SPEECHLESSNESS
EPISODE 6
“Hello,” Thelma said picking her phone at the second ring
“Please can I speak to Debbie?“ George asked politely
”And who are you?“ she replied rudely
”Sorry for my poor manners, I’m George your neighbour guess you remember me”
“I’m sorry I don’t, please I’m busy right now and Debbie has gone to bed, have a good night rest bye”she blurted cutting the phone on him.
****************
Debbie forgot to notify Thelma that George would call her, she remembered it the next morning ad rushed to her room to know if he called.
“Thelma, did George call last, sorry I forgot to tell you he would call”
“I think you should be more bothered about your expulsion than anticipating a small boy’s call”she replied bluntly
“What did you just say? Are you mocking me? ”
”I only advised you, and pls dont ever give my number to any stupid boy again, or else I’ll report you to dad, remember you’re still on his black list”
Debbie wanted to give her a dirty slap, but she held herself back, she stood glaring at her sister, she sighed and left the room.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
******** George‘s parents were at home in their room arguing again, the argument escalated into quarrel, George went to watch a movie with his sister lesson, they were supposed to return later in the evening, they were arguing seriously when the door opened, Their children walked into the room with stern looks . Their parents pretended everything was ok on sighting them
“You shouldn’t be doing that, I heard your voices outside. Dad, I thought we agreed you won’t bring your official matters home”he asked with a broken heart
“I’m sorry son, “his dad apologized
”And you mum, what do you think you’re doing? talking back at dad, I ’m disappointed.“ he dragged his sister out of the room angrily
They later apologized to their children and continued living happily.
ONE MONTH LATER
********* Debbie have finally being admitted into a new school, her sister later apologized for her rudeness, she allowed her talk to George through her phone, they were all getting acquainted though Thelma was doing that to please her sister, Their parents have avoided quarrelling and fighting, though they are always tempted to that, George was busy with his WAEC exams and hardly calls or have time for the girls.
Debbie’s mother came home and decided to prepare something delicious for her family, she was about rounding up her cooking when her phone rang, she picked it and got the shock of her life, she dropped the spoon in her hand and instructed the cook to help her with the cooking, she ran upstairs, collected her car key and rushed out, Debbie was fast enough to follow her, they drove out together.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Though he has forgiven his parents, he was disturbed, the other part of him is telling him that everything is not ok in his family, he waved away the thought from him as he doesn’t need any distraction in his exam.
He laid on his bed tossing, his mind keeps on going to someone, her face appeared before him, he sprang up.
“God, what am I doing? I don’t t even know what is wrong with me, I’m thinking of my family, my exam and the girl, I shouldn’t allow this to be happening to me, I shouldn’t be thinking of a girl right now, ”
he collected His physics textbook from his mini library and tried reading it.
*****************
There was wailing in his neighbour’s house in the early hours of the morning, he wondered what was happening there, he tried calling Thelma but she wasnt picking, he quickly bathed and dressed up for his exams, he tried the number one more time and a strange voice spoke over the phone.
“Please, I’m sorry you can’t talk to Thelma right now, she’s indisposed to speak to anyone, ”
”Hope everything is o…. K” the line went dead before he could finish his last statement, he was determined to find out what the problem is when he returns from school.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Her mother was wailing uncontrollably, her friends gathered around consoling her, her husband’s family members that live in Lagos were beginning to gather, Debbie was shocked at the rate her mother was crying, she doesn’t understand why her mother would be crying so much when she was always quarrelling and fighting her husband when he was alive, she sat down watching her mother act her drama, she was irritated with what her mum was doing and didnt kniw when she busted out in again.
“Mum please stop this your crocodile tears, you’re crying as if you’re really going to miss him, why are you crying as if you two were madly inlove and living happily like husband and wife” Debbie asked her mum angrily
Everyone was surprised at her utterance, thank God it was just her mother’s friends that were in the sitting room upstairs when she said that, her father’s family members were in the sitting room downstairs putting heads together about their brother’s corpse.
“Deborah, did you just spoke to a woman whose husband just DIED?” Thelma threw at her
“please you too should quit the pretense, You should be happy you’re alive today,“ she bluntly replied her sister
Her mother ignored her and continued with her wailing, everyone in the sitting room scolded her for her bad manners and she hurried to her room crying.
***************
Debbie‘s gate was wide open as family and friends were trooping in to pay THEIR condolence. She has been in her room after the incidence that took place in the sitting room, she hated her mother so much for all she did to her father, she knew all along that her mother was sleeping around with rich men, her dad has endured alot before his death, she vowed to make life miserable for her mother,she cried all day, she refused to allow anyone into her room.
On seeing the gate wide open, George knew that all was not well with his neighbour, he called in the security guard to know if he had any idea on what was happening there. Immediately he got down from the car, he went to the gateman.
“Abeg what is going on there” he asked pointing at the widely opened gate
“I hear say their papa don die” the gateman answered in pidgin English
He was taken aback with the response, though he barely know the man, he was used to his voice, he remembered the way he screams and shouts at his wife, he shook his head in pity and walked into the house.
He was thinking of how to contact the girls at least to console them, he tried Thelma’s number again and thankfully she picked it at the first ring.
“I’m sorry about the loss of your dad, my security guard just informed me about it now, can I speak to Debbie?“ he asked in a low tone
”I’m sorry she doesn’t want to speak to anyone, she has been in her room since morning“ she replied calmly
”I understand what she’s passing through right now, send my regards to her, bye” he said cutting the phone.
His parents returned later at night and paid their condolence to Debbie’s family.
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*******The burial was fixed immediately as his body was crushed to pieces by the trailer that ran into him, they all travelled to the East for his burial,after the burial, his family stayed in the village for one month before returning to Lagos.Their father’s two unmarried sisters followed them to Lagos in the name of keeping them company.
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