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1989 Words
Everything went back to normal as soon as Mrs Chima came back,Helene got well while the other kids resumed school.
It was fun again.
"Hey!!!!"Clara heard behind her back as she felt a hand wrap around her shoulder.
She tilted her head recognizing her,"patience!"
"Yuppy??!!!"the dark looking girl responded grinning from ear to ear.
"What's up with you,why the broad smile??what's funny??"She eye rolled gently pulling off her hands.
"Nothing,how's your sister??, you guys missed school and church last week"she questioned.
"Not like the school is better place,or the church an interesting one"She scoffed murmuring to herself.
"Huh??"
"Nothing.....she's fine now, she'll come to school with my cousin"came her sharp response.
"Ohh...I see"she mouthed.
They strolled down together as they chatted, patience kept of gabbing which Clara wasn't finding funny but kept cool in other not to upset her.
***
"Maxwell who gave you money??"Helene asked in awe seeing her cousin buy stuff than expected.
"Is one aunty na"came his response as he munched in some sweets into his mouth.
"Hmm..."she hummed suspiciously staring at the amount of change given to him.
He turned facing his sister,"here's yours"he stretched his hand giving her a pack of biscuit and sweets which she reluctantly collected placing it into her bag.
"Maxwell,are you sure someone gave you this money??"she questioned again which got him frowning.
"Do you want to eat them or not??"he questioned back angrily,"fine fine,I'll eat it"she brushed it off dragging a sweet from his hand,"hey!you have yours!!!"he half yelled struggling to get it back from her."but you still have many inside your bag"she insisted as they both struggled to get the sweet.
"Fine!"he accepted defeat faking a frown,"I won't give you another one"
"Don't give me,I didn't beg you anyways"she smiled victoriously throwing the sweet into her mouth.
"Whatever!"he mouthed as they both strolled to school.
"Who gave you snacks??"Clara questioned immediately seeing Helene munching on different kind of sweet as she threw the wrap in the trashcan nearby.
"Oh Maxwell did,he bought it this morning and gave me some,it's very plenty"Helene commented with a smile.
"And who gave him money?"she asked.
"Oh according to him,a lady gave him"she replied less concerned.
"An aunty???,which aunty??,do you know the aunty??"She asked further..
"I don't ,he just gave me the sweets, here are some"she repliee opening her bag which got Clara gasping.
"Where did he get such amount from to buy this ??"Clara kept asking in disbelief.
"Hey hey!!!"Maxwell ran swiftly towards them looking all dirty and tattered.
"Today is just for play right???"Clara questioned immediately, irritated by his look.
"Come on sis,I'm a big boy"Maxwell responded posing with swag.
"Big dirty boy"came Helene's comment which got him scoffing.
"Uh jealous girl!"he stuck his tongue out.
"Maxwell who gave you money for sweets??"Clara asked immediately.
"Ohh about that.....a lady gave me..."
"That you did what for her??"she questioned again.
"I helped her put something on her head so she gave me one thousand"he replied stuffing his hands into his pocket.
"One thousand!!!!!!!!for just Help Maxwell!!"she half yelled."you don't believe me??"he asked.
"Hmm,not like I don't believe you but...."she thought for a while,"no problem then,since it's a thank you reward".
"So where's my own share of the sweet??"She asked stretching her hands,"ohh when were going we'll buy some,but we'll finish it on the road so that mummy won't shout at us"he suggested.
"Ok no problem""she accepted as they all walked home together.
Later that night .....
"Ah ah....where's the money I kept inside this bag??"Mrs Chima questioned disorganizing the house in fraustration.
"I know I kept it inside here..."she muttered.
"Mummy what happened?"Francis questioned looking perplexed with the situation at home.
"I kept money inside this bag but can't find it"
"Did you take any money from my bag??"She questioned.
"No I didn't"came his response.
"Then.....wait, call other children here for me"she ordered flinging some clothes to the ground
"Ok"he ran off coming back with the rest.
"Did any of you take money from my bag today???"She asked disturbed.
"Huh no"Annabella responded.
"No ..no....."came others in unison as they all stood clueless of what was going on.
"Oh God,which money would I use to cook this night?"Mrs Chima sat down frustrated,she placed her forehead on both palms..
"Mum how much is missing??"Clara questioned.
"One thousand"she responded.
Clara and Helene exchanged looks and then ar Maxwell who was already fidgeting with the hem of his shirt.
"Maxwell you have money right??,why not lend it to mummy"Clara suggested.
"Huh?"he questioned looking dumbfounded,"yeah I remembered you said you had money this morning,so why not give it to mummy,I bet she'll give it to you back when she has it"Helene Concord.
"How much do you have max??"Mrs Chima asked..
"Uhm....it's remaining five hundred,I ..I.. haven't used it,it's....it's in my bag,lemme get it"he stuttered running off .
"How much does he have before it became five hundred??"Mrs Chima questioned perplexed.
"I don't really know,I saw Helene with sweetest today,and when I asked her she says max bought it for her,when he showed up too he said he'll get mine too....didn't bother asking how much he had since he said someone gave it to him as a compensation of helping "Clara explained.
"A compensation?"she questioned confused.
"Even two hundred naira is to big for a child of his age talk more of having five hundred!"Mrs Chima exclaimed.
"Ha mum...!!!!!,come on his not that small"Francis scoffed.
"He's nine nine years already "he added.
"And so???...let him come first"she concluded adjusting herself.
"Here's it "Maxwell came in smiling.
"Maxwell you said how much were you given before it got to five hundred naira??"Mrs Chima questioned.
"Ohh ..that...."he scratched the back of his head felling sweaty.
"Oh that what?!!!"Mrs Chima half yelled.
"Well I helped a lady,so she gave me the money...mummy I swear I didn't want to take it but she insisted I took it since I helped her and that's it"he blabbed.
"And you expect me to believe that??,in this hardship??in this kind of island???"she questioned further.
"Mummy that's the truth,I....I...she...sai....said she'll give me more next time if she sees me too...I'm.not lying"he further explained.
"If you see the lady would you know her??"she asked.
"Ye I will,but I don't know if she's here for now because she seemed to be traveling today "he explained further.
She seemed to be traveling today??? -She thought inwardly.
"Wait you said traveling,how did you know??,infact when did you meet this lady??"She asked.
"Eh...it's this morning,and she board a bike that instant too,so I helped her with some load.....so. ..so...."
"Maxwell keep quite this instant!!!"Mrs Chima yelled angrily.
"You're lying!"she added.
"Mummy I'm not lying ....I ...."
"Maxwell! Before I loose my temper,tell me where you got this money from! Right now!!!"She added tieing her wrapper properly as she took a belt nearby.
"Eh ..uhm.....eh....mu....mummy....ehn...the thing is....eh....I.."
"Maxwell!!!!!!!!!"She called out.
"Yes please??"he responded sharply.
"Don't even dare yes please me!,where did you get this money from??"She questioned folding the belt more accurately ready to flog him.
"I sold avocado "he replied lowering his gaze instantly.
"I don't understand,you sold avocado of how much ?"
"Ehn one thousand "he replied.
"Wait wait ... Max!you said you sold avocado of ONE THOUSAND???!!!!!!!!"She questioned.
"Ehn yes"
"To who??"
"Ehm it's one aunty that used to buy all....you know that aunty when normally buy lemon from??"he questioned which got her nodding in affirmations.
"Ehm yes they aunty,she bought all,and ....and....I used some of the money to eat in school with Helene and Clara....ehm..eh..."
"Just SHUT UP MAXWELL!!!"Mrs Chima yelled out in range.
"Let's go and meet that aunty you sold the avocado to because all this nonsense you're speaking I don't understand them"Mrs Chima stood up angrily as all the kids watched in awe and confusion.
"Alright let's move NOW!"Came her command as Maxwell sluggishly dragged his feet following her behind.
*
*
"Hahahahha so mummy Maxwell stole the money right???"David I'm interrupted her story as she chuckled.
"Yes he did!....my mum later found out after so many excuses from him,well he go the beating of his life too"Miss Clara responded.
"What happened next??......just tell of us from where Grandma took him,I don't want to miss any spice from it "David grinned swinging his legs happily.
"Silly you!then don't interrupt again else I'll stop"she warned snickering as she placed the form on the plate properly.
"My mum didn't go easy on Maxwell because she knew the boy was a born liar,so arrogant,annoying,a maniac,a thief and deceiver all in one one soul"she explained.
"Woah that's a lot,he must be so notorious"Angel exclaimed,now interested in th story as she had dropped her phone long ago.
"Yes a very notorious one at that "she replied.
"Well mum too him to the lady....."
*
*
*
"Maxwell is this the lady??"Mrs Chima angrily asked holding the little bit tightly on his trouser in other not to escape.
"Ah madam what happened??"The curious lady ran out of her shop confused about the whole scene.
"Abeg no vex oh,my pikin sell avocado give you??"Mrs Chima questioned in pigin since that's the best language used in such a place.
"Ehm ..yes he did,last week and I warned am not to com again cos e like to com bring am everyday,so I tell to stop say e risky, because here no be place wey pikin suppose waka up and down"the lady explained which got Mrs Chima more enranged and confused.
"Maxwell!!!!"she yelled his name turning to his direction.
"Y...yes ...ple....."
"If you YES PLEASE me again eh......"She slapped him hard on the cheek which got him sliding to the ground roughly.
"Ah madam take am easy!!!"the Lady exclaimed rushing to hold Mrs Chima who was already moving to hold Maxwell again.
"Ohh please don't worry about us,thank you for the information "She responded not caring if the lady understood or not.
She grabbed Maxwell up,"so are you ready to tell me who gave you that money or not?"She questioned.
"Madam how much be that??"...the lady questioned confused on everything going on.
"Ah don't worry it's nothing"Mrs Chima turned to her smiling sweetly to avoid more questions as she took Maxwell out of her shop immediately.
"Mummy I'm sorry...."he kept pleading struggling to pull off from her grip,"I won't do it again,I'm sorry"
"Maxwell don't sorry me!,just tell me who gave you this money??!"she half yelled in anger.
"Ehm....ehm..it's deaconess"he replied rubbing his cheeks.
Deaconess??...ha let it not be this child used the contribution money to buy things o - she muttered to herself bitting her lips in regrets.
"Oh God!but why would she give a small child that amount,why not Francis!!"she muttered to herself.
"And when did deaconess give you the money?"she questioned again.
"Ehm this morning,mummy I'm sorry for lying before "he apologized,his deceitful eyes pooping out like a puppy.
Mrs Chima hummed staring at him for a while..
"Let's go to deaconess and be sure!"came her response after a short while.
"Yes let's go!but mummy..... she's the one that gave me the money "he defended still pleading.
"I know lemme confirm first!"came her response as they both walked to the deaconess house a long side Francis who just watched in awe.
Note:
Translation from pigin to English:
Abeg no vex oh,my pikin sell avocado give you? - please don't be offended, did my child sell avocado to you?
Ehm ..yes he did,last week and I warned am not to com again cos e like to com bring am everyday,so I tell to stop say e risky, because here no be place wey pikin suppose waka up and down - ehm yes he did,last week and I warned him not to com again because it's quite risky plus this place isn't a place where a child should roam about unnecessarily.
Ah madam take am easy - ah please take it easy ma'am
Madam how much be that? - how much is it ma'am??
Thanks for your time,I really appreciate XOXO,I hope you keep reading.
- Writer
