~adamma~

The tricycle stops in front of a five story building and immediately, Frank hops out. I take it that we're already at his house.

"Please help me pull her out." He says to me after paying the rider.

I hesitate a little, staring at the dirty lady in front of me.

"I'm sorry, never mind." He says hurriedly, a hint of embarrassment lacing his tone.

"No, it's fine." I reach out to his sister, feeling bad about the irritated expression I must have had on.

We manage to pull her out together and the tricycle rides off.

She's really lanky so after we pull her out of the tricycle, Frank is able to carry her into the compound alone. I simply follow behind and assist when necessary.

We climb up the stairs and stop in front of a metal door. Surprisingly, despite the long journey up the stairs, Frank's sister doesn't even flinch in her sleep. She is completely knocked out. I wonder for a second how someone can sleep this deep.

The door is slightly ajar and Frank seems even more upset at this.

He pulls his sister recklessly into the sitting room not minding that she hit her head on the door.

Once we get in, I observe the small apartment a little. Unlike my own house, this one is far from cozy. It has this cold emptiness lingering everywhere.

"Oh God!" Frank suddenly exclaims, dumping his sister on a couch and entering into a room. I stand awkwardly in the middle of the sitting room, trying to figure out what's happening.

I advance towards the room when Frank comes out with... Wait is that a baby?

"Who's baby?" I ask in a small voice.

"My sister's." He replies, setting the little boy on the chair. He looks so cute as he holds on to Frank's shirt. If I'm guessing right, he must be around two years old.

I glance around the house a little and see no sign of any other person in the house. My forehead squeezes in confusion.

"Was he here alone?"

"Yes. How fucking stupid right?" He asks, letting a good amount of rage drip from his words.

I watch in silence as he shakes his sister roughly, willing her to wake up.

She stirs in her sleep before opening her eyes a little. "Nedu, I'm sorry. I'm sorry." I hear her mumble drowsily.

Frank gulps before scoffing. He lifts her up and leads her towards a bathroom. Without a second thought, he turns on the shower and the water comes pouring down on her.

The water must be very cold as she gasps loudly, opening her eyes so wide you would think they'd pop out of their sockets.

He leaves her in the shower and comes to meet his nephew and I in the sitting room.

"I'm sorry I brought you here. I j-"

"Please don't apologise. It's okay, really." I interrupt. He saved me from having to go back to that class anyway.

"What's wrong with your sister though?" I ask the question that had been on my mind for a long while now.

He points at one of the sofas and I take it as a cue to sit. He sits beside me and sighs.

"She's- she's high. She used to do drugs before but she promised me she would stop. I don't know... I don't know why she did them again..." He breaks off sounding on the verge of tears.

I sit uncomfortably not knowing what to say to him. I really hoped within me that he wouldn't cry. I honestly wouldn't know how to handle that.

The door to the bathroom opens and the lady comes out looking sober. She glances around the room at us before her eyes land on her son.

"My baby!!" She suddenly chokes out, rushing to him but Frank jumps in her way, blocking her from making contact with the boy.

"You're not touching him."

"He's my son."

"Yet you abandoned him."

Frank's words seem to hit her a great deal as tears come to pool in her eyes.

"I didn't aban-"

"You did. You left him here, because say you wan go take those stupid pills." He yells.

"You left him here. Alone. And the door was fucking open!" He continues to yell.

"Nedu-"

"Don't Nedu me. Do you know what could've happened to him?"

"He was sleeping when I left." She mumurs out.

"He was sleeping?" He uses his index finger and thumb to massage his temples while muttering something under his breath.

"Look at yourself. Debby, take a look at yourself." He motions at her overall appearance.

From her disheveled hair, to her sunken red eyes, to her dirty, wet clothes, down to her bare feet.

I sit awkwardly not knowing what to do. This seems like a really intense family moment.

"You promised me you wouldn't take those things again." He says in a now quiet voice. His eyes are teary and I grow even more uncomfortable.

I really feel like I'm intruding into a personal matter.

"I know I promised you but I just couldn't help it." She sobs in reply.

As I can't take it anymore, I jump from where I'm seated. "Sorry, excuse me. I think this is a very personal moment. Maybe I should wait outside."

"I'm sorry." Debby continues to sob, completely ignoring my presence.

"I'm really sorry." She goes in to hug her brother. After a few moments, Frank hugs her back.

They don't even notice when I awkwardly find my way out of the sitting room.

I hover outside the door, watching the other tenants go about their daily lives.

"Did you see those children coming in?" I hear a woman ask in what I suppose to be hushed whispers.

The building is such that on one floor, there are about three different apartments.

I stand at the extreme end of the corridor while watching these three women gossip amongst themselves.

I suppose that one of the apartments belong to one of them. They are gathered in a circle, one weaving another's hair, while the third simply chats along with them.

"I saw them o. Tufia!" The hair dresser snaps her fingers dramatically.

"What happened? Which children?" The woman whose hair is being woven asks, looking clueless and attentive.

"Didn't you see those children?" The hairdresser asks, knowing fully well she didn't. "She came in drunk and smelling. All her clothes, tattered. Her brother is the one that was carrying her."

"Ehehn?" Her customer asks, sounding surprised at such.

I watch with interest and amazement at the three women. They obviously don't take notice of my presence as they continue to gossip.

"Yes o. The brother even came along with his girlfriend. That small boy, already having girlfriend. Chineke!" She exclaims with a deep frown.

My jaw drops in bewilderment. Are they really being serious?

"Do you know the worst part? That girl left her little baby in the house. The baby was crying and crying for over an hour. Very useless girl." The second woman continues with so much spite.

"She has a baby?" The customer asks

"Yes nau. A new born baby- barely six months old."

"Ahh." The customer yells out.

Six months keh?

"I'm telling you." She replies raising her shoulders up to emphasize her point.

"Na runs girl she be nau. She don comot plenty pikin. This one no gree comot. And this girl is barely twenty years." She whispers and the customer exclaims again.
[Trans: Don't you know she's a prostitute? She has aborted her babies a lot of times. This one refused to abort.]

"The level of idiocy." I think to myself, extremely disgusted at their obvious lies.

"And their parents?" The customer asks sounding worried.

The hairdresser and the other lady exchange a look before laughing.

"Mummy Bobo, should I tell her?" The hairdresser asks, still laughing.

Mummy Bobo laughs before looking around for eavesdroppers. I hurriedly redirect my attention so as not to be caught.

She then starts to talk. "Would you believe it if I told you that their father is oga pata pata at First Bank?"
[Trans: a boss]

"First Bank?!" The woman asks wide eyed.

"First. Bank. You think I'm lying? Mummy Ebuka na lie?" Mummy Bobo asks with her usual drama.

"No be lie o my sister. No be lie."

I find myself getting slightly interested. From their reaction, I can tell that the bank must be a big one. Just then, the door opens and Frank comes out.

The women cease their gossip immediately upon noticing Frank and I. They exchange a look among themselves before changing their topic of discussion.

"Those jobless gossips. Sorry I left you out here." He says holding onto my arm and leading me back in.

I send him a tight smile before following him in and shutting the door behind me.

"Are you hungry? My sister is cooking indomie."

We had eaten the donoughts on the way here but I could still feel my tummy rumble a little.

"Um sure." I reply.

"Good. It's almost closing time at the lesson. When you're done eating, I could escort you home."

I notice that his voice is a little raspy- probably from yelling and crying but I don't bring it up.

I want to ask him a lot of questions though. For instance, is what those women said about his dad true? And if it's true, why do they leave here?

But I decide to keep quiet instead. I really wouldn't like to appear nosy.

"Hey, come here." Frank coos at his little nephew. The little boy giggles before running into his uncle's arms.

Cute.

•••

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