The devil's Cathedral

Maybe he's here

•••

Shola and Clare enjoyed each others company on their way home. While whole did most of the asking, Clare did the replying. When they got to the junction that led straight to the cathedral, Clare pleaded with Shola so they could use another route but should decided to act petty. He wanted to know why she wouldn't use the easy and short route but after the little argument he agrees and they laugh it off. As they continued their journey, Shola asked her what her problem with the cathedral was. He reminded her of what happened in the morning during the mass celebration where he saw her act weirdly. The smile on Clare's face disappears after hearing the question and she replies him that it's nothing. Shola was smart enough to notice her mood swing and tries to ease the moment by cracking a joke about him not liking the cathedral too. " you know, it's okay if you don't like the cathedral, who cares?, I don't like it too especially that spooky faced Bishop" said he. She laughs lightly and smiled at Shola. Shola told her it was his grandma that usually forced him to go for masses, he really didn't believe much in all those things and then clare cut him short saying she believes it all.

Shola ignores that as they continue but getting to Shola's house she told him she can't also follow the path that crosses the semi-detached house. Shola is surprised at what she said and a bit confused so he asked her why but she said it was the same reason she can't follow the cathedral path. He then told her the semi-detached house was his and she turned to him in disbelief, "you live here?" She asked, "yh! Why?" Shola retorted and she said it's nothing. Clare tries to take in the new discovery as she told shola goodbye and continued alone. Shola is surprised at the whole thing that just happened but just walks to his house while thinking of it all.

•••

When he stepped into his apartment, he heard his granny singing in the kitchen in yoruba, he just dropped off his bag on the dining table and goes in to greet her. When she saw him, she was delighted, so he was welcomed with a bone crushing hug but in his discomfort asked her if he isn't too old for that and she responded saying "boys never get too old for their mama". " Go get yourself cleaned up and ready to eat am almost done preparing launch" she said. Shola left the kitchen, took his bag from the dining table and headed for his room. When he got to his room, he took a while to stare at the door his granny was looking at earlier in the morning before entering his own room. When he stepped into his room it was like what a normal teenage boy's room would look like with all his clothes scattered on the untidy and undressed bed. His table was filled with I arranged books, coming down to the floor, footwears were just not in place, the room was in total disarray and to top it all, he tossed his bag on the floor as he entered, pulled his clothes and took it to the laundry basket that was piled up already with dirty clothes and underwear. He moved straight to his reading table but before he could pick a book to read, granny calls him out for launch. When the both were eating, granny told him that she saw him with her (Clare). Shola stopped eating because he knew what his grandma was about to do and it always upset him. She continued telling him him to avoid her and even asking him if he had collected his coat from her. Shola said he already got the coat but she should stop all this her accusations because Clare was just a friend. On hearing this mama freaked out in anger and shouted "just a friend ehnn? Just a friend Shola? Someone you just met this morning is already a friend?" But shola didn't say anything, granny continued "since your parents passed an the only one you've got and you have to listen to me, I just want only what's best for you" in her expression of pity and authority at the same time. "But how do you know what's best for me?" shola asked, "I know you want the best for me and you're trying to do what's right but am fine mama"; she looked at him and said slowly in a low tone " yh! I'm trying to do what's right but you know, when you're doing the wrong thing, the devil doesn't disturb you, he just be like 'this one is mine already, no stress' but the moment you're doing the right thing, he's gonna come for you with everything he's got" "I guess the devil is gonna come for you?" Shola asked but she looks at him deeply and answered "maybe he's already here" and there was a minute of silence between the two as they just look at each other with concern and granny breaks the moment by saying "eat up! Don't worry much". She stood up and left him there alone.