Story Title: "FARIDA"

 

PART 2.

 

On the road to Lagos, Iya Farida thought about her future as the night breeze hit her hidden face. She covered the twins with a blanket because it was cold. She had worn Farida several layers of clothes to protect her body. She fed the children that night with heavy meals so none of them would wake up and complain of hunger. She was lost in thoughts and didn’t feel the leaves of plants by the road side slap her face as they drove by. She had her children with her; that was all that mattered to her. The doctor said the money she had on her was too small for her to survive comfortably in Lagos. It would last her only six months. Well, she would get to Lagos, meet with the doctor’s friend who promised to help her get accommodation, a job and then live a quiet life with her children. She was worried that Alhaji will come after them. She had to get a place where he won’t be able to find her. They said Lagos was big so it fitted perfectly into her plan. He didn’t know about her relationship with the doctor so; he would think she was still in Ilorin.

 

Lagos was a different ball game altogether. It was not what she expected. She was able to secure an accommodation but the place was barely habitable; she lived better in Alhaji’s house.  She had no choice; it was all she could afford. She moved in with her children. The doctor’s friend gave her some used furniture and cooking utensils for starters. She was grateful. Getting a job proved even more difficult. Her lack of education, deformity due to the abuse stood in her way and she couldn’t work very far away from home because of the children. She took up odd jobs to make some money. Farida took care of her brothers while her mother worked.

 

Iya Farida and her children adapted to their life in Lagos. She set out every morning to clean schools, surroundings of offices and hospitals. She changed her outfit and went to the market to carry “load” for people that came to make purchases. She did this till 3:00pm then she buys food for her children to eat and goes back to work. This was her daily routine. She was hardworking and dedicated. She did not want a situation where she had little or no money to fend for her children and had to resort to begging or be forced to go back to Alhaji. 

 

In a few months, due to her hardwork, she had saved up some money to start petty trade. As she was about to take a breath of fresh air, robbers attacked the house she lived in. It was a regular occurrence in that area but she was unaware. She lived in a dilapidated face me I face you building in Mushin very close to Mushin market. Such attacks were common. As the robbers were moving from room to room, she gathered her children together when she heard the noise. She tried to hide all her money then she heard someone stamping on her door trying to open it forcefully.

 

“Who is here? Show yourself or we will start shooting.” The robber announced immediately he came in.

 

“It is me. I am here with my three children.”

 

He flashed the torchlight at her. In her desperation to hide her money, she did not consider making herself decent as she had only a wrapper tied across her chest. The robber sized her up. She was young and beautiful. The scars were not visible in the dark. 

 

“Where is your money?”

 

“Here.” She handed over to him all the money she was trying to hide. She saw the look in his eyes and she just wanted him to leave immediately.

 

“Come here.” She obeyed using her frame to block her children’s view.

 

“Open your wrapper.” 

 

Her worst fears had just happened. With tears in her eyes, she spoke very steadily, “Farida, you and you brothers should lie down and sleep.” She waited for them to obey then she opened the wrapper for him. 

 

“Come here.” He ordered her. He threw the wrapper away, forcefully bent her across her cupboard and as he was about to defile her, he heard screams and scuffling. He released her saying, “I will be back.”

 

That began her nightmare. His promise to return made her paranoid. Why would she be constantly raped by her husband and then a robber also wanted to do same to her. Was she cursed? She feared for her children. She didn’t want them to see her being violated. She decided to move out of the house to a safer place. The robber took all her money. She needed to raise money urgently. She worked harder than ever. She worked from dawn to dusk every single day. She did all types of jobs just to get money. 

 

Eventually, she found a house. She helped a woman carry her load(goods) to deliver to her customer in a small estate very close to Daleko market. A particular house on the street caught her attention. After dropping the load and collecting her money, she walked to the building and entered the compound. She was very impressed with what she saw. It was a storey building of 20 self-contained apartments. The landlord lived in the next building. He had built a small room and parlour apartment in front of the compound which was reserved for the caretaker. She saw that it was empty. She knew if she approached the landlord the way she looked, he would not listen to her. She left with resolve, she would give him all she had saved and work even harder to get more money and pay for the apartment.

 

She worked harder than before and made some more money. Armed with her plan, she went to see the landlord on a Sunday morning. She wore her best clothes and covered her scar. He agreed to see her which was a plus for her. She greeted him and explained to him she was interested in the apartment.

 

“I fired the thieving caretaker. I intend to get a new one. I am not renting it out.”

 

“I am ready to be a caretaker and still pay some rent. I will take care of your compound, ensure it is neat every day. I will get the tenants to pay their bills and keep their surroundings clean. Anyone you have issues with, I will help you resolve. I need accommodation for myself and my three children. I need a safe place and this place is safe.”

 

The landlord looked at her closely. She was young and beautiful although she covered her face with a shawl. He could keep her there and have her work for him in every way. She mentioned three children.

 

“Where is your husband?”

 

“He died when the twins were born and the family abandoned me.”

 

“O ma se o. It’s a big pity. Pele. I think you should see the place you are interested in.”

 

Most of the tenants had gone to church that morning, so there were very few eyes on them. He opened the door and led her in. She looked around the place and loved it.  The room had two large windows for cross ventilation and a back door that led to the bathroom, toilet and kitchen. This was heaven compared to where she was living currently. She was excited. There she brought out N2,000 she had saved and went on her knees saying,

 

“Baba, this is all I have. I want you to hold it so I can work some more to be able to afford this place. Robbers have been attacking us and we are not safe. Please, baba mi. Help me.”

 

The landlord looked at her and could see the genuine plea in her eyes. He responded, “Well, I can give you this place for free if you want. I will employ you as the caretaker to take care of the property. But you must do something for me in return.”

 

“E se sir. Whatever you want, I will do oh. I promise you. If I can get this house; half of my problems will be solved” she replied excitedly.

 

“You are a fine girl. Since you no longer have a husband, I can help do what your husband was doing for you.” The landlord suggested.

 

“Ah baba! How can you say that? How much is the rent? I will pay but I can’t do what you are asking. I can wash for you, clean your house, cook if need be but I cannot share the same bed with you.”

 

“Why? I am still an agile man. I can go many rounds. Instead of you to give it to boys that cannot help your situation, give it to me exclusively and I will take care of you and your children. You will not need to work, I promise you” he said reaching out his hand to grab her but she jumped out of it in time. Her shawl fell and he saw the scar of her face. “Why do you cover your face? The marks are not bad. I like them. I can make you very happy.” 

 

“Baba, please, I can’t do this. Give me time to raise the money and give you. Tell me how much rent I should pay and then I will get the money.”

 

“The rent for that place is N15,000 a year. If you can raise the money, I will allow you to stay. I will not collect money small small and I will not collect agency and agreement fee. If you change your mind, I am ready. Just knock on my gate and ask for Baba Juwon and I will answer you.”

 

Iya Farida wondered what kind of luck she had. She was really sad that the man wanted to take advantage of her. Other men tried to do same too but she had always refused and focused on working hard for her children. Her children were the most important people in her life right now. She went back to working very hard. After three weeks, she was only able to save N2,000. It was glaring it would take even longer to raise the money.

 

A few days after her encounter with Baba Juwon the landlord,  the tenants in her compound were summoned for an urgent meeting. The compound got a letter from armed robbers telling them they would be paying them a visit in two weeks. As the letter was read, Iya Farida’s heart began to beat very fast as the robbers specified what they wanted. They asked for a special meal to be prepared, the specific amount of money they expected to collect and women who would “service” them. This threw the compound into a panic. Some of the tenants moved out immediately. Iya Farida was stuck; she had nowhere to go. 

 

The week of the intended visit by the robbers, Iya Farida begged a danfo(commercial) bus driver to give her shelter in his bus at night so they could hide from the robbers. The man agreed but wanted something in return and made it clear what he wanted. She left him and went to the head of the touts popularly called “agberos” to help her secure a place in the market where she could sleep with her children at night. He found a place for her. She arranged the tables in the stall, used their clothes as a mattress on the floor and used a wrapper as a bedsheet. She used the tables as a shield. She took old mosquito net to cover around the tables to keep mosquitoes away. Then she went to get her children.

 

That night, as they slept, Iya Farida heard someone stagger towards the stall. The person stopped and urinated in the gutter nearby and then staggered back to their stall. Obviously, the person was either drunk or high on marijuana. She was worried about the safety of her children who were sound asleep. As the person got closer, the person called out to her. She immediately recognized his voice; it was the head of the touts. She knew she and her children were not safe anymore. She quietly woke them up as he was calling out for her. She packed their things and through the side of the stall, without making much noise, she escaped with her children. She went back to the house with them. Sleep eluded her as she watched guard over them. She was scared but she felt safer there than at the market. 

 

As the day began to dawn, she thought about her situation. All the men she had encountered wanted the same thing from her. Most of the women were not willing to help her; they only gossiped about her which she didn’t bother her'. She had three children to protect, what should she do? She weighed her options. Just to sleep at night, she would have to be regular 'food' for the danfo driver and the head of agberos who are still young and agile. If she stays back in the house, the robbers will rape her in the presence of her children and to the knowledge of everyone in the compound. This will bring shame to her and her children. But if she agrees for Baba Juwon, the landlord, the man is old, she would have accommodation and her family will be well taken care off. She had to make a decision and quickly too.

 

The next morning, she found herself in the Baba Juwon’s house. He asked her if she was ready to pay for the house. She explained to him she still had no money and narrated what happened in the compound.

 

“Well, my offer is still open. If you want the accommodation, it is available under my terms.  I will take care of you and your children and in return, you will take care of me.”

 

“How do I take care of you?” she asked.

 

“Anytime I send for you, you have to answer me. You will do whatever I ask” he replied while winking at her and raising an eyebrow in a lewd way to drive home his point.

 

“Sir, I work. I leave home very early in the morning and come back home very late at night. I cannot be at your beck and call. I am saying this so you will not say I did not keep to our agreement and throw me out.”

 

“That’s not a problem. How much do you make a day?”

 

“N1,000 sir”

 

“I will pay you for the days I want you.”

 

Iya Farida smiled. She made just N500 a day and here she was getting a N1,000 for doing nothing. She could put the boys in daycare with the extra cash so Farida can start school. She believed she made the right decision. Instead of having sex with different men that would even take from her like Ronke in the compound did, it was better to stick to one man and hide it as much as possible.

 

Iya Farida was now living the life. She moved her belongings into their new abode. Baba Juwon installed burglary proof on the doors and windows to make her feel safer. He renovated the place and painted it. He gave her his old furniture to use. He gave her an old television set he had so her children could be entertained when she was not around. She could see that her children were happy. Everything was looking good.

 

Baba Juwon was kind to her. He never treated her like her husband did. She was already used to being maltreated or forced to have sex so she was expecting the same treatment from her new lover but he was different. He was gentle and wanted to please her. He was also very generous. Whenever he travelled to his home state, Ondo state, he bought foodstuff for her which kept their tummies full for a long time.

 

She fulfilled her promise. When she was introduced as the new caretaker, some of the young men who were tenants saw an opportunity. They were surprised that she was very strict and rigid. She took very good care of the property. She swept the compound herself every morning. She ensured contributions for electricity bill are made and the bills paid timely. All complaint about the building were made to her while she channelled the complaints to Baba Juwon during their “private” time. She gave him less work which made him glad.

 

She lived there happily for three years. She wrote GCE so she could at least have her WAEC. She passed. She got a job as a teacher in a nursery and primary school. The salary wasn’t much but at least her children had the opportunity to attend the school for free. She was more confident and lost her village ways of talking and dressing. She was now exposed. Baba Juwon was getting jealous with the men that he observed around her especially male tenants. She assured him that she had nothing to do with them. He didn’t really believe her but he had no proof she was dating anyone of them. After some time, he learnt to trust her.

 

Several months after Iya Farida had settled down. on a Sunday morning which was her rest day, she heard a loud knock on her door. Farida answered the door and ran back in visibly frightened. She couldn’t respond to her mother continuous enquiry of who was at the door due to the fear. Iya Farida went to check herself and was shocked to see Alhaji, her husband, and her father. She became dizzy instantly. How did they find her? Who told them where she was? There was only one person she ever disclosed her whereabouts to and the person was supposed to be trusted. It was only her sister she had been sending letters to. 

 

“Open this gate immediately” her husband bellowed at her.

 

“Iya Farida, is this you?” her father asked. “We thought you were dead. Please open let us talk.”

 

She didn’t have a choice but to open the burglary and let them in. She knew the day won’t end nicely. She feared more for her children.

 

“You took my children away from me Iya Farida. You stole my money and my children so you could come to Lagos and start ashawo business. How market now?” her husband asked her. She could see the anger in his eyes. She didn’t answer him.

 

“Iya Farida, pack your things and those of your children, you are coming back to Ilorin with us.” Her father emphasized.

 

 “I don’t need her; I only came for my children. She is an ashawo, a prostitute. How could she afford to live in this Lagos if she was not selling her body? I don’t want it again. I just want my children especially the twins.” Her husband replied.

 

Iya Farida knelt down before her father to appeal. “Baba mi, I almost died the last time he beat after you talked to him. He wanted to have sex with me in the presence of my daughter. I knew it was a matter of time before he kills me. I have a job; a good job. I am teaching in a school here and my children are attending that school. Please baba mi, I don’t want to go back with him. Allow me achieve something in my live.”

 

Her husband laughed at her words and then reminded her, “You were given to me; I didn’t come for you. You cannot be returned to your family. Since you have started prostituting then I will use you to make money.”

 

“Haba Alhaji, why would you say that about your wife? I shouldn’t have told you about our discovery then. If her mother hadn’t found the letters, will we be here today? Be patient with her. Let us resolve this and take her back.” Her father replied.

 

“Baba mi, I am not going back. He cannot take my children.” She insisted.

 

Alhaji descended on her as she spoke to her father. He threw blows at her body. She shouted while her children wailed at the torture their mother was facing. The chaos attracted the tenants in the compound; they gathered in front of her room.  A tenant went to call the landlord. When the young men in the compound saw Alhaji beat Iya Farida, they came to her rescue and without asking questions beat him up. Her father watched in shocked amazement while his in-law was dragged out of the apartment and taught a bitter lesson. A man cannot beat a defenceless woman in the presence of other men. It was no proof of his manhood.

 

The commotion in the compound attracted Baba Juwon to the scene. When he was told what happened, he invited the Police. They picked up Alhaji and took him to the Police station. He was charged with assault and was locked up for a week. His family members and Iya Farida’s father met Baba Juwon to appeal for his release. He asked them to come back the next day after much begging.

 

He summoned Iya Farida who had been avoiding him. He needed to understand all he had heard from those who came to beg for the man’s release. She was terrified to see him but knew she had no choice. Immediately she stepped into the room, she fell on her knees. She cried as she confessed to Baba Juwon who Alhaji was and her reason for running away. 

She concluded by saying, “He beats me till I am unconscious and then rapes me and leaves me for dead. When I realized that I could die from the constant beating, I ran away from his house.”

 

“Why didn’t you tell me? It is a taboo for me to sleep with a married woman. Do you want me to lose all my fortunes? Why did you do this?” he replied angrily.

 

“I am very sorry. I had to hide our identity. Please Baba Juwon, you can see what this man is capable of. I want him to divorce me and free me. If you can help me achieve this, I will be forever grateful.”

 

Baba Juwon thought about the situation hard and long before deciding. He was upset at her deception but on the other hand, he could understand why she did it. If it was the last thing he would do for her, then he will help her regain her freedom from an abusive husband. 

 

The cell at the Police station had not been fair to Alhaji. The inmates beat him up for attacking a woman. He was made to serve the president of the cell. He was ready to do anything to leave. He had his regrets. He would have just collected the boys and left but instead he decided to teach Iya Farida a lesson. He just wanted to leave and erase his visit to Lagos from his mind as a bad dream. 

 

Baba Juwon went to the Police station and gave Alhaji a condition.

 

“I can leave you to rot here in the cell. Ilorin is not Lagos. You might be a strong man in Ilorin but here, you are a nobody. You assaulted a woman openly. I don’t care if she is your wife but it is assault. She can file a case against you. But if you don’t want that, divorce her right now and I don’t want to see you anywhere near my property again. If you agree, I will release you immediately but if you refuse, I will transfer you to Federal SARS and accuse you of armed robbery. You won’t see your family again.”

 

Alhaji didn’t need to think too long about it. He was quick to accept the condition. He divorced Iya Farida and wrote an undertaken never to come near Iya Farida or the children again. Iya Farida’s father was so disappointed that he disowned her and offered Alhaji his other daughter in exchange but he declined saying, “I don’t want any child from you. Is it not the girl that was hiding letters from us you want to give me?  I am not interested. Keep your children. Because of them, I spent how many weeks in the cell. I will never forgive Iya Farida for what she put me through”

 

That was the end of it. Alhaji and his entourage left Lagos for Ilorin. Baba Juwon was Iya Farida’s savior once again. With a joyful heart, she went to thank him and he expressed his disappointment at her.

 

“What you did could have cost me everything I have. I had to go for cleansing. You should have told me; I would have understood, and still have given you the house. But it is okay now he has divorced you. Never you lie to me again. I will protect you as much as I can”

 

That was good news to Iya Farida.  She was happy the issue had been resolved amicably. She still did some work for him at home but he hardly called her into his bedroom anymore. She was not needed to render such services. It created shortage in their lives. He was no longer giving them the perks that come with her servicing him. She talked to him and begged him to forgive her but he refused to reconsider. She had to take up extra jobs to meet up. Some days she worked very late in the night selling by the roadside. She still performed her duty as a caretaker.

 

Baba Juwon fell ill. He had been diabetic but had managed it for a long time. Iya Farida had helped keep the diabetes level down when they were still together because she forced him to obey the instructions of the doctor. Months after their separation, he relapsed on the instructions and his sugar level was dangerously high. To worsen the situation, he had an injury on his right foot which refused to heal for a long time. His children came together and took him abroad for treatment. He was there for about two years and then news got to them in the compound that Baba Juwon was dead.  It hit Iya Farida hard. He was her benefactor and was very good to her. She wailed uncontrollably when she heard it. 

 

After the burial, the children called the tenants together for a meeting. The tenants were informed that the house will be managed by a lawyer and he would attend to everything concerning the house. The tenants told them there was a caretaker who had done a good job for years now. They advised that the lawyer works hand in hand with Iya Farida as she knows everything about the house. The lawyer said he was going to quit her from the care taker’s room and bring in his own person. The tenants refused saying she had handled the job very well all these years and she should be allowed to continue. The children agreed but the lawyer had a wicked plan in mind.

 

Three days later which was a public holiday, thugs came into the compound carrying sticks as weapons. They tried to paste eviction notice on the doors of the tenants. They barged into Iya Farida’s room dragging her and her children out. They proceeded to throw out all her belongings. She had rice on fire when they came and they threw both the food on the fire and the stove outside. The hot rice poured on Iya Farida but she didn’t notice the damage it had done. Luckily, the fire quenched before the stove landed. 

 

Iya Farida’s cries were wasted where they were because it was a Sunday and the compound was almost empty until a Police officer and the vigilante group of their areas came to the house. Apparently, the tenants who were left in the compound couldn’t stand the injustice being meted out on their caretaker and called the Police and vigilante in their area. The thugs stopped their task.

 

“Who sent you to remove this woman from the house?” the head of the vigilante asked.

 

“The lawyer did. He said she had been asked to go but she refused” the thugs answered.

 

“Where is the eviction notice? Is it your duty to evict anyone? Where is the court judgment giving the lawyer such right? Call him here immediately.” The police officer instructed the thugs.

 

“He must come here immediately. If he doesn’t come, both this house and the landlord’s house will be destroyed. You better call the landlord’s children too, otherwise, their inheritance will be destroyed as they destroyed this woman’s property.” The head of the vigilante added.  

 

Iya Farida tried to stand up but she noticed she couldn’t. When she was dragged out of the house she had hit her leg and scratched it on the floor. She couldn’t support herself with her right leg. She became scared when she notice blisters on her face and her hand. They had swollen. What could have happened? It was then she noticed the rice grains on her body.

 

Iya Farida was rushed to the hospital. The vigilantes were so angry that they wanted to burn down the Baba Juwon’s house. The security quickly contacted the children as the lawyer who gave the instruction refused to show up. The children arrived in the nick of time. They quickly resolved the issue. They never instructed the lawyer to evict anyone. They also had agreed that Iya Farida remained as the care taker. The lawyer wanted to use intimidation to have his way but it failed woefully as the neighbourhood stood with Iya Farida.

 

Iya Farida stayed for several days in the hospital as her face and hand were scarred from the boiling rice water landing on her face and hand. Her ankle was twisted in the process of throwing her out which developed into a fracture.

 

Late Baba Juwon’s children came to visit Iya Farida in the hospital bearing gifts. They paid all her hospital bills and also assured her no one would chase her out of the house. Her twisted ankle required her using clutches which they provided for her. Unfortunately, the ankle never went back to normal and affected the way she walked because she couldn’t afford physiotherapy.

 

Life took its toll on Iya Farida. She had to depend solely on her teaching as she couldn’t carry load on her head which she used to augment her meagre salary. She had a roof over her head and did other menial jobs which her condition enabled her to do. Sitting in a place made her put on excessive weight which made movement on the ankle very difficult. She had help from just one source; her daughter Farida and now Ade decided to steal her joy. She had plans for him.

 

A few days after her encounter with Baba Juwon the landlord,  the tenants in her compound were summoned for an urgent meeting. The compound got a letter from armed robbers telling them they would be paying them a visit in two weeks. As the letter was read, Iya Farida’s heart began to beat very fast as the robbers specified what they wanted. They asked for a special meal to be prepared, the specific amount of money they expected to collect and women who would “service” them. This threw the compound into a panic. Some of the tenants moved out immediately. Iya Farida was stuck; she had nowhere to go. 

 

The week of the intended visit by the robbers, Iya Farida begged a danfo(commercial) bus driver to give her shelter in his bus at night so they could hide from the robbers. The man agreed but wanted something in return and made it clear what he wanted. She left him and went to the head of the touts popularly called “agberos” to help her secure a place in the market where she could sleep with her children at night. He found a place for her. She arranged the tables in the stall, used their clothes as a mattress on the floor and used a wrapper as a bedsheet. She used the tables as a shield. She took old mosquito net to cover around the tables to keep mosquitoes away. Then she went to get her children.

 

That night, as they slept, Iya Farida heard someone stagger towards the stall. The person stopped and urinated in the gutter nearby and then staggered back to their stall. Obviously, the person was either drunk or high on marijuana. She was worried about the safety of her children who were sound asleep. As the person got closer, the person called out to her. She immediately recognized his voice; it was the head of the touts. She knew she and her children were not safe anymore. She quietly woke them up as he was calling out for her. She packed their things and through the side of the stall, without making much noise, she escaped with her children. She went back to the house with them. Sleep eluded her as she watched guard over them. She was scared but she felt safer there than at the market. 

 

As the day began to dawn, she thought about her situation. All the men she had encountered wanted the same thing from her. Most of the women were not willing to help her; they only gossiped about her which she didn’t bother her'. She had three children to protect, what should she do? She weighed her options. Just to sleep at night, she would have to be regular 'food' for the danfo driver and the head of agberos who are still young and agile. If she stays back in the house, the robbers will rape her in the presence of her children and to the knowledge of everyone in the compound. This will bring shame to her and her children. But if she agrees for Baba Juwon, the landlord, the man is old, she would have accommodation and her family will be well taken care off. She had to make a decision and quickly too.

 

The next morning, she found herself in the Baba Juwon’s house. He asked her if she was ready to pay for the house. She explained to him she still had no money and narrated what happened in the compound.

 

“Well, my offer is still open. If you want the accommodation, it is available under my terms.  I will take care of you and your children and in return, you will take care of me.”

 

“How do I take care of you?” she asked.

 

“Anytime I send for you, you have to answer me. You will do whatever I ask” he replied while winking at her and raising an eyebrow in a lewd way to drive home his point.

 

“Sir, I work. I leave home very early in the morning and come back home very late at night. I cannot be at your beck and call. I am saying this so you will not say I did not keep to our agreement and throw me out.”

 

“That’s not a problem. How much do you make a day?”

 

“N1,000 sir”

 

“I will pay you for the days I want you.”

 

Iya Farida smiled. She made just N500 a day and here she was getting a N1,000 for doing nothing. She could put the boys in daycare with the extra cash so Farida can start school. She believed she made the right decision. Instead of having sex with different men that would even take from her like Ronke in the compound did, it was better to stick to one man and hide it as much as possible.

 

Iya Farida was now living the life. She moved her belongings into their new abode. Baba Juwon installed burglary proof on the doors and windows to make her feel safer. He renovated the place and painted it. He gave her his old furniture to use. He gave her an old television set he had so her children could be entertained when she was not around. She could see that her children were happy. Everything was looking good.

 

Baba Juwon was kind to her. He never treated her like her husband did. She was already used to being maltreated or forced to have sex so she was expecting the same treatment from her new lover but he was different. He was gentle and wanted to please her. He was also very generous. Whenever he travelled to his home state, Ondo state, he bought foodstuff for her which kept their tummies full for a long time.

 

She fulfilled her promise. When she was introduced as the new caretaker, some of the young men who were tenants saw an opportunity. They were surprised that she was very strict and rigid. She took very good care of the property. She swept the compound herself every morning. She ensured contributions for electricity bill are made and the bills paid timely. All complaint about the building were made to her while she channelled the complaints to Baba Juwon during their “private” time. She gave him less work which made him glad.

 

She lived there happily for three years. She wrote GCE so she could at least have her WAEC. She passed. She got a job as a teacher in a nursery and primary school. The salary wasn’t much but at least her children had the opportunity to attend the school for free. She was more confident and lost her village ways of talking and dressing. She was now exposed. Baba Juwon was getting jealous with the men that he observed around her especially male tenants. She assured him that she had nothing to do with them. He didn’t really believe her but he had no proof she was dating anyone of them. After some time, he learnt to trust her.

 

Several months after Iya Farida had settled down. on a Sunday morning which was her rest day, she heard a loud knock on her door. Farida answered the door and ran back in visibly frightened. She couldn’t respond to her mother continuous enquiry of who was at the door due to the fear. Iya Farida went to check herself and was shocked to see Alhaji, her husband, and her father. She became dizzy instantly. How did they find her? Who told them where she was? There was only one person she ever disclosed her whereabouts to and the person was supposed to be trusted. It was only her sister she had been sending letters to. 

 

“Open this gate immediately” her husband bellowed at her.

 

“Iya Farida, is this you?” her father asked. “We thought you were dead. Please open let us talk.”

 

She didn’t have a choice but to open the burglary and let them in. She knew the day won’t end nicely. She feared more for her children.

 

“You took my children away from me Iya Farida. You stole my money and my children so you could come to Lagos and start ashawo business. How market now?” her husband asked her. She could see the anger in his eyes. She didn’t answer him.

 

“Iya Farida, pack your things and those of your children, you are coming back to Ilorin with us.” Her father emphasized.

 

 “I don’t need her; I only came for my children. She is an ashawo, a prostitute. How could she afford to live in this Lagos if she was not selling her body? I don’t want it again. I just want my children especially the twins.” Her husband replied.

 

Iya Farida knelt down before her father to appeal. “Baba mi, I almost died the last time he beat after you talked to him. He wanted to have sex with me in the presence of my daughter. I knew it was a matter of time before he kills me. I have a job; a good job. I am teaching in a school here and my children are attending that school. Please baba mi, I don’t want to go back with him. Allow me achieve something in my live.”

 

Her husband laughed at her words and then reminded her, “You were given to me; I didn’t come for you. You cannot be returned to your family. Since you have started prostituting then I will use you to make money.”

 

“Haba Alhaji, why would you say that about your wife? I shouldn’t have told you about our discovery then. If her mother hadn’t found the letters, will we be here today? Be patient with her. Let us resolve this and take her back.” Her father replied.

 

“Baba mi, I am not going back. He cannot take my children.” She insisted.

 

Alhaji descended on her as she spoke to her father. He threw blows at her body. She shouted while her children wailed at the torture their mother was facing. The chaos attracted the tenants in the compound; they gathered in front of her room.  A tenant went to call the landlord. When the young men in the compound saw Alhaji beat Iya Farida, they came to her rescue and without asking questions beat him up. Her father watched in shocked amazement while his in-law was dragged out of the apartment and taught a bitter lesson. A man cannot beat a defenceless woman in the presence of other men. It was no proof of his manhood.

 

The commotion in the compound attracted Baba Juwon to the scene. When he was told what happened, he invited the Police. They picked up Alhaji and took him to the Police station. He was charged with assault and was locked up for a week. His family members and Iya Farida’s father met Baba Juwon to appeal for his release. He asked them to come back the next day after much begging.

 

He summoned Iya Farida who had been avoiding him. He needed to understand all he had heard from those who came to beg for the man’s release. She was terrified to see him but knew she had no choice. Immediately she stepped into the room, she fell on her knees. She cried as she confessed to Baba Juwon who Alhaji was and her reason for running away. 

She concluded by saying, “He beats me till I am unconscious and then rapes me and leaves me for dead. When I realized that I could die from the constant beating, I ran away from his house.”

 

“Why didn’t you tell me? It is a taboo for me to sleep with a married woman. Do you want me to lose all my fortunes? Why did you do this?” he replied angrily.

 

“I am very sorry. I had to hide our identity. Please Baba Juwon, you can see what this man is capable of. I want him to divorce me and free me. If you can help me achieve this, I will be forever grateful.”

 

Baba Juwon thought about the situation hard and long before deciding. He was upset at her deception but on the other hand, he could understand why she did it. If it was the last thing he would do for her, then he will help her regain her freedom from an abusive husband. 

 

The cell at the Police station had not been fair to Alhaji. The inmates beat him up for attacking a woman. He was made to serve the president of the cell. He was ready to do anything to leave. He had his regrets. He would have just collected the boys and left but instead he decided to teach Iya Farida a lesson. He just wanted to leave and erase his visit to Lagos from his mind as a bad dream. 

 

Baba Juwon went to the Police station and gave Alhaji a condition.

 

“I can leave you to rot here in the cell. Ilorin is not Lagos. You might be a strong man in Ilorin but here, you are a nobody. You assaulted a woman openly. I don’t care if she is your wife but it is assault. She can file a case against you. But if you don’t want that, divorce her right now and I don’t want to see you anywhere near my property again. If you agree, I will release you immediately but if you refuse, I will transfer you to Federal SARS and accuse you of armed robbery. You won’t see your family again.”

 

Alhaji didn’t need to think too long about it. He was quick to accept the condition. He divorced Iya Farida and wrote an undertaken never to come near Iya Farida or the children again. Iya Farida’s father was so disappointed that he disowned her and offered Alhaji his other daughter in exchange but he declined saying, “I don’t want any child from you. Is it not the girl that was hiding letters from us you want to give me?  I am not interested. Keep your children. Because of them, I spent how many weeks in the cell. I will never forgive Iya Farida for what she put me through”

 

That was the end of it. Alhaji and his entourage left Lagos for Ilorin. Baba Juwon was Iya Farida’s savior once again. With a joyful heart, she went to thank him and he expressed his disappointment at her.

 

“What you did could have cost me everything I have. I had to go for cleansing. You should have told me; I would have understood, and still have given you the house. But it is okay now he has divorced you. Never you lie to me again. I will protect you as much as I can”

 

That was good news to Iya Farida.  She was happy the issue had been resolved amicably. She still did some work for him at home but he hardly called her into his bedroom anymore. She was not needed to render such services. It created shortage in their lives. He was no longer giving them the perks that come with her servicing him. She talked to him and begged him to forgive her but he refused to reconsider. She had to take up extra jobs to meet up. Some days she worked very late in the night selling by the roadside. She still performed her duty as a caretaker.

 

Baba Juwon fell ill. He had been diabetic but had managed it for a long time. Iya Farida had helped keep the diabetes level down when they were still together because she forced him to obey the instructions of the doctor. Months after their separation, he relapsed on the instructions and his sugar level was dangerously high. To worsen the situation, he had an injury on his right foot which refused to heal for a long time. His children came together and took him abroad for treatment. He was there for about two years and then news got to them in the compound that Baba Juwon was dead.  It hit Iya Farida hard. He was her benefactor and was very good to her. She wailed uncontrollably when she heard it. 

 

After the burial, the children called the tenants together for a meeting. The tenants were informed that the house will be managed by a lawyer and he would attend to everything concerning the house. The tenants told them there was a caretaker who had done a good job for years now. They advised that the lawyer works hand in hand with Iya Farida as she knows everything about the house. The lawyer said he was going to quit her from the care taker’s room and bring in his own person. The tenants refused saying she had handled the job very well all these years and she should be allowed to continue. The children agreed but the lawyer had a wicked plan in mind.

 

Three days later which was a public holiday, thugs came into the compound carrying sticks as weapons. They tried to paste eviction notice on the doors of the tenants. They barged into Iya Farida’s room dragging her and her children out. They proceeded to throw out all her belongings. She had rice on fire when they came and they threw both the food on the fire and the stove outside. The hot rice poured on Iya Farida but she didn’t notice the damage it had done. Luckily, the fire quenched before the stove landed. 

 

Iya Farida’s cries were wasted where they were because it was a Sunday and the compound was almost empty until a Police officer and the vigilante group of their areas came to the house. Apparently, the tenants who were left in the compound couldn’t stand the injustice being meted out on their caretaker and called the Police and vigilante in their area. The thugs stopped their task.

 

“Who sent you to remove this woman from the house?” the head of the vigilante asked.

 

“The lawyer did. He said she had been asked to go but she refused” the thugs answered.

 

“Where is the eviction notice? Is it your duty to evict anyone? Where is the court judgment giving the lawyer such right? Call him here immediately.” The police officer instructed the thugs.

 

“He must come here immediately. If he doesn’t come, both this house and the landlord’s house will be destroyed. You better call the landlord’s children too, otherwise, their inheritance will be destroyed as they destroyed this woman’s property.” The head of the vigilante added.  

 

Iya Farida tried to stand up but she noticed she couldn’t. When she was dragged out of the house she had hit her leg and scratched it on the floor. She couldn’t support herself with her right leg. She became scared when she notice blisters on her face and her hand. They had swollen. What could have happened? It was then she noticed the rice grains on her body.

 

Iya Farida was rushed to the hospital. The vigilantes were so angry that they wanted to burn down the Baba Juwon’s house. The security quickly contacted the children as the lawyer who gave the instruction refused to show up. The children arrived in the nick of time. They quickly resolved the issue. They never instructed the lawyer to evict anyone. They also had agreed that Iya Farida remained as the care taker. The lawyer wanted to use intimidation to have his way but it failed woefully as the neighbourhood stood with Iya Farida.

 

Iya Farida stayed for several days in the hospital as her face and hand were scarred from the boiling rice water landing on her face and hand. Her ankle was twisted in the process of throwing her out which developed into a fracture.

 

Late Baba Juwon’s children came to visit Iya Farida in the hospital bearing gifts. They paid all her hospital bills and also assured her no one would chase her out of the house. Her twisted ankle required her using clutches which they provided for her. Unfortunately, the ankle never went back to normal and affected the way she walked because she couldn’t afford physiotherapy.

 

Life took its toll on Iya Farida. She had to depend solely on her teaching as she couldn’t carry load on her head which she used to augment her meagre salary. She had a roof over her head and did other menial jobs which her condition enabled her to do. Sitting in a place made her put on excessive weight which made movement on the ankle very difficult. She had help from just one source; her daughter Farida and now Ade decided to steal her joy. She had plans for him.

 

STORY CONTINUES.... 

 

(Source - IBB MEDIA)

" Where do I start?" I asked.

" We'll start with the thighs." She whispered softly and then laid back and opened her legs.

" Step one is very important and it is what I'm about to show you now. You need to know the slang names of everything in the woman anatomy."

She began showing me everything. She'll point to a spot and then will tell me the real name and the slang name for it. I already knew the clit. I had seen it before well it wasn't in the body of a grown-up.

Other slang names were ones I never heard of before.

All this while I had my hands behind me.

My aunt finished her brief explanation showing me all the sensitive spots in a woman's body and how they will react when being touched there.

My aunt was already wet as a fish.

She asked me to rub a thumb on her clitoris to which I hesitated. She encouraged me softly and I finally did. It felt kind of hot but that was my first time of experiencing such.

She explained to me that when a woman is aroused she will get wet.

If she doesn't then there is something wrong. She instructed me on others do's and don'ts of sex.

She asked me to pull off my boxers and I did quickly.

My aunt sat up and gripped my dick gently and began stroking it.

She used the precum that has began to drip from my pee-hole.

She continued stroking while smiling at the same time. It was a pleasant sensation and I was enjoying it. After a minute I felt as if I was convulsing and some whitish stuff spouted from my dick.

I was now breathing hard and my nerves jerked.

My aunt cackled. " That was quite quick but I'm not surprised because it's your first time."

" Auntie what was that that happened to me." I gasped a question.

" What you just had is called orgasm. I'm sure you've heard of that before."

I nodded because I've heard of it before. At least it was being taught in biology classes.

My dick grew limp and my aunt began stroking it again but this time it didn't seem to work.

She sighed in frustration and asked me to eat her pussy. She propped herself on a pillow and directed me on what to do. I  followed her steps and soon I made my aunt to have an orgasm.

My aunt has this radiant smile on her face. " Joe you are a natural. I can't believe you made me cum."

I smiled shyly and said nothing.

" I will let you recuperate as it seems you can't get it up so quick.

The next step you will put your dick into here."

I knew that already because I've seen it in porn. But I was too nervous that's why I came so early.

My aunt got up and kissed me again.

I put on my clothes and checked on Jeremy. The boy was awake but didn't make any noise.

" Auntie, Jeremy is awake." I announced.

My aunt giggled. " Bad boy he's been listening to us."

I smiled. " I don't even think the boy understood anything we did."

My aunt threw on her housecoat and walked up and hugged me from behind. She then turned me around and kissed me on the lips.

" You know we will have to do it again this night. When I go to the market I will buy some banana, groundnuts and evaporated milk and pure honey to make an elixir for you. That will recharge you."

I nodded.

With that I walked out to the sitting room. 

I sat down and imagined how my mother will react if she learns of what I am doing with her sister.

I know she wouldn't be happy.

But who's going to tell her anything. I took out my phone and checked the time. It was close to midday.

I will need some lunch sooner than later. I said in my thoughts.

I decided to play Plants vs Zombies on my phone. I was engrossed in the game that I didn't hear my aunt or see her emerging from her room.

I jumped when she touched and my aunt burst out laughing.

Jeremy smiled too seeing his mother laughing.

" Come on Joe, don't tell me that the game took complete control over you?"

" I'm sorry aunt. This level is quite frustrating, all these bungee zombies doing their hee-haw bringing more zombies when you haven't even cleared the previous ones. That is why it is like that." I answered truthfully.

I studied my aunt. She was dressed up in a multicolored top with flared sleeves. There wasn't much makeup only some brown powder and lip gloss. Her hair was glossy as ever. I wondered if she applied some lip gloss to her eyeballs because they were shiny like her lips. She wore a black pair of jeans and black sneakers with white soles. She had at least 20 bangles on each hand.

A little gold pendant was lodged between her cleavage.

My aunt looked mind blowing, sexy and drop dead gorgeous. I didn't realise that my mouth was open.

Jeremy sat in his pram dressed in a blue shirt and shorts. He wore only socks and no shoes. He too had a smile in his face similar to his mother's.

" Don't just stand there gawking at me, say something, how do I look?"

" Auntie you look incredible."

My aunt smirked. " That sounds like flattery, are you sure you're sincere?"

" Of course I'm sincere Auntie."

" Thanks. Is there something you don't like in my outfit? Say it, I will go and change it now."

I was a bit surprised at this. " Even if there was something I didn't like, who gave me the guts to tell my aunt to go and change." I asked myself in my thoughts.

I imagined my mother asking this kind of question. I would have even started crying because if I dared say " Mummy go and change this clothes." The slap I will receive would have been enough to split wood.

" Talk na." My aunt said worriedly. " No Auntie, this is perfectly okay."

My Aunt smiled that smile I love so much."

" Thanks Joe, that's so sweet of you. I'm going to the market to get some foodstuffs and vegetables to make lunch and dinner. I'm taking Jeremy to the Thompsons. I don't want to bother you just yet. I want you to have a look around the house okay?"

" Okay" I said nodding.

My aunt pushed the pram to the door then stopped and jerked her head to stare at me, a furious look on her face.

I saw this look and my blood froze.

" Joe, do you have a problem with the TV? Because you seem to avoid it like a plague."

I stared at my aunt then I stared at the TV as if it was my first time of seeing it.

I then drooped my head. " I'm sorry Aunt, I'm sure you know the reason why I avoid it."

My aunt walked close to me and held my head and kissed me on the lips. Her perfume was intoxicating.

" Tell me everything." She urged.

I narrated to her about the one I took my mother's breakable plate which she had warned us that we should never touch it. I actually forgot so used the plate to put fufu. The conk I received that day is something I never forget in a hurry. So I always avoid things that I didn't buy.

" It's okay Joe, I understand." My aunt said soothingly. " But you need to know that you are no longer in your mother's house, you are in my house now, you need to feel free. I'm not saying you should spoil it but at least try and feel the way I treat you okay?"

I nodded, " it's just that I don't feel like watching TV right now." I lied and hoped she believes. She then and walked to the door.

" There juice in the fridge, and there enough biscuits in the cookie box. There's bread and margarine and there's also eggs if it's what you crave. You can use those to spoil yourself till I come back."

My Aunt announced and then she bade me goodbye and was out of the door.

" And don't forget to unpack." She shouted as an afterthought.

" I won't Auntie." I shouted back.

I then disappeared upstairs to unpack my box.

I was filled with anticipation as I opened the closet. Behold I was greeted with the most beautiful sight. The closet was stocked with nice expensive clothes.

I gawked at it and pinched myself to be sure that I wasn't imagining things.

There were at least 12 suits. Three of them black and the others were of different colours. Assorted long-sleeved shirts greeted my eyes some had not even been removed from their packets. The ones that have been removed hung on hangers. There at least 22 of them.

Various types of trousers hung on hangers too waiting for me.

There were also assorted types of caps of different colours ranging from cloth cap to beret to baseball cap and bowler hats.

Different types of sweaters hung too in the closet.

There were countless singlets and boxers alongside countless ties and belts. Five gold wristwatches and numerous gold chains greeted my eyes from an open jewellery box.

I also found a collection of native bead necklaces and bracelets.

There were also native attires, like tunic, brocade of different colours well tailored  

I also sighted a pack of cologne Phillip must have used when he was alive. I took one out of the pack and read " Doobai" aloud.

I sprayed some on myself and was immediately captivated by the fragrance. I saw this staff and took it out and admired it. There was also another one encrusted with fake diamonds. It was stylish though. I felt on top of the world to be the new owner of all these.

As I didn't see any sign of shoes, I decided that what I would be buying if I secure any cash as I won't be worrying myself over clothes.

I happened to press a button and another cabinet emerged from the floor and in there were assorted types of shoes, Loafers, sneakers, thongs, stylish slippers, safety boots and a lot of other shoes.

I took a pair of sneakers out and tried them on. It fitted perfectly.

I smiled proudly.

I haven't actually met Phillip face to face. My aunt had destroyed all of his pictures as she didn't want anything reminding her of him. And again Jeremy couldn't give me any idea of how he looked like because he mostly resembled his mother.

I smiled more and strut about in the sneakers before stopping to admire myself in the vanity mirror.

I glanced at the corner of the bedroom and noticed a ninja sword. 

I hurried to it and picked it up.

It was a bit heavy. I pulled the sword smoothly from its scabbard and marveled at the blade. I then used my thumb to test its sharpness.

It was very sharp. I then put it back kept it where I found it.

I was so excited as I hurried downstairs that I almost fell on the staircase.

I went out of the front door and gave myself a tour around the house. The backyard was awesome. Banana trees were planted in a neat straight line.

Mangoes were starting to bloom.

I then found my aunt fruit salad tree. I had orange, tangerine, lime, lemon and grapefruits grafted to one tree.

I saw another one with mango, custard apples, guava and avocado grafted onto it.

It was beautiful. I discovered my aunt's Rose garden. Well not big enough to be called a garden.

Isn't it funny for Rose to be planting rose flowers. I walked over to the generator house 

The Mikano soundproof generator looked imposing but wasn't steaming which made me sure that the electricity we had was public electricity. I admired the lilies that were planted into the shrubs. Everywhere looked like a paradise.

I wondered how somebody lived here and wasn't happy.

I came back into the house and began to feel a bit lonely lonely.

I missed my aunt, something I wouldn't do for my mother.

However my throat directed me to kitchen and I went raiding on the refrigerator and freezer. I took out a carton of mango juice. It was chilled and the cold stung my finger.

 I then opened the bread cabinet and took out a loaf. I then got a can of sardines opened it and emptied it into a bowl. I used a bread knife to cut the bread into four equal halves and then I used some margarine to butter them up.

I stuffed a generous amount of sardines into them before taking a bite out of it. I felt like a king.

Soon I finished the bread and then fell on the juice. I didn't need a glass. I drank directly from the carton. I belched and felt contented.

I dumped the empty carton on the trash can. I washed the bowl and set everything in order.

I then felt sleepy and went to the sitting room and crashed on the sofa. Soon sleep overtook me.

The ring of the doorbell jerked me awake. I hurried to the door and opened it. 

" Hi Joe." my aunt said. " I'm sorry for taking long, I didn't mean to take that long, it's because I was couldn't find fresh vegetables and had to wait for some to be brought. I didn't take the car because there's no safe parking space in the market. Trikes too wasn't a bit hard to find." My aunt said apologetically to me.

I gave myself a once over and secretly hoped she wasn't apologising to me.

Come on how can you apologise for coming back to your house which I didn't contribute a dime for its existence.

" Buh but Auntie, I don't really see any need for you to apologise, it's your house." I stammered.

" It's okay Joe, you're the man in the house now, so I have to."

" This woman is funny oo." I said in my thoughts. " So me a 19 year old boy who doesn't even know how to fend for himself has become a man in the house. She must be joking like seriously."

" Where's Jeremy?" I asked to change the awkward topic. Even my sisters never apologise to me before and I see it as no big deal.

So it was awkward for my aunt to do so.

" Oh, he's still with the Thompsons. I couldn't go to get him because of this stuffs I'm carrying. I won't be able to balance his pram and all these and moreover I just want to let them enjoy him for a while."

"Good idea!" I said.

" Did you give yourself a tour around the house as I asked you to do?"

" Yes I did." I answered confidently.

" Are you sure?"

" Yea I'm sure. Why don't we go inside."

" No we won't, tell me one thing  you saw so that I'll know if you did. If you don't give me a good answer we will do the tour together right now."

I smiled confidently. " I have seen your Aunt Rose garden and fruit salad trees."

My aunt smirked. " So do you like the roses?"

" Yea I love them. They are beautiful just like you are."

" Stop flattering me." My aunt said with a deep smile and  blushed crimson. 

" Let's go inside." She said and we got in.

" Auntie I've seen all the clothes they are beautiful." I said excitedly.

" You deserve all that my darling. Don't mind the idiot."

I said the wrong thing next.

" So Auntie didn't he drop any of his picture so that I can at least know what he looked like."

At this the smile vanished from my aunt's face and was being replaced with a frown.

" Look Joe." She began with a serious tone. " I have to let you know something. If you don't want to ruin my good mood never ask of him. I stayed with him in this house and it was like staying in a prison. I destroyed everything concerning him because I want nothing to remind me of him. So don't ask about him okay? I told you how he died, I didn't kill him."

A wave of guilt and shame swept over me. " I'm sorry for asking." I apologised sincerely.

" Okay apologies accepted." My aunt replied her face lit up in a smile.

She patted my cheek. " Let me get lunch ready darling."

" Okay Auntie."

She moved to the kitchen while I stayed behind at the sitting room.

The TV looked tempting but I decided not to switch it on.

I remembered that Chelsea had a match that evening and picked up my phone to check the time of kick off.

It was 6:30 pm. This brought an excited buzz to me. I will follow the live updates on my phone.

I turned off my data connection and went to help my aunt in the kitchen. I could remember my phone being confiscated by my mother for two weeks because I didn't go to fan the fire.

My aunt was washing the vegetables when I came into the kitchen.

" What up Joe?" She asked smiling up at me.

" Eh I came in to see if you will need my help."

" No I won't you will only be getting in the way. I'll call you when I need you, but you can stay around to watch if you want. There cucumbers in the fridge to use and pass your time."

I imagined my mom making such an offer and shook my head because it is impossible.

I walked to the fridge and fished out a fat cucumber and took a big bite out of it. 

" So you are eating cucumber alone and didn't give some to your aunt?" My aunt chided.

I froze and my heartbeat accelerated. The cucumber I was chewing stopped on its way down my throat.

" Ughhh!!!! " My aunt groaned. " You can't even play romantic. I thought you will be replying something sweet to my ears yet you are looking as if I just announced your death sentence.

Look I have to remind you that you are no longer at your mother's house. Stop acting dumb."

" I'm sorry aunt."

" Apologies accepted. Now reply like a matured person."

" Oh! Sorry! I never knew you like cucumbers too." I answered in a soft and romantic voice which I found funny but didn't laugh.

" Have you even ask me? Stingy lover." My aunt said in a sulky voice.

" Okay okay I'm sorry, should I get you one?"

" I want that one your eating."

With that I walked up to her and let her take a bite out of the cucumber.

" Hmmmmmm!!!" She moaned. " Now you step aside let me get lunch done."

" As you wish your highness." I replied with a mock bow

" what did you say?"

" Oh! Nothing."

At that my let me be and attended to her pot with an amused smile on her face.

" How I wish Phillip do come to the kitchen like this to joke with me those days."

" He didn't know your value that's why."

My aunt nodded in agreement.

She placed the stainless pot on the gas cooker.

I watched her wash big chunks of beef with extra carefulness putting it in the pot. She added the sliced onions, ground pepper and stock cubes. She didn't add salt yet and I knew why. Adding salt early would only make the meat to be tough.

I watched her cut the vegetables ( fluted pumpkin leaves) with practiced ease.

Soon the meat was done and she took out a chunk with a ladle, put it in a bowl and invited me to take it which I did readily and said my thanks.

Soon the soup was done and so was the water which she boiled in a kettle to make garri.

She ladled the soup into two bowls.

She then poured the hot water into a bigger plastic bowl and made garri.

Soon she got the food to the dining without soliciting for my help.

We sat down at the dining. My aunt said the grace and we began to eat. She was every bit as good as my mother.

" Auntie this is delicious."

My aunt smiled deeply obviously flattered. " I know that is what you will say even if it is not."

" No Auntie i am very sincere. You are the best in the world."

" If I am the best in the world then how about your mother?"

" Okay Auntie after my mother you are the best in the world."

" So you see now, you were lying. So you are trying to tell me that I am a bad cook, eh? That I am not truly the best in the world as you said earlier." My aunt said in a sulky tone and drooped her head and made a face as if she wants to cry.

I wondered for a split second if I had actually crossed a line with my words then decided that my aunt was only play acting.

" No Auntie, to be sincere you are bracket best in the world with my mother. I swear."

My aunt lifted her face and smiled brightly, " thank you." She said in a tinkly voice. It sounded as if she said "thank you"

I recalled an experience I had with my mother one early harmattan morning and decided to relay it to my aunt.

What happened what that my mother was preparing plantain porridge. So I heard her call me and hurried to the kitchen. I found her smiling faintly and gave myself a once over wondering what I had done wrong so early in the morning.

I said a hasty " good morning". No you can never forget that.

She scooped some of the food she prepared and gave me to taste.

Being that I haven't tasted anything that morning or even brushed my teeth, the plantains gave me a little slap which made me squint.

The food wasn't bad in anyway. Just the slap that it gave me.

My mother frown as if she didn't believe her eyes that I squinted while eating that porridge.

" Joe, what did you just do? You ate my food and squeezed your face."

My heart dropped into my stomach upon hearing this. " Oh father Lord take my soul." I prayed.

" Mmm mumm mmmy, ai ai I didn't squeeze my face. My face is like that." I stammered my defence. " Oh which kind wahala I put myself so?" I asked myself.

" So I am now blind eh? Joe when did you join cult? You that I carried for 12 months in my womb not 9, 12! 12 good months. You sucked this breasts, you are the one that reduced then to the pair of slippers they are today. It was this same me that cooked food you eat and was able to grow up big as you are and now today you ate my food and squeezed your face."

" Mummy I didn't squeeze my face, I swear."

" Swear to who?" She asked giving me a hot slap on my left cheek. It felt as if I was being struck with hot iron. " Swear to who?" She asked again completing the slap on my right cheek.

" Oh God forgive me. Is it because I didn't pray?"

She scooped the food again and offered it to me. " Nwa taste again." She commanded which I did very quickly.

" Mummy it is very delicious. Very very delicious. It is the best in the world."

" Good! Now get lost." She commanded.

I ran out from the kitchen holding my cheeks that were now burning from the slap.

My sisters couldn't suppress their laughter. 

I narrated these to my aunt and she laughed as if she was mad.

It was so sweet watching her laugh.

" Joe you will not kill me this afternoon, your mother is one of a kind."

I took out a piece of meat from the rich soup and bit it.

My aunt pretended to be jealous. 

" So you are eating meat while your aunt is here and you don't care to give her some some." She said pretending to sulk.

" Oh sorry." i said  and put what remained of the meat into her mouth and she smiled.

We finished the meal without further dramas.

I offered to clear the dishes but she insisted that I don't.

She later went to get Jeremy from the Thompsons.

She spent time a little longer than I expected but who was I to say anything about it.

She came back still smiling as usual, rang the doorbell which I quickly opened for her.

" The Thompsons are really funny." She said as she came inside.

" How?" I inquired.

" Can you imagine Mrs Thompson spent money to buy diapers, baby powder, baby oil and even a cot just because of Jeremy. They will never cease to amaze me. If you see the way she treats Jeremy as if he is her child or her grandchild."

" Hmmm!" I groaned, " she is a good woman."

She took the sleeping Jeremy out of the pram and placed him in the cot. Then she came over to me and studied my face carefully.

" Joe what's the excitement about?" She asked with an expectant smile.

" Chelsea match is about to kick off, I will be following the live updates on my phone." I answered.

" Wouldn't it be shown on TV?" She asked.

" Of course it's going to be shown on TV, I'm using phone because it is the only medium I have." I answered without thinking.

" So what about this one?" She asked pointing to the plasma TV on the wall.

I became lost for words immediately.

" I think I should punish you for being afraid in my own house and neglecting things that are there for your comfort.

I wondered what manner of punishment she was going to deliver to me.

" The punishment is I will be sitting on your laps till the match is over." She announced.

I breathed a sigh. Not what I expected. I thought she was going to get a stick and whoop my ass with it.

" Sound fair." I said.

" Yes it does, until you begin to feel my weight and to tell you the truth nothing will make me stand up from your laps until the game is over. We will be watching the game together.

" No problem."

My aunt switched on the plasma TV and selected a channel Supersport.

Luckily it was the one I wanted. The players were coming out of the tunnel. Chelsea was dressed in their royal blue home Jersey while the opposition team Newcastle united was dressed in the black and white top and black shorts.

My aunt settled down on my laps.

Her big ass pressed down my dick and made it rise to ninety degrees.

My Aunt being a plus sized woman is heavy but the excitement of the game made me not to feel it much. The game was thrilling. 

Newcastle scored first and almost ruined the day for me, but Chelsea persevered and later won the game 4-1. My aunt rejoiced with me before announcing that she is going to go have a bath and left.

A minute later I heard her call to me that I should bring her soap dish which was on her dresser for her. I did that quickly and got into her bathroom. She was standing under the spray of hot water stark naked with the water cascading down her beautiful, sexy body.

" Are you gonna stand there? Bring it for me here."

I knew that there no way I will give the soap dish to her the way she wanted without getting wet.

" Auntie but my clothes will get wet."

" Remove them then and bring the soap dish for me I don't have all day."

I shrugged and stripped myself naked and walked up to her.

I stretched my hand to hand her the soap dish. She didn't take it. Instead she pulled me under the shower head and began kissing me.

Her head began roving all over my body and it wasn't helping my dick in anyway.

After kissing for a while we detached our lips to take a breather.

She got the scented soap from the dish and began soaping up my body and insisted I do same to her which I obliged readily.

Our time under the shower head was long and sweet.

Soon we were through. My aunt toweled me dry before drying herself. She then walked to the kitchen in only her panties and brought a bunch of banana, some groundnuts, evaporated milk in a tin and some honey in Eva water bottle.

" I'm going to make an elixir for you."

She answered my unasked question.

I watched as she peeled that bananas into a bowl and used a metal spoon to cut them into pieces. She then added the groundnuts before some spoonfuls of honey then finally the evaporated milk.

She used the spoon to stir it before tasting and confirmed with a nod that it was okay.

" Joe eat it, it will make you a beast on bed, I want to feel good tonight and I want it in the best way possible. So that thing will recharge your magic."

I accepted the bowl and began to scoop the content into my mouth.

It was a delicious combination.

" Let me go lock up the the house and bring Jeremy." My aunt said and left.

By the time she came back with the sleeping Jeremy I had finished all that was in the bowl.

My stubborn dick has refused to go down.

She placed the boy in the cot and walked up to me and began kissing me albeit a brief one.

She then removed her panties and threw it aside nonchalantly.

She laid on her back and spread her legs. " Now Joe it's time to show me all what I taught you earlier today. Eat my pussy." She urged.

I didn't hesitate. I dove into it headfirst and ate her pussy as vigorous and best as I can. I brought her to her first orgasm of the night within minutes.

" That was good Joe." She said." Now you have to insert your dick into the place you just ate. I'll show you how to do it."

She sat up and used my precum to moisten my dickhead before asking me to put it in her.

I did and would never forget the sensation. Inside her pussy was hot and wet. It was tight too.

I immediately began to move my waist in and out.

My aunt sighed in pleasure and egged me on. She encouraged me to fuck her harder which I did.

I plunged into her wet hole repeatedly. My aunt was making these encouraging low moans as I fucked her.

Soon I had her gripping the sheets in her second orgasm.

She then made me stop and positioned herself on all four and directed my dick into her. I began fucking her again. My dick made sucking sounds as it enters and exits her pussy repeatedly.

I fucked her for like an hour bringing her to another orgasm before I feel myself coming closer.

I unconsciously began to slam into her faster than I had done before.

She must have felt that I was close and began to rub her clitoris frantically trying to make herself cum before me.

She was lucky we came simultaneously.

She laughed. " That was so good Joe, you are amazing."

I smiled proudly as my dick shrank and popped out of my aunt's pussy. She held my head and kissed me before cleaning my dick with her tongue.

I tried to touch her boobs but she stopped my hand.

" I think you better not stir the hornet's nest now that you are worn out."

She then beckoned on me to come lie behind her so we could cuddle.

A smile was still on her face as I drifted off.

STORY CONTINUES...

(Source - IBB MEDIA)