Chapter Eight

Things didn't go the way She expected it to. She thought she would be able to raise another money but she realized she was wrong after counting. The amount wasn't even up to half of what she needed to pay before resuming school with her mates. She couldn't approach her parents for money, they barely have enough for feeding not to talk of paying school fees. She couldn't ask them to pay back, it would be unthoughtful of her to do so. She couldn't borrow from the bank either, she has no bank account or business With it. Her parents couldn't do it for her either, they were owing the bank. Kendra found herself in another desperate need for money. She fought the urge to blame her parents for their inability to do anything. Blaming people for her problems was something she used to do very easily, until the day she heard her priest preaching against it. Blaming people won't solve the problem, it will only lead to unwanted hatred and misunderstanding. Instead of blaming people, use that time to find a solution. It was already getting dark and she could hear her brothers chatting loudly with their friends while approaching the house. She quickly gathered the little amount of money into her purse; the last thing she wanted was to hear Wisdom begging her to lend him some money. She wondered why he always ask for money these days and what he does with it.

"It must be for that girlfriend of his. We are here, suffering in this house because of lack of finance but the idiot is busy borrowing money for someone else. Who knows what the his girlfriend does with the money?" She thought angrily. Wisdom's attitude has been making her angry these days. It started after she had offered to pay his fees. Since that day, Wisdom has been borrowing money from her and lying to her that they were for his textbooks. Kendra knew he won't payback. Where will he get the money?

"Today's match was hot! I hope other days will be fun like today." Wisdom said to Tony when entered inside the house.

"I hope so too." He said and turned to Kendra who just came out of the room

"Kentucky! How are you doing?" He teased her with a funny tone as usual but Kendra wasn't in the mood. She couldn't fake a smile on her face and she walked to the couch to sit down.

"Why is Kentucky not happy today?" Tony asked, wondering why the joke wasn't funny to her.

"Maybe business wasn't fine today." Wisdom said and laughed. Kendra felt mocked and her angry eyes followed him as he entered the room. She couldn't remain quiet anymore.

"Wisdom?" She called his name with a cold tone.

"I hope you have started working because all the money I lent you, which you have been squandering on your girlfriend, must be paid back today. You are not the only one that needs to further his education, I need it as much as you do because my mates have started receiving lectures but I'm still at home. I need all my money today!" She said to him angrily, trying not to show her shaky voice.

"This statement is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Who told you I've been squandering the money on my girlfriend? Because you now sell mama-put in the market, you think you can insult anybody whenever you want....."

He barely finished before she interrupted. Kendra knew Wisdom won't just keep quiet and let her insult him, she just didn't know he would go as far as insulting her and disrespecting her effort. She had expected it. She knew who Wisdom was.

"Wisdom when I lent you some money, you promised to pay back when due. I paid your fees and even went as far as lending you money whenever you asked for it. Your time has expired, pay me everything you owe! Better go and collect the money from your girlfriend or else I will embarrass her wherever and whenever I see her!" She threatened, ignoring the shaky voice that was no longer hidden. While she was still yelling at him, he ignored her and continued changing his clothes. After changing he walked out on her but came back when he remembered something.

"I will like to see you try embarrass my girlfriend; I can't remember the last time I saw a teenager crying. Kendra you are no match for my girlfriend. You can't even yell at someone without shaking because you are a wimp! Since you want to embarrass her follow me, I will show you where you will see her. Rubbish!" He thundered and walked out majestically. He knew this habit always make Kendra furious. Tony tried to stop them but they were beyond his control. He knew Wisdom and Kendra barely get along with each other but he didn't know it has gotten up to this extent.

"Both of you are so irresponsible! Is this the kind of example you set for your younger brother? Don't you know that when you are not happy with each other you solve your problems through negotiation? Kendra your reaction today just proved it to me that you are not matured enough for your age. I thought....." Kendra lost all sanity the moment she heard her mum's last statement. She grabbed her Nokia phone and stormed out of the house. She knew her mum was right but she wasn't supposed to address the issue that way. They called her back but she paid deaf ears to their call. She surprised them and herself by walking out on her mum; it was really unlike her. She had expected her mum to take her side because she believed her brother was wrong. Edna felt totally frustrated; such a thing has never occurred in her family before. She wondered when, why and how her son got himself a girlfriend.

"Wisdom? So at your age and level in education, the only thing you consider important is having a girlfriend? You even went as far as squandering your sister's hard earned money on her."

"I did not squander anybody's hard earned money on my girlfriend." He defended himself nonchalantly.

"You have no regards for me. You even have the guts to call her your girlfriend with pride, in my face. You can see how your father goes out very early everyday and comes back late; just to know if there is anything he can do to alleviate the financial stagnancy in our family. Look at me? I'm battling with health issues but I still go out and work inorder to get money. And your elder sister who is supposed to be in school by now is still at home, working just to pay her fees. She even went as far as paying your fees because she knew how helpless we were. And what you did do to pay us back or even show appreciation was by getting a girlfriend and squandering the money on her."

Tony fought the urge to laugh on hearing how his mother pronounced the word "squandering".

"Let your father return from work. I have lost my voice because of both of you." She said and relaxed on the couch she was sitting. After Edna was done reprimanding him, he left the house, trying to look calm and unaffected by her words. His attitude irritates Tony and unfortunately, he couldn't do anything. Edna decided not to stop him from leaving the house, even though she knew it was too late for him to go out. Tony decided to remain inside. He knew if he goes outside, his nosy neighbours will ask him questions about what was happening in his house. So staying inside was the only way to avoid them.

"I don't blame anyboy. I blame myself for being weak and soft towards people. No I shouldn't even blame myself, I should blame my parents for their inability to provide my essential needs. Wisdom, that useless boy had the guts to call me a wimp, after the unimaginable sacrifice I made for him. I will prove him wrong and when I'm done, he will hide his face because of Shame, whenever he sees me. Had I known, I shouldn't have helped him with his fees." Kendra felt badly hurt.

It was the next day and she wasn't in the mood to do anything. She was thinking of a way to solve her problem before her dad sent for her. She quickly hid her face and dried her tears before going to answer him.

"I won't say anything about what happened between you and your brother. I just want to ignore it like it never happened." Chike started with a calm tone. They were supposed to be on their way to school and Kendra on her way to the market but Chike decided to use this important time in talking to them. It was kinda thier punishment.

"Wisdom you are in ss3 and I believe that at your age, you should know that it is the most critical part of your education. I just don't understand what you need a girlfriend for? You should face your studies like never before and stop going out to play football with your brother's friends. If you are observant enough, you will realize that those boys have no regards for you because you haven't given them a reason to earn their respect. I want you to end whatever relationship you have with that girl." He sternly told Wisdom before turning to Kendra.

"Kendra I must say I'm really grateful for the sacrifice you made on our behalf. I'm really proud of you and I admire your burning desire for your education and your brother's. " Kendra noticed the sincerity in her father's words she felt embarrassed her dad, of all people, was appreciating her. But she also knew a "but" was coming.

"But you as their eder sister, you should know that yelling and using insultive words is not the best way to solve problems. He did not feel sorry for his actions because you used abusive words on him." Kendra tried to control the anger that was boiling in her. She wondered if no one understands how she felt about the whole thing. She was going to lose her admission this year because of money! She couldn't listen to other things he said because she was busy thinking of a solution to her problem. After he was done, he prepared and left for work and her mum did the same, while her brothers left for school. Her heart was becoming filled with anger and hatred for everyone. She wondered why her parents haven't said anything about her school or were they waiting for her to remind them?

"If this people think I will spend another one year at home doing nothing, then they are making a very stupid mistake. I will start school this year no matter what." She thought while searching for her phone. She quickly dialed Mike's number when she found it. Luckily for her, he picked the call after she had dialed it for the fifth time.

"Don't you have manners? When you dial a number three times and the person doesn't pick you leave it and wait until the person returns your call! What is it?" He asked roughly and impatiently.

"If only this man understood my predicament, he would not be giving me unwanted lecture on manners." She thought when he was talking to her. She told him her problem and tried hard not cry but she couldn't. He had to tell her to pause and breathe, before she continued. Surprisingly, he gave her a positive response but told her it would be later because he was busy.

She felt it was too late to start preparing for the market. Her food has not even been cooked. Idleness was one of the things she hated, so she decided to keep herself busy by watching her family pictures. She was still flipping through the pages of the album when something caught her attention; a small sheet of paper that has things written on it.

"Bet Naija? So Wisdom Gambles?" She said in disbelief and immediately wondered why Wisdom was the first and only name that came to her mind.

Later in the evening, she started making dinner. She was still in the middle of it when her dad returned from work. She wanted to ask him why he was back so early but she hesitated. After she was done, she served her parents while her brothers served themselves. After they were done eating, she was called to clear the table. What she saw surprised her. They ate everything and probably cleaned the plates. "The food wasn't even delicious, or were they very hungry?" She thought while taking away the tray of empty plates.

"Kendra?" The serious in her dad's tone made her wonder if there was a problem.

"Sit down." He ordered when she appeared before him. It was meetings like this she hated. She wasn't ready for another dose of advice.

"I will go straight to the point." Chike said and cleared his throat.

"You better." She thought.

"You can see the kind of financial hardship we are going through in this house. It became too much to the extent that we started borrowing, something that we don't do in this house. We did not borrow from friends alone, we borrowed from the bank aswell. Which means if we don't pay, we are doomed." The force in the "doomed" he said, made Wisdom burst into laughter. Chike stopped and turned to look at Wisdom who was in the sitting room. Tony and Wisdom find it funny whenever their parents pronounce some words

"So what am I saying? I know it was very difficult for you to gain admission into the university this year. But please ......wait till next year. You don't have enough money to continue and unfortunately, we don't have anything either. Just be patient, before next year I would have saved enough for you to further your education ." Kendra's heart skipped a beat and she suddenly became too weak as she fought the urge to yell at her dad and insult him for the statement he just made.

"You couldn't save anything this year. What made you think you can save enough before next year?" She wanted to ask him. She remained quiet even though she knew they were waiting for her to say something.

"Did you hear everything I said?" He wondered if She listened.

"I called my master and asked him for some money. He promised to give me some amount to add to the little I have." She ignored his question deliberately.

"And why did you do that? You went to someone else for money while your parents are here, with you. You did not even bother to seek anyone's permission before doing it. Because your parents are not capable to provide your needs, you instantly deemed it fit to insult them."

Kendra understood her dad's anger but it seems like he was overreacting.

"He knows I didn't mean to insult him." She thought.

"Give me that phone! You will not get it back until next year. Nonsense!" He thundered and left after she has given him the phone.

His reaction irritated her suddenly and she decided not to stop herself from being angry with him.

"Is he looking for an excuse to give for failing to carryout his responsibilities? You couldn't give me the money so I went to my "second father". I will resume this semester with my mates. With or without your permission. Period!" She knew she wasn't supposed to think of her dad that way but she couldn't control her anger anymore. First it was her useless brother, then her dad who doesn't even want to consider her feelings or her anything from her, since it was about her.

She kbew there was a problem now. How will she withdraw the money, after her master had sent it? He will send it to her dad's account because she doesn't have a bank account. She wouldn't even know because her dad has her phone. She thought of what to do because it could be her only opportunity to gain admission.