A little Scare

Miranda stood up from the sofa and stretched lazily. She was not used to the small apartment, she had only just moved in a few months ago and she missed home. Her phone rang and ignored it. Her apartment was bare, with only a few pieces of furniture which made her apartment appear more spacious than it was.

She walked to the sink and decided to do the dishes. She looked at her reddened hands and chipped nails and resolved to go to the salon. She knew she was running out of money and she needed to get a part-time job but Ben would not let her no matter how hard she tried to convince him. He told her he could not let the woman he was in love with work but he was not doing much for her either.

She quickly washed the high stack of dirty dishes and settled down to smoke. She picked up the beer which she started drinking the night before from the table and she sat back on the sofa and took long gulps, she looked at the clock and it read 12pm. She picked up her phone and checked the call log. Her mother had called twenty-one times and sent five voice messages. Her Internet connection was turned off to avoid the influx of texts and other notification. She called Ben and he answered gruffly.

"Yes?"

The tone of his voice sent shivers down to her belly, it scared her and yet excited her.

"Hey, uh..."

Her voice trailed off it came out ragged and cracked, she did not expect she was as nervous as she was.

"What is it?"

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry? Sorry will not cut it this time, are you working with your neighbour to get me arrested?"

"No no! I have never even spoken to her till today."

"Did you speak with her today?"

Miranda bit her lip in frustration. She was neither quick-witted nor good at lying.

"Yes, I am going to warn her to stay away from my business. I wonder why people like her are always nosy. I hate it."

The silence on the phone gave her solace, she could feel his temper dampen and his tone becomes slightly softer.

"When should I come over?"

"Tomorrow."

"You got it, babe."

"Just so you know-"

The line went dead and she looked at the phone wondering if maybe she had ended the call unknowingly. She dialled back and she was directed to voice mail.

"I hate it when he does this."

She threw her phone away and dragged her hands through her hair and pulled at the edges furiously. She gently placed one leg down after the other and stood up. She walked straight to the mirror and almost flinched at her reflection. Her brown hair was in a terrible need of straightening, her skin was very pale and her lips were looking a bit blue like her clear eyes. The scar at her brow was looking more and contrastingly less pronounced. Her collar bone jutted out as if trying to detach itself from the rest of her body. She remembered she had not eaten anything and went straight to the fridge to get the last two slices of pizza from the box at the top compartment. She microwaved it and put on the TV and began to eat while watching.

She had barely begun when the light tripped off and she quickly got up remembering she had not yet paid for the new month. She went to her stack of mails wondering why there were so many and found the letter that could have reminded her and wondered why she did not read the mail. She noted that it had been opened. She wore her jacket and changed from her shorts to a jean trouser, she took her purse and went out.

She stopped outside her door after locking it and looked at the opposite door and sighed deeply. As she made to leave a wave of nausea hit her so badly she staggered back and had to lean on the door. She weakly brought out the keys, opened the door and ran into the toilet to purge out her bowels, she kept retching even though she had emptied the contents of her stomach which left her weak and heaving after the bout.

"Oh God no. Please no. Please no"

She kept repeating the words to herself in a chant as she tried to pull herself together. As she stood up what felt like a heavy block fell on her head and she staggered again from side to side.

She went to the sink turned on the tap and the light came on as if on cue. She smiled weakly and washed her face wincing as the water touched her half-healed wounds. She turned off the tap and wordlessly left the house.

The walk to the mart was short and uneventful. She kept her head down and avoided people's eyes. She did not want anybody asking her about anything. People were used to confusing their nosiness for care.

She went in and picked up a basket, she quickly went to the cereal section and picked out her favourite. She picked up more food items toiletries and then she went to medical section and looked for some bandages, disinfectant and then she cautiously approached the pregnancy test kit section and picked up one of them and slipped into her basket. She went back to the front and paid for everything and started the walk back home.

The road was filled with people walking and talking on the streets, she wondered why it was so rowdy at that time of the day. The bags felt heavy in her hands. She looked at the pregnancy test kit and it stared back

"What if I am pregnant?'

"What?"

She did not realize that she spoke out and a passer-by answered unsure and puzzled.

Sorry.

She walked past and walked faster determined to get home as quickly as possible

She sighed happily as she got back home and took out the pregnancy kit.

She started the chant again.

She went into the toilet and urinated. The test was negative.

"Thank you! Thank you!"

She exhaled deeply and looked up

"I guess you still listen."

She looked at the time again and it read 3 pm, her eyes felt heavy and she looked back to the bag of supplies and groceries. She was more tired than hungry and decided to settle for a good old forty winks

The slam of the neighbour's door woke her with a start and she sat up. Night light poured from the small window and she quickly stood up to put on the light. The light almost blinded her and she felt dizzy again. She realized that she was starving and went to the bags to take out the cereal box. Her phone buzzed again and she instinctively knew it was her mother. She ignored the phone and wondered why her mother bothered calling. She never cared as much she thought she did. She hated thinking about her. If her mother was indeed bothered enough she would not have run away. She remembered the day she left the house all too well.

"Mother?"

"Yes?"

"I am leaving the house"

A deep silence covered the house. Miranda's mother looked at her daughter from the rim of her glasses.

"Leaving the house to go to where?"

"Anywhere mother. Anywhere but here is fine with me."

Miranda shot back.

"Where is this coming from? College starts in about a month. You can't have a vacation. I am sorry."

The silence in the house glided over surfaces, wordless, heavy and cloudy. The house was well furnished and clean. It was the new house they moved into soon after her mother remarried a wealthy businessman. The maid came out carrying a plate of cut fruits and juice. She dropped the tray and went back to where she came from.

The silence continued to linger on and Miranda spoke again to cut through.

"I don't want to go to that college. I told you I wanted to study in a different state or more preferably, abroad and you can afford it now. So why won't you let me?"

"Because I and your father know what's best for you."

"He is not my father!"

"Oh, stop throwing a tantrum you outgrew that phase a long time ago."

"I just want to study anywhere else; you can send me to a different continent, anywhere. I don't care, I just don't want to have to live here."

"I can't do that. At least not in your first year. I know what goes on in some of these colleges."

"Then send me to a missionary college abroad. I don't care. I just don't want to stay here. I don't feel comfortable here and I am old enough to care for myself."

"Maybe you are, or maybe you're not."

Miranda's mother took a deep breath she had sensed that something was wrong ever since she started dating again but she did not want to believe it was anything serious. she knew children did not usually appreciate feeling as if their dead parent were about to be replaced when the issue of dating and remarriage occurred.

"I'm sorry it's too late to change colleges"

"That's not true"

Miranda replied immediately to refute the statement

"I still have a couple of months before school resumes and I know that you can pull some strings and get me into a new college if you want. So help me?"

Miranda pleaded and stood up from the minibar long chair to sit with her mother on their Italian made brand name couch. She sank easily and comfortably and took her mother's hand in hers. If felt dead and cold. Maybe the Air-conditioning was blasting too much she thought.

"Its too late for changes now. We've already concluded. Its out of my hands now."

"Oh, stop it mother!"

Miranda threw away the hand and quickly as she had grabbed it much to the despair of her mother. She stood up and backed away, the look of hurt was striking.

"You used to be strong and independent and now you do all his biding no question asked. I don't even feel like I can talk to you-"

"But you can! I am here for you. I am."

Her voice rose a notch and she tried hard to regain her composure.

"He hits me."

Silence smiled contently as the house was thrown into an unspeakable, unidentifiable stillness. It was awkward for both mother and child and none refused to speak for what seemed like forever.

"What?"

"I did not know how to tell you this so it had been going on for long."

Miranda's mother was perplexed and looked at her daughter disbelief and disappointment written boldly on her face.

"What are you saying? Why would he ever do something like that? What did you do?"

Miranda looked at her mother incredulously.

"What did I do?'

Realizing her mistake, she stood up and edged forward towards her daughter who moved back, her eyes tear-filled and her heart torn.

"I did not mean to- I just-"

"No, it's fine. I should not have said anything."

""Mimi Wait I-

"Forget I said anything"

"But you just made a serious allegation and it could hurt someone especially if you just lied."

Miranda stood up and walked towards the door and turned to face her mother, her eyes reddened and swollen

"He does worse things to me. I refuse to be abused over and over. You can keep your rich husband. Just stay out of my life!"

Miranda walked to her door and opened it wide, took a few steps and knocked on her neighbour's door.

There was no immediate reply and she had to knock severally before she heard footsteps and the door open. She saw her neighbour's head appear from the half-open door, looking at her cautiously.

"Can we talk now?"

"Your place or mine?"

Both looked at the floor and then each other unsure of whether either of them should be entering the others apartment.

"Can I buy you a drink?'

"I don't drink or smoke"

"I don't smoke either. Exhibit A was not mine"

Siri sized her up and then invited her in opening the door wide.

"I know Karate. Come in."

"Yeah. Thank you."