Clear Vision.......

Into the woods....

"Fallen people, listen up.It's never too late to change your luck"..I sang while taking my bath , inorder to keep my mind from wandering back to my dream......After scrubbing up,I dropped my sponge and closed my eyes, letting the water just drip down my body, it helped to soothe my mind ...Yea just what I needed ...I stayed like that for like forever, seeming to recede from my present, when all of a sudden .......

”Jenn”!!!!...That's my brother, Robert trying to provoke me with his obnoxious way of calling my name like always...Yea he's around like always. Said he wanted to be here when I leave with my friends...I made a nasty throaty sound and stepped out of the shower, picked up my towel and wrapped round my petite self, picked up a bigger towel and wrapped round my hair...A friend in school once commented that was the only pleasant thing about me...So I have grown to be over_protective of my believed "worthy asset"....I went straight to the room, opened my wardrobe and stared at my clothes ,wondering which am wearing today and the prospective ones that might suit my adventurous motives...None!......Like what am I going to do?, I do not want to freak out but seriously am beginning to panic,,I don't want to look odd among my friends..I was still staring, when my door was yanked open by,,, ,,,I turned to see whom the recalcitrant fellow is.......

..."What the he........"I half_yelled ........

....."Mm mm...no cussing" said Joan my bestie who smiled her "one million dollar smile that makes you forgive her of any crime at all even if she obviously don't deserve it, I smiled back..."Hey" I said .

"Hey , are you ok ? mum said you had a very bad nightmare and here you are being jumpy and freaked out ...Do you need the trip canceled or postponed, I mean if you aren't ready yet we can wait" ??...

"No!...of course not. I am good . it was just a dream" I said while turning back to my shambled wardrobe hardly believing myself . "

"Ok? so what are you waiting for? you haven't packed anything, you are not even dressed and it is 1:30 she said looking at her wristwatch...And why are you still standing there ,do something"!...

"I don't know, just staring at my box of s**t"!..I said , gesturing to my clothes....For whatsoever reason which I can't relate to,my comment seemed to evoke laughter from Joan who laughed so much that I feared she might hurt one of her organs. I turned about to tell her to chill but looking at her vibrating with laughter, I had no choice but to join in. We laughed so hard that we ended on the bed. Some minutes later when our laughter died down, we didn't make a sound. Just laid supine staring at the the ceiling, none wanting to be the first to break the silence ...You know that moment when the earth looks like it's on a standstill and you are the only one existing?..I felt it...Inner peace.. I smiled ....

”Jenn”? Joan murmured

”Yea"?..I whispered in respond....

"You know, you are so funny and full of life...Very sweet and I wouldn't have asked for a better friend... I know you are jittery and still having conflict emotions concerning this trip but I need you to understand that, it's going to be alright. You remember that period in 5th grade when we always always snuck out of Mrs Berkeleys maths class coz of algorithm?..Oh my god ,you need to see how scared you looked back then, it was like your worst nightmare"..She said while laughing ...I had to laugh along to ,coz she was totally right ..."Yes" she continued ..

"Look what happened when she finally caught us and threatened to report us if we don't attend the class , we made it the top list J,...All because of you!...You are far smarter than you give yourself credit for and you will see the outcome if only you give yourself the chance to explore.......I love you so much and I need you to understand that I've gat you...We are in this together....We can do this.....Just like that algorithm class, we can smash this"....

"No..no Jo!..don't remind me of those horrible moments, it literally makes me feel like a bad person..Mrs Berkeley was so wrong"....I said laughing so hard tears leaked from my eyes ..."But,...I said pointing at her , you are right we did it. I know this is way not close to algorithm but we are doing it. I said nodding my head...And I love you soo much too Mushroom....come here"...I hugged her so tight ,tapping at her back like I do her little sis Maggie...When we finally broke the hug, we stood to pack up, she brought down my traveling box and I stuffed as much clothes as I can into it with other valuables from the vanity table as well as my toiletries....I put on my jumpsuit , combed my afro beaut and styled it to the best of my capacity to avoid tangles...Moisturized my face with my Fav "baby face moisturizer" put on my lip gloss and then I was ready to hit the road.....

We went downstairs to meet the entire family watching "Oprah's latest"...My bro looks like he's about to fall into his phone as usual while rubbing the furs of Bosby my lovely pet.Mum bickering all to herself about how she feels every woman deserves cuddles once upon a time..I rolled my eyes and yo!, there goes the grumpy old Adams, my Dad who just stares at the TV like he's actually interested when he's actually wishing he could run off to one of his friends house to continue arguing about "how the war of 1775, affected America's present democracy..Sometimes I wonder if they ever grow bored from reiterating that argument..Like there are tons of new arguments concerning America's present politics and they chose to die in one and one of 1775 for that matter???...Phew!!!.....Wonder.....And there reclined on the couch wishing to disappear already are my buddies Marvin and Drew who immediately jumped up to scoop me off the ground engaging me in a squash_like hug that I nearly fainted from shortage of breathe, I had to tap out before they finally released me giggling like two year olds ...I understood their pains and the cause of their happiness....I am like their messiah whom has come to save them from my acclaimed weird family..Mehn Jenn, you look hot!...Can we go now??....Drew said smiling and pleading with his eyes for us to run away already...I was about to say yes..But mum beat me to it....

"Go where"???...Not yet!, you bunch should get your asses to the dining table!,you are having lunch before leaving, go on, I'll serve ...

”No Ma, I mean we are ok ,time is against us"...Marvin spoke up....

"Young man your opinion is not necessary ,just do what I said"......We all looked at each other and moved towards the dining without further ado....

"You too Chuks and Rob", mum shouted instructing Dad and my bro...Who moved to the table on cue.......I laughed inside..wondering how Dad and mum found themselves. Like they're perfectly suited ,,they read them selves like an open book and knows when not to brook any argument but to simply obey....

"What's funny J"?..my bro asked making me realise I was actually smiling sheepishly...Nothing I said regaining my composure...I looked at my friends pleading with my eyes for them to bear with me ....

Mum soon came in and I helped share the food and then everyone delved in....The only sound heard was the clattering of spoons on plates while we ate...After food ,dessert was served.. We all ate in silence...By then, we were all relaxed ...

I was about to sip my juice when Dad asked "Where are you going to"??..I literally choked on my juice out of shock,, precipitating cough from me ..wait what!?..Did Dad just ask me that? or did I just imagine that question??.....Did my super_unconcerned Dad just ask me that?....

"Jenn"?...My mum probed...

"Yea..yea...I ..I.." I looked at my Dad and then Drew begging him with my eyes to rescue me from this one...

"To the countryside...In in......"

"Florida!..." Drew said at once....I exhaled air of relief from my lungs ...

"Yea. Florida" I put in, faking laughter while tapping Joan as well as making eye with her to play along......My family was just staring at all of us ..I was still smiling and making that "do you believe it" face ..When Dad laughed too shocking us all...

"Florida"?? He asked ...."That's nice ..I heard you are writing a book"...Before I could respond I heard.....

"Yes!....That was Marvin, I turned and looked at him ..

"A book"? I asked,

"what book"?....

"You know the book we talked about" he said looking pointedly at me...Getting the plot, I smiled feigning just remembering..

"Yea... yea.... the book on "Countryside explorer" yea a book indeed...Yea Dad am definitely writing a book"..All the while thinking which method am going to employ in killing Marvin for putting in this so called "book saga" coz knowing my Dad very well he never forgets ,that might very well be the welcome song he sings for me at my return..Now I have to write a book...Grrrrrrrrgh....What is this???..I automatically lost my appetite........

The thing is I have always had passion for books and always wished I could write one, during the "say what you wish but haven't done" game, I told my dearly beloveth friends, since then my dear friends has been pestering me about realizing my so called wish..I guess this is a ploy to get me on it.. I looked at Drew and gave him the Dracula face sign for "Am going to kill you", which he responded by doing the "Odeshi" sign.....What!!! I taught them that!....It is actually a Nigerian sign for defensive response meaning you weren't affected by your opponents attack or threat....And he just used it on me!..I am so pained.....Now I have to write a goddamn bookkkkkkkkk....I mentally screamed...

"You know Jenn, I feel you are finally finding yourself, this is a good trip after all"...He said standing up and leaving the dining. Typical of my Dad. Man of few words....

"Woo oo"!!!!. My brother screamed ....Making me jerk from my chair in panic...

"What is wrong with you Rob"!....

"Oh sorry he said. Just a song".

"Then behave. You don't have to scare us out of our wits coz of your overrated music, oh my god I nearly had a heart attack" mum said clutching her chest dramatically while readjusting her self from where she flew to when he shouted ..My friends were obviously having a good time from the humorous nature of our situations that I had to withhold my self from bursting out too.....Mum regained back her composure like the self acclaimed queen she is and resumed sipping her wine and flipping through her usual "Everyday magazine", that keeps her up her toes about modern fashion trends and women's modern business...

Robert stood up abruptly, bade me farewell and left, after hugging me of course ,he never misses that....I smiled...Of course am going to miss him badly ..He is one of the very things that makes me smile around here, though he can be super annoying but he is sweet too when he isn't listening to his famous boring musics. I had to make him leave with Bosby .she's so sweet and I wish I can take her along but I can't .For reasons beyond me, she seems to always know when am leaving the house ..She hardly let's me go, she'll whine and coo till I might just break down or have to take her along. Since yesterday night she has been tailing me about... She knows. So Rob whom happens to be her second fav has managed to divert her attention at least till I leave....

As though mum just woke from sleep, she dropped her magazine ,took off her spectacles and exhaled....She looked at me and said the unbelievable words....... ...

"Jenn, my darling child, I know sometimes you feel that you are being neglected by your Dad and I, but I just want you to know that we love you so much and really want the best for you. No parents will want their child to be a failure. That is why we push you beyond what you feel are you limits coz my dear child your abilities are limitless and you just need to tap into it....Take a blind delve and see what happens....Take this trip seriously, you might never know what happens, just try to become a better version of you, do all the things you wish to do that you feel we prevented you from doing ...And by the time you return, I want to meet a better version of my daughter..Just know that your family loves you so much"...She stood and beckoned on me for a hug, which I stood immediately and delved into her arms like my life depends on it, without meaning to I started weeping like a baby . I mean this is the mum I've always wanted. The cooshy_coosy huggy mum.....If taking regular trips will bring out the best in my mum and I relationship, then am in for this.......

."It's ok" ...she cooed all the while gently patting my hair. For the first time in my life I felt home at home. When we finally parted, I felt so embarrassed to have fallen apart in from of my friends whom were grinning ear to ear that I had to cover my face with my hands...

"I didn't know you cried Jenn, it's alright, you are actually cute when you do that...Maybe I'll have to make you cry always to bring out the cuteness in you"...Drew said laughing....

"Oh shut up , don't be dramatic Drew".. I said amidst tears and laughter...

"Ok kiddos,,you guys are going to be good and make sure no stirring up of troubles, no drugs, no touching of my daughter"..That elicited coughing and ewwww's from my friends who were obviously embarrassed....Yea, this is my real mum resurfacing....

"Am serious...You guys should be very careful and enjoy your trip!”.....With that mum left us to clear the table and prepare before they'll accompany us to the car.....

After we must have cleared up, we took our bags to the car and packed them up, trying to hurry coz Joan's boyfriend Greg called, to inform us on his location, so we were in a hurry to meet up...I hurried upstairs quietly to avoid attracting Bosby to my presence by my scent....I told my parents we were leaving and then they came down and accompanied us to Marvin's car... We all filed in, uttered final goodbyes and then off we go to our life changing trip...

I don't know, but leaving my family wasn't as fun as I thought it to be...I already missed them. Since I was a child I haven't really gone far from my family. This is my first and I always had this vision of how this day was going to be...I threw an imaginary party, and danced under the rain celebrating. Even if it's a momentous separation to mark my freedom to finally be who I want and do whatever I want without my parents snoopy observation and judgmental opinions but now that it has been handed to me on a platter, I can't seem to find any joy in it, talk more of celebrate leaving them...I miss my grumpy Dad, my ever_perfect mum, but most especially Rob and Bosby..I guess I got used to them over the years that I just realized...Today was no ordinary day to me and I really want to implant it into my heart forever and never forget . My Dad and mum showed me another side of them I never really knew existed, ok yes I knew it existed but not towards me..I always felt it was always about Rob. Rob this , Rob that. They always made me feel like I never existed. Pouring all their love on Robert, which made me walk in his shadow. Being happy that he in return showered his love on me. Always encouraging me to be strong and ignore our parents but often times I felt like he was just tryna make me feel good.

But today?.....Today was phenomenal..Yeah!.....Am going to put in my best in this trip to make Dad and Mum so proud of me too...Robert did, so I'll too....I snuggled into Joan, whom in return hugged me close...."Are you ok"?....She asked..

"Yea..I just miss them so much".... I responded.....

"It's Ok, before you know it, you will be back. They'll be alright, so fret not". she said and kissed my forehead while reassuring me...I snuggled in the more...

I was awaken by noise of people's voices, and then noticed Joan tapping me awake.

"Wake up Jenn, we are at Greg's" ...

"Oh" ..I jumped awake, it's true...we are supposed to pick Joan boyfriend Greg...He came into the car meaning I've been sleeping for long I didn't even notice him pack his bags in...He climbed to the back, then Joan had to join him leaving me all by myself. ....Drew looked at me and smiled I smiled back and fluffed my duvet which I've brought out from my bag on the sit and laid on it...Wow this is gonna be one hell of a lonely trip....

"Hey am sorry I have to stay with Greg ,will you be ok "?...Joan asked...Oh the ever sweet Joan ....

"Yeah I will". I made a hand sweeping gesture and laid down ....

"She's going to be just fine"..... Drew said and tried to grab my cloth which I slapped away laughing..

"Arsehole...Mind your business and let me sleep in peace" ...I said ....

"Ouch am hurt"... Drew said, making the broken heart sign with his hand on his chest and feigning pain after which he started chatting with Marvin... I smiled and closed my eyes...The thing is that Drew had the thing for me, I know but I have never given him the impression that I return his gesture, so I always avoid any situation that might create such scenario........Behind me I can hear the two lovers making some nasty kissing sounds...I bought out my ear pods and put them on raising the volume to 100% ..Wow this is going to be one hell of a long trip.......

.