit for. She handled herself well unlike most people would if they were framed for murder. Still, the issue was with Grace. She needed to have a clear head before they went out else their plan would be for nothing.

"Look Grace, it's okay to be scared, but the feeling won't go away until you face it head-on. Fear is just another passenger in the rollercoaster ride known as your mind. It's not in the driver's seat, you are and that means you're the boss but if you go ahead and let that fear take the wheel, you might find other things crashing down including your sanity." Veronica turned to look her straight in the eye. "You're bigger than your fears, I know you are but now you have to show yourself."

There was another awkward silence between them until Grace spoke.

"Look who said she isn't good with pep talks." She said and they both laughed as tears that in her eyes.

"It's gonna be okay Grace."

Grace nodded.

"Thank you." She said sniffling. Just as Veronica was about to mouth a reply, she hugged her.

Veronica smiled.

"You're welcome." She said and they both let go of each other. "Now, let's go get ready, shall we?"

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Translations:

(1) Are you back yet?

(2) And your friends came too.

(3) Is that how tough the job is lately?

(4) I don't blame you at all, it's my fault. I caused this nonsense that is making a small child that hasn't seen anything in this life insult me with grammar just because I am showing concern. There's always next time.

(5) You girls should just keep quiet before I unleash my anger on you all.