When The Bully Falls in Love

f. Some graceful breeze glided through the window and she could not help but fee

insects and mosquitoes swooshed past a little above the upper floor. She knew how annoying

irst to wake up and last to get home. And she wondered how they maintained their health considering their busy life; even some of them didn’t eat

y worked like elephants but ate like ants. She never and would never endure such. It is why she would want to rel

of the uneducated that engaged in physical labour hardly thought beyond their stomach. So maybe, whatever paychec

otivated and less ambitious. And that could be exactly the opposite of herself. She noticed there was a deep cleavage between

ma Bisi and her daughter, she thought. The noise was becoming louder and louder so she dec

ed. And she would be ready to face the stupidity of her neighbours—as she had experienced on sever

eace Apparel’, to stop making peace unnecessarily even when violence should suffice. But she couldn’t endure the cry of thi

She put her left foot in the footwear somewhere behind the couch and made to wear the second when her phone beep

sfied so she struggled to spank her more but Emelda had come to her rescue; she stood in between them, blocking

o angry to tell her. Or was too annoyed with her intercession. Mama Bisi wished she had not come or had gone as quickly as she had come

was watching from a brief distance and screaming that she was a liar and

r. Emelda didn’t know what or who to believe. Mum had refused to tell her own version of

beautiful dots on her face, which Emelda wished secretly she had too. She wore her nicely-fit ski

the money? Mum could be right that she was lying. She was somewhere sixt

ast night?” Emelda had asked her this three times. She ha

a vigil,” she said

t you tell

t around be

dn’t leave a

She stood slanted with her left palm on her waist and each time she retorted, she did it with he

coming closer now, perhaps, to start pouncing on her again but

ever; unless you are not going to come back to this h

are with Bisi, so she de

, sloped. She had wiped her tears or was it Emelda that did it for her? She looked around the living room and observed with admirati

, Au

You should be coming

. My mother doesn’t treat

ur adulthood would be proud of. She wants the best for you. I cou

anced through the window.

n my way to the wedding” Emelda said but

ating her for saving her from Mum’s overprotectiveness. “Please, make sure you talk to my Mum before you leave, othe

m at your back,” Emelda chuckled

?” Bisi said, turning back. She was almost

inned and thought she

ur share” Bisi said and c

tion? She was supposed to be at her abode earlier. Probably a day before the ceremony. But her b

herself before dusk, then take a bike to her house in preparation for the bachelor’s night and afterwards p

e to the Ministry of Communication which was supposed to last for an hour at most but th

m her haggard look, and subtle lines at the edge of her eyes,

e released to mark out the event. Together with some balls, some of which children had begun t

sneaked a surreptitious glance at the audience and singlehandedly pulled the rope used to tie the balloons and all

ten and it always reminded her how cunning children could be and the extent they could go to achieve fun. She remembered rushing to get

d picked had begun to dwindle and she couldn’t just understand why. She knew it wasn’t because she was

hing her friend’s abode. She was a few strides away, and in order not

ies,” sh

hey ch

m with a stoop and walked past to meet the bride. But she heard some fragments of their conversation. On

at was not properly planned because it showed in his appearance that he looked hungry and wouldn’t feed himself sufficiently enough let alone add his daughter

hed but he didn’t, saying h

n. She took away my sweat, blood, and tears” he paused and raised his shoulders in obvious pride

ness transaction,”

is staff and put it down

entrate on her friend who was now blushing. The elders could be funny, Emelda observed;

they were not just discussing and laughing because they had gathered, they were happy o

some glittering oil on her long, creamy hairs, using a comb to straighten them, and some tiny th

some bright red lipstick and her lips were never as attractive. And then the person who would take care of her ears had been t

her shoulders and jolted her to consciousness. She wondered what she wa

vice as some contractors did and moved on without any iota of intimacy. They were her friends and should be more teasing

ewelry on you, Mar

e asked immediately as if she ha

t beautiful.

ou,” Mar

nately appreciative of the compliment than the bride. And Emelda

Maria” his father entered. “The mass

almost d

Hurry up,”

tional,” the lady fixing her ea

her head a bit. Her left ear was sloped so that

ad can’