You Don't Fight For What's Yours

Lanre got home feeling tired. Not that she had a lot of work to do. She even closed early because it’s Wednesday, and Wednesdays are lesser works. She feels it has something to do with the fact that most churches has their Bible studies on Wednesdays and so most of the customers would either want to go with mild make, like just a touch of lipstick and foundation or nothing at all. There are only few who would want to look perfect, yet natural in a way that their make will not be noticed. All she needs do is cover their dark spots if any as well as pimples. So far, her one month in Lagos has been a progressive success.

She went straight into her room. Chidinma just watched as Lanre walked in lazily. She figured Lanre was tired. She immediately rushed after Lanre if she would eat anything before going to bed. Lanre told her she did not want to eat anything.

“But aunty, you have to eat something. The fried rice you bought, you barely ate from your plate”. Chidinma said. Lanre told her she would eat later at midnight. But for now she wanted to rest. Chidinma just turned away hopelessly. There was nothing she would do that will make Lanre eat. Lanre will not budge even if she cried. She has done that once when Lanre had refused to eat a good she cooked saying it was too salty. When she tasted it herself, there was barely salt. She figured Lanre did not want to eat and was giving an excuse not to eat. So she cried begging Lanre to eat, but Lanre ignored her.

Chidinma went to her own room. She told herself after she has washed up, she would make tea. She was going to eat the samosas Lanre got her for dinner.

Meanwhile, Lanre took of her clothes and went straight to her bathroom. She cleaned up and puts on her nightdress. Then she laid on the bed. She worked the least today, but her mind was heavy and it was weighing down on her. It was just question, but it seemed too heavy. Yet she could neither push it away nor bear it. It played on her mind even more because of the woman who has a cheating husband and was trying to impress him. The woman said she was going to fight for what’s hers. But she felt if something is yours, then there is no need fighting for it. You only fight to make something yours.

“Lanre, why do you think the smack down champion fights an opponent, and that too more aggressively to keep a belt he already in the past won?” A voice came into her head. She told it that it was so because it was a nonliving thing. She wouldn’t fight to keep a man that knows right from wrong.

“Do you think there is a difference between a commodity and a man?” The voice asked her again. Lanre became confused.