Chapter 2

There was this big church in our locality then. Over five thousand worshipers every Sunday. Another perfect place for vices really. I mean, how many people were actually going there to serve God? I know some who go there for business purposes (Sister Ola worked there for a while). Sales of food was only second to the tremendous sales of snacks and drinks. It seemed some people just went there for the purpose of eating. Then, there were those people who went there for the beauty trills.

It had beautiful flowerbeds and nice structures that made perfect backdrop for photographs and tents that was the perfect place to catch up with friends. The painful part was that all these were done mostly during the church services. If you happened to be in the church for one of their evening services, you will discover that the lighted walkways of trees and flowerbeds made for a very romantic atmosphere, setting the mood for young and even older men sometimes who take the opportunity of a truly romantic environment to woo their prospective brides or girlfriend or even side chicks.

Anyways, this beautiful, aesthetically pleasing place was where I graduated to the next phase of my falling apart.

Because of the stealing thing, mum had lost so much confidence in me and my sisters were not ready to risk their friendships and connections on my behalf. I don't blame them really, since they have tried talking to me and advising me several times. Its not really my fault too. I just couldn't change. But the problem now was that, I needed to work.

My father was not dead and we could talk to him whenever we wanted but he didn't send or provide money for our upkeep anymore so we were left to fend for ourselves. I personally think he got another wife and mum doesn't want to tell us! Or maybe she doesn't even know!

Sister Ebun got a part-time Job as an office assistant (far above her qualifications if you ask me, but she has always been lucky) at this big advertising firm almost at the same time she gained admission into UNILAG to study computer programming. She got the job through one of those parents who wished her to be their daughters role model and the pay was handsome. Her job at the company helped her pay for school and even assist mum with some of her bills. She worked there throughout her studies but it didn't affect her grades as she graduated with a second class upper. She was then promoted to work in their design department. She was doing well financially but refused for me to stay with her probably because of complaints of stealing or misbehavior from Mum. She however claims that she is not asking me to stay with her because she doesn't want mum to be alone.

Sister Ola got a scholarship through one of those literary contest she always participated in to study English and Literary Studies in the University. She graduated with Honors and Mum was really proud of her. She works in a publishing house and stays with Sister Ebun.

My sisters are literally beacons of perfection so you can understand my jealousy and why I wanted to go to school and do well too. Mum had wanted sister Ebun to study medicine in the university but that wasn't what she got in for. Mum was secretly disappointed and wanted at least one of her girls to be a doctor and so I decided I was going to do it. I will be the one to make mama proud and make my father come back home. I was out to impress and since I wasn't talented enough to get a scholarship or lucky enough to get a "way paver", I took the next steps available. Getting a job.

I joined a student group among the worshipers (I wasn't even a member but I have heard stories about members getting scholarships and monetary aid and wanted to try my luck) despite mum's protests that she didn't like the dressings of the worshipers at the church. I tried persuading her, telling her that I was going there to serve God and I was not going there to look at the worshipers there but God. You see, my mum was a staunch Christian and says that we have all been covenanted to serve God. I knew she would never get in my way if I told her I was going there to serve God. I said all the right things, and I got my way.

I made a group of friends there quickly but it was clear to all that these friends of mine, though in the same serving group that I was, were only there to mingle. Through one of them, I got a job at The Kings and Queens Montessori. I felt I was doing everything right at that time. I got what I was after. The pay was not much because I had only my school leaving certificate and even that had some issues because I didn't make my Physics and Mathematics but I was working and I was getting paid. That was enough for me. The job was for the position of an assistant teacher but I was mostly required to assist the pupils, not the teacher. Who knew little children were so exhausting... hmmm!

We close as early as 2pm at the school so I could still come home to help mum run errands and do whatever house chores I skipped in the morning. Even though she didn't really appreciate the idea of my working, she didn't complain much. Everything seemed to be going smoothly, until we got a new teacher at the school.

Mr. Jaiyeola Daniels had been posted to the school by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). He was fair-skinned, tall and handsome and he knew it. He liked to be called JD (pronounced Jaydee) by his friends or Teacher Jay by the students. A lot of the female staffs, fell in love at first sight. I am ashamed to say that I wasn't exempted in this senseless falling. My heart always skipped anytime he was in any kind of close proximity to me. If he called my name, even if only to ask if I have extra marker, I always felt like the queen of the world. He was my everyday dream.

As my first official crush, I couldn't stop dreaming about him, even during the day. He had a habit of staying back after school hours to write his lesson plans for the next day and I soon became one of the teachers that stayed behind after school as well. Not that I had any plan to write since I wasn't really teaching, but I needed to stay back if only to assure myself that the other four female teachers staying behind for the purpose of talking to Mr. Jay didn't get much closer to him than I did. Of course, this raised serious issues at home with my mother.

I started skipping house chores in the morning so I could go to work early and maybe see and talk to him before the start of the school day and I stayed late to see if I could walk home with him after work every day. This does not mean that I was always successful but if you know how crushes work, you would know that I wouldn't have had it any other way.

This went on for quite some time till mum felt she had had enough and this couldn't continue. Not that I blame her. I was practically useless at home. I stopped sweeping, fetching water, cooking, washing dishes or even washing my dirty clothes. I had resorted to taking clothes from my sisters' boxes and mum's shop to wear to look presentable since all my clothes were dirty. My stealing also started in earnest because I had to impress. I sometimes bought food for him so I could compete with the other female teachers bringing food from home for him.

Hence, mum decided, it was enough. It was time to quit the job. Knowing fully well that there was no way I would willingly quit my job, she went to the school to meet the proprietress and explained some of what I had been doing to her. She also collected my salary for that month to pay back all the money I had stolen from her (not that it was enough to cover it).

I was devastated with the loss of my job. I started doing some 'disappearing magic'. One minute, I'm sweeping the floor or doing the dishes, I'll just feel like strolling away and before you knew it, I already left the compound. I might probably not be back till nightfall. Mum would be pissed but by the time I sneaked in, she was already sleeping or sleepy. When she wakes in the midnight though, it was a whole other matter. I'm sure I was the only one of my siblings that got beaten as often I had.

I remember one particular not so funny experience: while I was coming back home late, the night watchmen, or olode, as we call them, waylaid me on the road for walking late and disobeying curfew (11p.m). I was very late that day. I was caught by the watchmen around 11:20p.m. As punishment, I had to stand and do night watching with them till 5 a.m. I tell you, it was a brutal experience. They did not allow me to sit for 6 hours straight. Add the cold breeze to that and no punishment can be greater. After that experience, my late nights ceased.

You think I stopped? I'm laughing at you right now for thinking me so easy to break. I'm telling you, it seemed something was determined to destroy my life.

I graduated to not coming home at all. Remember that church I told you about? That's where I usually was all day and since there was always these bright street lights on, you never really noticed the night.

Quite accidentally, I discovered there were people that sleeps within the premises of this church and as long as they can hide from the watchful eyes of the security patrolling the areas, they got away with staying there for as long as they could. So one day that I stole about #3,000 (you would think the money was not much until that was the only thing you have left) from mum's purse, I went there to hide myself. I bought food and snacks on my way there and camped in the premises with other squatters and slept there.