CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Tola tried to stir the cake batter she and her aunt were working on, but instead distributed free samples to the floor, kitchen table and walls. She laughed at her clumsy self and turned around to speak to her aunt.

"I do not think I am a good baker aunt Bukky"

Bukky stared at the tiles of the floor and walls; she glanced at the kitchen table where the cake bowl filled with batter stood decorated both inside and out with the batter it held. "Indeed you aren't." she said after completing her inspection.

Bukky walked over to the kitchen sink to wet two napkins, handing her one, they both began to clean the spills on the walls floor and table.

"Why am I not good at this?"

"Because you are not being patient enough to learn it" her aunt replied her

"But I am being patient"

"Are you sure dear niece?" she said gesturing to the mess all over the kitchen floor and other places.

"You said that all I had to do is stir it to one direction, which I have been doing"

"Yes, but I expected you to do that a bit more gently than this"

Tola giggled, "but the faster I mix, the faster we get to eat cake!"

"Yes, the faster you mix will yield a cake and the slower you mix will also yield a cake. I will bake the cake either way and we will eat it." Bukky stands up and holds out the now half empty batter bowl. "Now, our first chance is ruined, and we will need to star over from scratch." Aunt Bukky said while putting the soiled napkins into the sink.

Tola grunted in protest, "Why do we?"

"Well, because it is no longer enough for the amount we wish to obtain" Bukky said while grabbing another bowl and two sachets of butter. "You know Tola, we try to mix the butter and sugar in one direction so as to allow for good and even rising, improper mixing and too fast a mixing will lead to an unpleasant taste and the cake will not rise turning out hard instead of fluffy"

Bukky hummed and smiled while handing Tola another bowl with measured butter and sugar. She collected the bowl and began mixing once again.

"Gently now, you know Tola, I can compare this with some experiences in life. Some of us are too impatient in the mixing process forgetting that there is a time for everything, and when the heat of life comes to test us just like the oven, we fall, coming out half baked and unpleasant. When this happens just as you have seen, we have no choice but to discard the former and painfully restart the process all over again. Some mistakes are avoidable Tola, we should not scar ourselves unnecessarily."

Bukky whisked the eggs in another bowl and added it little by little into the batter, next came the flour which was added gently also little by little. Tola mixed all together properly with the guidance of her aunt. They both lined a cake pan with parchment paper and poured the batter into it. Bukky opened the oven which had already been preheated, the cake was placed into it and the oven closed.

"It is amazing aunt Bukky how the oven feels so warm and bright. It was so dark some minutes ago, when we just started the baking process."

"Have you not heard that light shines and the darkness cannot comprehend it? Just a flicker of light banishes the darkness and allows one to see"

Tola frowned, "here you go aunt Bukky, being so spiritual again as you compare things that happen in real life to the bible"

Bukky laughed, "Perhaps, I am too spiritual, but I believe that things recorded in that great book are not just spiritual but also helps us to understand the physical and emotional. Please be a light in the university and shine brightly in both academics and personal life."

Tola laughed, "Don't worry aunt Bukky, I plan to shine brilliantly in my academics." How else was she to gain attention and get others to like her? She thought.

Just then, the oven bell rang and Bukky went to open the oven. She placed a toothpick into the centre of the cake which came out clean.

"Why did you do that?"

"I inserted the toothpick to check if the cake is ready; its coming out clean shows that the cake is ready. Please pass me the oven mitten and napkin"

Tola passed the red and white kitchen materials to her which she used to remove the cake from the oven. She carefully removed the cake from the pan and placed it on an oven rack.

"Looks like it is ready and fluffy to" she declared to her niece who was now holding a pen knife.

Bukky laughed, "Are you not going to wait until it cools down?"

"There is nothing wrong with a taste, my hard work paid off so I should be the first to taste it."

"Ok Madam Baker let us taste your hard work and judge you for it." Bukky said as she collected the knife from her niece and cut out a piece which she shared into two for the two of them. They both ate and smiled.

"It has a wonderful taste" Tola beamed while chewing the bit that was still in her mouth

"I am so happy you like it" Bukky replied

Tola grabbed the knife and cut out another big piece which she began stuffing into her mouth.

"Remember to remain for your mother Tola" Bukky cautioned

"Yes of course, I hope"

"No hoping Tola, it must remain"

"You really are knowledgeable in cooking and baking aunt Bukky, I wish I could do this like you do." Tola said with cake in her mouth

"It is not too hard to learn it, we can start other dishes if you want"

"Yippee!'

Shirley rushed into the kitchen startling both ladies, she seemed angry. It was just then that Bukky and Tola noticed that the housemaids were all worried. They must have been the only cheerful ones in the house.

"What is the matter Aunty?" Bukky asked a bit worried

"There is a thief in this house, which is what"

"What was stolen?"

"Do not feign ignorance with me Bukky! I know that you are the thief in this house. Where are the jewelries my husband bought for me?"

Bukky was stunned, "what do you mean Aunty? Why would I steal your jewelry?"

"Is that not for the thief to answer?" Shirley retorted angrily.

"Well, I did not steal anything" Bukky said with a face turning red.

"Words of a true thief as she tries to meaninglessly defend herself!"

"I do know you dislike me Aunty Shirley, but this is stooping low"

"So now I am stooping low?" Shirley barked

"I will scatter your whole room right now and check for what is mine"

"You are most welcome, please do so" Bukky replied calmly

Tola looked on as her mother continued her argument with Bukky, and as they both departed for the staircase to begin the search of Bukky's room.

The door flung viciously as Shirley stormed into the guest room. She scattered everything she saw, turned the mattress upside down, pulled off all the bed linings, scattered the bookshelf, opened all the drawers and searched it like her life depended on it.

After two full hours of search, Shirley stopped her rampage.

"Are you satisfied now?" Bukky asked mockingly from the door where she watched.

"Of course not" Shirley replied breathing heavily

"You have searched the whole room, and found nothing. I am so disappointed in you; blaming your sister-in –law for theft."

"You are no sister of mine! In fact, watch me as I call my husband, your brother to tell him of your bad deed today."

"Why, I have no problem with that either, call him and perhaps he will come down to Nigeria to settle this problem between you and I. You know, I will prefer he comes, that way he can see his daughter off to the university."

She frowned at this statement and quickly brought out her phone and began dialing her husband. Bukky only watched on as she did so; she seemed unafraid and unfazed. She was stunned however at her Sister's wish to call her a thief and label her one in the sight of everyone in the house.

Tola frowned at the little jewelry box in her hand; it is true that this was the jewelry box her mother was seriously searching for. She had dragged aunt Bukky upstairs to the guest room where Aunt Bukky stayed and is presently searching her room. The noise being made there superseded her imaginations, she imagined her mother was scattering the whole room and destroying almost everything she saw. She did not want to have to return it. Why would her father buy such expensive jewelry for an undeserving woman like her mother? She had every right to judge her and her judgment was judiciously done.

She sneaked into the room where her mother resided. She was only going to return it for Aunt Bukky. She had not expected her mother to blame it all on her innocent Aunt, humiliating her in front of everyone. Where was she going to return it? She should not return it in the same place she had stolen it from. She would make it seem that her mother lost it by putting it in a hidden but obvious place in her room; she would be so embarrassed when she ends up finding it in her room.

Tola smirked as she thought that her mother's embarrassment would be enough. She placed the book under the curtain next to the picture of her parents' wedding. She had achieved and her smartness wins it again. She tip toed out of the room and closed the door with nobody noticing her.