Chapter 1 - The First Day of School

On the 12th of September, Mommy woke me up at the very early hours of the day,

"Ngwanu come and have your bath. I've mixed the water, so hurry up" She said, like she was busy with something else.

I still rolled on my bed with my sleepy eyes till she gave me a hot slap on my buttocks.

"Will you remove your dress and come lemme bath you Osisor Osisor, fast fast"

I quickly jumped down from my bed and said,

"Mommy Good morning" as I lazily removed the short orange night gown which I was putting on.

Then I bent down to pull out my bathroom slippers which was beneath my bed and I headed to the bathroom for Mommy to bathe me. We were very close and she liked to bathe me even though I was 10 years old; it gave us room to have a lot of girl related conversations.

Through out our stay in the bathroom, Mommy was talking, saying everything that could come into her head.

She said,

"You are going to a boarding house today, you should try to wake up early. I wouldn't be there to drag you out of bed everyday. Do things with agility too..."

After bathing, I brushed my teeth, making sure that I scrubbed my tongue very well because Mommy was going to ask and she will have to smell my breathe too.

Getting to my room, I found her searching one of the large boxes that contained my casual wears. She searched it and threw some clothes on the floor.

"Mommy Ogini, what is it?" I asked looking directly at the clothes on the floor.

"Chinemenma!! Biko what is this?"

When Mommy called me by my full name, I knew she was angry with me because she only used that name when angry with me or when She was with Mama nnukwu, my Grand Mother.

"When did you wear this pant and half cut that they're still dirty?"

I looked at the pant and bra amidst the clothes, then I looked at Mommy; as if to search her face for exactly what was going through her mind as I replied

"Yesterday "

I remembered that she had told me to make sure I washed them last night, so I was 100% sure that all hell was about to let loose right now.

"Yesterday!

Yesterday ehn?

Didn't I tell you to wash them yesterday?

So when I talk, you do as you like ehn? Is that how you will disobey the senior students in your school?

Ogini kwanu,?

What is wrong with you this child?"

Mommy was so angry that I knew she was willing to shout at me throughout the day.

She continued talking, then I said,

"But Mommy I slept off last night na. It's not like I decided not..."

Before I could finish my next sentence, Mommy approached me with speed and her left hand lifted as if to descend on a mosquito,

"M ga pia ishi ehn!!, If I hit your head ehn!!" She screamed.

She was very good at threatening me but she could never do any of the things she said because I was her egg.

I said again as I squeezed my face like crumpled Naira notes and pouted,

"Mommy I slept na "

That was when she picked up my Barbie doll from my bed and used it hair to hit my head.

"Shut your trap before I shut it for you! Is that how you will disgrace your entire family in the boarding house? Will I be there to wash it for you?

Will you take it to my bathroom now!"

I murmured under my breathe as I took the underwear,

"Boarding house this, boarding house that "

Only to see Mommy coming after me. If you see the way I took off with speed.

That was how we ran round the house till Daddy came to intervene.