CHAPTER 31: Awọn igbesẹ mi si titobi (My steps to greatness) 11

After my lesson with that human, I didn't even bother to greet him goodnight as it was towards evening almost to the time of my favorite moonlight stories with Baba Alawo.

With my school bag hung around my chest and my food basket in my left hand, I hopped home reciting the new poem a thousand times till I got to my compound where my sweet sweet mother was sitting busy waiting for me.

Dressed in her regular tie and dye wrapper around her waist and a white shimi as a top to cover her upper body, her hands under her smoothly filed chin supporting her shaking head with her eyes playing tricks on her with constant yawns.

Oh, it so good having someone wait for you till you come back to them.

I gave a little chuckle at that thought and my silly mom.

" Mama, Mo ti pada wa (Mommy, I'm back)" I called while hopping to her side excitedly.

Her apricot eyes flung open like the Agbado in its season.

" Morenikeji mi, olori ebi mi, oko mi, omo mi Kaa bo" She hugged me tight to her chest as if she wasn't fighting a feirce war with sleep. " Bawo ni o se wa? Njẹ o jẹ ounjẹ rẹ? Kini o kọ loni? bawo ni ile-iwe? Mo ti pese ounjẹ ayanfẹ rẹ. "(How are you? Did you eat your food? What did you learn today? how was school? I prepared your favorite meal.)" She kept on talking giving me no break to reply. Instead I just bury my head deep in between her pillow breast. Her scent, the feeling..... They all felt like home.

This mother and daughter touching scene felt like a village play I watched at the Oba's palace on New Year's eve. Probably two years ago.

The scene was about the touching moment between a mother and her daughter on their first meeting after thirteen years of separation.

That how we were, Both I and my mom.

" Mama, ah jẹ ki n wẹ ni akọkọ. Lẹhinna Emi yoo sọ ohun gbogbo fun ọ (Mommy, ah let me shower first. Then I will tell you everything)" Especially, my lesson with human. I didn't add that.

" O dara, yara ki o fun mi ni gbogbo nkan (Ok, hurry and gist me about everything)"

Saying that, She took my school bag and my food basket from me and I was gently picked into her careful hands inside the dim-litted house. A kerosene lamp was lighted to keep the house warm and lighted.

I made up my mind i won't be going to Baba alawo's house again for tonight because I've got a lot of things to discuss with my mom.

She carefully undressed me .....then finding out a dirt stain on my uniform.

Oh, I'm finished! I silently bit my lower lip in fear of what will happen to me. Oh, dear me is completely finished.

"Ehm .....Mama Mo le ṣalaye ( Ehm.....Mommy I can explain)" Seeing that her eyes are still on the stain, I had to do something first or I will be sleeping outside tonight.

That thought sent chills down my spine.

""Oh Baba ni orun gba mi lowo ibinu iya mi (Oh Father in heaven save me from my mother's wrath)" I whispered a prayer under my breath as my heart beat was quickening.

"Ehm..." Then those groundnut coloured eyes stared at me as if they would drill a hole inside me.

Seriously, I thought I dust it....or... where did this stain come from? Sonya?

I don't know but he just came to mind.

"Rii daju pe o wẹ aṣọ rẹ ṣaaju ki o to lọ sùn, Ṣe o loye? ( Make sure you wash your uniform before going to bed, Understood?)"

I swallow hard before hardly nodding my still head. Reason?

That woman's voice was dangerously low and gentle. Like a consuming fire hidden in different hides which is about to explode soon and at the same time, trying to tame itself

"Jẹ ki n mu omi gbona hmm (Let me bring the hot water hmm)" Dropping the uniform on a stool before running to the kitchen leaving me all alone to weep inside.

" Goodness" I breathed a sigh of relief while beating my chest to control my beating heart.

After a while, she came back with two clothes in both hands carefully using them to hold a green basin where I could see steams floating to her very beautiful face.

Just like clouds worshipping her goddess like face.

She brought it close to me and poured the content inside a bucket filled with cold water and used dropped whatever she was holding to mix the contents together so the water might become warm before she poured a drop on her wrist to test the temperature.

"O lọ wọọrọ ( Its warm)" A wide smile beautified her already beautiful face. Like the rainbow over the shining cloud....or whatever.

"Mm"

I joyfully gave myself up to her gentle hands.

She gently poured the warm water on my head Which carelessly flowed down to my face then to my chest.

Me being so playful was busy splashing the water that was been poured on me around, laughing and breathing fast.

While my mom was just nodding her head with a smile on her face as she continues bathing not minding if she would become wet or not.

" Keji, duro si ibikan tabi o yoo yọ(Keji, stay one place or you will slip)"

"Mo mọ pe iwọ yoo mu mi ti mo ba ṣubu. ( I know you will catch me if I happen to fall)" Laughing as I was playing around. I meant what I just said, even my mom wouldn't deny the fact that she would surely catch me even before I hit the ground.

" mn" And with That, she purposely put soap in my mouth to keep this parrot quiet and stable.

"Maaaami!" I spat out the foam from my mouth several times stamping my feet on the ground childishly and splashing water everywhere.

I heard series of cute laughter coming from her.

"Nitorina iwọ yoo jẹ ọmọbinrin ti o dara ki o jẹ ki mama ṣe ohun ti o fẹ ṣe ( So will you be a good girl and let mommy do what she wants to do)" A faint smirk appeared on her innocent face.

" Humph, iyan (Humph, cheating)" pouting with my hands folded on my chest as a sign of surrendering.

And through the shower, I became 'a good girl letting mommy do her work'.

Few minutes later, I was sitting between my mom's legs on a stool dressed in my night wear and my mom using a towel to dry my hair.

"nitorinaa ṣe iwọ yoo sọ fun mi bawo ni ọjọ rẹ ṣe ri? ( so will you tell me how your day was?)"

"mn" I smiled before continuing " Loni jẹ ohun ti o yatọ si awọn ọjọ wọnyẹn (Today was a bit different from those days)"

"Awọn ọjọ wọnyẹn? (Those days?)"

"Mn"

" Bawo ni o ṣe yatọ? (How is it different?)"

I Shrugged " Emi ko mọ ṣugbọn o yatọ si gaan. (I don't know but it was really different.)"

I felt the gentle massage came to a stop before it continued.

" Unnnn, ogede agbagba ati ogede nwo bakan naa nigba ti a ba wo lati ona jijin; awon mejeji ni ewe kanna, igi? (Hmmm, plantain and banana looks the same when looked from afar; they both have the same leaves, tree?)"

"Mn, wọn ṣe (Mn, they do)" I couldn't stop myself from thinking about something. A funny experience I had.

I was little that time, the thought made me smile.

" Ṣugbọn wọn ni oriṣiriṣi adun ati idi. ogede agbagba le wa ni sisun tabi sise tabi oorun gbẹ lati ṣe elugbo nigba ti ogede le jẹ aise nikan (But they have the different sweetness and purpose. The plaintain can be fried or boiled or sun dried to make elugbo while the banana can only be eaten raw)"

' What is she pointing at?'

" Just think my dear and solve this puzzle I just gave you and give me the answer tomorrow evening"

'Huh? What puzzle' By instinct, I turned to face her with wide eyes only to see a smiling goddess.

My mouth opened but no words could come out even when she told me to eat, I just sat still staring at the door she just went through.

' Puzzle? Evening?'

I thought she was telling a story but telling me a puzzle. How will I solve it?

Well, despite the fact my mom left me in a state of thorough confusion, I still ate the delicious food my mom prepared for me and it still flowed easily.

It was gbegiri and laafu.

After dinner, my mom and I talked for several hours, laughing and joking around with each other. We gossiped a little bit.... Don't mind us, that's the nature of women.

I even recited the number game human taught me.

I had fun talking to my mom. Seeing her smiles, the cute chuckles and the way she laughs; Everything felt surreal and warm.

Three hours past midnight, we were still giggling and the same time preparing to go to bed.

I'm so grateful I've washed my uniform after dinner with my mom beside inspecting how clean I washed the uniform.

I've noticed my lovely mom has been yawning and cutely rubbing her eyes since the past ten minutes so she won't fall asleep and be able to listen to me.

" Ti o dara alẹ ma, Mo nifẹ rẹ (Good night ma, I love you)" I wrapped my arms around her and bury my deep in my softest 'pillow'.

She to pulled me close to her and kissed me on my head " Mo nife re oko mi " Then she fell heavily asleep.

I knew from the start that she was very tired and the only reason she stayed awake till this was all because of me.

' Ahh'

I stealthily pulled myself from her arms and went to pick up my carefully hung bag .

" I don't want it to come near" I picked up a piece of paper from my bag after many minutes of searching and put it back inside the bag.

As I was about to zip the bag, I saw a carefully folded paper with a little smile appearing on my face.

I took out the paper and a pencil from the bag and sat on the nearest stool. " Hmmm" I chewed on my pencil till an idea came to mind.... and I started scribbling till I got all my ideas down before going back to bed in my mom's warm embrace.