I laid there on my bed, phone in hand, chatting with Maryam, while I awaited my mum's return. I laughed at every bit of her message. We were playing twenty questions, and it was actually amazing. You see, I met Maryam on Wattpad where I write stories. She is also a writer, and we became friends. Funny enough, our friendship spread its wings out of Wattpad.

I sat up on my bed as I heard the honk of my Mum's car as she drove into our compound, I quickly typed a reply to Maryam, excusing myself. I and my mum have a lot to discuss, because for some reasons unknown to me the Adonis hasn't left and he is now at the guest room with my brother. They both left for the guest room immediately they finished eating, leaving me to do the dishes. I would have loved to go deeper into what I prepared for us all to eat, but I'm sure y'all aren't interested in my shortcomings.

So I dashed off my bed and glanced at the wall clock for some time before realizing that it was past ten. I ran out of my room to welcome my mum, just as I got to the sitting room I saw her and Adonis walking in, he was carrying her bag as they chatted and laughed like old time buddies. Samuel also came out of his room and prostrated in greeting to my mum while I just stood there staring at my mum like she had grown an extra head.

"10am, kilode to fi duro paa bi olopa? (10am, why are you standing there like a police?)" My mum asked me. Never mind about the whole 10am issue, my mum calls me 10 am, why? When I was in Jss1, that was the nickname I got. You see, I went to a boarding school, and the initials on all my properties were A.M. short for Adenaike Mary. And ever since my mum had a whiff of the name, she has made it her mission to rename her only daughter.

"Mummy, welcome." I took her bag from Adonis' hand, making sure to avoid his hand, and I headed to my mum's room. I dropped her bag on her bed and sat there awaiting her entry. I couldn't believe she was chatting with Adonis in such a way that I needed to know who he was, and I needed him out of my house.

"Mummy, when did we start allowing strangers into our house?" I asked immediately she entered her room.

She gave me a funny stare before ignoring me and walking into her bathroom, I followed her in and sat at the edge of the bathtub, arms folded.

"Mummy, now, why?"

"Why what? And who is the stranger?" She asked in a very tired voice. It was then I realized I was inconsiderate. She was definitely tired, and here I am, been a bratty daughter. I felt really bad at the realization. My mum, you see, is my super woman, I admire her a lot, and she is my role model. Having to take care of two kids on your own couldn't be so easy, could it? My dad died while I was still in Jss2, and it's been just us since then. My mum had no issues taking care of us. She wasn't a lazy woman. She had recently just been promoted to a principal education officer,and yes, my mum is a civil servant.

"Mummy, who is that guy that came with Samuel? I hope you don't believe he is Samuel's friend. He looks way older than him." I said, following her out of the bathroom as she left, probably trying to get rid of me. "Moreover, Mum, we don't even know his name or his parent. He could be a bad influence on Samuel."

"What sort of question is that?" She asked, almost angry. I shifted on my foot, careful not to get her too angry. Believe me, my mum is not so cute when angry. "That is Ademide, as in the Ademide."

I stared at her confused, trying to understand why Ademide is so important, then it struck me, "so, is it because he is your son's namesake that made you allow him into our house?" My brother's middle name is Ademide, although I love that name so much, but a certain person who bears the name is making the name look kinda annoying to me now.

"Radarada wo lo n so bayi? (What sort of nonsense are you saying?)" She looked at me like I had no sense, which I didn't mind, I needed to know why a certain stranger was in my house. "Is that not the Ademide your brother talks about, his mentor, the senior student who was nice enough to give him a space in his apartment. That particular somebody that has been acting as your brother's good Samaritan ever since he went to school at Cotonou!"

It was then I actually recollected my brother talking about a certain person like that, but how was I to know he was coming to our house, even though it does not explain why he is here.

"But why is he at our house? If he came to Nigeria, he should go to his house now, abi he does not have house ni? (Doesn't he have a house?)"

"Well, he has a house, but he lives at Abuja," Mum said, but it still made no sense to me. She soon ignored me and got busy undressing.

"That doesn't explain why he is here. If his house is at Abuja, he should have gone to Abuja, not come to Lagos." I grumbled, definitely not liking the whole idea.

My mum stopped what she was doing and sat on her bed. She gave me a frustrated look before she finally gave me a reply. "Mary, he has a four months working contract with a company here in Lagos. He was actually going to rent a house, but I stopped him. If I had a house here, why should I let someone who has been so helpful to my son pay money just to get a place for four months."

Out of everything, my mum said it was only the four months aspect that stuck to my head. He was going to be here, in my house for four months. This was hell.

"But Mummy, you should have told me this beforehand now, I just woke up to see Samuel and the Ademide guy." I pouted as I said this expecting an apology, but I got something else.

"Tin ba gbe gbaju fun e, ori e afo. (If I slap you, your head will break.)" I shifted back hurriedly to avoid her hand, I wondered why she was so angry. "How many times have I told you that your brother is coming home with a friend, I've been singing this to your ears for weeks now." she was really pissed as she said this, I tried to recollect if she ever told me, but I came up blank. "When the only thing you know is to be pressing phone, if we ask you now, you will say you are typing, you are writing novel. Every time wattpad and wattpad, no sense for you, oya pora (disappear.)"

I looked at her for a while and finally concluded that she must have told me this, if she hadn't, she wouldn't be so pissed, but instead of leaving her room I stood there to give her a good news. With a bright smile, I said, "Mummy guess what?"

"10am, fimi sile (leave me alone.)" She said, dismissing me. But me being me, talked all the same.

"I have completed my book on wattpad, and I submitted it for the wattys award." I ended with a loud squeal.

My mum looked at me for a long time before giving me an answer, "ehen, congratulations, elo na ti wa fun e bayi? (How much I've they given you now?)"

I yelled in disbelief and left her room very frustrated. I can't believe she just said that, I got to the sitting room very angry and saw it empty. So I went into my room, picked up one of my pillows, and my blanket, and off I went to the sitting room. It's movie time, oh don't be so surprised, I watch movies overnight, that is why I wake up late in the morning. Don't blame me, I am my mother's daughter, usually I and my mum would seat together and watch movies till maybe 4am in the morning, funny thing is she still manages to wake up early for work. Now you know why I call her a super woman, but she seems to be very tired today, so I will probably be watching my movies alone.

I dropped my items on the longest couch and made my way to the kitchen to get my chin chin. On getting to the kitchen, I saw that the chin chin jar was already halfway. I need not ask any question to know who the culprit was, I felt like screaming for the douche but it was night. So I instead poured the remaining contents into a bowl and headed for the sitting room, I plopped down on the couch, wrapped myself in my blanket, and put on the TV. I continued watching the Korean series that I've been watching for two days now, I threw some chin chin in my mouth while concentrating on the movie.

A few minutes later, I heard a room door opening, I knew it wasn't my mum since the sound didn't come from the direction of her room, so it had to be Samuel. I ignored him because I was still very angry at him for everything, I felt him sit beside me and ignore him still. I knew what would happen next, and I was prepared for it. I knew he was going to dip his stupid hand into my chin chin. He just can't resist the urge to.

And just as I presumed I saw his hand slid up my chin chin bowl, immediately he did that I raised my hand to twat his hand away, but he grabbed my hand with his other hand before I could do so. This was the height of disrespect. This boy has no respect whatsoever for me again.

I looked up angrily to give him a glare, but I was instead faced with Ademide as he threw a handful of my chin chin into his mouth.

The nerve of the guy.

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© Mary Aden