THE MIND AND THE THINKERS

Stella woke up early in the morning and did her devotion. She later went about doing her normal morning chores, and then realized her siblings were still sleeping. She went to wake her twin brothers first.

“Tobi, Toni! Wake up joor. You guys are almost late for school”.

Then she opened the door of her sister’s room and made a pitiful face. Mum took her to hospital two days ago. The doctor said she had fever; but she should be okay now, she was jumping up and down yesterday. She left her to continue sleeping though.

“Stella!! Stella!!!” Mrs. Johnson was having her breakfast downstairs

“I’m coming Ma” Stella replied

“I wouldn’t be coming back early today. I have to get some things from the market, so I’d be going straight from work. Make sure Grace finishes her food takes her drugs this morning and afternoon, you hear?” She looked at Stella and Stella nodded. I’m not sure Grace has enough strength to wash up this afternoon, so wash the morning and afternoon plates.”

No strength? Wasn’t it the same person that was jumping up and down the house yesterday? So now, she has to wash plates for her. Stella angrily looked at her sister sluggishly picking at her spaghetti. Grace looked up and raised one eyebrow. Stella nodded and mouthed a ‘you’ll see’.

It was afternoon and Stella was angrily washing the plates in the kitchen. Grace was sleeping in the sitting room; can you imagine? She can’t keep on being the good girl of the house that people just throw tasks at. Yes, she was going to break at least two plates and she wouldn’t wash the rest well. She nodded, affirming her motive.

It was night and Stella found herself standing in front of her Mum and Aunt.

“Why would you break my plates??!! Because I asked you to wash them for Grace? What nonsense!!” Mrs. Johnson was furious.

“Kemi, calm down”.  Aunty Seun said. “I’m sure it wasn’t intentional.”

“Calm down bawo? I can’t ask my children do something for me again in this house”

“Aunty Seun, yes, it wasn’t….”

“Shut-up!!!!” Aunty Seun shouted at Stella.

“Seun, in fact, she would follow you home. Since my daughter can’t obey me from her heart”. She folded her hands on her chest and looked at Stella. “You” She pointed fiercely at her daughter. “If you didn’t want to wash the plates, you should have told me. Don’t I have hands? Ehn! Or you think I can’t wash them myself. I’ll still deal with you”.

“Pele, Kemi. I’ll talk to her” Aunty looked at Stella and eyed her.

Follow Aunty Seun home? Stella was so happy. She was freer with Aunty Seun; but she didn’t understand why she was shouting at her. Aunty seun always supported her. Maybe she was just pretending. Anyways, she liked the idea. And as for Mummy; she’s sorry, honestly sorry. She didn’t want to be the good girl anymore, and she thinks it worked, except that mummy was still going to deal with her, she knew. Apart from that, she had earned a trip to Aunty Seun’s house.

Stella heard a noise at the window. She turned to see a lizard struggling with the net, as if it was trying to tell her, “Find location…….”. It was still afternoon and she had just finished washing the plates, unsuccessfully breaking some. At least they weren’t clean, she smiled.

She was about leaving the kitchen and a fresh anger poured on her. Not anger from washing the plates for Grace, but anger from the fact that she knew she still going to wash those plates again. That good girl attitude never left her. She turned back angrily.

Mummy had returned from work. She thanked Stella for washing the plates. Stella nodded and looked at Grace, she winked at her and Stella felt like slapping her, but couldn’t, she frowned. She was the good girl of the house.

“One day I’ll slap that girl” She told herself as she climbed up the staircase

“Shut up joor. You can’t do anything. When I was telling you not to wash the plates again, you still washed them” She frowned.