Islanders (Nigerian) #3

Chapter Eight

             She had ordered them to eat even though she knew that her revelation had made them loose whatever appetite they had. "Come" she had told them later on as she proceeded to leave the Cafeteria.

 
       "Marcella how did you?" Mide had tried to ask.

Marcella looked back at them and smiled. They were standing in an almost empty hall way.

    "How did I know that you were both lying ? Or how did I know to offer you the protection that you were about to use me for" She said to both of them as she eyed them blankly "do you think my family is so large that I wouldn't know who is blood and who isn't?. You insult me"

      She scuffed in disbelief and continued to walk towards the class as the girls shuffled behind her.

 
       Her family was indeed large enough for them to not know who was who. She had totally accepted the Girl was family without even checking. Her family had a foot in every family with wealth to its name. The Kings, The Olaterus, The Yahayas, The Danjumas.... she couldn't even name them all and despite the generational hatred they had for each other one of her aunties got married to a McGregor when she was Eight.

 
      She had accepted the liar for what she said she was until she attended the birthday celebration her aunty had held for her triplets.

 
     "Marcella can you please look after the triplets for me while I do something real quick" her Aunty, Ola had asked her that day.

 
      "Look after Tobi as well" her mother had told her as she handed her eight years old brother to her.

 
     She couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the children around her.

 
    "Do you need help" the voice had said from behind her.

 
   "No thank you Ethan" she said. They were maids and nannies all around her. She stood in the center of the large living area while the children played around her. She wished she had refused her parents when they had asked her to come along but she couldn't resist the thought of spending time with her dearest aunty. She had asked if she could stay over.

 
   "It's a school night. Maybe during the weekend" her mom" Dara has said.
 
   "I could take everything I will need for tomorrow with me. Please mom" she said childishly as she sat across her mom on the dining table. "If you agree then Dad will agree"

 
    "School night, Marcella rules are rules" she said firmly. "You can spend the weekend there, there's no problem except that your grandfather wants you to come over for some lessons"

 
        The thought of her grandfather had somehow kicked her back into being the serious minded girl she spent half her life being in public.
    
     "We can put what happened at the Lab behind us and start all over" he said  " I didn't mean to...."

   "Did your parents make you apologize and if they did, doing it at a party is not acceptable" she said as she carried one of the triplets in her hand and ordered one of the nannies to carry another one who was starting to feel sleepy.

 
      "Why would my parents make me apologize to you?" He asked "what business should they have in our lives"

     What he said made her wonder why it was a tradition of the Islanders. The Political apology given by parents on behalf of their children when they weren't forcing them to give it themselves. She turned to look at him. He had a blue jeans on and a white T-shirt and he looked different in the light. A Good different.

      "What are you doing here by the way?" She asked

"He came with me" Makayla said as she appeared from nowhere and tucked herself under his arm. She wore a black shirt gown that hugged her body.

"Ofcourse" Marcella said "Enjoy the rest of the party".

 
   "While I am here why don't I make inquires about your cousin" she said from behind her.
   "If you must, MaKayla"

 
   She didn't have to think much to know who she was talking about.
    

 
    She kept her eyes on Makayla as much as she could and when she wasn't looking at her, she was looking out for her aunty. Her father had called her to introduce her to some guests and she lost sight of Makayla.

    "Where is Aunty Ola?" She had asked her aunt's Husband

 
"You should check the Foyer, she should be sending the guests off" her Husband replied.

 
"Thank you Uncle Demola" She said

 
      She hurried towards the foyer and she saw Makayla with one of the triplets.

  "Aunty Ola" she called out " May I speak to you for a moment"

"Let me just finish with Makayla over here and I will be with you in a moment" she said before proceeding to continue her conversation with Makayla who had an evil smirk on her face.

      "It has to be now" she said firmly.

Her aunty smiled at her flushed and embarrassed by her sudden request.

"It's a family matter" she said. Every Islander knew family came first to the Adegeshins.

"I am so sorry, MaKayla" she said with a smile. Marcella stepped forward and took the baby from her

"Thank you for coming" Marcella said with a straight face before turning away with her aunty

 
        She had asked her aunty afterwards about Azeezat and her aunty had proved her wrong.

    "If she was family. Wouldn't you have met her all these years at one of the many family functions Demola and I throw?" She said

      "You can't tell anybody this, especially Makayla" she said as she held on to the baby in her arms.

"What if she had asked someone else, maybe my brother. I saw her talking to him earlier" she said. Marcella who had been pacing slowly with the baby in her hand stopped and sat in the chair nearest to her.

      "You know you remind me so much of myself but you can't let this family get to you. You have to live a little and let people in. Trust me on that one"

           She had been suspicious when MaKayla had invited her to her party the next day. She and Makayla had attended the same schools since they were kids and Makayla never invited her to anything. She always wondered why till she overheard one of the twins that followed Makayla say in the locker room.

"Makayla is very proud. She hates that Marcella is better than her in everyway even if she wouldn't admit it. And you know how much she loves being the centre of attraction. She hates being second to anyone and anything"

 
        "She can be overwhelming sometimes" another unfamiliar voice said
    The rest of the ordeal was easy to put together when she saw the girls approach her.

     "My house, tomorrow evening" she said to the girls blankly as she sat down in her seat.
   
      "Which one?" Mide asked blankly.