New Mommy

“Even if my father was to be alive, I will still consider myself an orphan. But he is dead. I know aunty Lanre, you did not want me to be sad, so you did not want to tell me that my father killed himself and my sisters”. Eno said the tears flowing down her cheeks. Lanre could not find her words. They seem to have left her. She wanted to ask Eno how she found out and why she kept it bottled in all these while. And how long she has bottled it in? But not even the alphabet letter “A” could leave Lanre’s mouth.

“You were talking to Iye (grandmother) about what happened. I did not go to the car to join uncle Tega. I heard everything you said”. Eno said still crying.

“I tried to understand why you deceived me. And even though I could not understand then, I still could not hate you. I thought maybe you knew best”. Eno said yet again.

“I once went to Mushin after school. That was the day I told you not to send uncle Tega to pick me up”. Eno said.

Eno told Lanre how she had arrived the neighbourhood and had met with her friend Bisi who told her everything.

“She told me a slim fair lady had come to ask about us. And that people said she was my mother’s sister. She had gone to the morgue and had took my mother’s body and laid it to rest”. Eno said. She looked up.

“That lady was you. Yet you did not tell me all these things”. Eno said.

“Aunty Lanre, you are my only family now. Please do not hide anything from me!” Eno said. She extended her hands to Lanre’s face and wiped the tears Lanre did not realise was in her eyes.

“My new mommy!” Eno said as she hugged Lanre. Lanre could barely hug Eno back. The girl has just surprise her. She never expected this.

“I’m sorry! I just felt it would be better you don’t know anything. I would not know what to do if you go back into your shell again”. Lanre said. Eno pats Lanre back. After a while Eno lifted her body from Lanre’s. She placed her ear close to Lanre’s stomach.

“Hello babies! Hope you guys are not angry with me for hugging mommy? Anyways, I’m your big sister. So I also have a right to hug her”. Eno said. She raised her head up with a smile hugging her cheeks. Lanre hugged her this time around.

“I will not lie to you again”. Lanre said. Eno smiled. It was like one of those family reunions she used to see in movies.

Eno suddenly yawned. She told Lanre she was feeling sleepy and needed to take a nap. Lanre allowed her the liberty. After Eno left for her room, Lanre placed her hand on her stomach. A smile crept into her lips.

“Do you miss your daddy?” She asked the baby in the womb as though it could hear her. Then she told the baby she was missing its daddy. It was already over four months. In Just a week time, it will be five months old. Sometimes she wonders if the baby was not growing because her belly was barely out.