Days became weeks and weeks became months, no one talked about what baba told us. We resumed
our normal life until Ope came visiting.
Ope is the younger sister of Kassim who came to seek for admission into Kogi State University, Ayangba.
Ope had made several attempts to secure admission into University of Ilorin but was unsuccessful. Toyin’s father was a senior lecturer in KSU and he had helped many of our friends relations
to get admission. Kassim advised Ope to come down to Lokoja so we can help her speak to Toyin to
speak to her father.
Ope’s visit was the beginning of revelations to the abomination that caged my marriage for over ten
years. Ope’s parent must have released her to us with the mindset that Kassim is now born again and
may have overcome his unspeakable weakness. The first two weeks of Ope’s stay was blissful. At least I
got someone we could gist together and play games together. Ope was lovely and friendly but very
hostile to her brother. Her hostility toward Kassim was my first worry but I couldn’t approach any of
them to explain the reason behind the hostility.
I was coming back from work one day and I overheard Ope shouting, “Brother, so you have not
stopped this evil”?. I should have stayed back a bit to hear which evil Ope was referring to but they both
pretended and composed themselves when I barged in on them. I managed to ask ” what’s going on
here?” But non of them responded, so I decided to let it go, after all they are brother and sister and they
can sort themselves out.
I left them in the sitting room and headed to the bedroom. In the night, I tried
asking Kassim what they were talking about that warranted that statement I heard from Ope but he
waved it off with a romantic kiss that made me forget to ask further Ope’s admission didn’t click on time and I thought that must be the reason for her recent emotional
changes. She became so moody and isolated this time unlike when she came newly. I really understood
because I have been there before and I knew how it felt. I left her alone after much attempt to make her
cheer up.
Ope began to lock herself up even when we were around. She will hardly come out for dinner
or do her regular chores. I told Kassim to let us buy Kogi State Polytechnic form for Ope instead of her
missing this year again but he refused. But can’t you see she’s losing her mind over this admission stuff?
I argued. There is still one admission list that will be coming out next week, I believe her name will be
there, Kassim was optimistic.
The life brought into my home by Ope became a shadow suddenly. I returned to my loneliness as usual
because my husband is not the talking type. We can be together in the house for several hours and he
won’t say anything. Most times, he only talks when I initiate it. His answers to my questions are always
in words and phrase, “yes”, “no”, “okay”, “alright”, “I will”, “Go ahead” etc. I can be so irritated
sometimes hence I spent more time with Toyin.
Why did Ope suddenly become moody?
Was it just because she couldn’t get admission or there is more to it?
The event that broke the Carmel’s back is in episode four…..
Please come back for Episode 4.
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