Call The Family

“So, since you’ve been in Lagos, how many times have they called you?” Lanre asked Ebitari who’s face was already flooded with tears. Ebitari’s head was bowed so Lanre could not take a good look at her face. But she was glad she wasn’t seeing the emotions displayed on Ebitari’s face, she doubts she has outgrown her cry baby attitude. She may end up crying more than Ebitari. So she a stoic look on her face.

Ebitari told Lanre she could not even give a full count on how many times she’s been called. And worst of all is that they kept telling her that the mother and her little baby sister who the mother just gave birth to is sick. They need money to take care of the baby and she kept telling them she has no money now, but they told her if anything happens she should bare in mind she’s responsible because she chose to be greedy.

Lanre didn’t know when she burst out laughing. Ebitari did not understand why Lanre would laugh at her, it made her bitter. So she decided to wipe her tears and push it away. Lanre asked her of she was the first child. She told Lanre she was actually the third out of ten children. The first child is a make child but nobody bothers him because he is jobless and all he does is to drink himself to stupor. While the second child her immediate elder sister, nobody knows her where about.

At this point, Lanre sighed. How could one couple give birth to ten children that they can’t care for? She could not imagine such madness, but here is a case of such one. She asked if her other siblings were also jobless. And how they managed to train her in particular to the university if her parents can’t even afford to feed.

Ebitari wanted to tell Lanre that that was where her pain actually lies. The only her parents contributed was the produce from their farm, yam, garri and plantain which they give to her to take to school whenever she went. They had no clue where she gets money to buy textbook or feed for the semester when what they gave her has finished. As for her school fees, she was on scholarship throughout her university. But she told Lanre that it was God’s grace that saw her through instead. She suddenly felt like someone begging for pity.

Lanre took a deep breath. She asked Ebitari to call the number of one of her family member who calls her frequently, she needed to talk to her family members. Ebitari was reluctant, but at the end, this person is her boss, she has no option but to do as Lanre says. She took Lanre’s phone and called her one of her siblings.

“Hello, na who be this? I no get this number for my phone o!” A deep voice said from the other end of the call. It was Ebitari’s brother asking who was on the line seeing the number is not on his contact list. Lanre smirked.