IN THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE

ine stretchy strips of foam rubber,it made her to comfortably sink downward as she was virtually focused on her phone. Emem had been acting weird since she returned from school,she was a final

aying inside her room wasn't able to fulfill that purpose so she decided to take the task upon herself. She took with her a empty can of tin milk, just when she'd steadied by the wall she threw it and immediately dashe

urther and stretched her hand to touch her but

r sister Emem disappeared into the house. But contrarily, Emem came out almost

There's someone else now." She raised bo

d her eyes in surprise.

e she'd locked it. Something was wrong with her sister,she knew,she felt it but she would always deny. Even after she took a tray of food to her door step,she wouldn't let her in and she was whimpering inside,her heart went out for her. Whether it was out of trust or foolishness that she lost her partner to her friend,she was dete

s it Em

ee your dau

wrong w

till weeping because of Im

thought she wen

e locked up in her room and has

er to finish her story, Emaido followed behind. She knocked severally on her door

your mother i

e door proper

er hand. "God's time is the best or are you hearing that for the first time? Eve

now that." She raised her voic

was s

right,she knew it and she was pained because

those who wait my daughter, this will not help you. See, if you take your bath and

e there's s

nt to tell me?" Mama E

es. "It won't be well with Dorcas!" She hung her head,

lummoxed and she had to be calm so she wouldn't worsen the issue.So Emem

hone. She left them and stepped out to the little

miled. "H

to believe that you haven't finished the food in the house,

"We're all fine over

o. Where

th Emem she's at it again,

as si

are you

nning to believe she was done with that."

cently and this time

ol she wouldn't have such time. Well, I'll be coming home for a Ch

lue and whi

pai

pair with a blue

s to Mama,and please tell

ka

ardigan bought for her by Tony during his first visit to Uyo after he'd moved to lagos or maybe she felt she didn't need them. She had a lot to do at the farm that morning as the next day was Itam market. She needed to gather crops ra

am." She said calmly p

me co

jumped in from the stack of bamboo stems." She lowered her basket and p

ht be h

dru

and water leaves down to were Emaido planted the melons." She walked up to th

ed for mama's response when none came she stood upright and started movi

fter Mfon but stopped halfway when she reemerged. "Please let's be here together,it was a snake th

ma.

hey say is a

working. "Mfon sent her regards to

n did she say s

he 23

idn't tell he

dn't I

t have, just let

er she asked about her

thing she seriously took into consideration. She couldn't have had the courage to give her consent for the marriage to hold if at all Imo was serious with her daughter, except that he mist

,birds where chirping from the tree top in a nearby farm notwithstanding,the rustling of the dry leaves were still heard. Emem was still inside her room though she'd managed to leave her door open. Emaido went

."Come out, I heard you wer

what is the problem?" Em

nored her greetings and attempted to go into the hous

t and that's because she's a calm woman. Look at me,look at my face," She pointed two fingers to her face. "I'm not calm" she said with a snarl an

lots of jewelries, clothes and shoes including money. Her only worthless son was Inyene the drunk,he mostly slept in the gutter every night and during the day he went about stealing people's farm produce. Mama Emaido always overlooked and avoided her troubles she equally adviced her children to stay out of any thing that might lead to a misunderstanding with her but that night, Emaido was not ready to condone her as usual. Mama had returned to the house to be welcomed by the bruised Mrs Unyime,she sat with her legs stretched on the ground and wailed. Her lips were busy laying curses now and again with her finger pointing towards m

. She placed it outside and called on Emem her daughter,her response

ood mor

morning. Mfon will use the remaining stew to prepar

need to buy three different

er I've sold out a few of these." She p

d for ea

her head. After she had laid the basin on her head,they walked side by side to the main road. Emem waved down a keke rider

ama Emaido stretched out and whis

She smiled.

say that, pl

s m

ans in their hand and another metallic object with which they they struck continuously as they danced and hailed the masked men.When she got to the house,she could smell the aroma of sweet jollof rice cooked with scent leaves. After she'd talked for a while with E