A flashback

"Good- good- goodday ma" Ogar managed to say. He avoided eye contact with aunt Sheila as much as he could.

"Hey mum, Goodevening" Minka moved forward to hug her mother.

"How are you?' aunt Sheila asked as she looked from her daughter to Ogar. She managed a smile which was accompanied by a sigh of relief.

"Fine ma" both chorused.

"Mi, have you been able to help your brother pack up?"

"I-- " Minka began.

"It doesn't look so" her mother replied before she could say another word." Anyway, I am here so that's not an issue" she assured her.

The trio began to clean up the place. There was an awkward silence that roamed the room. Ogar knew he had to say something though he had nothing to say. He could feel his tummy churn uncomfortably. He had not eaten late or had too many sweets. He realized aunt Sheila's presence in the room has made him react that way. As though she knew his mind,

Aunt Sheila began to whistle as she worked. It felt as if she didn't mind who was in the room and who wasn't. Like she did care what might had happened. Little wonder his uncle adored her. Will they be reconciled? Where will that put himself and Minka? He reached out to hold Minka's hand again but he withdrew as he realised he had to tread carefully.

How relief washed over him when he heard the door open and saw Ramses accompanied by Nkom at the door.

"Oh mummy, I would have helped you with that" Nkom called out.

"Mmmhnnn? Mummy's helper! Ever since black out Saturday" Minka eyed Nkom.

"Eh en?(so) Is it bad, or you are just jealous?" Nkom supplied.

Ogar wondered what they meant but did not bother to ask. That would be invading their privacy.

He took a quick glimpse at aunt Sheila who now had a smile of approval on her face.

"Thank you my love. I am okay" she spatted Nkom on her back. Minka pouted disapprovingly and eyed Nkom again.

"What?" Nkom asked as she widened her eyes.

Minka said nothing. Ramses and aunt Sheila looked at both of them, then looked at each other and chuckled.

"The doctor said you need to take more fruits, water, vegetables and rest"

"Okay. He didn't tell me all these when he saw me perambulating about the corridor"

"That is because I had fixed an appointment to see him. There was no point repeating to me what he would have already told you"

Ramses nodded in comprehension.

"Mum, I would have talked to him myself"

"You need rest my son" she said as she stretched out her hand and touched his cheek. She exited the room with a big travelling bag slung over her shoulders. "See you at the reception" she called out to the rest of them. Ogar looked at his wrist watch and exclaimed. He had to go. He had to clean up his room. After which he will weed the grass around the house.

He looked at Minka and then Ramses and said "I have to go now.

Thanks. I had a fun time. See you later"

Minka smiled. "No need for that" she said.

"No need for that?" Ogar confirmed.

Minka nodded. 'yup I will be going in your direction. My mum asked me to deliver this to Nenka's mum" she explained. Ogar's heart raced for joy as he shut the door behind him. He would be spending bonus time with her.

"Let me see if I will be able to accompany you to Nenka's mum"

Minka smiled.

Uncle Travis could see two youths walking down. He smiled as he watched them They reminded him of himself and aunt Sheila. They had been friends in secondary school. After their certificate examination, they continued their friendship and even gained admission to study in the same university.

They were usually seen together and many thought that since they were too young to be lovers,they were brother and sister. People began to call them that. Whenever people saw him and they didn't see her, they asked"where is your sister?" When she was seen alone as well people asked "how about your brother?"

He remembered how they both had to save for aunt Sheila's house rent when she encountered difficulty in paying her rent, in school. During the holidays they worked together on his father's farm. His sister and aunt Sheila were quite close. He and aunt Sheila planned their resumption period together such that they arrived school at the same time.

In the market, they were known together. In the church, they were known together. Even in her department he often came to see her. She returned his visits as well.

The families had a strong tie. Upon his father's death alot of things changed.

Upon graduation from the university they began to date each other. It didn't last. After his father's death. He had to go away. He wondered how they lost touch. How everything changed. He wondered how he let her slip through his fingers. He knew that the misunderstanding between the two families had been part of it.

Hence upon returning from the army he paid a visit to her family and apologized on behalf of his family and the youths. It was sincerely an oversight and even though he had not been part of it, it was his responsibility as the head of the family to apologize. His mother had said words she should not have said. His sister was quite but withdrawn. She had been in school, hence she had not seen how the whole thing played out. His elder brother died shortly after his father.

His perception changed upon returning from the army. His mindset broadened. He evaluated more. He asked deeper questions. He did alot of calculation. He could no longer access her. He heard she got married. They ran into each other at the market few days after he arrived. She avoided him like a plague.

It took nearly a year before she agreed to say goodmorning to him. The only reason he was so lucky to get that close, was because her husband had died and he had used that information to his advantage.

He pitied her alot, for all that she and her family had been through. For all she had been through as a person. He did all he could to become her confidant although he had been aware that she didn't completely trust him. He had promised that he would do all it takes to win her back.

Now they were here. Maybe she had this baby when he left. Maybe she felt heartbroken and decided to move on and got her heart broken again. He remembered when he said he was a good person and she smiled and said nothing. That expression is more than a thousand words. He didn't care anymore if she had decided to move on because he had withdrawn. He didn't want to know if her feelings for him had began to wane. One month is not too much for that. Nevertheless, they had bad blood between them. She forgave. It was his time to forgive...