Tired Of Kneeling

“Will you marry me?” Lanre stood looking stunned. Her heart beat increased. It was beating faster than her lips could count if she could even move them. Was K actually proposing to her? A smile suddenly crept into her lips accompanied by tears that rolled down her cheek. This felt like a dream come true.

“Olanrewaju Olayinka, will you marry me? I’m f**king tired of kneeling”. K said to her. She frowned but couldn’t keep that face for long. She ended chuckling. She bit her lips which were quivering out of excitement. She gave K her hand, her lips moving in sync. The smile not breaking out of her face.

“Yes, I will…” Her words were accompanied by a banging sound that pierced Lanre’s ear. She wondered what was going on until she heard K screaming her name. She wanted to tell him he was shouting too much until she started seeing herself in the pool of her own blood. She wondered how she was on the floor in K’s arms and was also seeing herself. But then, what happened to her? She looked like she has been shot. Who could have shot her?

She was trying to console K and make him stop crying. But she could not help but cry with him. It was like he could not even hear her. And suddenly, she realised she could not also hear herself. She felt her body vibrating.

“Aunty Lanre! Aunty Lanre!” Lanre could hear a family voice from afar. It sounded like that of Chidinma. But since when did Chidinma come back to Lagos? Where was she? Lanre turned around but could not see Chidinma. She started feeling a disturbing headache. She held her head tight with both hands.

“Aunty Lanre wake up! Please wake up, you are scaring me”. Lanre opened her eyes to see Eno beside her. She tried to sit up but it seems the headache has persisted. Turns out it was all a dream, but the headache was real.

“Eno!” Lanre muttered amidst deep breaths. Tears had welled up Lanre’s eyes. She had to lay her head back down on the bed because she was feeling too heavy.

“Aunty Lanre, you don’t look too good. I already called uncle Christian telling him you are burning up. I have been trying to wake you up for a while now”. Eno said. Lanre noticed that Eno has been crying. She wondered how bad the situation must have been. She wanted to tell Eno she was fine and she was only having a nightmare. But she could barely speak out. Her voice was hoarse. She made a gesture for Eno to get her water which Eno did get for her. After drinking the water, Lanre asked Eno if she called Tega already. Eno shook her head. Lanre didn’t say anything. She picked up her phone and called Tega asking him to come take Eno to school.

“I’m not going! Who will take care of you before uncle Christian comes?” Eno said sniffling in while trying to fight her tears.