"Smile for me even when you're sad." -Simisola.

The wooden door gently closed behind her. She bent down to sit on the floor while resting her
back on the door.

May's hand fiddled with her old wrist band as she tilted her head to her right, looking down at the carpet like it had the answers she was seeking.

Fiddling with her wristband had become a habit as of late. It was like a ritual to her whenever her
heart was heavy. It was her way of communicating with Grandma Ese, asking her to come to her
aid. Despite the twisting band, even May knew it was of no use since Grandma Ese was long dead.

She'd had cancer of the heart.

She was one of the loveliest humans May had ever known. She was so good at putting smiles on people's faces and she never ceased to make her grandkids- May and Esther- happy. Well,
until she died.

"Grandma, it's my birthday. I turned fifteen today. Don't you have a birthday present for me?"
Fifteen-year-old May had asked with expectation in her eyes.

Grandma Ese gasped, covering her wide mouth with one hand. "Oh, my dear, I forgot. What am
I supposed to do now?"

May's excited expression morphed into a sad one and her eyes became teary instantly. "But you are supposed to buy me a present."

Grandma Ese smiled sweetly, rubbing her thumb on May's supple cheeks. "I was just kidding. Did you really believe my little lie?"

May sincerely nodded and said, "I never thought my grandma would lie to me."

"Aww. Well, I have something special for you, dearie." Grandma Ese brought out two wristbands from her purse.

Handing one to May, Grandma said, "One is for you, the other is for Esther."

Mr. and Mrs. Felix Ebiowei had given birth to their kids on the same day. May was born on the
8th of May, in the morning while Esther was born two years later but during the night.

Sometimes May would wonder why she was called "May." She thought maybe it was because
she was born in the month of May, but she shook the thought away. If it was because of that,
Esther would have the same name.

May looked at the wristband with distaste, although the color of the beads was yellow, bright and
beautiful. May still frowned because she was used to expensive things. "I don't like it, this is too cheap."

Grandma's smile didn't fall even though her grandchild had just rejected her present. She took
May's hand. "It might look cheap but it's priceless, May. I know your dad and mom would get
you something expensive today, but I have wanted to give you this. You don't always have to
look rich or expensive all the time. It might get into your head which will make you arrogant.
Your wardrobe doesn't need to scream wealth because it might disappear one day. Tell me- if it does, do you think you can cope with the change? Sometimes you have to act like you own a single loaf of bread while you own a bakery."

May chuckled at Grandma's choice of words. Bread and bakery, really? Grandma had a weird view of the world. There was one thing she believed; one shouldn't always walk in wealth.

Whatever that meant, May never understood.

"And, can't you see how beautiful this is? Even if it's cheap, it looks so bright. No matter where you find yourself May, always be happy, always put a smile on your face and always surround
yourself with people that make you feel like sunshine."

May had learned a lesson that day. She had smiled so broadly and hugged her grandma so tight.

Grandma had said it like she knew May would find herself in this situation one day...

"Mummy?" A familiar tiny voice brought her back to reality. She didn't know how long she had
been staring into space.

She snapped her head up to look at the blurry image of her daughter walking towards her.

"Are you okay?"

May gave a nod, wiping away the tears that had welled up. "I am fine. Mommy is very fine."

Maryam sensed it wasn't true. "You should go for a walk, Mom. Have some time for yourself or
don't you have friends? People you could play with?"

May looked at her daughter like she had grown two heads. For a girl of just six years, she knew
too much. May sighed. "You read too many books."

"Are you not the one that said I should take my studies seriously so I can become a great woman
in the future?"

May mentally rolled her eyes. "Yes, but that's not exactly what I meant. You have to limit the
number of books you read in a month, it might change your sense of reasoning from some
aspects." May stood up, dusting away the imaginary dirt off her basket gown. "I should go for a
walk? Really, Maryam? This is Nigeria and you're talking to me like we are agemates." May shook her head. "It's not like its a bad thing but," she trailed off, finding the right word and
wrinkling her nose. "It's weird."

"I know, Mom." Maryam pouted, following behind as they walked towards Maryam's room. "I
know you can't tell me everything that's going on in this house considering that I am small but I have eyes mom and I can see that whatever is happening, is not good. You need someone to share your feelings with."

May huffed out some air. Turning to face her daughter now, she said, "I get it. Now let's clean your room." It was her way of asking her daughter to shut up and she did.

May knew her daughter was telling the truth, but it felt odd hearing it from such a small soul.

As they dressed the small bed together, she suddenly remembered something, she smiled. "Speaking about sharing my feelings with someone," she muttered to herself.

"What?" Maryam asked in confusion, thinking her mother had just said something to her.

"Never mind. I'll be back, just stay here." With that, she scurried out.

As she got to the sitting room, she paused as Bella and Edric walked out of the room, fully dressed now. Bella was dressed in ripped jeans and a plain green t-shirt while Edric had on blue jean trousers and a black t-shirt. He didn't look like he was going to the office.

Just like she was reading May's mind, Bella pressed her body closer to Edric and said, "If you're wondering, we are going shopping."

So? Fool, who asked you? May thought. It had to be limited to a thought or she'd get the beating
of her life.

Edric cleared his throat. He searched inside his trouser pocket for a while. When he found what he was looking for, he stretched it towards May.

May looked at what he had in his hand and found crumpled naira notes, as usual. She didn't move to collect it. She just looked back at his face, frowning a little.

"I changed my mind. It's for Maryam," he nonchalantly said.

She pressed her lips together. As much as she didn't want to take the money from him, she knew
she had to. For Maryam.

After some thought, she made to take it from him, but she wasn't fast enough. He dropped it on
purpose, making Bella chuckle.

She bent down to pick it up while the couple walked out. She took her button Nokia Aisha 200 phone from on top of the box television and briskly walked
to the backyard to make a call. She needed privacy.

"Hello, Mama?" She called for her mother-in-law, Mrs. David, who picked the line up on the second ring.

"Ha! My daughter decided to call today. How are you and my grandchild doing? I hope all is
well." Mrs. David's cheerful voice chirped from the other end.

May slumped her shoulders with a sigh. "I am not fine. Neither is Maryam. Everything is not fine."

On hearing this, Mama's ears pricked up. "My daughter, what's wrong?" Concern was etched in
her voice.

May began to explain things to Mama. She didn't forget to add Edric's affair with Bella. She
didn't go into detail, but she still managed to express how she felt.

Mama listened attentively before finally speaking up. "Hmm. My daughter, it is well iya? You
know men are like that, they follow anything underskirt. You just have to endure."

May couldn't believe her ears. She checked her phone to see if she had called the right person
before placing the phone back on her ear. "Mama, how can you say that? So married men can sleep around, but I, his wife, should endure, stay quiet, and take all the pain? But if I, a married
woman, follow another man, I would be reprimanded, insulted, and seen as a witch and be sent
out of my husband's house with shame." She shook her head as though Mama could actually see
her.

"Chai, Mama. I did not expect this from you. I thought you were going to advise your son to change his ways. Instead, you're preaching endurance to me."

She heard Mama sigh. "Calm down, my child. I am sorry. I am going to speak with him, although I am not too sure he will listen. But, still, I will try my best. Please take it easy and take
care of your daughter and yourself. Send my regards to my beautiful Maryam."

May only hummed in response.

"Okay, goodbye."

"Bye." May hung up. Sadness crept into her heart again.

May entered Edric's room, packed all her belongings that were inside and carried them to
Maryam's room.

After she had placed them neatly at the end of her daughter's room, she turned to Maryam, who was sitting crossed leg and reading another novel. This one was bigger than the first book.

"And what are you reading now, Maryam?"

She looked up from her book with a smile. "Americana by Chimamanda Adichie."

May rolled her eyes. "Where do you get all these books from, sef?"

"Sandra's older sister gave it to me. I'll have to return it on Monday."

"I'm sure that book contains explicit content. I mean look at how big it is. It's like you are
reading the Oxford dictionary. Give it to me."

Maryam grumbled. "Oh, oh-"

"Come on, keep quiet there and hand it over."

May took the book from her before handing her some money. "Take this 200 naira, use it and
buy whatever snack you want to eat. You should be back before I finish taking my bath."

Maryam took the notes from her and rushed out. When she was gone, May sighed, putting the
book inside Maryam's backpack.

May had a short bath. She tied a towel on her head and walked out of the bathroom to see Maryam already in her room, eating meat pie and a chilled coke drink.

"That looks good. Oh, won't you give mommy some?" May joked and Maryam giggled.

"I'm going out," May announced when she finished dressing up. She was putting on a sleeveless
yellow gown that stopped just after her knees and black colored flats to match.

"Where are you going to, la?" Maryam whined.

May gave her a look. "For a walk, just like you said. Don't leave this house. If you're bored, go to the parlor and watch Spongebob, Tom and Jerry, or Dora's Adventure."

"No, Sophia the First."

"Whatever, just don't leave this house."

Maryam gave a nod. May walked over to her and gave her a peck on her forehead before leaving.

As she came into view at the front gate, contemplating where she should head to now, someone hissed out to her. She didn't want to turn around at first with the thought that it was only dogs that were called like that. But what if the person was her friend and doesn't know her name? She turned around to see the man calling her and her face dropped.

She, out of annoyance, walked towards his car. May didn't remember him looking this handsome on their first meeting. He didn't have on a face cap today. She was surprised to see he was keeping long dreadlocks. His nose was pointed, his eyebrows were thick, and his coffee-brown eyes were entrancing. Oh, how May loved his full long lashes. His chiseled cheekbones suited his face perfectly and his lips were cute, small and dark brown.

May would have described him as "prince charming," but she stopped herself because he had a
small burn on the side of his lip. He was also wearing a dark blue t-shirt that had a picture of a girl dressed in only a red bra and red lingerie drawn on it. Of course, he was no prince.

If May had known him for long, she would've scolded him for putting on such profanity.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

He smiled, scratching his chin like he was nervous. "Uh... Let's just say I was waiting for you."

"What?" She half yelled. "Why were you waiting for me? Do we have any business together?"

"Nope. I just really like you," he replied, sincerely.

"How can you like someone you just met yesterday." Even if her husband wasn't around, May
was still conscious of her surroundings. People around could gossip from one end of Africa to the other, so she had to be careful. She didn't want anybody to misunderstand the little conversation she was having and report her to Edric.

"Uhm... it's like at first sight?"

May rolled her eyes at his failed attempt to make a joke. "I'm not interested. I already told you I
am married."

"It's one thing to be married, it's another to be happily married." He flashed her his almost princely grin as a look of shock swept across her figure. "Don't you agree?"

"What do you mean?" She asked but was distracted by a passerby who noticed and greeted her.
She greeted them in turn with a smile.

When she turned back to glance at the driver, what he said next took her off guard.

"You can trick others with that pretty smile of yours but you can't deceive me. If your eyes could show your soul, everyone laughing with you will cry when they see you smile."

Her eyes bulged out, "Pardon?"