The Habit

Chapter 9

Chioma got to her house but her mum wasn’t back yet so she opened the door with her own spare key and got in and went straight to her room.

"Thank God there is light as she took off her uniform and head to the bathroom for a cold shower.

She got out after cooling her head for 5minutes, then she put on a baggy jeans and a sleeveless native shirt as she looked at her window which was little opened.

She shut it down completely before emeka will enter their like criminal again.

"Let me see what I can eat"(she said) as she slammed her door and head straight to the kitchen.

She opened the fridge which looks little empty,she brought out a carton of corn flakes,milk and a bottle of sugar.

She mixed them all together with a chilled water in a bowl,she cupped two spoons in her mouth as she head to the living room to enjoy her meal.

She switch on the TV and changed the channel from African magic which was her mum favorite channel and that was what miss charity was watching last night.

She changed it to her favorite channel(nickoledeon) as she sat back enjoying her meal under the fast moving fan that was almost cool like AC.

10minutes later,

She was done eating as she stood up to return her bowl when the door opened.

She looked and saw her mum carrying a heavy sack on her hands,

"Mummy good afternoon" (She said) as she dropped her bowl and rushed to help her with the sack.

"How are you chioma"? she said.

"Fine"(She replied) as she brought out a branded nylon from the sack.

"Sorry I came late,I had to buy this", Mr Smart said.

"I should give you this (handing chioma the nylon).

She collected it and peered inside the nylon and saw some snickers and clothes.

"Wow all this for me" (she yelled).

"Do you like it" ( she asked her as she rested her body on the sofa).

"Are you kidding me"?,I love it( she replied).

"pls get me cold water"(he said).

She entered the kitchen and poured a cold water in a cup as she gave him to drink.

"Let me keep this inside first"(chioma said) as ahe took the nylon to her room and dropped them on her bed.

"I will check them later" (she said) as she head back to the living room.

When she got there she took the sack to the kitchen with her bowl, she rinsed her bowl and returned her bowl and spoon back where she took it.

"So what about Mr Smart or should I say dad (she said) making her mum laugh.

"Well he’s probably at work now I guess"(she replied).

"Was he married before" (chioma asked ).

"Yes he was married but now divorced because of a little issue,so he stays alone with his 4yrs old son"(she explained).

"Really" (she said, sitting up).

"He has a son"?, what his name?.

"Junior"(she replied).

"Wow I would love to see him" she said.

"Chioma am tired now,enough questions"(she said) as she got up and went to her room to rest for a while.

"It had always been chioma dream to have a junior brother but thought it would never come to pass as her father left her mother before she was born after she told him she was pregnant and he denied and told her to abort the pregnancy, she cried day and night, so one day she went to his house and she was told he no longer lives there anymore,she felt depressed and rejected as her friends mocked her,her parents never gave up on her,after she gave birth to me after 9months,she wrote her jamb and gained admission to unilag which was my dream university also, like mother like daughter, she took me with her to school as I was in the lecture class with her everyday till graduated and she had her NYSC,while I was also going to school,lucky enough she got a good paying job where she worked till now as a teacher",that the story of my mother.

She was still deep in thought on the couch as she fell asleep.

She woke up by clattering of plates she heard beside her.

She turned her head and saw her mum serving her food on the table.

"You have finally woken up"(she called from where she was).

"I thought you will sleep there till morning" she added.

Chioma jerked up and went to join her mum at the table.

"Oh God is it every night we will be eating Eba"?( she said as she stump her feet on the floor).

She looked at her mum’s face expecting her to reply but she kept swallowing in an annoying way without even looking at her.

"Am not even eating"( chioma said) as she pushed her plate forward.

"If you like eat if you like don’t eat it not my business,by the time you are hungry, you won’t think twice"( she said).

She had no choice as the aroma kept battling with her nose, she just washed her hands and started eating.

She finished eating and took her plate to the kitchen sink together with her mum’s own, she looked at the wall clock(7:o’clock ),she felt tired and sleepy to watch anymore movies.

"Good night mum"(she said),good night (she replied) as her eyes was focused on her phone where she sat on the sofa.

She staggered to her room, flicked on her light and changed to her pyjamas when she heard a cough beside her.

HE.EEM..in shock she turned to look and found emeka(that beast) standing beside her door folding his arms.

She opened her mouth to scream as he quickly rushed to her and covered her mouth with his palm.

"shhh,pls don’t shout"(he whispered).

"Get your f**king hand off my mouth"(she yelled) as she pulled his palm away from her mouth.

"Chioma calm down"(he whispered again).

"I don’t want to hear any crap you want talk about you thief,how the hell did you even enter my room"? she said(raising her voice and pushing him on his chest).

"Do you think you can just enter my room as you like ( she said,with her hands on hips).

"Look chioma I know I don’t have the right to enter your room but can you pls just hear me out"(he said) as he knelt down pleading.

"God",(as she walked to her door with her hands hitting her head and she came back to him).

"Emeka are you mad"?(she yelled).

"Okay fine am going"(he said) with his hands up in the air,and he got up and head to the window

before he jumped down he turned.

"Chioma I just came back from the hospital for my blood test and my result says am HIV positive" as he took a photocopied paper and toss it to her on the floor.

"WHAT"?(she said in shock)and then he jumped down and ran out of her compound to the street in the dim darkness.

She woke up with sweat all over her face as her pillow was soaked with sweat, her heart was panting hard as she looked at herself, she was still on her shirt and baggy pants, she looked at her window which was still shut.

"Wow so this was only a dream" (she said) as she fell back on her bed and stare at her ceiling deep in thought.

She was sweating profusely because of the fan was off and the windows was shut.

She got up gently to pull up the window and switch on the fan.

She was on her way to the bathroom to wash her face when she heard rumpling in her stomach (calm down I will feed you) she said as she tapped her stomach.

While she was washing her face the dream flashed to her mind again,but what if the dream comes to pass(she thought in fear).

"Imagined myself with HIV,Slim body,always coughing,people staying away from me, “GOD FORBID”(she yelled),I can’t have HIV…(as she removed it from her mind).

She took her tooth brush and brush her teeth for about one minute, cleaned her face with a towel as she came out of the bathroom then her eye glanced at the nylon she brought yesterday,as some of the things in it came out to the floor.

"Let me see if this stuffs fit me"(as she dropped the branded nylon on the bed.

She tested the shoes which were two pairs, she don’t have time to change her clothes on as she rested the clothes on her body to see how it fits as she stare at her wardrobe mirror.

"Wow this looks like a Korean dress"(she said).

She tested other shirts and some skirts and jeans…

the noise in her stomach erupt again.

"Okay fine time to eat as she dropped the clothes in her wardrobe and head straight to the kitchen.

She fix herself her regular cornflake which she eat most times before breakfast,she was about switching on the TV then she heard a knock from the door.

"Coming" (she yelled) as she ran to the door, she didn’t bother checking the keyhole as she opened and she saw emeka standing with two cartons of malt and one carton of indomin in a wheelbarrow (truck).

The fact that he was carrying this things he dresses nice,wearing a leather jacket and chinos with a nice perfumes she could perceive.

Immediately she saw him her heartbeat increased as she remembered her DREAM.

He noticed the shocked look on her face.

"CHIOMA,CHIOMA"(he called) as he waved his hands at her face.

"OH sorry"( she said) breaking herself from her thought.

"Emeka what are you looking for"(she asked with a frown).

"Your mum ordered for this so I was told to bring this here"(he replied),okay bring it in(she said) as she opened the door a little wider.

She carried the indomin carton and he carried the cartons of malt as she directed him to the kitchen where we dropped it.

"So how much is your money"(she asked) as they got to the living room.

"No don’t bother, your mum already transfered the money to our bank account"(he replied).

"Okay shut the door when you’re out"(as she walked to sit down).

"Chioma"?(he called),what?, she said(not looking at his direction and switching on the TV).

"Chioma am still begging you to…pls pls pls(She interrupted him).

"I know what you’re about to say,but I already told you am not interested final" she said.

"Chioma I can’t get you off my mind pls am sorry if I offended you before"(he said).

"Okay you know what"(she said) as she walked to the door and opened it widely,GET OUT(she said).

What?(he laughed),are you sending me out of your house?(he asked).

"No because you’re paying house rent here,better get out before I push you out myself"(she raised her voice).

Emeka walked to where his wheelbarrow was at the front of her door and he turned back to talk to me again, BUT.. and she slammed the door at his face.