After Grad - Episode 2

 

AUNTIE SHADES JUTTING stomach growled with worry. The poor service blocked any form of communication with her niece, as she could only pray to Eleduwa that she journeyed safely. The chubby woman couldn't contain her over-excitement, shuttling between chores in a hurried pace. Everything must be set before Aramide’s arrival. 

     Besides, the hazy atmosphere wasn't exactly her nieces favorite, and Auntie Shade knew that much, judging from the unforgettable incident that occurred months after the burial rites of Olabunmi, Aramide's mother. At the time, she was yet to know the implication of the Harmattan dust on her niece's health . Owuro flooded the house with the blessing of a brand new day, the intermittent honks from the nearby street escaped in a shrill, high-pitched sound. That fateful day couldnt have begun on a more familiar note. 

     Dele had left for work earlier than usual, however, his wife wasn't surprised. Ever since she decided to accommodate Aramide into her home, her marriage seemed to have lost the little spark it had left. Conversations were hardly even existent between she and her husband. On several occasions, she would lay silently on the burgundy couch in the roomy parlor, wondering why Dele treated her niece with such indifference

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/after-grad

. But then again, saying this, was like forgetting the mere fact that they were yet to produce a seed of their own. 

     Of course, it's every woman's dream to breed a fruit, or numerous fruits in fact, from her marriage. Every woman yearns for her breast to be suckled by a famished baby. What kind of woman wouldn't want to strap her back with the insignificant weight of a new born! Yet, the ultimate decision lies in the hands of Eleduwa. The desperate couple already spent a fortune on several check ups at the modern hospital. They had spent even more on some roadside herbal concotion. But unfortunately, none of those had been effective enough to cause the protrusion of her belly. What more could she possibly do? 

     At the very beginning of their marriage, when their apparent love for each other was held tightly by a covalent bond, she was sure to have her husband's support whenever his nosey molebi dared to call her barren. However, as their marriage matured, his interest in backing her up only underwent a limit. Aramide's presence might've triggered more strings of arguments; the way she innocently sauntered in and out of the house was a constant reminder of their infertile union. Dele didn't hate her niece, that, she was sure of. He simply hated the fact that she wasn't his own. How badly he wanted a child of his own! 

     “I refuse to dedicate my time and resources on someone else's child.” He was never ashamed to blurt.

     “It's my sister's daughter we are talking about here.”

     "Whatever. I still refuse to bring up a child that's not mine! Nurturing her does not automatically make her your daughter, so rather than waste your time on her, I'll advise that you try making a child of your own!" He insisted. 

     Auntie Shade was sure to break down amidst an heated conversation of this sort. Her tears would trickle fluidly. Her melancholy was inevitable. Perhaps, the more reason why she revelled in her husband's absence for as long as it lasted. She had noticed the way her niece would cheer up when the big bully, like she called him, wasn't around. 

     Anyway, Auntie Shade thought that day crawled by with normalcy. Everything was as it should, until the once clear sky got blanketed by twilight. Supper rolled down their tongues in silence, which was to be expected whenever the big elephant was in the room. The irritation on her husband's face was bound to cause Aramide's loss of appetite, but still, Auntie Shade felt there was something unusual about the way Aramide chowed that nights meal; it almost seemed like she was forcing the solid all the way down to her narrow throat. 

     "My dear, what's the problem?"

     "My chest," Aramide's response was instant. Too instant. 

     In time, the middle-aged woman realised it wasn't the food. The actual problem arose from her niece's inability to breathe with ease. Her heavy inhalation hit a few bumps, the whistling sound of her exhalation was quite alarming. 

     “My husband, please we have to get her to the hospital right away!" Auntie Shade's voice held a lot of panic. By then, her husband was on his feet as well, wearing that look of perplexion; a proof that he cared. As unlikely as it might seem, she knew he did. 

     "Let me get my keys." He hurriedly slipped into the master bedroom. He wasn't normally the kind to encourage late-night driving, but for Aramide's sake, he had thankfully made an exception. She couldn't even begin to think of the damage supposing otherwise. By eight-thirty P.M., the busy UCH reception welcomed them with a cool blast of air conditioning, and her husband's grim approach towards the wooden desk was enough to earn the nurses immediate attention. Thank goodness!

     "Has she ever felt like this before?" The Doctor probed, with his masculine hand poised to document every piece of information he could extract concerning his patient. Aramide's respiration had steadied after an hour of holding an oxygen mask across her exhausted face. Yet, Auntie Shade's expression was clouded by bemusement. 

     "No. Not that I know of. She just recently moved in with me," she returned truthfully. 

     "Well, Ms. Akinloye, her symptoms are very familiar. Tightness of the chest, difficulty in breathing, preceded by a noisy expulsion of air," he reeled off, as if the conclusion was attached to every single word that escaped from his lips. "She's asthmatic. Cold weather, smoke and dust specifically are not her friend at all, so please and please, you have to be very cautious for her sake.. Ultimately, you should get her an inhaler at the pharmacy by the extreme end, that would serve as a first aid, in case of another attack." 

     And the Doctor couldnt have been more correct. Several other attacks did surface, none of which the inhaler hadnt been able to suppress though. Ibadan usually experienced the extremity of the Harmattan season, nevertheless, Auntie Shade was the most cautious woman on the planet! Why wouldn't she be? Whilst her childlessness continued to pose a threat to her marriage, Aramide remained her only source of hope. She gave her life purpose. 

     She reminded her a lot of her late sister.

     It's a popular belief that last borns are the most pampered (born at the time when parents are a bit older, and more lenient). Auntie Shade knew this wasnt true, because despite the years, plus everyone, that had passed, she knew Olabunmi was, and would always be the apple of their parents eyes. She was the glorious child who rejected the long chain of chubbiness amongst the women in their household. Eleduwa carved out her body with proportion. She wasn't slender, neither was she plump: It was sheer perfection in the space between. In fact, no man would get a glimpse of Olabunmi Amoke without sparing her another. At a tender age, Auntie Shade had been forced to come to terms with one thing; there was no competing with her older sister. Some people were just born lucky!

     Back then, Olabunmi had so many rich men at her feet, literally begging for her hand in marriage. These men never came empty-handed. They brought along foodstuffs, expensive jeweleries, cord laces, fancy vehicles, and promises of an unwavering love. But you see, it wasn't just her beauty that brought about so much admiration. It was what she had up there: Her knowledge, garnished with wisdom. 

     One breezy evening, their parents had sat down Olabunmi in the living room, days after her glamorous graduation. Baba's legs were stretched onto the marble floor, whilst Mama was next to him in matching Ankara. Auntie Shade recalled eavesdropping on that day's conversation. 

     “Amoke," Baba began. He only ever referred to his two daughters by their eulogy when he had an important message to pass across. "My child, its no news that we are proud of you, and by God's grace, well continue to be proud of you. Youve grown to be an exceptional graduate.."

     "And you've also grown to become a woman," Mama chiped in. "Olabunmi, you can't keep turning down the proposal of every man that comes your way. Your father and I think it's high time you chose from your long list of toasters, and ultimately settle down," Mama offered worriedly.

     Any other person in the same shoes might've felt pressured, but not Olabunmi. And if she did felt pressured, Auntie Shade thought she was quite good at masking it. "thank you Mama, thank you Baba." She knelt politely. Her lips wore a warm smile, her eyes shone with appreciation. "I know its time for me to become somebody's wife. I do want to settle down, the only reason I'm taking my time is that I dont want my judgement of these men to be clouded by the gifts they shower upon me. I want to marry a man, and not his properties. I promise you both that I'll find one that's right for me, and when I do, I'll definitely bring him home," she swore.

     A year and the half later, she came back home with Bamiji, Aramide's father. How much Auntie Shade despised that man! Maybe it was because of his unappealing tiger-clawed face. Or maybe, just maybe, she only despised the fact that he was an ordinary carpenter, whose status could never compete with Baba Alamos son, one of several potential toasters of Olabunmi. Apparently, Auntie Shade was a huge fan of luxury, unlike her sister. Dele might not have been attractive to her back then if she hadn't been absolutely sure of his steady flow of income.

     Notwithstanding, the chubby woman adored Aramide. Although, she was an outcome of an unlikely union between her sister and Olabamiji, she thought her niece had inherited more of Olabunmi's beautiful traits. Aramide's silky hair mustve been plucked from her mother's thick, dark strands. Her ebony skin differed from her father's milky complexion. An admirable behaviour leaked through her graceful ardor. Her cheeks werent clawed, glory be to Eleduwa! 

     She was yet another proof of how lucky her older sister is, even in spite of her forever absence.

     Auntie Shade's jutting stomach growled with more worries. They say it's the spirit of a child that inspires more children, which was partly why shed accommodated Aramide in the first place. So how come her belly was yet to swell? She inwardly asked, with her gaze fixated at the magnificent Being above. 

     But instead, the metallic sound of the iron gate interrupted whatever justification He might've made, and despite herself, her lips curled into a bitter-sweet smile. Aramide's gorgeous hair was the first thing she noticed as she peeped through the casement window. Her niece looked the same, except she was now a graduate! Auntie Shade thought that Olabunmi, wherever she might be, must be so proud of her daughter.

***

THE BUNGALOW LOOKED the same. The dark gates were as rusty as she remembered; the lounge was narrow, and led directly to the spacious parlor so long as you kept to a straight line. The burgundy settees were suitably matched with the turquiose blue walls. Aramide recognized the citrus fragrance of the house in a whiff. Civilization might've dominated the music industry with its Gbedu, but Auntie Shade's house was part of the few that hummed religiously to the old school rhythm. Fuji, Highlife, Aramide was quite familiar with these genres, although she was a tad shy to verbally admit to any of it. The oldest cassettes on the shelf featured Felas legendary albums, and she'd spent so much time plowing through his one-of-a-kind lyrics; she had been left with no other choice. 

     Auntie Shade's bum would often groove to the catchy chorus of the Zombie track. Why wouldn't she celebrate our freedom from the chaotic military regime? She refers to the military era as the era of ignorance: A point in time where the public didn't have a right to an opinion, a dark period where those that dared to give an opinion suffered undue consequences. Aramide thought her Aunt wouldve been a competent Lawyer should she have devoted herself to the course. Her grammar was not as fluent as Maami's, but she sensed that tint of intelligence, given the chance. 

      Auntie Shade wasn't any different from those women Aramide had been surrounded by in her old neighborhood. Her guardian was a full-time housewife as well, who was all about organizing her home, and satisfying her husband. For so long, Aramide wondered how her aunt effortlessly sponsored her education with no apparent occupation, and her first clue came in the form of a tout that occasionally visited the house in Uncle Dele's absence.

     His name was Leke. And any time the shaggy-looking guy stopped over, her Aunt would immediately send her on a brief errand. This happened for quite a while, until that fateful day, when Aramide's thirst of curiosity could no longer remain unquenched. Through the open window, shed watched them in secret.

     "How much do you think you can sell these?" Auntie Shade hurriedly asked, gesturing at the pink cord lace, sewn into a gorgeous iro and buba, and those gold jeweleries Aramide had once stumbled upon in her walk-in closet.

     “Sista mi, it can't be more that twenty thousand," the Leke guy offered with a disapproving look.

     "Twenty thousand?" she cackled. "Let's even say the lace isnt that spectacular, these gold nkor? Do you know how much I got them in the first place? It's like youre not ready to do this job. Don't worry, I'll find someone else." This was a strategy, and Aramide knew it.

     “Sista mi, it hasn't gotten to that now," Leke slowly gave in. "Okay, fifty nkor?"

     "Seventy," she offered instead.

     "Okay, okay. I'll try my best," he promised, stuffing Auntie Shade's belongings into a black nylon bag.

     In that moment, Aramide's eyes perspirated, and even as she strolled down to Mama Riliwan's shop to get the recharge card her aunt had sent her, and back into the house to hand it over, her tears still wouldn't stop trickling.

     "What's wrong my child?" Auntie Shade murmured her concern. But words failed her little niece, as all she could offer her aunt in return was a warm hug, and a silent prayer for the fruit of her womb. 

     As young as she was, she'd seen her aunt's struggles.

Read " Zakia " by the same author ( Ishola Ubaydah )

. She'd found several appointment cards littered on the center table in the living room; She'd witnessed the disappointments on Uncle Dele's face after every Doctors appointment; She'd seen her aunt break down in an uncontrollable tears, whilst the house got smothered by melancholy. 

     On her very first visit to the hospital, when she experienced a sudden asthma attack, She'd noticed some women at the cold reception, with heavy bellies, and aching backs. Some of their spouses were available too, with wide grins on their faces, as they massaged the cocoon of their maturing fetuses. So why then was it so difficult for her to be blessed with a cousin?

     At the latest hours of the night, when Aramide slipped from her cozy bedroom to use the toilet, she would perceive the sound of her aunts soft sob as she communicated with Eleduwa. Uncle Dele's unsettling snorefest would escape into the thin, dark air. Auntie Shade's prayer would only deepen its intensity. From the other end of the door, her little niece would murmur an Amen! And whilst she eventually tucked herself back in bed, thoughts of her aunt would cloud her mind until her vision went dim with fatigue...

     Looking at Auntie Shade as she welcomed her back home with an outstretched arm, Aramide noticed how much Ms. Akinloye had changed. Her hair looked scanty, with silky roots that seemed to have developed a grayish quality to them. Her chubby physique was not as vibrant as in those days, her belly jutted with several years of more and more worries. 

     Auntie Shade's gaze refused to shift from that of her niece, who stared back at her with an expression she couldn't exactly fathom. Aramide merely offered a sympathetic smile. Auntie Shade must be fruitful, please help her say Amen!