Seventeen

The old man was about to get Adunni into trouble but she managed to escape. So,she thought it had to be her lucky day but her luck soon ran out.

She made a loud noise when she bumped into an empty flower pot. She broke it and Omowumi and Alani heard this.

"Who's there?"Alani said as he walked out of the room.

So,he was really there. It hurt Adunni that even her brother didn't support her. He also supported Apeke ,just like everyone else.

She would make sure to teach that Apeke a lesson. She took everyone from her. She would pay!

"Is that my son?" Abeke called out from the entrance.

Abeke walked towards them and this distracted Alani and Omowumi from the sound they heard before.

"Mother,what are you doing here?" He was surprised. What trouble was she planning on causing this time? Why couldn't she just let him be?

"Isn't it obvious? I'm here to bring you home. Come on let's go."

"I'm not going yet. You can leave. " He was determined not to be swayed. It was his life and he would live it however way he wanted.

"Did I hear that right?" Abeke said. What was happening? Since when did her son question her?

"Depends. If what you heard is your son defying you then you definitely heard right." He taunted. He wanted her to feel hurt just like he did. She had completely dissapointed him with her actions. He had never thought she was a saint before but he didn't think she was evil either but after carefully listening to her he realized that he was wrong. He wanted her to feel as betrayed as he did. He hoped that it would be engraved in her heart and become a permanent ache.

"Please leave now." Omowumi managed to say respectfully even though she was fuming on the inside. This was what they were interrupted for? They were having such a wonderful moment. Why couldn't annoying people just leave her

alone?

"This is all your fault ,you witch." Abeke tried to move towards Omowumi but she ended up tripping on something Arike had intentionally placed in front of her in hopes of her falling.

Arike burst into laughter. Alani tried to hold himself back but he ended up laughing as well. Omowumi tried to help her up but she said,"Don't even try to pretend here. I can see right through you."

Who did she think she was fooling with this act of hers? She wasn't born yesterday. Abeke huffed.

"Mother, please just leave. " Alani said. He had had enough of her butting into his life.

"You should come with me." Abeke said as she stood up.

"I already told you I'm not going anywhere."

"Then, don't ever come back."

"What are you saying?"Omowumi gasped.

"If you stay here then don't even think about coming back home." Abeke said feeling victorious. He would definitely come home now. He had no choice.

Alani walked over to his mother,making her feel even more victorious only for him to shatter her hopes.

"You can't kick me out. It's father's house ,not yours. I'll come home when I want to. I bet father would even be proud of me."

"How dare you?"Abeke said.

"Mother,I think we should go now. He Clearly doesn't want to come with us. He has made where he stands really clear. "Adunni said.

"Fine."Abeke said to her daughter.

She turned to Omowumi and said, "This isn't over."

"Let's go." She said to Adunni.

"Their gone, finally." Arike said.

"Arike?" Arike knew she was in trouble with the tone Omowumi used to call her.

"Yes?"She tried to reply as sweetly as she could.

"Did you intentionally make her fall?"Omowumi asked sternly.

"Who?" She said innocently.

"You know who I'm talking about. Don't try to act smart with me."

"Ok,fine. It was me. She was being so mean like the evil Witch in the story you told me. I couldn't stop myself."

After hearing what she had to say her resolve softened.

"Let it be."Alani said to her.

"Well,try harder to stop your self next time. Let the adults deal with the evil withes. You don't just do things like that to people . Ok?"

"Ok."Arike said.

"I'm sorry ."Omowumi realized she had just called Alani's mother a witch.

"It's okay. She does act like that right? She deserved it."He replied.

"Yes,she did."Arike said.

Arike left them alone.

There was a comfortable silence. Alani wanted to say something but he felt nervous. What should he say?

"Why were you drinking?"Omowumi asked him. She immediately regretted saying that. She didn't want him to think she was trying to control him or change him but she couldn't be with him if she couldn't rely on him.

"I'm sorry. It just hurt too much." He was talking about the friend he lost but she didn't understand.

"Every one has problems. It's not an excuse to drink so much. You are vulnerable when you drink . Anyone could do anything to you and you wouldn't be able to protect yourself."

"I'll try to be more responsible. I vow to you." He said and she smiled.

...

Abeke felt frustrated as she walked home. How was she going to get her son out of the wicth's clutches? What should she do?

"Let's rest here. I'm tired." Aduni said.

"Tired? What have you done ?You fled when the battle was hot. " Abeke said but sat under the tree anyway.

It was a beautiful tree. It held memories as well. Memories of her and Apeke.

Aduni wondered why she kept remembering things about her childhood and relationship with Apeke.

"Where did you go? You left your mother to fight the wolves all by herself."

"Don't be dramatic ,mother."

"You call this dramatic? I don't think you know your mother well enough. Come home when you want to. You might as well go back to Alani."Abeke seethed and continued walking.

"Mother!"She called for her mother but it fell on deaf ears.

She wasn't going to follow her. She couldn't.Not yet,anyway.

"Do you have it?" She heard the familiar voice that never failed to give her shivers whisper behind her.

"Yes,I do." She handed the plant over.

"Very good."