14
Saturday.--Later in the morning; Isoken was seated at the breakfast table with her family, excluding her dad and eldest brother, Ayomi.
As she was eating, Femi suddenly called her name.
"Yes." She said, then looked at him.
"Did you scream last night?" He asked.
"No, I was just whispering to myself."
Isoken muttered what he had said previously while mimicking him.
"Stop it! I don't sound like that." Femi said.
*Pak*--Isoken was hit on her shoulder by Mrs Johnson, "Ouch, mom!"
"Is that how you talk to your elder brother now?" Mrs Johnson asked.
"No," Isoken said while muttering "He's just older than me with a few years, not like Tade and Ayomi."
"Ehh! What did you say?" Mrs Johnson asked.
"Yes! I screamed last night; I had a horrible dream." Isoken said hurriedly, for fear of being hit a second time.
"I thought it was my imagination, that's why I didn't come to check on you, sorry little sis." Femi said.
"It's like we need to go for all-night prayers tonight." Mrs Johnson said.
"Mommy naaa! We aren't going ohhh!" Tade, Femi and Isoken, all spoke at the same time with a hint of annoyance in their tone.
"You said what?!" Mrs Johnson asked.
Their dad descended from the stairs and joined them at the breakfast table.
"Honey, what's all this noise?" He asked.
"Is it not your kids, running away from God." She said, then folded her arms.
He turned to face the kids, "What is it? Why are you guys running away from God?" He asked with a frown on his face.
"Dad don't get us wrong, it's just this all-night that mommy has brought up, we won't attend." Tade said while Femi and Isoken nodded their heads.
"Ahhh…! I've suffered. Simple all-night they won't agree to attend, who knows God might just answer their prayers. Mr Johnson just take a look at our children." She said, then began to wail.
It was so annoying, that their dad glared at them fiercely.
"Mommy we are sorry, we will go." Said Tade.
"Mom please don't cry anymore, we will go." Femi said while Isoken nodded her head.
Mrs Johnson immediately stopped wailing and asked, "You all will go?" They nodded bitterly.
"Isn't it just an all-night, we will go." Tade said.
"Okay, let me go and get my bible. We are going to pray against every evil dream for a few minutes, then attend the all-night during the evening." Mrs Johnson said, then left for the master bedroom.
Tade and Femi both looked at Isoken after Mrs Johnson left.
"What?" Isoken asked, she didn't know why they looked at her.
"Oshey dreamer, see what you have caused." Femi said.
"Ah ah! What's all this? Weren't you sympathising with me a moment ago?" Isoken asked, a bit puzzled.
"Well paybacks a bitch." Tade said.
Before Isoken could retort, their mother came back downstairs and sat on her seat, "Let us pray." She said.
...
Isoken was in her room, she layed on her bed with the intent of getting some rest. Everyone had a few more hours to go; before they left for the all-night.
She seriously blamed Femi for asking if she had dreamed, but they were going and nothing could change that.
She picked up the phone beside her, planning to watch a movie, when a call came through.
She saw that Emmanuel was the one calling and hesitated in swiping the answer button.
It stopped ringing after a few seconds, signifying that the call had been cut. Then it ringed again, with his name still flashing as the caller.
It was now or never, then she pressed answer.