Expecting Winter

Expecting Winter

PART TWO

First, it was Mama with swollen eyes; then Papa was sorting piles of papers on the dinning table. I walked in just in time to hear him hiss in disgust. His breakfast of Akara and tea sat untouched on the table. I had to wonder sometimes how papa managed to swallow some of the weird food combinations he often demanded. Now that i thought about it, akara and tea couldn't be half as bad as the jollof rice and akamu he had days earlier. So much for someone who worked in a hospital. I let a sound excape my lips, papa' s reaction made me realise I had laughed.

" What is amusing you Kike or you don't know the gravity of what is about to come?" He hissed some more and focused on completing his herculean task.

"What is happening Papa? Mama says Winter is coming, I do not understand." I stated honestly, plastering a blank look on my 20 years old face while l left my hands akimbo.

"Mr. Winter is coming from Germany, he owns the hospital where I work. He's coming to shut it down!" That narration seemed to have drained him of life. I didn't have to ask further questions, Papa had been complaining that the hospital hasn't been making profit for over two years and each year payment of workers salaries have become even more difficult. Papa managed the hospital's account, it was obvious that the expenses incured over those two years has finally submerged the hospital in a sea of debts.

"I'm sorry Papa, you know I'm working on getting a job. We would definitely survive" I reassured borrowing his words from the previous night. Now i understand why Mama had been so sad about Winter's arrival. Who names their child Winter anyway? As much as I wanted to dissect the name and question it's origin, I had to get a job before Papa gets laid off and that was barely two weeks away.

After my Youth Service a year ago, Papa had insisted I got a job on merit without his assistance hence my hustle in the labor market. He knew a few individuals in top agencies but has blatantly refused to help say a word in my favor.

"Why did I pay all that money to see you through school, if you couldn't get employment on merit?" He would yell across the room. I scoffed. Papa doesn't realize this is Nigeria, he thinks all it took was just one family to make the difference. Good luck to us. I needed a job and I needed it fast!