Dysfunctional - Episode 15

 

Sommy's POV

The next morning, I boarded a second bus going to Enugu at GIGM motors. I got there by past two, one of my distant aunt, mama Amaka was at the park waiting for me. She's a widow who lived in that house with her four children, three girls and a male child. One  of the girls got married recently.
I lived in Mama Amaka's house all through  my academic year. We took a taxi drop to her house . It was just as it has always been. I walked in to be welcomed by two of her daughters.
While we sat in the sitting room talking about life and academics and Career, Ben walked in. He seemed shock to see me. "What is she doing here?" He asked. 
Ben is the second child in the family. He was fifteen when I got admitted into the university. He has always been a pain in my ass. Always trying to make life difficult for me while trying to beat me at insults.
I thought he would have grown up by now. "Is that how you say hi to your sister?" Mama Amaka snapped at him. "What is she doing here nah?" He asked again and I rolled my eyes. 
"Good to know that everyone's happy about my coming back" "Good to know you haven't lost that sarcastic side of yours. What are you doing here?"
"I came to spend a vacation in Enugu"
"Not in America but in Enugu" he sneered, "But wait oh, shouldn't you be married now? Your mates are in their husbands house I hope you know that"
"Benjamin!" His mom yelled at him and I grinned

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

. "Shouldn't you be married too?" I asked, "Sweetheart I'm just 27 and I'm a man"
"You're a man who still lives in his mother's house which..." I turned over to my audience, "If you all agree with me, it's worst than being single at twenty nine" I snapped and everyone laughed including the mom.
 "Two points to Aunty Chisom and one point to Ben" the youngest daughter, Ify announced then rushed to hug me.
"I missed you! How long are you staying for?" she asked. She wished that I would stay  forever. 
My room was already set. I walked in, turned on the light then looked into the mirror. All i saw was a ghost of my former self. I still had that anger burning inside me. 
The fact I trusted Joshua stupidly pierced through my heart and sanity. I knew i would definitely go crazy if i continued this way.
I began to admire the weavon on my head. The way it flowed down to my shoulder.
Then I sighted a scissor on the dresser table and a tiny voice in my head telling me to pick it up. 
"Shut up!" I yelled then pointed at the mirror. "If you think I'll cut my hair you're just joking! I'm heart broken not crazy"
I couldn't even imagine how I'll look on low cut. "Mommy bring rope oh, Chisom is talking to herself oh" . I heard Ben say. i turned to him then saw him take a bite out of a apple then he walked away.
I hissed then glanced back at the mirror. Even if I get mad with this weavon on my head, I'll carry it for ten years. The weavon was really expensive. The lady i bought from refused knocking off #200 naira.
I've always wondered how people can be so angry enough to take the anger on their hair, not me! 
The thought of loosening my hair crossed my mind. I've been had the weavon for a month. I picked up the scissors cutting off every thread till the weavon became so easy to remove. 
While loosening my hair, I noticed some hair fall off from different corners. No it wasn't cancer! I had mistakenly cut off my hair with the scissors" 
I panicked out of the room into Mama Amaka's room. She was about to lay down. "What's going on?" She asked me, "I think I cut my hair" I bent so she could see it clearly.
"How bad is it?" I asked, "It's..." She hesistated, "It's not bad but you might have to take it to the barber's shop"
"But you said it's not bad"
"It's not I'm just...." She trailed off, "But Chisom, you could have called me or your sisters to loose your hair" She sounded really worried.
I wore a cap then walked  to a barber's shop on the street. The guy didn't make things better. He was a complete clown. The look on his face and when I said "Can you please trim it for me?" Was discouraging. A scoff escaped his lip.
"Madam you use your hair do ritual?" "Are you seriously asking me that?" I glared at him. "Just trim the damn thing"
"Madam this one no be matter of trimming oh" he answered touching some parts on my head. It felt as though he was touching my bare scalp. 
"You see all these place wey I dey touch? Na small hair dey there"
"So?"
"Madam if i trim the hair or even give you low cut, your hair go be like say you use am do ritual"
"What do you suggest I do?" I asked and he kept quiet for some seconds.
 "Madam na to commot the whole thing" he replied casually as though it was an  easy thing do. 
"Jesus!!!" I shouted unconsciously. I bet the whole street heard it.

I'm in this mess because I listened to a crazy voice telling me to pick up the damn scissors. I finally got a taste of how murderers felt after commiting a crime; how it felt to be used by the devil.

Bosco's POV

I checked on Dr. Sommy the next day at the office hoping I would see her and talk to her. I missed yesterday's session already.
 I met Filda instead. She was packing some stuff into a box. "Is she in?" I asked pointing at the door. "No. What part of she has been fired didn't you get?"
"She's not picking up my call. I want a private therapist and I want to employ her."
"She should be on her way to Enugu right now"
My eyes widened in shock. "Why? what business does she have with Enugu?" he asked,  "I didn't really get her reason, something about moving on" 
"Moving on?" I scoffed. "What would happen to me? Did she even think about that?"
"I don't know Sir, she really does need a break from all of this"
"And I need my therapist back"
"I don't know if she would be coming back anyway, I'm just keeping my fingers crossed"she replied then I saw Dr. Sommy's book 'Extreme measure' in the box. 
"Can I buy the book?" I asked and she gave it to my for free. 
"Knock yourself out"

For the first first time in a long time, I also needed a break from work. I was broken my the fact I won't go through therapy anymore. What would become of me if I stop therapy? These questions popped through my head as I sat in my study room with Dr. Sommy's book, opened before me. 
Of course I could get another therapist but I didn't want another. I wanted only Dr. Sommy. It seemed crazy as though I've been charmed, but there was something about her, this down to earth part about her that seems to understand every thing i say unlike Isabel. 
I'm not making comparison, my love for Isabel is without bounds, only that I already had hope that maybe, just maybe Dr. Sommy's method would work on me.
 Funny moments with her crossed through my mind as I read her book. The contents were just as humourous as she was. It been two days and I already felt this way. I quickly pulled my phone closer dialing her number again. As usual, she didn't pick up. 
My maid walked in shortly. "Sir you have visitors" she announced and I turned to her in surprise. I wasn't expecting anyone.
"Who?"
"Mr. Peter and two other people" she replied and i groaned. All I wanted was a day away from more bad news. That's basically all I've heard from him since I hired him.
 "I'll be with them shortly" I answered and she left. 
I walked into my sitting room to find Peter with a woman and a very young boy, fair, about the age of  eighteen or thereabout. They were all seated. 
"Good afternoon Ma" I greeted, I wasn't really sure of what to do. "Good afternoon dear" she responded softly. "Good afternoon Sir" the young one added and I nodded.
"How was your flight?" I asked and he laughed. "Flight ke?" Peter asked, "I couldn't oh, I had to bring them here and i didn't have the cash to pay for three persons"
"Who are they?" I asked, "Seriously you can't even guess" he answered and there it occurred to me that the young boy might be Joseph since he had a lead on him. 
"Is he..." I trailed and he chuckled then gave me a gentle nod. 
"How? I asked, "Like I said, Mark's friend who stopped by at the prison told me where I could find him. This is Madam Jane"
"When your mom died, or committed sucide however way you might want to put it, he was taken in to live under  a church member who wasn't taking good care of him so I had to take him away. He was still very young, someone had to cater for him" she explained, she had a hint of ibibio accent.
"Thank you" I said to her then moved over to where Joseph was. I was literally in tears. I didn't know to express my joy.
Joseph quietly stood up, "I can't believe it's you" I added then pressed a warm hug against him. My feelings that moment can be equated to the way Jacob in the Holy book felt after seeing Joseph.
"Are you hungry? Do you want anything to drink or eat?" I asked nervously and he shook his head with a faint smile.
"I know you don't know me but I'm your brother Bosco. You were more like a baby when I was taken away"
"Mom spoke about you all the time." He added and I hugged him once again. I couldn't stop the tears from flowing.

Sommy's POV

After the barber did his job, I looked into the mirror. Frankly I didn't want to cause I didn't know how I would look like . I didn't look as bad as i thought I would.
"You don't look bad at all" a man commented and I faked a smile. I wish he knew how I felt about his specie. 
The next morning I walked into the dinning room only to see shock boldly written on everyone's face. "What happened to your hair?" Aboma asked, "Is it bad?" I asked and they all shook their head, except Ben..
 "It's not that it's bad, but we weren't expecting it" Ify replied.
"It suits you though" she added.
"It's true what they say, hair is the beauty of every woman" Ben blurted out of spite.

Read " Hotel Palava " by the same author ( Essien Eno )

. "Last night, there were a lot of men calling me after I had the haircut. If you were a woman, I wouldn't look at  you twice" I snapped then sighed angrily. 
"Can we not do this Ben? We're grown ups, let's stop acting like kids. Do you guys have any idea why I came back? I'll tell you. My boyfriend cheated on me and I'm here to recover. Can you just give me a reason to remain here?" I requested walking out on breakfast.
For a split second,  I lost my appetite, but the aroma of the stew that filled the whole room was too much to ignore. 
I went back then sat on the chair pointing a fork at him, "If  you think you're going to make me miss out on breakfast you're  joking" i snapped and he apologized. 
Mama walked in then sat on the table. She had no idea what had happened.
"All eyes closed" she demanded, then said a short prayer and we started eating.
"Doctor Ben" I called out to Ben, he studied medicine and surgery so I thought he would already be working in a hospital by now.
I noticed the everyone went quiet. 
Ify coughed hard then poured herself a glass of water then drank it.
"Shouldn't you be working in one hospital or so?" I asked, I knew something was up but I wasn't going to back down until I find out why they acted leering after I called him Doctor Ben. 
"I dropped out of Medical school" he answered, "Why?" I asked, "Aunty is it the money? You should have told us now."
"Chisom you won't understand"
"Understand what?" I turned over to Ben; "Big head, you didn't even tell me, at least I was already working I would have helped out"
"It wasn't the money" Mama Amaka argued, "Somethings are better left to be buried okay?"
"I better leave for work" Ben stood up. "What's going on?" I asked, I was more than curious to know the reason for this secrecy. 
"Brother was tested positive for HIV/AIDS" Ify replied and I shut my eyes as tears rushed down my cheeks.
"How...?" I asked and I saw him shrug, "I don't know, I wasn't exactly a virgin, I don't really know if I got it from s*x or sharp tools, innever had a stable girlfriend either so.." 
"How long have you....?"
"Three years now."
 I felt sorry for him and the whole family. No one would even suspect a thing with the way they go about their business in careless abandon.
 Even in their defeat and trials they strive to be happy. I made up my mind not to make my breakup bother me any longer.

My stay in Nsukka got even more interesting, after two weeks, I was beginning to see the world in a different light. I went on several escortion and sight seeing.
 I even had an offer from a old friend to apply in a therapy center, with a good word from him, i got called up to start work the next week.
 I felt I could start over in Enugu not until I got a visit from Filda and Mrs. Ajayi.